CHAPTER 1

2024-12-2

It was an unexpected huge shock after the passing away of my wife in late May. Her regular blood test was usual without issues two weeks before during our visit to the new family doctor. Yet within two weeks her condition spiraled downhill, a lot of abnormalities were shown in the blood tests on the day after emergency admission to the hospital. She was transferred to the General Hospital asap to be treated in ICU by the only specialist team of the province. All of the platelets needed to be replaced and it took weeks doing so. After that anti-rejection drugs were needed for the rest of her life. It was because her immune system was agitated to send the platelets forming clots all over the body. In other words, “strokes” could happen to all organs. Internal bleeding occurred since the platelets were not on guard on spots. She suffered from TTP/Thrombosis Thrombocytopenic Purpura, a rare disease of 1 in 4 million, the whole population of the province.

It all started with the flu symptoms of our younger son. A few days later, so did she, and followed by me even later. Yet I recovered while she remained tiresome, with no fever, pain and with an alright appetite. Both of us had hypertension and I came across symptoms similar to stroke after a fall causing subdural hematoma. Our son went to work in the morning. Mom had a light lunch in mid afternoon, and woke up slurring and confused in the evening.

I reached the hospital before her because the ambulance she was in broke down on the way! She arrived by another ambulance. She was more confused and lost self-care ability. Even more, she could not recognize our son upon his arrival. Her eyes had no focus when treatment started eight hours later in General Hospital. An hour later I was led to see her dressed like a top gun pilot with heavy and exhausting breathing sound louder than those in movies. Looking back, it was the last time we gathered together in person when she was alive. She, might be her soul, floated around and looked at me who confused the scenario as a normal happening of treatment.

In the visitor room I rested and anticipated the rehabilitation arrangement after treatment. Crews rushed in and out and sounded like the blue code was on…during my half asleep.

Then the chief doctor came to tell me in her best composure that my wife’s heart stopped beating. Without success after CPR for ten minutes, Victoria was pronounced dead at 6:30 am on Sunday.

O My God, my world crumbled.