The Wicked Doctor

32: Intensive Care Unit (Revised)

An intensive care unit (ICU), also known as an intensive therapy unit or intensive treatment unit (ITU) or critical care unit (CCU), is a special department of a hospital or health care facility that provides intensive treatment medicine.

Intensive care units cater to patients with severe or life-threatening illnesses and injuries, which require constant care, close supervision from life support equipment and medication in order to ensure normal bodily functions. They are staffed by highly trained physicians, nurses and respiratory therapists who specialize in caring for critically ill patients. ICUs are also distinguished from general hospital wards by a higher staff-to-patient ratio and access to advanced medical resources and equipment that is not routinely available elsewhere. Common conditions that are treated within ICUs include acute (or adult) respiratory distress syndrome, hypertension, metastases and other life-threatening conditions.

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2015

Oslo. Norway

Nagising akong may mabigat na nakadagan sa katawan ko. I opened my eyes and saw a mop of hair below my breasts and a hand right on top of my right breast.

Hindi ko man lang namalayan nang umuwi siya. Baka umuwi siya noong malalim na ang tulog ko. Amoy na amoy ko ang alak kaya alam kong naglasing siya bago siya makauwi.
Iniangat ko ang ulo niya at ipinatong ko sa unan. Pinayakap ko sa kanya ang isa pang unan para makatakas ako sa kanya. I sat up and stretched my arm, glancing back at his face. Doon ko lang rin napansin na mayroon siyang pasa sa kaliwang bahagi ng kanyang mukha.

"Hey. Good morning handsome." Bati ko sa kanya nang magmulat siya ng kanyang mata. He groaned and buried his face on the pillow before facing me again in all his beaten up glory.

"What time is it?" He sleepily asked me.

"It's 9 am. So who did this one?" I pointed to his bruised face and pouted.

"Just a petty bar fight. Chill. It's no biggie."

It's very unlike him to just have a random fight in a very public place. He has a clean slate, maybe since childhood and it's the first time I heard of an occurrence like this. After all, his goal in life is to please his dad and void tarnishing the family reputation.

I sighed and smiled at him before pulling him up. "Come on we'll have breakfast."

We both went to the bathroom to brush our teeth and wash our faces. I kissed his lips and pulled him towards the dining area to have a good chat with him.

"You were supposed to come back home at 9 pm. You got me worried there. Nakipag-inuman ka lang naman pala. Just text me if you aren't coming home, ok? I waited for you." Mapait kong sabi pero hindi ko pinapahalata na masama ang loob ko sa kanya. Sinabi kasi niyang magkikita kami pero hindi siya nagpakita. What do you expect?

Ibinaba niya ang hawak niyang kutsara at tinidor saka tinitigan ako, pilit na hinuhuli ang mata ko habang ako naman nakatingin lang ng diretso sa pagkain ko. He looked at me with accusing eyes that seemed to pierce my head with invisible laser beams.

"An, I'm sorry. I assisted in a short procedure and planned to come home right after but they guys called for a night cap. My phone died on me kaya hindi kita natawagan. That won't happen again. Look at me, please?" Nagpapaawa ang gago.

Ibinaba ko rin ang hawak kong kobyertos at tinitigan siya. "Terrence, I've seen you four times in the last 6 months. I would understand because I was out of town and you are busy with your residency. Now that I'm back, can you please spare some of your time for me before I become busy as well? After my graduation lalong magiging madalang na tayong magkita kapag nagsimula na ako sa post grad. The least you could do is call me para hindi nag-aalala sayo. We will get married soon pero hindi mo man lang sinasabi sa akin na may lakad ka tapos naghihintay ako dito."