Busy being Yours

8. Stuck with You

I confidently looked at Doc Cai after I performed the task that was assigned for me for our practical exam. Masinsinan niyang tiningnan ang pagkakagawa ko, mula sa physical examination ng dummy patient hanggang sa diagnosis.

Nakakunot pa ang noo nito habang sinusuri ang gawa kong chart kaya medyo sumimangot ako. I know that I did well, I was really careful in asking the questions during the PE tas 'nung kunwaring nag-oorder ako ng tests ay nagko-correlate naman 'yung results sa hinala kong diagnosis so I guess I did a pretty good job. Talagang 'di lang mahilig ngumiti 'yang si Doc, she kinda reminded me of Clem sometimes pero mabait 'yan. Mahilig mamigay ng premyo sa estudyanteng nakakakuha ng mataas na marka sa exams niya.

"Sure ka na dito?" She asked.

I fought the urge to pout. Malamang ay nagbubulungan na 'yung mga nakapila kong kaklase sa viewing room. Required kasi silang manood with our instructor in a room na may one-way glass looking inside this room para tingnan ang estudiyanteng andito sa loob. They can hear our conversations but I can't hear theirs, or in this case, ours. Since Doc already joined me in here.

"Yes doc," I nodded. "The patient showed signs of fever, nausea and vomiting; complained about diarrhea and inability to pass gas. Also presented constant and severe pain in the entire abdomen. CBC showed high white blood cell count which indicates infection, urinalysis ruled out urinary tract infection, and abdominal ultrasound confirmed a ruptured appendix."

Nakita kong bahagyang umangat ang isang gilid ng labi ni Doc. I couldn't help but to smile inwardly. Ayoko pang ngumiti kasi mahirap na, baka bigla akong pahirapan because she'll think that I'm being too cocky (which is I really am).

"Okay. What do you do next Dr. Jimenez?"

Hindi ko na naman mapigilang kiligin sa pagtawag sa akin ni Doc 'nun. This is what I love about practical examinations, we really have to act the part. Kung doctor ka, doctor ka. Ang sarap kayang pakinggan 'nun.

"Order a surgery for the removal of the appendix, doc. Also the cleaning of the abdominal cavity to remove the bacteria for the treatment for peritonitis. For the first few days after the surgery, the patient will receive intravenous antibiotics and oral antibiotics for several weeks to be sure that the infection is gone."

"Hmm," Doc Cai just raised her brow and nodded. May sinulat pa siya sa chart na ginawa ko bago iyon tinabi. I wasn't able to take a good look at it but I hope that I passed. I'm mean I'm pretty sure that I did, but I'm still hoping.

"Okay, very good. You may go out now. Next..."

Agad kong pinasalamatan si Doc matapos niya akong dinismiss. I also high fived with my patient who is a freshman. Baka ay hinila rin ito ni Doc and promised to give him extra points. May hina-handle rin kasi itong first-year subject.

Naalala ko tuloy 'yung panahon ko when I was still a first year student, pinapatulan ko rin 'yung offers ni Doc to become a dummy patient for our upperclassmen. Talagang tinotodo ko pa 'yung acting ko para ma-impress si Doc. Kapag sinabi niya saking kailangan kong umakto na may seizures ako... ay girl, ngisay kung ngisay ang binibigay kong performance.

"Ang galing! Dapat 'di ka nalang nag-chart, kumpleto na naman summary mo eh!"

Inirapan ko si Jason na kanina pa naghihintay sa kabilang kwarto. Nakadipa pa ito as if he's welcoming me on the other side with a hug, gaya 'nung mga naghihintay pa ng turn nila ay nanonood rin itong mga tapos na naming kaklase. He finished first kasi alphabetical 'yung pagtawag ni Doc samin.

"Maka ano 'to eh ikaw nga na-diagnose ng tama 'yung Creutzfeld-Jakob. Sobrang random 'nun ha." I laughed after we hugged.

"Kaya nga eh! Sobrang random that's why I immediately got it, compared to you na sobrang vague ng abdominal pain. It can be a lot of things, magaling ka lang talaga pagdating sa differential diagnosis."