Lost at Pohnpei

I woke up earlier today with a few messages in my phone. Okay, I lied, it was already seven in the morning and the rest of the staff of the hospital was already awake. I just kept squinting my eyes and wished that it was still evening.

It feels unfair to waste my time on the island asleep, but I do miss my afternoon naps.

A cold shower did miracles in waking the nerves up. My morning routine still had not been adjusted.

Dr. Sue and I continued our endorsement. Well, it was actually one sided because she did most of the endorsing. I just listened to her. I was amazed with her clinical eye and how she caught perplexing diseases on the island. TB meningitis, Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, and even Leptospirosis. These were some of the things that an Internist was supposed to see on this island and I started to get conscious of my own practice. Holding a private practice limited my cases.

This was the time for me to learn the wisdom of someone who had more experience not only with the layout of the island, but also of the people who came in the emergency room doors.

This is the life of an islander doctor with the limitations of the surroundings. Such limitations were acceptable, but sometimes, it would be better not to miss anything for the doctor’s and the patient’s sake. Continue reading

A foreigner working on another land may taste and enjoy the products of the land where they went to, but there is no place like home, rather, there is no product like what one has at home.

Seeing the familiar brands that a Filipino would buy from the counters of the groceries makes one nostalgic at the same time, one would still hold on to his or her own money until the time that he or she manages to save enough to spend.

There is wisdom in not converting the amount of goods and services to the currency one was used to. This does not mean that there is no need to be wary of the choices bought, rather it would be better to spend just enough from the savings that one makes from his or her present work.

A bottle of Sunsilk shampoo almost costs thrice as much as the price in Manila, but, when it comes to necessities, then just let yourself buy what you truly need. Instead, let your earnings decide whether you have the spending power that you thought you would.

1) If you can, please do not bring a calculator whenever you are about to purchase anything from the market. Chances are, the food and drinks are more expensive than how you recall it would. Continue reading

Morning came early today. This is one of the places in the world where the sun shines sooner than the rest. It is one of the perks of being in the Pacific, but my home town in Malabon City still slumbers in the twilight of the stars.

I woke up early from the sound of my roomate’s snores. Doc Lino is a surgeon who originally came from the Northern province of Abra. He arrived at Pohnpei last October or three months ahead of me. That makes him my senior in stay here, but that doesn’t make him my superior. The doctors here are all equal and treat each other as such.

Anyway, I woke myself up with a cold shower and I was able to somehow get myself dressed for work. It is a new day for me because I would be stationed at the Outpatient Department. All the Internal Medicine cases would be referred to me. Continue reading

It was already morning, but I still wanted to sleep. My roommate, Lino, was on duty that time and slept at the emergency room. I was a bit anxious and excited because that day, I was about to get my ATM (for the payroll) and Social Security number.

By the way, Jordan’s bed made it in time for him to sleep. It was placed there before we got back to our rooms last night.

We were accompanied by Susa, a Pohnpeian who took us to the supreme court for Jordan’s papers to be notarized. It was there where a tall guy asked what does “Tayong Dalawa” means. Jordan answered, “That means the two of us.”

I took it as my cue to start some small talk. I told him, “it may also mean, the two of us together like partners.” then I added, “Do you have a Filipina girlfriend?” Continue reading

It would have been the best four hour flight I’d ever had except for the toddler who kept crying throughout the duration of the flight. I still managed to get some sleep, but it was the worst plane trip I have ever had. The sound of the young girl crying was like an electric drill in my head.

Upon touchdown in Guam, I was not the only person relieved; the other people who were within a five meter radius almost made a sigh of relief that the auditory torture has ended.

Thinking like Dr. House, I would deduce that the kid had colds making her sinuses congested, thus causing pain. A simple pain reliever of a decongestant would have silenced her throughout that flight, then again, I am not Dr. House.

At last my feet landed on U.S. soil. Whoa!!! Unfortunately, it was four in the morning and Guam was still asleep. It would be cool to go out and have a feel of the tropical Island State (not Guam’s other name).

Continue reading