My Last Days of Silence | J.JK

11: Solve a Rubik's cube

Sometimes listening to other's problems, helps reducing the power of your own - it makes them seem less horrible.

The girl looked over at me, wearing a wistful smile. It took her a few moments of searching my eyes before she let out a sigh.

"I have cystic fibrosis..." She started, glancing to the side and out the window again. She told me in broad terms what it was before she continued voicing what seemed to be her problem, "A few days ago, the doctors told me I was eligible for a lung transplant and that they already had a set of lungs in my name, if I wanted them."

I cocked my head, quick to wonder why she'd be depressed over that. That should be great news.

"My family cried out of happiness over the news. My little sibling mumbled something about how we were finally able to play basket together. He loves basket." She smiled, but then it faded as she continued, "My family is putting a big pressure on me to accept the lungs. The problem is that I'm scared. I'm scared that something's going to happen during the surgery and that my body will reject the transplant and... I'm scared that someone needs them more."

The girl in front of me got silent. She pulled her hand up to her eyes, wiping away a tear that had escaped. I almost teared up myself. Her story moved me.

I inhaled deeply, sucking up the loss of words I had encountered, "Wow. That's tough."

The girl nodded, turning to look at me again. Her eyes fell down to my hands fiddling, staying there as she opened her mouth once again.

"I know I have to accept them. For the sake of my family."

"And yourself." I added for her. She looked up at me with teary eyes and furrowed brows.

"I don't know much about your disease except for what you told me, but if a lung transplant is the way of giving you a second chance at life, why not do it?"

The girl didn't reply but only looked at me with a wistful expression.

"You told me you're scared... I know you might be, but why give up on such a granting opportunity? And yes, your family is important for you of course, but do this not only for them, but also for yourself. And... wouldn't it be a waste of lungs to reject them anyway?" I said with a chuckle, trying to lighten up the mood.

"But... I'm scared."

"And so is everyone around you, believe me, I know. The doctors know what they're doing, it's not their first time. You need to trust them."

The advice leaving my own lips came as a surprise to me. Who was I to say that when I had lost my trust in doctors? They had told me I was going to die, and that they could do absolutely nothing to prevent it from happening. Where did this advice come from?

A silence fell over us again.

Did I say too much? Should I just have stayed out of it? It was not my business to give a person I didn't even know such life changing advice.

"Why are you here by the way?" She questioned, referring to the hospital and level we both were on.

"Me?" I chuckled, slapping my hand on my own chest, "I'm just taking a brief walk." I tried acting dumb and evade the topic.

"No, as in what's your condition?"

I unattached my eyes from hers, looking down at my hands. This was something I wanted to avoid.

"You seem healthy." She added. I could hear the smile in her voice, despite not looking at her.

"I only have two weeks left." I admitted with a sigh after thinking for a while.