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Monday, December 14, 2009

Mini-moments




While getting ready for work tomorrow and typing up a resume, I had the impulse to come over and blog a little about my twice-weekly occupational involvements (a.k.a. my job at the hospital) at a municipality 2 hours away from my place.

I've been having a great time, learning, actually...and there is always something new to learn everyday, new people to meet (and help)...newer moments to appreciate and think about. Believe me.
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The other night I was on duty, a mother and father brought in their 6 month-old kid who had been coughing all night. I checked with my stet, wheezes. I examined him all over and asked what that funny smell was...apparently, his mother had rubbed leaves on him. It didn't help him any and he was thus brought to the hospital. While the kid was being nebulized, I couldn't help but get a closer look. He was bright little kid...readily made eye-contact and responded right away. I couldn't help but soften up at the way he would stare at me with his big dark brown eyes and then smile, as if to say, "Hey Lady, let's play.."


But then again, which baby wouldn't? I have a soft spot...no, a weakness for babies. All it takes is a smile, a coo, or a sign of little distress, and I'm taken. :-p This was a funny little naughty baby, too. While I was examining him before sending him home, he reached out and kept playing with the zipper of my jeans... I had to laugh, and I went, "Aww...your kid is so cute, Mrs. X..." "Buyag, Doctora...".   And then I said it again after a  few more minutes of examining, and the she goes, "Buyag..." and then she asked if I were pregnant or something.
I laughed, and I assured her that I was not.


(It's a superstition in some parts (especially in the general area where I work) that saying "Buyag" or "Puera Buyag" to someone who praises your kid's looks, or attributes will be a countercurse, so that any evil spirit in the midst would think twice about harming their kid. She asked if I was pregnant too, 'cause it was possible that I had taken a fancy to her son. )
 (Haha, nothing could be further from the truth...me being pregnant, I mean.)



After reassuring her that that was not the case, and then sending them home with strict instructions and a prescription, I realized that the kid did remind me of someone that I used to be friends with, funnily enough. But then, I just smiled and  thought nothing of it afterwards...I was a sucker for babies anyway. :-p
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There was this 40+ year-old lady who came in because she couldn't pee properly. The history and PE revealed that there was indeed an infection and it was causing significant urinary problems. She came in that night in distress because her full bladder had her in terrible pain. We treated her. She was a nice lady, very trusting and followed my instructions to the letter. I was touched when she said that it was such a big problem for her, even making love (and intercourse) was painful...when it really didn't have to be (because the root infection was treatable). One time, during a check-up, she apologized for having arrived late because she had to walk two hours from where she lived (in the mountains) to get to the hospital...
(And there I was, complaining about my two-hour bus ride...she obviously had the rougher end of the deal.) Anyway, since she was such a good patient, and she took all the prescribed medications, things worked out extremely well for her. She got cured. And it was definitely something to feel good about. Everything worked out well, no more pain...not in just the usual bathroom rituals, even in making love. :-p



(:-p Of course, that's always a  good thing for patients.)


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A 7 year-old kid's foot got burnt after he attempted to put out a burning piece of plastic by stamping on it with his foot. Do'h. :-p Well, his foot got really bad and swollen...it was a second degree burn and was really painful, he couldn't sleep at all, that was why they brought him there. I cleaned it and dressed it, after giving him pain meds. All the while, he was silent, quietly observing me while I picked at it, not saying a word...even  until after I cleaned it, and until his mother hoisted him up and proceeded to carry him to head for home.


I was writing on his chart, oblivious to anything else, because I had already given instructions...and then the next time I looked up, he looked at me and smiled. A small, innocent smile. And then he was gone.
Maybe it was a thank you smile, or something, but for whatever its worth, that made my day.:-)
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The"mini-moments" can mean a lot, too.
~ S.


P.S. Good luck on your interview, A. :-) Break a leg (or should I say, "Charm the panel to death?". (And have fun in BookSale afterwards dayon. hehe)


3 comments:

  1. It's true that we learn something new everyday that's why I believe that experience is really the best teacher. Funny yung Mom nung baby ha!

    ReplyDelete
  2. @russ: haha, yeah she was. and always said everything matter-of-factly too.what a character. :-p

    @Z: lol. puera buyag is right.

    ReplyDelete

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