My Heaven

Chapter 9.1: It's Not Like the Movies

My Heaven

Chapter 9: It's Not Like the Movies

Aiah's POV

The sight here inside  the ICU can be very terrifying as there are wires and tubes everywhere.  My father looks so vulnerable and frail and the equipment so intimidating. 

The word coma is so scary to me that some doctors do not even use it. The most important thing to know about a coma is that unlike the movies, a person is not going to just wake up from the coma and jump out of bed one day back to normal.

 Waking up from a coma can be a long, slow process that can start with a twitch of a finger or a squeeze of a hand.  If you are lucky, some of the steps will blend together in a matter of days.  If you are not so lucky, the steps to arousal may take a long time,

 or will not happen at all.

No one can ever prepare for the emotional turmoil a life-threatening injury can bring.  Lalo na ako.

 The panic, the grief, the fear.

 It is truly overwhelming.

 But, you can help ease the tension.

Yes, I'm trying to ease the tension and the pain.

 First, no what-ifs.  You can drive yourself crazy playing the what-if game when frankly it can do no good.  In fact, it can only prove to be destructive.

Secondly, now is not the time to let the little things that drive you crazy come to the surface. You need every prayer and every good thought you can get.

Stay Positive?

Easy to say, harder to do...

Sa tingin nyo, paano ko magagawa iyon? Paano ako magiging positibo lalo ng mga panahong muntik na syang kunin sa akin?

  Look, this is a terrible tragedy.  I break down, yell, cry, whatever.  I know my father needs my positive attitude, love, and compassion,  the best medicine he can get right now.

And as bad as I think  my father has it, there are many others who have it much worse.  At least buhay pa rin si Papa.

If you are like me, you were brought up to listen to whatever the doctor said and accept it.   After all, he or she is the expert.

But still, this scares me to death.

Nagpapasalamat ako dahil ito ang kauna-unahang pagkakataon na hindi ako umiyak habang pinagmamasdan si Papa.

It's all up to me..

It's all up to me kung patuloy pa rin akong maniniwala na malalagpasan ni Papa lahat  ng ito. Ang tanging pinanghahawakan ko lang ay ang pangako nya na hindi nya ako iiwan. Hindi man ako perpektong tao pero pakiramdam ko ay patuloy pa rin akong binibiyayaan ng Panginoon dahil ang bawat pagpintig ng puso ni Papa ay katumbas ng isang libong pag-asa.

Flashback:

Papasok na sana ako sa silid ni Papa ng bigla akong tawagin ng doktor na tumitingin sa kanya. Isinara kong muli ang pintuan at saka lumapit sa kanya.

"Miss Barcelona, I need to tell you something."  Yan ang bungad nya sa akin nang magkaharap na kami.

"Ano po iyon?" Kunot-noong tanong ko sa kanya.

Heto naman ang kabang pilit kong iniwasan sa tuwing nandito ako.

"You're father, he's getting better. In his situation the quicker that pressure can go down, the better. And it's getting better hija. The swelling just stopped." The doctor is giving me an assuring smile.

Napaawang ang bibig ko ng sabihin nya ang mga salitang yan.

I don't know.. I just can't believe this..

"Talaga po?" Hindi ko pa rin mapigilan ang panginginig ng aking tinig.

"Yes hija. Right now, we are just using a Bolt that is used to measure and monitor the Intracranial pressure or the swelling.  And if ever the pressure rises the we  will increase the drug levels to try to minimize the swelling. Yan hija ay kung sakali lamang na mamaga muli ang kanyang utak. Pero as we can see, tumigil na ito. Ang problema na lamang natin ngayon ay ang blood clots in his brain."

Akala ko tapos na, hindi pa pala.

Nanatili lamang akong tahimik habang hinihintay ang sunod nyang sasabihin.

"But mas ligtas na ito compare sa una nating option. We'll start using blood thinning agents to break up the clots and then continue the drugs to prevent them from forming.  There is also a mechanical device such as the Greenfield Vena Cava Filter that can be surgically inserted into the vein to catch the clots before they travel to the other parts of the body.   And the good news is, there is a greater degree na your father will survive."

At hindi ko na napigilang mapangiti.

"Mabubuhay si Papa. Mabubuhay si Papa! Salamat po!"

Paulit-ulit akong nagbow at halos mayakap ko na si doc nang sabihin ko iyon.

May tumulong luha ngunit iyon ay dahil sa masaya ako.

Sobrang saya ko.

"Walang anuman hija, it's my job. At saka salamat din sa paniniwala mo na gagaling ang iyong ama." Masaya nyang sabi sa akin na lalong nakapag-pagaan ng aking kalooban.

"Basta salamat po!" Naiyak na  ako tuluyan ng sabihin ko yan at saka nakipagkamay kay doc.

"It's ok hija.. By the way, I need to go. May rounds pa rin kasi ako."

Ngumiti ako sa kanya bilang tugon sa kanyang sinabi. Pagkaalis ng doktor ay pumasok na rin ako sa silid ni Papa.

Parang nagslow motion ang lahat sa aking paligid. I never imagined na sasaya ako ng ganito. Himala man o hindi, napakasaya ko.

Mali pala, napakaligaya ko Papa.

Marahan akong lumapit sa kanyang kama at saka hinaplos ang kanyang pisngi. Sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon simula nang maaksidente si Papa ngayon lang muli ako ngumiti ng totoo.

Hinawakan ko ang kanyang kamay nang mahigpit at saka iyon hinalikan.

End of flashback

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Author's Note:

Dahil Teacher's Day bukas, ang Chapter na ito ay para sa aming pinakamamahal na Professor nung College. Ma'am A Thank you po sa lahat! Sana mabasa nyo ito. Thank you din po sa encouragement basta alam nyo naman po iyon hehehe..