Faith, Hope and Love

Chapter 20

DISCLAIMER: I do not claim to be an expert when it comes to medical thingy, lahat ng mababasa nyo ay akma lamang sa kung anong nalalaman ko at sa tulong na rin ni Pareng Google. Thank you!

Baybay ang kahabaan ng daan, hindi maitago ni Katie ang kaba na nararamdaman. It feels like, mali 'yung desisyon nyang hanapin ang nakaraan. She then fell into her deep thoughts as her husband, Carlos maneuvering the steering wheels.

Katie was left alone in their house that day. Nasa ospital si Carlos at nasa school naman ang anak bilang ito ay nasa high school pa lamang. Samantalang ang nag-iisang kasambahay ay umalis para bumili ng mga kakailanganin nila sa loob ng bahay. She was froze when she saw bloods dripping down her legs. Symptoms was there and she was aware of those. Pero pilit nyang ininda at hindi pinaalam sa asawa. She thought, it was just a normal menstrual period, but it took weeks before it ends. She even thought it was an early sign of menopausal period. She can feel the pain, nausea, dizziness, bloating, dysmenorrhea, and suchs. But it was different the other way. Mas lumala ang sakit na nararamdaman na halos hindi na nya malaman ang gagawin. Hindi nya na rin alam kung sino ang tatawagin knowing that she's alone in there.
"C-Carlos." May sakit na tawag nito sa asawa nang wala sa sariling tumawag sa kung sino mang numero sa telepono ang natawagan.
"Katie? Wrong number ka. Si Nath –"
"Please help! Hindi ko na kaya!" She interjects then everything went black for her.

Carlos was doing his rounds when he was paged to the ER. So he quickly went there. There, he found his wife laying on the hospital bed, unconscious.
"M-Misis?!" He shutters. Nakita nyang punong-puno ng dugo ang suot na damit ng asawa dahilan para mas mag-alala sya. At bilang Doctor na malapit sa pasyente, he cannot treat his wife kahit na gustuhin man nya.
"Tinawagan ako ni Katie, akala nya ako ikaw. She was asking for help kaya pinuntahan ko agad sya sa inyo." Nilingon ni Carlos ang nagsalita.
"Nath. Anong nangyari?" Tanong nya sa kaibigan ng asawa habang ang mga Doctor ay inaasekaso si Katie.
"I don't know. Naabutan ko nalang syang walang malay." Carlos was lost yet he managed to identify what his fellow doctor was doing to treat his wife.

"Doc. May idea ka ba kung kailan nagsimula ang monthly period ng pasyente?" The doctor asked Carlos. Of course he knows her schedule. Asawa sya, at alam nya kung kelan ito darating at kelan ito natatapos. He even knows her attitude if she has her period. He looks at the calendar.
"2 weeks ago. Tumatagal ng tatlong araw 'yon Doc." Sagot nya. Tumango ang kausap at muling tiningnan ng Doctor ang chart na hawak.
"Why? Is – is there a problem with my wife?" He asked when the doctor did not reply to him.
"Call Doc. Vega. ASAP." The doctor's ordered that made him squints his eyes.
"Doc. Bernard. Anong nangyayari? Tell me please!" He asked the Doctor. Worries are evident in his eyes. Who wouldn't?! They are talking about his wife's case for pete's sake!
"Doc. In my opinion, we need an OB-GYN here. Doc. Vega can explain it to you very well." Doc. Bernard then handed him the chart so that he could have to read them for himself.

"Doc. Benitez, a word please." Doctor Vega approached him. He nods.
"We did an ultrasound to your wife. At ito ang nakita namin." Doc. Vega gave him the results.
"Your wife has Malignant Ovarian Tumor, Epithelial Ovarian Cancer. We already did some tests, Doc. such as TVUS and  CA-125 blood tests. Sa status ng tumor nya, kakailanganin nating tanggalin ito. –" Carlos gulped. Halos hindi na rin nya maintindihan ang sinasabi ng doctor sa kanya.
"In what stage, Doc?" He asked. Traidor ang sakit na Cancer. Kahit na ano pang klase ng Cancer 'yan. All he wants to know is – nasaang estado na ng sakit ang asawa. Doctor Vega cleared her throat as she faced Carlos.
"Stage 1, Doc. It means, the cancer is only in the ovaries  – and surgery is the only cure for that."  Doc. Vega paused as she waits for his signal to go on, so he nods again.
"Stage 1 ovarian cancer is only in the ovaries. It is divided into 3 groups: Stage 1A means the cancer is completely inside one ovary, Stage 1B means the cancer is completely inside both ovaries, Stage 1C is split in to 3 groups – luckily, Mrs. Benitez's case belongs to Stage 1A. Surgery aims to remove the cancer and find out how far it have spread. During the surgery, it usually removes the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and the womb including the cervix. And during the operation, we will examines the inside of your wife's abdomen and her abdominal organs for any signs of cancer. And we might need further surgery if the cancer has already spread." Doc. Vega explained. Carlos just nodded his head.
"Pag-isipan nyo, Doc. And you should talk to her as well. Babalik ako mamaya pag nagising na sya so that I can explain it to her. Pero reminder lang, Doc. Madaya ang sakit na ganito. This is a life and death situation kung pababayaan lang. Alam natin na walang gamot sa mga ganitong sakit. So, pag-isipan nyo ng mabuti." Doc. Vega told him. Carlos swallowed, he knows that. Doctor sya at the same time, asawa nya ang pinag-uusapan. Kaso ng asawa nya ang pinag-aaralan.
"Thank you, Doc." He just said. Doc. Vega nods at him and made her exit.