Shower day

Rewind:
September 27, 2014 Saturday, Renaissance Hotel, Washington DC
I was up and ready by 4:30 am.

Before leaving room 337,  I sat on the bed for a minute and prayed over myself. My stomach has been hurting for three continuous days and I didn’t know if it’s something serious.

I prayed for strength to bear the pain. I prayed that I arrive in SFO fast enough and reach the hospital in time. That the pain doesn’t worsen during the long 5 1/2 hours flight. I prayed for God to take care of me, to keep me safe and well.

RP called my room. He was waiting near the elevator when I went down. He printed my boarding pass and I paid $93 extra using my credit card to upgrade my seat into premier comfort in the front row. The flight’s full so the only seat available in front was a middle seat.

We left the hotel at 5:15 am. It was still dark.
We passed by a hospital, George Washington Emergency Hospital and Jun Bella told me, I should go there. My friends knew that I have stomach pain.

Edmund called while I was on my way to the airport. He sounded real worried and wanted me to stay put in DC and let Aileen fly to DC to be with me. He thought it would be too risky for me to fly for 6 hours under excruciating pain. Mahirap naman dito sa DC abutin. Wala akong kapatid dito. too much hassle.

Although I was in pain, my spirits were high. In the 45 minute ride from DC to Dulles, Tony Boy gave me advises about what to do and explaining to me everything that’s happening with my gallbladder. He said I should take antibiotic. Para siyang doctor.

Their presence calmed me down because I knew hindi nila ako pababayaan in case my condition worsened.

I had some difficulty walking but I had no choice.  No one’s going to carry me.

It was a full flight and the 4 of us were not seated together. Jun Bella took a different flight, to Seattle.

Halfway, my body started shaking, probably reacting from the pain. I cried a little while in the toilet. I got worried my blood pressure could shoot up so I took one Ponstan 500 mg SF capsule to arrest the pain. This is the first time I took a pain reliever in the past 3 days of pain. I also took a tiny speck of Bonamine to relax me.  I was hungry because I haven’t taken anything since last night except for sips of water. I didn’t want to eat anything. I also didn’t take my maintenance drug, Concore.

The pain subsided a little but I could still feel it. Th cramped seat aggravated my ngawit. I pulled my blouse up and rubbed peppermint on my belly. I didn’t care if the white guy to my right felt uncomfortable. My tummy was aching and the peppermint could ease the pain a bit.

The pilot announced that we were re-routed which would save us 30 minutes of flying time. I thought that was really great. I needed to reach a hospital as fast as I could.

We landed ahead of schedule.

Before I headed for the airport in DC, I’ve already messaged Aileen that I may have to go straight to Kaiser that’s why from SFO airport, Bong drove straight to Kaiser in San Leandro, along 880.

In Manila, when I pulled in at the emergency entrance, the nurses come running. Dito pala hindi, maybe because we didn’t look sick. We looked like we’re going to the mall.

We had to get a number first.

While Aileen and I were in line, these family came and the guy was continuously vomiting. I let them go first, otherwise I would start throwing up myself. Masakit lang ang tyan ko, hindi ako nagsusuka.

A wait to get a number,

a wait for initial evaluation, a wait to get my patient number,

a wait for the nurse, a wait for the doctor, a wait for blood test, a wait for the result, a wait for the ultrasound. I didn’t expect that I would wait for several hours. Before I knew it, it’s night time.

I argued with the nurses and doctors not to take my gall bladder out.  Just to give me anti biotic.  But they said my condition could worsen in the next 12 hours.  Maybe not,  but they can’t be sure.  And since I would be taking a long flight,  it’s too risky.  At some point, they told me I could die from infection.  They gave me some time to decide but my siblings decided to have it done right away.  It’s an emergency.

OMB to the nurses and doctor———-“How sure are you that it’s my gall bladder and not something else?”

Although I was feeling distressed from pain and from the morphine,  I still managed to argue with them with my eyes closed.  I heard someone said gall bladder has little or no use.  I said “Why did God put it there if it has no purpose?”

I observed that Kaiser’s staff are knowledgeable and very professional.  Unlike one time I got confined in Manila,  the nurse poured out her financial problems and tried to borrow money from me.

Since I don’t have a medical insurance or a traveller’s insurance,  someone came to give me a financial aid packet.  They asked me to fill it out so they could determine if I qualify for the poverty line.

Since I am used to our country’s standard procedure of not letting anyone leave the hospital without full payment,  I told my sister and Kuya that I have my credit card in my bag.

OMB———“Kuya, they accept credit cards?  I have my credit card”.

Kuya ——– “Aba, baka hindi kasya ang limit.  Baka itong sa emergency pa lang ay ilang libo na.  Yung operation pa”.

OMB———- “Five thousand?”
Kuya——— “Hindi lang”.
OMB———- “Ten thousand?”
Kuya——— “More”.
OMB———- “Twenty thousand?”

I was discharged without any payment yet.  But yesterday,  someone from the hospital’s finance department phoned and asked me how I intend to settle the bill.   I asked “and how much is the bill?”  She did not give me a final amount.  It could go up or down according to the woman.  She said the statement of account would be sent in two to three weeks.  I don’t know why they need that much time just to compute.    I hope I don’t get depressed when I see their bill.

I am still trying to process the events that unfolded before me the past week most especially the last three days. I was supposed to stay only for a little over a week to go to DC. Imagine my schedules? Dinner with Senator Richard Lugar, Capitol Hill, Speaker’s Office, The US Senate, Exim Bank lunch, a walk around the Pentagon, a peek into the White House, lunch with DFA Sec. Albert del Rosario, merienda with Ambassador Joey Cuisia, a gorgeous dinner at the Jefferson Hotel hosted by Ernie Bower for our group. I didn’t know that the culmination of my Washington DC trip would be removal of my body organ.  I missed my flight back to Manila.  I caused my family tremendous worry.  I missed seeing my daughter before she flew to NY.

Great. What a great climax. I became the center of attraction with mega spotlights trained at me inside the operating room. All eyes were on me, on my tummy. While I was completely drugged so there wouldn’t be any pain.

Nurse———“Mrs. Yee, remove everything that you have”.

With that, I took off my pants and panty. Sanay naman tayong magburles. When one is sick, wala ng hiya, walang inhibitions.

My sister and her husband stayed with me all the time. Taking care of my belongings and speaking to the doctors and nurses.  My Kuya Junior was there too, speaking to his co-doctors.

Today is the 3rd day after my emergency medical procedure and the pain is still here and there. Last night I felt pain all over my lower back, sides and stomach. I became so upset and worried. What if they took out the wrong organ? What if the pain is caused by something else? I am so pessimistic.

After 3 tablets, my sister informed me that this medicine would make me dizzy. That’s why. I was glad she told me that. I felt worst every time I took a tablet. She called Kuya Junior and told him I would just take Biogesic or Ponstan. He said this codone is a narcotic drug and is very strong. If I could tolerate the pain, then it’s better to take a lower dosage and simple pain reliever. I felt a lot better a few hours after I stopped taking this medicine.

October 1, 2014 Wednesday

Today is also my shower day according to the guide given to me by Kaiser. My sister would be coming home on her lunch break to bathe me. But I didn’t want to be too much of a bother. I went ahead and took a bath at 11 am.
My back was against the shower head kasi bawal to let the water hit the bandages directly.

While I showered, I just remembered my parents who showered here too. It must have been hard for two old, sick people to gather themselves and bear their bodies’ pains. It also dawned on me that I am away from my family, and all these are happening.

Those thoughts made me lose it. I shed a tear or two. People think I am a tough cookie, I am not. I am a soft dough.

I could now walk short distances. I could stay seated for a few hours. The biggest challenge of the day remains getting out of bed in the morning. Len and Bong are back to work and by the time I woke up, they’re gone. I still have to discover the best way to pull my body up without hurting my stomach too much. Too much laughing, giggling and coughing are not advised because they shake my wounds.

I am looking forward to better days.

#betterdays