Man proposes to medical frontliner GF as soon as she recovered from COVID-19

A man just proposed to his girlfriendm who works as a frontliner nurse, as soon as she recovered from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

In an episode of "Juan Love," Arjanmar Rebeta said his partner Khaye Medina tested positive with COVID-19 after serving as a frontliner nurse.

"Ngayong pandemic, nagserbisyo siya sa mga biktima ng COVID. Tapos siya mismo, tinamaan ng ganoong sakit. Pinagdaanan niya ‘yun, ‘yung hirap ng ganoong karamdaman," Arjan narrated.

Khyae who graduated nursing in 2008 decided not to pursue a career in the medical field after college since it required her to serve at a hospital without a salary.

"Sa panahong 'yun, parang sabi ko, 'Hindi puwede na walang sahod. Hindi puwede, kasi mag-aaral 'yung kapatid ko.' So nag-decide ako na huwag munang mag-nursing," Khaye narrated.

Khaye said she ended up working at a medical call center, where she met her fiance Arjan.

Years into their relationship, the couple decided to start a full-time wedding coverage business.

But in 2020, after 11 years of not renewing her nursing license, Khaye decided to return as a nurse. She renewed her nursing license just 12 or 14 days before the quarantine period.

"After noon, nag-lockdown na tayo. Nag-start ako sa quarantine facility noong April 1. Andoon 'yung fear, lalo na at ang tagal kong hindi nag-nursing," she said.

Despite her doubts and fears, Khaye was surprised that she remembered what she had studied right on her first day working as a nurse.

"'Yung mga inaral mo noong mga nakaraang taon, taon pa… Napakatagal. Parang biglang lahat familiar ulit sa iyo. So, sobrang challenging na babalik ka doon. Pero ano, ayun, mas masigla 'yung everyday ko," she narrated.

Khaye said she handled symptomatic, PUI, and asymptomatic patients and she was even assigned to the triage.

"So ibig sabihin, pagdating na pagdating ng patient, ako 'yung unang mag-i-screen," Khaye explained.

Arjan said he was at first worried since his partner coincidentally decided to go back right when the country is facing a battle against COVID-19.

"Kung kailan siya nakapagdesisyon na gusto niyang bumalik, ang kakaharapin niya agad is pandemic. Pero ‘yun nga, sabi ko sa kaniya, 'Kahit nakakatakot, susuportahan kita kasi ‘yun ‘yung gusto mo,'" he said.

One night after her shift, Khaye said she experienced itchiness in her throat.

"And then pagdating ko (sa bahay), naligo, nag-disinfect tapos nagpahinga. Tapos kinabukasan paggising ko, nilalagnat na ako tapos sobrang sakit ng katawan ko," she narrated.

She decided to go to the hospital to get a swab test, and a few days later, Khaye learned she was positive for COVID-19.

On the same night she learned she tested positive, Khaye was brought to the emergency room due to difficulty breathing.

They then decided for Kaye to stay in a quarantine facility to get better.

"'Yung shortness of breath, na-manage naman siya. Pero colds tapos diarrhea. Tapos wala ka talagang pang-amoy. Tapos nilagnat-lagnat ulit," she said.

Khaye said being away from her partner Arjan was something of a blessing for their relationship.

"Alam mo 'yun, kapag sa long term relationship, 'yung over-familiarity. Kung mag-usap man kayo sobrang dalang noong mga malalim na bagay. Pag-uusapan niyo lang details lang sa bahay, e.  Business, lalo kami. Parang most of the 8 years, ang pinag-uusapan namin business.

According to Khaye, it was while they were away from each other that their intimate moments started coming back.

Arjan shared he began planning to propose to Khaye a long time ago "pero hindi ko talaga mahanap yung timing."

"So siguro ‘yun ‘yung naging magandang part na magkahiwalay kami. Napaghandaan ko siya," he said.

Arjan said even before the proposal, they were already planning to get married but everything was put on hold due to the pandemic.

"Mayroon na kaming tinawagan na pari, nakabili na rin kami ng singsing so medyo nakakapanghinayang din kasi ‘yun nga, hindi siya natuloy," he said.

"Pero siguro tinitignan din uli namin na siguro mayroong blessing na parang hindi muna siya natuloy. Na may mga kailangan pang pagdaanan," he continued.

On July 18, after being confined at the quarantine facillity for 18 days Khaye was finally getting discharged.

Arjan prepared two tarpaulins, one to congratulate her for overcoming COVID-19, and the other, to ask her hand in marriage.

"So palabas ako noon, alam ko nagvi-video din ako kasi para mag-say ng thank you. Tapos nakuhanan ko rin pala na may ganoon," Khaye narrated.

"So 'yun, noong nakita ko siya, ang una kong nabasa 'yung parang white na tarpaulin na, 'Congratulations, COVID negative ka na.' Tapos parang 'yun, ang saya-saya ko na noon.

"Tapos nabasa ko 'yung ano pa, 'Papakasalan kita.' Ayun, tawa nang tawa na masaya na nakakaiyak. Sabi ko, ganoon pala 'yung feeling noon."

Despite the difficulty she went through battling COVID-19, Khaye said she chooses to see the silver lining, which is her fiance's proposal.

"Lumabas po ako ng quarantine facility noong July 18. And then nag-14 days ulit na quarantine. So first week ng August, bumalik ulit ako bilang isang nurse," she said.

Khaye said she is looking forward to spending the rest of her days, whether good or bad, with Arjan.

"Kahit na mahirap man o masaya, palagi kong i-lu-look forward na ikaw 'yung kasama sa pagbuo noong pangarap natin saka pagbuo noong family na gustung-gusto natin," she said.

Arjan believes that the challenges they faced amid the pandemic only made them and their relationship stronger to take on a new chapter in their lives.

"Masaya ako na magpapatuloy tayo sa panibagong yugto na nandiyan ulit tayo, haharap sa mga pagsubok. And mas matatag, mas kakayanin kung anumang darating sa pagkakataon na ibibigay ng Diyos at ng buhay," Arjan said. — Jannielyn Ann Bigtas/LA, GMA News