A Mother's Instinct

A week ago, my son was very ill. He was having a high fever. I panicked because I thought it was a dengue fever   (Last year my son diagnosed with dengue fever 1), but my doctor said it was just tonsillitis. However, after three days my son started to have a diarrhea, so I brought him to a chiropractor (manghihilot). It is a common practice here in our  province that once a child is sick we always go to a "manghihilot" because the child is either have gripes, flatulence, flu, sprains or bone dislocation. It's up to you how much you will pay for a "manghihilot," for me 20 to 50 pesos is enough. But then my child's fever did not go down and his diarrhea continued. I started giving him oral re hydration salt ( ORS ) to avoid dehydration. My elders told me to let my child eat a banana (Tundan variety) to stop his diarrhea. 

my little child

However, my son’s diarrhea gets worse, he was already weak, and he will not accept food or water anymore. So I decided to bring him to the hospital, but along the way I change my mind, instead of the hospital we landed into the house of an herb doctor (albularyo), hoping that he could answer the questions that was bothering my mind, why is it that my child always get sick? Is someone wrathful who make evil things to us? Did we disturb those spirits living in the big old tree? We live in a sixty year old house and in front of it is a big old tree. The elders always remind us not to go near that big tree.

So the herb doctor check my child he gently blew the fontanel of my child and he get the pulse and after awhile he said that my child was having an indigestion and none of my inquiries are true. He then applies liniment (coconut oil) into the body of my child. He said that I have to get three kinds of leaves, star apple leaves, guava leaves and custard apple leaves (atis leaves). I have to get the leaves before sunset or before it gets dark and it was almost five o'clock in the afternoon at that time.

So in the midst of a very busy street and traffic, I manage to run from street to street hoping and praying that I will find those leaves, luckily I found the two leaves except for the custard apple leaves. Now my problem  is, where can I find those leaves and it is almost five thirty in the afternoon. Someone told me that many of that trees where slash by typhoon sendong two years ago. I decided to go home but on the way a lady approach me and told me that she has a custard apple tree in their house, and when I saw it, I was so happy I almost hug it! I picked seven leaves and boiled all the leaves in three cups of water.

However, my child would not drink it so I use syringe and put it in his mouth. But after awhile my child started to vomit and I already saw a sign of dehydration. Immediately I brought my child to the nearest hospital.

We stayed in the hospital for four days. It turns out that my child was having an intestinal amoebiasis with moderate dehydration.

In the hospital, while I am gazing at my child sleeping in his bed. I look back and wonder what led me to think and decide, to bring my child to an herb doctor instead of bringing him to the hospital? As a mother, my instinct told me that my child needs a real doctor but I refuse to listen.

Though, I still believed in the power of herbs and the ability of an herb doctor, but sometimes you cannot always rely on them. Until now, I still have my fears and maybe guilt for not listening to my instinct.I'm just thankful that my child is in good health now.