Mother, Mother, You are Sick

Yes, she was too sick then. Her gall bladder was not functioning and she had other complications. She had been suffering for a long, long time and now she was already cachetic, very week specially because she was almost 80 years old.

A Surgeon said she should be opened-up to find out what was really wrong with her. That was before the advent of sophisticated laboratory procedures. An internist did not agree as he thought my mother may not be able to last the procedure.

So, before surgical intervention she was brought to the Medical Conference. The surgeon explained that unless she was opened-up the gall bladder could burst in three months and that would be my mother's end. Another physician commented that she was too week and might die in six hour while on the operating table. I was a new graduate then and my opinion was asked.

Instead of immediately giving my own opinion I asked a question for anybody to answer: "If she is your mother will you allow her to undergo surgery at her present condition?"

An internist answered: "I wont!" I retorted, "In that case, I will bring my mother home to the province". And I brought out my mother from the hospital giving her my routine medications whenever she had attacks of severe abdominal pain.

She lived for another 15 years, able to do ordinary chores like attending Mass and going to special occasions within the family circle. I once saw the surgeon and told him that my mother was still alive and practically kicking. To me that was my greatest achievement as a physician: having the chance to prolong my mother's life for another 15 years after she was given a verdict of only three months by an specialist.