a night on scraps

WHILE READING THIS, imagine me sitting by a bed, breathing the stench of disease inside forbidding white walls of a typical hospital ward. I am looking over my hyperglycemic grandmother that is trying to convince herself that she’s already well and fit to go home. But not yet. Her glucose level just sky-rocketed from 344 to a staggering 419. But besides that and a snag to expel the mucus from her throat, she’s stable. And now I’m treading the line of time that silently stretches itself in front of us while waiting for the results of her laboratory examinations.

Earlier this afternoon, Lola Cornelia experienced breathing difficulties preceded by an unproductive cough and a sore throat; apparently a respiratory ailment that unfortunately exacerbated her fight against a silent assailant—diabetes. I volunteered to watch over her. But I needed something to carry me through the long night so I asked Nanay, my Lola’s daughter, for a pen and paper before she left. I thought I’d write an update for my blog. I told her that I forgot to bring my phone, MP3 player, and the The Rosary Girls novel I’m currently reading. She just stared at me with a puzzled look before giving me a pen and scraps of paper she got me from the nurses’ station. I can understand if she thinks I’m going nuts. She doesn’t know I’m into blogging :P

Let’s talk American Idol if you don’t mind. :P Anyway, I was literally punching the air last Thursday when America decided to give Matt one more week in the competition. Do I think he’ll sail through the finals? I guess that depends on how well he’ll perform in the following weeks. The same goes for the rest of the remaining contenders, which are very musically talented. I think Gokey is somewhat losing his touch and I can now sense an Allen-Lambert finale. But my fingers are still crossed for my dawg, Matt. :P And I think Allison is going home.

I am really psyched that the latest Gavin Degraw album—Free, is finally out! Thanks to my twilight TV surfing and The Today Show. I fell in love with Gavin’s music ever since I heard it on the One Tree Hill Soundtrack years ago. He’s one primary reason why I like Matt’s music so much. In some ways, I find resemblance in the music that they make—blues-y and alternative. And they’re both piano players! Here are sample tracks from the album.

Gavin Degraw

As my pen moves across paper, I can see Lola is still wide awake, anxious eyes at the ceiling. She can’t sleep and I clearly understand why. For a medical practitioner, the hospital is place to heal the sick, but to most of those on the other side of the fence, it’s a place where people die—the main reason why people dislike hospitals and the like. I can sense her anxiety as she lies on this bed, surrounded by sick people, punctured with intravenous lines, and desperately trying to sleep against guttural snores and the air conditioning’s endless buzz—a sick lullaby.

. . .
This is one of the two entries I was able to write when I was in the hospital to watch over my Lola last Sunday. I was half-way through the second when my pen ran out of ink. I was really frustrated and it was only 1:49 in the morning. My grandmother finally fell asleep and I was wide awake. My body clock remained reversed and without anyone to talk to and without anything to do, I was so bored out of skull and writing was my sole hope to kill time. Here are the original drafts.

On the next bed lied an old woman. Sitting on a chair beside her was a girl enjoying an OTH marathon on a laptop. It was a total mockery! I would’ve watched from a distance but I didn’t want to be rude either. She looked really smart but definitely a snob! I didn’t want to risk it. :P Peace out!