unsung heroes

The recent events in the Middle East had made a significant impact in a lot of the lives of our fellow Filipinos who are working there. Although it was not as widespread as in the Gulf War, still the livelihood of our OFWs is once again at risk. I know some people who work in Saudi Arabia, Libya and Bahrain - all of them are nurses and as I keep a close watch on the unfolding events that continue to torment their safety, I feel for their families.

In the past few years, there was an increase in the demand for nurses and even other professionals took up a nursing course in order to go to other countries and provide for their families. I for one considered going back to school to take up nursing, oftentimes imagining myself in a nursing uniform. But the timing was not favorable for me at that time as I was getting married, so I just concentrated on my chosen career.

Now when I see someone here in a hospital scrub uniform, I can't help but wonder what made them stay and work here instead. I have great respect for the nurses who made a sacrifice to be away from their families to give them a better life, but I even have greater respect for the nurses, and for other medical workers for that matter, who choose to serve their fellow countrymen who need them more.

Being in the medical field is no easy task because it entails grave responsibility to be given the opportunity to take care of the life of another person you don't know. To the men and women in their medical scrubs and uniform - wear them proudly - for in the midst of the world's uncertainties, you remain a hero not only to your country but most especially to your family.

a sidetrip to the hospital

Joaqui and I were walking along the hallway in our condominium when I thought I forgot our keys so I looked inside my bag. Suddenly Joaqui screamed so loud. I thought he was just throwing another tantrum, but he said, "It hurts! It hurts!" So I asked what happened and he touched his head. I figured out that he bumped his head and so I looked at it and touched it. I was shocked when I saw blood in my hands when I touched the part where he bumped his head. I held out a small towel on it and asked the guard to get us a cab.

In the emergency department of the hospital, he kept saying that he was scared and he doesn't want to be in the hospital. He cried more when he saw a man in a doctors lab coat. Good thing a pretty girl in a bright-colored hospital nurse uniform approached us and tried to soothe him. He was able to stop crying and she looked at his wound. She said that it was just a punctured wound, but to be sure, they will give Joaqui a tetanoid booster shot and also have his head x-rayed to look for fracture.

This was the first time we have been in this hospital and I noticed that their facility is quite nice. In fact, the medical staff are courteous, friendly and approachable. They also looked very fashionable in their navy blue medical scrub set. After we got the results of his x-rays, Joaqui was cleared to go home. The doctor just told me to keep his wound clean and dry. He also gave me a prescription for ibuprofen for the pain and antibiotics. I was just so relieved when it was finally over. When we got home, I asked Joaqui where he bumped his head and he pointed to the box for the fire hydrant on the wall. Apparently the corners of the box were sharp and so he learned his lesson not to go near the fire hydrant anymore.