Semua Bab The Diagnosis That Changed Everything: Bab 1 - Bab 9

I stood in the supermarket and bought five full boxes of Coke. That should be enough for Zac to drink to his heart's content.Ever since he was little, Zac had been obsessed with sugary drinks. Now he wouldn't touch a single drop of plain water—he only drank anything with flavor.My brother, Keith, had tried to correct the habit once, but Zac would rather die of thirst than drink water.My mother nearly fainted from the distress. She bought several cases of drinks and stocked them at home so Zac could have as much as he wanted.He'd been drinking like that for more than ten years. It would've been a miracle if he didn't end up with kidney failure.When I carried the Coke home, Zac burst into a grin and started chugging immediately.That evening, during dinner, I casually mentioned that I planned to get a physical checkup.My sister‑in‑law, Kathy Bennet, rolled her eyes and said sarcastically, "You're really rich, huh? Unlike me—I still haven't scraped together Zac's tutoring fee

I rented an apartment in a different part of the city and started a new job. The city was too big—they would never find me again.Once I'd settled, I returned home for a visit.After graduating from university, I had always lived with my family. Several times I had tried to move out, but my mother kept a tight grip on my salary, funneling my earnings to support Keith and Kathy. That money belonged to me, and I was determined to take it back.A few days ago, the house had been reduced to ruins, but now it had been restored.When they saw me walk in, they glared with gritted teeth. I didn't waste a word. I threw the papers I'd brought straight in front of them."I don't want your kidneys. But all the money you spent that was mine? You'll have to pay it back."On the floor lay detailed printouts of my bank statements over the years. Every single withdrawal my mother had made was accounted for. There was no denying it.Kathy scanned the numbers and screamed, "We don't have that ki

During his first dialysis session, Zac lay on the hospital bed thrashing and crying in pain. Not even with both Kathy and my mother holding him down could they keep him still.The treatment started at dawn and didn't end until nightfall. When it was finally over, Zac sobbed that he never wanted to undergo dialysis again.But skipping dialysis meant certain death.My mother couldn't bear the thought of watching him die like that.'It's just a kidney,' she told herself. 'With so many relatives and friends, someone has to be a match.'The next morning, she went door‑to‑door begging.But after my public confrontation last time, no one wanted anything to do with her."I'm begging you," she pleaded. "Just do the compatibility test. The doctor said you can live with one kidney. We'll take care of you for the rest of your life. You won't lose out."Anyone can promise the moon. Only the old me—foolish and naïve—would have believed it."Miranda, no amount of money can replace a kidney,"

Their hope of saving Zac through a relative's kidney donation was gone. With no other choice, Keith and his wife decided to try for another child, praying a second baby could save Zac.But they were getting older, and with Keith's smoking and drinking habits, conceiving again wasn't easy.Several years passed before Kathy finally became pregnant.By then, Zac was almost an adult.He had grown used to scheduled dialysis, and in his mind, he wasn't much different from a normal person. So, when he suddenly learned that his mother was pregnant again, he struggled to accept it. But once he heard Keith say the second child was meant to save him, he felt a little better.Yet life rarely follows the script. If Kathy had given birth to a girl, maybe the child could have donated a kidney to him. But unfortunately, she had another son.The moment my mother saw her new grandson, she couldn't stop smiling. Zac was ruined, but a new "replacement" had arrived.And this new grandson was unbelie