After leaving a patient I had checked on, I encountered Nurse Lana outside.
"Doctor Sy, may kararating lang na pasyente sa VIP room ngayon. Walang ibang doktor na available, pwede po ba kayong mag-assist sa pasyenteng ito?" Nurse Lana said directly.
"Asan ba si Doc Lauren?" tanong ko at hinarap siya.
"Ahh, umuwi po kasi dahil may emergency daw, at si Doc Meriam naman ay may ibang ina-assist na pasyente," sabi niya kaya napabuntong-hininga ako.
"What happened to the patient?" I asked as I entered the elevator and pressed the button for the 6th floor, where the VIP rooms are located.
"Bigla siyang nawalan ng malay at sabi nila baka may nakain siya," " she replied, just as the elevator doors opened.
"Nasa VIP room 6 po siya Doc Sy," she said, so I headed to room 6.
"Does this person have any existing illnesses?" I asked before opening the door.
"Wala naman daw po, Doc, pero sabi ng manager niya baka dahil sa pagod kaya nawalan ng malay" she said as we entered the room where a nurse was already attending to the patient.
"Good evening, Doc," Nurse Chua greeted me. I nodded and she handed me the patient's file containing his name and age.
I approached the patient while glancing at the file Nurse Chua gave me.
"Good evening, I need you to detail your experience with your allergy," I said, but he didn't respond. "What symptoms do you experience from your allergies..." I paused and read the name written on the file, "Caden..." I read aloud, then looked at the patient lying down, and our eyes met.
There have been many changes in him, he looks even more handsome and his face and skin are well taken care of. His looks on TV are handsome, but he is even more attractive in person.
His hairstyle suits him more now. In the 12 years we haven't seen each other, he has really changed a lot. He has become even more handsome.
My lips parted slightly as I continued to stare at him. I quickly glanced back at the file in my hand to regain my composure.
"Mr. Faulkerson?" I asked again.
"I'm just tired and ate something I shouldn't have. There's no need to go into detail, Doc. I'll be fine, and I might even be discharged from the hospital tomorrow," he said at length, looking straight ahead. When I glanced back at him.
"Mr. Faulkerson, as a doctor, I need to know what allergy you have, what needs to be done, what you need to avoid, and what medication to give you," I said seriously, at sa ngayon ay binaling niya ang paningin sakin ulit.
"Isn't there another doctor here?" sabi niya and staring directly at me.
"I'm the one assigned to assist you, Mr. Faulkerson. Is there a problem?" I asked, meeting his gaze firmly.
"Yes, because I don't want you to be my doctor," he said seriously, kaya binaba ko ang file na hawak ko. may naamoy din akong alcoholic sakanya, lasing.
"There are no other doctors available tonight, Mr. Faulkerson, and right now I'm doing my job. If you don't want me to be your doctor, there's nothing you can do about it."
Fortunately, even if we argue now, no one else will hear because it's just the two of us here after the two nurses left earlier.
"So Mr. Faulkerson, maaari mo bang sagutin ang tanong ko?" sabi ko, at napapikit lang siya, pero kalaunan ay detalyado rin niyang sinagot ang lahat. Kaya agad ko itong isinulat.
Nagpatupad ako ng physical examination.
Kahit labag sa kalooban ko na hawakan ang katawan niya, bilang doktor ay kailangan kong gawin ito.
Tinatap ko siya at dinadama ang katawan niya.
Gamit ang stethoscope, sinuri ko ang tunog ng puso niya at pagkatapos nito ay chineck ko rin ang vital signs niya.
"From what I observed, everything seems fine and there's nothing to worry about concerning your health, Mr. Faulkerson. All you need to do is avoid any kind of chocolate that might harm you because of your allergy, and also, you need to rest your body," sabi ko, pero hindi siya umimik, nakatuon lang ang paningin niya sa kisame.
"I’ll provide the medication for your allergy later" sabi ko at akmang aalis na nang biglang magsalita siya.
"So okay naman pala ako, once I get the medication from you, I'll be leaving" seryosong sabi niya at napabuntong hininga ako habang tinitingnan siya.
"Mr. Faulkerson, bilang iyong doktor, kailangan mo munang magpahinga para—"
"Mas kailangan ko pang hindi magpahinga kung ikaw naman ang makikita ko" sabi niya, seryosong tinitingnan ako. Mahigpit ang paghawak ko sa file na hawak ko.
"Bakit?" biglaang tanong ko. "tignan mo ako bilang isang doktor mo, hindi bilang ex mo, dahil ginagawa ko ang trabaho ko, Caden Huxley."
"Are you messing with me?" he said with a laugh. "Damn, why did I have to see you again?"
"Caden please-"
"Maybe you thought I hadn't moved on yet, Scarlet Eleanor. I want you to know that I’ve long forgotten you, as if I buried all our worries six feet under," he said seriously, and you could see in his eyes that all he felt towards me was anger. "What I have now is nothing but anger towards you," he said firmly.
"If you don't want to see me, I'll assign another doctor for you," I said seriously, calming myself. "I know you're mad at me, Caden, and we haven't understood each other in the twelve years we've been apart."
"Have we really not understood each other? Those lines are old and rotten. Damn it"
"Let's not discuss that here, Mr. Faulkerson. If you want to talk to me, it's better to do it outside when I have time or—"
"I don't need to talk to you anymore because it’s no longer important. I've already forgotten everything. Your damn explanation isn’t needed. Everything you said before was enough" he said calmly, but with emphasis.
"Okay," ang tanging sagot ko at pinihit ang pintuan at lumabas ng kanyang kuwarto.
Sinandal ko ang sarili ko sa pintuan at pinikit ang mga mata ko
Sa loob ng walong taon ngayon lang kami nagkita, pero ang masaklap, hindi naging maganda ang paghaharap namin.
I walked straight ahead, and almost everyone I passed greeted me, but I didn’t return their greetings because I had too many thoughts on my mind.
I dropped the file I was holding onto my desk, sat down in my chair, and rubbed my face while leaning back.
"Damn life," I muttered, letting the tears I had been holding back flow. "Ahh, nakakapagod" sabi ko at pinahid ang mga luha ko.
Kailan ba ako magiging masaya?
matagal kona siyang nakalimutan dahil sa nangyari sa mahabang taon ng nakalipas.
If only he knew what I had been through without him by my side for those eight years.
I left because of the pain he caused me.
I didn't expect that he would be mad with me like that, considering he was the one who hurt me.
I don't have any lingering feelings for him, so why am I still hurt by what he said?
