The Ties That Bind
Early this month, my aunt Imelda who resides and works in Palau with her husband, her son and our other relatives decided to go through a medical checkup in Manila because of a cough that just wouldn't go away. To her shock, her OB-Gyne in UST informed her that she has a suspicious lump near her breast that could be malignant. It was a routine checkup that left her in tears. She went to another doctor for a second opinion and was given the same answer. We were flabbergasted because it wasn't even the reason why she went here in the first place. She decided to undergo an operation. Thankfully, the lump was not malignant. Hurray!
A few days after she went under the knife, my parents picked her and her son, EJ up from my aunt Analyn's house in Montalban. We asked her to stay with us for the weekend so she could rest since having Quincy and Jeof wouldn't give her the peace and quiet she needs. Quin, the naughty kid that she is would pick on EJ when she feels like it.
I woke up on Saturday afternoon because of my lola's gentle prodding. I was surprised to find her and EJ looking at me. I had to get up and greet my aunt. She told me that Jeof bit EJ twice on each arm. Poor kid. He is really well-behaved. We enjoyed every moment with him because he would smile a lot and he would listen to what we would tell him. It was a great bonding moment for all of us.
The next day, while we were in the dining room talking, my aunt's cellphone rang. I was surprised when I heard that it was my aunt Analyn on the other line. My aunt told her younger sister to stop crying because she couldn't understand a word she was saying. She told her that my mom will call her using our landline. My mom dialed my aunt's number and gave the phone receiver to my aunt Imelda. I heard her say something about my lolo. My eyes were brimming with tears because I was anticipating something horrible. It was the first time that my aunt called us crying. Nanay Mameng, my lolo's younger sister was already sobbing. I went to the kitchen and dried my eyes. I had to get away to stop the tears from flowing. I heard my aunt tell the rest of the family that my lolo suffered a stroke the night before and was rushed to the local hospital early that morning. It was a shock to all of us.
She decided to pack her and EJ's stuff and go back to Montalban so they could travel to Antique with my aunt Analyn the next day. My dad was all packed and ready to leave for Pangasinan on that day. My mom told my dad to go home in four days time in case my lolo's condition worsens. They would take a flight to Iloilo and travel by land to Antique. My mom called my lola's cellphone number and asked my cousin to bring the phone to the doctor who was looking after my lolo so she could get an idea on his real condition. He was feverish at that time and could no longer talk. He could not move the right half of his body. My mom told us that my lolo will be transferred to the provincial hospital in San Jose (the province's capital) since the medicine in the local hospital was not sufficient. In a few hours, we were able to confirm with my uncle's wife that they were in the emergency room in the provincial hospital. My mom spent an hour looking for an available cardiologist who would check into my lolo's condition. Our relative who is a doctor himself was already assigned to another hospital and we didn't know his number so my mom couldn't get a recommendation from him. Good thing, we found a cardiologist who would look after him. We're talking about a province in Panay Island. So you can understand our anxiety.
Yesterday, my lolo was brought to Iloilo for a CT Scan. Fortunately, no blood clots were found. He is conscious and responds to family members when spoken to. My uncle's wife was crying when my lola spoke to her on the phone. She said my lolo would cry a lot. Writing this makes me cry too. I haven't seen my lolo for a few years now. I think the last time was during my aunt Analyn's wedding about seven years ago.
My aunt Imelda told us the night before we found out about the sad news that my lolo would become teary-eyed when he sees my brothers.
"Ang laki mo na (referring to Kit). Maluluha lolo mo pag nakita ka."
The first and last time my brothers went to Antique was 13 years ago. Gem was just learning how to read then. I just graduated from the sixth grade and we all went home for a one-week vacation. The last time I visited my grandparents was 10 years ago. We were planning to go home this year with my aunt Imelda, EJ, my aunt Analyn and her family. Our plans went awry because of my aunt Imelda's operation and my lolo's condition. My two aunts are in Antique now.
How did this affect me? I'm waiting for my start date in another company. I have to contact the HR personnel and ask for my start date because I need to go home to Antique with my whole family next month. I have to beg them to move it if it concides with my departure. We will be there for the Holy Week since that will be the only time that our schedules would allow us to go together. Yes, I will be a bum. My family's all for it because we are desperate to go home. I can always find another job but I not another lolo. I think I'm going to have a nervous breakdown real soon. All this worrying makes my head ache. I hope everything turns out well. For now, we are thankful that my lolo's condition is stable and hopefully all we need to worry about in the future are medicines and therapy.
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I'm starting to cough. No phlegm, just this itchy feeling in my throat. When I cough, the pain sears my chest. I am allergic to dust. Cement kills me slowly. When I was in first year college and a part of our house was under construction, I was exposed to cement every afternoon when I come home from school. One day, I started coughing and wheezing. I had to call my mom so she could buy me a bottle of Ventolin. Later that night, I was burning with fever. I was sick for a week. The problem I have now is the bridge near our village which is under construction. I have to cross the river through a temporary bridge every night and I have to endure the dust. I hope I survive a few months of hell.
