Its my 33rd

Other people would want to keep it a secret but NOT me.
I love April 20. I appreciate the date. I am thankful that there is such a date.

Its not about the big celebrations but the joy of having people remember me in this crazy, hurried world - that  IT IS MY BIRTHDAY!

There are only two birthday parties that really stood out in my memory.
One, is on my 7th birthday, when I had a big children's party at the backyard of my grandparents house in Butuan City. But that is not what made the day special, its because of that extra birthday cake that my Tito Dongkoy and Tito Honey had for me. A rectangular buttercake with white icing and green trimmings on the side. We enjoyed the cake in the evening with 3 or 4 of my childhood friends around. Yayang, Honey and the other two... I wish I had kept that picture taken in the sala of the house that I called home for the first nine years of my life. I was told that the house is no longer there.The street of Del Pilar is no longer the same. 
Second, is on my 18th year, in MSU, a generous gift from Tita Mila and Tito Lando. Classmates from summer class were present, and I distinctly remember, being worried, that food would run out. I don't usually have classmates on my birthday. They did sang songs -"harana."

My parents were not with me on these dates. =(
Its far too complicated to  write. For now.
Daddy, Mommy and Mama have died already. 
My sister, Wela, who was born on April 19, 364 days after me, has a baby of her own.
Papa has a family of his own with four more kids.
...

There will always be lessons.
 




...
I started the day singing "Happy Birthday to me...." and my husband joining "Happy Birthday to you...."

...
Patiently waiting.


  

Clinic Hours

My husband would have preferred for me to have the usual out-patient clinic hours that other physicians keep -  the nine to five thing with lunch break in between and the occasional after office hours consultations. Instead, I am keeping a twelve noon to nine in the evening clinic from Monday to Saturday. It is unconventional but it does serve its purpose(s).

The hospital I am affiliated with is trying to up-build her emergency and ambulatory care services. Based on the patient census, this is the time wherein most patients and their families would come to the ER for consultations; and they are not necessarily emergency cases. Most of the time, its either their preferred physicians are no longer holding clinic for the day or has reached a limit in the number of patients to be seen for the day. Or they just do not want to wait, period. The "OPD-ER Extension Clinic" will decongest the ER of the non-emergency cases- somehow discipline the clients about emergency cases vs ambulatory cases. 

This schedule has also allowed me to have late mornings, spending it with my husband over brunch in most days of the week. I can also schedule errands/other appointments in the morning;  and starting this June, I can hold classes in the medical school in the morning. The morning is also spent catching up with other administrative work for the residency training program.

Since I have always believed that there is always a time and a season for everything, I am pretty sure that there will be more reasons for me to keep this schedule in the days to come. And yes, my husband has come to accept this schedule and has also found ways to "complement" my schedule.  

 

definitions

Palagaylay - is a term that I first came to understand when I started my post-graduate training at Silliman University Medical Center in Dumaguete City. It could mean dilly-dallying, dragging your feet or delaying.

And it is something I wanted to do after a week of hospital work. ",)