STORY: The Painful Pleasure

Episode 27
“Mr Dapo, I’m very sorry, your mum is in a very critical
condition. She has shortage of blood, and that was what
caused the collapse. She is unconscious as we speak. Her
condition has gotten really worse.” The doctor explained.
“What is the way forward now, doctor?!” I asked the doctor. I
was covered in sweats, Moji stood behind me as I talked to
the doctor. I even thought the doctor would tell her to
excuse us, but he didn’t say that. “She needs blood
transfusion urgently, and she’s O-positive. Right now, we
don’t have any blood that is O-positive in our blood banks.
So right now, the only solution is a donor, and we have
limited time. But it’s good you are here. We really hope you
are O-positive.”
My eyes were clouded with tears. I had a blood test when I
wanted to resume school. I had been tested to be AB. I am a
student of microbiology, I know the implication of what the
doctor said. There are four blood groups: A, B, AB and O.
‘AB’ is referred to as ‘universal recipient’, because it can take
blood from any of the other groups. ‘O’ is the ‘universal
donor’ because it can donate blood to any of the other
groups, but the problem is that it can only get blood from
‘O’. Blood from any other group entering into the system will
only result in clumping of antibodies, agglutination, then
death won’t be evitable.
I was so sad, as I cried bitterly. “Where exactly am I going to
get someone that has the ‘O’ group, my mum has just a
short while left.” I thought to myself. I answered the doctor’s
question, now I couldn’t control my tears. “Doctor, I’m not O,
I’m AB.” I cried bitterly. Suddenly. I heard a voice behind me.
“Dapo don’t worry, they can get the blood from me, I’m O-
positive”. The voice sounded like Moji’s but I didn’t believe it.
I turned back and it was really her. I didn’t believe it, I had
mixed feelings. I’m happy, at the same time Sad. Happy that
we finally got a donor. Sad about my mothers case.
“Alright madam, we don’t have much time left. Please come
with me for confirmatory test.” The doctor said to Moji. “I’ll
be right back dapo. Just calm down okay, everything will be
fine.” Moji said, and she followed the doctor for the test. I
didn’t alter a word, because I was dumbfounded. I didn’t
know what to say exactly. “How can someone be so nice?
What have I done to deserve all the kind gestures? How on
earth am I going to repay Moji for everything she has done
for me?” I started thinking about her but I stopped, and
started praying for my mum’s wellbeing.
Moji came back after 20 minutes holding an Apple and a can
of Malt. She sat close to me and kept comforting me, telling
me to calm down. The doctor came out too. “Congratulations
Mr Dapo. The blood is perfect, and we have the blood
already. As a matter of fact, the blood transfusion is going
on already.” I was so happy, I hugged Moji immediately. I
was so happy that I held her so tight. She was very happy
too. The doctor was smiling. “If I may ask, who is she?” The
doctor asked. “My blood sister, I answered.” Moji laughed. ”
Why are you laughing now, the same blood flowing through
your veins is the one flowing through my mum’s right now.” I
said, The doctor laughed as well as Moji. “Doctor don’t mind
him, I’m his friend, we are in the same department in
school.” Moji answered. “Friend? Are you sure you guys are
not dating?” The doctor asked Moji, but I took over to
answer the question. “Sir we are very close, in fact, we are
like brothers and sisters. That’s what people think when they
see us”. As I was talking, Moji kept nodding her head in
agreement. “You guys must be really close for you to come
with him from school, talk less of donating blood to his
mum”. The doctor said.
Moji changed the topic. “Doctor. Please can we see mummy
now?” Moji asked. “No please, she is yet to gain
consciousness, but in the next two hours, we believe
everything will be fine. But in this hospital, we save dying
people first before demanding money. Because we know
that life is like an egg. And is priceless. So please, you guys
should go and bring money to settle the bills, for the drugs
and injections administered to her”. I was really baffled as I
didn’t even know where to get that from. Moji broke the
silence. “How much is the bill?” Moji asked. “It’s 30,000 Naira
ma” The doctor replied. I was so sad as I didn’t have that
money. Neither did my mum. Everyone knows that in St
Peters hospital, the prices are not negotiable, and if you fail
to pay, asides the fact that the patient won’t be discharged
on time, you will have to pay extra money. Moji stood up,
and went out of the office. I didn’t know where she was
heading, so I followed her to see where she was going. . .
What next? Find out in Episode 28