Calmness In The Midst Of Chaos

SPECIAL CHAPTER

SPECIAL CHAPTER

Throne

"How's my husband, doc? Is he... Is he okay?" a woman asked as I stepped out of the operating room. Naroon ang matinding pag-aalala sa kanyang mukha.

Napahinto ako sa paghakbang upang harapin ang ginang. Nauna nang bumalik sa kani-kanilang opisina ang mga kasamahan kong doktor na katulong ko kanina sa operasyon. We had just finished operating on a patient with a brain tumor. Malala na ang kondisyon kaya kinailangan nang operahin.

"Don't worry anymore, ma'am. He's safe now. Your husband's operation was successful. In two to three hours, magigising na siya," I assured her with a gentle smile, my voice calm and reassuring.

The concern on the woman's face was evident, but after hearing my words, it was immediately replaced by a wide smile. She covered her mouth, and tears started flowing down her cheeks.

"Oh, God! Thank you, doc! Thank you so much!" Sa labis na tuwa, kinuha niya ang kamay ko at pinisil-pisil iyon.

I smiled and gently patted her shoulder. "I'm just doing my job, ma'am. Your husband is also a fighter, which is why the operation was successful."

Nagpapaalam na ako sa babae at naglakad pabalik sa opisina ko. Kapag ganitong successful ang operasyon na ginagawa ko, hindi ko maiwasang hindi makaramdam ng matinding tuwa. Kung puwede lang sanang palaging successful ang operation na ginagawa ko.

Pero hindi naman puwedeng ganoon parati. There are times when operations don't succeed, and sometimes patients die in the middle of surgery. In my nearly three years as a surgeon, I can no longer count how many people have lost their lives in my hands.

As a doctor, it's my duty to extend my patients' lives. But I'm not a God, and I don't have the power to save everyone. I do everything I can, but there's nothing more I can do if their time has really come.

It was already past four-thirty, so I began packing up my things. My shift was over at last. I could finally go home and rest.

Napahinto ako sa palalagay ng mga gamit sa bag nang may kumatok sa pintuan ng opisina ko.

"Doc Laurent?" Sahara's voice came from outside the door, one of the nurses at this hospital.

"Bukas 'yan," ani ko bago ipinagpatuloy ang pagliligpit ng mga gamit sa table.

Marahang bumukas ang pinto at sumungaw ang mukha ni Sahara. Abot-tainga ang ngiti niya, may hawak pang clipboard.

"Doc, may naghahanap sa'yong pogi doon sa lobby," aniya habang naglalaro sa mga labi ang pilyang ngiti.

Hindi ko na kailangan pang magtanong kung sino ang tinutukoy niya. Nagtext naman kasi sa akin ang asawa ko na susunduin niya ako ngayon.

"Sino 'yon, doc? Kapatid mo? Ang pogi, parang artista." Humagikhik pa siya, halos mangisay sa kilig. "Pakilala mo naman ako, doc Laurent. Tingin ko kasi bagay kami."

Umangat ang kilay ko at napangisi.

"Not my husband, Sahara,"  I said, shaking my head as I zipped up my bag.

Unti-unting nanlaki ang mga mata ni Sahara sa sinabi ko. Umawang ang kanyang labi, hindi makapaniwala sa narinig.

"Husband?" Naroon ang gulat sa kanyang mukha. "Are you joking, doc Laurent? 'Yong poging 'yon, asawa mo? Alam kong pamilyadong tao ka na kaya nga itinigil ko na ang pagkaka-crush sa'yo, pero... 'yong poging 'yon, asawa mo talaga?"

I chuckled at her reaction. Ang kulit talaga ng babaeng 'to.

Bago lang dito si Sahara kaya hindi pa niya kilala ang asawa ko. Almost everyone working at this hospital already knows Hanz, maliban sa makulit na babaeng 'to.