A story of someone, and the people around him
Every time I walked past his room, I caught him at the corner of my eye. His face was like a human skull with living, brown skin growing on it.
We asked him if he still wanted active anti-retroviral treatment, and every time he would nod his head very weakly, almost drifting asleep in the process.
Clearly and dearly he was clinging onto his life – and why, you could almost ask. Certainly many of the nurses did. He had no friends that we knew of, and only one next-of-kin apparently – a cousin in a nearby town, but even she had disowned him one month ago… No longer wanted to be informed about him, no longer wanted anything to do with him.
“Why are we still treating him!? Can we put him on the LCP already?” some of the nurses would say, day by day. I have heard it so many times that I got a little annoyed.
And one day, when he became totally unrousable but his lungs still softly breathing and his heart still faintly beating, we finally decided to commence him on the LCP.
Then suddenly, as if from nowhere, more and more “family members” and “best friends” started appearing in his quiet room, sitting and standing by his bedside. Before this, we have always thought that he was lonely, with no friends or family.
I wondered, too, if he even knew that they visited him. He passed away shortly after. He is now fading in my memory.
He had late-stage AIDS, but that is not all. This is the story of someone during the last periods of his life, and the people around him. It is a sad story, I think.
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oming to you
from a junior doctor who is color-blind, cleft-lipped and left-handed — this is where
I largely write about my
somewhat weird and wonderful encounters in Medicine. I wish,
though, more often than not,
that I could rather spend my days
drawing colorful pictures and bringing stories to life...... -
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Hearing of all kinds of sickness and disease, please be careful. Stewardship should be a requirement for sustainable ministry.
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It’s sad indeed.. reminded me of dad. Well, he’s definitely not as sad as him but, he’s been coughing alot lately and weak, complaning he’s cold even the air-conditioning was scaled to heat in M’sia. I worried what sickness he’s having. Glad to read your stories..inspiring=)
sorry i meant definitely not as sick as him was..
hey YeuYeu, what a pleasant surprise to hear from you! Didn’t know that you’re back in LJ haha. Your dad doesn’t sound too well – has he been to a doc?
Thanks for commenting. Hope everything’s well with you.
nah he didn’t.. i should remind him.
things going alrite here..can’t wait for my exams to end!
It must have been difficult for him to slowly die without someone by his side.
Yes,it is a really sad story which i am unwilling to see!I have also seen lots of people spend a large amount of money to build cemetery for their died relatives instead of treating them well when they are alive.in my opinion,it is too late ,meaningless and a little bit hypocrisy!therefore, I was reminded of treating my relatives and friends well as soon as possible when they are alive!
from Judia :-)