A Second Life for Mama

A second life for the one who brought you into the world

This is all that my wife, Cj Tejares-Asis is hoping for. Her mother, Adelina Gallano (whom we fondly call “Mama Indang,” all of 69 years old, suffered her second stroke last September 7.

The stroke was stealthy and gradual. She was accidentally kicked by my 9 year old son who is non-verbal autistic. At her ripe old age, Mama Indang has volunteered to take care of our 4 children as we work. They are quite a handful as the eldest is at 17 and the youngest is at 7.

Mama Indang has always made it a point to make herself useful even to a fault. She already has a stroke and has severe hypertension. Yet, even with her condition, she refuses to stay on the sidelines as part of her strong yet jolly personality.

After she felt pain from the slight trauma, she complained of dizziness and had to lay down. Her speech was also slurred and unintelligible. We hesitated to rush her to the emergency room since neither I nor my wife has medical insurance. With our job status (I’m an online article writer and my wife is a part-time ESL instructor) and raising four children, we were not prepared for the possibility of long-term medical confinement.

The next day (September 8) we decided to bring her to my high school classmate who’s now a geriatrics specialist at The Medical City (TMC). He has graciously accommodated us with consultations before and he’s also aware of our financial state.

Nevertheless, he noted that while Mama Indang was still responsive, there is the possibility that this was already signs of a new, full blown stroke. While he wanted us confined right there and then, we decided to sign a waiver and have the necessary plain crainial CT scan done outside.

Mama Indang took a turn for the worse during the night as she could not swallow the prescribed medicines anymore and could hardly make any sound. The morning after (September 9), she could not walk anymore and we called 911 already.

The responding medical team noted her deteriorating condition and asked if she had a doctor. Thus, we rushed her to TMC and the MRI procedure confirmed that she had indeed suffered a second, more severe stroke. Her blood pressure reached 220/130.

There was a recommendation for her to be transferred to the Intensive Care Unit but despite the gravity of the situation, my wife hesitated because we simply had no means to pay. The ER doctors told us that we would be allowed to transfer to a government hospital IF the patient goes directly to ICU and there was already a neurologist attending to her.

It was a cold, harrowing exercise calling out hospitals and getting turned down while I watch my wife tending to her mother who was in agony. She was gallantly trying to fight, but her deterioration was visible. She was losing control of her senses and our refusal to let her be admitted prevented the doctors from administering treatment.

At the ER

After eight hours in the ER, at 10:30pm of September 9, she was officially admitted, but we still had to wait for a private room. The doctors allowed us to be confined to a private room instead of the Intensive Care Unit to cut costs.

Mama Indang has improved since then, but she had to battle through complications like pneumonia and a sharp increase in her blood sugar. As of September 28, she is still confined and had a new set of antibiotics for her respiratory relief.

Our medical bills have risen and my wife is still pleading with every government agency for any charity or subsidy. We are trying all avenues, knocking on every door in order to settle them.

This is our humble plea to anyone we could reach. We believe this is no less than a second life for Mama Indang, a life we promise to treasure and cherish. It will take hard work and huge expenses, but just as we had to make a choice, we must choose life.

The road to recovery may not be easy but it's possible with love and prayers. Mama Indang will undergo therapy and medication but she is fueled by the love of friends and family that keep her resolve to live her second life to the fullest.

Sincerely,

Michael Angelo B. Asis

For any queries, suggestions, prayers or words of encouragement, please contact us on Facebook, Mikaelo Asis or Cj Tejares Asis.

We have also opened these accounts for any possible help.

Metrobank Account name: Junalyn Tejares Asis
Account number: 3-067-206755

BPI Account name: Junalyn Tejares Asis
BPI Account number 2439-2612-53

Paypal: [email protected]
Account name: Junalyn Tejares Asis

Thank you all for taking time to visit our page. God bless!