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Monday, July 16, 2012
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A year from now...
It's a bit too early to announce. But I'll be resigning with my current employment next year. That's means a monthly average of 99.99% of my income, both government & private practice. Is that crazy? Yes and no. My dad sacrificed to invest on my education. I, myself, toiled. Medicine is never easy. On the other hand.... the move isn't a just a whim. I am a mother, and I simply could not be happy with the disruption of hospital calls. I am a mother, and I chose to be that. They say kids spell love as T-I-M-E. If my success in my career meant less time at home. Then it doesn't favor how I want all this mothering to be. I've thought this out well. It's a matter of choosing which is important in my life right now? My kids or my career. My kids are definitely my happiness. =)
By jadetv @ 4:21 AM
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Tuesday, May 01, 2012
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simply too sleepy
The superior medical officer enters the ward and the subordinates all clump around the recently arrived boss, forming the morning huddle for bedside rounds. It's a universal experience for anyone in medical training. It is a great opportunity for learning, to interact closely with someone with more clinical experience.
One new patient had been admitted over the night's duty. As the chart was reviewed, some pages for past medical history, family history, immunization were still blank. On inquiry, the youngest in charge replied that no one had informed her regarding the admission and so the pages were not completed. The inquiry was addressed upward one level: Weren't we all on duty last night, and was this really a team that had no communication among its members?
Most of the time, the youngest gets a scolding or worse, for revealing an error or weakness in the next few levels. Especially when the truth was that they had all waited together for the patient to arrive, in fact, the youngest had called the transporting department several times during the night to facilitate admission, being the one immediately in charge of the patient. The mid level doctor in training just nodded, no words were said then or afterward when the superior medical officer had left. She was simply too sleepy to remember.
Today, we were all more mature than the top Doc.
By mjc @ 8:09 AM
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Saturday, January 23, 2010
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Charles in Africa
I was browsing Facebook when I came across Charles' update and photos, Life in Africa. Sounds like Medicine Sans Frontiers to me, something to that effect. When everyone who wanted to go abroad goes to developed country for greener pastures, or more advanced learning, here's one who chose to go to Africa to probably stick closer to all the idealism that is Medicine (I don't know how he ended, or why he chose to be there-- adventure, perhaps?). As for me, I'm contented and happy with the decision of not leaving the country. I'm finding it out of my comfort zone to adjust to another culture yet again. Our brothers here need healthcare professionals as well.
By jadetv @ 10:20 PM
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Thursday, August 20, 2009
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Endurance
Medicine school and the subsequent residency training are a test of endurance. As I come near the end of my residency, sad to say, I am feeling more and more burnt out by the day. I count each day. I hesitate to get up in the morning and leave the house. But somehow I manage to just go and face each day, although, with a heavy heart. Perhaps it's really just about attitude. I can try to face each day with a renewed vigor, or let my self pass it with weight on my shoulders. Yes, it maybe just be all in the mind. Whichever, I try to take it a day at a time. It's too late to turn back and quit, I'm almost at the finish line. This is indeed a test of endurance. I remember clerkship, the last of the 4 years in med school. It was the hardest, psychologically, physically, emotionally. How I wanted it to end so badly, and never go back. And somehow, I surpassed it. I'm going through the same thing all over again. It's hard to get into something one isn't too passionate about. But I'm here. I'll probably thank myself in the future for never giving up. I know, after this, things will get better. Afterall, becoming a doctor, an anesthesiologist at that, doesn't sound so bad.
By jadetv @ 5:24 PM
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Sunday, May 10, 2009
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Mother's Day
It's Mothers' Day. It's my 1st official Mothers' Day (the 1st unofficial was when Marek was still inside my tummy). But I'm not at home with my son, instead, I'm in the hospital waiting for the OB residents to call me whenever a fellow mother in labor, or about to deliver, needs my skill. I told my family we were going to celebrate it a day ahead. I didn't request to exchange duties with fellow resident because even if she isn't a mother, she has a mother to celebrate the day with. I would've felt really bad. But I guess, I'm used to making sacrifices, giving up special dates to be with loved ones because I have to be in the hospital. It's an old story. But I'm still wishing I was home. And I miss my Marek every single moment I'm away from him. Next year, my dear, I promise I'll be home. Eight more months and I'll be done with residency training. Hello lovely Life!
By jadetv @ 6:52 PM
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Wednesday, April 08, 2009
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ER resident
I'm a second year Pediatrics resident at Metropolitan Hospital in Sta Cruz, Manila. As a second year, my duty post is at the ER. When I was in first year, I complained frequently about the amount of work that I had during duty hours - going on patient rounds with all attending MD's, doing complete ward rounds, attending to all deliveries at the nursery - basically making sure that I was in at least three places all at once. I thought ER duty was The Life. Just sitting in the office, waiting for the P.A. system to call "Pedia Resident Pedia Resident please call up Emergency Room"... Now I think I know better. That call to ER isn't always as simple as an Upper Respiratory Tract Infection. Sometimes it's code blue ... and you have to decide, fast and correctly.
By mjc @ 8:14 PM
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Monday, October 13, 2008
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Looking back and ahead
An archive of memories, this blog is. We're still a work in progress and reading through the past blogs was both a sigh of relief-- for having surpassed that time in our life, the sorrows of clerkship, the anxiety of the Boards; and at the same time a reminder that we could not relax yet, there's still so much we have to work for, we have to train, hone our skills, to get to where we really want to be. I wonder where the other bloggers are, what they're up to. Do they still write? I hope they haven't turned into medical robots. With their big hearts, I'm sure they're far from becoming that. I know raksha will not stop writing. I myself have several blogs, only they're outdated. I try to update sometimes. Like now, I can write about what it's like working in the hospital with a precious baby in my tummy. I'm trying to be positive everyday-- that my baby will come out healthy with 10 fingers and 10 toes, with brains as good as his father, and looks that take on mine. Everything normal inspite of the risky environment mom has to be in. I administer general anesthesia everyday with no scavengers in the operating rooms. I see patients everyday and God knows what other illness they have. And I walk around one of the biggest hospitals in the country and get very little sleep during duty nights. And the food in the canteen, I'm not too sure if how much MSG they have. Not very optimal. But baby's moving a lot and I take that as a good sign. And all my colleagues in the same field have healthy kids, and so I kind of take comfort in that. Things does not stop there. And when the baby comes out finally? Taking care of her will be another story and it's making me anxious. But I love the state that I'm in, and inspite and despite of all of the above rantings, I could only be thankful that I'm having our child. Like what my husband said, it's holding eternity at the palm of your hand. Or something like that.
By jadetv @ 9:44 PM
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