Chapter 184
"Please have a seat," the attending physician glanced at us and said with a heavy tone, which all three of us could sense.
"Mom, let's go sit over there," Jennifer trembled slightly upon hearing the doctor's words. I quickly reached out to support her. Seeing her reaction, I realized that if the doctor were to deliver bad news shortly, Jennifer might faint directly. It was safer for her to sit down.
"No, it's okay, doctor. Just tell us, we can handle it," Jennifer declined the offer to sit down, sighed, and spoke to the doctor with a strong demeanor. I glanced at Katniss beside me. Although she wasn't trembling or staggering, she was biting her lip tightly. At that moment, my nerves were on edge as well.
"Alright, I'll be straightforward," the doctor looked at the three of us and continued.
"Cancer, advanced stage," the doctor saw our reactions and with just one sentence, pronounced Nathan's death sentence.
"Mom, Katniss," upon hearing this news, before I could even process or accept it, I was kept busy by the two people beside me. I quickly supported Jennifer and Katniss, who were both about to collapse. Surprisingly, upon hearing the doctor's answer, both of them almost simultaneously fell back.
"Mom, Katniss, are you two okay?" The attending physician, accustomed to this scene, quickly got up after revealing Nathan's final diagnosis and helped me support Jennifer. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to support both women at the same time.
"They're fine, just emotionally overwhelmed. A drink of water will help," after helping the two women to chairs, the doctor started giving water to Jennifer and Katniss, gradually bringing them back to consciousness.
"Why is my life so bitter? My ex-husband passed away, and now, after finally finding happiness in my later years, why does this have to happen? Is this my fate?" Jennifer woke up and burst into tears. I quickly comforted her, while Katniss sat in the chair like a statue, devoid of strength, with empty eyes, no tears, and no words.
"Doctor, can it still be treated? If not, how long does he have left?" Upon hearing this news, I stood strong. If Nathan truly had this illness, I was likely the cause, as prostate disease is mainly caused by excessive indulgence, and everything that happened was orchestrated by me, leading to the current consequences. I didn't have time to think about anything else; I just wanted to figure out how to treat Nathan and do everything possible to save his life.
"You don't have to worry. Many people believe that being diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer is like the call of death, meaning life has reached its end. In reality, in clinical practice for men nowadays, prostate cancer is a common and serious disease. It's challenging to cure and treatment is relatively complicated. But having advanced prostate cancer doesn't mean it's untreatable. So, you need to stay strong; there may still be hope for recovery," the doctor pondered for a moment and encouraged our family of three.
"Really?" Upon hearing the doctor's words, the three of us instantly became more alert. Jennifer directly grabbed the doctor's arm with both hands.
"Yes, Jennifer, be gentle, that hurts," the doctor, dressed lightly, winced as Jennifer's grip was a bit too strong, perhaps due to her excitement.
"But don't be too optimistic. I'm just saying there's hope. The specific outcome depends on the patient's physical condition, the treatment process, and the patient's mental state. Late-stage cancer is difficult to treat, and as for the chances of treatment, it's about 50%," the doctor didn't forget to prepare us mentally and emotionally.
"Alright, doctor, use the best medication and procedures, no matter the cost." Upon hearing there was still hope, I felt much more relaxed. I was the backbone of this family, holding the financial power, so I needed to show a strong stance at this moment.
"Don't worry, I'll convene a meeting later for a consultation. We've only confirmed that the patient has advanced cancer, but we need to examine the specific condition in detail and determine the treatment plan based on the results. It's best not to let the patient know for now to avoid increasing their psychological burden," the doctor organized the examination documents and, to avoid disturbing the meeting, I escorted the weakened Jennifer and Katniss out of the doctor's office.
"Mom, don't worry, it's okay. Don't worry about money; cheer up, take care of your health, there's still hope." I comforted Jennifer while supporting her.
After dropping Jennifer off at the ward entrance, where she quickly freshened up and adjusted her expression before entering the room, I drove Katniss back to her company. Throughout the journey, Katniss remained silent, perhaps her emotions had already collapsed, with various feelings swirling in her mind. I remained silent as well. At that moment, treating Nathan was the top priority, and nothing else mattered.
The next day, I returned to the hospital, this time without Katniss, who seemed unable to face the situation. Surprisingly, Katniss didn't show up either. Today, there should be a specific treatment plan, and the doctor needed the family's consent to proceed.
"The treatment plan has been finalized, and the patient's condition is much more severe than expected. The best treatment option now is surgery to remove the testicle, to eliminate the source of testosterone secretion and prolong the patient's survival. Without timely surgical treatment, relying solely on medication will lead to more serious consequences. For late-stage prostate cancer patients, cancer cells will spread and metastasize, meaning the cancer cells will spread to the bone marrow. At that point, there will be no hope of treatment, and the patient will endure immense pain before passing away," the doctor, upon seeing us, directly presented the treatment plan and awaited our decision.
"Will the surgery cure him? What are the effects after the removal?" I maintained a rational mindset, wanting to understand all the pros and cons.
"There are no guarantees in late-stage cancer. Even with the removal, survival is not assured. However, this is the current best option to extend the patient's life. Without surgery, the patient won't survive more than two months. The testicle is a male reproductive organ, and after removal, the male will never be able to engage in sexual activity. So, consider this, and the patient's consent is necessary at this point, as there's no more need to hide the truth from the patient if surgery is to be performed," I explained, giving Nathan time to accept reality and make an informed decision.
"If surgery is needed, then let's do it. Why do you need my consent?" Nathan's expression relaxed upon hearing about the surgical treatment, but he sighed slightly. No matter how strong a person is, when facing the moment of death, they will show signs of fear.
"Just that the surgery requires the removal of the testicle, which means even if you survive, you won't be able to engage in sexual activity," the significance of the testicle for a man is clear, and Nathan, as a man, understood it best. Without the testicle, there would be no testosterone, and the man would never be able to have an erection or sexual activity, essentially becoming a modern-day Galileo, albeit without the singing.
Upon hearing this news, Nathan's initially relaxed expression tensed up again. His face showed disbelief, and then he seemed to realize something, closing his eyes in pain.
"Reap what you sow," Nathan seemed to lose all his strength and collapsed on the bed. He closed his eyes in agony. What Nathan meant by "reap what you sow" was clear to me, but Jennifer, not understanding, likely thought it was something else. She believed that Nathan felt guilty for not taking care of his ex-wife properly, who had cancer in the late stage and couldn't afford treatment due to their poor living conditions. Now that Nathan had the same illness, Jennifer thought he was feeling remorse. Only I, Nathan, and Katniss knew the real reason - Nathan contracted a male disease after being intimate with Katniss. If it wasn't karma, then what was it?
Jennifer, in tears, sat beside Nathan, holding his hand and offering encouragement.
I sat quietly, watching Nathan with closed eyes, waiting for his response. At that moment, Nathan must be accepting reality, considering his options, and deciding whether to undergo surgery or not. Whether to undergo castration to extend his life or live out the rest of his short life as a complete man was a decision that Nathan had to make.
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