Our Long Distance Love Affair

Chapter 2: Tumor

“FOURTH FLOOR, room 407, go ahead Yvette, I’ll follow after I park this!” sigaw ni Michelle mula sa siwang ng bintana ng kotse habang si Yvette naman ay nagmamadaling lumabas ng kotse.

Walang lingon-likod na itinaas lang ni Yvette ang mga kamay kung saan ay naka-’okay sign’, habang patuloy sa pagtakbo papasok ng hospital.

Ilang minuto din silang nagmaneho ni Michelle, bago nila narating ang hospital na nabanggit ni Teacher Sai sa mensahe nito sa kanya. At dahil kailangan pang iparada ni Michelle ang kotse ay naunan na si Yvette na pumasok sa loob ng hospital.

Agad niyang tinungo ang information desk pero ng maalala niya na may ibinigay na pa lang numero si Michelle ay agad siyang lumiko papunta sa elevator ng hospital. Mukha namang nakikiayon sa kanya ngayon ang tadhana at agad na bumukas ang elevator para sa kanya. Nagmamadaling pumasok naman siya doon, at sa sobrang pagkaaligaga niya ay hindi niya napansin na isa pala sa iilang sakay ng elevator na ’yon ay si Teacher Sai, who felt so relief after finally seeing Yvette.

“Miss Saavedra!” mabilis na dulog ni Teacher Sai kay Yvette na bahagyang nagulat pa nang bigla na lang may humawak sa balikat niya, “T-teacher Sai!” Yvette exclaimed after seeing it was, Teacher Sai.

Magkabilang hinawakan niya ang balikat ng guro habang maluha-luha niya itong tinitigan. “T-teacher Sai, h-how was she? How was my angel?” utal-utal na tanong ni Yvette sa guro habang halos hindi na mapatid ang pagtulo ng mga luha niya.

Dahil doon ay napaluha na rin si Teacher Sai, naaawa para kay Yvette.

“Calm down Miss Saavedra, please calm down,” pag-aalo ni Teacher Sai kay Yvette, habang naluluhang niyakap ang huli.

Hindi nila ininda ang mga tao na nasa loob pa rin ng elevator na hindi rin naman sila binigyang-pansin dahil hindi na bago ang ganoong sitwasyon sa hospital. Matapos magsilabasan ng mga nasa loob ng elevator, leaving only Yvette and Teacher Sai alone, the elevator finally closed.

Pagsara ng elevator ay mabilis na pinindot ni Teacher Sai ang fourth floor button habang inaalalayan ang umiiyak pa ring si Yvette.

“W-what happened, Teacher Sai? Why did my angel suddenly fell unconscious?” tanong ni Yvette, na nahimasmasan na rin sa wakas.

Pinunasan niya naman ang mga luha habang napalayo nang kaunti kay Teacher Sai.

Nanatili namang nakatingin lang si Teacher Sai kay Yvette, nag-iisip kung paano sisimulan o kung ano ang sasabihin. Dahil kung tutuusin ay maging siya ay walang alam sa kung anong nangyari sa bata. Pagkakita na lang niya kay Yvonne ay nakahandusay na ito sa sahig.

Bago pa makasagot si Teacher Sai ay siyang bukas naman ng elevator kaya naman walang nagawa si Teacher Sai kun’di ang hilain papalabas ng elevator ang naghihintay na si Yvette at habang naglalakad papunta sa kwartong kinaroroonan ni Yvonne ay ikinwento ni Teacher Sai ang nangyari.

“As I told you on my message, I walk out to get Yvonne something to drink. And I didn’t even took an hour and only after less than five minutes when I returned and it was what I have seen when I return. Young Yvonne was laying unconscious just in front of the teacher’s table,” muling pananariwa ni Teacher Sai sa nangyari.

Napalunok naman si Yvette habang mas napahigpit ang pagkakakuyom niya sa kamao. Pero hindi siya nagsalita at nanatili ang straight na tingin sa dinadaanan. Nakakatunog na siya kung ano ang nangyari sa anak ngunit ayaw niya lang bigyang pansin dahil masyado iyong masama kung iisipin.

“But honestly speaking, Miss Saavedra, this morning when you brought Little Yvette to school, I actually notice that she’s a little bit pale. At first, I ignored it since today’s temperature is really low, and she just came in so maybe she’s cold. But . . .” Teacher Sai stop from talking as she stared at Yvette, who stopped with her step. Nanginginig ang mga kamay ni Yvette habang nakatingin kay Teacher Sai na medyo nagtataka sa inaakto niya.

“T-teacher Sai, i-is . . . except of her paleness, d-does she look tired or having a facial weakness?” utal-utal na tanong ni Yvette kay Teacher Sai, na medyo nagtataka man ay napa-isip agad, that’s why she didn’t noticed the trembling of Yvette’s hands so as her lips.

“Looking back now, Little Yvonne really do looks timid on the whole class hours. She wasn’t that participative and active like she always do. I thought, she was just feeling weak and lethargic because of the increasing cold but—AH! Miss Saavedra!” Teacher Sai exclaimed in horror when she noticed how Yvette loss her balance.

Mabilis na dinulugan ni Teacher Sai si Yvette nang aktong matutumba ito, pero mabilis din namang napahawak si Yvette sa balikat ni Teacher Sai, trying to calm herself, “Miss Saavedra, are you okay?” nag-aalalang tanong pa ni Teacher Sai.

Pigil ang mga luhang nagpupumilit na muling pumatak ay nanghihinang napaayos ng pagkakatayo si Yvette habang mas hinigpitan ang pagkakakuyom ng mga kamay kung saan siya kumukuha ng lakas. Dahil sa totoo lang ay hindi alam ni Yvette kung saan siya kukuha ng lakas sa oras na maging tama nga ang mga hula niya.

TUNOG lang ng takong ng sapatos na suot ni Yvette ang tanging maririnig sa buong hallway ng tahimik na fourth floor ng hospital. Marahil ay dahil sila na lamang ang natitirang tao sa buong hallway kung saan nakalagay ang mga upuan para sa pamilya o kasama ng mga pasyente na naghihintay sa resulta ng ilang tests.

It was a sound created by the continuous tapping of the tip of Yvette’s hills on the tiled floor of the hospital, as it was her way of calming her own heart. Isama pa ang kanina pa niya pagngata sa mga kuko ng daliri na parang isang bata na sa pagkakaalala niya ay ang unang beses na muli niyang gawin dahil lang sa sobrang kaba.

Gano’n kasi si Yvette kapag nakakaramdam ng sobrang kaba. Yung kabang hindi lang simple na halos nakasalalay na doon ang buhay niya. Huling natatandaan niya na ginawa niyang ang pagngatngat sa mga kuko ay noong unang lipad niya papalabas ng Pilipinas at papuntang California ng mag-isa.

Mahigit isang oras na rin kasi siyang naghihintay sa paglabas ng doctor na nagda-diagnose sa anak niya. Mahigit isang oras na rin siyang hindi mapakali, mula sa pabalik-balik na paglalakad, pag-inom ng kape kung saan binili pa ni Michelle sa labas, ang paulit-ulit na pagtapik niya ng suot na hills sa sahig, at ang halos pagpudpod niya ng mga kuko kakangata.

Tanging siya na lang kasama si Michelle ang nakatambay sa hallway dahil ang anak na lang naman niya ang pasyente sa diagnosis room. Agad din kasing nakahabol sa kanila si Michelle samantalang pinauwi na ni Yvette si Teacher Sai pagkarating na pagkarating ni Michelle. Noong una ay ayaw pa ni Teacher Sai na umalis, nagpupumilit na samahan sila sa paghihintay kaya lang ay napilit na rin sa huli ni Yvette ang guro at sinabihan maaari naman itong bumalik kinabukasan.

“Come on Yvette, you need to eat. Even just a bit,” muling alok ni Michelle ng pagkain kay Yvette.

Anong oras na rin kasi pero hindi pa rin kumakain si Yvette ng dinner. Mahigit isang oras na rin kasing dina-diagnose si Yvonne at hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin iyon natatapos. Gustuhin mang kumain ni Yvette ay hindi niya magawang kumain habang nasa loob ang anak. At isa pa, hindi niya rin naman magawang makaramdam ng gutom dahil sa kalagayan ng anak.

Muli sanang tatanggi si Yvette at sasabihing mamaya na nang bigla ay bumukas na rin sa wakas ang pintuan ng kwarto ni Yvonne kaya naman mabilis na napatayo si Yvette at naglakad papalapit sa papalabas na doktora. Naibaba naman ni Michelle ang hawak na lunch box at naitabi sa inuupuan para makalapit din at marinig ang sasabihin ng doctora.

“Parent?” tanong ng doktora pagkalapit ni Yvette.

At dahil nakatingin ito kay Yvette ay isang tango naman ang naisagot ni Yvette at bahagya pang sumilip sa loob ng kwartong nakabukas bago muling tinignan ang doktora. Nanlalaki pa ang mga mata ni Yvette ng makita ang walang malay na anak at may kung ano-anong aparatus ang nakakabit habang nakahiga sa isang stretcher na tulak-tulak ng ilang nurse.

“You’re her mother?” asked the doctor once again after removing her face mask.

Napipilitang naibalik naman ni Yvette ang tingin sa doktora at magkadaop ang mga palad na tango lang ulit ang naisagot niya. Na nagpatango lang din sa doktora na nakatingin lang sa kanya.

Fidgeting, she mustered up her courage and finally asked, “I-is it malagnant? Can it be cured? Can my daughter be saved, Doc?” sunod-sunod na tanong ni Yvette na nagpagulat sa doktora maging kay Michelle.

Hindi na lang niya pinansin ang nagtatanong na tingin ni Michelle at nanatili ang tingin sa doktora na agad din namang nakarecover mula sa gulat.

“So I am guessing you already had a hunched about it miss,” the doctor stated, nodding slightly at Michelle. Naitikom naman ni Yvette ang bibig sa sinabi ng doktor. “Since you already thought about it, I won’t explain the illness to you. I will just confirm you about your conjectures,” seryosong sabi ng doktora kay Yvette na biglang nagpalambot ng mga tuhod ni Yvette.

Buti na lang at agad siyang naalalayan ni Michelle na mukhang nasasanay na sa madalas na panghihina ng mga tuhod ni Yvette. “Yvette,” Michelle, silently called out when she noticed Yvette crying.

Lahat ng luhang kanina pa pinipigilan ni Yvette ay isa-isang pumatak. Pero hindi siya umiiyak, sadyang kusang tumulo lang ang mga iyon na mukhang napuno na sa sobrang pagpipigil ni Yvette. Pero sa halip na pigilan ay hinayaan niya lang ang mga luhang pumatak habang pilit na kinausap ang doktora tungkol sa kalagayan ng anak.

“Your child experienced a tonic-clonic seizure wherein she loss consciousness and followed by a little twitching which was mild and didn’t last for more seconds. When the child was brought to the hospital, the body was already white, maybe caused by her head hitting the floor when she fell unconscious. Although the tumor of your child is mild, and still hasn’t grown yet, it was still dangerous since the tumor is on her brain,” seryosong saad ng doktora na nagpasinghap kay Yvette at Michelle. Kinakabahang napatingin lang ang dalawa sa doktora na seryosong nakatingin lang din kay Yvette. “Your child has a Pilocytic Astrocytoma, it’s a type of Gliomas which was still unknown if genetics or not. I don’t know how you were able to learn in advance about the possibility of your daughter having a tumor, but I will just think that you had some from your family who had tumor before, although it had only a five percent chance that it can be inherited. You don’t have to worry Miss, as the tumor is only on its early stage where there were only the signs showing that a tissue is only starting to grow, grade one level of Astrocytoma are slow in growth and is also unlikely to spread to other tissues. And so, it can be cured after an operation with a gross total extent of tumor residual. Although, there might be some danger since your daughter is only four years old right?” the doctor asked Yvette with an ease face making Yvette also felt a bit relaxed as the words of the doctor lift off some burdens she had.

Slightly smiling to the doctor, Yvette nodded her head. “She just turned four last June,” she even added making the female doctor smiled at her.

“Anyway, because the child was diagnose early, we can also prevent it from turning into a malignant stage. After all the process we took to diagnose your daughter, you can finally ease up since I can assure you that after taking an operation, your child will be fine. Since your daughter has a lower grade tumor, a surgery is only needed to remove the tumor. After that, she still needs to stay at the hospital for months for her daily check ups, so that we can locate if there are some remains. A radiation therapy or chemo is already enough to completely cleared all the tumor from your child’s brain. And after completely clearing the tumor, your child can be released,” mahabang dagdag ng doktora na lalong nagpatuwa kay Yvette.

Hindi maiwasang magkatinginan si Yvettte at Michelle na halata ang tuwa sa mga mata. Muling nilingon ni Yvette ang doktora ng may maalala. Hesitating, she still asked the question to the doctor, “What are the chances that the tumor won’t return like what I have heard from others after my daughter gets the tumor cleared completely? Aren’t there some cases that after years when the operation occured, the tumor will show signs again. Is my daughter also experience the same?” ang tanging pangamba na namumutawi ng mga oras na iyon kay Yvette.

Napatango naman ang doktora na bigla ay nagseryoso habang ipinapasok sa bulsa ng suot na doctor’s robe ang mga kamay.

“With the higher health technologies that this hospital have, I can assure you Miss that your daughter will completely healed from her tumor after the surgery. As I said, the tumor was diagnosed in it’s early stage. Mostly tumor patients, when they took surgeries, their grades were already on level three to four which causes them to be uncurable. The tumor might be removed but not completely and the chance of the tumor returning is high. But you child is different. We had dignose her when the signs were only showing up. And her tumor is only showing, growing slowly. With my hundred percent, and my dignity as a doctor, I will promise you that your child will be healed completely. As long as you had your child operated as early as possible,” answered the doctor, assuredly while fixing her robe, readying to leave, “Anyway Miss, if ever you’re already decided to have her surgery, feel free to contact me. Also you can rest assured with our hospital miss as we are full of professional and efficient doctors in different departments. For now, we will admit you daughter until you’re decided for more diagnosis. If you have further questions, you can asked the information clerk in the entrance as I can’t entertain you now since I still have some work. For now miss, you can heave a relief sigh and visit your lovely daughter, although she might be sleeping now on her private room just below this floor. Same room number, excuse me,” the female doctor finally smiled at Yvette before tapping the later on her shoulders.

“Thank you, Doc,” Yvette smiled back. Nodding to Yvette, the doctor then leave.

to be continue...