Nearly two decades after the International Conference on Population Development in Cairo, the Philippines has still not laid out a clear national policy on reproductive health in line with its commitment to the ICPD Program. More than our failure to meet our commitment to the global community, this lack of action highlights the State’s failure to recognize reproductive rights of Filipinos.

 

waiting and confused. It's a good thing I have TRP to occupy my mind but what's going to happen after that? 

I'm sick on one of the busiest weekends of my LU5 life. This sucks.

whirlwind week of walking and talking... let's be optimistic as Dido plays in the background singing "It's not so bad. It's not so bad." (the title is "Thank you", thank you very much.)

Aside from the lunch treat by November celebrants, this long weekend has been another bust.

I plan to have a better week ahead despite the hectic schedule.

I didn't know that this was a cover of Depeche mode song.  Must now rethink my judgement of Depeche mode

Urbandub - Home


Depeche mode - Home

. I think the cover has a richer, darker yet more hopeful sound than the original. Yes, this is how I spend the 4 days of "sembreak."

This and browsing graduate school websites. On one hand, I have a goal and I'm laying out my plans. On the other, I think I'm so obsessed with getting out of med school and going to real grad school that I find it relaxing to browse through curricula, funding mechanisms and student profiles. Realistically speaking though I would probably need to work at least 3 years after med school before I even become good enough for grad school and have a fighting chance to get a full scholarship.

 

Studying medicine is really about learning how to communicate. It could be with fellow doctors, allied health professions or our cherished patients. I feel that the difference between a great doctor and an average one is determined by his or her ability to communicate his or her thoughts to the intended audience. It is imperative that doctors have a good grasp of the dominant language or languages in the their area of practice or in, UPCM lingo, community whether it be Filipino, English, Bisaya or swardspeak.

Unfortunately, UP students have lived very sheltered lives within the confines of the university. Although we know Filipino, we do not have a good grasp of the Filipino being used outside academic circles. For example, multiple classmates were shocked that the term for masturbation is Mariang-palad. And yet, still many do not feel the need for our community exposures. Compound this with our still rudimentary grasp of med-speak and the variations that occur for each hospital and each department.

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Again, in retrospect, I should have been more attentive participative eager during Filipino and English class. I still regret not being able to gain a good grasp of effective communication, in writing and in speech, much earlier in my education. I've always told myself that writing and public speaking is not my thing. Someone should have told me that these two things are the vitals things a doctor should have in his or her arsenal.

committed my first blooper for the 2nd sem* even before it started. It seems that I would have a very full day on November 12. Must start taking in more calories. Of course, my new-ish friend tells me that I should say carbs or fat instead of calories.

* - technically, we don't have a 1st or 2nd sem in ICC I year. I'm just considering Nov 7, the day of our enrollment as the 1st day of 2nd sem.

just when I was in the mood to post pictures, my PC starts acting up. this sucks...

at least the suspects were quickly identified and nabbed unlike in multiple other murder or disappearance cases.

Gah! This is not a good day. Survey woes... I'll just have to assess and plan on Monday.

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I'm itching to do procedures yet I really won't need any of those skills in the future. I guess it's just that desire to prove myself. I should really get my priorities straightened out.

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Really, why this urge when I know that I'll be suffering through those very procedures next year?

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And that my friends is called rationalization.

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Everyone is talking about their summer electives. I've long given up hope on finding a really good research elective abroad so it's PGH for me. I've decided that an RA position looks better on the CV. There will be much more learning and best of all, I get paid. Still, I must brace myself for the deluge of elective-related fb posts and pictures this coming summer and the jealousy I will probably feel. Money money money sounds like a good chant.

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I resolve to discuss salary with my future boss. Getting the minimum wage is not fair given what I can now offer.

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Insults and snark comments. I guess it's better that I take it all instead of some poor sap. It's better for the group dynamics. And other blocks wonder why we function so well. I do fear that one day I'll explode and utterly destroy someone.

ICC year has been good so far. Stress levels are manageable and spike up only when I have pressing extra-curricular activities. I have ample amount of time to study and relax. My motivation to study is so I could perform a good interview and assessment of the patient and not because I would do poorly in a written exam. Very much unlike LU4. It's helpful that the consultants are very supportive and tolerant of our relative lack of knowledge.

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I also view this year as my year of redemption from ignorance of basic anatomy and disappearing knowledge of physiology and biochemistry. Finally, those anatomical landmarks are put into useful context and I wouldn't have to rely on rote memorization.

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Last week, I had another CEA worthy experience. CEA is a tool primarily utilized by Family Medicine specialists to handle psychosocial concerns of patients. CEA is an abbreviation of Catharsis, Education and Action. It works on the theory that talking about a problem helps solve it. I wasn't a great believer of this tool but the universe wants me to convert me and has put me into CEA patient encounters. Ironically, it is not during those sessions where we were expected to utilize CEA. The first one was during our musculoskeletal module in LU4 (2nd year) involving a patient with a fracture needing surgery. She's greatly troubled by her finances. I was interviewing her alone when she suddenly started crying. Hence, C of the CEA.

This time I was interviewing a patient again on my own as my groupmates were talking to the bantay. I was having a hard time getting a good history of the patient as she keeps going on about how she has no money, how she doesn't know why she needs another surgery and her desire to go home. I guess I should have read the  clues and started CEA but I have little time so I pushed for the obtaining the "pertinent" history. A seemingly innocuous question from her daughter whether she really wants the surgery or not opened a dam of emotions which frankly overwhelmed the shit out of me and my classmate (who was really an innocent bystander). Apparently, she feels abandoned by her family, fears that she will lose sight from her remaining good eye and feels betrayed by the PGH. I was put in a tight spot, I know that I can address at least one of her issues and allay her fear of becoming blind but I am not comfortable in interfering with the management of a patient who is not mine. In the end, I think she really did went home untreated and it's sad that her remaining years will be full of pain, anger and suffering.

In one of the Peace month events I attended, we were asked how can you contribute to achieving peace? It seems so easy to answer. Just give a cliche albeit like I will not be violent to anyone or I will strive to achieve inner peace. But are these answers valid? Do they really contribute to peace?

How is peace defined? Scholars through the years have debated this issue and currently there are three kinds of peace. The most common one is that peace is the absence of violence. Note that this definitions allows for conflicts. Conflicts are an innate part of the the human experience and help us learn. In a peaceful situation, conflicts are resolved in a nonviolent way.

The second one builds up on the first and seemingly borrows from the WHO comprehensive definition of health: Peace is the ideal state of harmony and not just the absence of violence. This definition agrees that violence should be absent but if people are not in harmony with themselves, others or their environment, then there is no peace. It is an encompassing definition which then allows concerns such as health and environment to be concerns also of peace workers. Peace is not limited anymore to just eradication of war and disarmament. Peace work is now making the environment not just safe but promote human growth and development and harmonious living.

The last one is the trickiest one for me. Peace is not just a state but it is a capacity of an individual. That is a peaceful individual is not just in harmony with ones' self and his or her surroundings but is able to handle situations in peaceful ways. This definition again adds another dimension to peace work. After (or while) ensuring peace within a person, he or she must then learn to live and act peacefully.

Based on these definitions, achieving peace or peace work covers almost anything a "good" person can do. These definitions also imply that peace work cannot be the work of just a single individual. Peace is a complex entity which demands a comprehensive approach. Thus it entails the contribution of every peace-seeking individual.So those cliche answers are valid. Vague and general but valid. In my case, I can answer that as a health worker I will strive to ensure the right to health as health is a necessary component in achieving peace.

Sadly, health workers around the world are ignorant of this health-peace concept. That by being health workers they are peace workers. That they are potentially the most powerful bloc of peace workers as they not just treat individuals but if they apply the biopsychosocial approach, they can treat communities. Commitment to preserve the health of an individual should spread to preserving the health of the community he or she lives in. As violence would eventually come into play, health work then covers prevention of violence and achievement of a certain peace.

Ovitraps are now being marketed by the DOST. UP Manila students set-up a drive to collect empty cans that can be used to build ovitraps for our rural community partner. But does it really work?

First, let's tackle what ovitraps are. Ovitraps are primarily surveillance tools researches use to determine the number of breeding mosquitos in the area. It is made of a small container partially filled with water and a strip which serves as the site for egg-laying. During my undergrad, we used it to catch our mosquitos for our entomology project. So, if you just want to catch mosquitos. Yes, it works.

Ovitrap yo!

Now, some people thought that maybe instead of just for surveillance we can use it to kill those pesky mosquitos in our area. So they made a lethal version of the ovitrap by adding instecticides such as bifenthrin. They call this the lethal ovitrap. Basically, it attracts gravid mosquitos to use the can. When a mosquito touches the strip, it comes in contact with the insecticide. Thus, whether it decides to lay eggs there or somewhere else, it will die. Gravid mosquitos die, less mosquitos in the area, less mosquitos, less likely to be bitten and less dengue cases. Like most innovations, it sounds good on paper. But again, do we reach our end objective of less dengue cases?

Finally finished Chrono Trigger!

It was Friday when my 11 year old self played it on the SuperNes up to the 2nd form of Lavos. Foolish as I was, I got tired and turned off the game after defeating the 2nd form and realized that there is still a third form to fight. It was kind of surprising that I got that far given the low level, poor equipment and weird preference of not using items. After that day, I don't remember playing with the Supernes again. Finally! After 12 years! O joy!

For the curious, I used Crono, Marle and Robo. Lucca packs a punch but I needed someone with mass healing skills. Marle's just my item user, although haste is not that bad and Life 2 is useful as long as Marle is alive to use it.

I shared to a friend that one discussion I went to wasn't as stimulating as I had expected and posited that it's probably because we all thought about these issues before hand and ended up with the same stances and conclusions. He was surprisingly skeptical about this occurrence and I am taken aback. Which got me thinking, why is he so surprised that a group of people who don't know each other end up concluding the same things independently? Is it his bias against secular individuals? Or is it due to the fact that this group has very different belief systems and each person purport to follow his or her own unique philosophy in life? Maybe it's because in his belief system, people don't agree with other and he's surprised how our heterogeneous group achieve a consensus that easily. My take is that we all end up concluding the same thing because we follow a very short list of clear principles: 1) Every human has rights. 2) Human rights should be protected. 3) Rights of one person should not be sacrificed to ensure the rights of another individual. 4) Government should be secular. Those who have confusing systems have a book or a series of books or even books about the original book or chapters that were removed from the original book.

So nakatapos na rin kami ng isang ICC rotation. At sa pagtapos nito, kailangan namin magsulat ng report. At part ng report na iyon ang reflection paper. Shet. Eto na naman si writer's block.

Alam ko naman ang gusto ko isulat. Di ko lang mahanap ang tamang organization at style ng pag-present nito na lalabas sa nagbabasa na ako ay makatotohanan at pinagisipan ko naman kahit papaano ang aking ginawa. Tipong di lang dinukot mula sa kung saan.

Batman, kailangan ko ng iyong tulong.

huwag tayo magusap about offensiveness. Ang tanging mali sa mundo ay kapag ang isang act ay nag-violate ng human rights. --- I love how I can have fierce debates regarding principles with my friends and still remain friends afterwards.

akala ko di ko na maiisip na mag-quit ng med school by LU5. ahaha. As if gagawin ko naman. Di na talaga end ang med school, means to some ends na siya.

Not in the mood to study. I just learned that we won't be presenting our Ther research in the RIDO student forum. I would be lying if I told you I wasn't shocked it didn't manage to go through. It's not the most perfect research in the world but I do think it was one of the best LU4 projects last year.

LU3: Snubbed by our department and awarded by RIDO and ISCOMS.
LU4: We were recognized by the department but snubbed by RIDO.

When will research misery end?

At the very least, there is the huge possibility that it will be published this November in the university journal. I just have to finish writing  editing the manuscript. On that note, I will finish it by Tuesday next week!