keep breathing

My uncle, the younger one from my mom's side (xiao jiu jiu), has been staying in a hospital for about two weeks. He could not breathe on his own. Somehow his lungs are failing him.

I could not imagine how he looks like now. I never saw him lying down on his back.
He has polio. His spine is like a 3D spiral, pushing his organs into positions quite abnormal. He has big hands and a big head. He always said that he would be a tall guy if his spine could have been straightened and if he could stand up. He is a lefty because he cannot control any muscle in his right hand. When I was little, I saw him crawling on the floor, and watched relatives carrying him upstairs. He operated his powered wheelchair on a modified motor vehicle. He drove it as far as he could go. He would love to see the world.
He loves talking to people and listening to people. He is a fortune teller. Did he know that this is his bad year? He always said the end of a year (Chinese lunar calendar year) was the worst time for bad luck: everyone was trying to get pass through the year gate. I wish he will be back home before the year Tiger.

I had liked to talk to him before I decided to study cognitive psychology. To explain cognitive psychology to a fortune teller is not easy. For the sake of convenience, I told him I wanted to study the brain. He got very excited and wished I could eventually find a way for him to transplant his entire central nervous system to a healthy walking body. (I guess he has not had time to see the movie "Avatar"... I do not think he ever went to a movie theater at all.)
It was harsh for me to tell him that I didn't think transplanting an entire CNS was possible in my life time. For me, to dream with him is a cruel reality check that he is never able to have a straight spine, to stand up or to walk.
I also did not ask about my fortune when talking to him. He and I gradually could not find a topic interesting both of us, and things of life kept happening, and we've been separated to two very different worlds.

He became a father. Who knew he would get such a great wife and build a family?
I became me. Who knew I would be an English speaker for 90% of my daily functions?
But he is not just a relative living remotely away from me. He is a family. Mama taught him how to read and write. He respects her and loves her kids. When I heard he had hard time absorbing oxygen, I felt so helpless and useless. I wish I could be there for Mama, who must have been so distressed. I wish I could be there for xiao jiu jiu's wife, who must have been so pretending she was alright.
Mama just told me that a device was placed in his lungs and hopefully it will work. I really hope so. I really hope it will work for a long time.