Mui-interview of those days
Mingpao Weekly 1992
Soft bone of Anita Mui's spine moved, almost paralyzed
When she was young she heard a sad fable: a mermaid wanted to dance with her beloved prince, she asked a witch to change her tail to a pair of beautiful legs. The price for that would be every step of dancing would be painful as an arrow pierced through the heart ---- Anita Mui said: on the "last night", she strongly felt how the mermaid felt.
Thought she just wanted to be pampered
Jan 24th, when Ah Mui finished the part of hot quick dancing of the concert, and when she was going to backstage to change, suddenly her left leg felt soft: [I touched my left leg. Suddenly I realized that it lost its sense, no feeling at all. I repeatedly asked myself: "Finished like this? Paralyzed? Half body paralyzed? Would Anita Mui be able to stand up again?]
When Ah Mui limped back to the backstage, she complained to Ben Lam. But she was thought just being playful with her boyfriend, and never been taken seriously that she was badly hurt. [But found that her face looked different, then realized how serious it was.] Ben Lam said apologetically.
After she went back to the stage, and finished the 2nd half of the show, Ah Ben immediately brought his girl friend to look for the doctor. [A friend has recommended a Chinese medical doctor, after he decided the cause of the damage, he immediately tried to treat the hurting part by acupuncture, then also by message, and pressure point message, but didn't help at all.] Though worried a lot, it was in the midnight, so could only return home, and waited till next day for further planning.
Next morning, Ben Lam immediately sent Ah Mui to hospital for X-ray. The result showed that the soft bone at the spine below the pelvic bone protruded, and it pressed on the nerves. [The Doctor said, if it got serious, half body could be paralyzed. He warned Ah mui that she had to stop all severe exercise, or it could be very dangerous.]
What to do? Ah Mui decided to cancel the concert of that night, but what to do with the following 2 nights? Anita Mui is usually very determined and clear-cut in her way of handling things, but this time she hesitated.
In the night of 25th, a good friend of Ben Lam, Cheung Kowk Chung called, and recommended him a Chi-kung c-fu . [I thought, that was the last hope, so had to put the bet.] Ben Lam made the decision, and brought her girl friend to the hotel to see the Chi-kung c-fu, and started treatment.
[At 10:30p.m., when Chi-kung c-fu was still messaging Ah Mui, the mobile phone never stopped ringing. Every body asked the same question: "What to do with tomorrow night and the night after?" In the end, Anita Mui asked all of them to come to the hotel for a meeting. At 11:00p.m., final decision: "Even have to die, will die on the stage."]
[I'm just like an oil lamp, if last drop of oil is not burned off, I cannot rest.] Saying this, Ah Mui had very deep feeling.
So Ah Mui was prepared for the worst: "to be the worst, just sit to sing". However miracle happened. The charge of the Chi-kung c-fu was HK$2,000 per hour, but his treatment was really very effective, gradually Ah Mui's leg felt painful, recovering its sense again.
Going onto stage anytime to rescue her
On 27th night, as Anita Mui described herself, she used all "her energy from day she was fed on milk", accompanied by the crying and shouting, of the fans, she smoothly passed "her last night". In tears, with a contradictory mood ---- [Really has to turn back my head? Or should not..........] She sadly returned to back stage.
At backstage, Ben Lam held Ah Mui in his arms while Ah Mui's face was covered with tears. He let her cry with all her heart.
[Didn't know how long I had cried, then all my good friends came, I had to greet them, so stopped crying.] Ah Mui said laughing.
Finally calmed down, sitting in front of the mirror to take off her make up, looked at herself [I thought about my future, felt very complicated ---- feeling uncertain, but happy, seemingly the new life had started, but also felt that I had lost a lot, a lot. At least, this stage, would not belong to me anymore. ] Ah Mui took a breath and said: [To conclude in one sentence --- among happiness there was grief.]
After this big battle, not only Anita Mui's physical energy, her endurance, her will power had been tested, it was a challenge to her relationship with Ben Lam. Ah Mui didn't object to the saying "only real friendship can survive under difficulties", [He is very shy all the time. But before the last show started, he even guaranteed that he would sing should the worst happen......] Ben Lam was not sweet talking his girl friend, he really told the reporters seriously: [I was prepared, anytime I was ready to get onto the stage to rescue her.]
Beside Ah Ben, Ah Mui was moved to tears by many friends -------[Sandra, Kit Yin, Sally......Sandra said if I really could not stand, I should sit and sing, then she would dance; even those foul mouthed and bitter Ah Nat, Eric comforted me, they would sacrifice their image, and would disguise as muscle men..........]
Ah Mui, full of feeling, said: [If you ask me what I will bring into my coffin on the day I die, I can be very sure there is only one thing, the true friendship.]
《明報周刊》1992年
梅艷芳脊椎軟骨出位左腿癱瘓
氣功師夤夜治療每小時2000
記得小時候聽過一個淒美的童話：美人魚為了跟她心愛的王子翩翩共舞，請巫婆把她的尾巴變成一雙美腿，代價就是，每跳一步，有如萬箭穿心──梅艷芳說，在她的「最後一夜」，強烈地體驗著美人魚的感覺。
被定性為「詐嬌」
一月廿四日，當梅姑姑完成了演唱會的勁舞部分，準備進入後台更衣之際，忽然左腳一軟：「我搓搓左腳，赫然發現完全失去知覺，我反覆在心中問：『就這樣完了？癱瘓？半身不遂？難道梅艷芳就這樣再也站不起來了？』」
然而，當阿梅一拐一拐地「仆」進後台，向林國斌訴苦時，卻被定性為「詐嬌」而且全未意識到傷勢的嚴重。「到後來發現她臉色大變時，方知大件事。」林國斌帶著歉意道。
返回台前捱完下半場後，阿斌立即帶著女友四出求醫。「朋友介紹了一個中醫，他斷症很準，摸兩摸已探出病源，於是立即用針灸治療，但弄了大半晌，後來還加上推拿、指壓，依然不見起色。」雖然心如火焚，奈何三更夜半，只好打道回府，翌日再作打算。
第二天大清早，林國斌立即把阿梅送到醫院去照 X 光，檢驗結果顯示：梅艷芳盆骨對下的脊椎盆一條軟骨突出，壓著了神經線。「醫生說，如果情況嚴重，可能會導致半身不遂，他警告阿梅，立即停止劇烈運動，否則非常危險。」
怎麼辦呢？阿梅決定取消即晚的演唱會，但接下來的兩晚又如何？平日絕不拖泥帶水的梅艷芳，忽然猶豫起來。
一直捱到廿五日的晚上，林國斌的好兄弟張國忠打電話來，極力推薦一位大陸氣功師。「我心想，這已是最後一線希望了，只好搏一搏。」林國斌主意既定，漏夜攜著女友跑到某酒店，約見氣功師，立即展開治療。
「晚上十時半，氣功師還在幫她按摩之際，手提電話已響個不停，大家都問著同一個問題：「『明晚後晚點收科？』」結果，梅艷芳把各方人馬都請到酒店去，召開了一個緊急會議。到了十一時，錘仔一敲：「死都死埋佢。」
「我就如一盞汽油燈，不燒盡最後一滴油，也不能歇息。」這句話說來，梅姑姑深有感觸。
就在阿梅作了最壞打算：「大不了坐著唱」時，奇蹟出現。那大陸氣功師每小時二千大元的治療，果然奏效，梅艷芳的腿漸漸有了痛楚的感覺。
隨時上台救她
廿七日晚上，梅艷芳用盡了「吃奶力」( 她自已這樣形容 )，伴著歌迷的一片哭喊聲、嘶叫聲，順利地度過了「梅姑姑的最後一夜」。帶著兩行情淚，帶著矛盾心情──「到底應回頭？不應回頭......」她黯然走入後台。
後台，林國斌張開懷抱，把淚流披面的阿梅擁入懷裏，讓她痛痛快快地狂哭一場。
「哭得天昏地暗，也不知過了多久，好朋友都來了，因要招呼他們，這才止了哭。」阿梅笑著說。
落粧的一刻，總算平靜了下來。坐在鏡前，望著自己，「我想起了我的未來，心情複雜──很徬徨，又好開心，彷彿新的生命已經來臨，但又彷彿失落了很多很多，至少，這個舞台，再不屬於我。」阿梅舒了一口氣說：「一言概括之──喜中有悲。」
一場大仗之中，不僅梅艷芳的體力、毅力、意志力備受考驗，接受挑戰的，還有梅林的一段情。說到「患難見真情」，阿梅沒有異議，「你見他平時那麼害羞，最後一場開騷前，他竟拍著心口說，最多我上台唱......」，林國斌倒不是口甜舌滑哄女友，他就曾對著本刊記者認真地說：「我早作好心理準備，隨時上台救她了。」
阿斌之外，令梅艷芳感動得一再下淚的還有──「君狗 ( 吳君如 )、潔瑛、莎莉......君狗說假如我真的捱不住了，就坐著唱，讓她伴舞；連平時說話最刻薄的臭口組阿叻、志偉他們，也安慰我，最多犧牲色相，上台扮大隻佬......」
梅姑姑感慨道：「假如問我到百年歸老那天時，有什麼可以帶入棺材的話，我可以肯定的只有一樣，就是真情。」
撰文：程一泓