Doctor Series 1: Soren Tiu

Chapter 19

Habang naglalakad pabalik saaking opisina ay biglang tumunog ang aking cellphone dahil may tumatawag.

"We have an emergency patient, prof." bungad nito.

"He is a 61-year-old man. Last month, he underwent a liver transplant. Aortic valve endocarditis with aortic regurgitation is seen on ultrasound." patuloy nito kaya naglakad ako pabalik para magtungo sa ER.

"I'll go to the ER now." sabi ko at pinindot ang button ng elevator.

"Is his guardian here?" tanong ko habang tinitignan ang ultrasound na nasa computer.

"Yes, Dr. Tiu." sabi ng nurse na nasa aking gilid at agad umalis para tawagin ito.

"As expected, it appears to be a case of endocarditis. The inflammation in your father's instance is in the aortic valve." sabi ko dito at tinuro sakanya ang lumalabas sa ultrasound ng kanyang ama.

"What caused it?" tanong nito.

Inayos ko ang aking salamin at humarap sakanya, "He was on immunosuppressive drugs, which could have left him more vulnerable to endocarditis. However, I can't claim it was the cause because endocarditis can happen in patients who aren't on immunosuppressive drugs." sagot ko sakanya.

"Does he needs surgery?" tanong ulit nito kaya tumango ako.

"Yes, he does. The aortic valve has become distorted as a result of the inflammation, and it no longer closes tightly, allowing blood to stream out. Aortic regurgitation is the medical term for this problem. The blood that is pumped out of the heart is constantly flowing back into it. That's why he's gasping for air." paliwanag ko sakanya.

"Furthermore, the bacteria in the valve could enter the bloodstream at any time. It's possible that they'll move to the brain and block a vein there, resulting in a stroke." patuloy ko.

Bumuntong hininga siya at napayuko, "We put him on antibiotics but he needs surgery as soon as possible." sabi ko.

"I can do it later.. The doctor here will go through the details once he's checked in." sabay turo ko kay Benjamin na nasa aking gilid.

"This hospital saved the life of my father twice.. Thank you, Dr. Tiu." sabi nito at yumukod.

Yumukod din ako, "Alright, then." sabi ko at naglakad paalis.

"Order all the lab tests, call the Anesthesiology and HPB surgery." sabi ko kay Benjamin nang sumunod ito.

"Got it, prof." sagot nito kaya tumango ako.

Nagtungo ako sa cafe para bumili ng kape. Kahit wala akong tulog buong magdamag ay hindi ako inaantok kaya kahit papaano man lang ay gusto kong maipahinga ang aking katawan.

"Black." sabi ko sa cashier at binigay ang aking card.

"Wala ka na naman pong tulog?" tanong ng cashier saka binigay pabalik ang aking card.

Tumango ako, "Oo e, sunod-sunod ang emergency at surgeries." sagot ko naman.

"Here's your Black coffee, Dr. Tiu." sabi ng babaeng barista kaya agad ko itong tinanggap saka nagpasalamat.

"Ba't ka nandito?" tanong ko nang bumungad saakin si Tobias sa loob ng aking opisina na nakaupo sa sofa.

"Nag charge ako." sagot nito saka tinuro ang kanyang cellphone na nasa sahig.

"May opisina ka naman, doon ka mag charge." taboy ko sakanya saka nilapag ang kapeng hawak sa lamesa at hinubad ang suot na coat.

"Wala akong charger doon. Wag mo'kong itaboy, nasasaktan ako." sabi nito at umaktong umiiyak.

"Prick." sabi ko at tumawa lang ito kaya hindi ko na siya pinansin at tuluyan nang nahiga sa sofa para matulog dahil unti-unti na akong nakaramdam ng antok.

Nagising din ako dahil sa alarm ng aking cellphone. Nakita kong madilim na ang labas mula sa bintana ng aking opisina kaya inayos ko ang aking sarili at sinuot ang coat upang magtungo sa PICU para i-check ang aking batang pasyente na kanina lang dumating.

"A transplant would be an option if everything else was fine. But, regrettably, this isn't the case. I'm suspecting a genetic disorder, and the brain isn't looking good either. The heart too, we can't keep depending on the ECMO machine, so I'm afraid... That there's nothing more we can do." sabi ko sa mag-asawa pagkatapos kong mai-check ang sanggol habang nasa labas kami ng PICU.

Yinakap siya ng kanyang asawa nang umiyak ito kaya napayuko ako at bumuntong hininga.

"My baby must be in a lot of pain now, right?" umiiyak na tanong nito.

"We should probably let him go." nag-aalangang sabi nito, "Right, Dr. Tiu?" humugot ako ng malalim na hininga at dahan dahang tumango.

"We should let him go now..." sabi ng kanyang asawa habang humihikbi. "That poor little child is suffering..." patuloy nito.

"Don't give him more inotropics." sabi ko sa nurse na nasa aking gilid.

Yunukod ako, "I'm sorry." paumanhin ko sa mag-asawa at yumukod ulit para mag-paalam.

Nagpunta ako sa rooftop ng hospital para mag-isip. Hindi ko alam kung tama ba itong magiging desisyon ko dahil alam kong mahirap ito para sa mag-asawa.

I wanted to ask if it is acceptable to donate the infant's heart to us. I am unable to save the infant since he has an unknown disease. This is a huge decision for me to make, but I don't have any other options. With this disease, I won't be able to save other infants if I don't take this opportunity.

Bumuntong hininga ako at tumingin sa kalangitan, "Hindi ko alam kung paano ko sasabihin." sabi ko saaking sarili at bumuntong hininga ulit.

"Ilang buntong hininga na ba ang nagawa mo ngayong araw?" napalingon ako sa nagsalita at nakita kong si Pantaleon ito.

"May iniisip lang." sabi ko sa kaibigan.

Umupo ito saaking tabi, "What's the matter? You look really exhausted." tanong nito saakin.

"I have a patient with this unidentified condition. His heart valves are all leaking. There were no surprising results from the DNA testing. The child's heart is unable to pump blood out of his body at this time. Blood is still flowing in the opposite direction." sabi ko saaking kaibigan.

"I haven't hear that before.." sabi ni Pantaleon.

Tumango ako, "Right, that is why I am requesting that the parents give their child's heart for study. As a result, I'll be able to save other individuals with that disease." sabi ko.

"It's not really easy to open up that to the parents.. They are already devastated." sabi ng aking kaibigan kaya tumango ako bilang sang-ayon. "Talk to them carefully and monitor what you say. Because you have a simple, forward attitude, my advise is to talk and ask them gently." sabi nito at tinapik ang aking balikat.

Nagtungo ako sa PICU at nakita ko ang mag-asawa na nakaupo sa lobby na nasa harap ng PICU.

"You must be devastated.." panimula ko.

Humugot ako ng malalim na hininga, "I'm sorry to have you ask you this but.. May I ask you to donate your child's heart to us?" natigilan sila at napatingin saakin.

"It's such a rare condition. I want to save another patient like him if I get another one." sabi ko. Humagulgol ang ina ng bata kaya bumuntong hininga ako at napatingin sa kisame.

"I know this is a lot to ask. But if you donate his heart to us, we'll study it and make sure no other baby dies from the same condition." patuloy ko.

Humagulgol ang ina kaya yinakap siya ng kanyang asawa. "It'll be a difficult decision but please kindly consider it." sabi ko at yumukod sakanilang harapan.

"I'm sorry." paumanhin ko habang nakayuko parin.

Napuno ng hagulgol ang loob ng PICU. Sumang-ayon ang mag-asawa saaking desisyon at nandito kami sa loob ng PICU upang sabihin ang kanilang huling mga salita para sakanilang anak.

The machine signal and the parents' cries filled the PICU as I turned off the machine.

"The baby passed away... at 8:39 p.m."