EMERGENCY CALL

It was a nightmare…how I wish it really was. The silence and peace turned creepy when I found myself walking and running on an empty street crying for help. The night was a bit strange as the fresh air gone wild. There’s no one coming and I thought it would be the end and the mark that would change my life forever. I was scared. I don’t want to see my heart so cold and frozen. I don’t want to entertain any thoughts seeing my heart broken.

I tried to give a ring to my nearest relatives. It rang once, twice, three times, four times…but no one is answering. “Come on, pick it up. There’s no way I could lose this. Not now, it’s not yet time.”…Random thoughts came across my mind. I want to scream from the neighborhood, but it was a bit absurd and very disturbing. Good thing my phone was packed with load. I tried to make a call, once again and then somebody picked up and answered me back. It was an emergency call.

Then I realized I was not really that strong. The thoughts of facing a more challenging roles and situation is happening now and don’t know if the past experiences made me tough enough to face this kind of drama or this one would make me even tougher. I asked God why this is happening. I never felt any anger but I found myself bargaining towards the situation. Tears fell from my eyes and the scenario is hurting me so much.

The car came just right in time and it was not yet too late. Not yet too late to save someone’s life from death. “Hang on… we are almost there.”…. We were just right in time as we headed towards the emergency room. I appeared so bold and naked when my weakness became so much visible as I tremble from the thoughts of losing someone so dearly.

It was a coffee ground vomitus and so much like a melena that made my father weak and dizzy as his blood pressure dropped down. Seeking for admission was the first thought in hand when we entered the emergency room. First Aid was immediately applied. He was placed in a trendelenberge position and administered IV infusion for proper hydration. He looked pale and weak as his stomach ache and experience heartburn. His lips turned almost grey and dry. His skin became so cold and clammy. I was there as I tried to comfort him. I tried to sit beside him and never left him alone.

I believed so much from their words when the resident doctor said that they can’t do anything about my father’s case since they don’t have enough instruments and devices to examine his physical condition. There was an internal hemorrhage. I felt almost disoriented when I heard it. I knew it was his gastrointestinal condition attacking him again. My father had his known Peptic Ulcer Disease that was his medical condition three or four years ago.

It was not the first time but the second hospitalization of my father for this year. He was not yet over from the first confinement when all the significant signs and symptoms began to appear. He was not diagnosed accurately the last time he was confined two weeks ago when this happened. He was discharged the same day and was referred to another hospital for further treatment and medical evaluation. It was even worse when we knew we lack financial capability to continue the treatment. I had to go back to my hometown to ask for some financial assistance from grandma. I had to go down and take the risk as I tried to indulge the looks from the eyes of the critics. I tried to make a resolution to any foreseeable crisis but my purpose was given malice. There were judgments and intrigues as I tried to catch and meet the others halfway. Perhaps, it was wrong that time to plan ahead of time and to think of a solution on the future consequence that I knew everyone would suffer. All of these I tried to ignore as I focused on my father’s recovery.

The thoughts of the pros and cons and the possibility of misdiagnosis on my father’s case was my biggest fear that made me decide to have my father confined here in Manila. To be seen and examined and be given proper diagnosis and treatment by the experts. However, other people significant to my father want him to be brought back in our hometown. I could not disagree more when I felt the need for them to see my father even at the expense of my father’s critical condition.

He had undergone series of examination and diagnostic procedure. Endoscopy was one of which to determine where the bleeding is coming from. And based from the presenting symptoms as blackish stool and coffee ground vomitus, it clearly signifies that he is having an Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding. Endoscopy was for confirmation if there is a need for a surgical intervention or certain medications or antibiotics alone can cure my father’s case. His hemoglobin dropped down so he had undergone two bags of blood transfusion then followed by the intake of series of medications.My father was saved by the grace of God.

During his first confinement, his attending physician cannot clearly define his medical condition. Though, we determined significant findings like cholelithiasis, prostatic gland hypertrophy, fatty liver and a certain heart condition as he became positive on troponine-I, still we were not able to find out why he is having left upper abdominal pain for quite a long period of time. It was thought to be somewhat related to his heart condition that the pain was not an ordinary pain but a referred pain radiating from the heart. Based from the findings, the admitting physician thought that he is having ischemia when we figure out that there was an abnormality on his electrocardiography reading as there was a slight ST-elevation. It was only ruled out after two weeks upon discharge that it was UGIB, on the second confinement. Thank God at least now he was clearly and properly diagnosed.

I tried to anticipate the future happenings and I want to look after my father. I want to be with my family and this made me decide to file my resignation. I had to do it. With my situation, I was given an exception and was given immediate resignation. I had to admit that it was a quality experience being exposed in the hospital (where I was formerly employed)…but the compensation is not enough to support my family.

I had to make another big step; a turning point, which I know, would change my life. I need to think about it very seriously. For now I have to stay where I am right now. I have to wait for the right time to make another change. I just hope things will be all right… as always. Things happen unexpectedly, but I know, it always ends with a higher purpose.

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