The Truth Behind Lies

Chapter 2 | Amnesia

FOUR HOURS LATER . . .

[Kael’s POV]

“Mr. Chan, I'm sorry but the episodes that she's been going through is because of her brain injury. Celine developed amnesia,” panimula ng doctor. “Based on the diagnosis she has a very rare case of amnesia. One out a million. It is a type of amnesia represented by episodic memory loss.

“In your daughter’s care Mr. Chan, Celine can form memories of the recent events in her life those will remain intact. According to what we are observing she is suffering from both complete and partial memory loss. Although she can’t remember her recent past. She can remember some memories of her childhood.

“Celine’s therapist disclosed to me that she can remember tiny bits of information from the day her mother died. Those are recent event that remained intact to her brain. The reason why she has only a little recollection of the recent event is because the memories of the events in the recent past are more affected as compared to the distant past.

“Nangyayari ito dahil ang memorya niya sa nakaraan noong bata pa ay nakatanim na sa kaniyang utak at mahirap na iyong mabura. Hindi tulad sa kaniyang memorya bago ang trahedya. Ngunit ang kaso ng anak ninyo ay kakaiba. She has a type of retrograde amnesia called dissociative amnesia. Ang pagkakaraon ng ganitong uri ng amnesia ay maaring tumagal ng ilang oras, araw o ilang taon.

“Sa kaso ni Celine, Mr. Chan bagaman may kakaunting siyang maalaala hindi pa rin niya matandaan kung sino siya. Celine was unable to recall her personal information. Not even her name. May mga pagkakataon na may maaalala siya ngunit sa aking pagsusuri her recent as well as her memories from her past are completely lost.

“Dissociative amnesia ay hindi isang uri ng amnesia na dulot ng neurological damage sa utak bagkus ay pyschological cause. Dissociative amnesia is commonly called psycogenic amnesia. Dahil ang uri ng amnesia na ito ay sanhi ng disheartening heart breaking traumatic psychological event that triggered Celine to have an episodic memory disorder.

“Mr. Chan, bihasa ho ako sa ganitong uri ng sakit kaya’t masasabi ko sainyo tanging ang anak niyo lamang makakatulong sa kaniyang sarili upang makabalik ang kanyang mga alaala. Tulad ng nasabi ko na kanina patients of this type of amnesia are unable to recall information about their traumatic or stressful events in the past. But, Celine can somehow remember a little information of that event.

“Celine is suffering from psychological trauma. Her memory loss is only a temporary fague state. Sa madaling salita at hindi na ako magpaligoy-ligoy pa. Kusa hong kinalimutan ng anak ninyo ang kaniyang pagkakakilanlan at kusa siyang gumawa ng panibagong pagkatao. Marahil ito ay isa sa kaniyang psychological defense mechanism. Pilit niyang hinahadlangan bumalik ang memorya ng kaniyang nakaraan o mga kaganapan na gustong niyang kalimutan at hindi na maalala pa.

“I already know about her condition. Makailang doctor na ang tumingin sakanya. Mag tatlong-taon na ang nakalipas. Hanggang kailan siya ganito? Bigla-bigla sisigaw at mawawalan ng malay. Pakiusap suriin ninyong mabuti. Marami akong pera. Magbabayad ako kahit magkano.”

Awang-awa ako sa asawa ko ngunit wala akong magawa. Ni hindi ko masabi sa

kaniya ang katotohanan. The day she went missing I was there. I could have save her pero hindi ko nagawa. Countless nights she screamed my name as I watched her sleep. But I can’t tell her I am here beside her. Hindo masabi na ‘di niya kailangan hanapin si Kael dahil nasa tabi niya lang ako. Nasa tabi mo ako Cassy. Nandirito ako. Naghihintay bumalik ang ‘yong alaala. Masakit ang katotohanang nakalimutan mo ako. Nakalimutan mo tayo. Ngunit akin ka lang Cassy maging si Celine ka pa man. You are my wife and no one can change the truth that I am your husband even if you’ll be sorrounded by lies.

" Mr. Chan, depende ho sa severity of the brain damage ng anak ninyo ang ikatatagal ng amnesia maaaring hong panandalian lamang, maging permanante or lumala pa ito sa mga susunod na araw o taon.  At alam naman po natin, base on the results of CT scan. She suffered from a very traumatic event. Not to be rude, as her doctor, sa kaso ho ng anak ninyo. Mawalang galang na ngunit hindi ho mapapagaling ng pera ninyo ang anak mo. Tanging dasal na lamang ang magagawa natin ngayon. Ngunit ‘wag ho kayong magalala dahil ang dissociative amnesia ho ang isang uri ng memory loss that involves facts rather than skills. Masuwerte pa rin ho si Celine. Ibig hong sabihin maari po na makalimutan ng anak ninyo ang mga taong nakapaligid sakanya, saan siya nakatira o kung sino siya. Ngunit hindi niya ho makakalimutan ang gawin ang mga bagay-bagay na alam niyang gawin. Kusa niya ho ‘yong magagawa.”

Nagpatuloy ang pakikipag usap ni Señor sa doctor at ako’y mataimtim na nakikinig

lamang. Ako ang may karapatan mag decision para sa asawa ako ngunit sa mata ng lahat ako’y ‘di hamak na isa lamag estrangahero. I am nobody but Celine’s personal driver and private bodyguard. If only I could scream to the world the truth. She’s my wife!

“Alam ko na ang lahat ng yan paulit-ulit na saaking sinabi ng mga doctor na tumutingin sa anak ko. Retrograde amnesia, but still I don't understand I want my daughter to live a normal life. She should have recovered by now. It's been three years since the accident.”

“Mr. Chan, Celine can live a normal life. I understand what you going through but you don't need to worry. She can normally do lahat ng mga bagay bagay na alam ninyang gawin. For example, if she is good in martials arts before the amnesia happened, then she will instantly know how to depend herself. If someone give her a gift, she will not remember who give it to her but she will know how to use the things normally like she does not show have any brain damage at all. The only difference is that she will not remember who teach her how or who give it to her.”

“Tama ka naman sa bagay na ‘yan. You are right! The other day, she remembered how to fight. If you see my staff that was here last night. Si Celine ang may gawa noon sakanila.”

Sariwa pa sa isipan ko kung paano nakipaglaban si Celine sa mga tauhan ni Señor.

Inakala nitong tinambangan siya ng isang grupo ng mga kalalakihan kahapon. Kinailangan kong ipagmaneho si Señor sa Clark, Pampanga kahapon. Isa iyong highly confidential transaction ng Green Python sa grupo ng Stone Hunter. Mabuti na lamang at nakabalik kami agad at naubutan ko pang nasa Lindbergh si Celine. Laking gulat ko ng makitang napatumba niya mag-isa ang pitong kalalakihang inutusan kong pangsamantalang magbantay rito habang wala ako.

“Iñigo, we've been friends for a long time. I know that this is hard for you but I think this is for the better. It is best that Celine don't remember her past,” said Celine’s surgeon.