| Column |
November , 2020 | The Health
21
Coping with the sudden loss of a seemingly healthy friend
Different Strokes
by ADI SATRIA
Sudden death of friends makes us think about how we live our lives
A few days ago , my classmates and I were shocked by the sudden demise of a classmate , the second person this year to have left us at the age of 69 .
It was even more shocking to know that he suffered a rupture of his blood arteries , a condition known as aneurysm , after returning from his morning jogging routine around his neighborhood in Penang . An emergency operation was performed but the bleeding was too severe that by the evening he had passed away .
Since school days , our classmate had a very cheeky , witty and friendly personality which everyone loved , and this was evident from the messages of condolences received from friends all over the world . Many of us literally shed tears in mourning the loss of this friend whom we thought would probably live beyond his 69 years , noting how fit he was .
Rupture due to aneurysm is a condition that is unpredictable . It occurs when an artery wall weakens and causes an abnormally large bulge which ruptures
and causes internal bleeding . The cause is unknown but it can be due to high blood pressure , aortic disease or injury and prolonged smoking . It could also be congenital , that is one is born with it .
It seems that his elder brother passed away in his 50 ’ s also after returning from jogging . It is thus advisable that his children go for a routine check up to find out if they too are at risk .
This sudden death left many of us to think about how we live our lives . Besides proper nutrition and diet , exercise is key .
I have a nephew in his late twenties who is a keen sportsman who enjoys surfing the waves , ( not just the internet ). After one of those surfing trips to Indonesia , he was taken ill and was found to have a small hole in his heart . An operation fixed it and he is now back to his exercise routine .
The same problem happened to his elder sister who found out when she underwent a health examination to enter university . She too had the operation and is now happily married with a family .
It only goes to show that genetics has also got to do with one ’ s physical health .
I suppose many of us dread going for a health check but this is an important preventive measure for us to continue a full and meaningful live .
Our late classmate lead a simple and fulfilling live . He made many around him happy and his sudden demise left us all missing him . Alfatihah . — The Health
Adi Satria , a veteran of marketing communications , continues to be physically and mentally active . Coping with the loss of classmates motivates him to value every moment of life through proper nutrition and exercise , albeit in moderation .