ADELITA
"Enferma Adelita."
Huminto ako sa paglalakad nang marinig ang doktor na bigkasin ang pangalan ko.
"Sí, Señor?"
"Enfermera Adelita, tenemos un nuevo paciente. Es de Filipinas y no puede entender mucho español. Nos gustaría que la ayudaras."
"¿Un paciente filipino?" My tone raised.
Nabigla ako sa sinabi niya. Iyon kasi ang kauna-unahang may Pilipino na pasyente sa ospital. Hindi raw siya nakaiintindi ng gaanong Espanyol kaya hirap siyang makipag-usap sa ibang mga nars.
"Sí. Se lesionó en un accidente vehicular." He got injured from a vehicular accident. "Sabes hablar inglés, ¿verdad?" You know how to speak English, right?
"Sí, Señor."
"Podremos ayudar al extranjero si te conviertes en su enfermera."
Sinabi niya na mas matutulungan daw namin ang pasyente kung ako ang magiging nars nito habang nagpapagaling. Without knowing what I was putting myself into, I agreed. "Estoy de acuerdo."
"Muchas gracias, Adelita. You're really a compassionate nurse."
Ang Mamá at Papá ay parehong lumaki at lumago sa industriya ng pagnenegosyo, dahilan kung bakit maginhawa ang buhay namin at nagkaroon ako ng pribilehiyong maging nars. Sa kanila rin ako natuto mag-Ingles at mag-Tagalog. Marami silang kinakausap na negosyante mula sa iba't ibang bansa. Often, I will find myself eavesdropping and learning different languages and dialects, higit sa lahat ang Tagalog dahil Pilipino si Mamá.
Everyone was expecting me to trace their footsteps. A lot of people already saw me wearing suits and ties. Since my parents are successful business people, they thought it would be great to have someone who will continue what they've started. Nag-iisang anak lang kasi ako, kaya kung hindi ako ang susunod sa mga yapak nila, sino?
I tried to love business as much as they do. I liked it at some point, but I was more interested on something else.
"Good morning, Sir. I am Adelita Escalera. I will be your nurse."
Medicine. May kakaiba talaga sa medisina na siyang humila sa akin. I wanted to become a doctor. I made it clear since I was in college. Everyone is saying it is challenging so I decided to see how it is to be in the workplace first. Iyon ang magiging basehan ko kung itutuloy ko pa ba ang pagdodoktor o hindi na.
"You speak English?" The injured man looked relieved . . . and amused.
Mahina akong natawa bago tumango. "Baka magulat kayo kapag nalaman ninyong marunong din ako sa wikang Tagalog," I said in a friendly and warm voice.
Namilog ang mga mata niya bago nangiti. "Finally," buntong-hininga niya. "Someone I can talk to without having a migraine."
We shared laughter in an instant. He was the easiest patient to build rapport with, but I have to do my work. Work first. Work always.
"I'm sorry if the language barriers caused you distress. From now on until you are fully recovered, I will be your nurse."
"Interesting," he said. "I mean . . . Great." His dimple unconsciously popped on his cheek.
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