Chapter 40“I’m not having the procedure.”
Steve’s impulsive comment upsets me. I stare at him, perplexed. “I know you’re angry, but you heard the doctor. He’d remove part of the lung, not all—”
“Do you know what this means?”
I am careful with my next choice of words. “That you’d live longer if you had the procedure.”
He shakes his head. “This is the beginning of the end.” Headshake. “No. I’ve made up my mind.”
“Steve—”
“I don’t want to be here.” A long, dramatic pause silences us. “I want to leave.”
My thoughts are unclear. “I know this isn’t what you wanted to hear, but we can and will get through this.”
“Tell the nurse to release my discharge papers.”
“Don’t you think you’re jumping the gun? Please, Steve, calm down. Let’s think about this together.”
I notice the panic-stricken
