Doctors, like pastors, have to pray for their patients while they are still alive as well as to pray for them when they are dead and to console their loved ones who are left behind.
On 27th April 2010, I went to visit our former patients from Indonesia. Before I left for Indonesia, I told myself that despite my busy schedule, I must visit Peggy’s husband at their home; a week ago, Peggy passed away.
Three years ago, Peggy's lung cancer developed into the end-stage. Her niece is the manager of a well-known hospital in Jakarta; she requested many medical specialists consulted for Peggy but no avail. Finally, they decided to come to our hospital. Two years ago when I was in Indonesia, I was invited to their house about 50km from Jakarta. That day, Peggy’s husband was holding a birthday party for her in the hotel they owned as well as to celebrate the second anniversary of Peggy’s treatment in our hospital. After that, each time I went to Indonesia, they would visit me. About a month ago, she was readmitted into our hospital. I went to her room to learn about her ocndition. There was moist rale in her both lung, and PET-CT indicated that she had cancer recurrence accompanied serious pulmonary infection. There was a big tumor in her back due to metastases. We tried all available means but with very little success. I apologized to her husband but he said, “President Xu, please do not say so. For the past three years you had been doing your best …” About twenty days ago, Peggy was discharged and left for Indonesia.
On April 30, 2010 afternoon, my colleague, Dr. Liu Zhengping and I went to Peggy's house. At the front door of the house Peggy’s husband hugged me and kept saying: "Thank you very much! Thank you very much!” I brought along a ceramic clock with a pair of swans on the sides as a gift to him. They were Christians and I used the swans to symbolize that Peggy was now with the Lord in heaven. I placed the ceramic clock in front of a portrait photograph of Peggy. I looked around their house and saw their large living hall was full of furniture, pictures and antiques. At the smaller hall at the side was a fifty-year old antique Mercedes Benz. Peggy’s husband called his son to come and said, “All the things here belong to my wife. I have Peggy and one son only. I am arranging all the things here. There are two things I want to do – Firstly, I want to sell all the things that are of value and to donate the proceeds to help the poor and the needy. Secondly, I and my son will make a trip to Fuda Cancer Hospital in Guangzhou to convey our sincere thanks to all the doctors, nurses and staff for the love and care all of you had shown to my wife.”
I went up and hugged Peggy’s husband. His son also embraced me followed by Dr. Liu Zhengping. Our eyes were covered with tears…..