Anini Reloaded - S01 E04

3 years ago

Anini Reloaded - S01 E04

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 4

With the ginger spirit in us we were able to harvest all the cassava as promised, and quickly rushed to the man’s house to inform him. He was not convinced at all and decided to go and see for himself, reaching there he discovered we were done and congratulated us for a job well done.

I expected the man to pay us for the job we did rather he was greeting us with lot of thanks.

Having less patience, I was forced to asked for our pay which he gave to me after smiling for some minutes. I took the weak notes from him and started flipping them, while counting the money I realised there was extra five thousand naira added to it, I recounted it and arrived at thirty-five thousand naira again.

As a good Christian I told the old man that he has over paid us but he said he added the extra five thousand as an appreciation that we should have it all.

I was really pleased and told Lucky to join me and pack the harvested cassava to the man’s house with wheelbarrow which wasn’t part of our agreement.

We finally finished in the man’s farm late that night, and rushed back home with happiness. Reaching home my mum was on the floor lying helplessly covered with cloth, I asked her what the problem was but she couldn’t speak audibly.

“Joy told me she fell down while trying to set up fire wood meant for cooking, and since then she could not stand up. Hearing this got me scared and went in search of a cab that can take us to any hospital around but couldn’t find any.

Lucky and I carried her in turns on our back to the general hospital since there was no motorcycle or taxi to use.

– – – –

GENERAL HOSPITAL

The nurses on duty assisted us at the gate with a stretcher and took my mum in. They fixed drip on her immediately and in an hour’s time she regained herself, I was told to pay #20,000 for laboratory test and the emergency treatment that was given to her.

A lady came, took her blood sample and after some time, the doctor also came in and told us to go home and come back the next day.

There is no way i can leave my mum in the hospital alone, so I ask Joy to stay behind and left with Lucky.

– – – –

Lucky and I went to the hospital the next day to see my mum. She was really pleased to see us but seeing her in that state on an hospital bed made tears dripped down my cheeks. I excused myself from their midst and went to the doctor’s office.

I got to the office and met the doctor attending to some files;

ME: Good morning doctor

DOC: Good morning my friend, your are welcome to my office, how may I help you?

ME: I’m the son of Mrs. Ayis Rosemary, one of your patients.

DOC: Ohhh, you mean the woman that was brought in yesterday night?

ME: Yes sir

DOC: I’m sorry to say this but your mum’s issue is a very complicated one. She had tumors developing in the inner lining (myometrium) of her uterus which has now resulted to Submucosal fibroid.

Secondly her sugar level is also high that if care is not taken it will lead to diabetes type-1.

ME: Can’t something be done?

DOC: We are trying our best and I believe she will be discharged today depending on her response to treatment, but I will advise you to take her to UBTH (University of Benin Teaching Hospital) for fibroid operation otherwise she might give up. According to the ultrasound and pelvic MRI test done by our gynecologist, her uterus has grown tumors that are quite large and may cause severe abdominal pain, increased urination, and pains during intercourse i.e that is if she still engage in coition/copulation.

ME: can’t we do the operation here?

DOC: For the now, we do not have steady power and some instruments needed for the operation. That is why I recommended UBTH.

ME: Thank you doctor, but how much will it cost?

DOC: Its a minor operation however people do pass away in the course of carrying out the operation but I assure you that your mum will be okay, just raise #200,000

ME: Okay sir, I’ll look for a way to get the money.

I left the doctor’s office to the ward where my mum was, we stayed with her all day until she was discharge.

Just for my mother’s sake, my siblings engaged in several work that gave them peanuts while I kept on searching for a better job.

— — — —

Weeks past, Months past but still I could not get any job that will fetch me good money apart from the sales boy work of Ten thousand naira salary.

I manage to do the sales boy work for just a month, and was forced to give up the job because of the extra stress it has, and settled for jobs that will pay me daily.

Thank God my mum and siblings were fine and we could eat two square meal each day that passed.

One fateful morning I was clearing the grasses in a chief’s compound when I saw a friend of mine;

ME: Ogheneovo is this you

OVO: It’s me oo, why are you like this? (seeing me tattered)

ME: My brother you know how the country is, ever since I came back from school things have been very hard for me.

OVO: No, you have to go to the city with me so I can fix you somewhere, a graduate like you deserves something better na! Not this kind of job you are doing.

ME: You mean I am going with you?

OVO: Yes, you did alot for me while we were in secondary school so I think this is the only chance I have to pay back.

ME: Well I really appreciate, and have to inform my mum for her approval

OVO: That is fine by me, I have to go complete a business transaction with chief.

ME: okay (feeling relief)

Ogheneovo went into the chief’s house to see him and gave me his contact to call him the next day if I made up my mind to go with him, that he would leave for Lagos in three days time.