Novel & Cerita Breaths

“Gagaling pa po siya, ‘di ba?” I asked with trembling hands. “Your brother was having a severe respiratory distress, where the patient experiences extreme shortness of breath, inability to speak in full sentences, and is using accessory muscles, the neck or abdomen to try and pull air in. He was rushed here in the hospital but luckily, he was saved on time,” wika nito.

Huminga ako nang malalim kahit nanginginig na ang buong katawan ko. "Inhale..." Pumikit ako. "Exhale..." Mabagal kong ibinuga ang hangin. Muli kong narinig ang boses niya. "That's it, wife. Keep breathing. Papunta na ako." Sa kabilang linya, malinaw kong narinig ang mabilis niyang mga hakbang. Parang tumatakbo siya. At sa simpleng tunog na iyon, kahit papaano ay nakaramdam ako ng kaunting kapanatagan.

"Inhale... one, two, three, four... Hold it... Hold..." Pumipiglas pa rin nang bahagya si Tobias, hinihingal at parang kinakapos ng hangin habang nakahawak na nang napakahigpit sa mga bisig ni Caroline, para siyang nalulunod kaya paulit-ulit nilang ginawa ang breathing exercise na itinuro ng doctor. "Hold it, Toby... One, two, three, four... Now exhale... slow and steady..."

At maya-maya lamang ay… "M-Mommy, I… I can't b-breathe…" nahihirapan niyang bigkas. nataranta akong tiningnan siya at agad kong hinawakan ang kaniyang mukha. "Baby, relax. Follow me… inhale, exhale—" "Mom… M-Mommy, I c-can't…" "Baby, follow me. Take a breath— No, no! Kaleb! Si Khloe!" hysterical kong sigaw nang unti-unting pumipikit ang kaniyang mga mata.

Nakakaloka siya. “Also,” dagdag niya, “breathe properly.” Napakunot-noo ako. “Humihinga naman ako.” “You look like you’re fighting for survival.” Hindi naman siya nagkakamali doon. Pero hindi ko rin kailangang marinig iyon. “Slow breaths.” Tumango ako. “Okay.” “Use your arms.” “Ginagamit ko naman ah!” “Not enough, Lumi.”

masaya kong sambit at hinarap siya. "Improve your breath hold first.Simply breathe deep and slowly to fully fill and empty your lungs. Then, take an extra deep breath, making sure to fill up your diaphragm first, then chest, and finally the very top of your torso.slow down, relax, and let your fins do the work for you."Sinunod ko naman siya at sabay namin ginawa ang sinabi niya at hawak kamay kaming lumangoy pa pailalim. °°°

Wala, maliban sa marahan nitong pagsinghap na hindi na nasundan pa. Senyales nga iyon na kailangan na nito ng CPR. Thirty chest compressions. First rescue breath, her chest rises. Second rescue breath, the color on her face is starting to come back but still, her breathing is somewhat restrained. He repeated the procedure. Compress then blow, and... Oh?

I am pre-occupied. Bakit hindi ko sila makita? Bakit hindi? Nagtatago kaya sila? Bakit ayaw nilang magpakita? Bakit... hindi ako makahinga? Teka, anong nangyayari? Breathe Synecdoche, Breathe. Hinahabol ko ang hininga ko. I inhaled. Then exhaled. and then I opened my eyes. There, I see no flying letters and jumbled words but someone else.

There is only the contraction, my breath, Alexander, and the life inside me. He helps me into the car. Seatbelts and doors are secondary to my body’s needs. Each bump in the road jolts me, each stoplight a test of endurance. I close my eyes, inhaling deeply, letting him guide me, let him be my anchor. “Breathe with me,” he whispers. His hand rests on my hip, his other holding mine. “In… out… in… out…” I follow his rhythm, my own breath syncing with his. I can feel the baby moving beneath his hand now, nudges and rolls that make me catch my breath in surprise. Each movement reminds me I am not alone. That I am not doing this in silence.

Paanong wala pang namatay dahil dito? "I think, I'm gonna die early." Gusto kong maiyak. The kiss was awfully tempting, but I can't breathe! Oh lord, who did invent the kiss anyway? "Baby, breathe through your nose while I am kissing you." Turo pa nito sa akin. "Don't hold your breathe... you can breathe through your nose if you feel the air is losing. But you don't have to breathe everytime...breathe only when you need one."