Facts about alcohol poisoning:
Alcohol poisoning is when there's too much alcohol in your blood, and it causes parts of your brain to shut down. It's also called alcohol overdose. Alcohol is a depressant. That means it can affect your brain and nervous system to slow your breathing, your heart rate, and other important tasks that your body does.
Symptoms of alcohol overdose include mental confusion, difficulty remaining conscious, vomiting, seizure, trouble breathing, slow heart rate, clammy skin, dulled responses such as no gag reflex (which prevents choking), and extremely low body temperature. Alcohol overdose can lead to permanent brain damage or death.
0.200-0.249% - needs assistance in walking; total mental confusion. Dysphoria with nausea and vomiting; possible black out.
0.250-0.399% - Alcohol poisoning. Loss of consciousness.
0.40%+Onset of coma, possible death due to respiratory arrest.
Sources: https://www.webmd.com; https://www.niaaa.nih.gov; https://mcwell.nd.edu
Miggy's POV
"What did the doctor say?" I asked after a few minutes of my silence and just the stare I made at mommy while holding her hand.
"She must first stay here for a few days and then she will be referred to a psychiatrist to help her with her difficulties of coping up. She needs professional help who can explain things to her clearly, which is normal for a person who has lost a loved one and is having a hard time accepting the truth," explained aunt Beth while Carla and uncle Manuel remained listening and watching what was happening.
"She doesn't talk to anyone every day. So, chose to pour all her time into drinking and skipping meals. We tried to force her to eat every time we went to your house to visit her but she also eats very little because she always says she has no appetite," added the aunt.
"That's also what she always tells me when I visit her, she always says she has no appetite. She only cries when she sees me, so sometimes I don't understand what it means for her to cry every time she sees me. Is she happy to see or sad? I don't have the nerve to ask her, I just hug her tightly. Then she complained that she could no longer handle the pain," I replied while my eyes were still staring at mommy. I couldn't take my eyes off of her because I am afraid of what might happen to her when I don't look at her.
"Every time I force her to eat, she just seems annoyed with me because she feels like I don't understand what she's going through. When I ask her what she wants, she doesn't answer my question; she just cries. Then she just stared at the picture of your father, sir, as if she wanted to say something but couldn't say it," Carla butted in the conversation.
"Manuel and I once asked her if she wanted to visit your daddy because we would be willing to accompany her, but she only refused our offer to her," said Aunt Beth.
"What happened to her? How did she get here?" I asked again.
"I was scared when I saw her lying on the floor inside your daddy's study in your house. I was always checking on her, I tried to wake her up but she didn't wake up. You were the first one I called earlier just to let you know, but you did not answer my calls. Ma'am Beth and Sir Manuel arrived just in time, so they helped me get here because we were afraid of what could happen to her if she remained like that and we know she needs medical attention with her condition. While we were on our way here, I called Meynard to inform him. Then I found out that you were busy with the audition, that's why you didn't pick up any of my calls earlier," Carla explained at length while crying. Aunt Beth comforted her immediately because they were just next to each other sitting at the sofa.
"What else did the doctor say? Why hasn't she woken up until now?" I hesitantly asked them another series of questions.
"We are still waiting for the doctor to come back because he still needs to check the result of the tests they did to your mommy earlier. It's good that you're here so that you can talk to the doctor personally the questions that you would like to know about your mom's condition when he comes back here anytime," said aunt Beth. I couldn't continue what I was supposed to say when we heard the cell phone ringing.
"Excuse me, I need to take this call," Carla informed us and then she left the room. The three of us, Aunt Manuel and Aunt Beth, were left behind and the whole room suddenly went back to silence.
I just gasped.
"Mommy, wake up! Don't be like this please? I'm sorry if I don't visit you often at home. I'm just really busy with work, mom. But that doesn't mean I've forgotten you or I love you less. I'm still making sure I can call you often but in case you don't answer my call, I just call Carla to check on you. Mom, I'm still here. Only daddy left, so you shouldn't be like that mom because you're not yet alone. I'm also having a hard time mom just like you, but at the same time I'm trying to be strong because I know you need me and I need you too, mommy. Please don't leave me just because daddy is gone. I know I had many shortcomings as your son, but I am working on a way to give you the time…quality time and to make it up to you. But I'm sorry because it's been really hectic these past few days, so I haven't visited you for a few days now. But I know what happens to you every day, mom, because I always check on Carla of how are you doing? I asked her did you sleep well? And of course, I also know from her that you always get wasted. Mom, I can't take it anymore if something bad happens to you. Please let's work things together, don't leave me mom, I can't really take it anymore."
My conversation with her was interrupted in my mind when I heard the door open, so I looked up to see who came in.
"Hi! Good evening. I'm Dr. Mortel. I am Mrs. Sansebastian's attending physician," the newly introduced himself upon seeing me sitting beside my mother. So, I stood up and introduced myself to him.
"I am Alejandro Miguel Sansebastian. I am the son of your patient," I answered directly while shaking hands with him.
"How is my mother doc?"
"I'm sorry to inform you that she's suffering from alcohol poisoning, also known as an alcohol overdose. This occurs when a person consumes an excessive amount of alcohol in their body. Since alcohol is a depressant, it means it can affect the brain and nervous system of the patient, it can cause slowing of your breathing, your heart rate, and other important tasks that your body does," he explained.
"Is her condition in critical stage or not?" I can't help but ask him in a straightforward manner.
"As of now, she's still under observation to know more about her current condition. One thing why she's still asleep until now is her body needs enough rest that her body didn't get it for quite some time now, based on the statement of your relatives when I asked earlier? Then another thing is that we found out that she's lacking proper nutrition. She is not eating enough and she's having a very unhealthy lifestyle recently," the doctor continued to explain.
"Yes doc, she has been like that since my dad passed away. She said it was really difficult for hers to sleep and then she didn't want to eat because she had no appetite, then she only ate a little when she's forced to and worst drank liquors regularly like water," I said sadly.
"Don't worry, she'll be fine soon. So, it is better for her to stay here for a few days so we can monitor her needs and provide them for her so that her body can recover immediately. And then, I suggest she consult a professional to help her overcome the difficulty she is going through now. I understand that it's not easy what your mother is going through right now. Don't worry, she'll be fine soon. So, it is better for her to stay here for a few days so we can monitor her needs and provide them for her so that her body can recover immediately. And then, I suggest she consult a professional to help her overcome the difficulty she is going through now. So, in order for us to avoid possible unnecessary circumstances to happen in the future, it is better to talk to a professional now to help him understand what is happening and how she can overcome it all. Because, I have to tell you frankly that alcohol overdose can lead to death when we can't find a way to help her as soon as possible," he clearly explained to us.
It was as if a bucket of ice had been poured on me from what I had heard the doctor say. I didn't think that I could possibly lose another parent in an instant due to alcohol overdose. Aunt Beth and Uncle Manuel also gasped at the same time, which I had noticed earlier that he was silent. He was just quietly listening to the conversation and I caught him staring into space as if deep in thought.
"By the way, please excuse me. I have other patients to attend to. I'll be back tomorrow morning. If you have further questions, try to ask the nurses at the station, or you can call me directly for anything you need regarding the patient's condition and her medical needs," he handed me his calling card.
"Thank you, doc."
"You're welcome," that was the last thing he told us after shaking hands again and then he left the room.
The door opened again after a while, and at the same time, Carla and Meynard entered with the food they had bought. We all ate dinner together, and soon my aunt and uncle said goodbye after we all ate, because it was getting late. I thanked them when I led them out the door.
"Sir, is it okay for us to leave you for a while because I need some things at your house for your mom's?" Carla asked hesitantly after she had put away what we had eaten.
"Alright, no problem, Carla. By the way, I wanna thank you for taking care of mom and thank you so much for being very much patient with her because I know that you have made a great sacrifice for mommy. You can hardly go home because of her situation. You are mommy's great companion and the best assistant every single day of her life since you were starting to work with her. But I'm sorry if I can't do anything to help you right now. Carla, you're the only one I can trust to be with Mommy, and I know she's only comfortable with you. Thank you so much for all you have done for me and my family, we are so lucky to have you and Meynard in our lives. I don't know what I would do if you two weren't always there for us," I said guilty and embarrassed.
"Don't think about those things, sir; ma'am Barbs is like a second mother to me, and she has done so much for me and to my family as well. So, I'm just giving back the kindness she gave us. My family has no problem with me not coming home to them more often because they understand me and even so, I did not fail to support their needs," she started to cry again.
They were the ones who became my reliable companions, true friends. They even beat the real family members. Even though we have no blood connection, if they can consider us, they become even more like family to us. After that short conversation with Carla, they left immediately and headed home to get some things for mommy and for Carla herself, who will watch over my mom while she's here at the hospital. I was then left alone moments after.
Because of the intense fatigue and stress, I had received all day from work and the struggling part that I did the half run just to get in here as fast as I could earlier, I easily went asleep and unconsciously I swiftly in my deep slumber even I was sitting on the couch in front of mom's hospital bed. Only then did I wake up when I heard a faint voice talking. So, I slowly opened my eyes to see who it was. I immediately noticed that Meynard and Carla were busy arranging the things they had brought from home and they both kept on whispering towards each other.
Their weak conversation was interrupted when they felt that someone was staring at them and then they looked at me at the same time, together.
I'm sorry, sir, but I believe we woke you up. Somehow you were able to get some rest," Carla said shyly.
"Ah, bro, I can take you to the condo first so you can rest well. Let's just come back tomorrow?" Meynard asked me hesitantly. I was hesitant and embarrassed to look at Carla because I knew she was tired too.
"Oh, go ahead sir, Meynard is right. We have been arguing for a while to wake you up so that you can go to your condo. You don't have to worry because there are nurses and doctors who will help me if ma'am Barb needs anything. Then I will call you or Meynard right away when your mommy wakes up," she said, relieving me.
"Yeah, I totally agreed with Carla," Meynard seconded Carla's statement. So, in other words, even if I don't want to leave mommy, they both have their decision for me, so I have to go home now so that I can rest. I'll just come back tomorrow.
"Then bro, you look so haggard and a bit stinky now that you need to take a shower and change. Don't worry, mama will come here tomorrow morning so that Carla will have someone with her to help. Mama is coming with Jenny since it's still a semester break, so she's free."
I was just shaken by Meynard's words and then I laughed softly. I saw that Carla was also holding back her laughter, but Meynard still looked at me teasingly.
"I know, so don't stress the word stinky anymore, jerk!" I slapped him on the shoulder at the same time.
"Good for you, you deserved to be slapped hard," Carla yelled at him, then the three of us laughed at the same time.
"Oh hey! Let's go because I need to take a bath because I already smell so stinky. It's such a shame staying in this room with you while I smell so stinky. But even though I smell so stinky to the other people out there at least I look more handsome than them," I stress the word stinky in my sarcastic statement.
"Yes, I lose if I lose, but at least I have a girlfriend," he laughed as he turned to face me.
"Let's see, maybe this conversation is going nowhere. Alright Carla, we'll go ahead first. Say what you need to buy right away and get it delivered. Just call me then. You can be with my nanny tomorrow, so you can have some rest. We will also be back tomorrow after work," then we left after some few words with her.
Meynard and I didn't take long to drive home to the condo because it was late and there weren't many cars on the road, in short no more traffic anymore. We were both quiet as he drove and until we got to my unit. We went to the bedroom one by one, probably because we were both in a hurry to take a shower and change to go to bed because we were both tired and we had to be early for work tomorrow.
Well, after I laid down in my bed, I didn't have trouble falling asleep, and I woke up a bit late. Meynard woke me up because otherwise we would both be late for work. Meynard wasn't able to cook breakfast because he woke up a bit later than usual because we were tired and we came home late last night. So, we decided to take the drive thru to buy breakfast on our way to the office.
"Bro, the audition for the second batch starts at nine o'clock, so we have to go to the hotel. Then you can watch the video of those you weren't able to see yesterday after the second batch later," he explained to me on what I'm going to do today.
"Then you have a few documents to sign and that one folder needs your approval for the project proposal of the other team," he continued before we got out of the elevator after it stopped and the door opened.
"Please just bring the documents that need my signature, I will do it there in the hotel during my free time so that it won't be hard on us to go back and forth towards our office and to the hotel," I asked him."
"Alright, I'll just go to my table because I need to check on something then I'll get the documents at your office so we can leave right away. Just wait for me in the lobby when you finish first," he said.
Then we parted ways because I had someone else to talk to before we went back to the hotel for the second and last batch of auditions.
Lunch time when I called Carla to say hello to check on my mom, that's the second time I called her because I called her this morning while we were going to work in case mommy was still awake so I could have the time to talk to her. But Carla said she was just going to sleep again. She happily announced that Mommy and the Nanny had their chat when she woke up, the same time when the nanny arrived with Jenny.
We ended the whole day at the hotel to finish the audition and fortunately I still had time to watch some of the auditions I didn't get to watch yesterday because I had to leave. I need to review the video so I would be ready for the meeting with the panel for the deliberation of who passed the first screening.
Another day at the office.
"Sir, your meeting with your co-panel will start at exactly two in the afternoon. After that, we can leave when you have finished reviewing and signed the documents that I have placed on your table. Because I have other things to do for tomorrow," he explained.
True enough, there were folders on my table, so that's what I did first while waiting for my next schedule. Because I want to go to the hospital, I want to see my mother. I want to talk to her about how she is right now? I was very focused on the documents that I am reviewing when Meynard suddenly called me.
"Sir, the meeting will start in five minutes. They are already in the conference room," Meynard informed me.
"Alright, I'll be there in a minute. By the way, I have already approved and signed the proposal. You can give it to the team anytime now. Please inform the team in-charge for this project that they have to prepare for the presentation. I am looking forward to that as soon as possible," I ordered as I prepared myself before heading to the conference room.
"Noted sir."
I immediately walked out of the office and Meynard followed me, who will also attend the meeting for the discussion of who would be qualified for the second screening. The meeting began immediately as soon as I sat down with the rest of the panel. Fifteen were selected for the second screening. The discussion was not easy because all the five of us in the panel had different tastes and choices, so everyone had to make the selection according to the criteria, not just because the auditionee is our personal bet. We have agreed to vote for a fair selection of the candidates for the next screening.
It was past six o'clock when we finished the whole deliberation process, because of that the staff prepared for an early dinner for everyone in the conference who attended the deliberation. But because I am in a hurry to see my mom the reason why I didn't join the dinner with my co-panel. It was a good idea that I let Meynard leave the office ahead of me before the meeting ended, because he had to do some errands for me. So, when I went down to the parking lot, everything was ready and he was just waiting for me to come down. My nanny went home this afternoon, before I got to see her with Jenny, Meynard's younger sister.
"Nard, we have selected fifteen candidates for the second screening. Tomorrow you will coordinate with the team to set the next schedule immediately. What will happen is that they will use the product and then say the lines prepared for them, the exact lines for the commercial proper to test their confidence and how they pronounce the words clearly. The company wants to see how confident they are when it's in the actual commercial. All of our panel members have agreed to make sure that the brand ambassador is chosen carefully for the best result. And to see if it really suits them. That needs to start in the morning because that process will take a little longer time. Draw lots will be the basis for the numbering who will be the first to be in front of the camera. They should memorize the lines very well to avoid stuttering and mental block. It's like the commercials we watch on tv, just like that," I explained as he drove. We are now on our way to the hospital. I already called Carla to let her know that we are coming and we have food brought for all of us.