Tuesday, August 23, 2005

Mobile phones or cellular phones, as it is more popularly called here in the Philippines, has become a very important personal commodity. Almost all people of all ages and from all walks of life own a cellular phone. Latest statistics show that there are 1.52 B mobile phone users globally. Last 2003, there were more than 22M subscribers in the Philippines alone and is projected to increase to 35M by the end of 2005. For many, mobile phones are primarily used for sending text messages. In our country, each user sends > 6 SMS/day. People text to update each other about their lives, join game shows or vote for their favorite candidates for beauty contests, singing contests or personality contests. In the business sector, the mobile phone is used to negotiate contracts; telemarketers use it to promote and sell their products. Teenagers use their mobile phones to get a date, court prospective girl/boyfriends or as a means to plan outings with friends. For us in the medical field, nurses and residents text or call us to update us about our patients, relay laboratory exams or to inform us of hospital admissions. Some medical societies also use the mobile phone to inform their members of scheduled medical conferences. Patients sometimes text us too to relay laboratory exams and sometimes to consult us (I don't allow it however in my practice because nothing can beat a good history and physical examination in the treatment of patients).

I can still remember the very first time I used a mobile phone abroad. My father was an OFW and his company gave him a mobile phone so they can easily get in touch with him anytime need him. During the 80's, as soon as school was out, we would pack our bags and spend our summers with him and would just come back several days before school starts again leaving behind our house to some relatives. I remember once, a day after we arrived, my father brought out this huge box-like thing with a handset and told us to call my Lolo in Manila to tell him we arrived safely. With huge eyes, my brother and I took turns touching the box-like thing which turned out to be a mobile phone. Back then, it was still a novelty and very expensive hence wasn't very popular.

The very first mobile phone I owned was a graduation gift (medical school) from my brother. Yes, you read it right - my brother. He was already better at money matters than I was even then. Mine was the latest, smallest phone back then and I would proudly use it inside the intern's quarters to call home every so often. I don't know if it can send SMS but I doubt it because mobile phones weren't made yet with that capability and if ever it was, I am sure, the mobile phone companies back then didn't have that service yet. I bought my first SMS capable phone when I was already on residency training, it was a dark blue Nokia 5110. Since then, I had been though three other mobile phones. Those phones have seen me thru a lot of happy and not so happy times in my life. Although I don't hold on to it like a lifeline, it has become a very important part of my life. It's like something is missing if I don't have my phone inside my bag.

Mobile phones have since evolved into what it is now and for many of us, it has become a way of life. Even our neighborhood kutcheros can be seen texting while cruising along Sta. Cruz on top of their calesas and pick pockets have now learned a new trade - mobile phone snatching. Some people would even scrimp for food just so they will have enough money to have their phones loaded to be able to text their friends. Still some would postpone buying a much needed new school shoes for their kids so that they can buy the newest camera phone in the market. I am happy that Filipinos are becoming more and more tech savvy everyday as evidenced by the millions of mobile phone subscribers. There is nothing wrong in wanting to own the latest mobile phone but if you need to sacrifice some essential things just so you can afford it then it becomes a luho which we all can do without.

Posted by nikki:: 8/23/2005 12:21:00 AM
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Sunday, August 21, 2005

Pasensiya na po!

Alam ko pong nitong mga nakaraang araw ay hindi ako isang mabuting mamamayan ng blogging world. Hindi kasi ako gaanong nakaka-ikot at nakakapagbasa ng mga isinusulat ng mga kaibigan ko. Higit sa lahat, hindi din ako madalas magsulat ngayon para dito sa blog ko kaya pasensiya na po.

Dalawang araw nang umuuwi ako dito sa bahay na masakit ang paa. Kailangan kasing maglakad-lakad ng hipag ko para lumabas na ang aking pamangkin. May trabaho ang kapatid ko kaya ako ang kasa-kasama niya. Mahilig din naman kasi nga akong mag-shopping pero hindi gaya ng ginagawa naming ngayon dahil talaga namang masakit sa paa. Pero para sa pamangkin ko, magtitiis ako. Kaya nga't eto, napabili ako ng sandalyas para kumportable sa paglalakad.




Bukas ulit...

Posted by nikki:: 8/21/2005 12:10:00 AM
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Tuesday, August 16, 2005

Lucky 7

Thanks to Honeypooh for tagging me! Here's the answer to my quiz:

Seven things that scare you:

1. losing any member of my family
2. snakes (aagghh! just typing the word gives me goosebumps!)
3. having an accident while on the wheel
4. losing the trust of people who matter most to me
5. dying alone
6. ipis (yuck!!)
7. be very late in an appointment

Seven things you like the most:

1. spending time w/ my family & friends (even if kwentuhan lang)
2. shopping
3. reading
4. blogging
5. sleeping
6. talking with someone who can make me laugh
7. playing with kids

Seven important things in your bedroom:

1. rosary
2. big bed w/ lots of pillows
3. laptop
4. TV
5. cd player & cds syempre
6. books
7. cellphone/phone

Seven random facts about you:

1. sweet
2. iyakin
3. can be very determined when i really want something
4. funny
5. nag-Eenglish kapag galit (hehehehe!)
6. loves Winnie the Pooh
7. hates chicken (i just don't like the taste except if its from KFC)

Seven things you plan to do before you die:

i don't even want to think about it. but i hope before i do, i have done everything i was sent here to do.


Seven things you can do:

1. drive (a little rusty w/ a stick-shift car though)
2. sing
3. play the piano (but haven't played in a long time na)
4. change a diaper
5. write something decent
6. clean my entire room and bathroom in a day
7. and recently, make a nice web page

Seven things you can't do:

1. draw
2. look at snakes!!
3. swim
4. do something out of this world
5. be friends with an ex (true pala ito! sana lang huwag niya ito mabasa)
6. betray a friend
7. turn my back on God

Seven things that attract you to the opposite sex:

1. God fearing (and practices it)
2. sense of humor
3. smart (there are guys who are intelligent but not smart)
4. responsible/dependable
5. sweet
6. clean looking
7. expressive eyes

Seven things you say the most:

1. yasi (Chinese equivalent for nakakainis, tama ba KENJI?)
2. sh*t
3. grabe
4. my goodness
5. ano ba yan
6. papa/mama/roland/gia
7. hay naku

Seven celeb crushes (whether local or foreign):

1. ben affleck
2. park shin yang (korean actor)
3. ben affleck
4. ben affleck
5. ben affleck
6. ben affleck
7. at si ben affleck pa din!

Seven people you want to see to take this quiz:

i don't want to limit this to only seven people so anyone who would like to take the quiz may do so.

Posted by nikki:: 8/16/2005 09:29:00 PM
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Saturday, August 13, 2005

What I am feeling right now: EXCITEMENT, ANTICIPATION, NERVOUSNESS

Ilang tulog na lang, makikita na namin ang pamangkin ko. Nasa 37th week na kasi ang sister-in-law ko sa kanyang pagbubuntis, kaya anytime now, maaari na siyang manganak. Inihanda na niya kanina ang gamit ng baby at pati na din gamit niya na dadalhin sa ospital kapag manganganak na siya baka kasi may makalimutan pa kung hindi pa aayusin ngayon. Sabi sa ultrasound niya, babae daw. Ngayon pa lang, nakikita ko nang magiging spoiled itong batang ito. Kasi naman, siya ang pinaka-una kong pamangkin at unang apo ng mga magulang ko. Hindi pa siya lumalabas, ang dami na niyang gamit! Mukha nga yatang nasobrahan kami ng bili ng mga damit, masyado kasi kaming natuwa sa mga maliliit at mga cute na t-shirts. Nung isang beses naman na napadaan ako ng mall, nakita ko yung Disney section, ang dami palang t-shirts, shorts, pajamas, bonnets, mittens at bibs na Winnie the Pooh! Kaya ayun, ang excited na tita, napabili na naman. Pinagalitan tuloy ako ng kapatid ko kasi nga naman, madaling malakihan ng mga baby ang kanilang mga damit kaya sayang lang. Ang dipensa ko naman, malalaking sizes ang kinuha ko para hindi malakihan agad.

Sa totoo lang, kinakabahan ako. Kahit pa sabihing sanay na sanay na ako sa mga bagong panganak na mga sanggol, iba pa din ang pakiramdam dahil pamangkin ko ito. Ang daming naglalaro sa aking isipan. Alam ko kasi na kahit pa regular ang check-up, kumpleto sa mga vitamins at walang naging problema sa pagbubuntis ang mommy, minsan nagkakaproblema pa din ang mga baby. Isama pa natin yung nabanggit ko na dati na "doctor syndrome". Palagay ko mawawala ang aking pagka-pediatrician sa baby girl namin. Baka paglabas niya, mataranta na lang ako at maging taga kuha na lamang ng mga litrato. Mabuti na lang at doon siya ipapanganak sa ospital kung saan ako nagsanay, sigurado kasing maaasahan ko yung mga doktor doon at alam kong hindi nila pababayaan ang pamangkin at sister-in-law ko.

Todo-todo ang pagdadasal namin na sana makaraos ng matiwasay sa kanyang panganganak ang asawa ng kapatid ko at sana malusog din ang sanggol na ipapanganak niya. Excited na talaga kami! Gusto nang makita ng kapatid ko kung sino ang kamukha niya, kung matangos ba ang kanyang ilong o kung maputi ba siya. Sabi ng tatay ko, tuturuan na niya agad ito ng Math para maging magaling daw siya dito paglaki niya (hindi ko namana ito sa tatay ko). Basta ako, makita ko lamang na may tig-sampung daliri ang kanyang paa't kamay, umiiyak siya ng malakas, mamula-mula ang kanyang balat, kakain at dudumi ng maayos at walang kahit na anong congenital anomaly, masayang-masaya na ako. Samahan ninyo akong magbantay ha?

Posted by nikki:: 8/13/2005 10:50:00 PM
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Thursday, August 11, 2005

Addendum to Open Letter to Goyong

This is not an attempt to defend the doctor who handled Goyong's son and I am not saying too that there wasn't any negligence; maybe there was but I am not in the position to say that because I do not know the case and I wasn't there when it happenned. What I am saying here is just based on what MY REACTIONS are to the facts that I do know based on Goyong's posts in his blog and his comments.

As I mentioned, dengue is really a traitor. In a published study, it has been said that it "is among the most dramatic events in clinical medicine". This is because the course of the disease is just that - dramatic. A patient can be fine at this very minute then in a matter of 5 minutes, he can go into shock. There is no "de kahon" treatment for dengue, meaning, it is a case to case basis. When I was still on training, our mentors always reminded us to treat the patient not the laboratory exam results. You see, a patient can have a platelet count of 5,000 but if he is not bleeding and if his other vital signs and laboratory exams are okay, then there is no need for transfusion; while in some cases, a patient will be needing transfusion already with a platelet of 100 (which is actually still acceptable) because he is already bleeding and already have a low blood pressure for his age. So the treatment of one case will not be the same as the treatment for another case. Also, every doctor has his own "style" of treatment, a case can be treated differently by two doctors. To each his own kung baga. This is because one doctor may have seen something that the other doctor didn't OR one doctor maybe thinking of something that the other doctor is not thinking of. Our books will only teach us the principles of medicine but in real practice, what we learned from our books is very much different from what we see in our clinics everyday. That is why sometimes we do commit mistakes and that is also why medicine is an ever changing science.

To Sir Goyong, thank you for sharing your story with us. This will be a reminder for me to strengthen my commitment to give the best care to my patients. I just hope that one day soon, your memories of your son will be that of the happy times you had together not the bitter circumstances of his loss. God bless you and your whole family!

Posted by nikki:: 8/11/2005 04:23:00 PM
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An Open Letter to Goyong

I was bloghopping from Hooneypooh and while I was reading the comments on her post, I came upon this exchange between her and someone named Goyong. Apparently, Goyong posted something for his son who died. Through his comment, his pain touched my heart so I went to see his blog and got to read his story...

Goyong,

I am so sorry about your son. I don't have any kids but I feel your pain. Being a pediatrician, I have been exposed to lots of similar scenarios. When I was in training, we lost 2 dengue patients, a 15 year old boy and a 4 year old girl. As much as we want to save all of the little ones entrusted to our care, there are times when we just can't no matter how hard we try. Your son was not just another record to be pulled out permanently from our files, he is one little boy we will never see again gain another kilo or grow another inch and that gives us as much pain as you.

"...Imagine ang healthy ng bata kong iyan Linggo dalhin namin sa ospital ang lakas lakas laro pa nga ng laro 4 days inuwi namin........."

Dengue is really a traitor. There is a very thin line between recovery and deterioration; we can only sigh with relief after we have already sent the patient home because everything can happen so fast. Sometimes it is even out of our hands like when that is the second episode already of dengue because this episode will be worse than the one before. (there are four strains of dengue and one can get infected with the four so you can just imagine how hard it is to treat the fourth episode). I do not know what transpired in the hospital nor the circumstances behind your son's death, what I do know is that your doctor didn't want to loose or even intentionally lost him but we are not gods. We are only here as His instruments to try and save your son but in the end, it is still God's decision to make.

I know no matter what I say, I can never ease your pain but I hope I can help pave the way towards forgiveness. Wherever your son is now, I am sure he is smiling down on you. And if I was your son, I would not like to see you still harboring ill feelings towards my doctor for after all, I have wings now and is in a better place.



**This was supposed to be posted as a comment in Goyong's blog but I opted to make it as a post here since it is obviously very long.

Posted by nikki:: 8/11/2005 01:48:00 AM
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Sunday, August 07, 2005

Tara na, shopping tayo!

Likas na yata sa halos lahat ng mga babae ang pagkahilig sa shopping. At isa ako sa mga iyon. Kapag nalulungkot ako, pumupunta lang ako sa aking friendly neighborhood mall at mag-iikot. Kahit na umuwi akong luhaan (dahil walang perang pambili ng kahit ano), okay lang sa akin. Masaya na akong makita yung mga bagong disenyo ng sapatos sa Celine o Le Donne, mga "in" na damit sa Mango, Bayo at Apple and Eve at mga sale o promo sa mga tindahan. Ang pag-shoshopping din ang paborito naming gawin ng mga kaibigan ko, kahit pa ang mabili lang namin ay isang munting palamuti sa buhok. Ngunit mahirap para sa amin na pagtugma-tugmain ang aming mga kalendaryo para kami ay makalabas ng sabay-sabay dahil magkaka-iba ang mga araw ng aming duty. Iyong mga kaibigan ko naman sa high school, may kanya-kanya ding mga trabaho at pamilya. Dahil dito, mas madalas na umaalis akong mag-isa.

Minsan maganda din namang mag-isa ka lang...

1. Ikaw lang ang mapapagod - baka kasi lahat ng sulok ng mall ay puntahan mo, kawawa naman yung mga kasama mo, pati sila magkaka-kalyo.

2. Makakapamili ka ng husto - hindi mo kasi kelangan magmadali kasi oras mo lang naman ang nasasayang.

3. Walang kokontra sa mga choices mo - kung lumabas man na baduy ang nabili mong damit, at least, ikaw lang ang masisisi.

4. Walang manggagatong sa iyo - madalas itong mangyari sa akin pero hindi ako ang ginagatungan, ako ang nanggagatong! may kaibigan kasi akong napakatagal mag-isip kung ano talaga ang gusto niya (read: kuripot! hehehehe!), minsan dahil sa panggagatong ko, napapabili tuloy siya.

5. Walang makikipag-agawan sa iyo - sa akin, hindi naman ito problema kasi mapagbigay naman ako kaya lang nakakapanghinayang kung gustong-gusto mo iyong isang sapatos tapos type din ng kaibigan mo at isang pares na lang ang size 6 nila.

6. Hindi ka maiinggit - dahil sa wakas ay napag-ipunan na ng kaibigan mo iyong gusto ninyong laptop at ikaw ay hindi pa.

7. Hindi ka maiinis - kasi ayaw makinig ng kaibigan mo sa iyo na mas maganda yung Canon IXUS 40 kesa sa gusto niyang digital camera. Hindi naman kasi dapat ito nangyayari kasi pera naman niya pinambibili niya kaya wala ka dapat pakialam.

8. Walang makakaalam na hindi umuubra ang pag-dadiet mo - hindi nila makikitang nagpakuha ka ng large sa saleslady kasi masikip na sa iyo yung medium.

9. Hindi ka manlilibre - dahil sa pinagod mo sila, dapat naman siguro manlibre ka pero kung mag-isa ka lang, sarili mo lang ang ililibre mo o di kaya naman, umuwi ka na lang at sa bahay kumain.

10. Hindi ka magiging dakilang driver - sa amin kasi, ako lang ang talagang laging may dalang sasakyan kaya minsan hindi maiiwasan yung lambinging kang ihatid mo sila pauwi. Salamat na lamang at mababait ang mga kaibigan ko, hindi nila ito madalas ginagawa.

Gusto ko pa din syempre yung may kasamang mag-ikot kasi bukod sa makakapag-shopping ka na, makakasagap ka pa ng mga tsismis. O ano, sino sasama sa akin mag-shopping?

Posted by nikki:: 8/07/2005 02:49:00 PM
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Tuesday, August 02, 2005

"I don't want to own anything until I find a place where me and things go together "- from Breakfast At Tiffany's

kay tagal ko nang nadidinig ng iyong pangalan
ngunit noo'y wala akong pakialam
akala ko kasi ordinaryo ka lamang.

una kitang nasilayan nang ako'y namasyal
may kaka-iba akong naramdaman!
lumukso ang aking puso at nagning-ning ang aking mga
mata.

pinagmamasdan pa lang kita,
sabik na sabik na akong hawakan ka!
balang araw, mapapasa-akin ka!

at ngayon nga'y eto ka na sa aking harapan,
hindi ko pa din lubos maisip na abot-kamay na kita!
ahhh... aking-akin ka na!

pero teka lang, bakit sila natatawa?
nawala ang aking mga ngiti,
kaya inialis kita sa kanilang paningin.

" Moon River, wider than a mile.
I'm crossing you in style someday..."

Haaay! Ang sarap talaga ng feeling kapag nakuha mo na yung matagal mo nang inaasam-asam. ang tagal ko din itong hinintay. At ngayon nga, meron na akong pink na iPod mini. Yipee!!! Kaya lang nung isang araw, hiniram ito ng kaibigan ko. Nagtaka ako kung bakit siya natawa nang isuuot niya iyong earplugs. Unang kanta kasi na nadinig niya ang Moon River. Lumang kanta na daw kasi yon. Bakit? Masarap naman pakinggan ang kanta kahit luma na siya. Ipikit mo lang ang iyong mga mata...

Posted by nikki:: 8/02/2005 09:59:00 PM
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Monday, August 01, 2005

Pakiusap lang po

Medyo matagal na din akong nagblo-blog pero kamakailan lang ako naging active talaga. Madami na din akong nakilala dito sa blogsphere, mula na isang blogger, humaba na nang humaba ang mga nakasulat sa links ko. Nitong mga nakaraang buwan, natutunan ko kung ano yung internet troll mula kay TeacherSol, ang pagiging matimpiin nina Isabela at Patrice at ngayon naman ay ang galit ng aking bagong kaibigang si Nao.

Kahit pa sabihin nating kakaibang mundo nga ang blogging, papasok pa din dito yung pakikipag-kapwa tao natin, iba-iba kasing tao ang makakasalamuha mo dito. Merong mga tunay na tao at mga troll o kaya ay yung mga tao na natamaan ng mga bato ni Nao. Ako man, bagamat hindi ko pa nararanasan mismo, nasasaktan at naiinis din ako sa ibang mga nababasa ko sa aking pagdalaw sa iba't-ibang mga blogs. Minsan kasi sa ating pag-kokomento, di natin naiisip na mayabang na pala ang dating natin o di kaya'y nakakasakit na pala tayo ng damdamin. Hindi ko naman sinasabing huwag na lang mag-komento, sana lang igalang natin ang opinyon ng isa't-isa. Kung ang nabasa mo man ay salungat sa iyong paniniwala, malaya ka namang mag-komento pero sana isaalang-alang din naman natin yung damdamin ng may akda o kaya'y nang iba pang magbabasa. Huwag din nating kalimutan na kung may kalayaan tayong isulat ang ating mga komento, may kalayaan din ang may-ari ng mga blog na pinupuntahan natin na magsulat ng kahit na anong gusto nilang isulat. Kung ayaw mo yung mga nabasa mo, huwag ka na lang mag-komento o kaya'y huwag ka na lang bumalik sa blog na yoon.

Sa "real world", naging prinsipyo ko na ang "huwag ka na lamang magsalita kung wala ka din namang sasabihing maganda" para makaiwas sa hindi pagkaka-intindihan. Dito sa blogging world, yan na din ang ginagamit kong prinsipyo. Kung meron man akong hindi nagustuhan sa mga komento sa akin o kaya'y sa mga nabasa ko, tumatahimik na lang ako. Pero hindi naman sa lahat ng oras na hindi ako mag-komento ay ibig sabihin hindi ako sang-ayon, minsan wala lang talaga akong masabi.

Posted by nikki:: 8/01/2005 11:34:00 PM
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