Codename: Wonder

2: Intersection

He quickened his steps, he's almost running. Kusa namang tumatabi ang mga kasalubong niya. He tried to apologize to each of them but he's on a sure rush.

He reached a room where nurses are in panic. Parang nakahinga ang mga ito nang makita siya. The machine on the left side of the room is beeping loudly in a quick pace.

"Vitals?"

"The patient's bradycardic, and hypotensive. O2 sats dropping at seventy-four. He's crashing."

"Bag him."

"Doc, the patient is scheduled for heart transplant tomorrow due to severe myocarditis. Urine level is below normal and the pupils are dilated..."

"He's in cardiogenic shock. Let's administer dobutamine."

The nurse quickly obeyed. Ilang sandali matapos masunod ang utos ng doktor ay unti-unting bumalik sa normal ang kalagayan ng pasyente.

"That was close."

"Paki-contact ang scheduler ng operating room. Ask kung maia-advance natin ang surgery ni Mr. Valdez."

"Yes, Doc."

Nang makalabas ang mga nurse ay bumagsak ang balikat ng doktor. He's kinda exhausted. He almost lost a patient. If he was a minute later, the patient could have expired.

"Lord, help."

He can't help but sigh. Tumingin siya sa matandang lalaking nakahiga sa hospital bed. He's thin, he looked weak, but he's fighting for his life. And that's what inspired the young doctor to continue fighting alongside his patient.

"Mr. Valdez, itatawag kita ng nurse. Iiwan muna kita rito, okay? Relax ka lang diyan," he told the unconscious old man. Hindi ito sumagot pero napangiti pa rin ang doktor. "Very good."

He pressed a button on the wall. A minute later, a nurse came to the room.

"Keep the patient under strict surveillance. Pakitawag ako kapag may irregularities sa vitals."

"Yes, Doc."

With that, he exited the room and went to his office. Naabutan niya roon ang mga kasama niya. They all shot him worried gazes upon seeing the semi-grim look on his face.

"Anong nangyari, James?" his female colleague, Kathy, asked. "Si Mr. Valdez ba?"

He nodded. "I almost lost him. Cardiogenic shock."

Nagkatinginan ang mga kasama niya. "Now, that's rare."

He sat down and closed his eyes to relax for a while. He felt a sharp pain in his heart, having recalled past memories of patients he didn't get to save.

Almost a year ago, a patient named Clarita Alvarez with heart failure came to the hospital and he wasn't able to save her. But judging from the circumstances of her condition, they weren't expecting her to get well. The death warrant had been long signed before she even got to fight. Still, James felt like it's his fault, no matter what other doctors say.

He can't let the same thing happen again. He can't lose another life.

"Relax, James. It really happens."

His comrade's words felt nothing.

"Lord, You gave me these hands to save, didn't You?"

His silent prayer echoed in the core of his mind. At times that everything is getting too heavy for him to carry, he does nothing but lift it up to more capable hands. The Lord's hands.

"So... bukas ang operation ng pasyente mo, hindi ba? Makakasama ka pa ba sa birthday ni Dad? O kailangan mo ng pahinga?"

Naalala ni James na may kompromiso nga pala siya sa araw pagkatapos ng surgery ni Mr. Valdez. He said he'll attend the birthday celebration of his friend's father who happened to be his mentor.