au.was.here.

like the song goes, it just happens. i guess we just have to expect that not every moment in one's life will always be sunshiny.

last april 12, my phone rang, "kayo po ba si Aurie?" said a male voice on the line. "yung Nanay nyo po nandito sa Orthopedic". my heart skipped a beat.

"bakit ano ang nangyari?!", i worriedly asked, more than a little alarmed. my mother is quite strong and active for her age but she is, after all, 75 years old.
"wag po kayong mag-alala, di naman po malala..." the voice tried to assure me. he went on to explain that he is a Jolibee delivery guy who accidentally bumped my mother with his motorcycle. she fell on her side and was unable to stand so he brought her to the Philippine Orthopedic Hospital in Banawe, QC by taxi to have her checked and x-rayed.

by the time i got to the Orthopedic, the xray results were out and we were happily informed by Nanay herself that she was ok. just a little bruised with some abrasions on her arm. her left leg hurts when moved but did not hurt when undisturbed. the doctor attributed it to the big bruising. she was even smiling, perhaps from the relief that comes when one is told that all the bones in one's legs, hips and even knees were in place. i thought we could go then but they had to give her one more treatment: tetanus shots. "huh? why?" i asked. "kasi po natusok sya nung pusher [na pangmanicure] na nasa bag nya nung natumba sya sa lupa". so we waited a while for the shots and i snapped this photo of Nanay with the delivery guy. as you can see, they were already in a good mood.

i stitched the facts together in my head as told to me by both Nanay and the Jolibee delivery guy whose name is Frederick. Nanay had just gotten off the jeepney and was getting on the sidewalk. Frederick was mounted on his motorbike and was slowly accelerating his vehicle to get off the pedestrian pavement where he had just completed a delivery. he looked to his back to check oncoming traffic. Nanay, on the other hand, was looking towards the pink and blue overpass where she was heading to cross the street. she was most certainly not expecting a motorcycle to be on the pedestrian sidewalk about to hit her. then, before Frederick knew it, he bumped onto Nanay and down on the pavement she went. she fell on her left side. and the darned pusher in her bag stuck deep into her left calf. it must have been one heck of a fall for the pusher to stick out of her bag and get her on the leg.

anyway, i thought at first that was a actually a little funny. you know, it was an accident that happened not on the actual street (since they were both on the pavement) that involved a little "kikay" item which stuck the owner herself. see, Nanay has a fetish for keeping her toenails meticulously clean. maybe it's a little perverse of me but i was already in a good mood because i was told Nanay had a clean bill of health and just needed to rest and get home. yes, sweet relief! i didn't even have the inclination anymore to boink Frederick on the head even if he probably deserved it for being so careless. i was happy enough that Nanay was ok. we even dropped Frederick off, at Jolibee Roces where he worked, in goodwill.

unfortunately, the relief and good feelings did not last long. i should have suspected it. Nanay was discharged from Orthopedic with no apparent broken bones yet she couldn't walk by herself. Frederick had to carry Nanay in his arms to put her in the car. 6 days later, she still couldn't walk a single step and was complaining every night that she couldn't sleep well because she was still in pain. surely, this was more than just the contusion (or bruising) that the doctors at the Orthopedic diagnosed her with.

April 17, we brought Nanay to Capitol Medical and had her hip re-xrayed. it confirmed our fearful suspicions. Nanay's left femoral neck (the ball joint joining the leg to the hip) was broken. the doctors told us she needed hip replacement surgery. we stayed in the hospital for the next 9 days. trepidation, fear, anxiety, again all set in. not only for Nanay's health but for the financial instability as well. we may not be indigent but we are of modest means. a medical bill well into the hundreds of thousands definitely spells a financial crisis for us. how could it not when i have five kids all going to school in the coming school year. financial problems also tend to stress everyone: Nanay, myself, husband, and ultimately the kids. it even stresses the relationships between us as you may imagine, particularly hubby and I.

still, there was a bright side to the situation. after all tests and cardiology work-ups, Nanay was cleared for surgery. after that, the hip replacement itself was a surgical success, thanks to the expertise of one Dr. Ed Oreta. Nanay was standing up by the 3rd day. she is now slowing learning to walk again due to rehab care by Dr. Consuelo Macalalad. i thank these doctors with all my heart. while i'm at it, i should also express my gratitude to Dr. Atabug, the cardiologist and Dr. Fernandez, the anesthesiologist. Capitol Medical Center definitely has very capable and distinguished medical experts. Most of all, i have to thank my cousin Ate Rho and her hubby, Dr. Ed Clemente for referring us to all these wonderful doctors.

now, i have initiated talks with the company the delivery boy works for. i am hoping that they will cooperate with us in giving the rightful financial assistance. Jolibee is a giant company but they haven't even shown concern. they are directing me to their manpower agency instead. that's just ok but i can't help but feel we are being given the run around. so right now, things do not look good. i sincerely hope things will eventually turn out well. will post developments here.