A Bigger Problem

Gratitude is always the most difficult debt to pay. Because of this concept, Dino deposited a big, accumulated amount in Allie's account right after his rank promotion. This was also one of his ways in sharing his blessings. Who would have ever thought that he would be adopted by a family who would give him a comfortable life? Not only that, he was also blessed with a friend who stood by him in all his troubles and now had helped him achieve his desired success.

Allie may had not thought of any return but his money had greatly helped her in her advanced studies. It was also her source of fund when she had unexpectedly delivered via cesarean section . Chloe was in a breech presentation and never rotated properly despite the long labor until her heartbeats slowed down and the doctor was forced to do an emergency cesarean section.

A breech presentation is a position wherein the buttocks or the feet of fetus will go out first during the delivery.

Worsening the situation and the amount of the hospital bill, Chloe stayed for another five days due to an ABO incompatibility, a condition wherein a baby copies his father's different blood type from the mother. Her blood type was O+ while Ajie was B+. This incompatibility would cause a yellow discoloration of the baby and would pose an adverse complication if unattended. The baby would then be treated and placed under a photolight therapy, a special type of light, other than sunlight, that would address the discoloration.

On top of these expenses, her mother's failing heart caused her a huge and scattered debts from their friends and relatives due to her frequent hospitalization. Her only guarantee was her meager salary from working in a finance department of a certain company.

Due to the closure of the companies in Kamelyo, his father also lost his job. Not because he was one of the drug mules but because those were factories were closed down, making lots of pots overturned. Worst of all, those workers in these factories were blacklisted from all other companies due to the drug issues.

Their decision to move to other place due to the contention between her family and Ajie's relatives was another story, plunging further down their financial status due to the monthly rentals. She even tried every suggested means to increase breastmilk production in order to save. Every three hours in the office, she would pump her milk and save it in the ref. She also went home during lunch break to be able to breastfeed.

Watching Chloe's frequent projectile vomiting and thinking about her financial status, made her crazy. Would she ask help from Ajie's parents? Where would she get the fund for her baby's hospitalization? She was already wrapped up in debts. Her financial sinkage was just too low that even a taxi fare at that moment, was impossible.

Baby Chloe was already getting weak and irritable. Seeing her like that and thinking about her helplessness, made her sink down in despair. She wailed long and hard until she finally made a decision to strip herself off from shame. She borrow money from all of the people she knew except Dino. She would do anything for her daughter.

The stool exam she viewed online showed a result of an amoebiasis and she knew Chloe needed an immediate medical attention. Profused loose bowel movement or diarrhea would cause dehydration which would deplete the body's electrolytes, a substance such as sodium and potassium which were responsible for the normal functions of the body. If unadressed, it would result to threatening imbalances, making it fatally dangerous.

Picking up her phone, she prayed that God would touch a willing heart to provide them their immediate need. She typed a message to ask a favor to lend her the amount she needed and sent it to 72 people in her contact list!

After few minutes all of her friends replied, telling her that they were also into some financial setbacks. To her amazement, a classmate in high school which she didn't expect to be in her list, also replied.

"I'm sorry, Lyz, I truly have nothing to lend you now but I will find time to visit you." All her classmates called her Lyza, if not her full name Allyza.

There was also another message from a friend.

"Okay, Al, just pass by at our place on your way to the hospital."

She then called her mom to help her prepare and soon, they were already in the emergency room. She was only able to pay the taxi fare and the admission downpayment.

Events turned so fast and soon Chloe's abdomen protruded largely. The false stool exam result which showed an amoebiasis turned out to be a blessing. If It were not for her fear that Chloe would be dehydrated and that amoebiasis was not something to be taken lightly, she would have done   self - medication.

However, the doctors initially assesed a bigger problem, far bigger than a simple amoebiasis. If only it was as simple as that, she wouldn't have to worry. Yet, her signs and symptoms were compatible with an intestinal obstruction, a condition which needed immediate surgery. Her hard and protruding abdomen, her inability to pass down stools, her vomitus which composed of fecal materials, spoke it all.

"Miss Allyza, we need to do a CT-Scan of the abdomen to see what really caused the obstruction in his intestines. Abdominal ultrasounds and x-rays failed to show it. We need to do it fast since we are already running out of time. Chloe may not be able to wait..."

Hearing this made her want to roll in the floor and wail her grief and helplessness out. Where would she get the money? Even their fare in coming here was even borrowed. Looking at her mother who was already crying, she pretended to act strong. She should not show her grief, or else, she might have a heart attack. It would only add to her mountains of problems.

She smiled at the doctor and the nurse who accompanied her.

"Please arrange the schedule, ma'am"

The hospital she chose may be a tertiary hospital but they didn't operate CT-scans and MRI yet. All the patients who were required to do these procedures must get a booking yet from big hospitals and pay it in cash.

She went out of the room to think and make an immediate plan but before she left, she glanced back at her daughter. She was already gasping and her abdomen was too big and shiny that it looked like it was about to rupture . Different tubings were attached to her. A nasal cannula for oxygen inhalation, a tubing inserted to her mouth down to her stomach which drained down her obstructed feces and tubings inserted through a needle for her IV fluids and antibiotics.

Her cheerfulness as a three- month - old infant was gone. Her laughters and giggles which brought joy to their hearts were gone. Her eyes were closed, her breathing was labored. She even did not resist to any painful procedures like needle insertions for drawing of blood. Worst of all, her doctor told her that anytime she could leave...