Oscar Continues to Wait
By Sara
HAVANA TIMES – The dawn is warm in Havana and although it is still April, the proximity of the majestic summer is felt. Oscar is awake, rather, he has not slept for more than half an hour, between the heat and the pain he feels that his soul separates from his body to finally rest from the agony that breathing represents for him, since three months ago.
Oscar underwent emergency surgery for appendicitis. That afternoon he was teaching his classes, since he is a history teacher at the pre-university institute in his town. Two days before he had not felt well, stomach upset and occasional indigestion, he thought it was the product of stress and daily worries about the precarious conditions in which he and his family lived. His salary as a graduate in History of Cuba was barely enough to cover a week of basic household expenses, then the rest of the month, “to invent”…
When he woke up in the recovery room of the hospital to which he was transferred, he felt deep pain, to which the doctors explained that it was normal, a product of the surgery he had undergone.
After a week, the pain remained, already out of the forecasts of all specialists. Oscar did not support food, his situation became more and more critical, his body’s resources were depleting and instead no more came to his aid. The week turned into a month and this one into two and then into three. He visited many hospitals; several doctors evaluated his case.
No conclusive answers.
Until, finally, April seemed to bring good news, Oscar would undergo another exploratory surgery, it had to be soon, his strength was already insufficient to sustain himself.
However, then he was told, “we are sorry, there are no resources at this time to perform the surgery due to the crisis in which the country finds itself. Sorry, but you must wait.” They were the doctor’s words, which had already been heard before.
Oscar is lying in his bed, he has not slept due to the deep pain, the lack of electricity, plus his fatigue from the prolonged lack of food. He waits for the call from the hospital to perform the miracle or simply for the collapse to arrive and thus simply stop breathing.