Trouble Brewing

Henry Jayasena Column - 166

Story of a Cancer Patient - Part 8

Usha was very helpful to us whenever we had to go to the General Hospital with our ailments. Her husband, Neville, a Urologist, was also serving in the same hospital and has treated us for minor problems.

"You don't worry, Manel. You keep to your shooting schedule. I will take this man to hospital, register him and get him into the ward. This is a very minor operation. I will also bring him back in a day or two. This fellow is my younger brother...!" Siri would tell my wife cheerily, give me a hard whack on the back and smile broadly.

I have reasons for praising my friend Siri Samarasinghe. What follows is something I came to know even after I was referred to the Maharagama Cancer Institute for treatment. Siri would drop in often after my operation in the colon. Each time he came he would enquire after the biopsy report.

"Has it come? Has Dr. Dayasiri spoken to you?" "No, Siri, I am sure there is nothing bad in it. That must be why the doctor has not called. I am biding my time to get my eye operation done. My sight is pretty bad." I would tell him. Siri would almost ignore my comments, talk about other things and leave.

"I have to go, Henry. I have to get some parts for this car of mine."

"Sell that jalopy off my dear fellow!" I would tease him. At this rate you'll have to take up residence at Panchikawatte one of these days!" I would tease him casting a look at his old car.

He comes the next day too. "What does the doctor say?" He would ask again. "Nothing." I reply. Siri looks worried. After a little while he leaves.

The very next day he came to see me again looking even more worried than before.

He did not even try to cover it up with his usual jollity. "Didn't the doctor speak?"

He was on to the subject immediately.

"I talked to the doctor." I replied.

"What did he say?"

"He asked us to come and see him."

"What else?"

"He said he got the biopsy report."

"And...?"

"He said he had to explain things to us."

Siri was pensive. He sighed a deep sigh.

"There must be something. Something wrong perhaps. Maybe I might have to go to Maharagama..." I was trying to smile. Siri sighed once again and looked at me as if he was looking at a child.

"It's you and not me who look ill!" That was rather cruel. I had to say something.

"I did not know how to break this news to you, Henry..." He sighed again. There was a pregnant pause.

"Dr. Dayasiri spoke to our Neville a few days ago. Neville Perera is Siri's son-in-law referred to earlier.

"So...?"

"He had asked Neville if you and I were good friends..." I did not interrupt him. I listened. I could guess what he was going to say.

"Please don't get excited, my dear friend..." He was saying. "There are lots of people who have this condition..." He took a pause. He was trying to smile. But without success.

"I thought as much, Siri... I have a cancer... Doesn't matter. Let it be." I told him without much emotion. I had been brooding about this ever since Dr. Dayasiri's call. I had hardened my mind. My heart was dry.

"The doctor does not say it is a certainty. He has doubts... He thinks that there are some indications..."

"Perhaps that's why he has asked us to see him. I believe he wants to break the bad news!" There was helpless chagrin in my voice. "Never mind. Let it be!" I said defiantly.

"Don't speak like that, Henry. Don't behave like a child... Now that we have come this far, let's tread this little distance too..." Siri was almost pleading. There was a break in his voice. My friend Siri was trying to make me brave.

"You remember my sister? You remember how I used to take her to Maharagama for treatment? Almost by force? She resented the treatment. She scolded me. She scolded all of us. But look at her now. She is all smiles and thanking us profusely...

My friend actually lit up remembering perhaps how he had contributed to save his sister's life.

"Let's tread this short distance too, my friend, without fear and resentment. We like to see you back to your usual jolly self... Busy as a bee... (He was exaggerating of course) Full of spirit...What do you say? Eh, my friend?"

"I am tired... I am going to lie down. Thank you so much Siri... You know I mean it. I feel tired. Let me lie down a little bit..." I left the hall and went into the bedroom.

My dear friend followed me to the room. He waited till I lay down, stroked my head gently and left the room.

The cut right down my belly has healed. My appetite has come back. Friends drop in to see me. The front room table is full of the gifts they bring. Sanatogen, Nestomalt, Horlicks, other packets of powdered milk and lots of fruit.

Now I feel ashamed that once I was scared of this operation. One day I called Dr. Dayasiri to thank him. Actually I had no opportunity to meet him and thank him properly since I left the hospital.

"I am calling you to thank you, sir... To convey a heart-full of gratitude to you for all the trouble you have taken over me..." I was happy and grateful.

"That's my duty, my dear..." Was all Dr. Dayasiri said. I could feel he was smiling. "How is your rheumatic problem?" "Much better, sir. We saw Dr. Lalith Wijeratne on your advice. He is treating me now. I can walk now."

"That's fine. I am very happy to hear that. But do be careful. Don't exert yourself too much just yet. Everything in moderation. Food, exercise and all, okay?" There was a pause.

"In any case I was going to call you, Henry..." I felt a change in his voice. "Yes, doctor..." I was cautious. "Nothing very serious. I have got the biopsy report of the operation." "Yes, what does it say, doctor?"

"Just routine things... Don't you know...Anyway I want the two of you to come and see me... I have to explain certain things to you..." A pause. I could feel a creepy feeling coming up my spine.

"Anything serious, doctor...?"

"You'll come around won't you? We'll have a nice little chat, okay?" The doctor said very kindly and ended the conversation.

"When troubles come, they come not in single spies, but in battalions..."A line from Shakespeare. I was aware that I was on a bad spell. But I did not expect it to be this bad.

"Is it bad news for us that you have, doctor?" Manel was asking Dr. Dayasiri.

"No, not as bad as you think.... Now Manel, you have to take certain steps - do certain things for... for your husband. It is my duty as a doctor to tell you these things..." Dr. Dayasiri was saying.

"The biopsy report has come. There are certain indications there that I had not seen with my naked eyes. Now, I did not see anything that we call malignant, in your husband."

The doctor paused.

"But according to this biopsy there are certain indications that the tumor we removed from Henry's colon has spread a tentacle or two."

We were both silent. This was no time for interruption. The doctor was looking at me.

"Henry, I am extremely sorry about this. Please don't take this too badly. This is not a hopeless situation.

Certainly not. It's a situation that could easily be remedied."

I felt my throat going dry. I could not say anything. I just looked on. I noticed that Manel's eyes had misted. Never mind, I thought. I will face up to anything that comes.

To be continued

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