Study Guide

A Hologram for the King Chapter 29

By Dave Eggers

Chapter 29

Alan's having surgery to remove the lump on his neck. He's a bit worried that the tumor will be cancer.
He meets the surgical team, which is like a medical UN: doctors from China, England, Germany, Italy, Russia—and Dr. Hakem.
Alan is awake for the whole surgery, including the gut-wrenching moment when Dr. H pulls the cyst from his body. It's a disgusting feeling.
He remembers his mama, who didn't go in for whiners. She constantly told him to man up, which he's trying to do in the operating room.
He also thinks of Kit as he tries to distract himself from the surgery. He remembers taking her to see the launch of the last manned spacecraft at Cape Canaveral.
It was an emotional experience for him, but also a great bonding moment with Kit. He feels it was something he'd done right.
The surgery continues to get more unpleasant. Alan has allowed the docs to under-medicate him, and now he's regretting it.
He thinks of how touched he was when that rocket finally did take off from Canaveral (he cried). Kit seemed to appreciate his response.
And that's enough of a stroll down memory lane. Dr. H tells him they're done and that they were able to remove the whole cyst.