Luck | One-Shot Story

Autobiography

February 18, near 10:00 in the evening, our dog died.

Alas short for Alaska. My mother chose that name for him. I don't know why, but she kind of has these things with names using brands of powdered drinks.

Earlier that morning, me and my sister decided to take Alas to the Vet. Kasi nanghihina siya. Hindi siya makakain. All he can do is lay down and sleep, or that's at least what we thought.

9:00

Both of us are getting ready to take him to the Vet. We even put diapers which was too big for him.

VETLeage, San Pablo. Doon kami pumunta. As much as I hate traveling at that time because of the bumpy roads, I even thanked the driver. Ang mura ng siningil niya sa amin ng ate ko. The driver even offered to wait for us, but we said no. Kasi baka matagalan.

There are already 3 fur parent inside the clinic. We got lucky because they only let 4 patients at a time.

I sat down in a chair with Alas and immediately felt the cold air.  There was Alas just lying in his tummy, weak.

One of the nurses with a boyish haircut came to us and check Alas’ temperature. He then gestured me to put Alas in a weighing scale, where he checked his face.

Nagulat ako ng nabitawan nung nurse ang ulo ni Alas dahilan para tumama ito sa gilid ng timbangan. Nakita ko kung paanong dahan-dahan ibinalik ni Alas ang postura niya. I immediately got worried. At the same time, mad.

“Ay, kinagat po kayo?” My sister asked the nurse. Pero wala itong sinagot. Tinignan lang niya ang daliri niya at umalis na.

Kinuha ko si Alas at muli siyang nilagay sa lap ko.

The nurse came back and I noticed her ring finger with a bandage, though I did not saw any blood.

We’ve waited for atleast 20 minutes and made myself busy. Nanood ako sa TV na naroon. Kingdom yata ang pinapabalas.

It’s now our turn. Binuhat ko si Alas at pumasok kami sa isang kwarto. There was a doctor—I think.
Nilapag ko ito sa lamesa at agad siyang tinigan ng doctor.

I’m quite not sure kung ano ang sinasabi ng doctor. Pero nakuha nito ang atensyon ko.

“Are you familiar with Distemper?” Nagtanong ito.

Nagkatinginan kami ng kapatid ko at parehas na kumunot ang noo.

“Hindi po eh,” sabi ni ate.

Distemper is a highly contagious viral disease of domestic dogs and other animals such as ferrets, skunks, and raccoons. It is an incurable, often fatal, multisystemic (affecting multiple organs) disease that affects the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and central nervous systems.

That was the only thing in my head. Pero ang sabi naman ng doctor, ay hindi pa sigurado kung ito nga ang sakit ni Alas. Kailangan pa ng tests. But the test kit costs 750 pesos. We can’t afford it.

Marami pang sinabi ang doctor ngunit ni isa doon ay hindi ko maintindihan.

Nang matapos kami ay binuhat ko si Alas habang si ate naman ay nagbayad at bumili ng ilan sa mga gamot na kailangan.