The feeling I have sitting here beside my dad’s hospital bed at 1:23 in the morning, just watching him stare into space, is oddly unsettling. So I open my laptop to write this post..

To those who don’t know — my dad was rushed to the hospital again two Sundays ago (I’ll save the details of that traumatic day). From a private room here in Makati Medical Center, we had to move him to the ward three days ago because our hospital bill is getting higher by the minute. Needless to say, we can no longer afford it. But help is on its way!

Looking at the bright side, though, at least our case isn’t as bad as the other patients here in the ward (which is my second home these days). There are patients here who have undergone surgery and have been staying here for more than two months. Their hospital bills have gone up to 1.4M (and is still increasing everyday), can you believe it? The patients’ relatives are looking everywhere for financial aid. This reminds me of President Obama’s major concern for the health care system in the United States. Our country’s own health care system desperately needs fixing too. PhilHealth simply isn’t enough.

My brother also got my parents health care benefits at the company he works for but that too wasn’t sufficient. We obviously did not anticipate that we will be facing this big a problem.

BUT, I didn’t compose this entry to rant (although it seems like I am). Spending more than a week here in the hospital and hearing the doctors comment on my dad’s “hopeless case” (as they call it) had made me realize how we all need to care for our health. Our country’s “system” is not too blame, but ourselves. It’s cliché but we all need to start living right. Maybe we should start by eating healthy and do a lot of walking? AND, try to avoid cigarette smoking if you don’t want to face the same terrible fate as my dad. Just a friendly reminder!

On a related note, my brother is getting married on Sunday in Bacolod City. Yes, we all agreed to go through with it even with our dad’s current situation, for practical reasons. It’s sad that our dad is not going to be there, and what’s even sadder is, our mom decided not to attend the wedding as well so she could be the one to watch over him here in Manila. My brother, who’s in Bacolod right now, is shocked by the news. I feel for him, but I also understand why Mama wants to stay. I guess she feels unfair that we’re all gonna be celebrating my brother tying the knot while my dad is lying in a hospital bed far away from all of us, unable to walk or even speak. I’m sensing a bittersweet wedding is about to take place.

This is by far the most difficult hurdle our family has to overcome. But God will see us through. We believe He will supply all our needs.

It’s time for “bed” now, except, watchers don’t get to sleep in beds here in the ward. Hee.

PS: Thanks to all my friends who came to visit my dad! It really means a lot. :)