I’m still Alive! (2nd year anniv post)

Hey there!

Buhay pa po ako! (I’m still alive!)

It has been almost a year since my last post, balikat at braso, september 22, 2013. And thanks to wordpress reminding me, today is my second anniversary! Woooh!

In celebration (and in summary), let me recount the things I survived for the past year.

1. October 15, 2013 7.2 magnitude earthquake

It was around 7:30am and we were just doing our nursing rounds after the endorsement when the whole earth suddenly shook the soul out of me. I was in the male surgical ward and we’ve had at least 5 patients who are bed ridden, two immediate post operation, one paraplegic (paralyzed from neck down, but very well awake), 2 on ventilator, and a couple with chest tubes thoracotomy (with bottles of drainage).

 I know it is my duty to save lives, but trust me, I just shouted, everybody out! and ran straight to the garden together with my 3 other female duty mates. All that could walk followed suit. The rest, including the paraplegic, I pity as they lay there helpless.

Soon I was drenched in sweat lifting patients out of the building (thank God it did not collapse, though cracks are visible). Finding them in the open garden area along with a thousand other patients from different departments was the next thing. 

And don’t forget the aftershocks that lasted a month. Ugh!

2. Yolanda PH

Mother earth was not done! Supertyphoon Yolanda slammed damaged destroyed wrecked my province, Leyte. November 7, 2013.

No words could describe how much sorrow I felt as I went home a week after the typhoon, with only a text message from my loved ones (mother, father, and sister), if worst came to worststst, I was the only one left here in Cebu.

Here are some pictures of our house…

overlooking the backyard

water, water everywhere

our kitchen

a ray of hope

poor greens

To add, working in a public hospital, the rush of incoming patients from the devastated region were overwhelming. 

 

3. RN HEALS Program

As 2013 ended, so was my contract as RNHEALS Program. The last day of duty was during the new year’s eve and I ended up taking blood pressure as the fireworks colored the background.

It was altogether inspiring since my parents and sister spent Christmas in the city with me, and a little bit depressing as I slowly accept that I may have been swallowed by the profession of which I’m passionate about.

the only thorn

__________________________________________________

But wait, there’s more…

(should’ve been separate blogposts, but for now, take a bite)

– I got an option to extend my stay for another six months as contractual nurse and I happily accepted.

– Last April, I got invited to be the guest speaker during the graduation exercises of both my high school and elementary school alma maters(?) (haha, add that to the resume!)

– I’ve went canyoneering down the Matutinao river in Badian and even jumped 30 ft off a waterfall. I’m  acrophobic and hydrophobic by the way.

– I may be in  love and inspired again. Maybe that’s the reason why I’m writing again. Maybe. Just maybe. *wink*

So long !

Kasado na

 

Nagsimula sa Physics lab ang lahat. Magkatapat ang classroom. Nagkatinginan. Nagkainlaban. They found love in that hopeless place. In lab at physics lab.

Sino nga ba ang mag-aakalang habang abala ako sa pagko-compute sa mga torque at tension ek-ek, eh may nagpapasahan na pala ng titig. Margin of error: 0%.

Gusto kong ireminisce ang panahong pinagsamahan ng seatmate/cheatmate kaibigan kong ito at kung bakit sa tingin ko’y na-bother nya akong isali sa entourage.

Magclassmates kami nitong babaeng ito simula first year college. At dahil hindi rin magkalayo ang mga apelyido eh, magkatabi kahit alphabetical ang seating arrangement.

“DON’T BOTHER ME!!”

Yan ang naging ugat ng una naming tampuhan. Problemado ako noon at mainit ang ulo. Bago ko lang nalamang namatay ang lola ko sa probinsya. Hindi ako makauwi dahil sa exams. Algebra yun, at kahit na medyo may kagalingan ang inyong lingkod kapag kwentahan na ang labanan ay umabot din sa boiling point sa pangungulit ng katabing mangopya.

Matapos ang konting iyakan at sumbatan, nagkabati din naman. Siyempre, mahaba-haba pa ang sem. hahaha Pero basta English at memoryahan lang, sya naman ang maasahan.

Nasundan pa ang tampuhang iyon. Pero sabi nga nila, parte daw yun ng pagkakaibigan. Yung magkapatid nga na magkadugo nag-aaway, kami pa.

Hindi ko naman masabing bestfriend niya ako at ako man sa kanya. Hindi kami ganun. Pero real friend naman siguro ako, I think. Naibahagi ko naman ang ilang birthdays kasama siya, nandun ako nung namatay ang papa niya, nakapagdonate din ako ng dugo para sa ate niya, nahingahan na rin ng problema, nagpakalma, nagpautang, nangutang, nahingan ng pabor, nagtago ng sikreto, rumespeto, at marami pang iba.

At heto na nga, naisuot na ang barong, natapos na ang okasyon.

Groomsmen ang inyong RD. Representative ng barkada. Pupunta kahit gaano kalayo, basta lakwatsa may halaga.

Heto ang kuha matapos akong lumapit para sa “money dance” kuno. Nagdemand ng 1000 ang maganda! Dalawang zero lang ang kaya ko. Asawa nya yang seaman.

 

Thanks to Eve for the pic. (To camera 360, magic skin effect as well.)

 

Sa pagkahaba-haba man ng selebrasyon, sa handaan sa may covered court din ang tuloy. hahaha

Congrats Chuck and Jessa! Best wishes!

 

_______________

Special thanks to Mighty Bond sa pagiging epektibong pandikit sa nasira kong sapatos a few minutes bago ang kasal. At kay Joem sa pagbili. haha

 

 

Trolling, Got Me Thinking

 

I HATE MYSELF 

FOR LOVING YOU

NO I HATE YOU

_________________________

I woke up from an afternoon-dusk nap reading this text message. I was hungry…and puzzled. Who could possibly text me in this early hour!? Oh wait, its 8pm. Funny how I always woke up thinking it’s the morning when I slept late afternoon after work. In annoyance, and not to sound too defensive, I replied:

In as much as you do,

Trust me, I hate myself too.

But what caught me breathless was her (this time, I know it’s a girl) reply.

hahaha Hindi mo ba alam na si Alay ito? 

(hahaha Don’t you know this is Alay?)

Oh my! It’s my niece making fun of me! I got punked by an eleven year old! I thought it was my ex!

hahaha I was just riding the joke! 😀

I put my best ‘poker face’ on. On text, that is. But this 5th grader wont just end it all. Out of the blue, she replied:

If you life your heart

you wil never inlove.

That English! haha  Though grammatically wrong (and almost pointless), I came to ponder on how on earth did that occurred to her. What does she mean? What does she know about love anyway? Is she really my niece? Or just my ex pretending to be? How did she even get my number by the way?

To answer it all, I called. And called. And called. She’s not answering!  Maybe afraid I would recognize the voice?

Then, it came to me like lightning on a dark night. It’s my niece’s birthday! I almost forgot!  So that’s why. She’s asking for a gift. haha A gift huh? after all this trolling? haha But of course I will. Still.

Happy birthday Alay!