EL CUERPO DEL PLACER SERIES: HANDS TO MYSELF

Kabanata 7

Kabanata 7

"I can recommend you a good doctor! Promise! He's so good too!"

Nagpa-cute pa siya sa harapan nito.

"Are you bribing me?"

Agad naman siyang napatango.

"Still no!"

"How about I'll give you a trip to Bali?"

Bigla naman itong napahinto.

"Call! Just for three days leave only and send your friend here," anito at iniwan na siya nito. Napatalon siya dahil sa sobrang saya. Agad niyang kinuha ang kanyang cellphone at tinawagan ang kaibigan niyang doktor.

"Hello Zy?" sagot nito sa kabilang linya.

"Hi Kuya Morris! How are you?"

"Stop asking if I am okay Zy. I am all well and I know you want something from me."

Natawa naman siya. Doctor Morris Salvador is also a closed friend of her brother Caspian. He's an Orthopedic and at the same time he's a Cardiologist. Enjoying his new forte.

"Please Kuya Morris, kahit tatlong araw lang. Proxi mo naman ako dito sa work ko. Please!"

"What can you offer?"

"How about a..."

"A decent dinner with your friend," anito pa. Nangislap naman ang kanyang mga mata.

"Which friend?"

"I'm interested with Jella," anito. Namilog naman ang kanyang mga mata.

"Don't tell me you two are..."

"Quit it Zy! Just want to have my payback time to her. You know, malaki ang atraso niya sa akin."

Napahagikhik naman siya.

"Sure! Thanks Kuya Morris!"

"Bye!" anito at pinatay na ang tawag niya.

She then text Erizza para sa set up date na gagawin niya. Poor Jella but it doesn't mean na kawawa ang kaibigan niya dahil hindi naman pangit si Morris. He's also a good looking guy.

Pagkatapos niyang e-text si Erizza ay diretso siya agad sa kanyang office at kinuntak si nurse Lenny. Kababalik lang nito sa trabaho at madalas ito ang may hawak ng kanyang appointments.

Ilang minuto lang ay nasa pinto niya na si nurse Lenny.

"Doc. Zy? Tatawagan ko po ba silang lahat?"

"Yes please. I want to finish my appointments this day. Para bukas scheduling na lang. I'm gonna leave for three days at ayaw ko namang iwanan ng maraming trabaho ang papalit sa akin pansamantala."

"Ganoon po ba? Sige po Doc. Zy."

Tumango lamang siya at sumenyas na puwede na itong umalis.

Habang inaabala niya ang sarili sa pagharap sa kanyang laptop ay naisipan niya na ding kumuha ng reservation sa resort na pagdadaosan nila ng event ng kanilang reunion. Dahilayan Bukidnon is a better place for them to relax. Kahit three days lang siya puwede doon ay okay na iyon para sa kanya. She'll be satisfied on that.

Bigla naman siyang nakatanggap ng isang email mula sa isang kakaibang username.

"Bugs_Bunny@gmail.com," basa niya pa habang nakakunot ang kanyang noo.

"Weird," bulalas niya at agad din naman na binuksan ang laman nito. It was an unfamiliar image of a beach house. And what's nice about the picture is the sunset. Nakagat niya ang kanyang labi. May nabasa pa siyang message sa picture.

"It awaits you," basa niya.

Crap! Why does she suddenly feel goosebumps!? Nakagat niya ang kanyang ibabang labi at isinaradong bigla ang kangyang laptop. It creeps her out more and more! Nasapo niya ang kanyang noo. Sumasakit ang ulo niya dahil sa letseng secret admirer niya pati na doon sa mga nagnananakaw ng gamit niya. She sighs. Tinawagan niya ulit si nurse Lenny para makapag-umpisa na siya.

NEAR six in the evening when she's done and about to leave at her workplace. Nag-text na din naman si Apple sa kanya na nasa apartment na ito. Ngunit saglit siyang natigilan sa paghakbang nang makatanggap siya ng  tawag. Mabilis niyang sinagot ang tawag mula kay Doctor Samuel.

"Code blue," anito.

Mabilis siyang napatakbo pabalik sa hospital at tinungo ang E.R.

"Prepare the O.R a.s.a.p!" narinig niyang deklara ni Doctor Samuel.

"Why? What's wrong?" agad na tanong niya nang makalapit siya Kay Doc. Samuel.

"Sorry to call you Zy. Mr. Cabiling is in a bad condition. We had to operate him now."

"Wait? I diagnosed him as PVCs patient."

PVC stands for Premature Ventricular Contraction (PVCs) are extra heartbeats that begin in one of the person heart's two lower pumping chambers (ventricles). These extra beats disrupt the regular heart rhythm and sometimes causing the person to feel a fluttering or a skipped beat in their chest.

"He undergo another test yesterday Zy because of a sudden lose of breathing and we found out to his ECG results that it's CHD."

CHD stands for Coronary heart disease. It is the most common type of heart disease. It is also called coronary artery disease (CAD). It is a plaque build up in  arteries. It's known as hardening of the arteries, too. Arteries carry blood and oxygen to your heart. It may jeopardized the patient's health also if it doesn't cured enough.

Napasinghap siya at kabadong nakagat ang kanyang labi. Mr. Cabiling is their regular patient. Kahapon lang ay masigla pa ito habang chene-check up ni Doctor Samuel.

"Okay," sagot niya at agad na sumunod agad sa E.R. She change her uniform into a surgical scrub and wash her hands carefully. Then one of the nurse help her tie her surgical scrub and help her wear her gloves.

"Proceed with the anesthesia," ani Doc. Samuel.

"Vital signs, please?" she said.

"Stable Doc. Zy," anang nurse.

They started the operation immediately. But suddenly in the middle of the operations, Mr. Cabiling had a sudden cardiac arrest again.

Bigla nitang naitaas ang kanyang mga kamay. Bigla siyang kinabahan at napapadasal na sana kayanin nito ang operation. Doctor Samuel keep on riving him.

"God, please..." anas niya na hanggang sa tuluyan nang hindi bumalik ang tibok ng puso nito.

"Time of death, 7:35 in the evening..." deklara ni Doctor Samuel.

Biglang bumagsak ang mga luha niya sa mata at diretsong napalabas ng O.R. Dali-dali niyang tinanggal ang kanyang gloves at nang makalabas siya ay napatigil siya sa paghakbang. Mr. Cabiling's family is waiting outside. Nakagat niya ang kanyang labi.

"Doc. Villaraza? Ang Lolo ko po? Kumusta siya?"

Her lips suddenly trembles.

"Your..." Napalunok siya. Damn! Ito ang unang beses na namatayan siya ng pasyente dito sa hospital na 'to. Magsasalita pa sana siya nang biglang lumabas si Doctor Samuel.