The Patient

12. COMPACT

Just coming in from a very early house call of public health nursing duty, for a young man who claimed to having been in a fight after a drinking spree during the night, Nurse Lilly was greeted by the Rural Sanitary Inspector Jeanne as she was about to eat breakfast.
" Good morning, Nurse! Busy day for you...a request for your assistance was made by the Parish priest, Nurse Lilly."
Being the Officer in charge of the Municipal Health Center located in this far flung and depressed area , she was expected to be summoned for not only nursing, but also some health services beyond her educational preparations. Disposing the remains of her hurried nutritional appeasement, Nurse Lilly again gathered the necessary medical equipments for another house call. She surmised that the patient could be any one , from the Parish Priest himself, to a member of the Parish Council or a convent staff.
Upon entering the convent house, she was directed by the helper boy to go inside the Parish Priest's room. But she was surprised that it was not the Reverend Father Abel who was occupying the bed, it was the head of the most illustrious family in the community, Uldarico Morgarojo ! The old man appeared pale and exhausted . His eyes were hollow and reddened as if he had previously wept copiously.
" Sir? What happened to you? How may I help you ?" Nurse Lilly can't help exclaiming.
"Nurse Lilly, Sir Ico just wants something to calm him, to let him sleep, and please, no one else must know of his presence here." interposed Father Abel. " We have a lot of medicines here. But we just need your input on which he can use , please since you're the one alone who can enlighten us..." and the Priest extended to her a small box full of various tablets and injectables.
" But these are very strong sedatives and anti anxiety medicines, Father, I don't know if the circumstance warrants giving him these..."
" Ok , ok , if you must know the circumstance, but you must pledge not to divulge anything to any one about this!" the man on the bed exclaimed. " I just caught my wife and her lover both naked in bed last night ! I wanted to control myself from doing something against God's commandments so I came here to the rectory for help. I just need to sleep and peace and quiet time to think. Tomorrow I will get things ready for a flight to Manila. "
Nurse Lilly was shocked at the pronouncement of Mr. Uldarico. " Oh ! Ok , this one, this tablet , it's just a weak sedative with sleep inducing property , while those capsules are potent narcoleptics. You can take this one." Nurse Lilly gave a glass of water and the tablet to the patient. "And we can insert intravenous fluids so you won't get dehydrated while sleeping. Seems you haven't eaten or drank anything today..." She prepared the IVF bottle and paraphernalia.
"Days, Yes! I've been working days on end for the future of our family , forgetting my health. Only to arrive home to this! This! Traitors! I could have killed fhem ! Only my children stopped what they pushed me to do! My children! I need to see my children and my lawyer !"
" Tomorrow, Sir Icoy , you can see to that tomorrow..." said Father Abel soothingly.
At this, the medicine seemed to take effect as Nurse Lilly and Fr. Abel exited the room.
"We will help him arrange things so he can fly to Manila soonest. Please keep your promise to insure this secret. And thank you for coming here on such short notice !" Father Abel said.
"It's no big deal , Father. Just another call of duty. Please watch the IV fluids , don't let it dry out , close the clamp on the tube line when the fluid reaches the neck of the bottle, then pull off the needle. Then press on the insertion site with a cotton ball for a minute to prevent bleeding and secure with plaster. Ok, I'm leaving now, bye , Father. "
On her way home for lunch, Nurse Lilly kept thinking about the incident...
What a mess! She thought. Nurse Lilly had only a passing acquaintance with Ynez Morgarojo, although she had been assigned in the clinic for only a year now. The Morgarojos had never consulted in the center and went to Manila for all health matters. Whatever got into that woman's head! Wasn't Sir Ico enough for her?! Every girl on the island must have been envious of her luck in life, landing and marrying the richest and handsomest guy, a dream come true during their time , and she only a farmer's daughter!
And as they proceeded to build a veritable palace on top of the island, the more people respected and went in awe of the family . Blessed with three smart and beautiful children, Dominggo , Corazon and Manuel , became the model and leading family in the community. But I mustn't judge, oh no!
Nurse Lilly put the incident at the back of her mind, to be mulled as just another quaint incident in the life of a public health nurse.
Thus the morning after the next morning, she was stunned by the news that
it was not only Sir Ico but the whole Morgarojo family flew to Manila.
Nurse Lilly looked up and contemplated the vast edifice on top of the cliff in the island. It stood firm and unswayed by the passing storms , proud and determined, stoic , but
COMPACT.
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