disinfectant

"This has been a bad year for us," ma mused the other day.

We were in a cab on our way to the National Kidney Institute for her check-up. She was referring to a number of her sisters and relatives who are currently inflicted with illnesses and serious life-threatening diseases that require hospitalization, surgery, even chemotheraphy. In fact, as she was being interviewed by an endourologist, one of her sisters was under the knife at the adjacent Lung Center of the Philippines for complications caused by goiter. We visited her later and it was disheartening to see her wrapped in tubes, surrounded by cold soulless machines. I couldn't begin to imagine how her children must be feeling these days.

"I agree," I said.