Blog by: Lata Advani Viseu

“Don’t worry about a thing
‘Cause every little thing gonna be alright
Singing’ don’t worry about a thing
‘Cause every little thing gonna be alright
Rise up this mornin’
Smiled with the risin’ sun
Three little birds
Pitch by my doorstep
Singin’ sweet songs
Of melodies pure and true
Saying’, (this is my message to you)”
Three Little Birds – Bob Marley, Bob Marley and the Wailers

In times of trouble, in times of fear, do you choose despair, or do you choose hope? This life is so unpredictable, one day everything is fine and the next day you are in the middle of this crazy corona virus spell. To top it off, some of us are going through other stressful issues.

Amidst the lockdown, my husband, Louie had to be taken by EMT to the hospital when he lost consciousness and fell in the bath last month. Luckily, he did not sustain any injuries, but the doctors noticed an issue with his tongue which started the rollercoaster chain of events. After several appointments and a biopsy, Louie was diagnosed with tongue cancer which came as a complete shock as he does not smoke and, drinks occasionally.

It has been an extremely stressful time for all of us, going to the hospital during covid-19 for appointments, watching him suffer in pain and losing so much weight in such a short time frame. I think the worst feeling is to see a loved one suffer and in pain.

It is so easy to spiral down the road of fear and anxiety unless you make a conscious effort to stay positive. I know how important it is to look for the good when everything seems to be going wrong and out of control, but some days are a lot harder than others to stay positive.

We have been reminding ourselves that despite everything, we have been fortunate because our daughter Bianca is at home and, her boyfriend made it to Canada just before the flight ban and, his support has been invaluable. Having the three of us at home with Louie, has been a blessing.

With COVID-19, the hospitals are cleaner, getting appointments with Specialists are relatively easy since all non-urgent surgeries have been postponed. The three of us don’t need to physically go into work or school during the closure. My work family at HRPA has been immensely supportive, especially our CEO and my team.

We have my brother and his wife frequently dropping off homemade soup for Louie and meals and treats for us. We have support from family and friends from all over the world connecting us to family friends that are doctors in the States and in India, they are reviewing the medical reports and scans and advising us. People are praying for him, chanting for him or sending him healing vibes and I’m downloading positive healing messages every chance I get, while he’s falling asleep.

All our lives, Louie has been the stay-at-home husband/father who ran a business from home and selflessly took care of all the household work including cooking everyday. The tables have now turned, and it is our turn to take care of him while he gets better.

We realize this is going to be a long journey, but we have the best doctors in one of Canada’s top hospitals taking care of Louie. With the support of loved ones, a few months from now, Louie will be well on the road to recovery.

If you are going through a stressful situation, remember to take care of yourself too. Some of the things that have been helping me keep sane are, meditation, writing all the things I am grateful for each day, visualizing the future that I look forward to and listening to music.

Take one day at a time and each time you have a negative thought, replace it with three positive ones. Choose to focus on all the good in your life and know that whatever is gong to be, will be. Enjoy every moment with your loved ones and trust that the Universe always has your back. As Bob Marley says, every little thing gonna be alright.

“Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

“When things are bad, we take comfort in the thought that they could always get worse. And when they are, we find hope in the thought that things are so bad they have to get better.” – Malcolm S. Forbes

“Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.” – Mahatma Gandhi

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