aggiepie's tabulas

There can be miracles, when you believe
Though hope is frail, it's hard to kill
Who knows what miracles, you can achieve,
When you believe, somehow you will
You will when you believe...
- "The Prince of Egypt"

It's a surprise how everything's turning up (good) for me these days. We were at PCMC yday and my research paper on adult medulloblastoma won in the Descriptive Category of the PNA Research Forum.  Personally, I do not think much of my paper, since it was done amidst the toxicity of q 3 day duties and problematic patients (diagnostic dilemmas as well as indigent ones with nary a peso to spare for their meds and diagnostics and operations)... teaching the students and learning myself. I was post duty on both department and PNA research contests, and it was also my grand rounds earlier in the week, that I couldn't prepare as much as I wanted. But God is so good and He gives me good things even though I haven't exactly been very good. Thanks Lord!

Now let me just revel in this fleeting moment of happiness .

Until the next round of toxicity...

Wow! These images captured by doctony are actually very nice.

Well, at least, I have the newly-renovated wards to look forward to when I go back.

I am currently working as an in-house physician in a little hospital, some 15 minutes away from our home (and that is NOT near by probinsya standards where there is no heavy traffic). Everyday I have to wake up before 6 so I have enough time to get ready, eat breakfast and get to the hospital by 7 am. My parents prepare my baon and drive me to the hospital. They would then later pick me up when I get off at 7 pm (or later).  I feel like being an elementary schoolgirl again. But I don't think my parents mind. I am pretty sure they are more than happy to *still* be able to do these things for their "little girl"  and I am grateful for these *rare* "family" moments.

The hospital's small and barely 8 months old. At most, we have 5 in-patients a day and I see a couple of outpatients daily. The patient load is light. What frightens me though is being the only doctor in the hospital; the consultants are phone calls away. When I was still a medical student, I had my batchmates to help me and seniors to refer to whenever things get toxic. Now, I am on my own and I need to make quick decisions for my patients. Responsibility is a very scary thing, especially when it concerns people's lives! And everyday I pray to THE Consultant that He be with me and transform me into an extension of His Healing Power.

I was  fixing my little library today and I saw the book "Doctors" by  Erich Segal. It was gift for my 20th birthday, from my best friend, Lauren. She signed it:

My dearest Aggiepie:
Hopefully we'll be DOCTORS someday.
I'll really miss you when we're in med school na.
Happy reading!
love, lauielauiebabes ♥

It was dated Sept 20, 2000... which isn't my birthday but it was the time of the National Bookstore sale.  We were even together when she bought it at NBS Katipunan. And then we had dinner at the nearby Shakey's with Vice (not sure if there were other ABMers with us then).

Well, lau, we *are* doctors now! (Vice too.) Finally!