THE UNIQUE CASE OF MELVYN BERNALDEZ

Barely three weeks after the lion tamer and his pet returned from Cebu City tending to the case of Jonel Lustrado, she again announced to his pet another unusual news. “Tay”, she said, “we have another crippled patient to help in our laps.”

Like machine-gun fire, she mentioned that subject is an eleven-year-old boy whose hips were badly dislocated as a result of a vehicle accident that occurred some seven years before. She narrated that the boy was hospitalized for no less than six months, two at Tagbilaran and four at Cebu City, immediately after the accident and while the wound and scratches healed, the infirmity on the hips and legs were not corrected. In addition, she said a case was filed against the owner of the provincial bus by a town lawyer but according to the parents, other than reimbursing the hospital bills, no other money was ever received by them. The case, they said, are still pending and undecided with the court.

Full of enthusiasm in her words, the lion could only lamely remark that there are two distinct problems which are to be tackled separately. On the medical side, there is a need to consult Bro. Jack Galbreath as he is the one who has contact with Dr. Felix Vicuna, Jr. in Cebu City. On the legal side, there may be a need to consult a lawyer-brother who can review the case if there is still something that can be done due to the length of time.

It turned out she already phoned Jack and that the latter remarked he would want to see the boy, which made the aging lion glad. On the legal side, the mother later presented to the lion tamer a folder that contained the details of the case which she said, she requested from the lawyer. To the consternation of both the lion and his tamer, there appeared in the folder two affidavits of desistance, one written in English, and the other in vernacular and signed by the father, saying that they are no longer pursuing the case after the defendant paid the medical bills of the patient.

The aging lion could only shake his head. With the affidavit of desistance, what else can be done? And why was the case allowed to drag by the town lawyer? The answer, it turned out, was not hard to find. The poor parents periodically bring fresh fish to the lawyer’s residence and undoubtedly it was a good legal remuneration in whatever angle one would look at it. The only depressing note is that the parents’ expectations will be turned to naught because of the strength and validity of the affidavit of desistance that the father signed in abject ignorance. Ah!! How common it is to see the abusive mighty cheat the unlettered and the feeble-minded!

And so as the wheels of time turned the lion awaited his meeting with his Worshipful Master. There is no need to rush things, he mused, the boy has already been crippled the last seven years and so a few more weeks wait will not do him further harm.

Until last November 7 when WB Jack called asking if we can bring the boy to Ubay town the next day. He said the Rotarians, a civic organization where he also belongs, is having a Medical Mission there and it can help much if the medical team can look at the patient to see if there is still something that could be done with the boy.

Without hesitation, we took the mother and the boy to the designated place where the medical mission was to be held and there, after diagnoses and picture taking, the doctor said that while the physical condition of the hips and the right leg has already considerably deteriorated due to the lapse of time, there is a fair chance that something positive can still be done.

The next day, on Wednesday evening, we rode the rickety ship at Ubay and by three in the morning of the next day., it docked safely at Pier One. We then rode a taxi to Cebu Doctor’s Hospital and by seven in the morning took breakfast at a nearby carenderia. Thereafter we proceeded to Dr. Vicuna’s clinic and there waited for him to arrive as his clinic hours starts 10:30 A. M.

At the appointed time, a gentleman entered the office marked “Dr. Felix Vicuna, Jr.,” and so steadfastly, the lion stood and immediately made the three familiar raps at the door, and simultaneously extended his right hand as sign of that familiar greeting known only to the members of the Craft and tactfully explained the purpose of our visit.. A little surprised but with a smile on his genial face, he clasped the extended hand and immediately diagnosed the condition of the boy.

His analysis was to the point. He said the condition could no longer be restored to normal saying only the GAOTU can bring back what has been damaged but that there still is a good chance that the situation can be improved and that we should not worry.. Dr. Vicuna said that the boy will be admitted at the Vicente Sotto Hospital (wonder if this is related to Tito Sen), there operated on and added that the expenses will be shouldered by the Shrine. He also said that the boy might be required to stay at the hospital from three to six months. As personal expenses also had to be incurred, we told him that Bro. Jack will attend to the food needs of the mother who will watch over him, and the doctor retorted: “Good” for a reply.

Subsequently, Bro. Jack arrived and thereafter we proceeded to the Vicente Sotto Hospital. There we remembered a comment that Bro. Jack made one time while referring to the case of Jonel Lustrado that “it is real hard to be poor’, for the hospital was overcrowded with the patients having to wait for their turn at the emergency room before being admitted to a ward. This we found out when, despite having the patient formally registered at the hospital on Thursday noon, the boy was only admitted into the ward room the evening of the next day. And undoubtedly, only after the lion tamer called both Jack and Dr. Vicuna asking if something positive could be done to facilitate things. To the credit of the good doctor, he personally attended to the problem.

It was already Saturday morning when the lion wrote this article and looking back, he could only cross his fingers and let father time dictate its pace. Melvyn is already at the hospital and his mother is dotingly watching over him. Hopefully, Dr. Felix Vicuna could do his utmost to improve Melvyn’s condition so that his gait would no longer be the same by the time he returns home after his stay.

And so that about ends this short article to enable him to take his bath and take a van on his way to Tagbilaran and there attend the second Saturday stated meeting of Dagohoy Lodge No. 84