Family lacks food; jobless father desperate

Today, at 11:10 a.m., Philippine time, Jason, an unemployed father of two daughters, sent me a text message from San Isidro, Laguna, in the South of Luzon Island, saying last night he could not sleep; he had a very painful boil "and there is also no food; I don't know what to do now."

I was very sorry to hear that and really wished I knew what to do.

Evidently the family has been barely surviving for months. Jason had previously confided that over the last half-year he has sometimes gone without eating himself for two or three days.

I had no remedy or comfort to offer. My repeated efforts to help the family have been leading me into financial difficulties.

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Retrenched father returns to work

School vacation starts

This morning Ross advised that he had been recalled to his usual printing work; that the summer school vacation had started for his children, and that his 13-year-old son Kristofer was due to graduate ceremonially from primary school on April 2.

Politician sponsors genital mutilation campaign

Ross also advised that an advertisement at the Better Living subdivision near the family home was publicising a free mass circumcision session in the area, sponsored by a politician. Ross wished he had a camera to take photographs.

It remains to be seen what effect the genital mutilation campaign will have on Ross's family and especially on Kristofer.

In the Philippines, dorsal incision of boys' prepuces - an alteration known as tuli - has long been customary. Uncut high school boys are frequently subjected to severe social pressure until they conform.

Traditionally the mutilation has been performed by men without medical training but over recent decades it has also been performed by medical and paramedical practitioners.

Over the last decade, some medical authorities in the Philippines have been opposing the routine cutting. The most notable of these is Dr Reynaldo Joson, a surgeon at the Ospital Ng Maynila.

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Several years ago, Ross visited the hospital. He was unable to meet Dr Joson, but reported later, with some excitement, that there were signs posted prominently around the hospital saying tuli is painful and unnecessary.

Research by a psychology graduate among 3,500 high school boys in the province of Batangas revealed that 70% of boys cut by non-medical operators and 50% of those done in medical settings showed definite signs of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

* * *

Details of text messages exchanged with Ross , 08:17-08:27 a.m. GMT+08, are shown below.

Ross: Gud morning Bern. I'm back to work; kids [are] on summer vacation, just at home. Kristofer['s] graduation [will be on] April 2. He only wish[es for] ice cream.

I saw political ads at Better Living [subdivision] near our place: it says free "TULI" painless handog pasasalamat Mula Kay: name of politician. I hope I have d camera to take picture.

Bern: Hello Ross! It's lucky you caught me online! Thank God you're back to work! Life is very difficult for me. Tina went to PGH yesterday and is still waiting there today.

I wish so much I could help your family to celebrate your children's school success but my financial situation is extremely difficult now.

Ross: Yes, Bern, I understand you. I hope I [will be] able to help you; texted you to let you know what's happening. Just wanna say hi. We're OK. I wish my job will continue. Thanks, Ross.

Bern: Thanks for that Ross. I hope I'm not interrupting your work right now. Thanks for the information about the Tuli campaign. The surgery is painful and unnecessary.

Young man Mel suffers pain, weakness and anxiety

Text received online at 09:32

Mel (03:11:52): Hello Bern, good evening! I don't know if I will go to the specialist - the pain is still [present,] I feel [it] though I continue take the med[ications] and also I feel weak. I'm worried.

The twisting lane

Those who pursue me taking a twisting lane
To find themselves immediately alone
With savage water or unfeeling stone,
In labrynths where they must entertain
Confusion, cripples, tigers, thunder, pain.

W.H. Auden: For the Time Being.

Source: Tony Parker, The Twisting Lane: some sex offenders. London: Panther Modern Society edn, 1970 (epigraph).

Van strikes motorcycle: husband and wife injured but lack funds for medical treatment

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March 19

Tina (11:50): Gud a.m. Bern, I'm now in DTI [Department of Transport and Industry], located in Pila. I'm not sure if I can get d list of name[s] of registered hotel[s] and resort[s], coz dey ask for request letter, but I'm still waiting for d person in charge.

Accident

Bern (15:52): I told Joe all I know about accident. IMPORTANT: tell [the] doctor you have Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), with platelet count about 16, and take Azathioprine.

Bern (15:53): I think doctor will see, however, if you have excessive bleeding. I certainly hope not.

Tina (16:03): Bern, driver of d van don't have money to pay x-ray and medicine; we're going [to] Provincial [hospital], but I don't have money too. What I can do? I suffer so much pain now.

Bern (16:05): If you are in [a] medical clinic I cannot understand why you are leaving it in pain. Surely doctor will treat [an] accident victim, even one who has no money.

Bern (16:06): Are you saying it is van driver's responsibility to pay for your medical treatment? Are you saying he is to blame for [the] collision?

Bern (16:09): I'll probably phone the Dr soon. I'll have to go offline to do that.

Bern (16:15): Jovs I hope you have load and can reply. I'll probably phone [the] Pila doctor soon to understand situation but to do that I'll have to disconnect Internet and Yahoo.

Bern (16:14): Mel, sad to say Jov's motorcycle [was] hit by van in Pila today. Jovs slightly injured I think. Tina has many abrasions, bruises, scratches on leg, foot hurt.

Tina (16:16): Driver don't have money today. He said he will help a little, he just have 200 pesos.

Tina (16:18): Doctor put Betadine [antiseptic] on wounds, dat all they do. I need x-ray in Provincial [hospital]. I'm sure they will give prescription.

Bern (16:18): Thanks for info but important questions not answered. Where are you? What are you doing? I'll go offline very soon to phone [the] doctor. I trust you do not have excessive bleeding.

Bern (16:20): Also you do not explain how you will travel to [the] Provincial Hospital. I don't know if your motorcycle is fit to ride or badly damaged or what.

Tina (16:21): We're now in police station, but d driver have only 200 pesos. We're plan[ning] to go now [to the] Provincial.

Tina (16:25): My mother bring d trikes here, we used to go to Provincial. We're now leaving now in police station. We have only 200 pesos from d driver.

Tina (16:27): It was motor cycle was damage too, but it can [be] used little by little to bring it home.

Bern (16:31): Sorry, visitor just arrived. I'm sure Joe sent you money very recently.

Tina (16:32): I felt dizzy but I don't have bleeding, we're now on da way to Provincial, I have only 100 pesos in my wallet. Jovs have referral for x-ray but our money is not enough.

Bern (16:32): I thought Provincial Hospital provided services free of charge.

Tina (16:34): Yes I already pay it in school last Friday coz today was our final exam, I need to have permit.

bern5321 (16:35): Pls provide estimated total cost and price of X-ray, medicines etc,;also advise where you will get the money.

Christine Lisa (16:42): Yes, its free but we need to provide things like bandage, medicine etc. Like in PGH, it's up to you, Bern, I don't have any idea about the cost. W'e're lucky if x-ray [machine] in Provinical [Hospital] function[s] - if not? X-ray outside [costs] 500 per x-ray.

Tina (16:43): I already paid all necessary things for graduation last Friday, I don't have problem now; only my thesis and exam today and tomorrow.

Bern (16:52): Sounds like you are not in [a] fit state for thesis and exam. You gave no estimate. I'm very unhappy about West[ern] Union. Agent here CLOSES 1 hour from now. We have [a] visitor.

Tina (16:56): We not arrived yet [at the] Provincial. I'm sorry, Bern, it's up to you, how much you will help, put in name of Jovs, if we don't have enough money we cannot get d result of x-ray and medicine.

Mel (17:05): Oh, Bern, what happen now to both of them? Who tell you about dat accident?

Bern (17:16): I got text from Tina so I phoned her. She's on way with Jovs to Provincial. I must rush to Western Union to send money for medicines, bandages, x-ray.

Tina (17:13): Bern, Dr. gave prescription vaccine, anti-titano [tetanus], 850 [pesos] each, 2 pcs. for 2 of us.

Tina (17:15): Sorry, I cannot give exact estimate coz Jovs have wounds also in his legs. I will send you d medical scratch.

Bern (17:18): I must rush now to bank then Western Union agent. I guess maybe I'll send 4,000. Goodbye.

Mel (17:19): OK Bern I hope both of them are OK now... 18:31:23.

Bern (18:39): I trust you and Jovs received text from me, sent about 15:50 your time. I'd appreciate an update on the current situation for both of you. Mel knows. Christine Lisa will receive your messages on a mobile device.

Tina (18:50) Thanks Bern, Jovs get d money; we already paid d vaccine, I done d x-ray. We get d official result tomorrow at 2 p.m. Nanay Josie was here now. Dr. gave prescription for pain, mefanamic acid 500 and cefalixin 500 mg.

Bern (18:56): OK. I'll look up those prescriptions. I suspect Cefalexin is an anti-biotic. Try to eat nourishing food, especially with Vitamin C, and try to rest tonight.

Tina (18:59): We're now going home after d vaccine injected to both of us, and we have now d medicine, we just rest at home, still I cannot walked; my right ankle was injured.

Bern (19:00): So sorry to hear that. I wonder how you get about. I hope Jovs doesn't have to carry you! Perhaps you need crutches.

Tina (19:04): Yes, I use crutches in hospital. Lito is d one [to] carry me, coz Jovs suffer wounds in his right leg too.

Bern (19:07): Oh, I hope the hospital allows you to take the crutches home. I'm glad to hear your mother and Josie and Lito have been there to help you; my greetings to them.

Tina (19:09): They did not allow [borrowing of the crutches]; only in hospital; we're now ride on d trikes going home, also Laurice was here too.

Bern (19:10): Crazy! Australian hospitals at least allow patients to take crutches home, even if they have to put a deposit on them. My greetings to Laurice too!

Tina (19:12): Yes, Bern, I told to them about your greetings. They want to say hello to you too.

Bern (19:13): I sincerely trust they are all well and managing OK.