Carrying the Real Trophy ✓

Chapter XXIII

XXIII: Stranger

Trigger Warning: Suicide Attempt

"Kamag-anak ka ba ng pasyente?"

"Yes! Yes, I'm his daughter!" aligaga kong sagot sa nurse.

Sinilip kong muli si dad na wala pa ring malay sa tabi ko. I'm standing next to him as he lies on the hospital bed while we wait for the doctor to come here. We arrived to the hospital just a moment ago.

Tumawag ako ng ambulansya kanina, at habang naroon kami ay nagising si dad. . . pero mga ilang segundo lang. After he woke up, he started having seizures, and I cried helplessly as I watched his body tremble.

Wala akong kamalay-malay kung ano ang nangyayari sa kaniya. I can't predict nor guess what's happening to him.

"Doc!" tawag ng nurse kaya lumapit na ang doctor saamin.

As the doctor inquired about what had happened, he carefully examined my father's condition. Sinabi ko na ang lahat na dapat na malaman ng nurse kaya alam na nito ang isasagot niya.

The doctor looked at me. "He's your father, right?"

I nodded. "Y-Yes."

"What symptoms has he been experiencing recently?"

Lumunok ako at kaagad na sumagot. "Palaging sumasakit ang ulo ni dad. He also said that sometimes his teeth hurt. And I noticed earlier that his right body weren't functioning that well. Parang. . . parang hindi niya po maigalaw nang maayos ang kanang bahagi ng katawan niya."

"What else did you notice?"

"That is all I know. . ."

The doctor nodded. "Regarding his teeth, have he ever been to the dentist?"

Tumango rin ako. "I think he visited our dentist last month, but the dentist said his teeth are fine and only gave him a particular medication. And the pain in his teeth remained after that. Nangingilo pa rin palagi."

He is paying close attention to what I'm saying, and the doctor placed his finger under his chin, thinking.

"I don't think it's merely a tooth infection after hearing that from you."

"Then what is it, doc? Please. . . please, tell me!" I begged, holding my father's hands tightly.

He exhaled. "Your dad's right body isn't functioning properly as you've said, and he has a long standing tooth infection. This is a critical case that, in my opinion, goes beyond a simple tooth infection. It could be a more complicated condition."

My forehead creased. "Complicated? What do you mean by that? Is he. . . d-dying?"

The doctor smiled gravely. "We're not yet sure. So in order to determine his condition, we will first perform a head CT scan. Because our brain and teeth are closely connected to each other. Sometimes a tooth infection can swiftly develops into a brain infection."

Tumingin siya sa hawak na chart ng nurse at muling tumingin saakin. "Is it alright if we run a head CT scan first, Miss Abelardo?"

Without giving it a second thought, I nodded as fast as I could. "You have my trust, doc. Please try your best to cure him."

Ngumiti ang doctor saakin at bumalik ang atensyon sa nurse na nasa likuran niya lamang.

"Let's proceed."

My father had a head CT scan done. I spent the entire hour and a half in the waiting area hoping to hear something not that. . . shocking.

Hindi ko alam kung ano na ang nangyayari. I'm struggling to keep up. I'm not a doctor! All I know is that he always complains of a headache and a hurting tooth. And I was so taken aback when I had seizures in the ambulance. It really means that the situation is quite complicated.