The Endless Worries (끝없는 걱정)
Separation Anxiety+Chapter+12.jpg)
November 28th, 2009
So much things had changed when the family first learnt that their only daughter was diagnosed with bone cancer. Not sure if each of the family member had the same anxious thoughts but the sure thing was Mrs Park was definitely feeling a prickle of anxiety every time her daughter showed a sign of lethargy due to the treatment she received. And just like how we watched from TV, chemo treatment has never been kind to human being. The fortunate ones may have experienced few side effects but the less fortunate ones may have to experience far more side effects. But the doctors are not the one who can tell which patient is which nor did the drug that is prescribed for the chemo treatment. The most that we, the people who are close with the patients, can do is to give them motivational support and strength for them to keep going on with their lives. Often the case is not the cancer itself that kills the patient but the chemo treatment. This being said, each treatment does not necessarily give you higher hopes for recovery nor did it give you higher chances for you to lay down all your worries. it's like the world with an endless anxiety.
Well, it's true in the case of Mrs Park. She quitted her job when she first learnt about her daughter's illness. It was 8 months ago. The memory of everything that happened was so extraordinarily vivid as if it had just happened yesterday. She was at work when she received a call that her daughter was involved in accident. Her son had just returned from Germany for 1 year work abroad that morning and since both of her children are really close with each other, her son couldn’t wait long to see his sister. So it was decided that he would pick her up from college that day. But the fortune didn’t side with them when they had to pull up the car suddenly when a someone ran out across the street out of nowhere. Shin Won knew they would not be able to stop the car just in time when he slammed on the break so he had no choice but to manoeuvre the car slightly to the right causing it to hit the ramp and the effect was both of them jerked forward and unfortunately Shin Hye’s chest hit the dashboard in front of her. A result from the airbag faulty. When they received treatment from the nearby clinic, Shin Hye told that she experienced short of breath after the accident but the doctor came up with “post-accident trauma”. And after following the doctor’s advices, the trauma disappeared shortly after that.
Mrs Park still remember how it was a shocking news for her even though she was informed that her daughter was fine. Seeing her daughter being fine physically calm her down when she reached the clinic. Little did she know the worries had just yet to return greater. When they returned home, Shin Hye complained again about the pain she felt on the rib, sometimes too painful that she felt it was unbearable that they have to make a visit to the hospital. The doctor took many tests at the diagnosis of the cancer. X-ray of the lungs, X-ray of the rib bone, spiral CT scan, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Biopsy, Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan and radionuclide bone scan. Yes, that many tests that Shin Hye had to undergo before it was revealed that she was a cancer patient.
Tok! Tok!
The knock on the door stopped Mrs Park from continuing the flashback. She went to open the door.
“Annyeong, Mrs Park.”
“Oh Yong Hwa, please come in. Shin Hye is resting upstairs. Please have a sit first. Let me go and get her.”
As she ascended the stairs, Mrs Park came to think of how lucky her daughter is to have a friend like Yong Hwa, someone who loves her daughter dearly. Mrs Park has never taught that she would be one of those parents who approve their children to date while studying in college. She was afraid at first, thinking that her daughter might suffer from heartbreak and that would deteriorate her academic performancec but she couldn’t help to not oppose their relationship when she first saw how well-mannered Yong Hwa is. And now seeing how he stayed right beside her daughter when needed the most...
Mrs Park knocked twice before turning the door knob.
"Shin Hye-ah, Yong Hwa comes. He's waiting downstairs."
"Oh thanks, mom. I will get my books now." Shin Hye immediately got up from her bed, went straight to her study desk where she took few books from the book stand. Then, her mom helped her to descend the stairs to the living room. That was where they studied during the weekday for 3 hours per night.
"So which topic do you want me to help you with tonight?" Yong Hwa asked.
" I just learnt about eigenvalues and eigenvectors this morning but I don't understand a thing about it." Shin Hye whined.
"Ah, that topic? Well it took me quite awhile also to understand it. I'll try my best to explain it to you." Yong Hwa took the book from Shin Hye and studied the chapter for few minutes. As for Shin Hye, she just loved how Yong Hwa looked when he's concentrating on doing something.
"Gwiyeowo," She said, almost like a whisper, giggling along.
"What?" Yong Hwa looked at her puzzled.
"Ani!" She shook her head, smiling. "Hurry teach me." Then she shook his arm, urging him to start tutoring her.
"Yeah! Can't you wait? Do you think I'm Jimmy Neutron to remember about the chapter right away? How can sick person be so impatient?"
"Haish. I thought I got Jimmy Neutron as my tutor. Should I get one, instead?"
"Shin Hye, how can you like that?" Mrs Park interrupted their conversation. "Here's the tea for you. It must be cold when you cycled here just now." Mrs Park poured the tea for Yong Hwa.
"Aigoo. How can he be pampered like your own son, Mom?" Shin Hye smirked at Yong Hwa, showing her dissatisfaction while Yong Hwa took his first sip of the tea.
"Enough, Shin Hye. Get serious or you will get a spank from me." Mrs Park teased Shin Hye in return and pretended to give her a soft spank on her arm.
"Arasso." Shin Hye sulked. "Tch, how can Mom treat me like this."
"Omo. Ne, Princess. I will treat you better next time," said Mrs Park, laughing.
"Okay. That's enough for me. Mom you better stick to your promise."
"Arasso. Arasso. Go back to your study. I will be upstairs if you ever need me. " Mrs Park got up bringing along the tray she carried earlier with her. "Thank you Yong Hwa for willingly tutoring my daughter."
"Oh, it's my pleasure actually, Mrs Park."
"I know." Mrs Park giggled. "Alright, I'll go now. Happy studying, kids"
"Ne," They answered in sync
The start of the treatment marked the change in Shin Hye's daily routine. The first cycle of the treatment lasted for 5 Weeks. The first week of it, she had to stay at the hospital for 2 days where she received two chemotheraphy doses. Then she will be discharged on the third day. The rest of the week until the third week, she did not have to go to the hospital but complete blood count need to be taken at home. For the fourth and fifth week, she had to stay at the hospital for 3 days since the chemotheraphy dose this time is different.
Her parents had already discussed about her lessons with the lecturers and it has been arranged that she will only come to school when she did not need to go to the hospital on any day of the week. She admitted that it was really hard to cope with the lesson sometimes since she always felt tired after the treatment. But thanks to Yong Hwa that at least the effort needed to understand the theory of everything that she learnt has been reduced a bit since two brains are always better than one.
"Yong Hwa, what's your plan for this weekend?" Shin Hye asked out of the blue.
"Em, let me think..." Yong Hwa pretended to think before he turned to look at Shin Hye. "No plan." He answered short.
"Tch. Jaemi eobseo. Such a boring guy."
"Shin Hye, focus! I see that you have been looking at the same question for like forever."
"But I feel like going out this weekend. I'm bored to death staying at home. Feel sorry to Mom that she's stucked at home as well."
"Yah! Park Shin Hye. You better focus on that question or we'll both be dead if your mom find we've been chit-chatting."
"Fine. Let's go out this weekend, huh?" She forced Yong Hwa. "I'll do the question if you say yes."
"Ah, jeongmal...Fine..fine..I'll hang out with you this weekend."
"Yay. Saranghae, Yong Hwa."
"No more saranghae or what. Focus!"
"Yes sir!" She saluted. And she couldn't wait for the day to come.
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A/N: Dear readers, presenting to you Chapter 12 of Separation Anxiety. Sorry for the long wait and sorry for not making the wait worthwhile. I am currently back in the UK and thus I have time where I can be alone and think of what to write. But I still miss my home. Anyway, thank you for reading this shabby work of mine. Cheers.
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