However on May 1st in 2004, the terrible rainstorm came to my family suddenly.
School ended, I went back home from Guangzhou bubbling with laughter. Unexpectedly, I was totally stunned at the moment I walked in the door. My father was lying on the sofa listlessly and weakly, being much emaciated. As the sophomore in medical college, I was on the alert that my father should fall ill. I observed his face carefully: chromatics, sclera icteric . That was the representative face of liver disease. I came close to my father and observed his back. The spider nevus on his back was much more obvious than any patients I had ever seen when working as a trainee in hospital. I was flurried and touched his belly that there was a stiff mass. Liver cirrhosis or liver cancer？ I couldn’t accept the reality that my first patient was my father. I never dared to admit that the usually healthy father was attacked by the heavy disease.
On May 3rd, 2004, after my earnest persuasion, my father eventually agreed to go to hospital for medical examination with me. When the doctor asked for medical history, my father told that he lost his appetite in the two months, being sick of greasy food with insomnia and dreaminess. He felt weak all over and his urine was just like strong tea. B-scan image showed that it was liver cancer and portal vein tumor thrombus. Even if I had the psychological preparation, I still had no strength to stand firm. In private, I asked doctor to keep the secret. The doctor told me that if there was no treatment, my father could only live for three months. I felt the words fall heavily on my ears, numbing my soul.
My father had low education level and couldn’t understand B-scan document. I pretended to smile and said that it didn’t matter, only the ordinary hepatitis. The doctor said that even you didn’t need to eat medicine. I nearly forgot how to speak out such a difficult sentence.
After going back home, I was wondering what I could do. Yes, asked help from teacher and avoid my father. I called my most trustworthy teacher Mr. Cai. Through teacher Cai, I knew doctor Long and knew sesame and green bean soup(homepage-->Online ς-energy Food).
At the night of May 4th, 2004, I deceived my father to eat the first dose of sesame and green bean soup ( I told him that it was the medicine for curing hepatitis). Five minutes later, he felt lumbago and it was spontaneously remised after half an hour. In the morning of second day, my father told me that it was the best sleep in the last several months. In the next days, my father felt lumbago occasionally. I knew that it was the effect of the medicine. Maybe you would ask why I don’t choose western medicine. Considering the treatment means of western medicine as well as the economic situation, I couldn’t make decisions rashly and blindly.
In August, 2004, I heard the new on the phone that the ascites was serious and influenced his breath. I came back home immediately, he was so weak to be unable to stand any breeze. I had no choice but to tell him the state of the illness. I admitted that I would try my best to cure him. As the other patients with tumor, my father looked hopelessly. I never allowed his falling down and told the cases listed by doctor Long on website one by one. I exerted all my energies to build confidence for me. Little by little, he accepted my thoughts. He asked for doing CT examination. However, the result terrified me that the tumor mass has spread into the head of pancreas. Again, I told him the white lie. Don’t be afraid, I told him, that the CT result showed he was getting better and he should keep taking medicines. The local doctor told me that it was the later-stage hepatoma.
But anyway, I had to keep going with my father. Every time I called back home, I would warned him to take the decoction of Doctor Long’s sesame and green bean soup. When the ascites increased, he needed to make symptomatic treatment.
In September, my father told me he felt better and could ride bicycle to buy breakfast. The appetite was bigger than before and he could eat a bowl of rice. The urine color was lighter than before.
On Oct 1st, 2004, when I came back home, I found out his spirit was good. The pigment on his face had decreased and jaundice had gone away.
After six months, my father was still alright. The time proved my right choose. Thanks teacher Cai and doctor Long, thanks sesame and green bean soup. I wish the bright and warm sunshine and sky of all the cancer patients in the days with sesame and green bean soup.
Writer: Mrs. Xian
Translator: Elias Translations
2004-11-11
Editor’s Note:
The author is the daughter of the patient, a medical student working as internship in a hospital.
The case indicates the different diagnosis and treatment between Traditional Chinese Medicine and western medicine.
Generally, the cancer patients accepting Chinese traditional treatment have no money or culture. The people accepting modern educations always look down upon traditional culture. They pursue and yearn for the so-called western advanced science. They are told that is the advanced science, so they chose to believe it. In the case, it is precisely because they have no money and have no choice but Traditional Chinese Medicine. Misfortune might be a blessing in disguise.
Liver cancer is the king of cancers in west. However, it is not a big deal for Traditional Chinese Medicine. I expect to help people to be confident with Traditional Chinese Medicine through the article.
Original: 芝麻綠豆湯——撐起一片天空
