Amy continues telling stories about her mother. She recalls that her generation all wanted to be “Mao’s Children”, not traditional nurturing people like her mother. Her father had produced teaching equipment before being denounced by the Red Guard.
He had health problems which required medical attention. However, there was an “unbelievable” circumstance wherein the surgeons had been forced to be janitors and the janitors surgeons. By some luck, there happened to be an actual formal surgeon on duty the evening Amy’s dad required surgery, because he was recently discharged from being a surgeon in the military. Still, “class enemy’s” could not receive blood. So, Amy’s family had to find “type O” blood for her father.
Amy’s mother made an appeal to the revolution committee to make an exception for her father or to find someone with the right blood type who would help. Amy’s mother did not cry or beg, she simply made an honest case to request a letter to allow blood to be used from the hospital blood bank. The committee chair decided to “take a chance” and write the letter.
Amy comments that, the reason why she thinks the CCP is evil, is that it forced people to “go against humanity”, causing conflict and strife between everyone. She considers it very lucky to have had a real surgeon and to have gained the letter. In that moment the evil was not there. Perhaps it was a miracle.
After undergoing a major surgery in which 2/3rds of his stomach was removed, Amy’s father survived till age 91. Amy comments that her mother was resilient throughout. Amy comments that her father was very nice to people and that may have contributed to their willingness to help him.