The next day, An Sien took the check to the bank to cash it.
Looking at the balance in the text messages on her mobile phone, she was completely relieved.
An Sien's past few months have been like running against wild wolves while wearing stone shackles.
The pressure of work and the pressing medical expenses made her breathless.
This check of 150,000 yuan is a key to her, a key that can help her unlock the shackles and kill the wild wolf with shackles.
An Sien looked up at the sky. She had never felt so comfortable as she did now.
It felt like being locked in a closet for three whole hours, and the moment I opened the closet, I came to an endless prairie.
But... I don't know why, even though she felt comfortable, she couldn't be happy at all.
An Sien shook his head and cheered up, and got on the bus to the hospital.
Chihua General Hospital.
An Sien's mother lives here.
However, she does not live in the intensive care unit or the inpatient unit, but in a separate building on the edge of the hospital.
Almost every few days here, several doctors will come out pushing carts covered with white cloths.
Hospice Ministry.
This is a special inpatient building set up by the hospital for terminally ill patients in the weeks or even months before their death.
Most of the patients here are patients with advanced malignant tumors and a few other terminally ill patients.
The people who stay here are basically sentenced to death in medicine. There is no cure, and they can only watch the god of death coming step by step.
The main difference between here and the inpatient department is that professional nurses will take good care of the patients to relieve their pain, and they will use psychological counseling to relieve the patients' fear, uneasiness, anxiety and other emotions.
In terms of diet, there are also professional nutritionists who can satisfy the patients' appetite to a certain extent.
If the patient still has a sense of taste.
The hospice department is well-equipped and well-staffed, but it is rarely full.
Because the fees here are too expensive, you have to pay about 20,000 to 30,000 yuan in hospitalization fees every month.
As for patients with terminal cancer, if their families are willing to receive treatment, they will treat it to the end, even if it means destroying their family and property, in order to gain an illusory miracle.
Most people who are willing to accept the consequences of death and want to spend the last part of their lives will choose to go home.
Only those who don't have time or the energy to take care of their families come here.
After paying this month's fee at the front desk, An Sien took the elevator to the third floor.
In everyone's imagination, this kind of building filled with terminally ill patients must be lifeless and the air is almost solid.
However, the environment here is actually more lively than an ordinary inpatient department.
When passing by some open rooms, there was laughter coming from inside, and even in the partly ajar doors, there were vague words such as '三代一', 'bomb' and 'bang'.
There was a cheerful atmosphere inside and outside the corridor, and it was completely impossible to tell that this was a gathering place for dying people.
An Sien came to the end of the corridor and stood at the door of the ward, taking out a mirror to adjust his expression.
When the person in the mirror had a youthful smile on her face, she took a deep breath, gently opened the door and walked in.
The moment the door is closed, all noise is blocked out.
The nurse who was cleaning the room saw An Si'en and called to the side: "Aunt An, your Si'en is here."
An Sien smiled at the caregiver and thanked him.
She came to the hospital bed, sat down and called: "Mom."
Lying on the bed was a woman with a thin body and dry skin. She was taking a nap with her eyes closed and there was a trace of tears in the corners of her eyes, as if she hadn't woken up yet.
When she heard An Sien's call, she opened her eyes with difficulty: "You kid, why are you here again? It's not good to ask for leave every three days when you just started working at the company."
An Sien smiled and said, "It's okay. This is not a normal nine-to-five job. When I don't have a role, I can go wherever I want. Everyone is like that."
It was of course impossible for An Sien to tell her mother about her real job, so she lied and claimed that she had been recommended by her mentor to work as a supporting actress in a film and television company.
Because there are more roles, the salary is also considerable.
An Sien used various reasons to persuade his mother to be hospitalized.
For example, there is usually no one to take care of her. If something happens and she doesn’t have time to go to the hospital, her mother will not agree to come to a ward that costs tens of thousands of dollars a month.
He even refused to cooperate with treatment for a time.
It wasn't until An Sien grimaced that her career was on the rise and it would be very bad if someone in the family died, so her mother agreed to come here to spend the last part of her life.
An's mother's skinny palm rested on the back of An Sien's hand, and her tone was very slow: "Take a good rest when you have time, and don't always run to me."
An Ma's voice was very soft when she spoke, as soft as a dandelion blown away by the wind.
She also wanted to be strong enough to tell her daughter not to worry, but the physical weakness prevented her from raising her voice, so that her speech became feeble.
"I slept until noon last night, so don't worry about me."
An Sien smiled and wiped away the tears shed by his mother due to pathology.
An's mother looked tired and smiled and scolded: "Who is worried about you girl? I just don't want you to always come and disturb my sleep."
"Who used to always complain that I didn't go home during the summer vacation?"
An Sien answered his mother's message without politeness.
An's mother said seriously: "You are a teenage girl who goes out to work. Can I not worry about you?"
"Isn't it true that I'm a girl now?"
An Sien gently picked up his mother's palm and placed it on top of his head to act coquettishly.
An's mother gently stroked An Sien's head: "Okay, you are already an adult, and you still act like a child."
An Sien smiled and made no excuse.
The mother and daughter chatted like this for a while, and An's mother's spirit gradually improved. However, when it was almost time for dinner, An's mother started to chase people away.
"Aren't I still alive and well? If nothing happens, go back as soon as possible. Don't always stay here."
"We haven't had dinner together for a long time, why not..."
An Sien originally wanted to stay for a meal, but the other party insisted on driving her away: "It's better not to do anything. The food here is all fixed and rationed. There is no part for you. Go home quickly."
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! An’s mother reprimanded An Sien: “Also, even if the company does not arrange work, can’t you go and help out? Do you know how to leave it for others?
Next good impression?
You have just joined the company not long ago, if you don’t build a good relationship with the crew now, we’ll see what you do in the future when the film is finished and you have no income.”
"Okay, I understand. I will disturb your rest less in the future."
An Sien put his bag on his back and muttered: "Next time I come over, let the nutritionist know in advance and ask him to prepare one for me."
After saying that, she turned and left.
As if they had colluded, not long after An Sien left the ward, the nurse walked into the ward pushing a trolley.
Today's lunch was placed on the cart: a bowl of lean meat porridge, a plate of fish with fish bones removed, a cup of soy milk, and a thinly sliced apple.
"Aunt An, you have a really good relationship with your daughter. She is the one who visits the family members most frequently."
The nurse carefully helped An's mother up, and then pressed the switch on the bedside to slowly raise the pillow.
"I don't want her to come here."
After An Sien left, An's mother returned to her weak state.
She picked up the spoon and wanted to scoop a spoonful of porridge, but after her right hand shook for a while, the spoon slipped from her fingers and fell on the folding table.
She tried again, but the result was the same.
The nurse stood aside and looked at this stubborn woman: "I'll feed you."
This time, she did not refuse, but asked a question when the nurse picked up the bowl: "How long can I live?"
"...According to the systemic examination upon admission, the cancer cells have spread from the lungs to the brain. This is the main reason why your body is becoming increasingly numb. As for the remaining lifespan...there is only less than a month left."
In stage four cancer, cancer cells migrate from the lungs to the brain, which is the most common way of metastasis.
Facing the nurse's answer, An's mother looked as usual.
The condition is concealed from the patient so as not to worry the patient, but this applies to treatable diseases.
They have all entered the hospice care department and are surrounded by dying people. Even if they are worried, they can still realize that they do not have much time left.
What the doctors and nurses here have to do is to ease patients' fears and uneasiness.
Everyone who comes here will be told how much life they have left. The main responsibility of the hospice care department is to enlighten these patients so that they should not have psychological pressure and face death bravely.
Therefore, they will not hide the patient's remaining life span, but will try their best to allow the patient to leave with happiness in the final journey of life.
"You didn't tell Sien, did you?" An's mother asked.
"No."
The nurse shook her head.
Generally speaking, doctors help family members conceal the patient's condition, but in hospice care departments, the reverse may also occur.
Some patients do not want their family members to miss them too much and deliberately conceal their condition.
Everything here is based on the patient's will. If the patient wants to conceal his physical condition, they will try their best to help conceal it.
As long as the family members do not take the initiative to ask, they will notify the family members to come see the patient for the last time when the estimated life span is about a week left.
"Then...can I notify Si En the day before I am about to die?"
"We can't do this. One week is the limit of what we can predict. In the last week, the condition may worsen sharply at any time, and Miss An may not be able to come over in time to see you for the last time."
The nurse rejected An's request.
Some people may be able to survive for another six months after being sentenced to death, but there are also cases where the condition suddenly worsens and dies on the same day just after the doctor said they could live for three months.
While feeding An's mother, the nurse advised her: "There are many things that can only be said when we are about to leave. If you have more time, you can also think about what else to say."
"I'll help you visit other wards from now on. It's not good for your health to stay alone in the room all the time. It's better to play cards and chat with other patients."
"Thank you, no need, I'm not afraid of death."
An's mother looked lonely: "It's only less than a month... I just can't let go of Sien..."
The nurse comforted her: "Don't worry, Miss An has grown up and has a high-paying job. She will definitely live a happy life in the future."
An's mother shook her head and looked out the window with a sad expression: "That's why I can't let her go."
"Si En has always been good at hiding her emotions, but... I am her mother, how could I not see her state... She should be forcing herself again..."
"Only when you experience setbacks can you grow, and Miss An is the kind of person who becomes more courageous with every setback. You can't always look at her through the eyes of the past. You must have confidence in your daughter."
The nurse picked up a piece of fish and brought it to An's mother's mouth.
She looked at the lunch on the folding table in front of her and said nothing.
…………
After An Sien left the hospice care department, the smile on his face slowly began to fade.
When I walked out of the hospital, my face was expressionless again.
Looking at his own shadow on the window, An Sien couldn't understand why he just couldn't be happy.
Obviously my mother's medical expenses have been paid, I don't have to pick up guests, and I will be able to leave that devil's cave soon. Why can't I be happy?
An Sien couldn't understand for a moment.
She walked to the shopping street. She didn't come here to buy anything, she just wandered aimlessly.
An Sien stopped and walked along the way, until the milk tea in the hands of two girls aged 17 or 18 caught her attention.
It seems that I have never drank milk tea since graduation...
An Sien fell into memories.
After learning that her mother was suffering from lung cancer, she applied to her tutor to graduate early and started working.
She knew very well that if she went to a regular company to find a job for a while, she would not be able to earn medical expenses at all, so she has been working in the part-time industry, and her first job was selling milk tea.
I sold milk tea during the day and picked up couriers at night. I worked day and night like this and barely scraped together the cost of a course of treatment.
As the saying goes, those who are covered with silkworms are not silkworm farmers. After selling milk tea for so long, An Sien himself has never drank a cup in order to save money.
Driven by an inexplicable consciousness, An Sien walked in the direction where the two girls came.
It didn't take long for her to find a milk tea shop and buy a cup of pearl milk tea after a long absence.
An Sien held the milk tea in both hands, and there was always an unknown emotion surging in his heart.
She came to a deserted park and sat down, sipping milk tea in small sips, but as she drank, tears started to flow down her face.
When he took his first sip of milk tea, An Sien understood the real reason for his sadness.
She was crying over her experience.
Originally, An Sien was still hesitant about whether to sell her body to make money, but the tattooed man's actions made her fall into despair and she was completely devastated.
The one-week "training" before accepting customers completely killed An Sien as a person and turned her into a numb puppet.
For more than half a month, she had erased herself, talking to the clients mechanically according to the trainer's instructions, and repeated those provocative movements.
People who have seen the light find it difficult to endure the darkness.
When she was in hell, surrounded by tragedies, An Sien had no special thoughts, but when she jumped out of hell and looked back on the past, the pain in her heart was awakened.
An Sien choked while chewing the pearls in the milk tea.