Make-up duty with ma'am Santiano, etc.

Thank God I trusted Yani...when she said that Ma'am's cool. Because she is, actually- contrary to my previous expectation that she was insensibly strict and overly uptight for an effective clinical instructor.

Well that's only one of the few reflections I gained out of this two-day completion duties I had. I might have to outline them in numerical format as I often like to do, but then that would depend largely on where I want to start.

Anyway I had to do the makeups in hot hot summah (when I'm supposed to be estivating in my shell, grr) because third year second sem just threw me too much tasks to handle that my hands are more than full of them. And that is good, because I believe I gained more than I had expected to during the supposedly gruelling experience (7-3 ward rounds isn't much fun if you're not that intoxicated with patient management, personally). Not that it did not have its share of troubles (like that DAR charting which had me reeling on the second day...and that suicidal COPD patient who verbalizes his death wish the minute I first opened the door to his room *shiver*) but I did not expect to have so much fun...enough for me to disregard the troublesome parts and reminisce on the excitement that I had.

So ok, enough of the intro- what's the fun all about?

1. Anni's new SN friend(s)-

I forgot his surname but I met this guy, also a nursing student of section 4 third year...whose name is Paulo. And since he's such a fun talker, a carefree character and so far the only guy around there who stayed beyond twelve, I instantly found myself talking to him in the student's room (especially when it got boring at around 10am). Later we were already throwing some jokes on each other by the nurse's station...and still later he was already talking about his family life, his friends, his classroom tales and his accomplishments in life. He helped me ignore time so much that when it was time to go...well, I was slightly surprised. If there's something I regret about our meet...well, kanina ininvite niya ko magbreak nang sabay, perhaps to grab a bite somewhere at the carpark or something...I said yes, but I had to monitor my patients at ten in the morning so I had to wait until 2 in the afternoon to enjoy my fill. Maybe next time...

There's also this friendly girl named Pam whom I liked from our first hello. She's such a sweet girl who is a natural leader in the ward. I guess I should take it from her if I want to become a great TL in the incoming ward shifts this year. :) She helped me with her tips especially regarding our CI's habits and tendencies in her management of students on duty.

2. Anni's new love love CI-

Si Ma'am Santiano...kalog. Adik. Hahaha. She's a sweet petite girl, married, with two kids. As a CI she is reasonably strict and assigns tasks effectively. She is such a storyteller in the ward. I could not help but listen attentively to her fun life tales while contemplating and scribbling my DAR chartings on the other side (which proved to be too much of a struggle for me because this woman's got lots of energy and could really keep you on the edge of your seat for more of her laughtrip episodes in life).

But the best contribution I derived out of our clash has something to do with the principle of necessity of corporal punishment among growing children in order to impose discipline. Her views and experiences in taking care of her kids and her own experiences as a child who never experienced corporal punishment totally shook my long-standing advocacy of this principle. I told her that I always thought that it was necessary to be cruel to kids in order to grow well and be responsible kids. But her examples told me otherwise. So I am caught in the process of reconsidering my advocacy of corporal punishment. Hahahaha.

And another important reason why I love her so much...I now partially owe to her my reconciliation with my dear friend Christian whom I apparently haven't talked to for weeks. It's a long story, basta out of necessity I texted him during the early morning today and I even had to tell him to call me up just so ma'am could talk to him. This led to us talking, and shortly I told him openly how much I missed him and how much I would like to talk to him. Similarly (tingan mo nga naman ang wavelength) he texted his feelings about our issue through my other cell phone. So yehey to that. Thank God for that. I was overwhelmed with such an unexpectedly great surprise that I was compelled to tell ma'am what she helped me do. She was rather amused and had to tell a few interesting stories again. Hahahaha. I love this woman...

3. Rubix just killed me with ecstasy-

Since now I have learned how to fix my rubiks cube, I now use it as my output when stress starts to build up in me and I feel the need to expel it. This handy cube is no stress reliever, mind you- it's just an option for effective transference of stress. My wait for today had me fumbling Rubix for more than five times while hanging out at KFC carpark. I amused some kids who were audibly arguing whether I was going to finish it or not. Well unfortunately for them, they never found out, because in the middle of the second layer their mother pulled them to transfer far from where they could see me finish off my game.

After a few more turns here and there...the wait was over and I just had to stop. The excitement of making and breaking the colors over and over again surely had my mind reeling (parang nahihilo na nga ako eh, pero ang addictive eh). And thus the ecstasy...

4. Spent my time out with dihia-

Since there was no one else available in the afternoon to pick me up from school, my dihia named Michael took the time to fetch me. I was ranting on an issue when we met, so to perhaps relax and distract me, he took me somewhere I can fall silent for the evening (which I am not ever telling here because it's almost unbelievable on my part).

Unfortunately my mother was already looking for me, so after that we didn't have time to have dinner (as previously planned). Hahaha. Not meant to be. Well surely, sa uulitin itong experience na ito. I just wonder what trick I have to pull off my psych hat just to take my next shot at it.

5. I don't have the balls for it, but I'm getting addicted-

I joined Paul and Maski for a few rounds of rotation this aft. It was fun. Sa totoo lang medyo kinakati na ko even during the completion, hahaha. So it was very satisfying when we finally went there to play. Though I suck at it...well the important is, I had a lot of fun with these two good friends of mine. Medyo napaisip lang ako sa serious face ni Maskitot, but then I checked and confirmed that he was having a headache, so I left him at that.

After this we finished off the session with street siomai and cola drinks, which I surely missed- with all the things I've been working on these past couple of sems. Hay, masarap talaga ang bawal- I wonder what my mother could possibly do to me if she ever found out that I eat around these joints. Well, sabi nga nila masarap ang bawal.

Which reminds me...gumawa nga ng hirit si Maski sa motto ko diyan eh. "Masarap nga ang bawal. So bawal ka pala." Hahahaha. Darn the maskhirits. Hahaha.

6. And somehow, I just feel that he loves me so much-

Because of these completion days, I also had a profound change of perspective on my brother's treatment of my situation. Yes, he can be verbally and physically abusive when I do something wrong. But then again, how can I stay angry with him when he indirectly manifests extreme concern and I find out about it? Yes, he's complex in dealing with me. But his concern for me had me rethinking about how I see him as my bro. Personal stuff. Basta, I just know I have to revise my perspective on his actions towards me.

Pati rin pala si mama. Kahit more than 2 weeks na kaming hindi nag-uusap nang matino dahil sa galit niya sa aking defiance (in the name of thesis, hello), she still can't help but show her concern towards me. She prepared breakfast- a gesture topped off with scoldings in the am- which I later on concluded was just a defense mechanism on her part...she's got that sort of pride.

Later in the eve nakausap ko nga rin pala ang dalawa kong minamahal na pinsan- si Mark at Alfred- na talaga namang namiss ko. Natuwa nga ako at sabay pa kaming nagdinner...and then later umuwi na kami ni mama, pero dumaan muna ng SM to buy a few things with Mark.

7. JR on the roof and Daisy by the fountain-

I met these two kids during the past 2 days. JR was that small agile boy who jumped down the room of carpark second floor just to retrieve my oh-so-beloved Mosby's Pocket Medical Dictionary. I was very thankful for him because he spared me from having to jump down there myself in complete uniform and white stockings.

Daisy is the little nine year-old girl I met by the fountain. While I was lounging on the nearby seats with Paul and Maski, I somehow had the childish urge to play around the fountain as the wind got stronger in the later afternoon. The wind caused the fountain water to shower over one side where I wanted to be, so I jumped up without a second thought and excused myself to my two companions in order to amuse myself.

Just then there was this little girl standing around there while holding up her black umbrella against the fountain...with the same intention. Naturally I established rapport by talking to her about the joys of the fountain and my previous fountain experiences. She was friendly enough to talk to this stranger...and ask for her name. Of course I introduced myself willingly. At matindi ito. Pinakilala pa ko sa Tita niya na nakaupo doon sa park rin, along with other kids na mga pinsan niya yata, hahaha. Dinaig pa ang kakulitan ko. Hahaha.

OK, ok. awat muna ako- my back pain is telling me to quit it for now and lie down. For this entry, this is all I can recall. I might add to it if I remember some other things...

Good morning na pala, hahaha.

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