PAGES OF MY LIFE

Part 7

"What are you staring at up there?" April asked.

"I'm watching how beautiful the ocean and mountains are," I replied. "To be here is incredibly peaceful, Prof. Thank you for bringing me."

"Thandar, aren't you regretting coming here?" April asked, her face filled with concern.

"No... I wanted to take a break from life. Being here is like a vacation. It's quiet, away from people, away from social media, away from everything," I replied softly.

"Since you're enjoying it here, you're up for a medical mission with the team. You're coming with us today, so go get your stuff," April said, leaving me with a teasing smile as if the mission was going to be really tough.

I gathered my things, feeling a strange mix of excitement and nervousness. Even though I'm in my fourth year, the thought of this medical mission made me uneasy.

The mission was on Brissago Island, where many people had caught a severe flu. We were there to help them recover.

Upon arriving, we immediately got to work. The flu was no joke—it was highly contagious.

After several hours, I managed to take a break, and someone offered me a cup of coffee.

"Want some?" Prof. April handed me a cup of instant coffee.

I took the coffee, feeling a bit awkward. "Prof., aren't you tired? You should take a break too."

"Time is gold. You should rest first. We are only four doctors here with one student. We don't have enough time for breaks. I gotta get back now. After your break, be sure to come back," Prof. April said seriously.

After my break, I returned to the site. That's when I faced the most important task, but...

"What happened? Why isn't she breathing?" I shouted, panic rising in my chest.

The child's mother was crying. "My... my daughter had the flu yesterday, but today I thought she was okay. I thought she was fine, so I let her play and swim in the ocean. Doctor, please save her. Please save my daughter," she begged, her voice filled with despair.

Despite my efforts, I couldn't do anything. The child vomited blood, and I felt utterly helpless. I cried so hard that I fainted.

When I woke up, I was still at the scene, overwhelmed by the loss. I asked myself, "Am I really worthy to be a doctor? Why couldn't I save a single patient?" I cried, shaking uncontrollably.

My professor tried to comfort me, but I was still in a state of panic.

"We should let her take some calming pills," Prof. April suggested to Dr. Fred.

"Do you think that's necessary? She might not wake up for a day because of that. It's a strong injection," Dr. Fred replied.

"It's okay as long as she doesn't have another panic attack. That injection will calm her. Every time Thandar fails to save a patient, she has a panic attack. This has been happening for the past three years," Prof. April explained.

"Then you should call that person..." Dr. Fred suggested.

"Are you talking about the person who's not supposed to be here?" Prof. April asked seriously.

"Yes, it might help Thandar cope with what's happening right now. Maybe her condition is also because she's still sad from the past. If she can talk with that person, it might help her," Dr. Fred said with a serious tone.

Twenty-four hours later, I woke up feeling uneasy. My heart was still heavy, but Prof. April, as always, was there to help me.

"Thandar, are you okay now?" Prof. April asked.

Tears flowed from my eyes, and I couldn't answer right away.

"I know it's hard, but it's not your fault, Thandar. Everything will be alright. And guess what? You have a visitor. That person is waiting for you in the lobby," Prof. April said.

"A visitor? Who? Prof., I'm not expecting anyone," I replied.

"Go to the lobby and see who it is," Prof. April said, smiling at me.

I didn't know why, but that smile from my professor felt a bit unsettling. It was a smile I didn't want to see. Who could my visitor be? I felt nervous. Gosh, I went to the lobby immediately.

I saw that person waving and smiling at me and said, "It's been a long time..."