Helping the sick is not an easy thing to do. It requires love and patience. As a legionary, I believe that God will always guide me on how to take care or help a sick person. We can help them feel better by being physically present by their side, giving them medicines or taking care of their personal needs. The most important thing is to pray for them.
We need to pray not only for the sick person but also their families, pray that they can be strong at their situation. Pray for them and help them seek the Lord for guidance, wisdom and physical, emotional as well as spiritual healing for all their sufferings.
— Joanna Blas
Last year my husband got sick and was confined in the hospital. I was so worried and helpless because I couldn’t go home to care or watch him because of pandemic. I kept calling him from time to time to know his condition, worrying about who provided his needs. I was thankful because my sister-in-law and my brother-in-law were there to help him. I talked with him over the phone, to cheer him up and to make him strong despite all the pains he had. He felt my care although I was far from him. I encouraged him to pray to the Lord, ask for mercy and healing, and surrender himself to God. It was so hard if one of your loved ones get sick, specially when you may lose them, and may never see them again. The only way we can do is to pray to God that they will be healed.
— Maritess Calacsan
I remember during a job interview, I was asked why I became a nurse. I reckon that it was not my dream but, more of a calling, a call to serve humanity and my country. The Covid-19 pandemic affected many people around the world. As a healthworker, I place my knowledge, skills and attitude to provide wholistic support to cover the basic needs of the patients by caring for them and encourage them to follow their doctor’s instructions. I also ask the involvement of the family members by reminding them to let the patient have ample rest, drink a lot of fluids to stay hydrated and eat a balanced diet. Discrimination, anxiety and fear among Covid patients are eating their souls alive. That is why, it is necessary to have a strong emotional support from their families and friends, and from us as their healthcare providers. However, dealing with these patients, we need to follow standard protocols to guarantee patient’s safety and personal comfort.
We also inspire the patients to pray for guidance to our Almighty God to have a fast and complete recovery from the disease. Also, including them in our prayers can make them feel that you are with them during this time of crisis.
I encourage my patients to have an open communication with us, so that we can do anything to uplift their health situation and make them feel the warmth of an extended family. That may help to create a positive mind set.
— John Mark Herrera
Sick people need love, care and attention. Way back in 1991, my elder sister went to Manila for work. So my two younger siblings and I took the responsibilities to take good care of our parents. My father was sick. I was the one who prepared food for him and I would make sure that he would eat on time and take his medicine as what the doctor had prescribed. It was not very easy. Fear and worries were there bothering us but we could do it well despite our young age. I believe that it was God who helped us in our hard time.
— Ofelia Lazarte
No one can avoid getting sick but the most important help we can give a friend or a relative is to show empathy, care and love to them, so that they can make the best of a difficult situation.
— Lerma Monreal
If anyone in our family gets sick, we should take care of them out of love. In simple ways, we can buy their medicine, and cook them some food for their fast recovery. In times when we extend our help, we should always remind ourselves to be patient, and to understand them more. And there should also be times wherein we need to motivate them to do their part in taking care of themselves as it is crucial for the whole process of healing. They can do it by simply taking their medicines on time and by also praying to God. No matter what happens, a family should stick together and move forward in life together — in sickness and in health.
— Mary Jean Tañada
