Unfinished

14. Retinuto

Everyone heals differently. Even though Kento finally got over his GBS, only time could tell when he would be able to fully function independently. Months after he was discharged from hospital, Kento was dependent on a wheelchair to move around and he only regained about 60% of his fine motor skills. He worked hard every day to further strengthen his muscles and regain full use of his legs and hands. But there were days that he easily became frustrated and just wanted to give up.

"Kaya mo pa?" Andrea asked Leah when she called Andrea after another exhausting and frustrating day at the rehab clinic.

In the beginning, Leah wanted to just give up and quit, too. Then she remembered that Kento never gave up on her when she was doing her therapies. Kento had always been the jolly, positive one between the two of them but because of his current situation, his mood and attitude changed. She constantly prayed that someday, the Kento she once knew would return.

Being a mother, Nanay could not help herself but worry and dote over her son, her baby boy. While Kento was still at hospital, she would constantly run her hands over his clothes or blanket, smoothing over invisible creases, or fuss over the slightest imagined sound or movement while Kento laid motionless in bed. When he awoke, Nanay would constantly be on her toes to offer assistance in any way possible. She took care of him like he was her little boy again, bathing him, feeding him, making sure that he took his medications, and was well rested. When Kento would cry or scream in pain or frustration, she would cuddle him and say, "Okay, tama na. Hindi na." Like how she spoke to him when he was very young. Tatay and Ate Ai had to distract her whenever Leah would come to pick Kento up for his therapies outside the house.

"Kailangan ni Kitoy matutong gumalaw ulit sa sarili nyang kusa..." Ate Ai said.

"Hindi na sya bata. Nakayanan nya gumawa ng mga bagay-bagay ng mag-isa dati; Magagawa nya ulit yun. Magtiwala lang tayo sa kanya." Tatay added.

---

To help with his eye-hand coordination, Kento was made to sort some colored beads into small cups. He was already struggling in picking up the beads, it was also a challenge to shoot them into the corresponding cups. Kento's frustration was building as beads of sweat formed on his forehead and he was already thinking of giving up when a small boy approached. Raffy watched as Kento struggled with the activity, his hand shaking. Without a word, Raffy got up on a chair next to Kento and mindlessly sorted the beads one by one. Kento looked at him and Raffy smiled. Moments later, Ate Mara, his therapist, approached. Raffy looked at her.

"What are you doing?" Mara signed.

Raffy looked at Kento then glanced back at Mara and signed, "I'm helping him."

"Okay. But it's now time for your therapy. Let's go?"

Raffy nodded and smiled. He turned to Kento and signed, "You can do it! See you later!" He waved at Kento and hopped off the chair. It was only then that Kento noticed that the boy had leg braces and used a walker. Just a few days ago, Kento noticed a boy about Raffy's size walking awkwardly around the clinic. Over the next few days, Kento and Raffy would see each other at the clinic and Raffy never failed to wave and smile at Kento. Kento would just look at him. Kento was irritated at the way Raffy's therapies went. Because he was a therapist, too, he didn't always agree on how the therapies were taught or done. In his head, Kento always thought, "Mali na naman...dapat ganito...".