yuanfen (completed)

return

"Good morning Tristan! Good morning Richard!" Dei came into Richard's room at exactly 7:00am like she's always done for the past two and half weeks. Just last night, Christina and Dei left the facility at the same time after Mrs. Montevirgen told Dei that she was now a permanent primary nurse to Richard. Mr. and Mrs. Faulkner liked her work ethics very much that they were considering her as a private nurse to their son.

"Ah good...stable pa rin naman si Tisoy...250cc urine output as of 6:24am....bp 110/80...." Tristan said as he handed Dei Richard's chart. Richard was propped up in bed although he still had his eyes closed.

"Sige, thank you. Ready na for bath?" Dei said as she scanned the chart and returned it to the foot of the bed.

"Oo....let's go!"

Tristan and Dei prepared Richard for his morning bath. After about an hour, Richard was back in bed, fresh looking.

"....ayan....pogi na ulit....Tisoy, mauna na ako....Dei....ikaw na bahala....see you guys tonight...." Tristan said as he left the room. He and Dei alternated shifts for Richard's care.

Aside from his regular morning bath, Dei began a regimen of applying lotion to Richard's arms and legs. This served as a massage and therapy for his unused muscles. Richard's doctors encouraged this also as they noticed slight changes in Richard's heart rate and muscle tone on his last check-up. He seemed more relaxed during this period.

"....lotion time!" Dei cheerfully announced as she folded the blanket off Richard's leg. She applied lotion and massaged and kneaded his leg muscles. She did the same for his other leg. She then moved on to his arms and hands.

While massaging his right hand, Dei felt or thought that Richard was trying to hold on or grasp at her hand. She thought that it may just be an involuntary muscle movement like when his eyelids moved slightly when they first "met". Dei continued to massage his hand, pulling gently on his fingers when Richard's fingers moved again. She looked at him.

"Hmm....wag mo akong lolokohin ng ganyan...." She said.

Suddenly, his eyelids fluttered and he opened his eyes. Dei was stunned for a split second but remembered to hit the emergency call button hanging on the side of the bed.

In a matter of seconds, a team of doctors and nurses came rushing in and checking on Richard.

"Anong nangyari?" Christina had rushed in the room with the group.

"Dumilat sya.....nagllotion kami....nag-grip sya sa kamay ko.....tapos biglang dumilat....." Dei explained.

"Welcome back, Richard!" Dr. Perez greeted a wide-eyed Richard who was lying in bed.

"Welcome back? Saan ba ako galing? Nasaan ako? Sino kayo? Richard rambled in his head."Bakit ako nandito at bakit di ako makagalaw? Mom? Dad? Mom? MOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!"

"You're at Resurge! You've been here for almost a month now. You had an accident but you're recovering well....this is Dei, your nurse..." Dr. Perez chatted with Richard and introduced Dei.

"MOOOOOOOOOOOOM! Ayoko dito! Gusto ko umuwi!"

"Christina, order up some test to check brain activity...." Dr. Perez addressed Christina as they left the room.

"Hello Richard....welcome back!" Dei said as she ironed the blanket with her hands. "Ako nga pala si Dei....Tristan and I are your nurses....wala nga lang si Tristan now kasi umuwi na sya....pang-gabi sya kasi....shifting kami...."

"I don't care. Who are you? Why am I here?"

"So, anong gagawin natin today? Kahapon, nanood tayo nung "Eat Bulaga"....actually, nanonood tayo nun every day lalo na yung Juan for All segment. Nakakatawa si Jose! Pero wala sina Alden at Maine now e....nasa Maldives si Maine...." Dei said as she moved around the room, arranging things.

"I don't care! Ambaduy ng taste mo! Where's my mom?"

"Hmm.....Tuesday ngayon....tamang-tama gising ka na....bibisita Mommy mo.....dadating yun maya-maya tapos mag-l-lunch dito kasama ng staff.....nakakatuwa Mommy mo...makwento sya...."

"Wait....so my Mom comes here?"

"...ang yaman nyo siguro....sabagay, sa inyo nga pala itong facility....pag pumupunta Mommy mo at nagpapa-lunch sa amin, ang sososyal nung pagkain....first time kong nakakain nung....ano nga yun....yung parang bacon.....pro....pro.... 'prociutto'! yun! Prociutto..... last week yun....masarap sya! Yun na yung bagong favourite ko....the other week naman, nagdala sya ng paella.....gusto ko yun......" Dei continued, chuckling, as she checked on Richard's IV.

"Bakit di ako makagalaw?"

"...ahh nga pala, nagkwento si Ma'am Rio tungkol sa yo.....mabait ka daw pero minsan may topak din....makulit at malambing ka din daw......hehehehe!" Dei chuckled. "....lahat naman tayo may topak e...."

"What's it to you?"

"....mahilig ka daw sa adventure.....trekking....camping.....basta outdoors....tapos, yun nga, sailing...."

"Don't remind me..."

"....and yung sailing ang nakadale sa yo....di rin naman kasi ma-predict masyado ang ihip ng hangin...."

"Ugh! I don't want to remember....that sail was coming too fast....FUCK! Manolo! Hold on to the ropes! Rafa! Adrian! The leg! The ropes! Pull! Pu......" Richard suddenly shut his eyes.

"Ay sorry....madaldal ba ako masyado? Sige....matulog ka na muna....mamaya-maya, dadating na rin yung Mommy mo....matutuwa yun kasi nakabalik ka na...." Dei said when she noticed Richard closing his eyes. She patted his shoulder and left his bedside to attend to his chart.

"Mommy....I want to go home...."