How was your day?

Every little thing is magic.

After a long day, I usually wind down with writing something in my journal… sometimes, I write down lists, or sometimes I just droll on and on about a certain topic, which, upon reaching the end of my “papyric” tirade, it all starts to make sense. I just feel that I never want to lose any of it.

Each little thought is a memory, and every action, every nuance, every line that counts for something should be written down to be remembered (or somehow told.) J

My luggage from home. The cooler is full of food.
lol.

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I had just gotten home from a long day at work… my last activity for the day had been an interview with a bipolar patient from the ward, who was currently Manic. I was assigned to videotape my interview with her for my supervision tomorrow. * In this context, supervision is when you and a consultant sit down and discuss a patient’s case, or in my case, she wanted to discuss my interview with me. The last time I had supervision, I interviewed a psychotic patient, and she’d pause the video clip at certain places to explain to me about aspects of interviewing patients, and then give me some tips on interviewing.

It’s quite an experience watching yourself as you do an interview. I didn’t know I had tics and mannerisms that got magnified on screen. 

Like, for example, I’d tap my fingers when I get impatient…or, I would tend to pause at times for longer than necessary. The most amusing part was at the start…my supervisor laughed, and said (well, I actually verbalized it for her,haha), “I’m too perky?”

She chuckled. ‘If your patient is aloof, or reserved, you should start with that kind of mood,” she said, “you also need to be reserved.”

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I had a bit of a scare earlier.

I had a patient at the OPD who (he was manic) actually tore his prescription right in front of me because he thought I was prescribing too many tablets (he was due for check-up in a month, with 3x daily medications, hence the number). He came with his wife, and he got agitated because he said vitamins helped him sleep anyway, so he wouldn’t need the sleeping pills I prescribed as well. His wife was embarrassed for him, and this irritated him, so after a while, he got antsy and started to talk in a louder voice, saying that he knew some important people in the senate and that the former vice president of the Philippines was his uncle, so he’d be given medications, no doubt about it.

Somehow, that tearing of the prescription scared me, and it made me move away farther from the patient, and it made me annoyed because despite all my patience, he still wanted to assert himself. I took a deep breath and tried to diffuse the situation. It was hard, because the way he carried on, it was as if he was going to hit his wife…and if I pushed it, maybe even me.

I resisted the urge to call security, but in the end, I took the risk and decided to play along with it, talking to the patient calmly but firmly (I hope). Eventually, he recanted, and he even made the promise of bringing me a carton of vitamin supplements that he was selling, and giving it to me for free. Just because.

It worked, thankfully. In fact, in the end, he was even apologetic.  He somehow got some insight, calmed down.  He was easier to talk to afterwards.

He ended up being nicer, promising to take the medications (I slipped his wife another prescription, but this time, it was for a full month).

Patient: “Doctor, how would you like vitamin E supplements? I’ll give them to you for free…

Me: Thank you sir, you are very kind, but Vitamin E makes me break out in pimples… (It does.)

Patient: Do you have a boyfriend? I think you’d get along well with my co-teacher who is also single…

Me: (not letting him finish) Oh, it’s ok sir, thank you. Yes, I do have a boyfriend. (I don’t.)

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I like to think that I am the type of person who can remember whole conversations, especially if I see people’s faces, and see their gestures, and observe them gesticulate in their own peculiar ways.

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My friend Chamie is about to give birth…to her baby we have named Chimichanga!

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I am a lucky girl. And it’s a priceless feeling.

(Thanks Ma, Thanks Pa.)

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A girl in the elevator was singing her version of James Ingram’s “If ever you’re in my arms again…”

Happy thought. J

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I’m reporting on Trance and Hypnosis tomorrow. Volunteered.

(me and my big mouth.)

:-S

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Oh, we heard a good comment earlier from one of our consultants, and I paraphrase…

”We were a great batch, with a good work ethic.” (He meant us first year psych residents, of course.)

*heartwarming*

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A famous author once said, “Anyone’s first draft is shit.”

(Lol. I don’t care.)

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Natch, you know what, maybe one of these days, I’m going to get me a boyfriend who’ll ask me at the end of a long day, “So how was your day?” so you wouldn’t have to put up with my long day revue.

*sigh*

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But you know I love writing to you anyway, right? J

(Good.)

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Love,

S.

P.S. So...How was your day?

Oh, this made me laugh while watching Modern Family last weekend. Give it a go! :-D