How Swiss it is!

Arthur, my husband, pressed the panic button. Franz Eichenauer, an Austrian hotelier, who was working for one of the companies that Arthur represented, had to go under the knife.  Parts of his skeletal frame were severely damaged in an accidental fall at a hotel construction site. 

It was a reparative surgery after the first one done in a provincial hospital went awry.  For several weeks, after the first surgery, no one could explain to Franz why he was still in excruciating pain although a rehab program had been initiated.  “Something is terribly wrong,” concluded Arthur. He asked for referrals and found another bone surgeon who was based in Manila.  This bone specialist confirmed Arthur’s suspicion that all the damaged bones had been re-fractured and therefore must be opened again.

Just when Franz was prepped up with the operating team in their designated stations, the lead surgeon asked, “Do we have enough supply of his blood type on standby?”  (This was a precautionary measure that all hospitals take, to address those just-in-case emergency complications that may arise during surgery).  To their horror, there was none.  The surgeon immediately aborted the operation and wheeled the patient back to his room.

The patient’s blood type was a rare O (-), common to Caucasians and Europeans, thus not stored in local hospitals and blood banks, and if ever, not in big supply.

“These procedures must be done, like yesterday,” said the surgeon, “to spare the patient further deterioration of bones, as in dead bones.” 

Arthur immediately alerted his network of friends who kept ties with the diplomatic community and the officers of the Philippine Red Cross through Marivic Rufino.  He sought their help to rally foreign expats to donate blood.

Hans Hauri, a Swiss hotelier, and general manager of Marco Polo Cebu, was particularly at the forefront.

One by one, like drops of morning dew, the responses came: “I live in Pangasinan,” said a Swiss expat.  “I can take the bus and be there in six hours.” 

“I live in Iloilo,” said another Swiss. “I can fly to Manila.”

“I live in Tanay,” said another Swiss. “I’ll be on standby in case you can’t find a suitable donor around Metro Manila.”

“I live in Alabang, and I have an O (-) blood group,” said a lady expat from Australia.

“Hello, Arthur, I have this blood group and am willing to help.  I can make it tomorrow.  Let me know the details.  Good luck.”

“I have a friend arriving from Germany.  He can bring this blood type.  Just give me the go-signal,” said another Swiss expat.  

“I was told that blood group O (-) can get from type A Rh (-)?  From the Forum, I know of two persons with O Rh (-),” said Karl.

“I’m on my way to the hospital,” said another Swiss lady. 

“I just came from the hospital blood bank.  Unfortunately, I am not suitable because I take aspirin,” said another Swiss.

Isn’t it incredible that the Swiss immediately came forth?  We found out that word was sent to all Swiss nationals, through the Swiss Club, by the Swiss ambassador himself, Ivo Sieber. 

“We searched our blood bank but could not find this type.  However, I was told that there was one expat who was sent to national HQ for testing,” wrote Marivic Rufino.

“There is one bag of type O (-) at the Quezon City blood bank,” said the hospital blood bank coordinator.

 â€œHermano, I’m searching,” said Jose “Pepe” Rodriguez.

“Arthur,” said Fausto Preysler.  “I’m in Cebu, I’ll see whom I can tap.”

 â€œI have a few names,” said Babe Romualdez.

When Arthur told Franz about the overwhelming response to his appeal, Franz almost broke down, in humble gratitude.

Finally, Type O (-) was extracted successfully from a Swiss donor and with the other unit found at the Quezon City branch of the Red Cross, surgery was immediately performed. 

It took less than 24 hours to find a happy solution to this emergency situation. “And the power of prayer,” added Babe Romualdez.

“Thank you all so much for your kindness and concern for another human being,” said Arthur.  “How comforting to know that there are many good hearts in our midst especially in the expat community.”

The image of the Swiss flag, flying next to a St. Bernard rescue dog with a cask of liquor around its collar, came to my mind.

 There are no Swiss Alps, no severe snowstorms, and no harsh wind in Manila. Only the kind, generous and warm hearts of the Swiss and local and foreign nationalities who reached out to help Franz. 

Maraming salamat po.