Kit (1)
Kit is a quiet boy. When he has to speak, he speaks slowly, in an almost laboured voice.
He also walks slowly. He can speed up if needed, but you can detect a slight limping gait if you look closely enough.
He is tall and thin and, except for his disheveled hair, appears completely normal. You see something unusual only if you know where to look.
Until now.
Kit has been trying to conceal things from his peers, but I’m afraid he can no longer do it. His legs are already so weak that they cannot carry him too far. Just two days ago, he started to travel by bike, hoping that it would take less effort. But he miscalculated one thing. If you fall onto the ground when walking, you scratch your knees or palms at most. But if you fall from a moving bike, you could break a few bones.
Unfortunately, that’s what really happened.
Now his left arm is in a sling, and his left leg cannot support the weight of his body. He has to move around using a crutch. Mind you, people usually use a pair of crutches, but as his arm is in cast, he can only use one crutch. I can only imagine how hard it is for him to walk. And the pain is phenomenal too, though he’s a very tough guy and won’t complain about it.
He still has two more subjects in his A-level exams, on 25th and 27th of April. He says he will endure the pain and the inconvenience until the last day of exams, then he’ll check himself in the hospital. Nobody can persuade him otherwise, not even his mom, not even his doctor. His goal, and his wish, is to complete the exams. He doesn’t care what happens after the exams. In fact, I suspect that the exams are his driving force – not just to study, but to survive.
And I mean this literally. Kit was diagnosed with cancer early last year, and he’s been struggling with it ever since. He didn’t say clearly what type of cancer he has; I think it’s lymphatic cancer. He tried chemotherapy and many other types of medication. It worked for a while; he was smiling when he stepped into my classroom last Sept. He didn’t look like a cancer patient to me. I only realized it when he showed me the swollen parts on his body and the unsightly patches of skin, hidden beneath his clothes. I was breathless when I saw the wreckage on his body. Yet he appeared happy and calm. His smile was genuine but enigmatic; it’s like one of those proud smiles you can never understand unless you’ve combatted death yourself and know that every minute from now on is a gift from God.
But good times don’t last. Although his symptoms are kept in check by his medication, his body has steadily weakened. He manages to come to school every day, but his attention span is shortening. He often sleeps in class. He speaks less and less. His handwriting is like a growing storm: first a tropical depression, then a severe tropical storm, then a typhoon signal 3, then 8. But he presses on with his studies. Many teachers have asked him to look after his own health more, but his resolution to finish the A-level exams will not budge. I think I can sort of understand his wish because it’s now his second attempt at the A-levels; this time last year he was living in the hospital. He often says he’s not stubborn enough to push himself over the limit, but I doubt it. He probably doesn’t realize how big an ego he has. But then again, this burning motivation of his may prove more effective than any drugs. He has been through ordeals that I can only imagine, who am I to stop him?
I can only pray to God. I hope Kit can finish his exams safely. I wish God would grant him strength to win this battle. I don’t care about his exam results. What I worry most is what happens after the exams. His determination can probably carry him through two more weeks, but what about afterwards? I hope he doesn’t have to pay a dear price for his studying efforts.
I wonder why God gives me these students so often. First there was Annie, then there is Kit. (There is Wing too, but that’ll be another entry) Is there a lesson for me to learn? To learn to treasure life? To learn to be empathic? To learn about life’s cruelty? I guess I’m still missing some points.
To be continued here, 1.5 months later.
oh… breathless… God bless the boys and girls…
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Maybe, this is your mission. Happy Easter Holiday
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THIS IS ANOTHER WAY TO LET U KNOW WOT’S CALL “LIFE”
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All things happened with a purpose… may God bless Kit and other people.
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Just keep it up! Then you will know the answer soon.
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Bless him. Poor boy….. RE: ¨F¥Ð«Âº¸´µ
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I will pray for him ! He is so strong!
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maybe you are chosen may God bless him
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i really do hope Kit will get through his A levels too… His strong spirits really touched me!
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Oh my goodness… this is a big learning experience for you too. I cried when I read this. Because my first husband who had terminal brian cancer had pushed himself to finish his exams in his post secondary education. He pushed on and on. And he taught me to never give up on life and your dreams. To go to the end and be happy with what you have “tried” to achive… because yes the end result
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in life is whether he was really living by doing what “he” wanted… or just sitting back and waiting and doing nothing till the end. He was so tired… but it was worth every ounce of energy that he put into his exams. He never regretted it because he was “living his life” Hugs to you… I will pray for him… he is so strong because it is easier to give up than not *smiles to you*
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©s¤l»¡¡G¡u¤Ñ±N°¤j¥ô©ó¬I¤H¤]¡A¥²¥ýW¨ä¤ß§Ó¡A³Ò¨äµ¬°©¡A¾j¨äÅ齧¡AªÅ¥F¨ä¨¡A¦æ©Ø¶Ã¨ä©Ò¬°¡A©Ò¥H°Ê¤ß§Ô©Ê¡A´¿¯q¨ä©Ò¤£¯à¡C¡v ºë¿ûn¸g¹LµL¼Æ¦¸ªº¥´·Ò¤~·|¦¨§Îªº¡I ¤Hªº¤ßn¸g¹LµL¼Æ¶Ëµh¤~·|°í±j¡A§Ṳ́£À³¥Î¥i¼¦ªº¥Ø¥ú¹ï«Ý¥LÌ¡A¦Ó¬On¦b¥L̨®Ç¤£Â_¹ªÀy¥LÌ¡C§i¶D¥LÌ¡GYou can do it, we can help. ^_____________^
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pray for you and Kit ~
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¦P·N¤ì¬P©Ò¨¥¡A¯¬ºÖÊ¡I
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Poor, May God bless him!
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«Y§r~¯¬ºÖÊ~
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re:¤£¬O°Õ¡A¥u¬O©ñ¦boffice¡A´e´e¦a¤~®³¨Ó¦Y©O~~ «ç·|¨â¤é´NKO¥¦Ì¡A¤Ó¸Ø±i¤F§a~~ =.=
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*sigh* this again reminds me how fragile we all are… and how we are left to no say when life-and-death matters are concerned. In face of tough situations like Kit’s, one would wish to achieve and finish something he/she treasures most in life, and achieve it quick, cos they know they’re counting the days on this earth. At first thought i wanted to leave a note saying i would persuade Kit to give
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up studying, or not to work so hard as to stress himself out, after all, exam is not too important. However, as i think about it, this is just MY opinion, i think that exam is not important, what about his own thoughts? Perhaps Kit values the exam very much, it is something he wishes to achieve in his life most of all, and symbolically it may also be a ‘battle’ for him to conquer. So i guess we
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should give all our support to him. What i’m concerned is that he doesn’t stress himself out or make himself too tired, which is not good for his health. i’m sure u will keep an eye on him, and ask him to take a little rest when necessary, right? My best wishes to him. ^^
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re:”§ÚËı±o¡A¤H¹ï©ó°l³v¤°»ò¬Oª¾¹Dªº¡A¥i¬O¤ë´_¤ë¡B¦~´_¦~ªº°l¨D¡A·|¦³¤@¤Ñ²rµM¿ôı¡A¥»¨Ó·Q°l³vªº¤w¥¢¥h·N¸q¤F¡C” §A»¡±o«Ü¹ï§r
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Bless him.
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RYN: That’s a good point! 🙂
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RYN… yes sometimes it does take a tragedy to teach us how to live are own lives. I believe that is true and now with my life experiences under my belt…I try to live life and learn before the tragedy happens so I can be “enriched” sooner. lol…yes it just might take another 40 years to catch up with my friend :-).
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§Ú¬Ý¤F¦¹½god«á¤]«Ü·Qú¡A ¦P®É·Q°_¤FAnnie¡A¤ß·Q¡A ¬°¦ó§AÁ`¬O¹J¤W¦³µ´¯gªº¤H¡C «á¨Ó¤@ª½¬Ý¤U¥h¡A§A¤]´£¥X¤FºÃ°Ý¡A ¯uªº¡A§ÚÌn¦p¦ó±¹ï¨Ã䦳¨Æªº¤H©O¡H ¡D ¦P®É¡A§Ú·Q°_¤F¾Ç®Õ¦³¤@¯Z«Ü¤£Ä@·N°á®Ñªº¾Ç¥Í¡C
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§ÚÁÙ°O±o¤W¦¸¨º¤@Ó¡C ¥LÅé²{¤F¤Hªº°í±j·N§Ó¡A¬O¥L¨Ã䪺¤H³Ì¸Ó¾Ç²ßªº¡C give him love, care, and a hug fill with warmth.
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oh~ ¬Olymphatic cancer….. ·|ÂX´²±o¦n§Öga bor~! §Ú·|´À¥L¬èë~! ¯¬ºÖ¥L~!
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ohh~~~ life is so brittle~~~
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felt so sad when I was reading it….didn’t want to read your entry. Wonder how could you manage it so well.
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it’s tough when you have students like this, and you see that they’re already trying all the best that they can , even when the ‘normal’ students won’t. I felt so sorry when reading this, but yet it’s also a victory of the heart and the soul.
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re: ¨º¶¡ÀÆU¦ì©óµn¥´¤h¼s³õ¤G¼Ó¡A§Y®a¼Ö°Ó³õ¹ï±¡C
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¤S©ÎªÌ¬O¡A¯«n§Ú̦bÉŲ³oÓ¤p«Ä¤lªº¸g¾ú¡A¬¡±o§ó°í±j¡A§ó¬Ã±¤¨Ã䪺¤@¤Á¡C ³o¨Ç¨Æ¡A½ÖÅ¥¤F³£Ãø¨ü¡A¦ý¬JµM§Ú̳£n¬¡¤U¥h¡A§Æ±æ§ÚÌ°£¦b·P¨ü³o¥÷´Ý»Å²`©â¤@¤f²D®ð¡A¤]·|¦b¤p«Ä¤l¨¤W¡A¾Ç¨ì¤@¨Ç¬Æ»ò¡C
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Sorry to hear that… And God Bless him!
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