SNL 2020

Giving In pt3

Qing: Shit!

I silently agreed with him. This is shit! Is Pau seriously sick?

It turned out he is...and he is not.

After an hour, the doctor came back with another doctor. A nephrologist is a doctor who specializes in kidney cares and treatments.

Nephrologist: We early detected some kidney stones on his left kidney. Kidney stones doesn't show themselves unless it became too serious. Most symptoms came when the case get too severe already. Symptoms are usually fainting, vomitting and pain in the lower abdominal parts. We are lucky that in Mr.Chan's case, we saw the stones early. We will prescribe him a drug that could dissolve them or he can have a laser surgery to remove them.

Pau: If I get the surgery, will that have me bedridden?

Nephrologist: (nodding) Maybe for a couple of days. A week at most. But we recommend the drug first because like I said, we detected the stones in this early stage. We might get them dissolve with medicine.

Wang Zhu: Then lets try that. He is quite busy with work and school stuffs.

Me: He is studying to get his MBA as well as working.

Doctor: (duly impressed) I see. Mr.Chan is hardworking then.

Nephrologist: But he has to slow down a little. His blood tests show he is compromising his health a bit to get his personal goals. He is young, we understand that he is on his prime...but young people could get seriously ill too. We don't want that for Mr.Chan. He might be busy but maybe it's time to consider unloading some of his burden and slow down a bit.

I inwardly winced at that. Does the nephrologist really have to use the terms Zhu Gege used to tell Pau to lighten up his school load? Jeez...

Wang Zhu: We will talk about it.

Pau closed his eyes and turned his head away as the doctors looked at Zhu Gege like it's a done deal that he is the one calling the shots at this. The decisive authorative figure.

The doctors gave us Pau's prescription and Qing promised to pick it from the pharmacy. We sat together on the visitor's chair inside the hospital room as Pau and Zhu Gege started the compromise stage of this issue.

Pau: What should I do?

Wang Zhu: Take your medicines, of course. We are lucky they caught those stones in your kidney early. I couldn't imagine you experiencing the pain some people went through because the kidney stone they have were detected late. They said it was really painful.

Pau: (looking troubled) They said I have to decrease some of my work load if I want to go back to being healthy.

Wang Zhu: Then you have two choices, either resign and concentrate on your studies or lighten up your courseload and postpone on getting your MBA than when you planned to have it. 

Pau moaned like he was physically wounded.

Pau: Those are not good choices.

Wang Zhu: I know. But I thought about it for some time and those were the only options I ended up with. This current situation cannot go on. You cannot work full time and study full time at the same time while you keep taking your health for granted. Something has got to give, sweetheart. I'm sorry.

Zhu Gege reached for Pau and hugged him. He is comforting Pau because we all know that Pau doesn't like limiting himself. Growing up as an orphan has already limited Pau's life in so many ways. Now that he is trying to provide well for himself and studying hard to achieve his goals, another limiting matter showed itself that could deter Pau's plans.