Invasive Maneuver

She woke up yesterday morning scared at the possible results of her Colonoscopy test which she will undergo that afternoon.

"Makakatulog kaya ako pag sinedate ako kuya? Masakit kaya kapag may pinapasok na tube sa loob ng pwet mo?" My sister had asked persistently the previous nights after she found out her invasive test.

"Basta the best part dun eh yung last five seconds bago ka ma-sedate. High na high talaga ang pakiramdam mo!" I assured her repeatedly. Having undergone a minor pus draining operation before, I knew what it feels like to be drugged to sleep.

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I woke up yesterday slightly feeling better knowing that I don't have to go to work that afternoon.

Since I would accompany my sister at her medical exam, I filed a leave of absence several days ago. The supervisor immediately approved my request form since there isn't a lot of messages to attend to these past few weeks at work. Knowing that I really needed a break from my very tight schedule, I decided to use the extra day off to do my other errands such as paying for my credit card bill and talking to a Philamlife representative about my insurance and hospital benefits.

You see, a trip to the hospital never fails to remind me of my own mortality.

We arrived at PGH two hours before noontime. My aunt who is a surgeon and is a consultant in that hospital accompanied us to the Gastroenterologist's clinic somewhere within the main building. As we passed corridors and wards with hospital beds filled with sick people, I could not help but think of my own illness. Fortunately, I feel much better now thanks to the very expensive antibiotic that my aunt had prescribed to me last week. However, despite my feelings of improvement, my spirit is still down. I think its the one that needs healing. To see sick people hoping and wishing for their own immediate recovery made my heart feel gloomy. There is too much anxiety pervading in the air - perhaps my own sister's worries is whats making me sick.

The Gastroenterologist's clinic was a small, cramp room that was lined with stretchers for those patients that were sedated after undergoing a Colonoscopy exam. As mentioned in an earlier entry, Colonoscopy is an endoscopic examination used to check patients for possible lesions, polyps or tumors inside the Large Intestines. A flexible tube with a fiber optic camera is inserted inside the anus. Only through such invasive passage will the doctors be able to check the patient's condition.

While waiting for my sister's turn to be examined, a patient - a thin man in his late forties was brought out of the diagnosis room. He was unconscious and his exposed grinning teeth must have shown the marks of pain (or pleasure) of being penetrated by an object inside his ass. His stretcher was a few meters away from where I was seated but still, I could hear tiny bubbles popping from his butt. The unpleasant smell of tae permeates in the air. No wonder, the nurse attendant who wearing a face mask placed his stretcher far away from the people as possible.

Before my sister had undergone her Colonoscopy test, the doctor told her to follow a series of preparation that will spare her from a very smelly loose bowel after-effects like what had happened to the other patient. She had to stop eating meals, snacks or any soluble food that will take form of a solid matter for one whole day. She also had to cleanse her digestive organs with laxative, sodium water and other forms of liquid. The whole morning before her exam, signs of stress and crankiness had already shown on her face. Since my mother understood what my sister was going through, she told me to exercise extreme patience to her. After all, she had never eaten anything so it was normal for her to be short tempered.

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The Colonoscopy exam took 30 minutes to finish. Aside from the Gastroenterologist who was doing the invasive maneuver, my aunt also stayed by her side watching the digital screen on the wall as it showed the progress of how deep the cable had made inside my sister's Large Intestines.

The result was already available even before she had awaken. The findings were pretty normal, pointing out that what she have is a minor case of hemorrhoid, an almoranas. Her fears of possibly having a Colon Cancer was unfounded. A few hours after her exams and she was discharged and was back at home. That same evening, she was able to continue her personal calling which is to incite the students of a prestigious university to fight for her tibak cause.

As for me, I was able to do my errands after accompanying her at the hospital. I even went to the gym to continue my routine after I stopped working out for four days due to my worsening condition. She thanked me for the company and for a moment, peace and commonality reigned between us. It was a rare sight knowing that we clashed all the time because of our different views in life.

I thought that the heaviness I felt the previous days was because of my sister's condition. In fact, I felt much better after things turned out normal for her. However, my assumptions were wrong. I am still spooked by my imaginary illness. I still feel gloomy, weak, anxious and extremely disturbed before going to sleep last night and when I woke up this afternoon.

Therefore, I made up my mind.

Even if it's pretty silly to believe in things such as usog or intervention of unseen beings, I decided nevertheless to seek a mangtatawas for advice. Her initial findings tell that something or someone must have disturbed me.

Placing all my hopes that this might be the answer that I'm looking for, she will perform a tawas reading for me this evening.