Stole My Heart

CHAPTER 24

A/N: Unedited

Kai Maureen Anderson

"Doc Anderson, your next patient is in."

"Okay, Nurse Torres." Sagot ko, saka ko sinarado ang laptop na nasa harapan ko.

I stood up and made my way to the treatment room. Today's patient was a 15-year-old girl. She was experiencing severe headaches, vomiting, and bleeding from the wounds on her head.

"Good morning, Doc," Bati ng nanay ng pasyente.

"Good morning po." I greeted back.

I approached the girl and removed her hat. The left side of her head was covered in wounds, pus, and punctures na animo'y sinaksak ng lapis.

"Kelan po nagsimulang nagsugat ang ulo nya?" I asked.

"Mga two weeks ago na po." Sagot ng nanay ng bata.

"Has she eaten any undercooked meat or swam in a river?" I asked, kelangan ko kasi mag-assess.

"Hindi po sya nag-swimming sa mga lakes or rivers, at hindi rin po sya kumakain ng mga undercooked na food or fresh like sushi and raw meat," her mother answered.

Tumango ako, saka chi-nechecked ang wounds sa ulo ng bata. I examining it closely, they were deep and closed spaced. I leaned in closer, as my ear about two inches away from the wounds. I heard a slimy sound from the wounds, as if something was moving inside the wounds.

"Pointed forceps," Utos ko sa nurse, and nurse Torres promptly took the forceps and handed over me. I delicately extracted the white something from within the wound and gently pulled it out and to my surprise it was larvae. As in alive larvae and actively moving.

The parents of the child was startled to see the larvae pulled out from the head of her child. Her tears streamed down her face as if na hindi ito makapaniwala sa nakita nyang larvae mula sa sugat ng anak nya.

"Your daughter has larvae of the New World screwworm in her head." Saad ko, saka muling tinignan ang iba pang sugat at kinuha ang larvae na naninirahan sa loob ng sugat.

"But Doctor, how could this have happened? Our home is meticulously clean kaya imposible na magkaganyan ang anak ko. " the mother exclaimed, her voice tinged with disbelief.

"It is possible, na nakuha nya ang screwworm larvae when it infest a small wound on the head when they are deposited a egg on the wounds by cochiomyia insects." I explained in a calm and reassuring tone.

"Rest assured, I will devise a method to effectively remove all the screwworm larvae inside her head. However, at this moment, we are uncertain of the extent of the infestation."

"We have sought medical assistance from other hospitals, pero hindi nila mabigay saamin ang tamang diagnosis. Kung alam ko lang sana hindi na lumaki at dumami ng ganyan ang mga larvae sa ulo ng anak ko."  Saad ng nanay ng bata. Her voices filled with a sense of frustration.

Pagkatapos kong makausap ang pasyente, I directed nurse Torres to gather the necessary equipment and prepare for the procedure. Briefly excusing myself, I returned to my office to do an urgent matters. Nang matapos ko ang report ko, nag order din ako ng food thru online at saka ko ito ipinadeliver na naka address sa Cafe. Ilang saglit pa, napatingin ako sa door ng office ko dahil may kumatok mula dito saka binuksan ang pinto.

"Doctor Anderson? The items you requested for procedure is ready." Nurse Torres informed me.

"Thank you, Nurse Torres."

I returned to the treatment room, I started the meticulous procedure. Collaboratively, nurse Torres and I carefully placed fresh bacon onto the wound of the patient. The enticing aroma of bacon would attract and entice the larvae, guiding them towards the surface. Malakas kasi ang amoy ng bacon, at pag maamoy yun ng mga larvae hahanapin nila yun at kakapit sila dito. However, as time passed, it became apparent that the process was progressing at a slower pace than anticipated, kaya umisip ako ng ipang paraan para mapabilis ang pagtanggal namin sa mga larvae.