Ma Vie

Chapter 28: What I've been through lately

~28~
Enjoy even the little things in life and value them. For these little things will be not so little anymore in the years to come. ;)

22-06-15
So okay. I have to leave some school stuff behind for a while or I'll go nuts. Wala naman talaga akong nasimulan sa aaralin ko for my exam this Thursday though it's crystal clear that it would be a hellish exam based on the coverage and the number of hours and items it will take for us to finished. But I don't give a damn. Excellent naman daw class standing ko as evidenced by our recent evaluation. Hahahaha.

Seriously gusto ko lang makapagpahinga.

So what's keeping me busy?

I've been sick for more than a week now. Monday last week started it all. Ang simpleng pagkati ng lalamunan na nauwi sa lagnat, sipon at ubo. Gahd. It was really hard to be sick here because I have to take good care of myself. May sakit na nga nagba-bike pa din ako papuntang school kasi wala naman akong allowance, hahaha. Bait ko eh. Kapag nakalimutan ibigay sakin ang pera hindi ako marunong humingi. Iniisip ko din kasi baka walang pera si tita hindi niya lang masabi, mehehe.

So Tuesday nang nagmutate ang sakit ko from sore throat to super lagnat. Grabe. Maluha-luha ako habang nagba-bike pauwi. Dumating sa sa punto na habang 'stop' ang sign at nang mag 'go' na ang pedestrian crossing, I can hardly push the pedal. Kung nasa bike lane ako non, baka nasagasaan nako. Geez, I know that people behind the limo and expensive vehicles were already mocking at me, but that's the least of my concern at the moment. Ibato ko sa kanila bike ko eh. Sila kaya magpadyak habang may sakit, hahahaha.

Come Wednesday. Tinawagan ako for may fisrt job exposure on Friday after my class. I can't say no. Kasi first nga. Ikaw ba, pag may ina-sign sayo on your first job kaya mong humindi? Of course you have to give your best foot forward. Pano ka naman bibigyan ng promotion niyan kung panay tanggi mo sa assignment. Ugh. I know I'm sick but I just have to. Kaya grabeng disiplina ko in the coming days before Friday. I eat healthy, took medicines, and try doing some exercises.

Then come Friday.

What's interesting with this job is you are going to be assigned in different locations. Depending on the client. Oh yeah, my job? I'm gonna be a private nurse for 48hours. The client was pretty tough. He's a 73 year old Italian geologist who is a diabetic and with renal disease. Actually madami pa yahn. He has four other diagnosis with five other specialists. He is depressed for he recently lost his wife. Super depressed talaga. May time na bigla na lang siyang aatungal kapag naaalala niya ang asawa niya. My therapeutic communication skills was always tested. My job was to make sure that he took his medications on time. Medyo adik pa to sa pain killer and he would wake me up during wee hours, gosh. Also, I should make sure that he eats the appropriate diabetic-hemolytic diet that he's advised- oh, did I say I am also responsible in preparing his meals? Yes. I am the one cooking his meals for 48 hrs. I basically cooked 6 of his meals. And snacks in between. My cooking skills was tested, hahaha. Most of what I prepared especially during dinner and lunch were Italian cuisine. I also assisted him in bathing, toileting and more. And I was sick. Yes, I was sick but I have to do all of that. Yes, I already did that pala, hahaha.

Was it hard? It was. The client was okay. The family was okay. But it was reaaaaally hard.

They are filthy rich. So far pinakamarangyang bahay na napasukan ko. My own designated room has a mini library of its own, a fireplace of its own, a music room of its own. The wash room that I was using had some high tech shower and jacuzzi. Even their house cat (equivalent to pusang kalye) has its own cat room, cat wash room (where it poop and pee), cat play area and cat tower, hahaha. Dun ka lang makakakita ng pusa na mas mahal pa ang dental candies (worth $10) at cat food ($380) sa pagkain mo bilang commoner. You'll say life is unfair, but it's true, hahaha.

Again, it was hard but the experience was great. I just don't want to do it again. I mean, 48hours straight. I was pretty bored from time to time that I did the laundry and housekeeping even if it was not part of my care plan, hahahahaha. My aunt was fucking furious when I went home last Sunday. You know why? Aside from lack of sleep? I hunger strike for 48hrs. Hindi naman ako binawalang kumain. Pero hindi lang talaga ako sanay kumain sa ibang bahay ng client. The son of my client bought me ice creams, Häagen-Dazs pa yan pero ni hindi ko nagalaw kahit isang tub. He bought me food and even asked me what I need and what I want. I just told him it's fine and everything's okay and under control.

Pero nabawasan talaga ako ng isang kilo sa dalawang araw na 'yon. Kinakain ko lang naman yung baon kong graham crackers at green tea with honey and lemon for my throat. Just that. For 2 days. Hindi ko talaga alam bakit ganyan nangyari. Hahaha. Tos ayon pagkauwi ko, nagluto talaga si tita ng embutido and strawberry cheesecake para makabawi sa pagkain. And since I am still sick, konti pa din nakain ko at hindi ko nagalaw ang cheesecake dahil hindi ako fan ng cake, hahahaha. She was so frustrated that she wanted to sue the company for not giving me 4hours break. I didn't know that I should have eh. Malay ko ba. Alam kong may 4hrs break ako, pero hindi ko alam na dapat pala may pupunta dun para palitan ako. Paano ko naman maiiwan ang pasyente dun eh may mga due meds siya every 2hrs, ugh. Tsaka ang layo sa kabihanasnan ng bahay nila. Kung kay sasakyan ako siguro ayos lang. Eh two drive from from our home yun.

OA ng tita ko. Experience naman habol ko dun eh. Ayaw niya talagang bumalik ako dun. Nalaman niya pa na nagustuhan ako ng family because I could really cook daw and the son said that my client like how I took care of him. Pero sa totoo lang, medyo nakakaaning kaya minsan. Minsan naiisip ko talaga habang nandun ako, I am not cut for this kind of job. Parang gusto kong isipin na bakit hindi na lang kaya ako pinanganak na mayaman? Why should I go through all of this? Hahaha. Shit. Pero naisip ko din kasi kung sobrang mayaman kami, I wouldn't be this kind of person now. There's a big possibility that I will be one of those snobbish, selfish brat who loves looking down others. And I don't want to be that kind of person. So I guess everything happens for a reason. Malay natin magising na lang ako tos sabihin ni ina na joke lang pala lahat ng pinagdadaanan ko at gusto niya lang matutunan kong makipagkapwa tao. Maging humble, ganun. Oh db, ambisyosa forevs. Hahahaha.

So what's the point really? I'm just human. I also fail at some point. Ilang beses akong naghanap ng mga cooking utensils sa sobrang katangahan ko sa malaking kusina nila. Sa paggamit ng washing machine na akala ko katulad lang ng meron kami sa bahay na dapat ipo-pour lang ang detergent liquid pagkatapos ilagay ang mga damit. Pero hindi pala. There's a cue when to put the detergent liquid, the powder, the fabric conditioner, the bleach.

I'm just human. I make a lot of mistakes. Those medication na muntik ko nang ibigay nang lunch time kahit dapat after supper. Eh bakit kasi 2PM niya gusto maglunch at 5PM ang pre-supper time dito? Gaaaah. Eh yung mouse stuffed toys ng pusa na muntik ko nang iligpit? Hahahaha.

I feel depressed, down and alone. Hindi naman yan maiiwasan kapag mag.isa ka. Madami ka talagang maiisip. Lahat na lang ina-analyze mo, binibigyan mo ng meaning. Mga tanong na gusto mo may sagot agad. Makakapasa kaya ako sa exams ko pag ganitong ang tamad ko magbasa? Kelan kaya ako yayaman? Makakauwi pa kaya ako ng pinas in two years time kahit bakasyon lang? Kamusta na kaya sina Mama? Namimiss din ba ako ng aso ko? Gagaling pa kaya ang pesteng ubong 'to? Haaays.

Ganyan lang talaga siguro. But despite all of that? It doesn't mean that I should give up on life. Because life itself teaches us to be someone we need to be. Someone with a good character. Someone that's wise enough to man-up and take every challenge courageously, but with grace.

Just updating...
-Wata