January 3, 2014 will always be an unforgettable day in our family. It was the day that every children dread to experience. We almost lost our Mama. Our Mama is suffering from Alzheimer for years now but it seems that it has taken its toll this time of the year.
Mama would always find her way to go out no matter how hard we control her. (For those who knew my Mama during her younger days, you will probably understand how strong willed she is – sobrang mataray at suplada sabi nga ng iba.
She will always go to the church and will always find her way home, but January 3, 2014 was very unfortunate. My 72 years old Mama insisted to go out despite the resistance of my Daddy. They will have this usual battles of words and Mama being the strong willed woman will always find her way na makatakas. That sad day she never find her way home. It was the longest 20 hours of our lives.
BUong magdamag kaming naghanap ng aking mga kapatid, aming mga asawa at aming mga anak at mga pinsan. Walang humpay, pabalik balik, paikot ikot hindi kami sumuko nakakabaliw na paghahanap, nakakasabog ng damdamin. At around 3AM hindi na talaga kaya ng aming mga katawan dahil galing pa sa work pareparehas, sabi nga the mind is willing but the flesh is no longer able. Ayaw man namin aminin sa aming mga sarili hindi na kaya ng aming mga katawan, so with sad and heavy hearts we called it a day. But before we parted ways, we already talked about our next action plan. I was assigned to post about our Missing Mama in Facebook, then we will resume with our paghahanap as soon as makapahinga na. From Caloocan we arrived home at 4AM, hindi ako makatulog kaya I decided to post for help sa Facebook. Ang hirap mag compose naka ilang edit ako, ayaw gumana ng utak ko..drain na ang powers ika nga. Pero nung shinare ko the information dessimination was really rapid salamat sa Facebook at sa technology. True enough andami naming mga kaibigan na nagshare at alam kong nag offer ng sincere love and prayers para matagpuan namin si Mama.
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After naming magkahiwalay hiwalay hindi lang pala ako ang hindi makatulog, pati ang aking mga kapatid pala. Paano nga naman kami makakatulog habang iniisip namin ang aming Ina na marahil ay natutulog sa malamig na lansangan. 30 minutes lang ata ako nata idlip pero andun pa din ang lakas ng aking determination para maghanap. Nung oras na para kumain, ni hindi ako makakain, panay ang patak ng aking luha…paano ka kakain kung alam mong ang iyong ina ay tyak na gutom na at hindi mo alam kung mahahanap pa ba. Samantala Ang aking Ate yeng, alas 5AM pa lang ang tumulak na sa Quaipo para maghanap at magkabit ng mga Missing poster sa kanilang mga poste na madaraanan. Tulong tulong ang buong pamilya sa paghahanap sa aming ina. Sa aming mga isipan alam naming hindi kami titigil. Nakakaparanoid ang situation, ang hirap ng waiting game, nakakatakot ang bawat tawag ng iyong mga kapatid kasi andaming tumatakbo sa isipan bago mo sagutin. May kahalong nerbyos ang bawat tawag natatakot ako kasi ayaw ko ng bad news….pag ganito pala ang iyong kalagayan kahit gustuhin mong magpaka positibo guguho ka talaga…
Since wala pang 24 hrs hindi pa din namin maiblotter sa police station kaya alam mo yung feeling na gusto mo na iblotter pero hindi pa daw pwede hayyyy…
Mga 3PM, January 4, 2014, ang pinaka mahalagang text ang aking natanggap mula sa akign pamangkin na si Joshua: “Andito na po si Lola”. Nagtawagan kaming magkakapatid pero alam mo yugn pakiramdam na ayaw mo munang maniwala hanggat di mo nakikita. Sa kabutihang palad ay natagpuan sya ng kanyang inaanak sa kasal sa taxi driver na naglalakad pasuray suray sa may Visayas Avenue. Salamat sa Panginoon at naibalik sya sa amin, salamat kay Kuya Dodong at naging instrumento sya ng Panginoon para maibalik si Mama sa amin.
Nakakapanlumo nung makita namin si Mama, naiiyak ako kasi di nya ako kilala, ang sabi nya mabait daw ako, classmate nya daw ako sa Architecture sa UST. Latang lata sya at hindi makatayo sa sakit ng paltos na inabot ng kanyang mga paa, sugat sugat talaga ang kanyang mga daliri sa paa. Wala na din syang naalala, pero patuloy namin sa kanyang sinasabi na nawala sya kaya may nakadikit dun sa salas na Missing poster na may picure nya. Nung tinanong namin kung ano ang narerecall nya wala na po talaga.
Natagpuan po sya ng isa sa inaanak Nya sa kasal na taxi driver sa may Munoz going to Visayas Avenue (taga Caloocan po sya) Nawala po si Mama ng 20hrs. Hindi na po nya marecall ang nangyari at kung pano sya napunta from monumento to Visayas Ave. Lahat po ng identification nya like IDs are intact unfortunately po ang mga alahas (kahit ano po kc bawal nmin sa kanya pilit Nya sinusuot) at ang pera Nya na binigay namin nung Pasko ay wala na. Hindi Nya matandaan Kung saan sya natulog pero malamang po sa lansangan ;( alam po namin na Hindi din sya hihingi ng tulong kc sa nakakakilala Kay Mama alam naman po nila na may pagkasuplada si Mama parang principal sabi nga ng iba…..Except sa sobrang paltos na paa. Ok naman sya according sa hospital. Pero she will be back para mathorough check up po ng family doctor….ganun pala ang Alzheimer’s….ang mama ko po kc dating architect/building inspector at field work…kaya yun ang nakakatatak sa memory nya ang maglakad at maglakad parang nag field work…at nung college sya lakwatsera sya at tumatakas kaya now na matanda na sya nung andito sya sa akin naman tumatakas Hindi daraanan ng gate kc nakalock pero sa dingding ng bakod. Para syang si Mcgyver nakakatakas at magaling sumalisi….
As I was looking at my Mama, I am struck with a deep sadness in my heart. The lines in her forehead are very evident; her hair has turned into white and her body has become frail.
I can vividly remember those days when we were young, I foresee her as a very strong willed woman. As I was growing up, I view her as capable and a disciplinarian mom (just a stern look from her makes my body quivers). But as years progress, especially when she turned 60s, age has come to catch her and now she is already 72 years old.
Initially, we correlate her forgetfulness to her age but when the forgetfulness became more prevalent, that was the time that we knew that there is something more in it. My mom would hide her wallet and forget where she placed it or would accuse someone of stealing it. Most of the time she will tell a story repeatedly unknown to her that she has already relayed it a couple of times. (Parang naka unli text ika nga – sad but it is true).
Mama’s deterioration from Alzheimer’s, moved me to tears. Although she is now frail, she still pictures herself as a tower of strength, although we will almost remind her that her condition before is not similar now, she is still that hot-headed mom who would insists that she still can do those tiring activities she was used to before.
At this early Mama is already forgetting and inter-changing our names. dumating na yung time na kinatatakutan ko ito na, nakakalimutan na nya kung sino kami sa buhay nya. It really hurts, but painful as it will be we will always be giving her all the love that she needs. I hope and pray that God will guide our family in handling this very emotional situation.
Right now, my Dad and Mama is turning old and gray if only we can hold the hands of time, my siblings and I together with our partners and their grandchildren has made a pact to show to our parents how much we love and care for them. It is now our turn to take care of them.
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On the sidenote: I commend my sister Ate Yeng for taking good care of our parents. For doing those things which I cannot do to them. Thanks for the patience and the time.
Indeed, Alzheimer is a disease that is to be dealt by the whole family. Kailangan ng matinding pagmamahal at napakahabang pang unawa mula sa buong pamilya.
Let me share to you this lovely and touching poem written by a child to her Mom siffering from Alzheimer’s
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Just been to SM and I bought several handy dandy tools and my Mommy 
. You are most of the time quiet and reserve, I am not 
Officially enrolled na ang aking dalaga sa kanyang last semester sa college…
