Chapter 1
It was a typical Wednesday evening, and Norm sat on the couch, surrounded by the remnants of his dinner. A half-eaten pizza, a bag of chips, and a can of soda were scattered on the coffee table in front of him. Sheila, his devoted wife, looked at him with a mixture of concern and frustration.
“Norm, have you looked at yourself lately? You’re getting bigger and bigger. You need to start taking care of yourself,” she said, trying to sound gentle but firm.
Norm just shrugged and reached for another slice of pizza. “I’m fine, Sheila. I’m just a little overweight. It’s nothing to worry about.”
But deep down, Norm knew that wasn’t true. He had been feeling more and more tired and out of breath lately, and his clothes were starting to feel tight. He had even started to avoid looking at himself in the mirror.
The next day, at work, Norm’s boss, Charlie, pulled him into his office. “Norm, I need to talk to you. Your performance has been slipping lately, and I’m starting to get complaints from clients about your attitude. You need to shape up, or you’ll be out of a job.”
Norm’s heart sank. He had been working at the same company for over 20 years and couldn’t imagine doing anything else. But he knew that Charlie was right. He had been struggling to keep up with the long hours and the pressure of the job.
He decided to take action. He started going for walks during his lunch breaks and cut down on his portion sizes at dinner. He even joined a gym, but he made sure to go at off-peak hours so that no one from work would see him.
But despite his best efforts, Norm couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. He started experiencing chest pains and shortness of breath. He knew he needed to see a doctor, but he was scared of what they might find.
One evening, after a particularly grueling day at work, Norm collapsed on the couch. Sheila immediately called for an ambulance, and Norm was rushed to the hospital.
The doctor’s diagnosis was grim. Norm had a serious case of heart disease, and it was directly related to his obesity and lack of health and wellness. Norm was shocked and ashamed. He had never taken his health seriously and now he was facing the consequences.
Sheila and the kids were devastated. They had been worried about Norm for so long, and now their worst fears had been confirmed. Buddy was especially upset, he had always wanted more time with his dad, but now he was worried he would lose him. Norm knew that he needed to make a change, not just for himself but for his family…..