AnneC.

This is an "if-all-else-fails-read-this-for-good-vibes" blog entry. :p 22 days of living in the province and I have found more reasons to go back. I have been away from home for about 15 years, going home only during summer and semestral breaks. And since medical school - clerkship and internship, this was probably the longest that i was able to stay. In that 22 days, i was given the chance to look after my Lolo. I was able to bring my friends over and make them appreciate the beauty of our place. I had the opportunity to have a glimpse of what a future private practice might look like during the 12 clinic days that I relieved my father of his physician duties at the clinic. Basically seeing patients in the morning and bed rolling privileges in the afternoon. :p I was able to do my first (of many) unsupervised deliveries (and episiorraphy!).  I was able to become a full time daughter and tried my best to promote peace in the household (haha).  But more than trying to spend th...

"To heal sometimes, to treat often, to comfort always."  This was always shown on our lectures in medical school, always reminded to us when we entered the hospital scene. But i only learned it's real value recently. It has been days that my parents were constantly updating me about lolo's condition. He was having difficulty breathing. When I got home and saw lolo - i know there and then that he needs to be intubated. But in a setting where we dont have the needed facilities and where we want to respect our patient's and the family's wishes, we are left with one task and that is to make them comfortable and no longer add to the burden that they are already experiencing.  So walking into his room i gave him my biggest smile, and he smiled back inspite of his dyspneic breaths. I know that he was happy to see me. And probably (hopefully) found comfort in the fact that now there are 2 doctors beside him. My lolo is a fighter. He was part of the military, e...