A Blessing From Above

Jeff Distoll was a software engineer at Blizone Co. in Montesano, California, and had a salary of around six hundred thousand dollars per year. He had worked there for many years and was very good at being able to translate information into software code, in other words binary code. He was skilled at using software code and using it to create sophisticated programs such as Wizon and DeltraMila, two software programs that could handle complex stock market calculations in less than one millisecond. Wizon and DeltraMila costed about one hundred dollars per year each, so for a company or a business to buy any of these programs meant that they were investing a significant portion of their time, energy, and money. Jeff Distoll was extremely enthusiastic about being able to make a difference in people’s lives and it enthralled him that his software programs were being used around the world in businesses and individual pursuits. Jeff thought it was cool that his software was so popular, mainly because of its simplicity, price, and depth. Jeff was so enamored by other people’s compliments such as, “You’re too smart”, or “You’re a genius!”. Jeff didn’t feel like he deserved any of these compliments but when he did, he felt a feeling of gratitude and humility. He loved being thanked and making a difference in others’ lives, but it made him feel weak in the knees to hear such kindness up front. Jeff was an extremely lucky, humble, grateful, and extremely talented man. He loved his job and found it rewarding financially and personally.

Jeff loved helping others and making a difference in their lives but was feeling quite sick one day. He woke up from bed one morning and felt a deep, throbbing, and swelling pain in his right, lower leg. He felt very painful and wanted to go to the doctor and see what it was all about. Jeff went to the doctor and asked him what the doctor thought was wrong about Jeff’s legs. The doctor had responded that Jeff may have bone cancer in his leg. Jeff was scared and felt dizzy from this serious and life-threatening diagnosis but was determined to not let cancer get a hold of his life, personally, or financially. Cancer was something that could scare you in the beginning, but was up to the patient whether it controlled their lives. Jeff thought cancer was an extremely scary and painful thing. It was, in many circumstances, but it was also something that Jeff could handle if he just maintained composure and sensibility. Jeff thought his life was about to go on a roller coaster ride, and it was. He was scared to death about how having cancer could make him more susceptible to other diseases, and how it could make him lose his job. Nevertheless, Jeff thanked the doctor for being so kind and quickly left the doctors’ office and went home where he lounged on the sofa, stared at the ceiling in worry, and watched television. He was worried but optimistic.

Work at Blizone Co. was very difficult, with lots of things to think about, such as software accuracy, quality, and usability. Jeff sat in cubicle 4T and worked feverishly to make the best, most accurate, and most logical software code that could be made. Jeff found it difficult to concentrate for more than two hours without his eyes and head spinning around. Jeff was intrigued by his many coworkers and how they worked without pain. Jeff was thinking about why he was experiencing all these different emotions when suddenly he had an epiphany. Bone cancer. Jeff felt a wave of sadness envelop him in clouds of darkness, where he couldn’t see the end. Jeff knew his job was important but also knew that his health mattered more. So, Jeff went to his boss and asked him if he could quit for a year and not lose his job. His boss looked at him and said, “What’s going on, Jeff? Something troubling you?” Jeff replied, “Yes. I was diagnosed with bone cancer in my right lower leg a few days ago. I think I need time off.” Jeff’s boss simply looked at Jeff with intrigue and said, “Sure. You can have a leave. Just come back healthy.” Jeff thanked his boss with great gratitude and went back to his home where he watched television to calm his nerves and alleviate his worries. Jeff was extremely happy because of the way things had turned out. It was now him and bone cancer, but he wasn’t sure who was going to win the battle. Jeff went to bed, counted sheep, and fell asleep soundly and quickly. 

He awoke the next morning and felt like a ship lost in a thundering and rolling sea. He felt queasy because he wasn’t sure how he was going to defeat this disease. It was going to be lots and lots of chemotherapy, x-rays, medicine, and perhaps a surgery or more. He looked online about bone cancer and found out that he was a one in ten-thousand male who get it every year. Jeff felt sad about his cancer diagnosis but was determined to not let this disease get a hold of him and wreck his life. Jeff researched a lot about his disease and found out that most people recover albeit with vestiges of symptoms. Jeff understood what it meant to be under pressure and under time constraints, so battling this disease would maybe be easier than expected. Still, he knew he had a long road ahead of him. Cancer was scary, but dying was scarier. Bone cancer, chemo, x-rays, and drugs scared Jeff a lot, but it also made him cognizant of his mortality. He was in for a long, long battle. 

On a Wednesday night, pain had begun coming and going in Jeff’s leg and was starting to increase. He felt very sad and was in despair. He decided to call the ambulance where they picked him up and transported him to the nearest hospital. Jeff’s leg was seen by a doctor who decided to order an x-ray for Jeff and see whether or not he needed something else. He was told that he needed chemotherapy or else his leg may need to be amputated. Jeff received the treatment, went home, and read a book. He was worried about where this disease was taking him and whether or not he’d be able to survive. According to statistics he found in a book, bone cancer kills a third of those it infects. Jeff hoped he didn’t become a statistic and decided to exercise, eat better, and sleep more soundly every day. 

After a few years, Jeff had completed a hundred rounds of chemotherapy, taken numerous drugs and numerous x-rays. Jeff had found it incredible that his disease finally was cured and that he would be able to work again. He survived and didn’t become a statistic like so many others. Jeff praised God and was thankful for his guidance, protection, and love. Jeff returned to work a better person and stronger, too.