Let's Not Fall In Love (SUAREZ SERIES III)

Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Nakapikit na tinanggap ko ang pagbagsak ng panghapong init ng araw at ang bawat dampi ng hangin sa buong katawan ko habang hinayaan ko ang sariling lumutang sa dagat.

Nakagawian ko na itong gawin araw-araw pagkatapos ng ilang oras na pagyuko sa mga thesis papers na pinu-proofread ko. It helped alleviate my back pain. It also relieved my mind of unwelcomed thoughts.

Pero siyempre, katawan ko lang ang literal na nakalutang sa dagat at hindi ang aking utak. Kaya madalas pa rin na hindi maiwasang hindi ako mag-isip. Lalo na tungkol sa buhay na iniwan ko sa Maynila.

Up until now, I still couldn't believe how time flew so fast. It had already been two and a half years. Dito kami sa Orazon nanatili sa loob ng mga taon na iyon. At ngayon ay muli na naman naming iiwan. We were scheduled to go back to Manila in three days. 

Orazon had always been our place of comfort. This was Mama's hometown. It was a very small province, almost like an island, with a small town and less stress from the city. Dito kami nagtungo noong kinailangan naming umalis ng Maynila bago ko pa man matapos ang grade ten.

We went back to Manila after college para makapagtrabaho ako. Pero pagkatapos ng aksidenteng kinasangkutan ni Mama, umuwi kami ulit dito.

It was the only place that could give us solace and peace of mind. The simple livelihood in the province away from the chaotic city of Manila relieved us of every kind of exhaustion – mentally, emotionally and physically.

During the first two months after Mama got into an accident, halos sa ospital kami namalagi. We tried every therapy that was available, but Mama's body wouldn't cooperate. Instead of recovering, her lower body remained the same as it was post-accident – rigid and unmoving. The cramps and tingling sensations had become worse and she had to depend on pain medications.

Pero kinalaunan, pati iyon ay hindi na rin tumatalab. There was no visible progress, and even the doctors had started to lose hope as well.

Sa umpisa pa lang naman kasi ay alam kong wala nang pag-asa dahil complete sciatic nerve injury ang tinamo ni Mama. Ayoko lang talagang sumuko agad at ganoon din ang mga doktor. Gusto muna naming gawin ang lahat ng makakaya namin para matulungan si Mama na maglakad ulit.

Pero pagkatapos ng dalawang buwan na paghihirap, si Mama na mismo ang sumuko at umayaw sa pagpapagamot.

Isang malalim na buntong hininga ang pinakawalan ng manggagamot. "Hindi natin puwedeng pilitin ang Mama mo, hija. She will deteriorate rather than recover if we push her to her limits. We already tried everything, Miss Beltran."

Napakagat-labi ako para pigilan ang pagluha habang inaalala ang pag-iyak ni Mama kanina. She almost begged me to stop giving her treatments.

"Except for one thing. It's called milieu therapy. Why don't you bring your mother to a familiar environment where she can relax completely? Someplace where she can feel safe again, enough to learn and adapt to the changes in her daily life, enough to start wanting to walk again. That's the only thing we need right now, hija. Her willingness to recover. Complete sciatic nerve injury is permanent, but nothing is impossible if she is willing to help herself. Let's hope that a familiar environment would help her be at peace with herself."

Sinunod ko ang payo ng doktor at muli kong dinala si Mama sa Orazon. At natanto kong iyon ang pinakatama sa lahat ng desisyong nagawa ko. Maganda ang naging epekto ng Orazon kay Mama. Hindi pa rin siya nakakalakad at gumagamit na ng wheelchair pero unti-unti ay nagagawa na niyang igalaw ang kanyang mga paa.