網絡測試

HKCYAA Writing Competition 2021

比賽類別: 一般
日期: 2021-04-24 (星期六)
性質: 校外舉辦

Hopes amid the pandemic

The smile amid the pandemic     6C Lai Kwan Chak

Who is not hit by the Covid-19? In fact, the epidemic was first discovered in Wuhan in December 2019, and then rapidly spread to many countries around the world in early 2020, gradually turning into a global pandemic killing thousands and infecting millions worldwide. As one of the most effective ways to avoid infection is to refrain from human contact, this has resulted in suspension of face-to-face lessons and a halt to countless social activities and my world had been turned upside down until I encountered a smile.

My virtual learning experience has been a mess from the beginning. For one thing, I could wake up late and I could even sleep to the last minute before the lesson as I could have lessons on my bed. Then, as my screen occupied only a small compartment of teacher’s screen, I often gave myself some quick snack during the lesson and I left only half of my face visible sometimes so that I could enable the other half of my mouth to drink something. Eating while having lesson was immense fun.

Preparation for HKDSE has also suffered tremendous setback.  I quitted the private tutorial lessons and the study group I formed with my classmates stopped operation. Without the support and the engagement of the school-based tests and the study team, I first delayed my revision and gradually put down my books and gave way to entertainment instead. I was so thrilled to learn that some classmates were like me so we WhatsApp one another not just what we need to buy in advance what might be short in supply but also which Netflix episodes we must not miss. In the afternoon, lessons end earlier than before and I could have a nap for hours to revive from the late sleep. In doing so, friends and I usually came online again in the evening to team up for some rounds of games. Not like before, we could now battle for hours and we would celebrate with all sorts of fun when we won and our laughter could ring through the night as if we had no tomorrow.  It was during one of these game nights that a call to my family gave us all a shriek and who would have known that the forthcoming mishap would compel me to figure out my priority in life.

That night, my parents received a call and that one of my cousins fainted all of a sudden and was sent to the emergency ward. As her parents needed to return to work the next morning, they could not keep her company for long so I volunteered to stay at hospital. When I arrived, the first thing she said to me is that ‘I think this dizziness must be lovesick. I miss BTS badly!’ Her humor remains as overwhelming as before! She has been engaged in endless check-ups and scans for hours and she was assigned a bed in the corridor. And here came her judgment, ‘I must let the elderly have the bed first.’

What was shocking me was that as her vision did not function properly, she was tied to the bed and a urine tube was connected to her bed and when she figured that her objection did not work, she concluded ‘Maybe I have not thanked the Goddess enough so I have to endure this…’ The next day, I rushed to the hospital to listen to the doctor’s debriefing about her operation as no one from her family could attend. She put on that sunny smile as if she saw BTS! ‘Now, I can officially declare that you are my guardian angel!’

I could not make out what the doctor was saying so I chose to stay silent but my cousin seemed to have a good grasp. She could actually discuss with the doctor. As always, she had the last words, ‘Dr Ko, how knowledgeable you are! Be my private tutor when this’s over.’ Even the doctor could not stand her humour! My cousin’s situation was not optimistic at all:  there is a three-inch-diameter tumor inside her brain suppressing her brain stem causing damage to her vision and her motion and what is pressing is an operation cutting open her head to take the tumor out for further diagnosis. Yet, the queue for an operation might take her months if not years. To me, the most unbearable part was to be detached from family and friends as No Visitor policy was in place. The only way to keep contact was via our mobile phones. My cousin could still find pleasure in it, ‘Now, I am officially authorized to sleep with my mobile phone while you cannot.’

When I asked my cousin why she was not angry at all. Her delightful remarks struck again, ‘Anger ages people’. What I later found out was that she self learnt everything she could about her illness. I was utterly dumbfounded. 

I was also stunned to learn from my cousin that she was in a ward with both male and female patients and hence although she was determined to urinate herself, she was too nervous to succeed.

The worse is yet to come. Few days ago, the doctor called to say the tumor has grown to around four-inch diameter and that we should be prepared that my cousin’s situation might turn critical. How I wish I had more money to transfer her to a private hospital! But my cousin boldly quoted Premier Churchill, ‘I am ready to meet my maker but whether He is ready to meet me is another matter.’ What is unbelievable is that she is having zoom lessons in the hospital, which accounts for why she has no time on self-pity.

Why would a cancer patient need to study?

My cousin says ‘I would be studying hard for DSE if not for this unexpected turn of things. This is the best I can do for my future. If the tumor attacks again, I should be capable of getting the best treatment. I would be stupid if I could not do so.’ I could not agree with her priority of study but I was compelled to ponder:

‘What is the best I can do for my future?’

‘If a tumor attacks, can I get the best treatment?’

It was around that time that my friends noticed my shying away from games and they desperately tried to get me back on board. I have finally made up my mind to unite with my friends. Do not get me wrong. We returned to the battle field of our ‘studies’.

For all we know, Covid19 is undeniably as unforgiving as life. However, in order to survive and to protect the ones we love, we have no time to shed tears. As in any other battles, we had better learn whatever we need to and while we can. In other words, in the face of adversity, smile and stay strong.

Champion
6C Lai Kwan Chak, Nova
Silver Award
2D Butwiset Chun Hei, Michael5A Tang Yui Hei
Bronze Award
5A Chu Yan Yin
Excellence Award
2D Chan Wing Kei, Vicky6C Fung Nok Hin, Anthony
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