love thy parents

Some people who work abroad have the luxury of spending their vacation in PI through partying and just having a good time. Unfortunately, hindi ako kasama sa category na yon coz I have other priorities. Vacation for me means something else. It’s caring for my 82-year old mom who is now suffering from one sickness after the other. That, on top of the fact that her broken hip joint had her confined to a wheelchair for the longest time now.

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Kaya ang bakasyon ko is mostly spent on giving her all the attention I can give. When she was still staying in Sta Rosa, I make sure that she gets to see the doctor for some check-up na hinding-hindi nya gagawin kung ang mga kasama lang nya sa bahay ang magyayaya sa kanya. I also make sure that she visits places na hindi rin nya gagawin kung sila-sila lang. Like going to the malls or eat out in a restaurant. At syempre, pag sya ang kasama ko, sa mga medyo pricey resto ang punta namin at hindi sa Chow King.

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Now that she’s back in Mindoro, nawala naman ang pagiging sickly nya. In fact she gained some weight dahil sa magandang appetite. Maya-maya kain. Sleeps well too. Di tulad ng dati na kailangan ko pa syang ibili ng vitamins para lang kumain at makatulog ng maayos.

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But something happened that tested how far I can go when it comes to caring for her. Nagkaron sya ng skin infection na hindi ko alam kung saan nanggaling. The infection was so awful it covered most part of her body. At kung hindi ko sya mahal na Nanay, hinding-hindi ako lalapit sa kanya. Mahina ang sikmura ko sa ganon. Kaya nga hindi ako nag-doctor or nursing man lang. Madaling bumaliktad ang sikmura ko sa mga sugat, dugo at kung ano-ano pa.

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But when I saw her suffer from severe discomfort, scratching herself to sleep, I felt so bad for her. Sabi ko google lang ang katapat nyan. I turned to herbal medicine dahil nasa probinsya naman at maraming dahon sa paligid.

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I found Acapulco, a green leaf na parang larger version ng malunggay at namumulaklak ng kulay dilaw. Based on what I found, ito raw ang pinaka-magaling when it comes to skin diseases. It has to be pounded para kumatas at yong katas ang ipapahid sa infected areas.

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I was even surprised with myself na ako mismo ang nagpapahid sa kanya ng gamot. At hindi ako naduwal o nadiri kahit kaunti. Ang naisip ko lang, I’ll do whatever it takes para gumaling ang nanay ko. And that’s when I realized na pag mahal mo pala talaga ang isang tao, you can do anything. Mawawala ang lahat ng kaartehan mo sa katawan.

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The herbal treatment showed immediate effect. After one application, gumanda agad ang balat nya at medyo nabawasan ang pangangati. But I still looked for dermatologist the following day. Gusto ko pa rin syang ma-treat dahil baka internal ang source nong infection.

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But then again, nasa Mindoro nga pala kami. In a place na inaabot naman ng Coke at dyaryo pero ang dermatologist ay available lang kung Sunday dahil nagki-clinic sa provincial capitol during weekdays. Hindi ko naman pwedeng ibyahe ang pasyente sa bako-bakong 100km ng kalsada na hindi naman naipagawa ng VP na taga-Mindoro pa naman. Otherwise sasakit na naman ng husto ang hip joint nyang na-dislocate.

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So I had to continue the herbal medication. Sinamahan ko pa ng paligo ng sulfur soap at suporta ng Lamistin (the best anti-fungal cream sabi nong taga-Mercury Drug) na isang tube worth 300 pesos good for one day lang. But who cares. Her well-being is priceless.

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After 5 days, okey na sya. Pwede na nga raw akong mag-albularyo sabi ng mga tao dito sa amin. Talk about finding a fallback huh! Pero sa tingin ko beyond the things na pinapahid, it’s the touch of care na nagpagaling sa kanya. Pag talagang inalagaan, gagaling. Aside from the fact na hindi sya maka-suway kapag ako ang gumagamot sa kanya. Eh numero uno pa namang pasaway. Doktor nga hindi umubra. Di lalo ang Ate ko at kahit sinong kasama sa bahay. Walang bawal-bawal sa kanya pag gusto nya. Mana yata sa akin sa katigasan ng ulo. Kaya sa akin din lang talaga sumusunod at naniniwala.

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Did I feel shortchanged for having spent my vacation this way? Not at all. Kahit buong bakasyon ko pa ang magamit ko sa pag-aalaga sa kanya, it’s what I want. No doubt about it. Happiness for me is being behind her wheelchair every afternoon, walking her through the neighborhood. Masaya na akong nasa bahay at nakikita syang masarap kumain, mahimbing ang tulog at nakangiti sa pag-gising sa umaga.

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Like most of my friends, I believe that one of the greatest love we can give in our lifetime is to love and care for our parents, specially the elderly. It's not just following one of God's Ten Commandments. It's not only because we owe them our lives. It's because we simply love them. Unconditionally. Anybody who’d disagree will have to do some serious thinking.