5. The price of life
"Sorry, what?" Pony stared blank at the doctor. "Stomach cancer?"
"Yes, I detected a stain at your stomach at the checkup ultrasound and that's why I did a gastroscopy to view it closer, because I already had this suspicion. And my suspicion was confirmed through the test of the sample of your stomoch which I took at the biopsy. I'm really sorry. Should we inform someone now?"
Pony shook his head absent-minded.
"But you are in a quite early phase of the cancer, so that it couldn't spread too much yet. That means we can fight against it, with an operation and after that an aimed chemotherapy and medicines. An increased life expectancy will arise that way. But also with this treatment we unfortunately didn't succeed in the medicine of today to defeat the cancer completely. That's why it could always happen that a patient, in spite of a well precede treatment, could die. But this risk is much higher without a special treatment than with."
"Is it true that people lose their hair at this therapy?" Pony asked who was in a shock.
"Um, yes, that's right. Unfortunately, healthy cells will also be attacked by the radiotherapy. That will lead then to loss of hair, but we can do something against it. Nowadays there are many fashionable and natural wigs that..."
"Oh no! I don't wanna sacrifice my pretty long hair to put on such a stupid good-boy-wig! Nope, count me out! Not my tuff hair. The pride of each Greaser!" Pony replied angry and jumped up.
"Please, my boy, calm down. I'm really sorry that we have to confront you with this terrible news, but it must be. Besides, it is just hair..."
"What? It's just hair? Just hair?" Pony almost squealed. "You don't know at all what the hair means to a Greaser. It's his one and only to him, 'cause he doesn't own anything else! The hair just makes a Greaser into a Greaser! You all have no idea!" Ponyboy meant. "I don't wanna sacrifice my hair for that in any case! Never ever! I've done this before and have sworn never touch and cut my hair again. And that's that."
"Well, I see that this news is a shock for you. And it's also easy to understand that you won't accept it and you're against a therapy. Of course, you need time to realize this news. That's all right. But consider the chance of cure fall with every day you refuse a treatment."
"I thought there's no hope at all! The one, who has it once, won't loose it. He'll perish of it, sooner or even later! Fine, then I'll just perish of it. Everybody must die one day after all, right? I wanna die just in this way. Goddamned! But let me die in dignity and don't delay this death who knows how long, 'cause I was helped with wrong chances of success. 'cause that's much more than a Greaser could stand! And Greasers could stand a lot, believe me, yeah!" Pony shouted angry.
"Do ya also know when it wanna be time for me to kick the bucket?"
"No, we..."
"Aw come on! You certainly know the time, don't you? When will it happen?"
"Well, it could always happen. But normally it lasts severalmonths, perhaps even years, until the disease will defeat you." the doctor explained.
Pony looked at him in a shock.
"But as said, with a treatment your life expectancy will raise."
"But at which price?" Pony murmured to himself.
"You can think about it. You can always come here and we can immediately start with the treatment, the sooner the better. But as said, it is up to you to decide. And the head office of the home can't prescribe that. There's still the patient liberty here. But it really would please me, when you would agree to a treatment. It's up to you. You get a detailed description of the treatment, and take your time to lead it to your mind. And of course you get also a detailed finding. And the nurse will give you few painkillers, which will ease the pain a bit. But remember, the medicine won't help against the cancer. So, there remains only to wish you still all the best and I hope that we'll meet soon again to start with the treatment." With that the doctor shook Pony's hand and disappeared and left now a completely dropped and despaired Pony behind.
"Here, the finding and the medicine. Follow the prescription of dose." The nurse gave the things to Pony, who took them just absent-minded. Then he walked out of the hospital.
Stomach cancer - probably he suffered incurable from this malicious and deadly disease. Stomach cancer...
With this and similar thoughts he walked home as stunned.