You only die once

Chapter 9 Final

Chapter 9

Final

In my short 58 years of life, I have had enough near-death experiences that should not have been for one person, but for at least three to five.

But as life will have it, we don't get to choose. We receive what we get and get on with it.

Recently, I had a patient with lymphoma. Rare and advanced presentation that I had only encountered for the first time. Then, we discovered he had active hepatitis B. Then we discovered he had another blood problem called essential thrombocytosis. You don't get to choose. But as luck can be bad or good, there were treatments available for all his conditions. I think three treatable conditions are better than just one that has no successful treatment available.

Another patient had four cancers over a 15-year period. Unfortunately, he finally succumbed. After his first cancer, his wife who was well died five years later. Life is full of twists.

Their encounters seem more serious than mine.

There are many more real stories I can relate and bore you to sleep or death. I better stop here.

I have littered my writing with lessons I have learnt, associating them with my personal life experiences and stories of patients and my recollection of readings dear to me.

Thinking about it all 🤔🤔🤔, it almost sounds as impossible a ride like 'Forrest Gump' joined with 'A series of unfortunate events'.

The End

Addendum

I finished writing the whole book (not edited or corrected for English) in the last week of my medical leave after my vertebral stent. First two weeks, I was in recovery and took a while as there was a rather big haematoma at the site of insertion in the groin. (Expected as I was on a hefty dose of medication to prevent clotting before and after the stent to ensure I don't get a real stroke.) The third week, I was very fidgety and had to do something. I made my worktable out of the remaining scrap wood I had. By the fourth and last week, my mind was active and endless thoughts kept coming. So, I wrote this book. There was no premeditation to write and it is quite a spontaneous gathering of thoughts.

This writing is based on true stories. None are fabricated. But to preserve anonymity, names and genders have been changed. Less than 10 percent has been made up to protect that and also to align any misconceptions.

Thank you for bearing with my terrible way of writing and my English.

I hope it has been an enjoyable journey.

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The next chapter is not about any further encounters but more of a different perspective I sometimes have on medicine. Health care workers may want to continue reading.