After parking the car, Chen Jin turned to me and said, "You sit down first, I'll go to the back seat and get your cane."
I also subconsciously felt that I needed a cane, but then I thought about it and replied to Chen Jin, "No need, I can walk up by myself."
"So confident?"
"I can walk around the house now without needing a cane much, I should be better by now!"
Chen Jin looked at me and laughed, "I bet you've been really bored lately; if the check-up is fine, then tonight, I'll treat you to a meal at No. 1 Courtyard to celebrate!"
“What problems could there be? I feel like I’m recovering quite well… Call now, all the private rooms at No. 1 Courtyard need to be booked in advance.”
"Okay, I'll start now."
"You book two tables, but I have a lot of friends, and one table isn't enough."
"You really don't try to save your buddy any money!"
Despite complaining, Chen Jin had already made the call and booked the room. The two then walked towards the hospital lobby, chatting as they went. They talked about the bar's development and their plans for the second half of the year. In short, they were both in a good mood because they had perfectly solved all the thorny problems. All that was left was to go for it and live their carefree lives.
...
Once inside the doctor's office, he performed some routine examinations on me and then said, "Your recovery is going quite well. Do you feel any discomfort anywhere on your side?"
"There's nothing particularly uncomfortable, but I feel a bit weak in my heels and on the front and outer sides of my legs, the sensation isn't very noticeable."
The doctor frowned, a gesture that sent my heart leaping into my throat. I stared at him, motionless, my palms already sweating. I knew that doctors generally wouldn't frown randomly in front of patients, because patients are very sensitive and easily interpret such a gesture as a hint. His frown could only mean that the situation was indeed not optimistic.
The doctor put the pen into his shirt pocket and finally spoke to me, saying, "Come with me for an electromyography (EMG) test; your condition might not be good."
What does this mean?
"Take the test first, and the results will be the final word."
...
While waiting for the test results, I don't know how many cigarettes I smoked; I tried to appear calm, but I couldn't, because everything I planned was based on whether I could be as healthy as before, and I really couldn't afford any more accidents.
After endless torment, the door was finally pushed open...
"Michael, your test results are in."
I instinctively stood up and stared intently at the test results the doctor was holding.
The doctor shook his head and said to me, "You have moderate peroneal nerve damage, and the situation is not good."
What does this mean?
"Uh... this condition will affect your mobility in the future. After the onset of the disease, you will experience a series of symptoms such as foot drop and numbness on the outer side of your leg..."
I swallowed hard and asked in a low voice, "Will I become a cripple in the future?"
"It's commonly called being lame... but this kind of damage isn't irreversible, there's still some hope of recovery... it depends on your personal willpower, as well as your usual maintenance and exercise."
What are the chances of recovery?
"No doctor can give a precise answer to this; you will have to stick to systematic treatment and exercise. If the exercise is not effective, it may cause ankle ligament contracture, joint stiffness and other symptoms over time, making it even more difficult to exercise later!"
I just stood there, rooted to the spot...
Chen Jin, who was standing to the side, angrily said to the doctor, "This isn't some kind of terminal illness, can't you say something nice... Do you only get a perverted sense of accomplishment when you see others in despair?"
"How can you say such harsh things! I was just speaking from a doctor's perspective, telling him about all the possible scenarios that might arise... These are professional matters; if we're not doctors, who else has the right to say them?"
I couldn't listen to Chen Jin's argument with the doctor anymore. All I could think about was the consequences of becoming a cripple... I could no longer run or do heavy work. I would become a useless person, and the rest of my life would only be filled with endless burdens!
If I really become a cripple, how can I face my parents and those who care about me?
And Yang Sisi.
She's young and beautiful, youthful and invincible, and comes from a prominent family. Why would she want to spend her whole life with a cripple like me?
I never dreamed that a car accident would change my life so drastically... What's even more tragic is that I don't even know who to hate!
...
On the way back, I opened all the car windows. I suddenly felt disgusted by the enclosed environment. I wanted to breathe some fresh air and let more sunlight fall on me. I didn't want to be immersed in an endless dark world.
It wasn't until we reached National Highway 14 that Chen Jin, sitting next to me, said in a comforting tone, "Michael, nobody wanted this to happen. Try to take it easy. It's not like there's no hope of recovery. I think at this point, you should be thinking about how to treat it. Either you have to be ruthless and have surgery, or you can go for conservative treatment. You have to make a decision yourself, really!"
With my eyes closed, I replied, "Give me a moment... I can't accept this fact yet... Hah, how could a perfectly healthy, energetic person suddenly become a cripple?... Back in my school days, I was the county's sprint champion... A sprint champion... There was only one in the whole county!... Fuck it!"
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
