| |
|
My mother was diagnosed with cancer in 2000,
and was undergoing chemotherapy since March. In late October the
doctors announced that the cancer was not under control, and due
to my mother's deteriorating health, there was not much they can
do at this point.
What I don't understand is that these doctors, the best that Taiwan
has to offer, decided not to tell my mother about her own condition
- I get the idea that sometimes people get worse if they
know of their own status... but my point is that if the doctors
decide not to tell the patient, is it up to the family to inform
their loved ones?. To this day I do not understand how they
can decide to play GOD and not let my mother know, instead lying
to her and telling her that she was on her way to recovery...
Due to my current visa status, I am not able to go back to Taiwan
to visit her, so Dieter arranged a trip for me and her to meet
halfway in Okinawa, Japan.
I was also in the process of setting up appointments with doctors
in the United States to have a "second opinion" on my
mother's condition.
Since she was in good spirits, and there were no obvious symptoms
that were bothering her, both my mother and I were looking forward
to meeting for a brief relaxing visit, a break from the usual
hospital life, so to speak.
At the time of the trip, I was already looking forward to seeing
my mother in Okinawa, and also see her again soon in Minneapolis.
I had no idea that this would be the last time I got to see her...
|
|
|
Monday,
November 6, 2000
|
|
|
A
few nights before I flew out, there was this amazing thunderstorm
at around 2:00am...
|
| Can you believe this picture was
taken without flash at 2 in the morning? Gives you an
idea how bright the sky was that moment... |
|
|
Wednesday,
November 8, 2000
|
|
|
Picture from the airplane, heading
towards Japan. |
|
Thursday,
November 9, 2000
|
|
I landed in Narita International Airport at
around 5pm the next day, and immediately took the shuttle
bus towards Haneda Airport (the domestic hub). Checked in
to the Haneda Tokyu Hotel...
|
|
Joseph,
another friend from HKIS. Tom and 
|
I
am totally in love with this washlet gizmo.
It is this attachment onto a regular toilet; heated
seats plus a spray jet underneath. I don't know about
the spray, I think it takes a bit to get used to a waterpik
for your behinds... but that heated seat, oooooh so nice for
those freezing winter nights in Minnesota (for example, current
temperature in MN is about 15 degrees F below, without windchill)!
|
| I am sure the designer of this specific
model added that water pressure control for other
reasons... hehe. |
|
|
I had called my old friend Maki
from California International School (Hong Kong) to see if
she wanted to meet me for dinner, since I had to fly out tomorrow
morning to Okinawa, and may not have time to see her when
I get back...
She brought her friend Yuko (whom I had met before but hadn't
been in contact for a few years)...
|
|
|
|
That's me and Yuko. I was really
tired since it was about a 15 hour time difference (read: Lewis
was eating a big meal and drinking beer at 6 in the morning)... |
|
My friends Yuko on the left,
and Maki on the right.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Called mom and made sure she was
all right for the trip tomorrow, since she had been in the hospital
most of the time from March of this year. She was psyched to
be coming to Okinawa, to see me and Dieter. Went to bed pretty
early - I didn't want to miss my flight. |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
