Splendiferous (Legazpi #1)

Fifty-three

53.

Right after Xerxes left the room, everyone one of us became silent while staring at the door he just walked out of. Only the kids' voices while chatting are the sounds covering the awkward mood.

"Leigne," Kuya Aeign called my attention and he pointed at the door. "Chase him for the both of you to talk."

Walang pagd-dalawang isip akong tumayo at lumabas ng kwarto para sundan si Xerxes. Medyo malayo na ito sa kinatatayuan ko pero nilakad ko pa rin ang direksyong tinatahak niya para mapuntahan siya.

Lakad-takbo na ang ginawa ko dahil medyo malalaki ang hakbang nito at ayokong matagalan. I was already about to call his name for him to stop walking but Viara, the nurse, suddenly ran towards him, panicking.

"Doc, doc! May biglaang nag-aagaw buhay po sa ICU. Wala pa po kasi si doc Vron tapos wala rin ang iba dahil naka-break po ng sabay. Hindi naman po alam nung ibang doktor ang gagawin dahil ibang field po sila naka-assign," hinihingal na banggit nito kay Xerxes na mukhang tumakbo pa galing sa ICU.

Sabay na sila ngayong tumakbo papunta doon sa ICU at hindi ko rin napigilang hindi sumunod. Bukas ang pintuan kaya napasilip ako doon.

"Doc, buhayin n'yo po ang asawa ko, parang awa na po…" an old lady begged while a young man was hugging her from the back, stopping her from going towards her husband who's in a condition that is very critical. Maybe he is the son.

Xerxes went to the patient and he immediately gave him a CPR by giving his chest multiple pumps with his two hands together. But the sound coming from the ECG monitor was still fast, meaning, the patient is near to losing its life and I could see the first moving line on the monitor slowly turning into a flat line.

"Defibrillator." He reached out his hand to Viara and the other nurse who's beside him. "Give it to me quickly."

All moving lines on the ECG monitor became flat. As well as its sound, flat already. I heard the loud cries of the patient's family, especially his wife, who's already on her knees and her son was the one being her only support.

"Clear?"

"Clear, doc," the nurse replied.

Xerxes placed the two defibrillator paddles on the man's chest after a short rub. It was followed with another one but then, the lines flashed on the ECG monitor are still flat, making the patient's wife burst out her emotions more.

I couldn't even imagine if it will be me who's in her position right now. Maybe I won't be able to breathe anymore once my eyes gets fixed on someone very close to me, dying.

"Clear." Xerxes placed the paddles again on the patient's chest and a miracle happened thanks to Jesus and His Father.

The ECG monitor had all of it's lines moving in waves again, a sign that the patient is already stable and surely, breathing. The man is alive.

"S-salamat po ng marami, doc…" the old lady thanked him with tears of joy. "Hulog ka ng langit, doc.. Isa ka pong santo.. Maraming maraming salamat p-po."

"Walang anuman ho, ginagawa ko lang ang aking trabaho," binigyang ngiti ni Xerxes ang mag-ina. "Magiging maayos na ang kalagayan ng asawa niyo."

"Ma…" the son called out. "Paano na gastusin kay papa? Naibayad na natin lahat ng pera sa tuition ko at sa bayarin ng bahay."

"Hindi na ho kayo magbabayad dito," biglang singit ni Xerxes. "Ako na ho ang may sagot."

"Ah, naku, doc! Huwag na nakakahiya naman po," umiling-iling ang babae. "Mag-iipon na lamang kami. Tsaka baka pagalitan pa ikaw ng may-ari nitong ospital kapag hindi mo kami pinagbayad, mapahamak pa trabaho mo, doc.."