Thus said Francy De La Cruz Zehnder of Barangay Dau here as she expressed to the team of doctors and nurses who saved her 62-year-old brother from imminent death after a freak accident that caused severe head injuries on him.
Zehnder, who is now based in Colorado, USA, said the doctors led by neurosurgeon Dr. Jose Antonio Rivera and Diosdado Macapagal Memorial Hospital (DMMH) chief Dr. Eddie Ponio have displayed “dedication beyond duty and professionalism akin to heroism.”
Zehnder and her relatives also thanked Gov. Lilia “Baby” Pineda and Public Information Officer (PIO) Joel Mapiles for their “invaluable support.”
Zehnder disclosed that her brother, Lamberto De La Cruz, had recovered and now out of danger after the successful two surgeries which lasted for at least 10 hours last October 29. Rivera was assisted by doctors Benedict Padrinao, Carlos Panaligan and Ronald Canlas Anes.
Zehnder said Ponio had asked Rivera and his team to operate De La Cruz at DMMH after they diagnosed that he was loosing blood and needed immediate medical care.
“If they transferred my brother to other hospitals he could not have made it anymore,” said Zehnder.
“I and my relatives had received more blessings when Rivera and the other doctors had not demanded pay for their work,” she added, noting that his brother was carpenter.
De La Cruz had been considered as a test case for DMMH and Ponio as they are set to open the head injury unit at the provincial district hospital.
Gsa De La Cruz, daughter of Lamberto, disclosed that her father was working on her carport at Xevera Subd., Bacolor, Pampanga when the chairs he was using collapsed, causing him to fall on the pavement head first.
De La Cruz rushed his father at the nearby private hospital and Computed Tomography (CT) scan was done on him. The carpenter was diagnosed needing immediate operation on his head severely damaged by the fall and impact on the floor.
De La Cruz rushed his father to the DMMH after receiving instructions from his husband who was then out of the country.
De La Cruz also thanked the nurses who volunteered to help Rivera. They were Mary Rose Lozano, Arlene Jiao, Bernadeth Besonia, Honelet Gozum, Camille Gozum, Fe Espiritu, Gay Calingo, Michael Intal, Faydarica Bandoy, Mark Lester De La Cruz, Ruby Rose Basco, Jovel Lacson and Aaron Enriquez.
De La Cruz is still confined at the DMMH and is set to be released on Nov. 12.
