Transplant

 - She needs a transplant - the doctor said to  my father , after a pilgrimage from

 expensive   clinics and hospitals to  cheap  clinics and hospitals .

- it was the fault of the trip I took during my vacations   when it was hot  in there and I was looking for  some water.

So,  in that scorching Sunday afternoon in the middle of a lonesome train station , where all doors were closed,   I started to look for some water, taking my way out from the station.

-         I see a Coke sign  over there, so, maybe I can find something -i said, walking with my payback- a mot so heavy one – on my back.

-         I only have to cross the street – sweating like a hose in the middle of the garden.

So, I crossed the street

-         From the corner of that block, I could see it was closed.

-         - what about beside ¿

-         - nope. It is also closed.

-         At that exact moment, a young lady was passing by, offering ice cream

So, I bought  three chocolate flavoured ones, as she bowed in gratitude for the money and said a soft  and almost unheard:

-         Thank you.

That, was the last word  I remember  listening, as I arrived  home in a cab, yawning  with an acute pain in my rebellious stomach, asking for some sleep.

So, what could I do?

Rowse my  flip flops on that carpet , without even unpacking, nor speaking a word with my talkative family.

-         Why is she so tired? – my mom was probably asking that m,  peeling a bowl full of oranges for each one – I was still trying to keep my conciousness alive, but it was so hard to do it, as my thoughts were   seeing things that logically should not be there , one above the other, in a black and white television screen inside my head unable to change the channels  to coordinate them all.

 This  is all I can remember .

Soon after that the television screen of my mind turned off.

I really do not know exactly what came next.

But my family told me that I did not wake up, for more than twenty four hours.

-         That  is absolutely not.normal - said my dad, et’s  call   to the doctor.

Not  only the doctor came, but also an ambulance.

I was hospitalized  in the intensive care unit   - according to what I wax told by the other members of the family, as I was in deep coma.

The same night I started to have convulsions.

-          It  looks to be serious., said the doctor - so it is necessary to make many exams, due to the convulsions.

So, according to what I was told, j stayed tied in bed, otherwpisd I could injure myself badly, besides it would be a big difficult to tear all serum I had connected in the veins of the upper third section of my left arm.

The convulsions repeated for more than ten times.

-         But she has no previous history about it ¿x said the medical assistant.

-         We better wait for the  cerebroespinal fluid test – the doctor in chief suggested, full of reason  because my skin was getting yellower and yellower , patoignomonic of   a liver disfunction.

-         Next morning, the results of that so- waited test arrived.

-         As I supposed. She has an Infection. A severe one, together with this malfunction, supposedly to be a necrosis

That was not good news.

But he had to overcome it, getting out in the name of his personal integrity and pride – c’mon, who is the father that is going to allow his daughter die ¿

-         What do we have to do now ¿ - dad  asked , scratching    his beard  with an ip and down moving index finger.

-         We  must start treating her   and we also have to make a biopsy from her liver.

But we cannot do it here, as we do not have the medical appliances needed for that.

-         So?

We have to take her to another hospital , in ambulance .

-         Anh risks?

-         Not really. But this procedure is important for her and also for us, as if can be decisive for the diagnosis and correct  treatment.

-         Do you have any suspicions 

-         I do. But it is too early to talk about it.

Next afternoon, the ambulance  took me to that hospital , not so far from the.previous one.

-         She will stay hospitalized here until test is over.

-         Fine.

-         We will.let you know about the results as soon as I get it.

-         Fine – dad, who was in a divorce process with mom, had to follow up the whole thing, as he was the responsible for me.

-         Is she going to be fine? – he asked,  probably thinking that the worst answer could come.

-         I hope so – the doctor answered, giving mo false hopes for the case.

-         The results – said the secretary, handing a paper to him.

-         Thank you.

He read, nodding.

Called  another doctor  by phone.

Called my father too.

-         Sir, he said to my father very calmly and almost softly – j am going to give the case of your daughter to this doctor. He is a specialist .

-         Specialist ¿

-         Yes. The result of the last test says she has damage in her liver. She will need a transplant or she will die.

The specialist took a look in the test and daid:

We have to do it today. It is urgent. The damage is very big.

-         How much is it going to cost

-         Fifty hundred thousand .

After hearing the cost, my  father fainted right after listening to the news.

And the doctors kept him in the emergency room, for the whole night.

The doctors in that place gave him some medications and administered some oxygen to him.

He woke up the next morning, with some serum applied superficially in his hand veins.

-         What happened, dear ¿ - my mother asked him, realizing that my father was taking a key role in the whole thing.

-         I have no money to pay for the whole treatment of her and now mine.

-         We can sell our house if you want.

-         And where are  we  going to live?

-         We can buy a little flat, in the outskirts. It is cheaper there.

-         And make the car we have to work as a cab, Afterwards, our first need is to survive.

So they did it.

They sold the house.

And bought a brand new one, cheaper and farther.

-         How about the test ¿ - my mom asked.

-         She needs a transplant. It is going to be done tomorrow morning.

The whole family came to the hospital.for the surgery.

It was a rainy day.

And a rainy wait.

At the end of the procedure, the doctor left the operating room, sweat and tired face.

-         How was it ¿ ‘ my father asked.

-         She did it. But she will have to take more medicines

And we hope she will be going back home in about three weeks, if there is no rejection.

That were the worst three weeks in my family life, as doubt was consuming alm their thoughts, and a their expectations.

No one ate.

No one slept.

No.one lived during that period of time, because if I rejected the transplant, I would asked need another liver and maybe another transplant.

-         How about the money for that? – my mom and my dad   asked, hugging and kissing each other , in deep concern

The three weeks flew away.

-         She has no rejection. And is leaving hospital tomorrow - the doctor said.

We smiled in gratitude, as all families should do.

After two and a half years, I think that I could overcome all the pain it caused me, going back and forth to the doctor

Taking drugs that were harmful   most of the times.

Loosing my wonderful years at college.

Learning how to walk again.

Loosing weight and beauty.

Quarantining myself in order to survive

How tough it was!

So, do you really think that I would like to go back to that days?