ward (completed)

6

Richard, and Hanz, re-entered the activity room/main hall after Richard's therapy/exercise with Tristan in the gardens. Someone was crying uncontrollably in one corner. A huge fan was facing the patient who was seated on chair. Amidst the crying and sobbing, the patient would cough violently, too.

"Nic?"

Hanz led Richard out of the activity room toward his ward in the men's hall. Hanz noticed that Richard kept on turning back at the figure on the chair in the room. Some of the other patients were also in the room, each minding his or her own business.

As Hanz turned Richard to enter the ward, Richard was still looking back at the activity hall. He only turned to face forward once they got into the room. However, he strained and craned his neck while looking out the door of the boys' ward.

"Si Nic. Nagka-asthma attack" Hanz said as he changed Richard's clothes.

"Nic?"

"Ang init din naman kasi today e. Sabi ni June, ina-allergy si Nic kahapon pa. Haching ng haching kaya siguro nauwi sa hika...hmm, may rashes ka din o." Hanz said as he removed Richard's clothes. He noticed rashes on Richard's back and groin. "Come, ligo muna tayo at lagyan ko ng ointment yang rashes mo. Halika na. Richard, let's go." Hanz said as he took Richard's towel from the cabinet beside Richard's bed. "O, eto, pag nakaligo ka na, pupuntahan natin si Nic. O ano? Let's go!"

"Puntahan natin ha?"

"Tahan na, enough na. Hindi mawawala yang ubo at hika mo kung iyak ka ng iyak." June spoke gently to Nic. Nic's wailing and crying simmered down and were reduced to quiet sobs and hiccups. "Ayan, very good. Wag na iiyak okay? O, drink water muna. Drink some more. Ayan, very good." Nic calmed down and was able to drink some water. "Okay, wipe ko lang yung face mo ha? Puro tears at sipon ka na o. Ay hala!" Nic had dribbled water down her chin and clothes. "Okay, pasok muna tayo sa room para maka-change ng clothes tapos mag-nebulize tayo, ha?"

"Ang init kasi e. Ang hirap huminga. Help me!"

Nic stood up and June guided her into the girls' ward. June changed Nic's clothes and let her sit down on her bed.  She had just settled down on her bed when she started coughing and wheezing again. This caused Nic to panic a little bit. In her nervousness, Nic began to cry again.

"Ayy..enough na..tahan na..O, eto, wear natin yung mask ha?" June said as she put the mask on Nic.

"Ayoko! Ayaw! Di ako makahinga!"

"Ayan. O sige relax ka muna ha? Dito lang si June, di ako aalis." June said as she raised the head of Nic's bed so she was in almost sitting position. June then raised the bed railings and sat down on the chair beside Nic's bed. When Nic closed her eyes, June got up from the chair and took Nic's chart from the wall to update it.

Nic sensed that June had left her side so she moaned. June returned to her chair and not surprisingly, Nic relaxed and quieted down. She was soon asleep and June removed the nebulizer mask from Nic's face.

"Nic!"

"O, sandali lang, isuot mo muna tong pajama mo bago ka lumabas dun!" Hanz said as he dressed Richard up after his bath.

"Di ko na sya naririnig. Si Je lang yung naririnig ko e. Asan si Nic?"

Richard rushed out of the ward and into the activity hall. There were just a few patients there: Je, Tim, Andeng, and Mikay. All the rest were either in therapy or in bed.

"O, wala sya dito. Baka nagpapahinga. Siguradong nag-nebulize muna yun. Ang sama din nung ubo nya kanina, diba?" Hanz said.

"Nic. Okay ka lang?"

Nic wasn't at the dining hall when meal time rolled by later in the evening. "Normal" sounds of groaning and crying could be heard from the hallways and wards. Richard, who had been observing Nic since she joined Wing 11, could distinguish Nic's 'sounds' and cries. He heard her coughing and crying again just before getting ready for bed.

"Good night Nic. I hope you feel better. I hope you're better tomorrow morning."

"I hate this cough! I hate this feeling. I want to be well again!" Nic groaned and cried while being nebulized once more at bedtime.