This is the third installment of a series.
Bunyu Ogasawara, 69, is a doctor and a monk. He was born as the successor to the chief priest of Denpoji temple in Hashima, Gifu Prefecture. He became a monk at the age of 9, and began visiting the homes of parishioners dressed in his kesa robes. He now serves as the 23rd head priest.
At a lecture meeting in the city on the afternoon of March 22, Ogasawara appeared wearing his kesa robes, in response to requests.
On this day, in front of about 40 people, Ogasawara introduced Mitsuo Hibino, 80, a terminal cancer patient. Ogasawara chose Hibino as a lecturer at the last minute that morning, while providing him with medical treatment on a house call.
"Both Hibino and his family accepted that he would probably not last until the season when the cherry blossoms bloomed. Therefore, I'd like him to talk about how he has regained vitality so quickly," Ogasawara explained.
Hibino, who takes prescription "morphine wine" (morphine and red wine) to ease the pain caused by his cancer, took the microphone and began to talk to the audience.
He had previously had cancer removed from his colon and liver. However, it turned out he had stomach cancer and doctors at the hospital told Hibino he had only six months to live.
The cancer was later found to have spread to his lungs, and at one point, Hibino was not able to go to the bathroom. Now, he is engaged in farming on his tractor.
"I feel much better thanks to this medicine. The cancer has not been cured, but I can enjoy my life."
Ogasawara asked Hibino again how he would spend his days in the final stages of cancer.
"I work as hard as I can. Rather than worrying every day that I might die tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow, I just think about the fact that I need to plant the potatoes soon. I'd also like to grow rice again this year," Hibino replied.
"Oh, you have come," Hibino said to his granddaughter Tomoe Baba, 20, in the hall after the lecture. Hibino's eldest daughter, who had visited him in the morning, arranged for him to meet Tomoe.
"Are you still going to do rice farming? You don't need to, you know," Tomoe said, expressing concern. Hibino simply responded by saying repeatedly what a lovely grandchild she is.
Smiles beget smiles
Ogasawara is usually driven around by a nurse, but he got behind the wheel himself on the morning of March 26. This was because he had a visitor at his clinic in Gifu, and then when he was finally ready to visit patients' houses, all the nurses had already gone out.
He arrived at Itsuko Onda's house in less than 10 minutes. Entering the living room, Itsuko's sister-in-law Michiko, 67, immediately began to talk, saying: "I am choosing a kimono for Itsuko. She will have her memorial photograph taken on Saturday."
"This is just what I normally wear," said Itsuko, 68. She spread out her favorite kimono in a sober brown for us. " I want to show others what I used to wear," she added.
The pleasant conversation between the two sisters-in-law continued. "Somehow, I am happy." "Well, that's because Ogasawara came to see me."
After a medical examination when she was hospitalized, Onda was told that she had from six months to a year to live in late January.
What she had was terminal pancreatic cancer. When cancer was first suspected, she became desperate. However, accepting the fact that she was at the end of her life, she decided to spend her remaining days just being herself.
Onda's life is supported by the palliative care provided by Ogasawara's clinic. In order to improve her quality of life, the clinic gives top priority to reducing pain, prescribing such medical opiates as morphine as necessary.
"Relieved of pain, a patient cannot help but smile. That also makes people around the patient smile." This is Ogasawara's theory.
"In tough times, I can keep control of the pain with medicine. I feel great today," said Onda. The conversation referred to the topic of helping other people to get dressed up in kimono, which is her reason for living. Suddenly, her smartphone placed by the window began to ring.
"About what time? OK, that's fine." After the call was over, Onda told us that two people had asked her to help them to get dressed up in kimono: one for an entrance ceremony, and the other for a wedding ceremony.
"I have a wonderful day today!" she said with her brightest smile.
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
