Different Experiences but the Same Reflections (Part 2)

In the first part of the article, from the diverse experiences of the lady, who loved hiking and had a hiking accident, and myself, an advanced lung cancer patient, our reflections are remarkably similar, almost identical. That is, 1) people almost do anything to survive if they are desperate, and 2) people feel grateful when they are close to death.

On the contrary, we have a pretty different reflection. So here is the third interviewing question:

"Why did you go back to the place of the accident?"

After the lady recovered, she returned to the trail where she was injured. The interviewer asked her why? The lady answered that she wanted to continue hiking, and going back to the trail of the accident helped her to "draw the period" to the horrible accident and to move on.

This is the point that shocked me - visiting the accident place to "draw the period." I thought about it in my lung cancer journey, especially in the past four years, but I didn't take any action. The most devastating time in my lung cancer journey was the first 15 days I was diagnosed in the hospital's emergency room. My CT scan showed the brain tumor first. Later I found my lung to be the original site of cancer. After the Emergency Room for three days, I was kept in the hospital for 12 days for observation.

I was kept in hospice on a separate hospital floor with some very sick patients. I stayed in a room with another man. When I asked the nurse, she casually said the man wouldn't hurt me because he couldn't sit up alone without help. The woman's hysteria in the next room was frightening due to pain, and the man's gown was open in the activity room. The 12 days were like a nightmare that still hunted me.

I have thought about visiting the hospital, seeing the nurse stations, and especially the common area again. However, I don't have the courage.

The lady is lucky to go back to the accident trail to "draw a period" of her ordeal because she recovered, but I'm not cured. Advanced lung cancer can't be cured now but can be inhabited. Although I'm a 7-year lung cancer survivor, I'm not, by all means, cured. Therefore, I'm realistic that my lung cancer will progress, and I can't "draw a period" to my ordeal.

My story is not over!

Although it's not time for me to revisit that floor in the hospital to "draw a period" on my nightmare, my story is not over. With the rapid development of science and technology, the new treatments for lung cancer are perpetually, and lung cancer will soon become a chronic disease. Currently, surviving more than ten years for advanced lung cancer patients is not rare.

I remain hopeful and grateful

I remember a saying that people are people are people. So when people have a close-to-death experience, it doesn't matter whether it is a hiking accident or lung cancer; it seems, to me, these three steps are invariable.

• Do everything to survive and not give up
• Feel grateful as the chance of survival gets slim
• If recovered, go back to the accident place to "draw a period" and to move on

I'm not recovered, but I will not give up hope. I'm hopeful about cancer research for better treatments, and I'm full of gratitude for surrounding myself with my loved ones and the beautiful world.