People are saving the world and living their lives meaningfully and all I do is whine like a teenager all the time.
(Lie down, roll over, grab knees, contemplate life, cry a little)
我是Veronica，一個在屋邨長大的八十後，原本是一家五口，有一個姊姊和一個妹妹，自小家裡已發生了很多大大小小的逆境。
我讀小學的時候，家裡時常發生很多爭吵，爸爸是自僱人士，因為當時經濟很差，我們的家庭面對很大困難。父母之間相處也常常有很大的磨擦，每晚當爸爸回家時，我們三姊妹都會躲在房間裡，不希望聽到當天吵架的原因。
在我大約五、六年級的時候，爸爸向我們表示再沒有能力供養我們四母女，建議將我們三姊妹送到社福機構寄養，他更向媽媽提出離婚。當時我們十分驚慌，只懂得不停哭泣，最後媽媽答應離婚，她沒有將我們送到社福機構，決心一個人將我們養大。
媽媽只是一個普通家庭主婦，沒有任何工作技能，要她重新投入社會工作，對她的壓力是非常大，日間需要上班，放工後要趕回家煮飯。我們三姊妹很快已經學懂要堅強和獨立，大家互相照顧，處理好自己的學業。我們讀書成績雖然平庸，但並不需要媽媽為我們的學業擔心。
在我十五歲的時候已經和姊姊下課後，開始兼職工作，幫補家中日常開支。但當我大約十六、七歲的時候，姊姊患上了急性白血病，也就是血癌。家中的壓力更加是百上加斤，姊姊需要停學進行化療，媽媽每天都要進出醫院，因此要減少工作，但要支付每天的住院費，家中的經濟也變得十分緊拙。當時一餐晚飯的預算只得十元，只能夠買芽菜配白飯，但我最喜歡的是煎蛋配白飯加豉油，價錢便宜，而且味道甚佳。我們一家人都沒有抱怨，有一餐便吃一餐，姊姊亦很勇敢，十分樂觀去面對，但她情況差的時候會嘔吐至不能下牀，當情況好的時候，她會很積極地往醫院當義工，幫助和安慰有需要的院友，亦會協助朋友教興趣班幫補收入，她亦很積極做運動。在她身上我學懂了什麽是真正的樂觀，凡事向好的方面去想。一兩年之後，她的病情已進入康復期，長時期都可以留在家中，只需要定時回醫院注射一些低劑量的化療針。我們一家人的生活已慢慢地回復正常，覺得最終都捱過了最困難的時期，但不幸的意外再次發生。在二零零七年，當姊姊往醫院覆診的時候，醫生將應該注射在靜脈的藥物，錯誤地往脊髓注射，當時並沒有留意到，一日之後姊姊覺得身體十分僵硬，數天後便被送往深切治療部，而且進入了半昏迷狀態。之後的十多天我們都在深切治療部陪伴著姊姊，最後醫生表示姊姊已經証實腦部死亡，建議拔喉讓她離世，姊姊便在我們一家人的身旁安詳地離開。
我們本來是一家五口，到現在只有一家三口，過了數年傷心和黑暗的日子。後來我們得到醫療失誤的賠償金，我決定用部分賠償金和空餘時間兼職賺來的收入來讀書進修，希望能夠完成姊姊讀書的心願，更希望有一天我能夠有能力使到家中的生活安穩起來。過了數年我完成了學士課程，我希望能夠繼績姊姊助人的心願，所以報讀了一個言語治療碩士課程，希望可以幫助一些有特殊需要的人士。今天我已經碩士畢業，成為一個治療師，可以為復康界作出一些微小貢獻。
每一個人一生中必定出現過大大小小的難關，部分人會在逆境中抱怨，選擇放棄、自殘、接觸毒品，有些人會變成邊緣青年誤入歧途。我一生中也出現過數次難關，父母離異的時候我選擇堅強，學懂獨立，家中經濟出現困難的時候，我積極外出找兼職，減輕家中的負擔。姊姊患病的時候，我們一家人都沒有抱怨，只是樂觀地去面對。到姊姊離世後，我努力增值自己，希望為家人帶來一個更加安穩的將來。經過了十多年的難關，今年我已經二十七歲，十分慶幸，每一次我所作出的都是正確選擇。我希望和大家分享的是，難關在何時出現，我們不能夠控制，但在難關當中，我們自己的心態和怎樣去面對，作出何種決定，我們是絕對有能力去選擇，難關雖然難過，亦可以關關過。
I am Veronica. I am an eighties child who grew up in a public housing estate. Originally, I hailed from a family of five. I have an elder sister and a younger sister. We had to overcome a lot of adversity among our family since we were young.
When I studied in Primary school, there were a lot of disputes among my family. My father was self-employed. As the economic situation was at a downturn at the time, we came across a lot of difficulties. There was a lot of friction between my parents. Whenever my father returned home, we three girls would hide in our room. It was because we did not want to hear our parents fighting.
During Primary five or six, my father expressed that he was unable to support us four anymore. He suggested sending us to a social welfare agency for foster care. He also suggested getting a divorce with my mother. We were all terrified. We only knew how to keep crying. In the end, my mother accepted the divorce. She did not send us to the social welfare agency. She was determined to raise us on her own.
My mother was only an ordinary housewife. She did not have any work experience. To find a job was very stressful to her. She had to work during the day and in the evening; she had to rush home to make dinner. We three girls learned how to be tough and independent. We took care of one another. We also handled our own studies. Our grades were average but we did not need our mother to worry about us academically.
When I was fifteen, I began working part-time jobs after I got off school. I had to help the family financially. But when I was around sixteen or seventeen years old, my elder sister had acute leukemia, which basically means blood cancer. The pressure at home was even greater. My elder sister had to stop her studies to undertake chemotherapy. My mother had to go to and from the hospital each day. In light of the situation at home, she had to give up some of her work. Our family life was in red light due to the daily hospital stay costs. At that time, we only spent around ten dollars on dinner each night. We could only buy bean sprouts to go with rice. But what I loved most was eggs with rice mixed with soy sauce. It was cheap and tasty. Our family did not whine and complain. We would enjoy each meal. My elder sister was also very brave. She faced her illness positively. When she was in bad shape, she would vomit so much that she could not get out of bed. When she felt better, she would proactively work as a volunteer in the hospital to help and support patients in need. She would also assist friends to teach interest classes to help the family. She also did a lot of exercise. I learned what real positivity was from my elder sister. I would think positively in all situations. After a year or two, my sister began to go into recovery phase. She was able to stay at home for a prolonged period of time. She only had to visit the hospital at regular intervals for low dosage chemotherapy injections. Our family lifestyle began to turn around and return to normal. We all felt that we have endured our most difficult times. But the most unfortunate accident took place. In the year 2007, when my elder sister went back to the hospital for a follow-up, the doctor wrongfully administered her medication into her spinal cord, when it should have been into her vein. It was not noticed at the time. After one day, my elder sister felt very rigid. After a number of days, she was sent to the ICU and drifted into a semi-coma. For the next ten or so days, we spent our time accompanying my elder sister. In the end, the doctor declared her brain dead. The doctor also suggested pulling the tube off her throat to allow her to leave the world. My elder sister passed away peacefully with family surrounding her.
From a family of five, we became a family of three. After a number of dark and depressing days, we eventually received compensation money for the medical error. I decided to use a partial amount of the compensation money along with the salary I made from my part-time jobs on further studying. I wanted to fulfil my elder sister’s dream of completing her own studies. I also hope that one day I could become a financial pillar to my family so that they can live a stable life. Over a number of years, I completed my degree. But I wanted to spread my sister’s spirit of helping those in need. That was why I applied for a speech therapy program. I hope to help those with special needs. Today, I have completed my masters degree. I am also a therapist. I can contribute in small ways to the rehabilitation community.
Each person will come across large and small obstacles in life. Some people will complain during adversity and choose to give up, self-destroy and do drugs. Some youth may even live on the edge and involve themselves in illicit activities. In my life, I have come across countless of obstacles. When my parents divorced, I chose to be strong and learned to become independent. When there was financial difficulty at home, I looked proactively for part-time jobs to alleviate the burden at home. When my sister was ill, we, as a family, did not complain. We only confronted everything positively. When my elder sister passed away, I worked hard to upgrade myself with the hopes of bringing a more stable future to my family. After ten years of arduous times, I am now twenty-seven years old. I have been very fortunate. I made the correct choice each time. I hope to share with you all that obstacles often manifest and we cannot control them. But during hard times, our attitude and how we approach those difficult dats; as well as our decision making, are all within our grasp. Obstacles may be hard to hurdle over but you can surely overcome them.
