For three weeks, Benjamin has been sleeping in his living room.His room, he ceded him to Levan, the Ukrainian refugee whom he hosts and nourishes.""""""""""""""""It's normal,"""""""""""""""" he just comments.And then, my sofa bed is very comfortable.""""""""""""""""What could be more"""""""""""""""" normal """"""""""""""""also than having put his afternoon to lead Levan to the hospital, where he must undergo a battery of exams? Levan gives him a look full of respect and affection.These two met three weeks ago (Benjamin had registered as a volunteer on the site of the town hall of Nice to welcome and house a refugee., editor's note), they exchange in laborious English, and yet almost fraternal links already seem to unite them.""""""""""""""""We are the same age, 45, smiles Benjamin, and we are both dad of two boys.""""""""""""""""
But, unlike Benjamin who sees his children regularly (the Nice is separated), Levan has lived far from his family since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.In the fear of bad news.
Because if his youngest son, aged 6, is sheltered in Poland with his mother (the ex-wife of Levan), the elder, aged 24, is at the front, somewhere in Ukraine.He does not know more, for obvious security reasons.
Barely a month ago, Levan too was fighting.He shows us photos that attest to him.But the forties had no choice.He had to flee his country.Levan is seriously ill: he suffers from lung cancer at an advanced stage.And, with the war, the hospital where he was followed in kyiv suspended his activities;His treatment was interrupted, and his hopes of compromise survival.
So, pushed by his loved ones, he went on a train for a long trip through Poland, Austria, Italy and then Nice. Pourquoi Nice? """"""""""""""""Je savais qu’il y avait des médecins excellents ici"""""""""""""""", sourit-il en désignant le Dr Idriss Troussier, onco-radiothérapeute au Centre de haute énergie à Nice.
The best support
The young doctor, known for his commitment, was quickly informed of Levan's dramatic situation by networks of volunteers.It is he who, now, will ensure his care.But he must first complete the puzzle of the clinical history of the Ukrainian.
""""""""""""""""I saw him a few days after his arrival in Nice.But his state of health quickly deteriorated at the pulmonary level, he was taken to the emergency room.He underwent a fairly large first intervention [the installation of a stent at the higher vein cellar as a result of her compression by his tumor, editor's note], and was hospitalized for a week in the service ofpulmonology.""""""""""""""""
""""""""""""""""À présent qu’il est retourné au domicile de Benjamin, on doit reprendre les traitements contre son cancer"""""""""""""""", poursuit le Dr Troussier. """"""""""""""""Mais, même si des proches de Levan nous envoient quelques éléments de son dossier, il nous en manque plusieurs pour évaluer précisément à quel stade de la maladie il est, et optimiser la prise en charge.""""""""""""""""
This is the reason why Idriss prescribed several exams to him.Including a bronchial fibroscopy, biopsies, brain MRI and a scanner, planned in the coming days. """"""""""""""""Ils permettront de déterminer si la maladie s’est disséminée.And also to know the tissue and molecular profile of its tumor, to give it the most suitable therapy: chemo-immunotherapy, targeted therapy ... """"""""""""""""
The benevolent smile of Benjamin accompanies Levan every moment, and the Ukrainian supports it to face a system which is completely foreign to him.
""""""""""""""""I want to live""""""""""""""""
Does he look forward to going to the country?For Levan, this is not the priority.The war he waged today is the one against his illness. """"""""""""""""Je veux vivre.""""""""""""""""Three simple words to describe what he feels.Obviously.But he will entrust us later (via an SMS that he will send us thanks to a translator) his discomfort.
""""""""""""""""I'm ashamed to be sick right now; I can't help my country, while women are fighting with Molotov cocktails against tanks.But Ukraine cannot help cancer patients, while it is at war, that women, children die.""""""""""""""""Confusion of feelings.Survival instinct, feeling of guilt.
Guilty vis-à-vis his family who stayed there.Almost embarrassed, too, of the generosity of this country which welcomed it and treats it without conditions.The social worker who accompanies Levan in his efforts remembers his anxious gaze when she mentioned with him her medical care.
""""""""""""""""He plunged his hand into his pocket to get a 20 -euro ticket out of it:"" I don't have money, I depend on Benjamin for everything, I can't set the care.""(Levan obtained the allowance for asylum seekers, or 6.80 euros per day., Editor's note) he was very afraid of not being able to be treated within reasonable deadlines, when he was already more than 30 days late for his cure.""""""""""""""""He also feared that for lack of being able to pay, he only has access to low quality care.
We had to reassure him, explain to him that in France, it does not happen like that. Levan note une autre différence: """"""""""""""""En Ukraine, les médecins sont très froids.Here they smile, and it gives me hope.""""""""""""""""
Et il conclut, le regard braqué sur Idriss: """"""""""""""""Ma vie est entre ses mains.""""""""""""""""The young doctor knows this well, and as he does every day for all his patients, he will deploy the same energy to save the Ukrainian refugee.
