I spent my Friday morning (December 11, 2015) helping the nuns and priest distribute itlog, biscocho and lugaw to hundreds of patients at the ward sections of the Philippine General Hospital in Taft Avenue, Manila.
Instead of bringing two sacks of rice for the succeeding lugaw feeding, I just gave Fr. Salt (the new chaplain) some cash to buy a few sacks. Mahirap kasi magbuhat at magkarga sa van ng bigas. Ang bigat. Ang payat pa mandin ng driver ko.
I woke up that morning with a runny nose, more of allergy. It got me worried about my stamina for the morning task. For a second, I thought of skipping the lugaw feeding because my body resistance could be low. But I didn’t want to miss this chance of doing something to help the poor and the sick although my help is miniscule.
The ride from our house to PGH was 1.5 hours.
It’s heavy traffic everywhere in Manila.
There was a tiangge at the Supreme Court grounds.
Taft Avenue, crossing
I am from USTe kaya Blumentritt is familiar to me. The street is a few blocks away from the campus.
Mukhang madumi pag may sulat-sulat
University of the Philippines, Manila
Hindi magandang tingnan pag nagtatapon tayo ng basura sa side walk. Nagmumukhang madungis ang ating lugar.
Eto na kami, entering PGH’s main gate
They blocked the parking area and didn’t allow vehicles to park. My driver got stuck for three hours trying to enter the small remaining parking spaces. Tapos na ako hindi pa rin sya nakaka park.
Last time I joined the lugaw feeding, I got sick for two days from tiredness. The heat and humidity also triggered a severe migraine attack which lasted for two days. With that in mind, I proceeded with my activity, but with caution. Aware that my stamina is low, aware that I could get sick afterwards. So dapat pacing lang.
Mabigat din yun lugaw at yung yuyuko-yuko, nakaka-pagod at nakakahilo.
Bending over to get the bowls of porridge from the crates / trays could trigger vertigo. Hayan ang mga may-edad na, ang daming limitations.
Sister Caroline from Myanmar
We had trouble pushing the heavy cart. The left back wheel was wiggling. I am going to have a better cart fabricated. One that rolls easily and could take heavier loads. One with built in racks for the bowls of lugaw.
My driver got stuck trying to park. He could help push this cart.
First stop was at the ICU waiting area. The patients’ companions are tired and weary, lacking in sleep. Hot lugaw was a little something to comfort them.
Second stop, outpatient, new arrivals
The old man suffered a stroke. They came from Sorsogon.
Itlog oh.
I went prepared to give away some P50 to each patient. Pambili lang nila ng meryenda o chichirya. Fr. Salt advised me to course the money thru them. Kunin ko na lang daw yung names and the family would claim the cash from the chaplain’s office. Para daw hindi magkagulo o managhili yung iba. He has a point. Pero abala kasi sa pasyente, singkwenta lang naman pang bili ng tubig o juice. And I didn’t bring an assistant to get the names of each patient. That would entail so much time and effort. Basta pinag-aabutan ko na lang ng tig-si-singkwenta.
The Legion of Mary volunteers are giving away a prayer card.
3 year old boy with hydrocephalus. His dad is the one caring for him.
Some sick babies were only 3 day old, 5 days, 7 days.
Ay kawawa, wala pang kamuang-muang, nahaharap agad sa matinding pagsubok sa buhay.
I didn’t give him fifty pesos kasi si manong naka Louis Vuitton na unan.
I have a different script when we went to the buntis area “Pang-ilan mo na yan? Wag ng dagdagan ang babies, tama na yan ha?”
It was 11 am, I was feeling so hot because of the humidity. Medyo hilo na rin at pagod. Merong pang ilang itlog na natitira. Itlog mo oh?
There were patients staying at the hallway kasi no more beds in the ward sections.
This guy broke his leg from a motorcycle accident.
I couldn’t remember how many times I said “Oh huwag masyadong matulin pagnag mo-motor”. “Huwag -iinom kung magmamaneho”. “Mag-iingat lalo na kung madilim”. “Huwag kaskasero”.
He suffered bruoekn limbs, cuts and bruises from a motorcycle accident. I forgot his name.
This is Erlinda, she’s watching over her son who had a ruptured appendicitis. I reminded her to seek treatment for her goiter.
Lumala na kasi hindi sya nagpapagamot.
Talop ang balat sa isang braso, gasgas dito, bali doon. Saan pa eh di sa motor na naman. Eto na naman ako “Oh, buti hindi ka namatay. Sa susunod mag-iingat, wag lusot-ng lusot…..” blah blah blah. Para akong sirang plaka.
Eto naman si Antonio from Cavite. Ayan nakipag-inuman, bugbog-sarado.
Putok ang ulo.
Omb——“Buti hindi ka sinaksak”. “Buti buhay ka pa”. “Mag-iingat sa susunod. Huwag ka ng makipag-inuman sa mga yon, baka sa susunod todasin ka na”.
Wife——“Mam, sa ulo ho lahat ng tama nya”.
Omb——-“Bilisan mo kasi ang takbo. Huwag kang paabot sa kanila”.
Wife——“lasing din sya mam”.
Omb——-“Hayun, wag maglasing para maka takbo ka ng mabilis. Oh pang-meryenda, wag ka ng maglasing”.
Roel Reco and his wife have 6 boys. They finally have a girl, not one but two, TWINS. Eto naka-incubator.
Omb—–“Roel, bakit ang dami mo ng anak, tama na yan ha?”
Roel—-“Naghabol mam ng babae, gusto namin maka-babae”.
Omb—–“Meron na dalawa pa kaya siugraduhin na wala ng kasunod”.
Eto nagsermon na naman ako. “Mahirap ang buhay, paano mo pag-aaralin lahat yan”.
I noticed her bulging stomach.
Omb——“Buntis ka ba?” Pang-ilan mo na yan?” Ilang taon ka na?”
It’s her fifth.
Omb——“Naki ang dami na, wag mo ng dagdagan”.
Di bale daw kasi 3 yata namatay. Nanay ko po.
She’s from Pasay City.
Angela to me——“Mam, kuhanan mo kami ng picture”.
Me to sister C—-“Sister Caroline, she wants to have her picture taken with you and sister Vincentia”.
Angela——–“Mam i-facebook mo ako. Ipadala mo picture”.
Omb——-“Anong pangalan?”
Angela—–“Angela Fernandez”.
Omb——–“Eh paano kung marami kang kapangalan”.
Angela—–“May picture ako, ako ang pinaka maganda dun”.
I was getting ready to leave kasi medyo tagilid na ako. Haung-hapo na talaga. About 8 women followed me, asking for money. Hmm that’s what Fr. Salt was worried about. Okay lang. I still had some crispy 50 bills. I gave to all pero I left hurriedly kasi baka dumugin ako. Ha ha ha. One woman said “para singkwento pesos lang”. Oo nga naman, pero malaking bagay na yan para sa mahihirap. Kahit pambili lang ng meryenda, konting tulong lang. Consuelo lang naman sa kanila, anyway it’s Christmas.
(Apologies to some OHM readers who wanted to come with me to PGH. I forgot to inform you beforehand).
