‘We’ve decided to go for palliative care,’ my doctor informed me.
‘What? I don’t understand.’
She smiled sympathetically. ‘It means that we will be treating the effects of the condition, the pain and such, rather than the actual condition itself.’
‘I know what it means. I don’t understand why. I’ve been reading online and the condition seems to have a high success rate when it comes to treatment.’
‘Oh yes,’ she agreed. ‘There are lots of avenues that can be explored. Your condition has a ninety eight per cent cure rate. If not more.’
‘Then why…?’
‘You can’t afford it Brian. Honestly, you can’t even afford the palliative care, we are providing it as an act of kindness.’
‘I could raise the money. A bank, or Gofundme, or something like that.’
‘We considered all of your options at last Friday’s board meeting. No bank would give you a cent. And who would fund you? Why would anyone donate money to keep you alive?’
‘That’s crazy. I’m not a bad person.’
She sighed. ‘Yeah. And that’s really all you have to offer. Honestly, it was quite a feat to get you any care at all. You should be thanking me.’