Our Real Love by A.B.Castueras (3RD BOOK OF SMITH TRILOGY)

OUR REAL LOVE (THE LAST STEP p.1.2)

This is my father's fault. He forced me to adopt these three troublemakers. Am I to be thankful that Jarret is already not part of my headaches? Tch! And here I thought he's the root of all this—No. Not him, definitely not him.

It is the other one since the beginning.

The girl and her letters.

Adeline.

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ADELINE

"Dilated Cardiomyopathy... It's a heart disease na maaaring inherited or pwede ring sa iba pang dahilan. It can be alcoholism, Thyroid disease, diabetes, viral infection sa puso, o sa mga iniinum niyang gamut na naapektuhan ang performance ng heart ng patient. Base sa pinadalang records sa 'tin ng doctor niya from U.S., it was eight years ago pa nang malaman nila ang real condition ng husband n'yo, Mrs. Martinez. And it was stated here na hereditary ang cause."

Hereditary...

But how? He was adopted. Not unless... I should ask him about it.

And eight years ago...? Meaning, he was already diagnosed before our marriage. It is just like what Jarret had told me, nalaman niyang may sakit si James kaya siya pumunta sa America to convince him na mag-undergo ng necessary treatments niya.

"Base sa natanggap naming records na pinadala ng doctors niya from U.S. He used to have an ICD or Implantable Cardioverter. Well, for your knowledge, this is a battery-powered device placed under the skin of the chest or abdomen, or below the collarbone...here."

Tinuro ni Doc 'yung right collarbone niya.

"It's about the size of a pocket watch and that keeps track of your heart rate. It was usually given to those patients na hindi pa nakakaranas ng cardiac arrest to prevent them from sudden deaths due to heart attacks."

May kinuha si Doc sa drawers niya na parang hibla ng putting sinulid saka ipinakita sa 'kin.

"It is like this, thicker lang ng konti, 'yung thin wires na iko-connect sa blood vessels ng patient. If an abnormal heart rhythm is detected – the device will deliver an electric shock sa heart ng patient to restore a normal heartbeat. That is if your heart is beating chaotically and much too fast. And kung sakali namang sobrang bagal ng pag-beat ng puso ng patient, newer-generation of ICD includes pacemakers. This will stimulate the heart to beat normally if the heart rate is detected to be too slow."

"But I didn't see any scars sa dibdib niya or anything kung may nilagay palang device do'n."

"Ah, yes. It's not an open heart surgery so wala ka talagang makikitang big scars sa dibdib ng husband n'yo. And base sa medical records niya, hindi nagtagal 'yung pagkakaroon niya ng ICD because of the complications na nangyari after its insertion. So kung may little scars man, maaring nag-fade na rin 'yun dahil sa tagal ng hindi nakakabit 'yun sa kaniya. Well, regarding sa complications... May swelling and bruising na nangyari sa upper chest area niya kung saan nakalagay 'yung ICD device. Also, there's bleeding in the catheter incision, so they have to remove it bago pa magkaro'n ng ibang infection because of this."

"Then ano'ng ginawa nila after that?"

"Hmm..." He took the open folder sa harapan niya at tiningnan 'yun. "For almost two years, on and off ang treatment niya." The doctor looked up at me. "They cannot do anything about it."

I feel mad all of a sudden hearing that.

"Bakit hindi nila pinilit ang husband ko if they knew na makakabuti 'yun for him? They let him live as if they're just waiting for him to die."

"I cannot speak for his doctors, Mrs. Martinez, kung bakit nila hinayaan 'yun. But as I read his medical history, I do think that it is your husband's choice not to be fully committed sa mga treatments na ni-recommend sa kaniya after failing the ICD. Afterall, the doctors cannot enforced someone to do this or that, it's still the patient's decision kung gusto niyang gumaling o hindi. If you will see clearly, it seems to me that Mr. Martinez has no intention to get better during those years."