Tina, the main breadwinner and mainstay of a poor extended family in Kalayaan, Laguna, Philippines, and her young nephew Ken-Ken are ill but without antibiotics already prescribed, and unable to afford them.
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- At 09:57 GMT+08, from the Yahoo Messenger computer program, I sent a text message to Tina’s cellphone.
- Tina replied: she was still sick with tonsillitis.
- Eight-year-old Ken-Ken was also ill with wounds and a fever.
- They needed 1,800 pesos to buy antibiotics but could not afford them.
Bern:
Hi Tina, good morning. I've just re-installed Yahoo Messenger. This is just a test message to see if I can text you. I'm hoping it will work. Bern.
Tina:
Good a.m. Bern, I’m glad that I received the text from your Yahoo.
Please help me; I have fever because of tonsillitis.
I need to buy antibiotics costing 1,200 [but] I cannot afford to buy [them].
Also antibiotic for Ken’s wounds; it was inflammation and infected; he have fever too.
Bern:
Tina, I'm glad you received the text but I'm [financially and emotionally] exhausted… To make matters worse, Ross has just mis-called me [from Manila, needing help ASAP ].
I'm appalled to hear not only that you're still sick but also that Ken has wounds. I wonder how he got them and wonder if the fever is a result.
I promised to ring Ross [a Manila householder facing possible eviction] so I should do it now.
Also I promised to help a friend do some work, starting about now. But I'll stay in touch.
An hour later Tina texted again: “I hope you received my text: Ken’s antibiotic costs 600.”
Regrettably there was nothing more to be done. I was without sufficient funds to help until Wednesday.
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