Jody caught Dengue, Typhoid Fever and some infections just last week. What followed was a blurred-adrenaline-rush situation I never imagined I'll be in. But I'd rather keep the experiences between me and Jody. I've compiled stories along the way, from Jody's sickness to recovery. :)
--------------------
On the second night of Jody's sinusiodal fever, we've decided to go to a public hospital. We never imagined that the ER would be a loadful of stories to tell. As we waited for tests and medicines, I was able to observe real-life drama unfolding before my very eyes.
LIQUID SUISA-SUICIDE: A half-naked man was rushed in the ER. He was pain-stricken, convulsive and was muttering curses in between groans. He was carried by two bare-footed men. The doctor immediately inquired what happened, and one of the bare-footed man answered "CHLOROX doc! Chlorox!"Turns out that the patient attempted suicide by swallowing a bottle of acid detergent. Minutes later, a woman hurriedly ran towards the patient crying. The tragic romance was starting to unfold. She was crying as the man started vomiting blood, though the doctor seemed relaxed and simply said that the blood was due to the internal acid burns.
But the drama made an unexpected turn. The woman was carrying the bottle of detergent, and it was not Chlorox but rather a normal dish-washing liquid: less serious than expected. One by one, the friends who accompanied the patient took off. They abandoned him from dismay, including the woman who was hysterical. After we left the hospital, the man was still lying on the ER calling the woman on his mobile phone. Too much romance for Mr. Clean.
SHORT STAY: The prescribed medicine from the ER doctor didn't work. By early morning Jody was burning hot with fever of 40-degree celsius. She was constantly complaining her head ache and painful throbs on her eyes. So we've decided to go to a private hospital along with the earlier test results. She was immediately admitted from a probable dengue fever.
On our first evening in the private hospital, I went out to get some hot water from a dispenser near the Operating Room. Seated just beside the dispenser was an old man. He was breathing hard, laboring with his inhales and exhales. Yet he was able to give a short smile and even winked at the nurse who greeted him. "Tatang dito ka na naman" (Tatang, you're here again). The nurse knew him, probably because he was a regular patient of the hospital. A woman, whom I assumed to be the patient's daughter, answered the nurse with concern. The old man was having another attack.
I got out before I can hear all the details. But by early morning, a few hours after that, I saw the woman with other people. Some of them were agitated, crying and some looked somber. It was probably the longest waiting for them.
The scene was the same that entire day. But by early morning on the 2nd night, their waiting was over. As I walked towards the dispenser, all I heard was silent sobs accompanied by mourning of the old man's passing. An elder couple were crying, embracing and sharing tears. The man was whispering comforting words, but the woman kept on crying. Tata didn't make it while undergoing surgery. I silently walked away overhearing the nurses verifying the sad news to one another. I got back to our room and shared the story to Jody.
Bad NEWS and Good News:
I got back to the hospital to prepare for the blood donation - since her platelet drastically went down to 74,000. I can't remember much of the details, since I suddenly went into a numb state of buying medicines, finding blood donors, and informing the family about it. By evening as I went back to Jody, we got a text message. Apparently she passed her comprehensive examination for her Master's degree. We just read it as if it was just another news.
Funny how long she have waited for it, then suddenly it didn't matter much at that time. There really is nature of timing for everything. But news sunk in as we were discharged 3 days after her dengue treatment.
No comments:
Post a Comment