1 Litre of Tears

It's been quite some time since I left this site rot by its own. Nevertheless, I'll post more often here once landing in Adelaide which will be in less than a month time.

Have any of you come across the term "spinocerebellar degeneration"? It is a terrible disease where the cerebellum of the brain gradually deteriorates the person's nerves gradually to the point where the victim cannot walk, speak, write, or eat. A cruel disease, as it does not affect the mind in the least.


Based on a true story, One Litre of Tears is about the life story Kitou Aya (1962-1988) a girl who had an incurable disease called Spinocerebellar Degeneration Disease (also known as SCA type 2; spinocerebellar ataxia type 2)at a young age of 15. Although the girl in the drama - Ikeuchi Aya, lived in the 21st century, her character was based on Kitou Aya's life, how she struggled and fought her disease and how she wrote her deepest thoughts until the last day she could hold a pen. Before she died, her writings were published including the poems she wrote while she is staying in a school for the disabled. This gave new hopes to people who suffers the same disease as she did and soon Aya received letters of appreciation and thanks from those people. At the age of 25, she succumbed herself into a sleep where she could no longer feel any pain.
The book that later followed entitled “One Liter of Tears" has sold over 1.1 million copies.

Source; http://wiki.d-addicts.com/1_Litre_no_Namida

I know its quite slow for me to notice this drama as it came out in late 2005 and I just finished watching it last week. Probably one of the best japanese drama I've watched so far. Upon reaching episode 6 till the end of the series, my eyes were watery. Looking at how she struggles in her daily life taught me to appreciate everything I have now and not to be greedy, demanding for more.

Some of my favourite quotes from the drama
- Why did the disease choose me? I cannot carry it, if it’s just for the word “fate”.

- “As I think about the past,
the tears will come out.
Reality is too cruel, too brutal.
I don’t even have the right to dream.
As I think about the future,
the tears will come out again.”

- Even though I have been hurt before by those heartless glares this also helped me to understand that around me, there still exists some gentle glares. Therefore, I definitely won't run away. That's what I'll do. Definitely. Always.

Review of the drama can be found in http://www.jdorama.com/drama.959.htm