"Ayoko na!" Maine screamed, tears running down her cheeks.
"Last na...push...." Rhea encouraged her.
"Ayoko na nga!" Maine kept on wailing.
"O...tapos na...." Rhea helped Maine sit and transfer.
Colleen approached and wiped the sweat from Maine's face, neck and back. She was flushed and looked extremely exhausted.
"...ay wait!" Rhea called out as Colleen and Maine left the room. "....Maine, wala na ako starting tomorrow...si Rj ang papalit sa akin....sya na starting tomorrow....sige, bye!"
Colleen nodded and smiled at Pat as they left the room.
"Sino naman yang Rj na yan?!" Maine said, annoyed.
Very early the next morning, Rj smilingly greeted Maine as she entered the room.
"Good morning! I'm Rj! I'll be helping you....di ka na na-endorse ni Rhea ng maayos but I've read your files na.....so, let's go?" Rj said as Colleen let go of the wheelchair and walked to the lounge outside the therapy room.
"Do I have a choice?" Maine answered sarcastically.
"Ay! Tama nga sila....ikaw nga si Ms. Masungit!" Rj chuckled.
"Eh ano ngayon?!" Maine replied, face scowling.
"Wala naman...." Rj continued to chuckle and lifted Maine out of her wheelchair onto the bed. She was doing therapy to strengthen her back and leg muscles.
A month ago, Maine figured in a vehicular accident. She was driving along the highway when another car side swiped her. The roads were slippery because it had just rained and the speeding car that bumped her, caused her car to hit the wall of the MRT, crushing her car and pinning Maine inside the vehicle. She suffered trauma to her lower back, rendering her unable to use her legs.
Once out of surgery and gaining full consciousness, she was scheduled immediately scheduled for physical and occupational therapy. She, along with her family, wanted her to live a normal life again. Maine, however, hated the sessions because of the pain and discomfort it brought. She would cry and be in a foul mood for most of the sessions. Her family knew that she was just being stubborn brought about by the frustration of being unable to do things for herself; unlike before the accident. Her sister Colleen was her constant companion to therapy sessions but she distanced herself because she felt sorry for her baby sister whom she could see was suffering and in distress most of the time.
Rj was a physical therapist. He was always smiling and had a pleasant personality. Many patients whom he helped enjoyed his company and seemed to get better faster than what was predicted by their doctors. The Mendoza family wanted the best therapist for Maine and booked for Rj's services almost as soon as Maine came out of surgery on the night of the accident.
"....problema mo?" Maine barked at Rj when she saw him smile as he lay her on the bed.
"...wala naman....hmm...ahh....iniisip ko lang kung anong masarap ulamin for lunch...." Rj replied as he started massaging Maine's legs.
Maine didn't expect his answer. Most of her therapists and nurses usually answered her with all the medical jargon she barely understood.
"...ulam?!....ano naman paki ko sa ulam mo?"
"...eh nagtatanong ka kung anong problema ko....eh pinoproblema ko yung uulamin ko...." he replied.
She kept quiet and turned her head to the side. She hadn't encountered someone who was patient enough to deal with her snarky remarks. This was a first.
"....ano nga ulit name mo?" she asked.
"Rj....Richard ang buo kong name....eh junior ako ng tatay ko, so Rj!" he answered, proudly showing his badge on his scrub suit.
"....matagal ka na ba na therapist?"
"...hmm..mga 3 years....pwedeng ako naman ang magtanong?"
"....diba sabi mo nabasa mo na yung file ko....eh di alam mo na dapat kung sino ako...."
"....oo nga naman....." Rj just smiled and continued to work on her legs, attaching it to a TNS machine to stimulate her muscles. "...okay....dito ka muna, Ms. Masungit.....balik ako in a while...." he said as he turned the machine on and left her.
"....saan naman ako pupunta?" she called out to him as he walked away.
