CHAPTER 30

2025-3-15

Other than the function of anti-rejection, steroids also raise me high.

I was determined to complete all the projects arising from my mind during recovery from frailty. Because of it, I could not sleep well.

In the first two days after the transfer to the Solid Organ Transplant Ward, I planned to write a book of my life. It included my memory and experience of living in Hong Kong, as well as the journey in Canada after immigration.

The scenario started with the Hong Kong North Point Public Housing Estate where I lived since birth to form 4 (equivalent to G.10). The exit that I used the most was the one to the south at the Block East facing Kam Hong Street. While crossing the street going west, the Bus Main Station was on the right hand side facing the sea. Block Central was on the other side of the street. Behind it was Block West where was the site of the North Point Java Road Government Primary School (Morning and Afternoon School). Apart from that, red buses and a shop, named “Man Sing” in Cantonese (means ten thousand accomplishments) selling stationery were present in the scenes. The owner was a short lady whose appearance was still vivid in my mind.

The thought excited me and was very meaningful. In order to have an undisturbed recovery, I moved into Lun’s room. Lun has moved to live in a group home for seven years. He returned home for one night on weekends. The usually vacant room gradually changed to a store room. After a casual cleaning, I laid on Lun's bed with my brain running busily.

Other than steroids, the temporary change of my physical condition also affected the quality of my sleep. Quite a muscle loss happened to my legs and back. It was painful whenever the knee on top pressed against the one below if I slept on one side. When I slept on my back, I felt sore when my back sunk into the mattress with little muscle support. I had to remove the mattress and slept on a hard one.

My appetite returned quickly after I could start eating during the eighteen days of hospitalization. Still I lost twenty pounds. The head nurse reminded me to eat more steaks to facilitate recovery. It took more than three months to start weight gain. Liver transplant was really a major operation.

Waking up every night at 4:00 am, I looked at the CD disks and video tapes on the shelves and thought of the five book shelves in the sitting room, puzzling how they should be rearranged. I waited for the sunrise while projects were roaming in my mind one after another.