the impish eye doctor

Waking up early is a struggle for a candle burner. It seems that all the emulsified cholesterols are getting their fair share of respite. But these old bones have to get up and be ready for work and all that comes with it. Such an everyday scenario for me.

We live quite far from the hospital and my son’s school, ngitngit pa gud ig lakaw namo, nindot pa ka-ayong iku-ub sa habol. What we do is sleep through the journey to the city with our pillow on board. Mag-lanug-lanug pa gud kuno among hagok ingon pa sa driver, mamukaw na lang na siya kung naa na nami sa Boy’s High. Pilit-pilit pa among laway ig mata namo. Mukalit dayon ug kaabtik akong anak kung abot nami sa iya school , dayon pangutana ” late nako, mi?”

When its my turn to got off, diha pako magkara-kara ug sudlay, pulbos ug lipstick. Dayon dagan sa taas para mag-rounds, dali dali ug ilis ug scrub suit para sa mga kaso. Usahay muhapit pa ug panga-saba sa ophtha interns nga nag kwinanggol.

After all the procedures, adto dayon ko sa OPD. This has been a routine for quite sometime.

You see, im the only resident physician in my department with no applicants in sight. We serve a lot of patients a day and sometimes mag-GGB ka.

Manawagan unta ko kung naa moy kaila nga gusto mo training pagka-ophthalmologist, palihug kontaka dayon ko. Dawaton siya sa among department nga way lisud-lisud.

Pul-an pud biya ko usahay sa akong kahimtang, pero wa na may jud koy mabuhat kung dili sa pag-dawat sa sitwasyon. As in NO CHOICE. The only redeeming thing amidst the fatigue is the smile of the people you have help.

Like what happen yesterday. There was a patient who sought consult. She was not my ordinary clientile. She was a rich looking old woman with an educated bearing. (no offense to my other patients ha, who belong to CDE crowd) She wanted to have a second opinion on her eye problem. (nakalitan pud ko sa iyang tuyo kay kinsa ra man gud tawn ko nga pangayo-an ug second opinion, ni konsulta na ni siya sa usa sa mga ginoo sa ophtha sa cebu who is by far very much experience than me) She said she just came back from the US, where 3 american doctors saw her, they were not able to satisfy her. After examining her, i told her that indeed she had a serious eye problem (total retinal detachment), if she will undergo surgery, there’s only a slim chance that her eyesight could be restored.( this is what the other specialist also said) I was telling her that you should’nt be sad or felt sorry, God is so good to you, your other eye is still good. God gave you a lot of blessings, He gave you a good life, at least you will not worry where to get your next meal, all your children have studied well and you have never experienced anything to being poor. In fact your blessings are way beyond the usual. But I impressed upon her that with all the information that she’s getting about her condition, she and only she can make the decision for herself. Either she will undergo the surgery and all its risks or accept the situation wholeheartedly. It’s all up to her. The technology to treat her will always be here, and she has no financial hindrance to speak of, but the decision to use it will be her’s alone. And that was it.

Then, this afternoon, two girls were looking for me at the opd. I ask them why, they said that Mrs. XXX sent them to give me a bagful of chocolates, one for my interns and one for me. There was also a letter from her, thanking me for the time i spent with her and that technology cannot be compared to truthful and heartfelt explanation. Of course, i cannot deny that I was touch (tao lang po ako). And definitely, Im not sharing these with you so that I can brag ( im not also sharing my chocos, bleh!). Im sharing these because I wanted you to know that there are still people who have good souls, who appreciates what you’ve done to them. These are the things that makes me believe in the goodness of humanity. And for us overworked, government MD’s, this is what makes us keep going.

NAGKA -ESTORYAHANAY MI SA AKONG AMIGA GANINANG BUNTAG, NAG-LIBOG KUNO SIYA SA IYANG LIFE. WA SIYA KABALO KUNG UNSA IYANG GUSTO SA IYANG LIFE. KA FAET NGA PROBLEMA! GWAPA UG DATU MAN TA ANG AMAW!

PERO AKO CYA GI-INGNAN NGA LAIN-LAIN BIYA ATONG GUSTO SA LAIN-LAING LEVEL SA ATONGLIFE. WHAT DO YOU MEAN, DOC? INGON PA NIYA. WELL, SIMPLE LANG KAAYO, INDAY.

AT THIS LEVEL IN YOUR LIFE NOW, ALL YOU WANT IS TO HAVE FUN, WATCH MOVIES, BOOZE, PARTY, BUY NEW CELLPHONES, ACQUIRE THE LATEST GADGETS, GETTING LAID, HAVE THE MOST PRETTY GIRLFRIEND UG UBAN PANG KAHILAYAN. NAG-SALIG PA GUD MO SA INYONG GINIKANAN. LAYO PA KAAYO SA INYONG HUNA-HUNA ANG STABILITY, ALL YOU WANT RIGHT NOW IS TO ENJOY YOUR LIFE. MIND YOU, THERE’S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT, YOU DON’T DO THINGS THAT YOUDON’T ENJOY DOING. SIMPLE PA NA SA KABAW. THIS IS YOUR LEVEL NOW.

PERO, A FEW YEARS FROM NOW, LAHI NA PUD ANG IMONG GUSTO. ANOTHER LEVEL OF NEED NA PUD KA. YOU NOW WANT STABILITY, GREAT MEDICAL CAREER, MEANINGFUL SEX LIFE, GOOD WINE (GOOD BYE RED HORSE!) AND YOU NOW WANT TO SETTLE DOWN WITH YOUR FAFA OR MAMA. YOU NOW WANT A QUIET AND SATISFYING LIFE. YOU WANT TO CONTROL YOUR LIFE ACCORDING TOWHAT YOU NEED AND WISH TO NEED. IT IS IN THIS LEVEL THAT YOU CAN EASILY SAY THAT YOU’VE BEEN THERE, DONE THAT, AND WHAT THE HELL DO YOU NEED IT FOR? YOU’RE NOW YOUR OWN PERSON. KUNG MAKA-HINUMDUM KA PA SA IMONG MGA KA-GAGOHAN SA UNA, MAG-NGISI NA LANG KA, PAGKA-LECHE JUD DI AY NAKO NU ! MAO PUD NING PANAHUNA NGA MAG-SELECTIVE KONSENSYA KA, MA- KONSENSYA LANG KA SA BUTANG NGA DILI DIRECTLY INVOLVED IMONG BREAD AND BUTTER. BUT YOUR LIFE WILL NOT STAY AT THIS LEVEL.

IT WILL PROGRESS TO THE NEXT LEVEL, YOU ARE NOW MORE INTROSPECTIVE, AND MORE RELIGIOUS. MUBALIK NA KA UG ROSARYO, NOVENA UG MU-DAGKOT NA KA UG CANDILA, MU JOIN NAKA SA MGA RELIGIOUS GRUPO. MAG-”HOLIER THAN THOU” NA IMONG DATING. YOU SPEND MORE TIME IN CHURCH NOW THAN YOU’VE EVER BEEN. MAO PUD NING PANAHUNA NGA MU GRABE IMONG PAGKA- CHISMOSA UG PAGKA PAKI-ALAMERA. DAGHAN NA MAN KANG FREE TIME, UNYA MAS DAGHAN NA PUD KAG BUDGET. MAKA-PALIT NAKA SA TANANG BUTANG NGA WAY PAMILOK. PWEDE NA KA MU-PALIT UG KALIPAY KUNG WA JUD KA MAKA-EXPERIENCE UG KALIPAY SA BATA-BATA PAKA! KA FAET! PANAGSA NA LANG KAAYO KA MU-LINYA SA GROCERY SA SM KAY NAA MAN SILAY SPECIAL LANE SA SENIOR CITIZEN. BARATO PA JUD IMONG TAMBAL TUNGOD SA IMONG DISCOUNT. WALA NA PUD KAY BAYRANAN NGA INSURANCE KAY MATURE NA TANAN.

MAO NA AKONG GI-PASABUT NIMO. GETS MO? IN OTHER WORDS, LIVE YOUR LIFE TO THE FULLEST AND YOU CAN SHIFT LEVELS ANY TIME YOU WANT TO.

On STEVE IRWIN : Mirisi kang tawhana ka! Gi-ingnan nga dili mag-paduol sa mga wild animals, mi-dutdut jud. Pwerte jud siguro ning sipata pagka-bata niya. Na-orphan na hinuon iyang mga anak tungod sa iyang kabuang. Pagka-anugon!

On KRIS AQUINO : Naka-score na jud akong idol ! Mang-hinaut lang ko nga dili mapareha ni Josh ang iyang anak. Ka faet kung ma -abnormal napud. Simbako!

On CEBU’S ULTIMATE URBAN LEGEND: Nahinumdum pamo sa storya sa dakung bitin sa Robinson’s Cebu. Kaluha kuno ni Robina. Kung mag-ilis ka sa dressing room, tukbon ka sa bitin nga nag-puyo sa ilalum sa tindahan. Mataypa! pwerte jud nakong to-oha ani (kani laging high school pata). Di jud ko mu-adto ug CR kung wa koy kuyog.

On GWEN’S TAKEOVER OF VSMMC: Daghang intriga! Daghang istorya, daghang sayop! Sinong dakila? Sino ang tunay na baliw?

On PHILANDERING HUSBANDS: Put-lan ug onitch!Unya ipa-bitay- bitay sa punuan sa tamatis.

On UNFAITHFUL BOYFRIENDS: Pakan-on ug blade ig human ug pangag.

SIYA ANG BATA NGA NAA SA AMONG KILIRAN.
MAG-SIGE UG AMBAK - AMBAK, MAKA-LIPONG MURAG UG DUYAN.
GAKOS-GAKOSON KA KUNG IKAW NAG-LAGOT,
WAGTANGON DAYON IMONG KAMPUNGOT.
MUPA-HIYUM DAW MURA UG ARTISTA,
MAKALIMTAN ANG IMONG MGA PROBLEMA.
MAGKIG-HINABI NIMU NGA MURAG USA KA DAKUNG TAO,
ULITAWO NA KUNO CYA.
BATA NGA DILI NIMO MAKALIMTAN,
DILI NIMO MAPA- SAGDAN.
GI-UMOL SIYA SA GUGMA,
PATUBU-ON PUD SA GUGMA.
TUL-IRON SA DISIPLINA,
PARA MATINAHURON SA IYANG PAPA UG MAMA.
HINAUT SA KAHITAS-AN NGA PAGA-TUGAHAN SIYA SA MAAYONG UGMA.

THIS MAY SOUND GROSS, BUT THIS THINGS DO HAPPEN.

FOR THE PAST WEEKEND, I ADMITTED THREE FORMS OF RUPTURED EYEBALL (YUP, EYEBALLS DO BURST, AND YEPEEY MY INTERNS AND PGI’S GOT THEIR DX RIGHT, IM VERY IMPRESSED WITH THEM)

ONE CASE WAS A 34 YO MAN WHO SLIPPED WHILE WALKING IN THE ALLEY. HE BUMPED INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD TOUGHIE WHO FELT SLIGHTED BY THIS UN-INTENTIONAL ACTION. AMBOT LANG KUNG UNSANG BAKUKANGA ANG NASULOD SA ULO SA BOGOY, GISUKMAG MAN HINUON ANG POBRE NGA NA-DAKIN-AS. ANG KAFAET KAY GI-APILAN UG HAIT NGA YAWI ANG IYANG KOMO, PWERTENG KA BUSLOT SA ATAMS! MOKIHA RA BA KUNO CLA SA BOGOY, KA-FAET SA AKO LIFE KUNG INGUN-ANI PIRMI, ATUBANG NA PUD SA KORTE! PERO SIGE NALANG KAY DILI SA AKONG ATAMS TU NITUROY. LOOY TAWN KAAYO KO SA AKO PASYENTE.

second case: 64 yo f/w from the hinterlands of cebu. she was afflicted with bell’s palsy many years back and her eyes were super-exposed to the elements. wa jud ni matambalan kay tungod sa ka tumang ka-kabus. ang nahitabo ani, naka bantay na lang siya nga naay nibutho sa iyang mata unya naay itum nga duga ang ni-dagayday sa iya nawong. kung magtan-aw ka nya, mura jud ug kumuton imo kasing-kasing kay hiwi pa iya nawng, buta pa ang usa ka mata.

third case: 58 yo f/m from the deep southern part of cebu. samtang, siya nangumpay ug pag-kaon para sa iyang mga hayop, naka-sapdi cya ug wire sa iyang pag-pa-uli. natusukan tawn iyang tu-o nga atams. dako kaayo ning ka-daut sa iyang pag-panginabuhi kay didto raba sa ilang bukid, wala siyay laing kaabag.

PAMALANGDONG: we tend to ignore the important things in life, we took notice only when it is compromised. count your blessings and be thankful you are alive and complete.

by Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village, though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it’s queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there’s some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

I will prescribe regimen for the good of my patients, according to my judgement and ability, and never do harm to anyone.
To please no one will i prescribe a deadly drug, nor give advice which may cause his death.
Nor will I give a woman a peasary to procure abortion.
But I will preserve the purity of my life and my art……………

- from the hippocratic oath demanded of the
young physician about to enter upon
the practice of his profession

nangutana ko sa akong migo (usa pud ka MD) nganong di mukoyug iya uyab sa among lakaw ganihang gabii, ingon cya nga nag hatud pa sa airport ang iyang uyab (usa ka med rep) sa usa ka doctor nga molarga ug manila. ako cyang gi-komedyahan nga grabe jud d i kaayo ta mu daug-daug ug med rep no? pero base sa iyang uyab, give and take ra man daw kuno ang relationship sa med rep ug sa MD. mag-unsa na man lang kuno ila tambal kung dili mo-resita ang MD. na a pud biya siyay punto.

but if you really want to dig in deeper between this relationship, you will uncover a very complex relation that goes beyond the mere”servicing” of MD’s by the reps.

from outside looking in, is this the same as the political patronage in the traditional politics ? you- help- me- and-i-help-you relationship. is there something wrong with this? is it beneficial to both parties?

i can only speak for myself, but i think that whether the reps will do the “servicing” to the MD’s, as long as their products are of good quality and really effective, the MD’s will prescribed their medicines.

on the other hand, some MD’s can get spoiled with this kind of “servicing”. they tend to prescribe meds based on the reps ability to serve them rather than on the reliability of their products.

ambot lang kung kinsay sakto ani nilang duha, basta sa ophtha, wa jud mi choice kay gamay ra kaayoy tambal nga kapilian. whether or not mu “service” sila namu, maka-gamit jud mi sa ila tambal .

……… that most of the children with eye defects have long, curly eyelashes.
……… that most of my patients with ocular trauma are males.
……… that most women can withstand eye surgery under local anesthesia better than men.
……… that most cataracts occur on the right eye.
……… that MOST ruptured eyeball patients are male.
…….. that most patients can accept their vision loss but its their family who’s in denial.
……. that most people think that expensive eye surgeries are better than moderately priced
ones .
……. that most people think if they have headacheS, there’s something wrong with eyes.
…….. that most people with eye problemS see their eye doctors when its already to late.

for the few days, nag sige na lang ko ug pok pok sa keyboard aning computera. once i started to tinker with this blog, dili naman hinuon ko kahunong. hasta akong bana, nag selos na hinuon. dili na kuno mi ka, ka-kuan-kuan, ka estorya ba. makadlawnan na man hinuon ko. mag ampo na lang ko usahay nga gamay ra ako OR skedule ig ka buntag kay mura mag-mangurog akong kamut. ka faet!

bitaw, i was really searching for an alternative hobby, my main hobby is reading but im bored with it for the moment. my husband and i were searching for a common hobby para pud ma exciting among married life. na abut gud mi shooting range sa mandaue city complex to discover if we would find firing guns a good common hobby. but it backfired, i couldnt stand the gun and its noise. makuratan jud ko ig kablit sa trigger. naa koy pirming vision of blood and dead people. after 1 session, bahala na sad uroy mubasa kog textbook, ayaw lang nang pusil-pusil. ka faet!

til we discovered friendster (oi!), karon mag-ilog mi ug kinsay unang makalingkod sa computer. pero wala pa cya maka-apil sa mga blog-blog. cya lang akong #1 critique, tiga-saway, tiga-bout-bout. kagalang-galang bya ni ako bana. pero dismayado cya kay hangtud karon wa pa jud cya makakita ug site sa mag abogado nga bugal-bugalon. kamo naa moy nahibaw-an? pagka buotan! ka faet!

bcg pud gusto mo mutabang namo ug pangita ug common hobby? pls share.