Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — A few more months before her much-awaited retirement, 64 year-old Alita Gonzales is taking on one of the biggest challenges of her nursing life— the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gonzales has been working as a senior nurse at the Philippine General Hospital for over two decades. At her age, Alita is among the ‘high risk’ group for COVID-19 but that doesn’t stop her from continuing her job.
“Passion siguro. Bata pa lang pinangarap ko na maging nurse. Commitment and dedication na rin siguro,” Gonzales told CNN Philippines.
[Translation: I guess it’s passion. Since I was young, I dreamt of being a nurse. I guess it’s also commitment and dedication.]
Everyday, Gonzales wakes up early so that she can catch the shuttle service to PGH provided by her local government unit in Cavita. Knowing the risks of her chosen profession, Gonzales said that her best weapon is her morning prayer.
“Araw-araw ‘yun, pagbaba ko ng bus at bago pumasok sa PGH talagang nagdarasal ako na walang mangyari,” Gonzales said.
[Translation: Every day, when I get off the bus and before I go to work at PGH, I really pray that nothing happens.]
The 64-year-old nurse said that she is not scared of dealing with the virus but she is more worried for her family every time she comes home, knowing that she could be a carrier of the virus.
“May takot din siyempre, kasi hindi mo nakikita ‘yung kalaban mo. Tapos pag-uwi mo, baka ikaw na pala ang carrier may mga anak at apo pa naman ako,” she said.
[Translation: I’m afraid, of course. You can’t see your enemy. And then when you get home, you may be a carrier of the virus — and I have children and grandchildren.]
Gonzales’ daughter, Maricon, said that there were countless times when they tried to persuade their mom to give up and stop going to work because of the virus pandemic.
“Pero hindi mo talaga sila mapipigilan eh. Ang magagawa mo na lang suportahan at ipagdasal sila kasi nga hindi nila nakikita ‘yung kalaban nila,” Maricon explained.
[Translation: But you can’t stop her. The only thing that you can do is to support her and pray for her because she can’t see the enemy that she is fighting.]
And it was not only her family who are talking Gonzales into retiring early.
“Mga kamag-anak ko, mga kasamahan ko sa ospital sabi nila magpahinga na muna ako,” she said.
[Translation: My relatives, my colleagues at the hospital tell me to now take it easy.]
For now, Gonzales said that everything is normal in so far as her department at the PGH is concerned. But they are bracing for a possible influx of patients in the coming days.
She also said that she’s taking added precautions even when she’s at home.
“Pagdating sa bahay may poso, maghuhugas na ako doon. Hindi ako agad papasok sa bahay. Pag akyat, takbo ako agad sa kwarto tapos malilligo. Hindi na muna ako pwede samahan doon,” she said.
[Translation: When I get home, I wash my hands from a faucet outside. I don’t immediately enter the house. Once I enter the house, I run to my room and take a shower. No one can join me there just yet.]
Gonzales said that she is happy that her daughter’s Facebook post about her has gone viral. She also wanted to thank the medical frontliners like her who continue the fight COVID-19.
“Sinumpaang tungkulin eh. Kailangan maglingkod talaga sa bayan,” Gonzales said.
[Translation: It’s my sworn duty. I really need to serve the country.]
