Prinsesa’s Anatomy

Last Tuesday, I was surprised with a text message from my man that told me he was going to the hospital. What? I was scandalized and was 200 degree Celsius panicking because his message was very short, just that he was going to the hospital. I didn’t know why, or what the hell happened. To think I was still in class! It was about 7 pm then and I tried to call him but the connection was rejected. Jesus.

But I was able to breathe in a moment when he told me he was fine, and it was his grandmother that was confined. Okay, breathe. But my lungs were constricted again when he told me that his grandmother needed blood and he would be a donor. What? Okay, okay. Take it easy. I absorbed everything and tried to think about it on a nurse’s point of view. Okay. Grandmother needs blood and my man will donate. Cool. It’s as natural as anything can be.

But you know what? I realized even the most simple procedure can give you a jolt every now and then when the person involved is related to you. I used to laugh when I see worried family members outside the operating room then so anxious about their relative who for a fact was only having a minor operation. Okay so who’s laughing now huh? My man will only give blood and I think I’m about to go ballistic! Jesus. I’m really going crazy.

After class, I went straight to him to the hospital near the university. He asked me about it, the blood extraction, and everything I gave him were honest answers. He became anxious. Well, welcome to the club! Shortly, we were traveling to the local Red Cross Chapter for the extraction with his Aunt and an Uncle. He was interviewed prior to the physical assessment, and though I was tired and sleepy, it was fun listening to the questions and his answers.

Red Cross Personnel: Medyo personal. Nagka hepa ka na ba? Nakipagtalik sa may hepa? Nakipagtalik sa bayarang babae? [These are personal questions. Have you ever had Hepatitis? Had sex with someone diseased with Hepatitis? Had sex with a prositute?]

My man: Hindi. Grabe hindi. Hindi. Wala namang ganun. [No. Heavens no. No. No, there's no such thing.]

It was funny, really. After that we went to the provincial hospital so he could be assessed if he was fit to give blood. It was unfortunate that the male nurse who took his blood pressure was stupid and did not know how to deflate a BP cuff properly so we had to wait for some time till his BP was taken again by a different personnel, then he was cleared. When we got back to Red Cross, blood samples were drawn from him and it was funny to see his face when he saw the 3 cc syringe and the 500 cc bag that he has to fill with his blood. He might as well went ballistic. But a grandson’s got to do what a grandson’s got to do right? To think it was past 11 pm.

The next day, he showed up at my dorm still bearing the wound from the thick needle inserted to him from the extraction. I could tell he was proud of himself and what he has done. Well, me too. I’m very proud of him for being selfless and sacrificial, though I was still very much groggy because of the sleep deprivation. But it was well worth it.

When we ate that afternoon at a local cafe, he showed me the ID he got from Red Cross. He was like a little boy ecstatic with his prize. Then he wondered who to write at the back to notify in case of emergency. He said he’d write my name since that was how he wanted it if, but I hope not, anything happened to him, and so he did wrote my name and number. Under that was the relationship. We pondered for a moment what he’d write. And after a while, he looked at me with a funny face, and asked, “Eh kung wife kaya? [What if we wrote wife?]“

Well, what can I say? It’s definitely bleeding love. Don’t you think so too?