Almost quiet calamities

THE number of seriously ill patients will forever be endless as forever. Those in dire straits among them – medically and financially – just hope they could stumble upon Samaritans also trying to find one really in need to reach out and feel good about it.

As the city primes up for its 103rd founding anniversary - on the theme of fostering a sense of history, community and continuity – John Mark Tiyad, a 22-year-old undergoing twice-a-week dialysis for kidney failure, slowly and painfully scribbled last week an appeal for help.

“He can barely write, as moving his hand is painful due to regular insertion of dialysis tubes,” his sister Gloria said, presenting his permission that his story be written to help kind souls out there find him.

His fellow dialysis patient – 42-year-old Sabino Adian – blinded by complications of diabetes that also destroyed his kidney, found his Samaritans in the nick of time. Just when he had nowhere else to turn to, Germany-based karate teacher Julian Chees paid for two dialysis sessions.

Shoshin, the small foundation he heads, also used the last of the fund he sent for one dialysis session for patient Requino Todlem, who is on the Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday scheduled at the Cordillera Kidney Specialists along Kisad Rd. As it did for several other patients with whatever it could raise over the past eight years now.

A certain Allen then rang up Sabino’s cellphone number, asking if somebody could meet him infront of Landbank Harrison. Mary Anne, the patient’s wife, met him and Allen handed P5,000. Somebody then asked her to go to the rotunda at Puguis-Buyagan in La Trinidad, Benguet. There, the anonymous messenger handed P3,000, plus P300 for fare, saying it came from somebody named Helen.

That totals to P8,300, good for three treatments on the Tuesday and Friday schedule at the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center.

As dialysis will be for life, Adian, who can be reached at cellphone number 09397288672, and Todlem (c/o his daughter Ira at 09153376053), are akin to one imprisoned on a treadmill that just keeps on rolling, faster and faster, unable to stop until it spins out of control once funds for dialysis can no longer be had.

That’s the threat being face daily by Tiyad and hundreds of others undergoing the routine but financially and emotionally debilitating four-hour blood-cleansing sessions at the BGHMC, Cordillera Center, Sto. Nino, Pines City Doctors’, Notre Dame de Lourdes, Benguet Renal and other centers addressing the growing number of patients.

Tiyad, a college freshman and fourth child of an Ifugao woodcarver, was forced to stop schooling and became a laborer, is on the Tuesday and Friday schedule at the BGHMC, like most of other patients. He can be reached through his sister Gloria’s number – 09297661705. Those who would like a personal meeting may find him at their home at Purok 2, Km. 3, Asin Rd., Baguio City.

The number of dialysis patients is endless.

You find some of them almost any time of the day and night, at the second floor of the old building of the BGHMC. Pass through the main entrance on the ground floor, then turn left, move up the first flight on the right, then turn right at the landing.

Turn right again and you see them or their relatives sharing a bench on the side of the hallway. Some are waiting for their turn to be attached to one of those dialysis machines that do what their kidneys used to: filter waste from the blood. Others for those already attached to complete the four-hour filtering of liquid body waste that their twice- or thrice-a-week.

Meeting them can be truly depressing. Even if some of them haven’t lost their sense of humor – however morbid it might be.

To insulate themselves from this weakening feeling of helplessness, donors can do what Allen and Helen, who both refused to identify themselves, did. Ring up Sabino Adian, Requino Todiem or John Mark Tiyad.

Your gesture will assure them - and the rest of the world – that there are still Good Samaritans out there. (e-mail:mondaxbench@yahoo.com for comments)