Finally, an MD!

As I've told you guys once before and although this post has long been overdue, I cannot let 2014 pass without acknowledging a lot of people who have been there throughout my difficult road to having that 2 letters fixed after my name. Like in any other race, I feel like a celebrity being cheered and dragged towards the finish line by the best training coaches in my life.

my OOTD during the Hooding Ceremony

MUA: Daphne Valmonte

Hair: Amber of American Touch Salon

I am probably the most sheltered eldest child in the world and it's all because of the unwavering support and unconditional love of my parents. To Mama and Papa, thank you for all the sacrifices you made for me-- from washing and ironing my clothes and cooking my meals, up to this time, to watching over my little Nathan as if he was your own. The comforts of our home have never been such a relief since I went to med school. I promise that I owe you back the service you have given me for the past 26 years of my life.

With Mama, Papa and Nathan at our Hooding Ceremonies

With Mama at PICC

 Post-hooding ceremony lunch at Mann Hann MOA

Post-graduation day dinner at Buffet 101

To my siblings, I feel like the youngest of us 4 because of your love. Thank you for becoming Nathan's 2nd, 3rd, 4th and so on parents and for raising your nephew as if he was our 5th sibling. Special mention to my sister, Ella, who has tried her best to spoil me with everything I ask of her even if her meager salary is just enough for her own family. 

To my husband, Kelmer, having a wife in med school must be a tough one for you and only you and I know how difficult it has been. It came to several points where we almost throw in the towel and screwed up as a parent but our love-hate relationship toughed it all out. Thank you for providing for my needs and sometimes my 'luho', for driving me to and fetching me from school even during your most tiring hours, for being that great listener and shock absorber and simply for loving me truthfully. 

 With the love of my life <3

 Taken at PICC

My extended family present during my hooding ceremony

To my little angel, Nathan, your presence is probably one of the sweetest energy bar that kept me going. I could still remember all those nights I've cried not being able to sleep and be with you at night and how I felt terribly sorry that you had to suffer. I hope that one day, when you're able to read this, you could be proud of me. 

My little kiddo

To my best of friends in med school, Ceri, Juria and Ivy, I will always feel blessed to have met and known you, guys. Thank you for all the talks, shifting and finals reviews, 'gala', meals and chismis we've shared. Thank you for making me feel that I could still fit in a group and for listening even to my not-for-your-age stories. Hahaha!

With Ceri Kristine Talan, co-iska; taken at the Hooding Ceremony

With Juria Lilia Tanchuling during Graduation Day

With my girls

To I-D and II-D, I can still remember every funny scenario whenever a professor would ask, "Sino dito may asawa na? or may anak na?" and none of you would answer. Hahaha! I wanted to tell you all sometimes, "Okay lang naman sakin if you disclose." You guys would never know how much it means to me to be accepted and be respected of my privacy and for that I had the highest respect of you. Thank you sa pagtitiis niyo sa pagyaya ko sa Brooklyn's, don't worry sarado na siya (*sniff). To my forever groupmates (Diane, Diandra, Sheen, Claud and David), thank you for the inputs and unavoidable stresses. We made a great team for the past 2 years. You guys enjoy internship, see you all soon!

 II-D incomplete (photo grabbed from Claudine Ramos)

I-D taken during the Graduation Day

With I-D girls + Christian and Joseph (photo grabbed from Monique Salud)

My forever groupmates with our epic saan-dapat-tumingin-photo (grabbed from Aivee Sison)

To my Clerkship group C, the past 365 days had been bearable because of all of you. We made bonds through fitting ourselves in the narrowest of the rooms, harshness of the system and the littlest of bloopers. Pag sobrang pagod nalang, I'm happy that we could just spontaneously pig out to relieve the stress. I know that some of us might have been leaving somewhere along the road but it doesn't matter what road we take or when we do  but how we gracefully finish the race.

With my clingy groupmate, Jeriz Anne Natividad (Hahaha!)

To the mentors (professors, residents and consultants) who have shared their knowledge, skills and precious time with us, thank you! I feel like a child humbly raised by parents wanting her to be the best physician she could become. Thank you for inspiring us to become our best self and give our best shot (daming best, sorry)-- special mention to Doc Onofre O' Connor, Doc Victoria Catapang, Doc Marion Patricio and Doc Karla Trinidad. And simply for making our loads lighter with your care and little acts of kindness -- Doc Ina Montesines, Doc Anju Amado, Doc Sheena Feliciano, Doc John Canlas, Doc Ian Mendoza, Doc JJ Patricio, Doc Ina Sombrero and Doc Rhona Recto. At sa favorite resident ko na hindi niya alam, Doc Jo-an Aguedan. Hahaha! 

 With Dr. Collao, inspiring FCM professor since freshmen days

 

Batch 2014's top ten (photo grabbed from Dineth Gutierrez)

Lastly, to my GREATEST COACH who is up there watching over me, I couldn't be grateful enough for this wonderful journey you have led me into. My life surely had been crazy without your guidance. Thank you for sustaining me with all the energy I could ever need while jumbling myself into being a mom, a wife, a daughter, a sister, a friend and a student all at the same time. 

Graduation day get-up

Hair and MUA: Amber of American Touch Salon

“We should be astonished at the goodness of God, stunned that He should bother to call us by name, our mouths wide open at His love, bewildered that at this very moment we are standing on holy ground." - Brennan Manning

Treats for 2014 Graduates

It's official! 

I am graduating this April. I am sharing that same 'kilig' with all the other graduates this 2014. All those 3 years of inside the classroom and 1 year on the halls of Ospital ng Maynila, I will finally bid goodbye to medical school in a few weeks. Although, there has been quite some graduation issues going on around our alma mater right now, I am pretty positive that it will push through and that of course, we'll be finally entering the much-awaited post-grad internship this coming May.

Many of you are probably are still on the never-ending stage of searching for that perfect graduation dress, shoes, hair dos, etc. And I swear, I just at the same phase with you guys. But since I've always believe in Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs, I put the search for my after-graduation dining experience first on the list. Hahaha! So to help you guys with the search, I have listed some of the restaurant deals and promos in and around the metro for you, 2014 graduates.

Free Buffet for Graduates of 2014

1) Dads Saisaki Kamayan invites new graduates to dine on their graduation day or up to 7 seven days after in any of their participating restaurants. Just tag along at least 2 paying guests and present your diploma, graduation photo or graduation program/ceremony invitation with the name of the graduate on it. The promo is valid until May 15 at any of their participating branches: SM Megamall, Glorietta, EDSA, West Avenue and Padre Faura. Visit http://kamayansaisakidads.com/ for more details.

2) Viking's: A Feast from the Sea salutes the graduates of 2014 by offering them a free weekday lunch buffet to every graduating student of 2014 accompanied by at least 3 full paying guests. They just need to present their diploma, graduation photo or graduation program/ceremony invitation with the name of the graduate on it. The promo will run until April 30, 2014 and is valid at all Viking's branches.

3) Traders Hotel presents their "Graduates eat for free" promo to all 2014 graduates. They can enjoy a complimentary lunch or dinner buffet at Latitude when they dine with at least 4 paying guests. Again, a school ID and diploma or graduation invitation should be presented to avail of the promo.

4) The Food Club Manila also treats new graduates to a free lunch or dinner buffet. Plus, graduates get to enjoy customized miniature graduation cakes from The Food Club chef and a special gift to those graduating with honors. A diploma or any proof of graduation is all you need to bring to avail of this promo.

5) Sambokojin celebrates this new milestone with graduates as they offer free buffet for every graduating student of 2014 on the day of their commencement exercises up to 7 days after in any of their participating restaurants. Just tag along at least 2 full paying patrons and present your diploma, graduation photo or graduation program/ceremony invitation with the name of the graduate on it. They also give free souvenir for all graduates who dine. The promo is available until May 15, 2014.

6) Eastwood Richmonde Hotel toasts the Class of 2014 with a free weekday lunch or Friday dinner buffet. Just bring with you a proof of graduation and 5 paying guests and the meal is on them. The graduates also get the chance to win discounts or gift certificates for complimentary buffets and even an overnight stay. 

7) Dusit Thani Manila gives the graduates of 2014 a much deserved toast by letting them dine for free if dining with three of their family members or friends from March 24 until end of April 2014. A copy of the diploma or certificate is required to enjoy the privilege. 

 

Other Freebies and Discounts

1) The Aristocrat Restaurant is treating graduates to a free big leche flan for every P1,500 single-receipt purchase worth of food at any Aristocrat Restaurant branch. The promo is valid until April 30, 2014 only. Visit http://www.aristocrat.com.ph/ for any upcoming updates and promos. 

2) Happy Lemon offers 4+1 treat on their milk tea series to 2014 graduates. For every 4 large milk tea you buy, you get one free milk tea of the same size by just presenting your school ID. This offer is valid every Monday to Thursday from 11 am to 7 pm and for both dine-in and take-out orders. You can visit Happy Lemon Philippines' Facebook page for more details and updates. 

3) Red Kimono is giving away sweet treats for new graduates as they offer free dessert of their choice on a minimum P2,000 food purchase. This promo is available at their One Parkade and U.P. Ayala Land Technohub branches. Newly grads can choose among these tempting desserts: green tea ice cream, chocolate balls, mango and green panna cota, green tea halo-halo, red kimochi and buko pandan. Their Glorietta branch also offers a free dessert for a minimum P1,000 food purchase. The graduates will need to present their their school or diploma. Valid until April 15, 2014. You can visit http://redkimono.com.ph/sweet-treats-graduates/ to view the promo poster. 

4) Crowne Plaza Manila
   a) Seven Corners treats graduates to a complimentary customized home-made ice cream creation for buffet dine-in customers.
   b) Xin Tian Di Restaurant gives 20% discount to 2014 celebrants on a 10-course graduation menu for P 14,800++. The guest will also receive a free Twinings tea set for every 2 carafe orders of Strawberry Mango Delight. This offer is available until March 31, 2014 only.


That's a lotta calories for you. It's cheat day on graduation day, anyway. 

So to the graduates of Class 2014, seize the day! Congratulations! :)

From-Clerkship

I wish I was counting down the hours as the most awaited day of clerkship came in. Instead, I was busy rushing through the halls of the hospital carrying out doctors’ orders and making referrals. Like probably most other clerks on duty that night, I just had one hell of a regular toxic tour of duty (or so I hope). A few minutes before my from-duty co-clerks have left that day, a patient was even intubated, CVP inserted and more lab requests were requested. So I was technically hooked to that single toxic patient, whom to my comfort, had survived the whole night.

So even if the husband appeared at 12 midnight for a supposedly very late dinner, the idea of having a chat with him for a few more minutes was more of a suicide and so I allowed him to go home. I was fortunate, though, to sleep a few good 3 hours (waking up in between, of course, to check on the patients) only to panic when I wake up because new patients got admitted at the wards and I have yet to do my chart rounds for the night. My ward companion, Cheenee, should be updating all papers to be endorsed to incoming clerks but since I seem to have been jinxed on insertions that night, she had to cover up on me from time to time.

At 8:00 a.m., I still had to refer 2 patients for emergency appendectomy. I also had 2 exams waiting for me—the Surgery exit exam I had to finish in 15 minutes, according to the clerk’s monitor, because my Ophtha exit exam is scheduled to start at exactly 9:00 a.m. My mind was just a total blur upon taking those exams. I would just wish for a decent score.

So my official last day of clerkship ended at exactly 11:00 a.m. Hooray! That was a bit late but all I really cared about, then, was me finally going home.

12 months. 6 rotations. Quite a number of stories to share. Truly, OMMC clerkship is one hell of a roller coaster ride. It is where the unimaginable becomes your reality and toxicity your way of life.

Junior intern Resuello now signing off. 

P.S.

I will write about my obligatory acknowledgement soon. Haha!

It's More Fun in the Community

Welcome back to me!

I've been on hiatus for the past few months and it's a bit sad to be not blogging at all. Plus, I've been counting days and dreading for the upcoming Comprehensive Exams and OSCE, both of which are moments of truth for us wanna-be doctors. I have spent my past 4 months in 2 interesting rotations-- Family Medicine and Internal Medicine. The former is a little 'benign' compared to the others and the latter, although more 'toxic', especially at the Emergency room, is one I liked most amongst all rotations.

So let me start my comeback by sharing with you some feats from my Family Medicine rotation. It's a 2-part rotation wherein our group is divided into 2. The first group goes on a 1-month rotation in the out-patient department of our hospital and the second enters the Intramuros community.

Our group started in the community. So how did we spend out time there? 

On Mondays, we see patients (both infants and adults) and immunize babies at the Intramuros Health Center. 

During Tuesdays, we do home visits to follow-up patients who do not come back to the Health Center for consult. We basically focused on the pregnant mothers who failed to return for their monthly pre-natal check-up. Lucky them, doctors are the ones who visit them for consult and that's for free! We also had our family case, in which we visit a family of our choice, do interviews and physical examination, and make a plan for their physical, social and medical wellness.

On Wednesday, we tackle and report on assigned topics related to Family Medicine's everyday work-- topics like Social Empowerment, Health Education, etc.

During Thursdays, we invite the whole community and our patients from outside the community as well to hear our lectures on interesting topics. Being a mother myself, I specifically chose "Breastfeeding" as my topic because it's one really close to my heart. Luckily, it was scheduled on the same week as the Breastfeeding Week so we were able to get a few sponsors for our event.

On Fridays, we visit the Joy Kiddie school and examine grade schoolers. We would play with them on their giant trampoline and we'll eat unripe mangoes after (super yummy street food!).

So that's we spent our good old 30 days in the community. Bow.

If there's a thing I learned that I would value much during that rotation, it would be respect for my patients. Regardless of their age and status in life, I learned how communication will be easier and more meaningful if I learn to be step down and be patient in dealing with them. Since it's a relatively benign rotation, I was able to have time for myself and my family because it truly makes a lot difference when there's less stress in your life-- you'll have a good outlook in your profession and you'll always look forward to another day with your patients.

It really is more fun in the community. :)

The OB Rotation That Was

Two months into OB and I could not express how grateful I was of the experiences I gained after that rotation. As beginners, each rotation is always filled with anxiety and clueless-ness. In OB, toxicity is an understatement-- and we were all aware of that even before the rotation even started. We heard rumors and the countless stories of previous clerks of their (mis)adventures.

But after 2 months, OB rotation was definitely not at all bad.

My favorite post would have to be NSD (normal spontaneous delivery). I could probably not explain that wonderful feeling of being inside the delivery and the rush of endorphins whenever you hear the rolling of the wheels of the stretcher and your co-clerk shouting "FULLY!", which means a fully dilated preggy is about to give birth. I enjoyed repairing episitiomies (with local anesthesis, of course, because most of us don't) and seeing them well at the wards later after that 30 minutes or so of torment.

Everyone probably dreads the wards because being alone at night to finish all the carry-outs you are tasked is probably not fun at all especially if there are 60+ patients in the wards. 

In OB, ambivalence is a real thing. Most residents are, they say, 'bipolar'. You'll get used to that normalcy once you're there-- not because it's a constant sight, but because initiative is a must. You need not to be told what to do, you have to decide and make a move on your own. And it is, ironically, the one thing I admire most about being an OB clerk. The fact that when you're shouted at means that you've done something wrong. It may not be the best form of learning but you will eventually learn to understand why it happens-- that great load of stress is just inevitable. You have to constantly keep in mind that it's never a form of public humiliation (although sometimes it may look like one). When you are being shouted at, it's nothing personal. Funny, because later when you go out dining with the residents, they will still remember that one embarassing thing you did and you will just find yourself laughing the rest of the day with them.

I definitely fell in love with Pedia but I say OB has been the more memorable rotation so far. 'Cos if there are two things OB had taught me-- presence of mind and grace under pressure.

The Calm Before the Storm

My friends would know exactly why I don't like Pediatrics that much. For 2 consecutive years, I've considered it as one of my all-time waterloos-- next to Histology. Why did I say so? Pedia is in itself a deviant. While you think you've memorized all the normal anthropometrics and laboratory values, Pedia has their own set of 'normals'. And mind you, the normal values are in their own set of ranges-- 0-3 mos, 3-6 mos, so on and so forth until age 19 plus the growth charts. Hilarious! And ironic, since all these should be interesting for a mom like me.

Then here comes the first day of rotation. First rotation is, drum roll please.. 

PEDIATRICS!

I admit I'd got a little envious with my classmates who will be rotating first in the Minors or in Family Medicine. They're probably enjoying their first like it's still summer vacation (but don't misinterpret, I'm not saying their work's that easy-peasy). I also got scared that I'm too scared. You know what happens when one's too agitated, they do more wrong.

There were ups and downs, they won't probably go away any sooner. But my first 3 weeks in Pediatrics is subtly harder than I expected. I just finished ward work last week where I first learned how to insert an IV cannula, extract blood samples from babies' blood vessels (without success), witness lumbar taps, do clerical work and care for patients. It's where I first experienced 'soupy' moments of almost no sleep and being grateful for the gift of being able to take pauses for peeing, taking a bath and eating.

OPD is a little 'benign' to me. But I love the fact that we get to see concerned parents coming back for follow-up consults as per doctor's order. I also like practicing prescription skills and advising patients. Being in the nursery/NICU is a little bit more fun to me except for the unbearable heat inside the unit. We get to catch babies, confirm their age of gestation through Ballard scoring and practice IV insertion (without supervision, haha!). My next stop: ER!

Fate must be joking when it put me in the Dept. of Pediatrics for my first clerkship rotation. But at least I'm a little prepared now for what to expect during my next rotation in OB-GYN with our little connection with them in the NICU. Will share about it soon. For now, I'd say I'm enjoying Pedia like there's no OB tomorrow. HAHA! =D

Pre-Clerkship Jitters

While almost everyone else in the batch is excited about clerkship, I found myself anxious for those coming days. Yes, I’m ecstatic about passing 3^rd year and getting promoted to junior internship. There is definitely no question about that. But there are some things I feel and think that some people may not understand.

I fear of losing weekends and holidays. As my good professor have said (not in verbatim), “Prepare to be robbed off your weekends, next your holidays.”  My precious time during the weekends are used to spend with Nathan and Kel. Nothing is more painful for a mom than to not be there for your family whenever they need you. It’s a sad thought to miss celebrating birthdays, the Holy Week, Christmas day and New Year’s eve with them.

I fear of losing communication. I heard a lot of such stories. My marriage had gone through a lot these past 3 years and I couldn’t afford to make such a mistake and go through the same situation all over again.

I fear of being inept—at dealing with people and practicing my clinical skills. Yes, I’m doing well on the theoretical side but this is not anymore just about books, it’s about people’s lives this time. Although I know that this will need a lot of practice and I’m kinda used to getting reprimanded whenever I do something wrong, I just fear of making a serious mistake that could change a life of a soon-to-be-patient. I also fear that with my ‘inadequacy’, I might add demerits to the group I am in.

I fear of my fears. It makes me feel uncomfortable with myself and makes me question my skills.

In a matter of days, our lives will probably begin to change. For now, I will perhaps be wishing that days in the clinics will be shorter and my offs longer (if that is even possible. Haha!). Or I should start arranging for my uniforms and medical supplies instead.