In The Hollow Of His Hand

In The Hollow Of His Hand

Episode 2

Click here to read Episode 1

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She saw him holding the test result and knew that he had seen it. He hugged her and assured her that this pregnancy would stay.  Dinner was great and the days that went by became full of hope and expectation.

SCLC???!!!

Sometime in September 1988, she met with her doctor on her antenatal day. The doctor did a complete checkup and carried out a scan on her when she complained of some pains and discomfort. Mum waited in the lobby for the result. The doctor approached her with a straight face and her scan results in his hand. She feared something was wrong with the baby.

“Is it my baby? Doctor, talk to me, what is wrong with my baby? Mum asked.

“The baby is perfectly fine. The baby is a she.” The doctor replied.

“Then what is wrong?” she asked.

“It is you. I am afraid to inform you that you have lung carcinoma; Small-Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC).”

“How bad is it?” Mum asked.

“I am sorry you don’t have much time left. I would have advised the immediate commencement of chemotherapy but with your present condition, nothing can be done until after birth unless we would abort it and begin chemotherapy.”

In the Hollow of His Hand

Since Mum loved Pop very much and was keen on giving him a child… well you know her decision; after all, she is no more with us.

Mum didn’t inform Pop about her health condition because he had been working on a project for about three months. She resolved to inform him when he had concluded the project.

The preceding month, Pop concluded the project. On one of those days, Mum told him about her health condition. Pop was devastated. When they went to see the doctor, Pop took his frustration out on the doctor and questioned his competence. He blamed the doctor for not discovering the cancer in its early stage.

It was a very trying time for them both. Pop was extremely devastated because he tried to convince Mum to have the abortion as her life was much more important to him than having a child with her; but mum remained adamant and insisted that she would keep the child and begin chemotherapy after the birth of their child. On countless occasions, Mum caught Pop sobbing in the bathroom and had to comfort him.

In the Hollow of His Hand continues…

Click here to read Episode 3