 Mamidir with her anakis, circa 1990's. |
The first one is pretty simple. When I was in fifth grade, I drew a robot and from it made a half-foot, fully pose-able model out of old slippers.
My mom was so impressed that she thought of contacting the local media to have my so-called "talent" featured.
But I was too shy and passed on the chance at fame.
The second story was about the time a nurse told my mom, "I-sibin mo ang bata mo, Mam," to bring my fever down in case it gets too high.
For some reason my mom forgot to clarify what the word meant as she patiently tended to me as she had done everyday since I got hospitalized for H-fever -- feeding me, watching my condition, searching for blood donors, etc.
So when my fever suddenly spiked to 42 degrees C and I began making weird things with my eyes and body, my mother did everything except that mysterious "sibin" thing.
As the nurses rushed in with ice and wet towels, the head nurse asked my mother if she administered "sibin" on me.
Recalling finally what was amiss, my mom asked (in Akeanon), "Nurse, ano buot hambaeon ko sibin hay? (What does sibin mean?)"
"Amo ni ang sibin" (This is sibin.), says the nurse (in Ilonggo) as she proceeded with giving me a brisk sponge bath with ice-cold water.
"Aah, trapuhan," says my mom.
"Indi, Mam. Sibin," insisted the nurse. "Amo ni ya ang trapuhan..." (This is trapuhan...) and she took the mop and started mopping the floor.
End of story.
I guess these are two of the fondest memories she has of me.
The toy robot is neatly preserved in my old room, a reminder of how much my mother has been so proud of my accomplishments, however small they may be. She could have pushed me to fame at a young age (nyahaha), but she respected and supported what I wanted -- as she always does.
I spent seven days and my 13th birthday in that hospital (Emmanuel Hospital at Roxas City, Capiz). My blood was examined every three hours the entire time (that's about fifty skin pricks distributed in ten fingers), and the pain was surreal.
But my mother, my family, and all the good souls that kept me company in that hospital room made the experience a whole lot bearable, almost fun.
I never felt the misery or hardship of being sick. While the pain was a constant buzz, I remember the pretty nurses, one of my happiest birthday celebrations, and my mother being there constantly.
The "sibin" incident has become one of my mom's surefire hit if she needs to make a point about language differences and get a few laughs out of it.
In the end, I guess she did make me a little famous in her own way. ^^
Happy Mother's Day, Mamidir. Labs guid!
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