Words that explode

If words are to enter men's hearts and bear fruit, they must be right words shaped cunningly to pass men's defenses and explode silently and effectually within their minds. 

   - J B Phillips

Fab's journey in his words

He was the son of Enzo and Nancy (Rubino) Pirrone and was born July 20, 1980, in Chicago.

Fabrizio started the F.A.B. (Fighting All Battles) Foundation, helping other people affected by leukemia. He was employed by M.D. Sleppy Construction, Seven Springs, and previously owned his own car detailing business, Xtreme FX.

Fab had an absolute zest for life and loved spending time with friends and family. He enjoyed making his famous crab dip and slinging pizzas at his family’s restaurant. In his spare time you could find him in the gym or “scootin’” on one of his motorcycles. Fabri was a world traveler who thrived off of meeting new people, dining out at restaurants and just living in the moment!

Fabrizio is survived by his best friend and wife, Shawna Sardone; mother Nancy, of Indiana; his siblings, Sibilla Pirrone Spearman and her husband, Jason, of Indiana; and Enzo Pirrone Jr. and his wife, Rachel, of Highland, Ind.; nieces Josephina and Katelyn Pirrone; and his maternal grandmother, Maria Rubino, Leonforte, Italy.

He was preceded in death by his father, Enzo; maternal grandfather, Serafino Rubino; and paternal grandparents, Liborio and Rosaria Pirrone.

Fab

I lost one more friend. Fabrizio Pirrone, Fab, started out as my patient in March 2013. He was diagnosed in the prime of his health - just because he did a CBC for work purpose. We traveled together in this journey. There was a time when Indu and I took him to a burger place in Shadyside, as he was getting his chemotherapy. He was desperate to see the night lights and eat a burger. None of the nurses or the staff knew about it - till this day, it was our little secret. We were the most unlikely friends - a huge white guy and a tiny brown guy. He had such a generous heart, always the 'gentle giant'. He was loved by everyone. His leukemia was in remission, when one day he called me in November 2015 to tell me he relapsed, in fact, as soon as he heard the news from his medical team in Pittsburgh.We spoke for an hour and decided on further plans. I would get fax of his lab test results in Kentucky. He wanted me to be informed of all his treatment course. But things did not go as well as we hoped - his leukemia cells never went away with more chemotherapy. As I was traveling to India in March, we texted each other and discussed plans. I told him not to give up - I said I wanted a cancer campaigner for my cancer center in India. He replied, "I will be there in a heartbeat for you, Aju." Recently, we spoke from Seattle where he was away for a novel CAR-T cell therapy - the treatment had not done it's job. And, he was worried. Rightfully so. He asked me whether he should go for the rough and risky treatment or just let the disease take it's course. He decided to go down fighting. He died last night - three years after his initial diagnosis.

 

Tuesday, May 17th - a week before his passing away 

Hey buddy, just wanted to catch up with you about the treatment. So we're nearing the 21th day (Thursday) prior to testing and seeing where my results sits. 

The team meet up with me today while I was in infusion getting platelets, and talked to me about my blood still had lymphoblastic counts in it. Long story short the CAR  Tcells therapy didn't put me into remission, but It did lower the amount of blast inside my system so the Tcells are having an effects and killing blast cells. They said they would be willing to do another round with a higher dose of my cells (x10) with hopes that would possibly take care of it. But then again they can guarantee that it would work or not. 

They want me to make the decision if I want to proceed. 

Yea...

A month and half ago, I saw her last. I had been giving her chemotherapy for breast cancer. She had disease in brain, bone, liver and lungs. She was weak, but was working actively until January 2016 when I asked her to stop being generous. She was the director of a nursing facility that took care of alzheimer's patients. I once asked her why she was working despite her own sickness. She replied, "I want to train others in what I am doing, so this is carried on." Such was her spirit of life. She was an active practicing christian, who really enjoyed living, and life. She and her husband of 34 years, saw me in April - she was visibly quite weak, and forgetful. Quite unlike her. Until the previous visit, we were going full course, and she was doing well. I told her that I am stopping chemotherapy. To my surprise, she replied - "Yea" - with her both hands going up in triumph. Hearing her response, I remember laughing out aloud. Her husband was also quite relieved that I was stopping her chemotherapy. 

I will remember her generosity and courage in the face of complete adversity. She loved smoothies!

Confucius on academic research

“Do not be concerned that you have no position, be concerned that you have what it takes to merit a position. Do not be concerned that no one recognises you, seek that which is worthy of recognition.” For all his considerable merits, Confucius, whose words these are, would have made a rotten academic mentor at today’s university.

Wet pants - a forwarded message

*WET PANTS*

Come with me to a third grade classroom..... There is a nine-year-old kidsitting at his desk and all of a sudden, there is a puddle between hisfeet and the front of his pants are wet. He thinks his heart is going to stop because he cannot possibly imagine how this has happened. It'snever happened before, and he knows that when the boys find out he willnever hear the end of it. When the girls find out, they'll never speak tohim again as long as he lives.The boy believes his heart is going to stop; he puts his head down and prays this prayer, "Dear God, this is an emergency! I need help now! Five minutes from now I'm dead meat."

He looks up from his prayer and here comes the teacher with a look in hereyes that says he has been discovered. As the teacher is walking toward him, a classmate named Susie is carryinga goldfish bowl that is filled with water. Susie trips in front of theteacher and inexplicably dumps the bowl of water in the boy' s lap. The boy pretends to be angry, but all the while is saying to himself, "Thank you, Lord! Thank you, Lord!"

Now all of a sudden, instead of being the object of ridicule, the boy is the object of sympathy. The teacher rushes him downstairs and gives him gym shorts to put on while his pants dry out. All the other children areon their hands and knees cleaning up around his desk. The sympathy iswonderful. But as life would have it, the ridicule that should have beenhis has been transferred to someone else - Susie. She tries to help, but they tell her to get out. You've done enough, you  Clumsy girl!"

Finally, at the end of the day, as they are waiting for the bus, the boywalks over to Susie and whispers, "You did that on purpose, didn't you?" Susie whispers back, "I wet my pants once too." 

Cancer warrior

This creative art was made by a patient who was getting radiation. The base of this artwork is actually the mask that is used while getting radiation therapy. The patient belonged to an ancient Native American community and wanted to capture the essence of the warrior in the garb of a cancer survivor. 

The wolves

My patient had an interesting tattoo on her forearm. She explained what it meant. It's from an old fable or from a Cherokee story. 

Everyone has two wolves within them. The good wolf and the bad wolf. The honest and humble wolf and the evil and terrifying wolf. Which wolf lives with you? 

The one that you feed. 

A Praying Mom

We don’t need another Pentecost - Pastor Dillaman

1 Corinthians 12:7: To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

1. We don’t need another Pentecost; we simply need to better understand the original.

2. Pentecost included both temporary and permanent effects.

3. When churches or individuals lack Spirit power it isn’t because it’s missing; it’s because it hasn’t been accepted or applied.

4. Every Christian possesses the Spirit - without exception.

5. The Holy Spirit will not dwell in unholy places. He only dwells within those made holy in Jesus.

6. The Holy Spirit doesn’t wait for our maturity; He produces it.

7. The Spirit’s presence will always be visible to other believers.

8. We can’t manifest the Spirit in isolation. It requires community.

9. The greater our exposure to diverse believers the greater our exposure to the diverse manifestation of the Spirit.

10. Gifts are obligations and power is duty.

11. The more we trust the more we’ll experience and the more we share the more we’ll see.

http://www.acac.net/index.cfm/PageID/859/index.html#

Dissing Your Pastor

Dissing: speak disrespectfully to or criticize.

Our Pastor mentioned something very important that I think is quite relevant to an established traditional church like Marthoma church. Very often, church members tend to criticize their priest in front of their children. Almost always as soon as they start back home after church. It ends up affecting the spiritual authority of the pastor/priest in the lives of the children. When the child grows up and goes through a time of crisis, unfortunately the priest or the pastor has no ability to positively influence or counsel the child. The parents are desperate to get the priest involved, but the damage has been done.

If you trace the story of a lot of people who leave the church, or leave the faith, we can find a story of their parents constantly dissing the priest. How then will they stay in the church under the spiritual authority of a priest that their parents never respected?

Moral of the message: please do not speak disrespectfully of your pastor or priest in front of little children or teens.

A tired animal

Kerala is full of street dogs. These are unfortunate animals who just happen to be born to the land where dogs have no safe place. They end up being a nuisance to the society and becomes a most hated living being. I hope we could curtail the street dog menace, without having to kill the ones that are born. Without proper waste management added as a component to any such initiative, the street dog menace will never end. 

Jackfruit

There's nothing like a nice juicy jackfruit. If there is a fruit I miss in the US, it is this tasty delight.

I can't wait to go back to Kerala and enjoy the small luxuries that my land provides. And, certainly, this is one of a kind fruit. 

Keeneland horse racing track

Horse cemetry at Lane's end farm

Taking care of a stud horse - these are high value horses. Goes for $50,000 to 200,000 for breeding rights.

An appetizer at Keeneland

Keeneland crowd

Keeneland racing

Pop-a-lock open

I met the President

After this last photograph was taken, he looked into my eyes, and then shook my hands. 

A trip to Berea Kentucky

Bible - from Genesis To Revelation

My patient's husband said, "doc, I completed the whole of bible this year." I looked at him with a callousness that speaks volumes of my spiritual pride. He continued - "it's an achievement for me, because I'm dyslexic." With those words, my pride left my eyes. 

I don't have dyslexia. Even then, I have not read the bible beginning to end. 

He did add, "I can't say I comprehended everything. But I tried."

In Memoriam - John Zachariah Sir

People who know me well are quite aware of the fact that I spend a lot of time in the past. I enjoy being nostalgic, pondering the good and bad memories from my younger years. In fact, I draw strength to live today and tomorrow through the yesterday. Throughout my life, there are very few people who have left an indelible mark on my life as John Zachariah sir has done. On May 2nd, 2016, he left for his heavenly abode. He was a Sunday school teacher, a well respected elder in church, a good neighbor, a great worker in missions and many more. More importantly, he has been part of my family, and a faithful friend of my father for over three decades. 

A person may gain riches and fame while living, but when he dies all he takes with him are the precious jewels he accumulates in the spiritual realm. When Christ meets John Zachariah sir over the clouds and welcomes him into the precious eternal life, he would certainly receive lots of accolades (Matthew 6:20) - especially for the souls he has won for Christ. 

As a Sunday School headmaster, he was committed to his work. According to his perspective, that meant giving frank and honest advice and opinion, and ensure discipline. I remember that he once told my father that I am a lazy boy. He was quite honest in that assessment of me, and it served to correct me. I used to be quite late to Sunday School, and since that comment, I tried to be more careful with my attendance. These days, we hesitate to speak our mind as we risk offending others. He spoke his mind to encourage me, and to spur me on to be a better man. As a young boy attending Sunday School camp, I have overheard several older boys teasing him whenever he came to ensure discipline in the dormitory - almost always behind his back, and when the light has been switched off. Still, he did his job faithfully. He led the church in this most crucial ministry and mentored countless youngsters. He was never the sort of person who would be a pious, spiritual person. He was always genuine in his interactions with children. 

I need to think of only one incident in my life to remember him for my lifetime. In the early hours of an October morning in 1999, as I was leaving for the first time to attend Medical School in Trivandrum, he paid me a visit despite the torrential 'thulavarsham' rains, in his trusted bicycle. Knowing that my grandfather would have done that if he was alive, John Zachariah sir stepped into that role and blessed me that morning prior to the beginning of my 'doctor' journey. Unfortunately, I do not think anyone would do such a thing in today's world. 

In Church matters, he was always open and honest in his opinions, and always volunteered his time, money and energy. I think if there are few words that comes to my mind when I think of him, it will be honesty, energy, enthusiasm, love and generosity. As a matter of fact, I know that he has financially supported several people in our church and outside. 

His home in Kaloor was always an open home. Missionaries, priests, random strangers, even children like me found love and warmth in his home. I am reminded of the Missions India prayer meeting that he hosted for several years on a weekday evening. In fact, I remember eating several meals at his home, served with love by ammachy. She was one of my first teachers as she taught me Sisuvakup in Sunday School. Quite easily, they were one of the earliest power couples I have seen in my life. They had a great life and served the Lord mightily together - more than what could have been possible alone. Such is the beauty of a marriage 'made in heaven'. 

I will certainly miss John Zachariah sir. But I am proud of the legacy that he has left for the younger generation. He served a mighty King, and I am sure he will hear the words that he must have always yearned to hear - "Well done, good and faithful servant." 

It is people like him who give me the strength to walk into my future. 

I wish I could remember that first day...

I wish I could remember that first day, 

First hour, first moment of your meeting me, 

If bright or dim the season, it might be 

Summer or Winter for aught I can say; 

So unrecorded did it slip away, 

So blind was I to see and to foresee, 

So dull to mark the budding of my tree 

That would not blossom yet for many a May. 

If only I could recollect it, such 

A day of days! I let it come and go 

As traceless as a thaw of bygone snow; 

It seemed to mean so little, meant so much; 

If only now I could recall that touch, 

First touch of hand in hand – Did one but know! 

a poem by Christina Rossetti, a Victorian era poet. 

Excellent questions for an interview

“Why are you talking to us today?”

“When do you give up on a teammate?”

“Do you believe in destiny or free will?”

“Sell me the water bottle”

“How much petrol gets consumed on the road outside our office?”

“Tell me about the time when you failed.”

“When was the last time you were wrong during a debate?”

If you had to do a job without a salary what job would that be?

http://qz.com/672539/we-got-eight-indian-startup-ceos-to-tell-us-their-one-killer-interview-question-for-new-hires/

Paedobaptism

I got the above card as an act of gratitude from a little girl, all of eight years, for my presence in the communion service where she accepted Jesus into her life. 

She was gleaming with joy. 

I'm reminded of an eleven year old boy I spoke to a few months ago. He had just undergone 'adult' baptism in his Pentecostal church. I asked him, "why did you get baptized?"  "Coz it's cool", he replied. 

Now you tell me my friend. Should the eight year old girl above get baptized as a twenty year old again? Should the eleven year old boy above get baptized again? How is this different from my own experience of getting infant baptism and then standing up as a twelve year old accepting the communion in a Sunday service and confessing the Lord Jesus as my savior? Should I get baptized again?

How many times should a person get baptized. What did Apostle Paul say?