In sickness and in health (Part I)

Gabi has been sick on and off for the last couple of months.

It all started early December 2007. Patty, Gabi and I treated ourselves to a weekend stay in Renaissance Makati (formerly New World Hotel). It was our wedding anniversary and we had reason to celebrate. We originally wanted to run off to a beach resort. But just the thought of organizing the logistics of a road trip discouraged me from pursuing the sun and sand idea.

The Renaissance seemed like a good choice. It had broadband in every room so I was happy. It's right in front of Greenbelt and all the shops and restos we QCers hardly get a chance to visit and so Patty was happy. It had a nice pool ("Two pools, Papa!") so Gabi was happy.

I had a Plan. Everything was scheduled, down to the last minute. Patty was to drop me off in Jupiter St. for a 1:30 pm meeting, check-in at the Renaissance and then walk on over to Greenbelt 1 to buy tickets for that evening's performance of Repertory's Fiddler on the Roof. Dinner and drinks in Casa Armas was to be the night cap.

Gabi was to spend the night in his Wowa's house and follow first thing the next morning. After buffet breakfast, we were to spend the whole morning in the pool. Lunch in Emperor Court before checking out at 3 pm.

We never got to follow the schedule. On our way to Casa Armas Patty already got a call from her mother. Gabi it seemed was not feeling well. He was matamlay.

"Of course, he is!" was my instinctive reply. "He misses us!"

Turns out he was ailing from something more than papa and mommy homesickness. Mother-in-law dutifully reported his true state of health at 6:30 am the next day.

"He made suka twice last night and his poo poo is wet."

Now we were worried. We got Gabi on the phone and asked him how he was.

"Fine... But where are you, papa? I thought we were going swimming. I want to be with you and Mommy," was his weak reply.

"Come on over then, anak. Elias and the black car will pick you and yaya up and you can come here."

Patty and I quickly shifted to Plan B. The morning swim was definitely out of the picture. We went to Mercury and bought what we thought was needed: pedialyte, bottles of mineral water, fresh juice and a thermometer. The plan was for Gabi to be at our side so that we could assess his condition ourselves and then call his pedia for advice.

Gabi was asleep when the car drove up the hotel driveway. And the yaya was drenched in vomit.

I took him in my arms and we hurriedly brought him to our room. He was definitely matamlay. And was obviously in some sort of pain.

"Ouchy my tummy, Mommy," he didn't have to verbalize.

Patty quickly tried to cheer him up. "Look, baby," pointing at the complimentary fruit basket in the room. "Want some of your favorite oranges?"

"Yes, Mommy. I want." His face lit up at the suggestion of food.

And he quickly devoured three small slices.

We gave him juice to drink but he wanted water instead. He finished a whole bottle. We took his temperature. No fever but higher than normal.

It was then that we tried to contact his pedia. We sent her a text message. To both cell numbers she left in her calling card. And the long wait began.

Meanwhile, a somewhat revived Gabi sauntered to the window and saw the pools on the roof deck a few floors down.

"Two pools, Papa! Two pools. Let's swim!" he gleefully proclaimed as he scampered for his swim suit.

Patty and I just stared at each other. How do you tell an obviously sick child that he couldn't swim even if he was looking forward to family time in a pool much bigger than what we had at home?

We eventually came up with a rather foolish compromise.

"Okay, anak. We will swim. But only for a while. Because you're sick," was my Solomonic reply.

"I am not sick! Let's go."

Besides, the pedia had not replied yet. So might as well let Gabi have his cake.

So off to the pool we went. And had fun! For an hour, we played and laughed in the water.

We went back to the room, took quick showers, packed our stuff and informed Front Desk of our early check out. We had hoped that by the time we were on our way home in the car, we would already receive the pedia's instructions.

She never replied.

We got home, put Gabi in bed and shifted to Plan C. We called ER in Medical City and asked the resident pedia for advice. We were told to bring Gabi to the hospital for assessment. They would then text his pedia for instructions.

Huh? Text her? We already did! And we tried to call her but she wasn't picking up!

Did the ER have a special phone to contact Gabi's doctor? Much like Commissioner Gordon's red hot line to Batman? No use using the bat signal either. It was the middle of the day and the bright sun would have blocked off any SOS signal.

Time to shift to Plan D. I texted MY doctor, a cardiologist in Cardinal Santos who was my primary doctor and good friend.

He replied within 5 minutes.

"Bring him to St. Luke's. Not to the emergency room. Too much paper work. Straight to the lab and ask for a CBC. Bring urine and fecal samples too if you can. Do it at home so Gabi does not have to wait too long in the hospital. Have the tests done and bring Gabi home immediately. Just go back to get the results yourself. Have the pedia resident in ER interpret the results and then call me."

Huge sigh of relief. At least I now knew what to do.

We proceeded with Plan E and followed my doctor's instructions to the letter. I ended up going to the hospital four times that same afternoon. Once to bring the urine sample. Once to bring the fecal sample. And once to get the results. Gabi only had to go once, to have his blood taken for the CBC test.

That was gut wrenching.

Being a diabetic, I get to have blood extracted at least once every three months. And my stomach still turns and my heartbeat increases whenever I see the needle.

Gabi was very brave. He cried when he saw the needle. Mommy held his other arm and gently suggested that they sing the Moon song (Moonriver which is Gabi's favorite).

"No, Mommy, I want to count."

So count we all did as the lab nurse stuck the needle and drew blood.

"1 ... 2 ... 3 ... 4 ... 5..."

It was all over before the mandatory 8 count. Boxer Gabi who has always been a Manny Pacquiao fan won his first fight! By knockout too!

I returned to get the test results later that evening. My doctor had already called earlier to remind me to text him the results once I get them.

"Nothing to worry about", he said, a few minutes after I sent him the results.

"Continue with the fluid replacement regimen. Watch out for the signs of dehydration. And bring him to his pedia first thing Monday."

Relieved and suddenly exhausted, I said a quiet prayer of thanksgiving and drove home to be with mother and child.

I fell asleep right away. But not before already plotting Plan F...

More on Plan F, G and H in a later post.