One in a Million

9

~Lea~

It's the second day of our conference here in Baguio and I couldn't get more excited because it also means that we're going home today. I miss my son so much, even though we just facetimed last night. As I entered the venue, I greeted my co-doctors and then occupied the seat from the second table. As a sign of respect, I nodded at the other doctors, who settled on the seats at the same table as I was. I am familiar with them but not too familiar to be able to initiate a conversation.

I fished out my phone and checked the schedule for today. We'll be having our last guest speaker today. I have read his name in several medical journals yet I am not familiar with his face. His innovations and discoveries about different concepts amaze me because, at the age of 70 years, his capability and dedication to our profession are still beyond this world.

I was busy looking at my phone when the speaker started. I stared at him for a moment because it felt like I had seen his face somewhere else. Anyway, his looks are definitely younger than his real age.

For almost 3 hours, he talked about different topics which piqued my interest. Out of all the guest speakers, Dr. Emmanuelle Mejia is the best. Not that I am disregarding the efforts of the other speakers, but Dr. Mejia doesn't let a dead space fill us in. He always has something that will surely wake us.

Nothing special really happened but I won't deny it, his talk was really short and I needed more. On the way back to Manila, I was still writing notes regarding what he discussed and that kept me busy from the long travel and the traffic.

"Mommy!" I heard my son shout as soon as my foot landed on the ground. How I miss that! I kneeled to level with his height then I hugged him tight enough.

"I miss you so much, mommy! By the way, Dad is here! He played toys with me!" And that's what I didn't miss.

I released him from the hug, "I missed you, too, my very good boy! Really? Dad's here?"

"Yes! Come!" He pulled me and that's my cue to stand up. I let him pull me until we reached Miguel.

"Hi!" He greeted shyly.

"Oh, hi!" I replied, not wanting to initiate a conversation. "Luke, can mommy rest muna? I am exhausted from the trip kasi eh! You play with daddy muna ha?" I can accept if ever someone will label me as a bad mother at this moment because I sure as hell am. I am using my son to escape my problem. I know the reason why he's here.

"You won't play with us, mom?" My son looks disappointed and I cannot say no to that face that he's making but I can't stay in the same location as his father either.

"How about tomorrow? Would that be okay? Let mommy rest muna."

"Yes, Luke! Let your mom rest first." He seconded which I am partly thankful for.

I kissed my son before walking towards my room. As I closed my door, I was able to breathe. My situation shouldn't be as awkward as this. It shouldn't be and I know that it is not Miguel who is making things harder than it seems-- it's myself.

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"Again, where is the ground reaction force located in the heel strike?"

I saw that only one hand was raised, and it was definitely from Dave, so I called him. "Posterior to ankle, through the knee, and anterior to the hip, doc."

"Very good!" I smiled secretly. I am very proud of him. If only you could see him, he's not the antukin Dave. He's very far from that now.

"Now, enough with the things I taught. Let me now ask you something that will make you think." I thought of an intermediate-level type of question and I did come up with one. "A patient comes to you with a weakness of the right gluteus medius muscle and you noticed that the patient manifests a specific gait deviation. A doctor then prescribed a cane or a briefcase to the patient to aid in the weakness. First question: What is the gait deviation of the patient?"