Just Live

Chapter 10

Note: Hi, everyone. The last chapter was heavy and if you're still reading this, thank you. Thank you because you continue to support and follow this even after reaching a turning point in the story. I hope the following chapters will make the time you spent reading this story worth it, and I hope to hear more from you. Reading your comments really make me smile kahit emojis lang. Thank you! ❤️😁

If you have any questions or if you want me to clarify something, please do ask and I will gladly answer it for you to the best of my knowledge. Disclaimer na rin toh for this chapter and future chapters about anything related to medicine. I try to be as realistic as possible with the story pero in case you find inconsistencies with the literature, it's all on me.

I hope to see you all again in the next chapter! 😊

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Anaplastic Astrocytoma. Grade 3.

A rare, malignant brain tumor that grows fast and is aggressive, with the prognosis depending on the characteristics of the tumor and how far it has progressed. Because of its rapid growth and aggressiveness, there is a likelihood of the tumor progressing to glioblastoma multiforme, the most common, but also the most aggressive, form of a brain tumor. It has a prognosis of only less than a year.

With it being grade 3, Maine currently has a fifty percent chance of having a five-year survival rate following an intense treatment process.

Her diagnosis was accidental. She disregarded the symptoms as being part of her daily life. Although the headaches had a distinct characteristic, she thought it was just migraine, something she has dealt with for many years. She thought her she had shaky hands because of fatigue and were the reason behind trouble with doing things with her hands. Little did she know, she was already having symptoms.

It wasn't until Maine slipped in the bath tub and hit her head badly when they found out. They expected to see signs of a brain injury from the scans, but instead, they saw a tumor. A malignant tumor.

"I'm scared, RJ," Maine said as tears still ran down her cheeks.

They were now inside their hotel suite after both broke down by the pool. RJ had his right arm wrapped around her body while his fingers from the opposite hand were laced with Maine's.

"Me too, Maine," RJ whispered as he kissed the side of her head, his eyes still red and watery from crying. "But, you're going to be okay. Fifty percent, five years, those are just numbers. Those are statistics. You're you at kayang kaya mong lampasan yung statistics nila."

"What if sa surgery pa lang, things go wrong already? What if..."

"Shhh, don't say that," RJ swallowed the lump in his throat and hugged her tighter. "Alam mo ba sabi nila sakin nun? That after having a stroke, I probably won't be able to do walk again, to do things for myself again. Look at me now, Maine, look at the things we've done together.

Maine cried quietly as she brought her face down to RJ's chest. He felt her hug him tighter as her shoulders shook from crying quietly.

"You don't have to hold it in, Maine. Ilabas mo." RJ said as tears fell from his eyes. " What are you scared of?"

Of course, he knew what she was scared of, but he knew how helpful it is to be able to say things out loud, to have someone listen to your fears, and he wanted to be that someone to her.

"I'm scared," she whispered between her cries. "Natatakot ako sa surgery, sa outcome, sa recovery. Natatakot ako kung anong klaseng buhay pa ba nag-hihintay sakin pag-uwi ko, RJ. Natatakot ako kung may buhay pa bang natitira sakin."