Thursday, October 23, 2008

Live and Let Liver Live

Being young and financially independent means freedom! Freedom from all stress and worries brought by being financially dependent from your parents or other person. Free to do whatever you want whenever you want it as long as you have the money to fund it.

At the age of 18, i already had a high earning job as a Seaman. I had my (Financial) Independence at a prime state. Stage wherein hormones surge, stage of being rebellious and always yearns for adventure. The stage where i want to try and learn everything and search for my self.

I am young and i want to enjoy it! Enjoyment means time with friends in bars or at home with cold glass of beer or whiskey and the all time favorite "Joe Curves a.k.a. Jose Cuervo". I even illegally stock my cabin (when on ship) with whiskey, brandy and other alcoholic drinks and have a private party just with close friends almost every other day and doesnt bother even if theres work on the next morning.


I had lots of friends. And we are drunk almost every day.....

Life really has its own way of getting back into you. And i had mine the soonest.

At the age of 24, I am a married man with a newborn kid. I am now threading a new path. Being a family man means a lot to me and providing for my family is my number one priority.

Change is the only constant thing in this world as what they say, and so is my work. The pre-employment medical check-up had changed into a more strict examination and covers more scope than the regular examination. That was the first time I encountered the medical term SGPT.

Transaminase, serum glutamic pyruvic (SGPT): An enzyme that is normally present in liver and heart cells, and is released into blood when the liver or heart is damaged. Blood SGPT levels are thus elevated with liver damage (for example, from viral hepatitis) or with an insult to the heart (for example, from a heart attack). Some medications can also raise SGPT levels. Interpretation of elevated SGPT levels depends on the context, and can necessitate additional clinical and laboratory information.

The medical examination shows that i surpassed the limit for SGPT level and is considered unfit for employment.

Desperate to go back to work and earn money, I sought other peoples help and manipulated the test results when I was reffered to other physician for rehabilitation of my liver. Thanks to those Medtech friends who helped me pass the tests in exchange for a dinner at Mario's.

I was then cleared and resumed my work. Then another mishap in my family led me to sign off with unfinished contract. My brother died and left four kids who are still schooling. My wife and I took the responsibility of helping the two eldest kids finish their last year in college.

I resumed my work on ship without the medical exam since my previous exam is still valid.

Brought by pressure of the burden i am carrying, i found this chance of searching my chance of a better future together with a friend when we landed in Japan one chilly spring afternoon in May 2005.

These events explains my spoils and adventures in Japan as an illegal immigrant for 3 years.

After all the adventures, sweats, tears and roller coaster of events and emotions, now i'm happily back with my family managing a small business.

As if adventure is really chasing me (or the other way around?), my recent motorcycle accident made me visit my doctor. I was asked to have a series of examination and one of these is my Blood Chemistry.

The test shows that my SGPT level is now almost four times above the normal.

I'm back to where I left three years ago.

I am sober for a month now and promising not to let the sweating bottle of cold beer seduce me and touch my lips......

......not....... while i'm on medication??>"<


Lesson Learned: You can never get away with life.

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