Spot Shelf: Romulo P. Baquiran Jr.'s Bone Deep Ponders on Our Healthcare System

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(SPOT.ph) A lot has been written about the personal accounts of healthcare professionals, but few stories are written from the patient’s perspective. In the book Bone Deep: Hospital Diary and Other Essays, Romulo P. Baquiran Jr. recounts his hospital journey and recovery following an accident that injured his right heel, leaving him unable to walk for months.

Bone Deep: Hospital Diary and Other Essays, which was released by Alubat Publishing in 2022, is Phillip Yerro Kimpo's English translation of Sagad sa Buto: Hospital Diary at Iba Pang Sanaysay. The Filipino-language collection was published in 2010 by the UST Publishing House.

In his collection of essays, Baquiran shares his personal challenges, shedding light on the often-overlooked aspects of patient experiences. His insightful and plain-spoken storytelling invites readers to reflect on their own lives when disrupted by immobility, while also examining the realities of our healthcare system. 

The collection has 41 essays, written in small doses, with an average of two to three pages diary-type of entries. The last two essays are longer and written at different times from the rest, but Baquiran claims that these belong in the collection by affinity. 

Key Points in Romulo P. Baquiran Jr.'s Bone Deep: Hospital Diary and Other Essays

There are at least two key points that the readers can immediately glean from the book. First is the sense of mortality, an inherent awareness or understanding that human life is finite and that life can also be taken away anytime. In the same manner, if a person survives an accident but becomes immobile, it will significantly affect his/her daily life and overall well-being. That sense of mortality in the book evokes readers to contemplate, reflect, and be aware of the transient nature of life, leading them to make the most of one's life while grappling with existential questions.

Most of Baquiran's essays focus on the realization that we often overlook the value of simple things when we are healthy and at our best. Such sentiment is perfectly captured on page 12, when he says, "I look after only myself. And then, suddenly I am in need. I found it difficult." Baquiran's immobility has led him to reflect on many aspects of life, particularly the things he takes for granted, such as the joy of walking and the ability to do things on his own.

In "Some Parts Missing," he expounds on the difficulty of being disabled, of being able to use only one hand. "There’s no dignity in admitting you’ve been reduced." Baquiran had nobody during his first night at the hospital leading him to the thought of marriage, of having someone to take care of him when he is sick. His support system comes from his family members and friends who served as his caregivers.

The second point is on how Baquiran, throughout his personal experience, has brought to light the status of our healthcare system. The type of care received is often determined by the socio-economic class of a patient, which puts the marginalized sector at a significant disadvantage.

In a few hours that Baquiran stayed in the emergency room, he learned how patients with no means are not given immediate attention. He felt the unwelcoming treatment that is cold as the metal beds he was bound to. Connections also speak for the kind of treatment a patient is getting.

In "Not Every Doctor," Baquiran gives a commentary on how some medical professionals—perhaps due to their routines, have lost compassion toward their patients when all it takes is a simple "How are you feeling?" remark. For the author, compassion towards a patient is not a matter of chance or luck; it is a deliberate action that is entirely within the control of an individual.

Staying in a charity ward also proves to be a discomfort, but for those who cannot afford it, never a choice. Having eight beds in a ward means longer waiting times, shared facilities, and reduced privacy for patients.

One thing that a patient has to endure is the passage of time. There are a lot of waiting hours, whether it’s getting transferred to another hospital, waiting to see a doctor, or long queues at payment lines

Making Things Light and Humorous

Illness memoir often follows serious and thoughtful routes, but not in Baquiran's. He chose to make his essays humorous, not to be taken lightly, but for readers to see the narrative from a positive perspective.

Baquiran’s anecdotes throw in discourses and questions that the readers themselves can mull over: What will I do if this happens to me? Should I consider marrying so that someone will take care of me when I get sick? Do I have enough savings for accidents like this? Who is my support system during illness?

When people are sick, we are looking at life from a different lens. In "Wheelchair and Heels," Baquiran learned to cherish his wheelchair, providing him relief. He noticed people’s feet and the way they walked so fast. "I had always been looking at faces, and now I was pouring my affection and attention on feet."

As a patient whose ability to function has been reduced, Baquiran became a captive audience to the daily routines of the ward, including the bickering of his fellow hospital mates, learning about their lives, and establishing relationships that he will never be able to form had he not been hospitalized.

Bone Deep: Hospital Diary and Other Essays (Alubat Publishing, 2022) by Romulo P. Baquiran Jr. and translated from Filipino by Phillip Yerro Kimpo is available on Lazada for P499.

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