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Asian American Stories of Resilience and Beyond
Episode 7 | 9m 16s | Video has closed captioning.
A Filipino-American daughter digitally records and visually captures the experience of being physically distanced from her sick father, who has been isolated in his nursing facility during the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Aired: 06/14/22
Problems Playing Video? | Closed Captioning
(birds twittering, cars passing) FRANCES: Can you see us?
Yeah?
Yeah, you can see us?
MAN: Mm-hmm.
FRANCES (chuckling): Dad.
Hi, how are you?
Are you sleepy?
(indistinct sound comes through phone) FRANCES: Yeah?
It's so good to see you, Dad.
NURSE (on phone): Can you see them, Eduardo?
He said he can see you.
FRANCES: Yeah?
I wanted to ask, um, how has my dad been doing?
NURSE (on phone): They said that ever since he returned from the hospital, he's been like that.
Yeah, if you wanted him to get evaluated, maybe we can call the doctor and have him checked out, yeah.
FRANCES: Yeah, can we, please?
Yeah, I just want to make sure that, you know, this isn't... (voice breaking): This is not my dad.
Like, this is not how he normally is.
He, he usually can at least talk.
Um, the fact that he can't even respond or say anything just doesn't seem...
It's not him.
♪ (film roll whirring, people talking in background) FRANCES: Growing up, my dad always had a video camera.
(in video): Thanks!
Bye!
FRANCES: He was constantly capturing memories of our family.
Always behind the camera.
I always thought that if my dad were given the same opportunities he gave me, he would have been an artist, maybe a filmmaker.
He was always quietly artistic and sensitive.
But equally a silly jokester who loved to make people laugh.
I loved hearing my dad laugh.
I miss my dad.
♪ (keys clacking) (birds twittering) So it's Monday, December 14.
Yeah, I just got a call from Royal Crest that Dad is going to Queen of the Valley Hospital.
And I just got told that he's got a fever and he had low oxygen.
How does anyone kind of stabilize throughout all this, emotionally?
It's been since February since I've seen my dad, and it's now December.
So, it's a lot of time to have not seen anyone you love and to, you know, be alone.
(switch clicks) (cellphone chirping) (switch clicks) So he has COVID, right?
WOMAN (on phone): Yes.
FRANCES: Also, you know, because we're Filipino, um, my mom and I were thinking, is it possible... (voice breaking): Are there priests to pray for my dad?
(crying): Um, is that, is that available at the hospital, to have someone pray for my dad, since we can't be there, or is it possible if we can speak to him over the phone or even try to FaceTime him?
I just... Or if he's by a window, like, I can go outside his window?
I just...
I, I just don't know how to, you know, how to communicate with my dad.
(sobs) So, yeah.
WOMAN (on phone): I understand.
I understand.
Um, let me, let me see what I can do.
Uh, I don't want to make any promises.
(switch clicks) (cellphone chirping) (switch clicks) (computer chimes) Hi, Dad!
Dad, are you tired?
EDUARDO (on phone): Hi.
FRANCES: Hi.
Are you okay?
EDUARDO: Fine.
FRANCES: Are you, are you sleepy?
Dad?
Dad?
Dad... Tulog na, Dad, already?
Dad, it's so early.
Dad?
Dad, are you okay?
(computer chimes) ♪ MOM: "To Frances, Merry Xmas, Daddy.
I love you."
Okay.
Okay.
Wow!
What is that?
(laughing) FRANCES: Right now, I'm trying.
I'm trying so hard to hang on to these memories of my dad because I don't want these memories, these current memories, knowing that my dad's been in pain since his stroke, for the last four years.
I don't want that to be the only thing I remember.
(laughing) ♪ Dad.
♪ (keys clacking) ♪ (computer chimes) Can't wait.
Can't (muted) wait for this.
Truly.
Okay, Saturday, 5/1 and 5/2.
Okay, how about Sunday, 5/2?
WOMAN (on phone): Okay, Sunday.
What time, my dear?
FRANCES: Any time, I'll make any time work.
WOMAN: 3:00, and then you can extend, because nobody follows you.
FRANCES: 3:00-- okay, yeah, let's do 3:00.
WOMAN: But I'll put 3:00 to 3:30.
FRANCES: Okay.
(computer chimes) (birds twittering) ♪ FRANCES: Do you remember when you were, we were younger, you would always have a camcorder, and you would always record me and Phillip?
EDUARDO (weakly): That's true.
FRANCES: Yeah.
So now I'm doing that.
EDUARDO: Oh.
(Frances laughs) EDUARDO: Wow.
That's great.
FRANCES: Yeah.
Do you know that the, the first, the first one I worked on is now on "The New Yorker"?
EDUARDO: Oh, that's nice.
FRANCES (laughs): Yeah.
(Eduardo murmurs) EDUARDO: Okay.
FRANCES: Sleepy?
You're tired?
EDUARDO: Yeah.
You're going to lie down?
EDUARDO: My puet.
FRANCES: Your puet?
(laughing): Wait, what about your puet?
EDUARDO: Getting tired.
FRANCES: Your puet is tired?
EDUARDO: Yeah.
FRANCES: Okay.
Do you want me to call the nurse, then?
EDUARDO: Go back to... FRANCES: Yeah?
EDUARDO: Yeah.
FRANCES: Can I get a hug before I leave?
(laughs) (groans playfully, laughs) Here, I'll give you a proper hug.
(Eduardo sobs) FRANCES: I know.
I know.
EDUARDO: Thank you.
Thank you, God.
FRANCES: I know.
I know.
I'm so glad you're still with us.
EDUARDO: Yeah.
FRANCES: Do you remember?
We almost lost you.
EDUARDO: Yeah, I know.
FRANCES: Do you remember?
December, we almost lost you.
You had COVID.
EDUARDO: God is so good.
And always be.
FRANCES: I know.
I know.
(keys clacking) ♪ (bird squawking) (Eduardo speaking softly) EDUARDO: The air, it feels so good.
FRANCES: Feels fresh, huh?
EDUARDO: Yeah, it's so good.
(Frances laughs) ♪ And I don't know why ♪ (music fades)
