Unprettiness

Friend: "Bakit paganda ng paganda ang mga tao sa Facebook?"

Answers:

Dahil nagpapa-cute sila sa crush nila kaya inspired sila to post more pictures of themselves in the same angle!

Because of the existence of photoshop.

To boost self-esteem. Rather, they have low self-esteem so they need to remind themselves how gorgeous they are.

Perhaps, they are naturally beautiful, ine-enhance lang nila. 'Kaw naman.

Unfortunately, some people might be faking it. That makes everything unrealistic.

Because this is not Facebook and everything in this blog is real, here's something you can use to scare burglars away. You may also show this to misbehaving kids so they won't repeat the deed. 

GASP!!

...before the end of clerkship!!!

However, piles of paperworks await us as we comply our prerequisites for graduation such as: community diagnoses (our assigned community, i.e, Purok 1 Brgy. Tambacan and our clerkship community, i.e, the entire Brgy. Tambacan), epidemiologic study, hardbound copy of our behavioral science research, pharma study, objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) and mock board exam. Sounds like everyone would go into respiratory arrest after March 9, eh? 

Meanwhile, we're on our fourth rotation in the Ancillary Services: Ophthalmology and Radiology. 

Dr. A. E. H.

As the entire archipelago commemorates the 25th year of People Power, two powerful people I personally know celebrate their birthday!! Johanifah, who is Cory at home, and CORilyn celebrate their 25th and 24th birthday respectively. So, for the tweeter question: Where were you during the EDSA revolution? Johanifah would most likely answer: "I was struggling my way out of my mother's womb!". Happy birthday girls!

Photo taken at the Community House this lunch. :)

Girls, I demand for a post-birthday dinner. Understand? ^___^

Life's Like That (Vol. II)

In continuation of my extreme weekend getaway, five of my fabulous classmates and I visited the Dahilayan Adventure Park's Zipzone at Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon which is a home to Asia's longest zipline!! The place is located on top of Bukidnon mountain ranges, past Del Monte corporation's pineapple plantation. Go figure the long, long journey in order to reach the park! Thanks to Sir Rommel, our nurse friend who nodded at our request of renting his van and accompanying us to the place. It was a fine sunny Sunday!

Almost everyone I know visit this place not only to enjoy the pretty scenery but most importantly to experience the extreme adrenaline rush brought about by ziplining! For acrophobic people like me, this is indeed an achievement for us: being able to conquer our fear! Zipzone consists of three phases: 320 m, 150 m and the grandest 840 m! On the third phase, it was magical and symbolic for me. It was the longest and the tallest phase, there was even a thick fog suspended in the air! And for the first time in my life, I didn't hear my heart pounding inside my chest which normally occurs whenever I found myself up in the air and in the brink of death. The moment I let go of the bar and was pushed forward by gravitational force entering the thick fog, I didn't scream but instead opened my eyes wide and stretched my arms like that of a bird. I praised my Creator, that's all that was in my head. I kept on chanting: Subhanallah, Alhamdulillah. Upon dramatically emerging from the clouds, I realized I was hundred feet away from the ground and below me was a lush forest. This time I screamed: Thank you Allah for letting me experience all these!! I believe it was another prayer answered as I have always been praying to Him to allow me "go and see the world". Yes, I did see a portion of it, up while I was suspended in the air like a bird! :)

That pinky that sticks out belongs to nobody but Juey! 

What's great about here at Dahilayan is that they've got many adventuresome rides to offer: ATV, Zorbit, Buggy Ride and Jumping I-forgot-what-it's-called. We tried the Zorbit. Two people enter a huge ball and get safely tucked on the wall and then the ball will be rolled on a considerable meters downhill until it stops on a flat surface. The feeling as you go rolling down can be likened to that scary feeling on a rollercoaster ride except that it lasts for less than a minute and it is...TICKLISH!!!! I swear, Buddy Juey and I were laughing our guts out the whole time and we couldn't stop laughing even after we got out of the ball!! Remembering it, I am so laughing in here now! I must say, the feeling was hilarious! 

I believe that traveling is more fun when you're with a bunch of cool and spontaneous people! People you can trust your life with and people who are worth sharing the memory with. I may get back here someday but I am so sure I will be with different set of people, but I will never ever forget this first trip I had at Dahilayan which made me realize that one can conquer his fear so long as determination and trust to the one above are present. I will always remember that feeling while I was up in the air, above the trees, overlooking the mountains, the cold winds kissing my cheeks....I will always remember that whenever fear crawls into me as I go into internship. Thanks to the fabulous girls I was with: Jue, Sheng, Olin, Abby and Cos. You will always be in my heart, girls. 

(L lower corner photo, L-R) Cos, Olin, Moi, Shengot, Abby and Jue. 

I hope we can go travel again, this time with the whole Class 2011! Wohooo!!

Before I end this entry, here is a video clip of our Zorb exp, courtesy of Cos. Caveat: sorry for the possible stiff neck! Hehe.

Life's Like That (Vol. I)

I've been itching to post about how my weekend went but I was slumped right in my bed the moment I got home with severe sore muscles last night. It was indeed an absolutely fun weekend!!! The trip to Dahilayan, Bukidnon was planned  a week ago by my classmates where extreme adventure awaits us. Few days prior to our trip, Ate Diane and her colleagues in the English Department also had the same trip on Friday and she plans to stay at CdO on Saturday. Since our trip was on the Sunday, I spontaneously advanced to CdO to have an ultimate girl bonding with one of my favorite persons in the world! Ate Diane happened to be with Ate Ashy, her colleague who was also my high-school senior, who happened to be Ate Beth and DK's best friend!! Small world, eh? What are the odds of bonding with my favorite blogmates!! You wouldn't believe how much I love spontaneity! So the six of us including Ma'am Mats (Ate Diane and Ate Ashy's colleague) went to Siam, a Thai restaurant which filled our stomachs with delightfully exquisite Thai food! 

It was actually my first time bonding with my high-school seniors (Ate Ashy, Ate Beth and Ate DK) but it doesn't feel like it's our first time since we've been reading each other since 2009 (right, guys?). Ma'am Mats, on the other hand, was my supah friend Jho's instructor in one of her English classes which didn't make it any difficult bonding with her. Aaaaahh! It was indeed a fun, fun night!! I hope that wasn't the last time, girlies!

(L-R uppermost photos) Ate Diane, Ate Ashy, Ate DK, Ate Beth, Ma'am Mats and Moi.

We part our ways after the sumptuous dinner and Ate Diane and I found ourselves in the company of the eminent Starbucks. Talking until the dawn is a normal activity whenever we're together, which is actually my idea of a perfect bonding. She and I exchanged ideas, updates, laugh trip and talked literally about every single thing!!! We're both at twitter and into blogging but you know how talking personally is way different than online. *sigh* I will definitely miss moments like these with her when I go on to internship....and when she settles down. Perhaps, I can snatch her away from her future hubby just so we can talk. Harhar. 

The following day, I was already with my Classmates: Juey, Abby, Olin, Sheng and Cos. Eight of us were supposed to go but due to some inconvenience, only six of us were set to experience Dahilayan!! I had the most marvelous time feeling all that rush!! It feels awesome when you know that you've done something you've been dreading: HEIGHTS! Battling acrophobia wasn't an easy feat. I tried riding a roller coaster, EK's log jam, even zip-lining two years ago and I still feel the same: fear. This year's zip-lining is way unalike from the previous one I had tried. Looking back, walang challenge yun!!  Hahaha. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right?

(L upper photo): Finishing 840 m zipline!! (R upper photo): Ready to enter the Zorb ball and keeping it rollin'!

Due to my deactivated Facebook and my resurfacing repressed narcissism, I will be posting more photos in my next entry. Stay tuned. :)

TGIF!!

I told my Dad (via SMS) that I'd be off somewhere this weekend with my friends while crossing my fingers he offer me some dough. All he replied is a plain and dry: "Ok. God bless you". I'm busted!!  You see? That's why it's always good to save whether for rainy or sunny days. Hehe. :) 

Tonight, I'm gonna leave you a photo of a Thai movie (A Little Thing Called Love) that transported me back to my silly ol' crush/-es, and of that ex-longtimecrush that just like Nam, the female character, somehow made an impact in my life. Chos!! Thanks  to him for kicking in my evolution. Eeeckkk! Crush lang kaya yun. :) *sparkling eyes*  I want to elaborate more on this, but I'm packing right now plus the internet connection is insanely slow. I might as well leave you with...

That dance that created a twist. <3

You don't forget that crazy little thing called love, do you?

P.S

I'm supposed to post about Psychia and my Satellite Health Center rotation but some technical difficulties came up. Next time, perhaps. :)

Love Song For No One

There are songs which you feel they were written for you, but, have you ever encountered a song which feels like you've written it yourself? Like a de ja vu. A song which was written and sung by someone else leaving you a feeling that the lyrics were stolen from your genius idea. Well, I have one. Haha. Too bad, John Mayer sung it before I could even write it. Haha again. A big round of applause for John for giving my song a justice. 

Staying home alone on a Friday

Flat on the floor looking back

On old love

Or lack thereof

After all the crushes are faded

And all my wishful thinking was wrong

I'm jaded

I hate it

I'm tired of being alone

So hurry up and get here

So tired of being alone

So hurry up and get here

Get here

Searching all my days just to find you

I'm not sure who I'm looking for

I'll know it

When I see you

Until then, I'll hide in my bedroom

Staying up all night just to write

A love song for no one

I'm tired of being alone

So hurry up and get here

So tired of being alone

So hurry up and get here

I could have met you in a sandbox

I could have passed you on the sidewalk

Could I have missed my chance

And watched you walk away?

Oh no way

I'm tired of being alone

So hurry up and get here

I'm so tired of being alone

So hurry up and get here oh yeah

I'm tired of being alone

So hurry up and get here

I'm so tired of being alone

So hurry up and get here

You'll be so good

You'll be so good for me

You, hurry up and get here. 

Happy Love Day everyone!! :)

Words For The Heart

As I'm waiting for this movie to buffer, I keep myself busy reading between a book and some helpful websites, blogs, news, etc. I happened to loiter at I Got It Covered which is an Islamic site that caters to contemporary muslim women. I have been looking for good religious reads that will boost or open my heart back to my faith. It's not that I completely lose my faith but oftentimes I forget worshiping The Almighty Allah SWT. It somehow feels like I have lost my connection to Him by missing my prayers. Prayers, as we know, is a form of meditation that enables us to talk to Allah, ask for forgiveness and express our heart's desires. I am completely aware also that I can not blame anything or anyone, such as clerkship, for missing my prayers. "If there's a will, there's a way.". What I'm trying to say is that shaytan has got the best of me by skipping one of the essentials of my faith, but He perfectly knows how I try to push the demon out of my way and run towards His path. While reading on some articles on the above-mentioned website, I noticed some quotes lingering on the side. These I wanna share:

"Things aren’t always as they seem. Umm Musa was told to throw her son in the river, Yusuf was left for dead in a well, Maryam delivered a child alone, Yunus was swallowed by a whale, Ibrahim was thrown in the fire and Umm Salamah thought no one could be better than Abu Salamah. Yet look at how it turned out for them… in the end. So don’t worry, Allah has a plan for you."

— AmatuAllah
"The medicine of the heart is five things: reading Qur’an and pondering its meaning; having an empty stomach; praying at night (qiyam al-layl), beseeching Allah at the time of suhoor; and keeping company with righteous people." — Yahya ibn Mu’adh 
"Don’t have a BRING-IT-ON attitude with shaytan; make du’aa to Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala to protect you from his tricks."-Muhammad Alshareef

"The wise person is the one who pays attention to his time and does not treat it as a vessel to be filled with cheap things and vain talk. Instead, he limits it to worthy efforts and righteous deeds that please Allah and benefit other people. Every minute of a person’s life carries the potential to raise his own status and to make his people happier, little by little."

— (Islam Q&A)

"The likeness of those who spend for Allah’s sake is as the likeness of a grain of corn, it grows seven ears; every single ear has a hundred grains, and Allah multiplies (increases the reward of) for whom He wills, and Allah is sufficient for His creatures’ needs, All-Knower."

— [Surat al-Baqarah, 2:261]

"What is this world but a dream that a sleeper sees – he delights in it for a few moments, and then wakes up to face reality."

— Hasan al-Basri
All this time that I missed countless prayers (5 times a day!!), I felt nothing but guilt! Guilt that He has blessed me so much and yet I am not doing anything for Him, to show Him how grateful I am that He has created me with complete senses to enjoy my surroundings, senses to be able to judge between right and wrong, that I was born into a pair of wonderful parents and that He surrounded me with intellectual people (my friends!!), and that He has answered most of my prayers. Guilt that I can only remember Him and prostrate whenever I'm in a verge of breaking down, whenever I am depressed, or whenever I am in utter need of His guidance. I am such an ungrateful creature!! You know why my heart clamors for words that can open it up towards The Almighty? Because, my heart has never been at peace than after a prayer. I was never at peace than being on my prayer mat, prostrating in worship to Allah SWT, reading the Qur'an (the English translation), and repeatedly praising Him. He, who grant me all these blessings, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful. I do not know what lies ahead, but with Him at the center of my life, InshaAllah, I have nothing to worry. :)

I met up with my Mom for lunch. Before the food was served, she told me to look after her stuff as she's gonna pray. I asked where, and she said "here". Yes, right there while she's sitting, she bowed for prostration. That's why I admire my Mom. And guess what I felt again? In capital and bold letters, G-U-I-L-T. 

Check it out how at polaroin.com. Thank you very much Ate Dee for sharing!

Patho/Rehab

After Anesth/Derma comes Patho/Rehab Med. Pathology in the morning and Rehab Med in the afternoon. I have seen so many things in the Patho clinic that one wouldn't ordinarily see in the hospital, or some things that we wouldn't normally mind but are clinically significant. "Little things do matter", 'ika nga. And I am so surprised how I am so ignorant of such little things I sometimes want to melt in shame. At the same time, there are countless things that amazed me. 

Back in the OB-GYN module in junior med, I was able to read up on mature ovarian teratomas which are presumably derived from ectodermal differentiation of totipotential cells. Normally, one would find hairs, cheesy sebaceous materials, tooth, bones, and rarely, brain tissues in the ovary. Common beliefs would blame witchcrafts or adultery with evil, but of course, we are in the 21st century where almost everything can be explained by science. When I was an OB-GYN clerk, we rarely have gynecologic cases. Most ovarian cases I was able to assist to in the OR were either serous or mucinous cystadenomas judging from their gross appearances. Only in the patho lab was I able to see dermoid cyst which we were able to identify immediately by the hairs and the sebaceous materials!! There was even a nipple protrusion and a piece of tooth found!! 

Dermoid cyst.

Aaaahh!! There are so many fascinating things in the Patho lab. For instance, when you see your crush's pleural fluid for cytology exam. And you'd be like "what? oh, what could be happening to him?". And there you see, under the power of the microscope that he's positive for Koch's infection aka TB!!! Eeew. He's a health worker so he's prone to that. All of us, Filipinos, have 95% possibility of having a latent tuberculous infection. Just don't get that immune system of yours down.  Whatever, he's still my crush. My tall and lanky crush who made my surgery days a lot more inspiring. Yiheeee.  <3

Add caption

In the Rehab clinic, all we do is to observe what is being done to the patients after our lectures. Mostly are post-stroke, s/p ORIF, those with Bell's palsy, scoliosis and other musculoskeletal diseases. Shengot and I roam around like kids trying some of the modalities used.

Sheng trying on the crutches.

Pretending to meditate using the vestibular ball.

We also tried paraffin waxing (i loooovee!!!) and the different electrotherapies. I pray none of my family members and friends would suffer anything that would bring them to the Rehab because I swear you wouldn't like the feeling of electricity permeating through your muscles!! Even with 9 volts only, it shook my muscles like crazy I so hate the feeling!!! Brrr... 

*****

This is another story. 

In line with being a med student, we're taught to investigate like a journalist. We ask who, why, when, where, how. It came to my knowledge that someone we closely know has chronic Hepa B infection, and presently has psoas abscess and his attending cannot completely rule out malignancy. I feel for him and his family. I know they're keeping this a secret because of the Hepa B infection which connotes his true sexual preference. I don't care he's homo, he's still a very good friend and I wouldn't judge him because of that. This time around, he cannot deny, his illness spoke in his behalf.I'm still deciding whether to visit him in the hospital. Most probably, I would. As a friend, I cannot do anything but pray for his early recovery. InshaAllah. Ameen. 

Let's Take A Pause

I can't remember where I read that taking a momentary pause is helpful to give the racing mind a time to breathe and gear up for the next lap of life. So there, after gathering all the pros and cons, I have finally mustered the courage to take a pause by deactivating my FB account. This is not the first time, I did this last year, too, and it lasted for a month. This time, I do not know when I will be back again. Probably, when I miss my enormous FB crush. Eeeeepp. <3

A few moments ago, I received this in my e-mail.

On a serious note, the triggering factor is a friend request by someone really close to me. Ironically, she's very close to me that I want to shut her from that tiny nook of my life called Facebook. I just don't want her to see that side of me, that naughty, non-sense girl that I am. I am pretty sure most of us keep the chronicles of our lives by posting status and photos, and that I don't want her to keep track of. I don't want to hurt her by rejecting the request, so I think the most appropriate thing to do is to totally shut the account. I have the perfect excuse when she asks me about it. That way, I can spare people from wasting their time reading my status or browsing my photos and the other way around. I am not pretending to be celebrity-like, it's just that..... ok, so I'm just trying to sound like a celebrity here. LMAO. Let's see how much of my time I can save by doing this.

*****

Patients poured in at the Satellite Health Center at Brgy. Tambacan today. On my first 30 minutes of enduring the heat at the little hut, few oldies came in for BP monitoring. Later on, mothers came to consult for their children. I doled out some medications: paracetamol, cotrimoxazole and guaifenesin for those who, judging from their attire, cannot buy the said medications no matter how many prescriptionsI write for them. Free meds are like magnet, almost everyone in the neighborhood came for consult and just like in a medical mission, most are faking illnesses just to get free meds. Of course I know how a sick person looks like, no matter how a person conceals, we would know that something is really wrong. So I gave out meds only to those who need 'em. :) 

Meanwhile, our Psychiatrist perceptor wasn't around this afty. Good thing, I have Haruki to accompany me. I was supposed to have a date with Mr. Guyton but I ditched him for Mr. Murakami. :)

*****

This, I guess, is one of the reasons why I deactivated my FB account. Blogging is more fun!!

Siblings.

I was at home this weekend to attend to a very good friend's wedding. Unfortunately, we didn't made it to the ceremony proper so we ended up ambushing the newly weds at the bride's home. Jalal (brother next to me,) drove me to the place and fetch me thereafter. I jokingly asked him to treat me for dinner of which he agreed only because he just got paid for his job as a part-time instructor at AKIC, otherwise, nada. We spent the whole time talking about our other siblings and our parents. My siblings and I grew up together the whole time in a close-knit nuclear family. Back in the day, we do things all together--sleep, eat, pray, take a bath, go to school, watch TV, play, almost everything. We are always together at home that we are so fed up with each other's face so we fought a lot, call each other nasty names--the nastiest we can think of we can even evolve the word into something unheard, weird and real nasty to the ear. For example (I'm sorry sister, this is just an example!), my sister's nickname is Amanee, when I was mad at her, I used to call her Maniok (one who sticks finger to somebody's ass), then our brothers transformed the word into Maniokot, then Siokot, then to Soko!!! You figure out?! Worst thing is, the last one stuck, and we still call her that every time she makes someone fuming mad at her. Our other brothers have also their fair share of pretty nicknames such as: Pogampong, Adampok, Matintir and Marantok whose real nicknames are Jalal, Adan (aka Alex), Mata (aka Zul) and Mara (aka Ahmad), respectively. You might wanna ask for my share of beautiful nickname, I'm sorry to disappoint you but I have none! That's the perk of being the eldest, you bully your younger siblings by calling them names while they don't have the guts to call you one, at least on your face, that is. Probably I have millions behind my back. Well, none that I know or heard of. Harhar.

Nearly four years ago, I started to drift off from my siblings as I went to med school. Whenever I was granted the luxury of time, I got to go home on weekends or at least once a month. All throughout these years, I have missed a lot about my siblings. During my short vacations, I slowly noticed the gradual transformations occurring on them from the obvious disparity in our heights ( I am now the tiniest sibling) to my brothers' football passion. I tend to forget that Jalal is now in law school, the triplets are in college and Ahmad is a struggling high-schooler. I tend to forget that they can think better than I do and had great experiences than I had. I tend to forget that they are no kids anymore. We are no kids anymore. I still can't get over that fact.  We are all now six different people struggling to mold our own future based on our unique individualities. However it saddens me that we don't do things together now. We all have our own different worlds. 

As I was staying at home this morning, I noticed the deafening silence as opposed to the noisy morning that used to woke me up. My sister wasn't home as she's at CDO for her hospital duties as a nursing student. Alex wasn't home either, he slept over at his friend's house after their college's party last night. Ahmad went to school very early. Parents left early as well for some office works (on a Sunday!). Jalal and Zul were at their respective rooms doing their own things while the television entertains me. I was at home but I missed my siblings' presence, I particularly miss the noise I once loathed. It feels as if there's no one to go home for. Sad, eh?

Perhaps, Papa was right. When we were kids and bickering, he tells us: "Someday, you'll be the captain of your own life without a mother, a father, a brother or a sister. We will not be together forever so you might as well cherish these times that we're complete. Now don't waste such precious moments by kicking and making face at each other."

I miss my kid siblings. I have no one to bully around. :p