Bend your Chest Open

01: Suppression

Present Day | 2026

    
    
I feel a burning ache of suppression capturing my chest. "He lost too much blood," the comment echoes in my head, a sharp reminder of the risks we confront in our line of work.

In the intense and high-pressure setting of a rescue operation, the skill of emotional suppression becomes paramount. The ability to set aside personal emotions and focus on analyzing the situation can make a crucial difference in saving lives.

Emotional suppression isn't about ignoring or denying feelings; it's about managing them effectively so they don't interfere with your thoughts and actions. It's about striking a balance between empathy and productivity, between your heart and mind.

But mastering this skill is challenging, especially as tension mounts and negativity fills the air. Whwn stress tightens its grip, and the urge to succumb to fear and despair looms large.

In these critical moments, composure can make all the difference, even between life and death. Yet, it demands patience and mental stability, especially when prioritizing the well-being of yourself and those in need.

And if keeping your emotions in check means one more person gets to see another day, then it's a small sacrifice to make.

Breaking down shouldn't be in my vocabulary but Im on the verge of it. So, I gather my strength that had me forever to take a deep breath before I compose myself.

Lives hang in the balance, and I need to steel my resolve as I prepare to address the frantic medics before me.

"Set aside your fears for now. We have casualties coming in who desperately need our help. It's time to focus and do our jobs!"

My role ends here because I'm only a volunteer nurse and can't handle the complex medical procedures. At this point, offering encouragement and support is all I can do.

"Breathe," I said, my voice steady as I firmly grasped the shoulders of a young medic from the local responders, his eyes locked on the blood-soaked man before him.

"Apply pressure," I instructed, guiding his hands to press down on the wound of the patient.

Quickly, I grabbed some sterile bandages and helped him cover the large wound. "You can do this. Just focus on what's in front of you." He nodded, a look of determination returning as he rolled up his sleeves, regaining his composure and professionalism.

Put emotions aside, we have lives to save. Iyan ang paulit-ulit na tumatakbo sa isipan ko upang labanan ang namumuong tensyon sa'king sistema sa dami ng dumadating na mga biktima ng landslide na ngayon lang na-rescue.

Sa kabila ng pagod at puyat, nananatili kaming pursigido. Ang bawat isa sa team ko ay nanatiling matatag sa kabila ng nangyaring insidente habang may nililigtas kaming mga taong ilang araw ding stranded sa kanilang mga gumuhong tahanan.

Ang iba ay natabunan ng lupa o mga debris na sa kabutihang palad ay nakaligtas. Five days have passed since a magnitude 8.5 earthquake devastated Nueva Vergara City and the remote island of Britanya off the coast.

The massive quake triggered a landslide that buried nearly one-fourth of the island's only village, leaving its inhabitants struggling to survive.

As the sole rapid response force faced difficulties reaching the remote area due to severe manpower shortages and challenging terrain, the City's Red Cross volunteer team was urgently dispatched to provide immediate disaster relief.

Our organization was also mobilized to collaborate with the Red Cross team. Assigned to specific work areas, we leveraged our expertise in rescue operations to lead the efforts in conjunction with the local rescue unit.