My friend who grew up in the city complained. “My tooth aches.” It was lunchtime. Sayang. We were going to have lunch, picnic style beside a farm pond we call alug.
“Sumasakit din ang aking ngipin,” I said, … “na hindi ko matikman lahat nito,” I said, my tooth is also aching for not tasting all these, savoring the aroma of pinakbet (famous Ilocano vegetble stew), inihaw na talapia (broiled tilapia on charcoal). And "jumping salad". (Live juvenile shrimp, with calamansi and salt.) It’s like the proverbial Bacchus feast Philippine barrio style.
“Hindi ako nagbibiro,” He said. "May butas, eh." (tooth cavity)
“Okay press the base of your jaw, like this. ” I demonstrated how. Open your mouth and feel the attachment of the jaw, it’s the hollow part. Press it long enough until the pain subsides. He did it and held it there.
“Okay ka na?”
“Masakit pa rin.”
“Saan nga ba ang sumasakit?” Para akong dentista. (Where does it hurt? I was acting like a dentist.)
“Doktor, nga si Dr. Rotor,” I heard kindly Lola Bistra and someone seconded. Other giggled.
“Dito sa left.” My friend opened his jaw.
“Mali ang pinipisil mo, eh. Dapat sa kanan na jaw, ang tapat ng sumasakit na ngipin."
He pressed the wrong side of his aching tooth!
Well, he got relived finally. He was the last at the table - papag, made of bamboo which serves as a portable bed, too.
Masakit pa ba? I complimented sort of. (Is it still painful?)
Kunti a lang. Kasi kunti na lang ang itinira ninyo. (Little, he said, jokingly referring to the food we left after we had our fill.) ~
In this particular case traditional medicine shows these features:
- Healing between friends is assuring
- Palliative is brief relief
- "Humor is the best medicine."
- Don't spoil the fun.
3 comments:
I am really learning a lot of simple remedies from your blog, Sir. I will definitely keep this in mind :)
i have experienced having a tooth ache. that was when i was still 8 years old. it was late night and i was crying because of the pain. my mom gave me a piece of cotton. she puts cologne and placed it on my tooth decay. the pain was relieved then the next morning we went to the dentist.
thank you sir for this tip. i will do this next time. just in case.:)
I immediately thought of my mom upon reading this entry, she always complain about her tooth ache.
I rarely have tooth aches but I find this entry very useful for my family and friends who often share the same sentiments with your friend.
My mom changes mood the moment she experiences the pain her tooth ache gives her every time. When her tooth aches again, I can share this to her so the pain would be healed or at least be minimized. By that, we can always eat our meals together as one family with my father and siblings.
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