"Sir, your family is going to have an operation to cut a piece of intestine immediately. If it doesn't matter to you, you will die." The doctor calmly informed Jia Ming (pseudonym), as if showing no emotion.
Jiaming's heart sank straight down, like an anchor released from a ship, sinking with his body to a place beyond the reach of his soul.
It turned out that the collapse of people was in an instant, and at that instant, Jiaming became a part of the abyss.
When I think that I might have to carry a "colostomy bag" (commonly known as a "feces bag") to continue life after surgery, all the hard work for life in the past seems to be in vain.
"Tonglushe Homeless Series No. 3"
Written by: He Dabao (Tonglushe case worker)
Editor: Li Kairong (Tonglushe employee)
Compared with the general population, the homeless will encounter more difficulties when seeking medical treatment.
Not involved in the picture.
(Photo provided by Tonglushe)
Chronic illness affects not only the body but also the mind
Jiaming is over 60 years old and has been in the catering industry for many years.
He held senior positions at several high-end restaurants, but his life was shattered by unemployment, living on the streets, and chronically ill.
He is now receiving transitional housing services at the fellowship.
Jiaming never thought that he would suffer from cancer, but in fact becoming a colorectal cancer patient also means that his ability as a chef has been deprived.
During the chemotherapy, the wounds inside and outside the body are indescribably painful.
He lost his appetite, vomited badly, and suffered from dysgeusia.
At that time, Jiaming was lying in the ward, watching the patients beside him change one after another, some recovered and discharged, while others could not even say goodbye.
While watching life in the hospital, he reluctantly completed the treatment, but this did not mean that the situation had improved.
While the body was no longer in immediate danger, other problems gradually emerged.
The removal of the large intestine caused a decrease in digestive ability, coupled with loss of appetite and chemotherapy, Jiaming's body suddenly lost a circle.
Worse still is the muscle loss, which he once could easily pick up a frying pan is now an impossible task.
Incapacity is just the tip of the iceberg.
Huge medical expenses and expenses make Jia Ming's life a lot more difficult.
About eight months of hospitalization left him with more than $100,000 in debt.
Despite his help, life is still very difficult.
Jiaming was told to take a good rest and try to get physical therapy, and things would slowly get better.
The reality is that those words "working hard to get treatment" are "valuable advice" from people who have not had the same experience.
How can anyone who has cancer, the body can return to the state before the disease?
Treatment is just another word for "extended life".
Besides, in the game of money, life is so cheap—and lack of money means you don't deserve comprehensive treatment.
Cooking is the root of Jiaming. It is no exaggeration to say that cooking is his life.
Although colorectal cancer robs most of the ability to cook, Jiaming has never given up any cooking opportunities.
(Photo provided by Tonglushe)
Overcome the difficulties of homelessness but was knocked down again by cancer
The waves on the sea are ups and downs, unpredictable, and Jiaming's life is like this, he has experienced ups and downs more than once.
In the face of various difficulties in reality, he quietly coped with it and struggled hard so as not to be crushed by the giant wheel of the times.
When he was young, he had a good and stable job, but because of the investment failure, all his property was wiped out.
Not only relatives and friends avoid it, but also feelings, career, reputation, everything is irreversible.
Penniless, he returned to the familiar Wan Chai, the place where he used to work, but his status had become homeless and he had to sleep on the street.
In the process of being homeless, he suffered from the indifference of passers-by, as well as the embarrassment and helplessness of the occasional encounter with his old colleagues.
But it was also during the six months of being homeless that Jiaming became a stubborn person. He insisted on walking his own way and taking responsibility for himself.
By chance, Jia Ming was invited to leave Hong Kong to work abroad.
With years of experience in catering work, he provided consulting services for restaurants, re-find his own direction, and ended the meaningless wandering.
But fate is also so ridiculous, when he finally stood up again, a sudden cancer knocked him down again.
Painful but still alive
In the past, Jiaming faced such a cruel reality, although it was very painful, he still did not give up.
He is willing to continue to take responsibility for his life and create meaning for it.
After the first setback, Jia Ming re-established his business in another place, and silently transferred the money he earned to his family to make up for past mistakes as much as possible.
And this time he didn't give up.
Following the doctor's advice, he worked hard on gymnastics every day, and used physical therapy to restore his body functions to a certain level, although every movement was very laborious and accompanied by various pains.
Jiaming also tried to find some jobs and tried to find more opportunities for life.
He never gave up what he liked.
Cooking is the root of Jiaming. It is no exaggeration to say that cooking is his life.
Although colorectal cancer robs most of the ability to cook, Jiaming has never given up any cooking opportunities.
A dish that could have been completed in half an hour now takes twice as long to complete, but that doesn't stop Jiaming from "seeking the roots".
Occasionally we would see Jiaming sweating profusely in the center of Tonglushe, with dishes full of dishes in his hands.
The rich flavors embody his passion for cooking.
During the days when he was in good health, he would help out at the apprentice's restaurant and continue to pass on his knowledge to others.
Or a pair of hands, a knife, a frying pan, and a chef's hat are the proof that Jiaming is alive, and it is also his weapon against his long-term illness.
Jiaming told us that Chen Baiqiang's "A Life to Seek" is his favorite song, and he plays it on his mobile phone for at least ten times every day.
"I can't see clearly in my confusion. I didn't expect that what I lost was all I had." Maybe this ups and downs in life have become part of Jiaming, but he still lives with determination.
"Life can't be as good as you think, but it won't be as bad as you think. I think people are more vulnerable and stronger than we can imagine. Sometimes, we may be so vulnerable that we can burst into tears when we hear a word. , Sometimes, I find myself gritting my teeth and walking a long way.” This sentence from French writer Maupassant’s novel “Ball of Suet” seems to be a portrayal of Jia Ming.
Now he will return to the familiar Wan Chai and take the ferry across Victoria Harbour.
He would listen to "What a Life" and look forward to what he has yet to accomplish.
The courage to live for oneself, the spirit of rebelling against fate, flashed in the ups and downs of the waves.
40% of homeless people have difficulty seeking medical treatment for chronic diseases
Chronic illness is quite common in the homeless community.
According to the 2021 Hong Kong Homeless Population Survey, nearly 40% of the homeless cases suffer from chronic diseases, and the major specialties requiring follow-up are Internal Medicine (12.2%), Psychiatry (7.9%) and Orthopedics (4.5%) , and physical disability accounted for 15.5%.
The lack of proper housing will make their physical condition worse. In addition, different weather conditions, such as strong wind, heavy rain, severe heat and cold, and environmental sanitation and other issues, will make their condition worse, slow down the progress of recovery, and even make the disease worse. deterioration.
Long-term illness has already brought great psychological stress to patients, and the stigma of homeless people is serious, which makes their mental status worse.
In addition, compared with the general population, the homeless will encounter more difficulties when seeking medical treatment, such as being unable to provide an address, not having a mobile phone number, and lack of a comprehensive understanding of the local medical system.
The moment a chronically ill patient leaves the hospital, he is left alone to face everything in life. Without complete mental care services, the patient's mental health is easily affected.
If the government is willing to strengthen the mental care for the chronically ill, it will allow more people to come out of the sick in real health.
We believe that effective improvements to Hong Kong's medical system, such as the provision of point-to-point medical cart services and visiting services, can benefit the homeless group.
This is not only the first step in providing medical services to people with special needs, but also writes a page for the future of the entire Hong Kong medical system.
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