Kindness
In honor of the girl's dying wish, he had intended it as a good gesture. It was all he wanted to do was make her smile and show her that there was good in the world.
The words that tied her to him were spoken by him, and the words were repeated by her. For the first time in a long time, the little girl laughed as everyone clapped. Nobody realized what they were doing was a terrible mistake.
A Brave Girl
According to the doctor, he had assumed the little girl was pretending to be his bride. It seemed like the right thing to do for her and her family. The girl had been under his watch for months.
She had shown courage, bravery, and resilience. She had beaten the odds time and time again. She was the first patient he had ever been so proud of. However, she had reached the end of her days.
Getting Ready
This was the doctor's only special occasion suit, one he reserved for only the most important occasions. Even before driving to the hospital, he visited his barber and trimmed his hair.
Everyone was waiting for him, according to the girl's mother. It was the girl's family that was there, and the girl was already dressed in a beautiful gown. It was not clear to the doctor that he was making a terrible mistake.
Forced Into Something
The first thing he encountered when he arrived at the hospital was one of his subordinates, who warned him against going forward with the plans he had in mind.
Despite feeling backed into a corner, she said, "It doesn't matter." The doctor would have been wise to listen before making this terrible mistake if he had been smart.
Doing His Best
It didn't matter to the doctor. It was important for him to honor a person's last wish. No matter what, he would keep his promise to the little girl.
As he walked out of his office and into the hallway, he found himself in the childcare wing, where the little girl and her family were waiting. A gentle knock was heard on the door of their room by the doctor. It hadn't occurred to him that there would be no coming back.
Remaining Objective
A warm welcome greeted the doctor as the door swung open. In spite of her sickly dress, the girl managed to smile. Seeing her waving at him, the doctor found himself waving back as his heart broke.
There was nothing he and his colleagues could do for such a sweet soul with only a few weeks left. His parents had taught him not to get attached too much. His biggest rule throughout his career was to remain objective. It was a rule he had chosen to break today.
Beautiful Words
The doctor gently took the girl's hand and said the lines he had rehearsed. A tear tipped his eyelashes as he felt the girl's weak grip.
Her weak smile widened as she listened attentively to him recite the words. The doctor had never read such pure and beautiful words before, even though she was just a child. In spite of all this beauty, he was soon haunted by its dark side.
Celebration
As well as the boy, the girl said her vows. Her words were also short and to the point, like the doctor's. Although he had never experienced anything like them before, they were loaded with emotion.
In response to the doctor's words, the little girl slipped the ring onto his finger. She was hugged by the doctor in the same way. Cheers erupted from everyone. There was no doubt about it. It was too late to turn back now.
The Story
The quaint town of Lubbock, Texas, was shaken by an unusual request made by Dr. Oliver Turner, a renowned cancer specialist and surgeon from Jackson, Wyoming.
Despite being terminally ill, Emilia confided in Oliver about her wish - an imaginary marriage before she passed away.
A Good Man
For ten years, Oliver worked at Houston Methodist Hospital in Texas before moving to Lubbock to continue helping people.
A hard worker with a heart of gold, the 37-year-old doctor and researcher always went the extra mile for his patients. But he'd soon learn the consequences of getting too attached.
Meeting Emilia
Oliver met Emilia in his second year in Lubbock. He'd already made a name for himself there as one of the institution's most caring and thorough doctors.
He'd been carrying out research in the hospital's lab when one of his colleagues came to inform him of this sickly little girl who had just been admitted to the children's wing. Would the doctor be interested in looking at her?
Taking Center Stage
Since Oliver was one of the few doctors in the facility who had extensive knowledge of cancer, he took center stage in examining the little girl. At this point, she would drift in and out of sleep, barely being able to talk when Oliver first came in.
Talking to her parents, he learned the little girl's name was Emilia Hutch. She was only four years old and had been complaining about stomach pains for a while.
Their Last Hope
The parents revealed that they'd taken Emilia to many medical institutions all over town. But no one could pinpoint what was wrong with their little angel. But one doctor had theorized that she might have a tumor in her belly and insisted she get tested.
And so, the worried parents were here, eager to know what was wrong with their child. Without wasting any second, Oliver got to work.
The Tests
The doctor started with blood and urine samples, followed by an ultrasound. For the latter, he moved a small wand around Emilia's skin.
The gadget gave off sound waves, picking up the sounds' echoes as they bounced off tissues. The echoes translated into a picture on a computer screen in real time, and what the doctor saw made his brows furrow.
What Is It?
Emilia's parents knew something was wrong the moment the doctor's face was leached of color. They saw how rigid his frame had turned and noted that he'd stopped talking to them completely.
"What is it?" Mrs. Cicilia Hutch, Emilia's mom, asked. Tears already dripped down her cheeks. "Is she alright, doctor?" But even Oliver couldn't speak.
It’s Not Looking Good
"Please, doctor," Mrs. Hutch continued. "It's still too early to say," Oliver finally answered. Even he wished he had different, less saddening news. He'd never enjoyed telling people that their lives were in danger.
"I still have a few different tests to run, Mrs. Hutch," he said. ‘But it's not looking good,’ he said internally. The woman broke, "I can tell it's bad. Look at you. You can't even look me in the eye!"
A Few More Tests
Emilia's dad had to cut in. He apologized for his wife's behavior, even though he, too, was in tears. But Oliver assured him it was okay. "As I said, I still have to run a few more tests to ascertain what's happening before we make a clear-cut verdict," he said.
The next week saw him run several tests on Emilia. After CAT and MRI scans and a thorough upper endoscopy with biopsy, Dr. Oliver finally understood what was happening to Emilia.
The Results
"Acute gastric MALT lymphoma or stomach cancer," Oliver shared solemnly. A few days had passed since he and his team started the tests, and he was heartbroken to have to share the results with the Hutchs. "The cancer stemmed from a chronic infection of the mucosal layer of her stomach with H. pylori."
He explained that for Emilia to develop stomach cancer, she had the infection for a while. It ate away at her stomach lining, leading to inflammations that resulted in severe changes in her stomach linings, thus the cancer. Her parents were beyond devastated.
Getting To Know Her
Oliver started Emilia's treatment right away. Since her cancer had already graduated to a dangerous state, he and his team had little time to try and curb it. It was during this time that he got to know Emilia.
At first, the girl was quiet. She rarely spoke whenever Oliver was in the room. She'd greet him, then take her medicine and sleep. But one day, all this changed.
The Remedy
Emilia had been in the hospital for two months when it happened. Oliver had put her on chemotherapy, eager to stop the growth of the cancer cells. He was in with Emilia's injections since stomach cancer necessitated him to administer the medicine straight into her veins.
Before, he and his team had considered surgery, which is usually the best bet against stomach cancer. But Emilia's condition had progressed too much. She was also weak, and they weren't sure she'd survive the surgery. The doctor should have known that this would end in tears.
A Question
Usually, Oliver came in, administered his tests or remedies, and left. He'd noted that Emilia wasn't much of a talker. But that day, she smiled at him when he entered the room.
"I have a question for you," she said meekly, her smile still holding fast. By now, the side effects of the drugs in her system had taken root, and she looked like a former husk of herself. Still, there was life in her bright eyes. "Yes?" Oliver answered.
Do You Think He Was Wrong
"Tai Lung," she said. "Do you think he was wrong?" "What?" Oliver asked with furrowed brows. "Tai Lung, the tiger from the first Kung Fu Panda movie," the girl said brightly. "Do you think he was wrong?"
"Wrong, how?" the doctor asked, setting the medicine aside. "Well, his master promised him he was the chosen one. He built him up and did nothing when Oogway tore him down. Do you think he was wrong to be a bad person?"
An Odd Question
Oliver was taken aback by the question. He'd never watched the movie the girl was talking about. But telling her that made the situation worse. "We're watching it when you are free!" she declared, her hands folded over her chest.
Oliver had never been one to get too close to patients. But Emilia's personality had resonated with him. First, he'd never met someone with such fire, especially in the face of such heartbreaking adversity. Second, after watching the movie, he became astounded by Emilia's take. He was even more surprised when she applied the character's situation to herself, asking why the world had promised her life just to snuff it away. "But I'm not angry about it," she said. "I got to experience it, though briefly. I'm thankful."
An Unlikely Friendship
Oliver and Emilia struck an unlikely friendship, and as the months counted, they would spend time watching movies, playing games, and discussing Emilia’s interests. For a four-year-old, she displayed critical thinking way beyond her age and would always leave Oliver stumped with the way her mind worked.
But although her friendship with Oliver blossomed, her health continued declining. The cancer wasn't responding to the drugs Oliver and his team were administering. Slowly and gradually, the light in her eyes started fading.
Heartbreaking News
It was eleven months after Emilia's diagnosis that Oliver shared the terrible news with her parents. The treatment had taken a toll on the little girl's body. But worse than that, the cancer had grown, graduating to its worst state. "She only has a few weeks left," Oliver said.
The family cried that night, and Oliver joined them. But he was surprised to see Emilia nod understandingly when her mom told her what was happening. But that wasn't the most heartbreaking part.
It’s Okay
Emilia smiled and wiped her mom's tears. "It's fine," she said. "It's going to be okay. I'll be an angel now and get big white wings. I'll watch over and protect all of you, and I can meet Grandpa George and Grandpa Lenny!"
Watching her talk made Oliver realize he needed to do anything to save her life. But hadn’t his team worked tirelessly to reverse Emilia's condition? Could they have missed something?
Too Late
The team had exhausted everything. Throughout the next week, Oliver spent sleepless nights looking for ways to save Emilia. He talked to colleagues back in Houston, even reaching out to experts all over the world, from Europe to Asia and Africa. But the verdict was the same. It was too late.
One night, while he was busy researching, he got a call from Emilia's mom. She told him about Emilia's last wish. "Emilia confided in me about how much she loves you," she said. "She desires to marry you someday."
The Wedding
That's when Emilia's mother asked Oliver for a considerable favor. Would he be willing to marry her daughter in a mock wedding? Oliver agreed. The wedding, though fake, went as expected. Emilia was beyond excited throughout the experience.
She'd written the vows and chosen a beautiful sunflower dress. She'd even chosen a cake flavor for the event. But right after the mock wedding, the worst happened.
Desperation
Emilia's condition worsened, and Oliver had to put her on life support. Her laughter and constant bright eyes were now a thing of the past. But Oliver was working overtime, looking for a way to help the girl. Driven to desperation, he decided to try out the one thing he and his team had ruled out.
"Surgery," he suggested. His subordinate was warning him against this, saying it would end badly. But Oliver had no other choice. He discussed it with Emilia's parents, even footing a massive chunk of the bill. Would they accept?
Surgery
Emilia's dad, an officer of the law, pulled him to the side to talk. Although grateful for everything, he shared that Oliver's mistake since this ordeal began was trying to take shortcuts. "We bobbed and weaved, and here we are, at the start. Surgery."
For most cancers, surgery is often used to take out the tumor and a margin or edge of the healthy tissue around it. Since Emilia's tumor had grown exponentially, Oliver wondered if it would be possible. "We have nothing else to lose," Emilia's dad said. "A chance, though small… a saving hand… With your help, doctor, we can do it."
Fighting
Oliver commenced the surgery as soon as possible. Throughout the procedure, Emilia's pulse was low, and her breath was almost nonexistent. But each would spike occasionally, telling the good doctor that she was also fighting from the other side.
After hours in the theater, the doctor and his surgeons finished the procedure. Now, all they had to do was wait and see. Before, Oliver and his team had been sure that Emilia would not survive the procedure. She was too weak. But she'd proved them wrong, and they couldn't be happier.