给生命带来奇迹的猫，本文主要内容关键词为：奇迹论文,生命论文，此文献不代表本站观点，内容供学术参考，文章仅供参考阅读下载。
The doctors sent my mother home to die.A fifteen-year survivor of breast cancer,she had suffered two heart attacks when advanced cancer was found in her lung.
Mom had struggled to raise three daughters while holding a full-time job,yet worked hard to maintain a cozy（注：cozy
〈美〉=cosy舒适的；安逸的） home for her family.Growing up,I knew only two things about my mother:She had an iron will,and she loved nature.During her days of illness,she told me a third:"I've had a miserable life."
My dad was a difficult man to live with,but my mom did not complain,probably because she could not put words to her own need.But when it came clear that because of her progressive deterioration（注：deterioration
恶化，变坏）,my dad regarded her as a burden,she and I decided that she would move to my home.
I had three weeks to make a myriad（注：myriad
无数，极大数量） of arrangements.I changed my work schedule,foundtransportation,an oncologist（注：oncologist
［医］肿瘤病医生）,cardiologist（注：cardiologist
［医］心脏病医生）,hospice（注：hospice
（晚期病人）收容所） care,medical equipment,a caregiver and bather.My plan for Mom's final days was simple:she would live with love,and die with grace.
Upon her arrival,after an exhausting fivehour trip,Mom was examined by the home healthcare nurse.The nurse took me aside and asked,"How long do you think your mother has?"
"Two,maybe three months,"I said.
The nurse looked at me sadly."Adjust your thinking," he said."She has a few days,maybe a week.Her heart is weak and unstable."
My home,small and comfortable,was a haven（注：haven
庇护所，安全的地方） to four cats and a golden retriever（注：retriever
拾獚，猎犬）.The animals had the run of my house.
We installed the electric hospital bed and oxygen machine,which frightened the cats from the bedroom.I'd moved their furniture,and they were peeved（注：peeved
生气的，发怒的）.The retriever,on the other hand,an immature dog with bad habits,was excited by all the changes in the house.She jumped up,barked and shed（注：shed
脱毛） more profusely（注：profusely
大量地，极充分地） than usual.
One cat,however,seemed to adjust perfectly.Otto was the only one cat who was not afraid of the hospital bed,the oxygen machines or the medical smells.Nor was he afraid of the frail woman who had scolded him down from the kitchen counter.Otto jumped onto the foot of Mom's hospital bed,and stayed.
He was not startled by the nurses.He did not interfere when Mom was fed,nor when she was transferred from bed to commode（注：commode
便桶；抽水马桶） and back.Whether the disturbance was from changing her bed or because of bathing,he simply waited to resume his post.With the exception of eating and using the litter box,Otto never left Mom's room.
Days passed,and Mom started to rally（注：rally
恢复（健康等）；重振（元气等））."Not unusual," I was told,"a rally is often a sign of imminent（注：imminent
逼近的；即将发生的） death."
I grieved.But Otto would not give her up so easily.He used her improved condition to reposition himself from the foot of her bed to her side.Her thin fingers found his soft coat.He leaned into her body,as if clinging to the threads of her will to live.Though weak,she caressed the cat and would not allow me to take him.
Days turned into weeks and Mom continued to fight.Once,after the nurses had gone for the day,I heard the sound of Mom's voice coming from her room.I found her with the head of the bed raised.Otto was tucked into the crook（注：crook
弯曲部分） of her elbow,listening adoringly（注：adoringly
爱慕地；崇拜地） as she read from the newspaper.I will forever cherish the memory of Mom's face with Otto's paw,claws retracted,caressing the side of her chin.
Eventually,using a walker,Mom began to take walks through the house.She was trailed by oxygen tubing and Otto.Where she rested,Otto rested.Where she moved,Otto shadowed （注：shadow
（影子般地）尾随）.It seems I had forgotten my mom was a mother.Somehow,Otto knew,and during those days he became her cat child,giving her life purpose.We had come a long way（注：come a long way 取得很多成就，取得巨大进展） from the days when she used to chase him off the kitchen counter.
Exactly three years have passed since then.The hospital bed and oxygen machine are long gone.The medicines and nurses are gone,too.But Mom's still here.And so is Otto.And so is the bond that united them in days of sickness.
When we saw the oncologist a while ago,he patted himself on the back（注：pat oneself on the back 对自己表示赞扬（或鼓励、庆贺））."I can't believe it,Lula,"he said."I can't find your cancer and your heart is strong.When your daughter brought you to me,I thought you were a ship that had sailed."We let thedoctor think what he likes,but Mom gives the credit to Otto.
Thankfully,my mother has put off dying,and Otto continues to share his gift of love--a medicine more potent（注：potent
（药等）有效力的，有效能的） than any drug a doctorcould prescribe（注：prescribe
（医生）开（药），为…开（药））.
医生们让我母亲回家度过她生命的最后几天。自患乳腺癌以来，她已幸存了15年，发现晚期肺癌时还犯过两次心脏病。
我母亲艰难地一边干着全职的工作，一边抚养着3个女儿，还努力为家人营造一个温馨的家。我在成长过程中，只知道母亲两点：她有着铁一般的意志并热爱自然。在她患病的日子里，她告诉了我第三点：“我过了痛苦的一辈子。”
生活上，我父亲很难相处，但是我母亲没有埋怨过，可能因为她无法用言语充分表述。由于母亲病情逐渐恶化，我父亲明显地把她看成负担，于是我和母亲决定她搬到我家来住。
我花了3个星期做大量准备工作。我改变工作计划，找运输公司，联系肿瘤病医生、心脏病医生、晚期病人收容机构，联系购买医疗设备，物色能帮助洗澡的护理人员。我为我母亲弥留人间的最后日子所做的安排很简单：她将在爱中生活，体面地走上不归路。
经过5小时筋疲力尽的行程，我母亲一到家就接受了家庭护士的检查。护士把我拽到一旁问道：“你认为你妈妈还能活多久？”
“2个月，也许3个月，”我回答说。
护士伤感地看着我。“你要有思想准备，”他说。“她只剩下几天，也许一个星期。她的心脏很虚弱，而且不稳定。”
我这小而舒适的家是4只猫和一头金毛猎犬的庇护所，是这些动物的天下。
我们把医院用的电控病床和输氧机安装妥，吓得那些猫不敢进卧室。我还搬动了它们的用具，它们很不高兴。但是那只有着坏习惯、还不成熟的狗，反而对家中的变化感到兴奋不已。它又蹦又叫，毛比往常脱得更厉害。
可是有一只猫似乎自我调整得很好。奥托是惟一不怕医院电控病床、输氧机和医药气味的猫。它也不怕那个叫骂着把它从厨房柜台上赶下的身体虚弱的女人。它敢跳上我妈妈的病床床脚处，待在那儿。
护士们也吓不了它。给妈妈喂饭时，它不于扰；妈妈从床上下来去盥洗室又回来，它也没动静。无论是换床具，还是妈妈洗澡出现扰乱，它都等着回到原来的位置上。除了吃食和在便盒里大小便，奥托寸步不离我妈妈的房间。
日子一天天过去，我母亲的病情开始好转：“这并非不正常，”有人对我说。“这种恢复通常是临终前的回光返照。”
我感到悲伤，但是奥托不愿让我妈妈就此轻易撒手人寰。它借她病情好转之机，从床脚转移到她身旁。我妈妈纤细的手指抚摸它的软毛。奥托紧靠她的身躯，似乎抓着她要继续生存的意志细线。虽然她身体衰弱，但她抚摸它，不让我把猫抱走。
几天过去了，数周消逝了，妈妈继续和死神做斗争。有一回，护士们一天工作结束离去后，我听到妈妈的话音从她卧室传来。我发现床头已经升起。奥托躺在妈妈弯着的胳臂肘里，深情地听着我妈妈读报。我将永世不忘这动人的情景一—奥托缩回的爪子抚摸着我妈妈的面颊。
终于，我妈妈开始用助行架在室内走动，身后拖着氧气管，跟着奥托。她在哪儿停下歇着，奥托也在哪儿歇着；她走到哪儿，奥托形影不离。看来我已经忘了我妈妈是个有孩子的母亲。但是奥托知道，在那些日子里，它成了我母亲的猫孩子，并赋予她生活的目的。自从我母亲总要把奥托从厨房柜台上赶走的日子以来，情况已有了很大改观。
从那时起，整整3年过去了。医院病床和输氧机早已搬走。各种药物和护理人员也撤了。但是我妈妈还活着，奥托也健在。在她卧床不起的日子里，她和小猫建立起来的情谊依然存在。
不久前我们去看肿瘤病医生，他满意地说：“卢拉，我无法相信这一切，我找不到癌在哪儿，你的心脏跳动得很有劲。当初你女儿带你来的时候，我还以为你是条不归的船。”医生爱怎么想就怎么想，但是妈妈把一切归功于奥托。
令人宽慰的是，我母亲摆脱了死神，继续享受奥托爱的赐予——一种比医生开的任何处方更有效力的药物。
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