Kabanata 27 : Duty
Our first day in Clark went smoothly. Marami akong kinausap at sumailalim din kami sa briefing. We also have a place to stay while we're here, malapit lamang iyon sa ospital.
Nakakapagod ang araw na iyon. Nagkayayaan naman ang mga kasama kong med volunteers na kumain sa labas bago pumunta sa dorm. We went to the nearest Chinese resto, tahimik lamang akong nakasunod sa kanila dahil hindi ko pa sila gaanong close.
Ewan ko ba kung bakit mas lalong nahihirapan na akong makisama. Maybe I am too afraid to get attached again.
"Doc!" Tumakbo pabalik ang isa sa mga babaeng kasamahan namin papunta sa akin. Hindi ko namalayan na kanina pa ko natigil sa paglalakad. "Ayos ka lang po ba?" Tinanguhan ko lamang siya. "Tara na Doc," She said and pulled me with her. She was quiet bubbly at madaldal rin kaya naman natawa na rin ako sa mga kwinekwento niya.
"Aish, wala na! 'Di na nagreply," Lara said, one of my co-volunteers. Nagkatuksuhan dahil sa biglaang pagyukyok niya sa mesa.
"Andiyan naman kasi si Doc Arvey, e'." Napaubo si Arvey sa sinabi ng mga kasamahan namin at agad namula at pilit pinapatigil ang panunukso ng bawat isa.
"Doc! Doc Zea, may boyfriend ka ba?" Tanong ni Jane iyong isa sa pinakamaingay na kasama namin. Agad akong umiling at nagsimula nanaman sila sa panunukso.
"Masaya kaya ang buhay single 'no! 'Di ba Doc?" Singit ni Iyana, 'yung babae kanina na binalikan ako nang matigil ako sa paglalakad.
"Yeah, as long as you're happy and contented with what you have now." I answered. Nagkatuksuhan muli dahil doon. The night went on smoothly hanggang umuwi na kami sa dorm na kung saan muna kami mamalagi.
Kasama ko sa kwarto si Iyana at si Jane. They told me that I should have the solo bed at sila na doon sa double deck. I accepted it nalang, I did my night routine and then I sat down on my bed and got my laptop. I need to read and study pa rin kahit doctor na ko.
"Doc, ang hardworking mo naman." Iyana said. Tumingala ako dahil sa taas na kama niya napiling humiga habang si Jane sa baba ay tulog na at mukhang napagod kanina. She's so energetic earlier.
"Sige, you need to sleep too 'cause we need to do some work tomorrow." Tumango siya at agad nang humiga.
Humiga na rin ako pero ilang minuto na akong nakatitig sa kisame. Here's my anxiety kicking in again. I shook my head and count some numbers for me to fall asleep.
The next morning, maaga kaming lumabas ng dorm at dumiretso sa hospital. We will be assisting there for the meantime.
Dahil maaga pa at medyo malapit lang namang ang ospital ay nilakad nalang namin nila Iyana at Jane papunta doon.
"Doc Iya, ang daming gwapong sundalo at airforce dito!" Tili ni Jane at kumapit sa kamay ni Iya. Nagulat ako nang hatakin din ako ni Jane at kinapitan ang aking braso. "Dito ko na kaya mahahanap ang forever ko?" She said dreamily. Napatingin na lamang kami ni Iya sa isa't isa.
"Hindi ba kapag ganoong uniform, airforce?" Jane said and pointed the guys who's walking towards us. I suddenly felt nervous but I looked back at the guys who's now close to us. The guys bowed to us as we walk pass by each other. Noon lamang ako kumalma, nang makarating na kami sa ospital ay pumunta na kami sa designated areas namin. I assisted in the OPD for the meantime.
Nang matapos ako sa OPD ay naglakad ako papunta sa left wing para puntahan si Doc Iya. Maglulunch break na kaya naman kailangan namin kumain muna.
But I was taken aback when somebody pulled my wrist. Nanlaki ang mata ko at agad na tumingin sa lalaking nakasuot ng airforce uniform.
"Y-yes?" I asked and looked at his badge. It looks like he's a Seargeant?
"Doc emergency," he said and I immediately followed him to the emergency room. I stopped midway when I saw who was injured. He was holding his forehead to stop the bleeding.
I walked and kept my calm. A nurse immediately came to assist me. He was looking down so he didn't noticed me.
"Let me see the wound." I said. Agad siyang nagtaas ng tingin nang marinig akong magsalita. Umawang agad ang kaniyang labi at walang emosyong nakatingin sa akin.
He acts and looks like he doesn't know me.
I checked his wound in his forehead but good thing it wasn't deep and it wouldn't leave a scar. I held his face to see the wound better. Bumaba ang tingin ko sa kaniya at tinignan ang kaniyang reaksiyon pero ganoon pa rin ang reaksiyon ng mukha niya simula kanina.
Dahan dahan ko nalang itong ginamot. I can't stop myself to check how much he've change. His face became much mature, his eyes became more defined.
He suddenly shifted his eyes on me kaya napapikit ang ng ilang beses bago ako umatras at tumikhim.
Nilagyan ko na ng ointment. He flinched a bit kaya tumigil ako. "Mahapdi ba?" I asked.
"It's fine," he answered shortly. Ipinagpatuloy ko nalang ang paglalagay ng ointment.
Inabot sa akin ng nurse ang gauze band aid at dahan dahan ko ulit itong inilagay sa sugat niya.
"It's done, you should treat your wound and get back here for it to get checked." I said shortly. "I'll go first," I said.
"Thank you, Doc!" Pahabol na sabi ng kasama niya. I just smiled in return bago naglakad na paalis.
Dumiretso nalang ako sa left wing at nakasalubong ko na sila Iyana at Jane. I stopped in front of them.
"Oh Doc, we're about to fetch you. Let's go get our lunch." Sabi ni Iyana. I just nodded and we continued walking towards the cafeteria hall. We saw some of our colleagues there. We were just talking about work the whole time.
Bumalik muna ako sa on-call room para magpahinga, after two hours I went outside to assist again. It was kinda tiring because the hospital is so huge. Mabuti nalang at mabait si Dr. Almasen. Kahit iyong mga kasama naming intern ay gustong gusto siya.
"Thank you for your work today," She said to the interns and then she faced me. "You're good on handling patients, well done." She complimented me.
"Thank you Doc." I answered politely.
"You can all rest for the meantime." She said at iniwan na kami dahil may tumawag sa kaniyang cellphone.
"Good job," I said to them as we walk to the on-call room.
"Thank you Doc," The two giggled. Nag bow lang nang bahagya yung lalaking intern.
Nang makarating kami sa on-call room ay agad na kaming nagpahinga. Magra-rounds uli kami mamaya para i-check ang mga pasyente. The hospital is so busy today, maraming emergencies at busy sa kaniya kaniyang trabaho.
Wala pa atang isang oras ay tumunog ang alarm kaya napabalikwas ako mula sa pagkakahiga, ganoon din ang mga kasama ko.
"Code Blue," bulong ko at agad kinuha ang coat ko. Sunod sunod kaming tumakbo palabas ng on-call room. Nakarating agad kami sa emergency room at nakita roon si Dr. Almasen, it's an emergency patient.
The patient had a cardiac arrest and it needs to get a CPR immediately. The AED is now connected to the patient's chest and all we need to do is to get his heartbeat back. After two minutes of doing CPR.
"Prepare for defibrillation,"
"Clear,"
We manage to get the patient's heartbeat back. Doon lamang ako nakahinga ng maluwag. The patient will now be transferred to the ICU for the meantime.
Wala na kaming tulog dahil diretso na kami agad nagrounds. Natapos lamang kami nang umaga na. I'm heading back to the dormitory to take a shower, babalik din ako kaagad dahil may naka-schedule na operation ngayon.
Tinanggal ko ang suot ko na heels at naglakad ng nakapaa. sobrang sakit na ng paa ko at naiwan ko sa dorm ang tsinelas ko. Umupo muna ako sandali sa bench at minasahe ang paa ko. It is now a bit red. Napakagat ako sa labi ko, mabut at malapit na ako sa dorm. Napangiwi ako at isinuot nalang uli ang heels kaysa sa makaapak ako ng kung anuman sa daan.
Pa-ika ika akong naglalakad at pinagtitinginan ako ng mga nakakasalubong ko. Nang subukan kong bilisan ang paglalakad ay kamuntikan na akong matapilok pero may humawak sa braso ko.
Nakayuko ako kaya hindi ko kaagad nakita kung sino ang tumulong sa akin. Napakurap ako nang makita ko si Jac. He was holding my arm to keep me balanced.
Hinablot ko ang braso ko at umayos ng tayo. What should I say? I maintained my composure and bowed at him shortly instead. Nang malagpasan ko na siya ay saka lamang siya nagsalita.
"Can you walk?" He asked. Humarap ako sa kaniya at tumango nalang. "Don't get me wrong, it's my duty to help others." He said and walked away leaving me dumbfounded.
Duty? I scoffed and continued walking and why would I think about something else? I'm not the kind of girl na laging naglalagay ng malisya. Tinanggal ko ang sapatos ko at naglakad na lang ng nakapaa papasok sa dorm.