Peddling for Dignity

Written By: Mikee Pasaporte

I believe everybody has experienced getting sick once or twice in their lifetime. The common cold accompanied by the feeling of being feverish or perhaps getting the stomach flu after eating your favorite meal.  You tend to have people do everything for you. From preparing your “sick-person” meal (the repeated rice gruel-crackers-and-carbonated soda combo which was usually the reason why you didn’t like eating in the first place) to making you feel comfortable by allowing you to sleep the entire day and have the license to skip chores. That cup of water just a hand length away, is placed in your hands because those taking care of you think that you should conserve as much energy as possible. For the first few days, you’d feel pampered, but after a week, the feeling of worthlessness kicks in. What more when a person gets diagnosed with a life-limiting illness; dignity then is somehow lost.

Repacked peanut butter and new ready-to-wear clothes are placed in a big plastic bag, which is carried along the roads of Muntinlupa by a strong-willed and still strong-bodied 62-year old patient of ours who is diagnosed with Stage 4 Breast Cancer which has spread to her lungs. She is assisted by her live-in partner, who doesn’t only help her with selling, but also helps her with caring for her chest wounds. The weight on her shoulders is the same weight that provides for her daily wound cleaning.

She used to have a business which eventually went bankrupt when she got sick. Still searching for hope, she uses herbal alternative medications. Her pain, though present, is controlled by pain medications we provide for her.

In spite of her current condition, she still makes an effort to provide for her ever-growing needs.

We, at The Ruth Foundation, have assisted her in pain management and continually render medical consultation and nursing care.

She shares with us, “Hindi naman ito kagustuhan ng Dios ang nangyari sa akin kaya tanggap ko… Sabi nga nila, nasa Dios ang awa, nasa tao ang gawa.”

Golden Hours

Written By: Mikee Pasaporte

A young, vibrant girl full of dreams at the age of thirteen, our patient was enrolled in The Ruth Foundation program on March 3 as referred by one of our past OJTs. Her condition started with her complaints of being dizzy and having unbearable headaches, which caused her to skip school, which wasn’t normal for her, since she was a consistent honor student.

In December 2014, she was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor and was given 3 months to live. This was her third month and she was currently confined at The Philippine General Hospital. We have offered her and her family counseling and financial assistance.

After acquiring pneumonia recently, it made it worse by having her cough, which caused enough pressure to push the tumor to a part of her brain which controls her eyesight and movement.

Weak, unresponsive, blind and paralyzed, but still loved.

Her parents recall that she never complained loudly. She just verbalized it in muffled sentences. Still her parent’s pride, I may say.

As verbalized by her mother,

“Ang mga anak hindi natin pag-aari . Galing lang sila sa katawan natin at pahiram lang sa atin ng Dios.”

These are her golden hours and we have encouraged them to make the most out of it.

—

She passed away before 8 am today, March 18, 2015.

Hope Reunites

Written By: Mikee Pasaporte

Growing up, I strongly believed that my mom had special powers. She could kiss away the pain of my little finger that got stuck between the cookie jar and its cover. Her hugs could ease the hurt I’d feel from fighting with my best friend. When she strokes my head when it aches, the pain weakens. So I believe that it is true that you are never too old to yearn for you mother.

Avelina, a 50-year old patient of The Ruth Foundation for almost 2 years, diagnosed with Stage 4 Breast Cancer with bone metastasis, had the same yearning in December. In the midst of pain, she had wished to face death instead and decided to refuse medication and food. She grew weak and moody, though she had hoped for one specific request…to see her mother, who was incarcerated in Muntinlupa’s City Jail for the past 5 years.

The process for this particular request is quite taxing. From writing a letter to the jail’s warden (who responded with approval but requested that we get a Regional Trial Court order) to corresponding with Judge Aguinaldo after the Christmas break. To expedite the process and by God’s grace, our social worker, Ms. Lira handed it in person and on the same day, the 2-hour provisional visit was approved.

On January 9, 2015, Avelina’s request was granted. Along with 5 of her siblings, children, grandchildren and neighbors, who were already prepared by our nurses, Avelina was able to spend time with her mother for more than an hour.

After the visit, our nurses assessed changes with Avelina. She now has a positive outlook on life; she now eats heartily and she doesn’t refuse medication.

“Patients have pain. ‘Di lang gamot ang nakakagamot. Love comforts and a strong support system is vital. A mother’s touch is truly important.” –Ms. Lira

Hope truly does reunite.

Alone No More: Jonathan’s Story

Written by Ina Amor-Mejia

Jonathan with nurse Emma before his successful operation at the PGH

Jonathan Roda, a cancer patient in his 40’s, came to TRF with a large mass on his left knee. Suffering from Osterosarcoma, a common type of bone cancer, Jonathan came to TRF desperate for help. He was alone, in pain, and was losing hope. The staff and nurses of TRF moved quickly to help Jonathan, enlisting the help of other compassionate individuals, and securing arrangements with doctors at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) for a free operation to remove the mass on his knee.

The operation last July 16, 2013 was successful, and Jonathan has since been transformed both physically and emotionally. Through the efforts of TRF, he is currently undergoing free palliative care and follow-up care at the PGH. Indeed, TRF’s amazing journey can be told through Jonathan’s story. And although the reality is that not every story can have a happy ending like Jonathan’s, it tells of how compassion, hard work, and perseverance can produce swift results—something so crucial in TRF’s work where time if of the essence.

In his own words:

“I would like to thank all those who helped me to get the care I needed. Right away they brought me to the hospital so I could be seen by doctors and get treatment. Rain or shine they visited me to check on me. I’m very, very grateful to the Ruth Foundation, to Doctor Mae and everyone in the team who are always there to help me.” -Jonathan Roda