Values that makes us human

Many times we take for granted the miracles the we experience in our daily life, it somehow condition our mind that time, wealth and health seems to last forever and we simply ignore the facts of reality that our life is indeed a miracle.

A lot of times I have seen people abuse this gift of life and never learned to share the real importance of what life is all about except their own personal satisfaction. Today I want to tell you three stories from my yesterday’s life.

The first story is about sharing what you have.

I was working on my project one afternoon doing the usual plumbing of connection from my system to my database when suddenly the ambiance of my environment changed into a certain level of distraction. People began talking to each other, some employees come and go inside our room, sometimes they join the conversation as they enter or leave the room with a banging of the door.

If you happen to experience what it is to solve mission critical and complex problems you would definitely understand that environments like this are what we called, “Hell.” That’s one of the main reasons why most developers prefer to work during night time instead the usual morning office hours.

One thing that caught my attention while working was when I heard Tess desperately searching for six male blood donors with blood type O. First I ignore it since I was working into something that really needs a lot of focus and attention. Then after a few minutes we had a visitor which was the father of our officemate Chichi who came all the way from New Jersey. It reaches to a certain level that I just can’t resist the noise around me and I have to stop what I’m doing and join them. What choice do I have? If you can’t beat them join them.

It was quite fun knowing the father of Chichi together with their step little sister who was very expressive to talk a lot and curious enough to lurks around inside the office. We were smiling and laughing as the little girl replied to some of our questions and just the way she expresses herself. As soon as they leave the room Tess for the second time around caught my attention when she said, “Bat di ko makuhang tumawa? Ewan kahit na anong pilit ko.” She ended it with a cute smile but with sad teary eyes. As if she was carrying a tough burden to her life.

Then as I continue to my never ending work, for the third time she said to her boyfriend “maghahanap muna ako ng anim na lalake na mey type O.” Deep inside in me I know I am a type O guy and it has been two years since I donated my blood to someone who needs it too. Then I decided to stand-up and told her “Hey type O ako I can help you.” And she was so surprise and happy about it. Then I just leave my work and help her look for another five more guys inside our compound.

Every person who comes my way was subject for questioning on what blood type they were and once they told me they were O I immediately invite them to donate some blood. A few of them respond immediately, some was too scared or have a lot of reasons why they can’t but most of them were not qualified. Either they were not type O or they had a high blood pressure. What frustrate me most was: informing a certain person who is qualified to donate and yet, was too chicken shit to be injected by a needle knowing that a dying person needs his blood. It was so unbelievable. Even though the patient has a 50% chance of surviving it doesn’t matter at all because what’s important is the thought of sharing something what you have with high hopes that someday the patient you help will get better somehow.

The Second Story is about loving oneself

As we enter the hospital together with four volunteers including myself, we immediately proceed to the laboratory to know if we qualify as a donor or not. One by one we went inside the room and as soon as we completed the test we found out that two out of four volunteers was type A. It was quite sad because after an hour and a half search for qualified volunteers only the two of us was left.

I was very much impress by my partner Barroma because imagine yourself being injected and at the same time have the guts to look straight ahead to the needle as it enters your skin with out any facial expression that shows he was hurt, as if it was nothing. I can handle the pain but I don’t have the guts to look at the needle while being injected.

Hours have passed while waiting for our physical examination one volunteer shows up and I directed him to the laboratory for cross examination. Minutes later he was out and when I ask him how was it? He said, “Di pala pwede ang naka inum. Dapat pala di ko nalang sinabi.” *toinks*

Eight more volunteers have joined us but two of them did not pass due to alcohol and hypertension. It would take 48 hours before the alcohol subside and a normal blood pressure which is 120/80 in order for a person to qualify.

It was already past 8pm when the nurse called my name for the blood sucking time. The nurse injected first the needle at my right arm near the opposite side of my elbow. Later, the nurse notice that the blood flow was too slow and at 250 ml my blood stopped to flow. The nurse did everything to keep it flowing unfortunately it wont. Then they decided to do it on my left arm this time there were two nurses working together but still no blood was found flowing inside the bag. Then the third time the nurse said, “Kaya mo pa sir? Medyo masakit na to.” Then I replied, “Kaya pa just make sure the blood will flow this time.” The nurse injected it for the third time and this time she dig it real deep as if I could actually feel the needle moving and reaching out my muscle and it was so weird. Tess was so worried and she kept on telling asking me “kaya mo pa? wag na lang kaya? Pwede na yang dugo mo. Nahihilo ka ba?” What was funnier that took me by surprise was when the nurse ask me with a very direct question that caught me off guard. “Sir ka ano ano mo ba sya? Girl friend mo ba? She was so worried about you?” Deep inside I told myself “sino ba naman ang di maging worried sa ginawa nyo sa akin? Imagine tatlong saksak.” I just smiled and said, “No. Officemate ko lang sya.” Maybe the nurse did really notice her. Finally, to no avail there was no blood flow and we decided to have a break for the meantime.

The main point of my second story is about taking good care of ourselves in order to be fit and be ready to share the gift that God has given us. It is only by giving something inside ourselves to the person who needs it will we be able to understand the importance of loving oneself.

The third story is about loving your family.

Sometimes we take them for granted because we see them everyday or we know that they are always there when we seek for them. What we sometimes forget is the importance of time. Our time is limited. Someday not too long from now, we will gradually become old, sick and eventually be cleared away. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be.

When you love your family it is important to show to them how much they mean to you especially when they give presents during your special day, understanding those words of wisdom they shared to you at your desperate moment, listening to the right values that they want you to obtain in order for you to survive, compete and excel. All these aspects are very important but the most important love that you can share to them is the love of being there and doing everything you can to help them revive whenever they are being diagnosed.

Having the blood flow problem inside my veins I decided to take a break for the mean time to give way for others to be plug-in. I decided to relax and had a usual chat with these people that I see but never really got the chance to know them very well. It was amazing to see different personality inside our office most of them are hilarious, some are serious and others are cool with the way they are. It made me realize that I never had a good laugh not until yesterday.

What was even funnier with these guys was when they found out that I have been plug-in and out for three times already and their initial response was “in love lang siguro ang nurse sa iyo!” It did burst me into freaking big laugh but at the same time I was really complaining “Pati ba naman ditto may showbiz.”

Then Tess was back after a short visit to her mother and she sat right besides me with a stressful-sadness in her face. Then I ask her a couple of question:

Me: musta na mother mo?
Tess: ok lang nandun sya sa room.
Me: Ano private room?
Tess: Yes
Me: Sino nagbabantay?
Tess: dalawang kapatid ko.
Me: ok

Then she talks something deep inside herself to me.

Tess: Alam mo kakainis kasi tong dalawang kapatid ko gusto na nilang umuwi.
Me: huh? Bakit? Sino mag babantay?
Tess:Ako din. Gusto pa nila kunin jeep ko. Kakahiya nga eh eto na nga suot ko kanina sa Celcor tapos bukas ng maaga babalik ako dun tapos eto parin suot ko.
Me: grabe naman yan.

Then her brother came along and decided to go home together with his cousins. Fortunately, her sister decided to stay, I just can’t help but wonder why some people seems not to care especially when their own mother is in the line of death.

As I was eating my own snacks wherein she was the one who bought it, I ask her: “kumain ka na?” and she replied, “Di pa nga eh. Ni kahit lunch wala pa rin.” Then I told her “Kumain ka na. Kahit konte lang.” I keep on insisting her until she finally decided to eat something.

While waiting for my turn I saw one nurse finally went out to go home. She was the first nurse who injected me. The moment she walks right through me I greeted her with a simple hi then she smiled back and asked “Mag papakuha ka pa ulit?” and I said, “Yes.” Then she was surprise since I already had plug-ins during my first turn. Perhaps she knows exactly how it feels to be injected a number of times.

Then came next the third volunteer scheduled for plug-in but we were surprise when they ask us to give them a private moment. They had a one on one talk inside the closed door. Whenever a nurse or a doctor does something like that it is something serious to think about.

The guy did share to us into why but as I look into his eyes he seems so worried or somehow did cry when they had the conversation and I still think there was a deeper reason about it that was bound to be kept by him alone.

Finally, it was my time since everyone has already completed the plug-ins. As I ready myself the nurse said, “Sir masakit na to kasi mapurol na ang needle.” And I was like ok just bring it on. And damn it did really hurt a lot but it was tolerable. At the end of the night I didn’t completed the 500 ml but reach the 400 ml, luckily it was good enough to generate exact platelets. I did ask why my blood flow was too slow and her replied, was I had smaller veins and only a few blood could flow.

I’m glad it was over and I manage to reach the minimum requirements the help someone. This was the most painful experience I ever had. I had recovered and I’m fine now.

Comments

Anonymous said…
My dearest Mark, Am glad that you gave some of your precious blood for the mother of your officemate Tess. Indeed God's grace is enough for us to share with everyone. I am proud of you my dearest. Keep up being generous especially to those who are around you. Love you and do take care. Mwah. Tita
maks said…
Thanks tita for dropping by to my blog. Take care always.

Hi jane! ikaw rin.

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