Chaos in the Cavity of Peace (Love in Mendiola Series #1)

Chapter 19

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Trigger warning: Death

This chapter contains scenes that might trigger trauma for readers.

Please read responsibly and skip if you must.

KEECIA

"I have received the results of the CAT scan, and I'm sorry to say, but it's not the news we were hoping for," Doctor Gasley, Lolo Aurthur's doctor broke the news with a heavy tone. "Your grandfather suffered a severe stroke that caused a big problem with the blood flow in his main middle cerebral artery."

My heart sank. I glanced at Caine whose face is etched with worry and fear, clutching his hand to offer support as we continued to silently listen to Dr. Gasley.

"What does that mean, doc?" tanong ni Caine. "Ano pong kailangang gawin?"

"It means that his blood is pooling in one area which cuts off the blood supply to the other side of his brain. Although this pooling has now slowed down, the damage is still extensive," he explained further. "In cases like this, a craniotomy is the best option. It involves temporarily removing a part of your grandfather's skull to relieve pressure and allow the brain to swell. Pero sa kaso ng lolo mo..." he trailed off, shaking his head sadly. "Pasensya na hijo. I won't sugarcoat it, but the chances of him surviving such a procedure are very slim."

"So, what are you saying? There are no other options?"

"I'm sorry, Caine, but the odds are against us. His medical history and current state may not allow him to withstand cranial surgery or any surgery. We may need to prepare ourselves for the worst," Dr. Gasley said compassionately. "We had to insert a breathing tube because Arthur couldn't even breathe on his own. Ganoon kalala ang naging damage sa lolo mo."

Napa-singhap ako. Naramdaman ko rin ang lalong pag-higpit ng hawak ni Caine sa aking kamay.

"But rest assured that we are doing everything that we can to treat your grandfather. We are not ruling out anything yet. We will continue to explore all available options to provide him with the best possible care," Dr. Gasley reassured Caine, patting him on his shoulders. "You have our word."

Tulala lang si Caine at hindi na naka-sagot sakaniya kaya ako na ang humarap.

"We understand. Thank you, doc," tipid akong ngumiti. "Please keep us updated about his condition and if there are any changes."

Dr. Gasley gave us a small smile as he nodded. "Of course."

A heavy silence settled over us as Dr. Gasley left the room. Dumiretso si Caine sa may ICU at pinanood ang kaniyang Lolo mula sa malaking glass wall na pumapagitan sa amin. My eyes followed his gaze, and my heart sank at the sight before us.

Lolo Arthur is lying on the hospital bed, his frail body hooked up to a ventilator just to breathe.