Dogtag (completed)

9. reintroduce

“Good morning, I’m Dei Mendoza” Dei said as she handed her folder the head nurse of Block 5.

“Good morning! Ako si Maj. De Villa, better known as Mama Chelo. Hmm…Mendoza…ah, ikaw yung apo ni Sir Teddy...welcome!” Mama Chelo had a very warm smile and personality. Dei felt very comfortable right away. “Kakahatid din lang ng pasyente mo sa unit nya.” Mama explained and invited Dei to follow her to her office for briefing. Mama Chelo’s office was in unit 510.

“All units in this block or building are the same. Like this unit, one-bedroom lahat. Parang condo unit kung tutuusin except na may mga medical equipment and services provided for to the resident-patients. I’m sure you’ve been told that this is an assistive living facility. Basically, we are a nursing facility where we train patients to become independent again. Maraming patients kasi na wala nang pamilya to take care of them after their hospitalization, or malayo sa pamilya…”

Dei nodded.

“This is an rfid bracelet all staff wear. We use it to have access to the patients’ units. As I said, we have medical services provided for them so may mga panels and switches that are connected to our switchboard sa kabilang building.” Mama pointed to a building outside her window. 

"Parang may sarili tayong 911…”

“Hmm…”

“...patients are allowed to cook their own food…some nurses only assist in personal care…depende yun sa assessment mo sa pasyente mo. Once we see that they are fully recovered and capable of living independently, we will recommend release and send them home…any questions?”

“Wala naman po…”

“Ah, the supplies you might need are stocked in your patient’s unit. If there are specialized things that you need, let me know…kung okay ka na, your patient is just next door, 511. Use your bracelet to open the door. Just align this tab to the center of the plate above the handle. You’ll hear a beep and a latch release.”

Dei nodded.

“…hindi ko pa nabubuksan yung file nya pero male, 27 years old, PTSD…hinatid dito kanina lang. Halos sabay nga kayo…”

“Okay po…”

“O sige, hija. I’ll just be here if you need anything…”

“Thank you po” Dei said and left Mama Chelo’s unit. She clipped the patient’s chart under her arm and walked toward the next door.

Dei knocked before using her rfid bracelet on the door. The unit was dark except for a figure sitting on a wheel chair in the middle of the linoleum floored living room. Sunlight from the frames of the closed shades on the windows illuminated the room a little bit. The patient was just sitting on the wheel chair, oblivious of the puddle which had formed under the wheelchair.

“Good morning!”  Dei greeted cheerfully before putting her things on the nearby console and walking to the windows to open the shades. There was a smell of poop and vomit, too, as she walked past the patient, toward the windows.
“Buksan natin to ha? Let’s have a little sunlight. It’s a beautiful day! I’m Dei. I’ll be your…” Dei said cheerily as she opened the shades on the windows. However, she was surprised to see who her patient was when she turned.

In the wheelchair sat Sgt. Richard Faulkerson, Jr. He was thinner and his hair was longer, he also had a scruffy moustache and beard. His pajama top slipped off his shoulder. He was expressionless and just stared, unblinking. A pool of urine had formed under him and he had vomit on his lap. He had also messed himself.

Dei got a rag from the kitchen to soak the urine from the floor. She pushed Rj to the bathroom which was built for handicap access. Seeing that Rj was much bigger than her as she tried to remove his clothes, she called on Mama Chelo who sent Ramon, an intern, to help lift Rj from his wheel chair while Dei removed his soiled pajama bottom and washed him. It was only then that she noticed his amputated leg.
After washing him clean, Ramon transferred Rj to a commode chair which could be wheeled into the open shower area. Ramon took the dirty wheelchair to be cleaned and disinfected while Dei continued to wash Rj. She told him that they would go to the barber shop later in the day for a trim and a shave. When she was done, she toweled him dry and pushed him back to bed. She dressed him in a diaper and clean pajamas.

“Hello, Rj.” She said as she brushed his hair before sitting down beside his bed. “I missed you…” she said softly. She stood up from her chair and opened Rj’s chart.

“…PTSD. Stoic. May sometimes shout and have seizures…vomits when coughing…nasogastric feeding…catheter...”

Dei read most of Rj’s medical history and learned that his leg was amputated two days after he was flown down from the mountains due to high fever from infections to his wounds. He had become stoic and unresponsive a week after his amputation. He was moved to G because Reyes Memorial did not have the facilities for him.

“…nasogastric?” Dei thought to herself. “Wala ka namang feeding tube…teka, pa-check muna tayo ulit kay Dr. Mapa mamaya…” Dei made notes in her notebook.

Rj just lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. Dei positioned the bed so that he was a bit inclined. She turned on the tv to see if he reacted to the programs. She observed him for any reactions.

“…your charts say that you had a feeding tube and catheter…you didn’t have either when you came…I’ve scheduled you for an appointment with Dr. Mapa after lunch…let’s get your records updated…then we’ll pass by the barber shop for a shave and a trim…” Dei told Rj.

“…hmm…we’ll have a PEG inserted in his abdomen. Medyo namumula na yung ilong at pisngi nya sa tapes e. Diapers at rash cream tayo for now. Sore na rin yung urethra nya e. Kamusta ang stool?”

“…soft…”

“Okay…let’s start the PEG…monitor urine and stool output…nakalagay dito, he’s prone to vomiting when coughing so observe for coughing triggers…so far, he’s healthy…we just need to raise his weight a little…”

“…opo…iba ang ichura nya…”

“Magkakilala kayo?”

“Naging patient ko po sya sa Sikatuna…”

“Hmm…”

“…before amputation?”

“…opo…”

After his PEG procedure, Dei took Rj to the barbershop for his much needed haircut and shave. After that, they passed by the commissary and pharmacy for some groceries and food. It was late afternoon when they returned to his unit so Dei prepared Rj for bed and his overnight feeding machine. When she was done, she tidied up before leaving Rj for the night.

“Haay! Nakakapagod mag-alaga ng dalawang pasyente. Buti nalang parehong bedridden ang mga lolo ko…ikaw?”

“Ah..uhmm..” Dei wasn’t sure if she wanted Nina to know about meeting Rj again yet. “…amputee..PTSD..tahimik lang sya..”

“Buti ka pa…ang iingay nung dalawa ko…isa lang sa yo, no?”

“Hmm…tulog na ako…naubos din energy ko sa kaka-transfer sa kanya e…” Dei turned and felt the warm dogtags which she wore on her neck.

“Okay…goodnight.”