Death during Pandemic

Last Friday, a super unexpected sad news shocked the whole family. Our dear aunt, like a 2nd mother to my husband and his siblings, passed away. It happened so fast that no one would ever thought it will happen during this trying times. And Tita never got really sick, she just had maintenance for diabetes but never that sickly. In fact, she took care of her two grandchildren as she was living with the eldest sister of my hubby. She usually prepares their breakfast and watch tv all day long.

Thursday night, we received a message from ate that her husband and tita need prayer that they may be spared from covid because they both are not feeling well. But when we asked if tita still has the sense of smell or taste, ate said yes they have. Come Friday morning, Ate #2 called tita as early as 7am to ask how she was and they did had a great conversation, laughing and all. After that, tita enjoyed her noodles with ate and her family. When finished, she went straight to her favorite chair and sit there. After a while, her grandson noticed that tita fell on the floor and so ate got panicked and called her husband who is fixing something upstairs. Then ate called my husband who was arranging his pots and plants at that time. He rushed to ate's house and immediately carried tita. He said tita was too heavy and was no longer breathing when they were on their way to the hospital.

I was busy with my daughter that I did not notice the exchanges of messages from the family. It was already 10am when I checked and saw those crying emoticons in the group chat. And the sad news, Tita is gone! I was shocked and don't know how and what to react. All the good memories just flashed back and I could not cry, I was staring something blankly. I could not even call my husband at that time. Then come after lunch, my hubby called and confirmed everything. My tears started to roll when my husband said, 'Di man lang sila nagkita ng personal ni Nanang' (with a sad voice). They never got the chance because my mother never really stayed long in Manila and tita cannot bear traveling from Manila to Ilocos for a vacation.

So going back, my husband said that at the hospital only three (3) non-covid patients are allowed to be admitted. And he needs to quickly process all the requirements for the immediate cremation of tita. Yes, they cremated her even if she is not a covid victim, the family decided that. This is to avoid mass gathering and that because of the lockdown, relatives and friends could not pay visit to her wake. So after a day, the urn of tita was already delivered to ate's house. No one can visit them there because according to the hospital's protocol, while waiting for the result tita's swab test, those family who lives with her are under PUM.

The whole family is in pain and are grieving but we all need to endure because of this virus that silently attacking everyone. My husband is the runner of the family during this trying time. He process all the requirements for the burial of tita. Then while he was checking on the schedules for the interment of tita, this idea popped to his mind 'Isasakay ko na lang si tita sa motor tas kakanta na lang ako ng Di kita malilimutan' as he is the only one who is allowed and able to go out. Tatay is already senior and sickly lately, ate and her family is under observation, relatives and friends lives outside Bulacan.

Sobrang nakakaawa at nakakalungkot mamatayan during pandemic. Di man lang mabigyan ng maayos na burol at libing ang mahal sa buhay.

With this, I am asking you, yes you who is reading my article right now to please say a little prayer for Tita Oya.

Thank you and God bless us all.

Lead image is from Unsplash.
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