The Painful Pleasure (TPP)
EPISODE 27
“Mr Dapo, I’m very sorry, your mum is in a very critical condition. She has shortage of blood, and that was what caused the collapse. She is unconscious as we speak. Her condition has gotten really worse.” The doctor explained. “What is the way forward now, doctor?!” I asked the doctor. I was covered in sweats, Moji stood behind me as I talked to the doctor. I even thought the doctor would tell her to excuse us, but he didn’t say that. “She needs blood transfusion urgently, and she’s O-positive. Right now, we don’t have any blood that is O-positive in our blood banks. So right now, the only solution is a donor, and we have limited time. But it’s good you are here. We really hope you are O-positive.”
My eyes were clouded with tears. I had a blood test when I wanted to resume school. I had been tested to be AB. I am a student of microbiology, I know the implication of what the doctor said. There are four blood groups: A, B, AB and O. ‘AB’ is referred to as ‘universal recipient’, because it can take blood from any of the other groups. ‘O’ is the ‘universal donor’ because it can donate blood to any of the other groups, but the problem is that it can only get blood from ‘O’. Blood from any other group entering into the system will only result in clumping of antibodies, agglutination, then death won’t be evitable.
I was so sad, as I cried bitterly. “Where exactly am I going to get someone that has the ‘O’ group, my mum has just a short while left.” I thought to myself. I answered the doctor’s question, now I couldn’t control my tears. “Doctor, I’m not O, I’m AB.” I cried bitterly. Suddenly. I heard a voice behind me. “Dapo don’t worry, they can get the blood from me, I’m O-positive”. The voice sounded like Moji’s but I didn’t believe it. I turned back and it was really her. I didn’t believe it, I had mixed feelings. I’m happy, at the same time Sad. Happy that we finally got a donor. Sad about my mothers case.
“Alright madam, we don’t have much time left. Please come with me for confirmatory test.” The doctor said to Moji. “I’ll be right back dapo. Just calm down okay, everything will be fine.” Moji said, and she followed the doctor for the test. I didn’t alter a word, because I was dumbfounded. I didn’t know what to say exactly. “How can someone be so nice? What have I done to deserve all the kind gestures? How on earth am I going to repay Moji for everything she has done for me?” I started thinking about her but I stopped, and started praying for my mum’s wellbeing.
Moji came back after 20 minutes holding an Apple and a can of Malt. She sat close to me and kept comforting me, telling me to calm down. The doctor came out too. “Congratulations Mr Dapo. The blood is perfect, and we have the blood already. As a matter of fact, the blood transfusion is going on already.” I was so happy, I hugged Moji immediately. I was so happy that I held her so tight. She was very happy too. The doctor was smiling. “If I may ask, who is she?” The doctor asked. “My blood sister, I answered.” Moji laughed. ” Why are you laughing now, the same blood flowing through your veins is the one flowing through my mum’s right now.” I said, The doctor laughed as well as Moji. “Doctor don’t mind him, I’m his friend, we are in the same department in school.” Moji answered. “Friend? Are you sure you guys are not dating?” The doctor asked Moji, but I took over to answer the question. “Sir we are very close, in fact, we are like brothers and sisters. That’s what people think when they see us”. As I was talking, Moji kept nodding her head in agreement. “You guys must be really close for you to come with him from school, talk less of donating blood to his mum”. The doctor said.
Moji changed the topic. “Doctor. hi Mira on +2349020348099 to read more stories from the page.. Please can we see mummy now?” Moji asked. “No please, she is yet to gain consciousness, but in the next two hours, we believe everything will be fine. But in this hospital, we save dying people first before demanding money. Because we know that life is like an egg. And is priceless. So please, you guys should go and bring money to settle the bills, for the drugs and injections administered to her”. I was really baffled as I didn’t even know where to get that from. Moji broke the silence. “How much is the bill?” Moji asked. “It’s 30,000 Naira ma” The doctor replied. I was so sad as I didn’t have that money. Neither did my mum. Everyone knows that in St Peters hospital, the prices are not negotiable, and if you fail to pay, asides the fact that the patient won’t be discharged on time, you will have to pay extra money. Moji stood up, and went out of the office. I didn’t know where she was heading, so I followed her to see where she was going. . .
What next? Find out in Episode 28.
The Painful Pleasure (TPP)
EPISODE 28
I followed her to see where she was going. She went straight to the payment section. She asked the woman a question, the woman nodded her head to say ‘yes’, then Moji brought out her ATM, while the woman brought out POS. The woman then gave her a receipt. It was then I understood the whole thing. Moji just paid my mother’s hospital bills. Moji discovered that I had been watching. So she came straight to me and stretched the receipt to me. “Please, show the doctor”. She said. I took the receipt, on it stuffs like “Mrs Omisakin, 30,000 Naira only etc.” were written. I was so surprised, I didn’t know what I could say. I’m so indebted to Moji. But the question is: How come Moji has such amount in her account? I wanted to ask, but I didn’t. Her parents are rich.
We waited at reception, and about two hours later, a nurse came that my mum wanted to see me. I was so excited, Moji and i rushed into the ward that she was. I saw her lying on the bed. Her eyes were opened. “Maa mi, you really scared me. I am so glad you regained consciousness.” I said to her. She replied me, and her voice was somehow faint. ” Ma binu oko mi, I didn’t mean to scare you. I was just in my shop, trying to park. That’s all I could remember.” She said. She noticed Moji who had been silent all the while, looking at d mother-son movie. “Who is this? She asked. “Mummy, this is Moji, my course mate in school. Thank God she came with me. You had blood transfusion, it was her that donated blood, otherwise the worst might have happened. And number 2, she paid all your bills. That’s about 30,000.” I explained to my mum. “Ah, thank you my daughter, I’m so greatful. Thanks for saving my life. E se eku inawo o.” She thanked Moji. “Don’t thank me ma, I just did what I had to do ma. Thank God you’re fine now ma”. Moji said. “I’m very fine now, in fact I’m going home now.” My mother said. “No o, you are not going anywhere, doctor said you will have bed rest for two days.” I said to her.
My mother had a long conversation with Moji, and it was really funny. She asked questions about her parents and the job they are doing. I knew she was saying all that because she was surprised how an undergraduate can settle 30,000 Naira bill.
Her dad was the chief auditor in a big company that had their headquarters in Ibadan. Moji is the only child of both parents. They always give her whatever she asks for. Her monthly allowance was almost 40,000 Naira. She was able to pay the bill, because she saves money a lot and she isn’t extravagant or showy. Moji is from a very rich family, but you can’t know unless you are really close to her. She just told my mum her dads job. Since my mum didn’t ask for other details, she didn’t go into facts about her allowance.
I advised Moji to go back to ife the following day. That day was Friday, and the following day would be Saturday. Moji told me that since its a Saturday (the next day) that she would just go on Sunday, then continue lectures on Monday. We agreed, since her view was only logical.
Moji and I slept, at the hospital that night. I would have taken her home, but I’m so shy of our house which wasn’t really attractive. She really went through a lot, because the mosquito’s there were so strong.
It was Saturday morning. It was Mayowa’s call that woke me. I had totally forgotten that I didn’t say bye bye to them before traveling to Ibadan. I was really disorganised that day and I left so early. No one could have seen me when I left. I felt so bad about what I did to my roommates. I picked the call. . .
Mayowa: Guy, where have you been since the day before yesterday? I’ve been trying your number and it wasn’t reachable. You got us so worried.
Me: Mayowa I’m really sorry, my mum was seriously ill. Moji and I had to rush to Ibadan as early as 5am yesterday.
Mayowa: (He was surprised when he heard that Moji went to Ibadan with me.) Moji? Anyway how is your mum’s health now? Me: She has gotten better. Thank you. Please Mayowa, I need to go now. I’ll call you later in the day.
Mayowa: Alright guy. Take care of yourself, your mum and Moji o (laughing)
Dapo: Alright bye.
The Saturday morning, Moji had been bitten by mosquito’s, so I decided to take her to my house at night. So that she can sleep comfortably to an extent. We went to my mum’s ward. We played with her till around 4pm. Moji and I went to buy her food. (Don’t bother to ask who paid). And she ate then around 8pm, I told Moji we were going to sleep at home then she agreed. We said bye to my mum, and we went straight to my house.
What happened overnight? Find out in Episode 29.
