風鈴さんの おぼえた日記 - 2018年2月3日(土)

Face illness in a way that is true to yourself　　　Saturday, February 3

There are quite a number of cancer battle stories written by celebrities, but one that stands out is Shungicu Uchida's "gan (cancer) manga." The comic frankly details her path from a diagnosis of cancer of the large intestine, to undergoing surgery after chemotherapy. The medical tests and drawings of her treatment are also extremely accurate, and I recommend the manga to anyone who would like to become more knowledgeable about cancer.
●stand out　目立つ、ひと味ちがう　●undergo　受ける
●chemotherapy　抗がん剤治療　●extremely　きわめて、とても
●accurate　正確　●knowledgeable　よりよく知る、詳しい
有名人の闘病記は珍しくなくなったが、その中でもひと味違うのが、内田春菊さんの「がんまんが」だ。大腸がんと診断され、抗がん剤治療の後、手術を受けるまでがコミック形式で率直につづられている。医学的な検査や治療の描写もとても正確で、がんについて正しく知りたい人にとってもおすすめだ。

Cancer of the large intestine is increasing among women, and is now the second most common cancer after breast cancer. However, it does not stand out in the early stages, and is extremely hard to detect.
●the large intestine　大腸　●detect　みつける、気づく
女性の大腸がんは増えており、今や乳がんに続いて多いがんとなっている。しかし、初期症状が目立たないので気づかれにくい。

Uchida also didn't notice her condition right away. She had just started a diet, and apparently chalked up the weight loss and constipation to the change in her lifestyle. When a man suddenly loses a significant amount of weight, the people around him might worry and say, "Are you sick? You should go get checked out by a doctor!" But in the case of women, just like in Uchida's case, people are more likely to say, "I'm jealous your diet was such a success," and a long time passes before the disease is discovered.
●chalk up　～のせいにする、説明する　●constipation　便秘
●jealous　うらやむ　
内田さんの場合も、ちょうどダイエットをしていたので、体重の減りや便秘は「食生活が変わったため」と思っていたそう。男性の場合、急にやせると周りが「病気じゃないの？　検査を受ければ」と心配するが、女性では内田さんのように「ダイエット成功、うらやましい」などと言われ、病気の発見が遅れる場合がある。

Additionally, while there was blood in Uchida's stool, she just thought that she had gotten hemorrhoids. Worriers tend to get anxious and question if they might have cancer even at the smallest change in their condition, but it's not at all uncommon that a person overflowing with vitality like Uchida might assume, "There is no way I could have a serious disease," and ends up putting off a checkup.
●additionally　さらに　●hemorrhoid　痔　●overflow　あふれる
●assume　思いこむ
さらに、トイレに行くと出血するようになったが、内田さんは「痔（じ）になった」と考えた。心配性の人はちょっとした不調で「がんかも？」と不安になるが、内田さんのようにバイタリティーあふれる人は「私が大病するわけない」と前向きにとらえすぎ、検査に行くタイミングが遅れることも少なくないのだ。

However, upon her diagnosis, Uchida started to behave very realistically. She told her four children about the seriousness of the situation, and brought her work schedule forward in preparation for her hospitalization. She never thought something like, "Why did I get a disease like this?" Instead, she accepted the reality with a clear head, which I think is also very crucial.
●diagnosis　診断（結果）●seriousness　真剣に、重大さ　
●crucial　（きわめて）重要な
しかし、いったん大腸がんと分かってから、内田さんは現実的な行動を始める。４人の子どもたちにも事実をしっかり伝え、入院に備えて仕事を前倒しで片づけるのだ。「どうして私がこんな病気になるのか」などと考えすぎず、現実をしっかり受け止める。これもとても大切なことだ。

Even understanding this completely as a cancer patient, Uchida still had times during her battle with the disease that shook her. While the doctor in charge of her examination warns that they would be "racing against time," the doctor wouldn't look her in the face as if they were scared themself. When she talks with her children about having cancer, her daughter asks her worriedly, "You're not going to die, right?" In that moment, she also felt anger and anxiety, but Uchida does not hide these moments either, reflecting them in her work.
このようにがん患者としては百点満点の内田さんだが、それでも気持ちが揺れる場面がある。検査を担当した医者は「一刻を争います」と告げながら、自分も怖いのか、内田さんの顔を見ることがない。子どもたちにがんだと話すと、三女が心配そうに「死なない……？」と聞く。そういうときは、自分自身も怒りや不安を感じるが、それも隠さず作品に描かれている。

In our lives, it is inevitable that we will have to deal with some kind of illness. Even though we accept this reality, when it happens to us, anyone can get flustered or upset about it or decide to be positive or forward thinking about the situation. Uchida teaches us that either is completely acceptable; in the middle of all of that, one should face their illness in the way that best suits them personally.
●inevitable　避けられない　●get flustered　うろたえる　●upset　とりみだす
生きていれば誰でも病気にかかることがある。そう分かっていても、いざ自分の身に起きると、誰もがうろたえたり嘆いたり、また前向きになったりもする。それでいいのだ、その中で自分らしく病気と向き合っていけばいい、と内田さんは教えてくれる。

I would like those shouldering a disease, their family or anyone involved in taking someone for treatment to read this manga that is filled with plenty of laughs as well as hardships. Now I am looking forward to the sequel, now that Uchida is active again and singing at concerts. (By Rika Kayama, psychiatrist)
●sequel　続編
笑える場面もいっぱいのこのまんが、病気を抱える人や家族、そして医療に携わる人たちにぜひ読んでほしい。今は元気に音楽ライブもこなす内田春菊さん、作品の続編も楽しみだ。（香山リカ　精神科医）







戦争を体験して、
食べ物のありがたさを知ることができた。
そして、なにより
「命がある」ことの大切さを感じる。
不幸な体験が
私を強くした。