Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you’re enjoying the holidays.

About the recent days, I have been busy with school, family and gifts. Well scratch out the last one. I didn’t really like shopping this year. Have I mentioned that Twilight is still showing in SM Baguio? Now that they’ve earned a lot, expectations are higher for New Moon.

Last December 22, I had my make-up duty (in lieu of my absence due to my grandpa’s funeral) in Baguio General Hospital. I was assigned to a female patient at the Surgical Ward. At first glance, I knew what to assess – there was definitely something wrong with her. I went on doing my initial assessment and yet I couldn’t find the thing I was supposed to know not until I communicated with her. I thought I might be speaking the wrong dialect (Ilokano) so I shifted to Tagalog and asked if she was able to understand Ilokano and she answered a “yes”. Weird. After recording my assessments, I went to check on her chart – I’ll name her Pt #1 and reviewed her history and then I knew she has Schizophrenia. It was my first time to handle a patient with a mental illness. Reflection: I thought books were no of help that time. I went back to her and talked. She stared blankly at me (it did freak me out, I was squirming inside but I stayed), I started to pat her head and continued to talk even though she didn’t answer. In a while, she told me to assist her in sitting up (which I did) and in a while she was clinging to me. She told me “we’re going to heaven, I can see Jesus now”. I froze.

I could say books are really of no use to me that time. Not any of those can teach a person how to communicate with people whose minds are wandering. Although I was getting pissed off when she kept on covering her head when she was already having fever, I was amazed on how I reacted and how I really saw myself be therapeutic. I told her “Nanay, alisin po natin yang kumot niyo para hindi kayo lalong mainitan. Kailangan po natin iwasan ang pagtaas ng temperatura niyo para hindi kayo sasaksakan ng gamut.” And in a while, she removed it by herself and stared at me again. I got used to it. I never left her side for the whole 8 hour shift (except when I had my break and when I had to do my charting) and I observed that whenever someone would talk to her in a nice and concerned way, she’d stare at that person. Upon giving medications and taking her vital signs, she was cooperative as long as someone would support her.

I only had to make up for 8 hours because I was excused for my absence. If I weren’t, I’d make up for24 hours. After that shift, I let my mind wander while my dad drove the car. And I thought, I’d pursue my dream of being a Psychiatric Nurse…

The whole of December allowed me to meet my friends. Despite our busy schedules, we were able to make time for each other and I’m very happy about it. I thought of it – how much more when we’re working already? Tsk. A lot have changed but they’re still the same, we I meant haha. Eye bags have been a common topic and I’m glad I don’t have them even if I don’t get enough sleep. And speaking of eye bags, a freshman once texted me that she’s got them thanks to endless reviews – she ranted on major subjects offered. In my mind, I thought: You haven’t reached the duty phase and you seem tired of it already. And to myself, I haven’t reached the RN phase yet but I speak of Nurse Volunteers as lazy people (well I told you, most of them are haha – check my previous post).

Wait, I got far from what I was saying about my meetings with my friends. When I meet with any of them, it’s always scheduled at dinner time so we could eat together and we could stay longer. I didn’t realize we missed a lot of things – updates of every one. I tell you it’s really been that long. Sigh. I suddenly felt lazy haha. Basta I’m happy we all met. Now I’ve got a reason to update my friendster and multiply page. Uploading pictures will be tough. Eks dee.

December 24 – Naghanda kami para kay Lolo at Jameel (kapatid ko) nung hapon para sa selebrasyon ng birthday nila nung 16 at 17. Pardon the wrong spelling of celebration in tagalog, I’ve always been slow. Sigh. Anyway, we invited our childhood friends, my parents and brothers were there of course, and some other people. My grandpa led the prayer and he cried. He was touched I know but I also feel that he’s sending us a message that it might be his last birthday with us. I’m hoping it would not be yet. I always wished that my grandparents would attend my graduation this College. He’s my last grandparent because his wife and my grandparents in the father side have passed away. Noche Buena: I know I ate too much again. The ham was irresistible! I’m glad again that we were able to celebrate it with my complete family. The original plan was for my father to celebrate it in Baguio with his siblings but he stayed with us. Yay.

All in all, I was really happy. Now why did I say that this Christmas was dreadful? Pfft. I’ll take that back. How was your Christmas? ;)

P.S. I edited this post when I came across a post by some of my ka-link exchange. TWILIGHT FILIPINO VERSION? OMG! It's not that I'm against Filipino film makers but hello?! PLEASE! TAKIPSILIM?? It isn't funny anymore. A little respect. For God's sake, I'm really annoyed about it. The book and movie is good enough. Sheesh. Lahat na lang ginagaya.