What do you do when it seems like you're at the end of your rope?
It's 6:45am, my alarm rang the fourth time after the third snooze. Geez! 'Tara, it's time to get of of bed', I said as I lazily dragged myself out of bed. It was cold Tuesday Morning in August, the early morning Sun was up but the cold hasn't gone down.
As I sat patiently waiting my turn to see the Doctor, Tara Imade, the attendant called out loudly as I made my way through the hallway of the hospital to the Doctor's office.
'Mrs Tara...', 'Imade', I said helping the Doctor who seems to have forgotten my Last name. I had been here about a week ago, the Doctor wrote down some tests I had to do. Here I am, ready to receive my results.
As I sat, I had a quick glance around the Doctor's office. It wasn't really so big, regardless, the aesthetic and decor items I saw, I could've sworn the Doctor must be really fashionable. There was a shelf just behind him, containing books, a lot of books that could've made me wonder how Doctors cope reading so much books.
On his table was a plaque, Olaitan Lawrence Adarabioyo, Fellow of the West African College of Surgeons Then he looked up, adjusted his eye glasses and looked at me. "What do you do for a living, he asked. I am a Final Year Student of Civil Engineering, I replied. 'Where are your parents he asked. They are out of the country, I lied At that point I was gradually becoming restless as I readjusted my chair. 'Doctor, hope there's no problem, ?" I probed.
He looked at me, this time, I could see pity and compassion glare at me, he cleared his throat and continued, 'From all indications, you have an advanced stage Chronic Leukemia, I'm afraid you have just about 3 months to live'.
Those words felt like the a sharp hot knife pierce through a soul. 'Doctor, what did you say again?', he repeated himself. 'Doctor, I guess you're making a mistake, it can't be me, this must be some sort of misdiagnosis, Doctor please, my convocation comes up in 4months time and it is a day I've looked forward to my whole life, I can't die now, this is a convocation I've worked so hard to earn the Best Graduating Student for and I'd give just anything to be there. Doctor, isn't there a drug I can take or something, Doctor please?
To be continued....
By Daniel T. Elisha
Publicity/Media Director 2021
We are always available to listen to you, pray with you and rejoice with you.