Ramblings...

I woke up early as usual and went through my regular early morning routine (of cooking breakfast for the kids and multi-tasking in Facebook) when I felt a nagging pain on my rightside chest.  Still, I went on my business and tried to ignore it.  After escorting my mother to her jeepney stop for church, I got into a jeepney on my way to work.  The pain was already bothersome by now.  I already  felt difficulty getting deep breaths.  So I finally decided to go straight to the FEU hospital to get some doctor's advise.  

It was a slow day at the ER that time around 5:30am so I got immediate attention.  The nurse got my pulse, blood pressure, and ECG.  Unfortunately, it was male nurse which ruled out any happy hour during my stay.  Actually, there was a scarcity of any pretty nurses or interns around which made my stay quite boring.  After 30 minutes, the doctor tells me that my vitals were all normal.  He then decides to give me a painkiller.  After an hour, the pain finally subsided.  According to the doctor's report it was COSTOCHRONDITIS.  Unfortunately, I had an allergic reaction to the the painkiller I was given to take and ended up with itchy, swollen eyes as if I got into a round with Pacman.  Now I'm the source of humor by Chesca who says that I look like Majinboo (whoever that is).

I think I had the same episode a couple of years ago.  I also brought myself to the hospital with the same problem.  That time I did not tell my wife until I got home.  You can just imagine the flack that I got for not telling her.  So this time I called her as soon as I got to the ER.  My first words were, "Do not panic."  I guess it was something you don't tell your wife when you're calling from the ER.  Although she did not go to hysterics, she just got in her shirt and jeans and set off without doing her morning hygiene rituals and was by my side in no time.  Sweet, right?  That's why I love my wife very much!

Where's the vacuum?

That was the very first question that I asked my wife when I heard this story.


My son was confined at the FEU hospital for five days. The hospital was fully booked and the only remaining room was the Executive Suite Room which is two levels up versus my health insurance coverage.

We had waited to be admitted for more than an hour and when it was finally our turn I was informed that there is no more regular private room available nor any other room lower than my coverage except the Executive Suite Room. Given the late hour and the need to have my son checked, I agreed to check in to that room in the hope that there would be an available regular private room available the following day. No such luck.

In fairness, the room was spacious and except for the hospital bed, it did not look like a hospital room at all. There was a ref, a leather sofa, a four person dining table, a wash sink, and a personal bath with hot water. Oh, and did I mention that the floor was carpeted? Well it was! Such a nice room it was!

However, I can’t say the same in terms of services.

Having stayed there for 3 days, my wife noticed that no one came to clean up the carpet. So that’s three days worth of food crumbs, dirt, and what not. A tickler for cleanliness, my wife couldn’t resist calling up housekeeping to request that the carpet be cleaned. Expeditious action is definitely an asset of this hospital. Within minutes, here comes the housekeep. He tells my wife and son to cover their noses and then proceeds to sweep the floor. What?! Sweep the floor?! Where’s the vacuum?!

I should have seen this coming. On our first day, my wife would like to take a hot shower and found the heater was not working. Again, their maintenance people got there quick checked on the problem. When they where done, I asked what the problem was. According to the tech, “Mahina ang tubig sir kaya walang nakakarga sa heater.” What?! A suite room with a low water pressure? E manong pang sinisingil ka ng mahal?!

Hmmm…dapat yata e mag demand ako ng discount.

A Depressing ER Experience

A hospital’s emergency room is the most depressing room to be in.  The atmosphere is foreboding, stressful and utterly depressing. 

My three year old son was recommended to be confined after a routine check up.  He was with fever and dehydrated.  So my wife and I took him to the FEU hospital in Fairview.  There was no skirting the ER since this is the first step prior to admission.

The very instant that you breathe in that ER air you are automatically burdened with a heavy heart in the midst of all the drama around.

The FEU ER was packed when we arrived around 5pm.  Four priority cases are being attended to and it was rather depressing to be in the middle of it all.  Relatives of those in critical condition are either teary eyed, crying, or in total breakdown.  One case that struck a nerve was that of a baby who was fighting for his/her life.  A doctor was seemingly giving him/her CPR, another looked like she was trying to wake up the child and was shaking his/her right hand, and another was pumping air into the child’s mouth.  The child had a bloated abdomen and dark in color.  This went on for more than an hour and then the wailing started.  The child did not survive and relatives were crying.  It was really dispiriting.   

It was the longest wait that I had to endure.  Being a parent, I felt the pain.  My heart felt heavy.  I said a silent prayer for that child.  May he/she rest in peace.