Dogtag (completed)

7. assignment

“Welcome to Genevieve’s Home, MMMH’s Assistive Living Facility…”

“…buti nalang magkasama tayo…”

“Shh! Mamaya na…”

“…the community is relatively small at the moment because there are just a handful of patients under our care. So, in order to provide the best care we are known for, you nurses will be assigned to one to two patients to care for depending on the medical needs and concerns…”

“…magkasama uli tayo ng room...”

“’Hmm..”

“Alcala, rooms 221 and 222..Sanchez, rooms 413 and 414…Chua, room 324..Mendoza, room 511…room numbers are on the side panels beside each door…the first number is the building number you are assigned to…the second number is the floor…each of the four residential complex or blocks are just 2 storeys each and has a staff who works in rotation…your building heads will assign you your schedules…therapy facilities are here at Building 1 together with the offices and the main infirmary of G…since we try to provide a community and home-like set up, there might be cases where your patients will be assigned work within the facility…if there are no further questions, today’s orientation is finished. Please report here at 0800H tomorrow for training. Wear your ID while moving around the facility and the camp…”

Nina brought Dei to their quarters which was located in a smaller building off to the side  of Block 5 of G (Genevieve’s Home – but more popularly known as ‘G’ amongst the staff and people in the camp), next to Block 5. Dei and Nina’s dorm room on the 2nd floor had 2 beds. A 2-shower, 2-toilet bathroom separated every 2 rooms. The second floor had 4 of these types of rooms. Another large 6-bed room with common showers and toilets  were on the ground floor. These were for staff who had critical care patients.

“Ang sosyal ‘no?”

“Para ngang di ospital at dorm e…parang wala tayo sa camp…”

“Oo…ibang-iba sa barracks sa Sikatuna…”

“Hmm…si Buknoy?”

“Ayun…naassign sa g
laundry room…”

“Anong trabaho?”

“…mekaniko...taga-ayos ng mga sirang washing machines...”

“Ah..”

“…shet! Ang hot nya talaga…imaginin mo…yung jumpsuit nya, tinatali lang nya sa may waist nya tapos naka-sando lang sya kasi mainit…”

“…tapos namumutok ang muscles?”

“…yummy talaga e!” Nina smacked her lips. “Magkikita kami mamayang 730 sa may commissary, sama ka?”

“Hindi na…ma-o-OP lang ako..basta bumalik ka lang pag lights out…”

“Oo…oo…” Nina smiled, her eyes dreamy.

“Sinu-sino kaya mga pasyente nartin?” Dei thought out loud.

“Hmm…sana mababait…”

“Sana…si Rj kaya, kamusta na? Gumaling na siguro, no?”

“Wow! Pambihira…”

“Huh?”

“Ilang buwan na ba ang nakalipas since naging pashente mo yun? Ilang pasyente na rin ang inalagaan mo since then…sya pa rin ang naiisip mo?”

“Ewan ko rin ba…di naman iba yung kaso nya sa ibang pasyente natin…medyo naging critical lang kasi parang na-infect yung leg wound nya nun…”

“Ano nga ba nangyari dun sa dogtags? Na sa yo pa rin o na-surrender mo na?”

“Ahh…ehh…”

“Hmm…so di mo sinoli…”

Dei showed the pouch to Nina before pocketing it. “…parang naging parte na sya ng personal effects ko...lagi kong dala…”

“Hmm…saan nga kaya sya napunta? Baka nagpa-assign sa ibang unit..”

“Baka…”

Just then, the dogtags began to feel warm again.

“…parang walang improvement…” Clara, young nurse, reviewed the charts in front of her.

“Gumaling na yung mga sugat nya pero parang nawalan ng will para mabuhay…parte siguro ng PTSD..” Marion, another nurse, replied.

“Aawardan daw ng Purple Heart pero wala namang pamilya to witness…” Clara said.

“Anong pinagchichismisan nyo dyan? Back to work!” Miss Aurora, the head nurse, barked sternly.

“Ano yan?” Carlos asked Rob, who was tacking some papers and notes on the bulletin board. Both were medical staff at Reyes Medical.

“Release papers…”

“Hmm…Pare, si Coach ba yang nasa listahan?”

“Saan?”

“Ayan o…sa bandang taas…”

“Siya nga…teka, may pamilya pa ba sya?”

Carlos shrugged his shoulders.

“Mariano, Lorenzo, ihanda nyo na si Faulkerson. One hour.”Miss Aurora called out.

“Yes, Ma’am!”