Dogtag (completed)

6. transfers

Rj woke up and wondered why everything looked different. It was much brighter and even smelled different. He looked around and noticed that he was in another ward with less patients. His next bed neighbor was sleeping. A nurse came in, she was in her white nurse uniform unlike the scrubs wearing staff at the camp hospital.

“…nasaan ako?”

“…oh, you’re awake. You’ve been asleep for 3 days…and you…” the nurse replied curtly and looked at Rj’s newly amputated leg.

“Anong nangyari? Nasaan si Dei?”

“Diba nasabugan kayo sa bundok? Sino si Dei? Walang Dei dito.” The nurse replied coldly and turned to leave the room.

Rj felt even more helpless. Soon, he decided to just tune out everything and everyone.
“I’m useless. I don’t deserve to live…” Rj thought to himself as he lay in silence in his bed.
Rj felt that he not only lost his leg but also his dignity. He allowed himself to be poked and prodded without much resistance and only screamed, cried, or made any noise or reaction when his pain was unbearable. Soon, his wounds and fracture healed but he remained stoic and in a vegetative state.

“This is Mendoza Memorial Medical Hospital. The newest and state-of-the-art medical center in the city. We try to update and upgrade our facilities often to keep up with the latest medical trends. We not only provide for the medical care and needs of our soldiers and patients, but we are also known for our excellent assistive living services which aims to bring patients to live as normally as they had before…” Sgt. Tuviera welcomed Dei and her group to the facility. After the introduction and audio-visual presentation, Sgt. Tuviera gave the nurses their assignments.

“Alcala, Nina…Assistive Living…proceed to  Building G – Genevieve’s home - and present this folder to the receptionist…” Sgt. Tuviera gave Nina her folder.

“Mendoza, Dei…Assistive Living also…but please stay after this orientation”

“Yes, Sir”

“If there are no further questions, proceed to your assigned units and attend the necessary trainings…”

“Yes, Sir!”

“Good! Dismissed! Mendoza, follow me…”

Sgt. Tuviera and Dei entered the sergeant’s office at the end of a long corridor on the ground floor of the main hospital.

“…maupo ka...Maya, please send in some juice and snacks…”

“Yes, sir…”

“Dei…may I call you, Dei?”

“Yes, Sir”

“…okay, thank you…I brought you here to get feedback about the situation at the camp. Don’t worry, gusto ko lang malaman kung okay pa rin ba tayo dun? I was also stationed there last year for 6 months. How was it at Sikatuna for you? Nahirapan ka ba? Any feedback is appreciated. Don’t worry, this will be strictly confidential.” Sgt. Tuviera said. He had a warm smile despite his rather large frame. Dei soon began to relax and retold of their adventures and misadventures at the camp. She mentioned about the lack of some basic supplies that often lead to infections in patients.

As she mentioned about medical care and infections, she felt the warmth of the dogtags again in her pocket. Dei was able to find a small pouch to put it and like always, she carried it around with her.

“Thank you for your input. I will see what we can do to improve conditions at the camp…another thing, you’re going to have dinner tonight with the General…”

“Po?”

“…ahh, oo nga pala…isa sa dahilan kung bakit napaikli yung duty nyo sa Sikatuna is because pinahanap ka ni General Mendoza..."

"...ang sabi sa amin before 3 to 6 months..."

"Yes, but he requested na i-pull out ka ng Sikatuna as soon as ma-locate ka namin. May mga balita kasi na nagiging malala ang bakbakan dun…”

“General Mendoza, sir?”

“…hmm…General Teodoro Mendoza...siya ang may ari nitong hospital…siya ang Lolo mo…”