This is the beginning of the end.
2014 is the year I expect to finish training as a neurosurgeon. Except for 2009, when I taught in medical school and practiced general medicine, I have spent most of my waking hours from June 2001 until today in this government-run university-hospital complex. That is 12 of the last 13 years.
Truth be told, I feel that I have put on twice the actual number of years since I started. The first year INTARMED student would only recognize fundamental fragments of his self in the senior neurosurgery resident. The former would say, with genuine amazement, “Wow, kaya mo talaga mag-opera ng utak ng tao?” (Wow, can you really do surgery on the human brain?)
To which the latter would reply, simply, “Oo. Makakaya mo. Astig ‘di ba?” (Yes. You will be able to. Sounds amazing, right?)
The good is that not many people under 30 can declare with absolute certainty that they have saved lives. Snatched children and adults alike from the claws of Death if one wanted to be more emphatic.
The bad is that I have become less tolerant of other people’s shortcomings, and generally impatient at most things–whether it is in the bringing of a patient to the operating room for emergency surgery, or waiting to be served breakfast in a fast food restaurant. There is now a conscious effort to keep myself from walking, thinking, and talking too fast when I am outside of the hospital.
I write this post on my pocket notebook using my trademark blue pen, 35,000 feet above sea level, on my flight home from a five-day course in pediatric neurosurgery in Singapore. Although airline regulations now allow in-flight use of electronic devices, my iPad sleeps quietly in my carry-on bag. Not every thing has to change.
I try to think clearly, amidst the tattle of the flight attendants peddling snacks and duty-free merchandise in the aisle, and the subdued, continuous drone of the plane’s engines. When I look through the window to my right, I see the slow, steady retreat of innumerable cirrus clouds and immediately, I am overwhelmed by a sense of gratitude: this was my fourth international trip, and every single one of them had been all-expense paid. The first trip was funded by my paternal relatives in New York City, and the last three, by generous donors, institutions, and foundations.
When I was a child, my constant kalaro/kakampi/kaaway (playmate/teammate/opponent) was a cousin who was one year younger and who went to the same school as I did.
He always wanted to be Red One/Red Mask/Mario so I settled for Green Two/Blue Mask/Luigi. He owned the more expensive toys, most of which he willingly lent to me. He always talked about the mole on his foot, which back then he said, signified two things: he was a born runner–true enough, I always lost to him during habulan (running game)–and he was meant to travel abroad.
He migrated to the United States when he was 8.
After giving him a goodbye embrace, as I stood on the front door and watched him and his favorite Snoopy stuffed toy get on the car that would take them to the airport, I thought, “Kailan kaya ako makakapunta sa States?” (When would I be able to the United States?)
“Huwag kang mag-alala,” the senior neurosurgery resident would have said, ruffling the child’s hair which always resembled a coconut husk, “Balang araw, makakapunta ka rin doon, at sa marami pang lugar.” (Don’t worry. One day, you would be able to go there, and to many other places.)
The latter’s chinky eyes would widen, brimming with hope and dreams, and the former would give him two gentle pats on the shoulder, as if saying, “Galingan mo ha?” (Do your best, OK?)
The boy would grow up to be a mathematician, writer, public speaker, class valedictorian, medical student, physician, teacher, and in another year’s time, neurosurgeon. It would cost him a centimeter of his hairline and dark circles under his eyes, among other things.
But I have no right to complain.
In the beginning of any major undertaking, one always asks, “Is this really what I want?” One looks for certainty before taking the big leap forward. Certainty may come gradually. To some, never at all until the very end.
And that is when the question shifts to, “Was it worth it?” One looks back to scrutinize anything and everything from the moment the decision was made until present time, trying to counter balance every bad thing with the good, every disappointment with exhilaration, and every failure with success. They don’t always measure up, do they?
Just before I left Singapore, I had a chance to visit two of its zoos. As I stood in the amphitheater where guests could see Singapore Zoo’s resident polar bear Inuka through a thick glass wall, I didn’t know which amazed me more: that I was seeing, for the first time, an actual polar bear swimming in circles in ice cold water, or that I did not have to do anything at that moment–no phone calls or text messages, no patients to worry about–except appreciate the serene, gentle movements of the arctic animal.
A five-year-old boy with chinky eyes and hairstyle resembling a coconut husk would have tugged the lower end of the neurosurgery resident’s short-sleeved polo and said, “Para ka namang nagfi-field trip. Ang tanda-tanda mo na. Wala ka bang kailangan gawin?” (It’s as if you are on a field trip. But you are too old for that. Don’t you have anything to do?)
“Wala.” (None.)
With a grin.
“Saan ka pupunta pagkatapos?” (Where will you go next?)
“Hindi ko pa alam. Bahala na.” (I am not sure. We’ll see.)
And that is the truth. When this airplane lands, I have 354 days to plan how to move forward. This year is going to be awesome.
Brod, I certainly wish you all the best of luck on your new beginning of an end (there’s many I believe, during your days at that gov’t complex) . Certainly there’s room for you in any of the world you chose to “move forward”. As to the question of whether it was all “worth it”, you already knew the answer.
Best of luck again!
Salamat Remo! When I have more time in my hands, I would certainly want to do more for #HealthXPH!
Doc sana po magkita pa kyo ni bella bgo ka umalis s Pgh.god bless you doc..
Sana po. Daan lang po kayo sa PGH. Thank you. 🙂
You have journeyed a long way to reach a new level of your journey Sir. I wish you best of luck in your profession and life. Godbless.
Thank you, Ace!
Wherever you will go, the force is surely with you always! God bless you always Doc!
this is really inspiring..:) God bless you doc!
Thanks, Nicquee and Dominique! 🙂
Ronibats goes to the zoo! Not just one but two! Incredible!
Would have been three if I had more time!
Your post had me in tears, Doc. The feeling of watching the time and the world go too fast, and the feeling that there is just not enough time, it resonates with me. We have to slow down and enjoy life! Thanks for reminding me of it.
Live for the moment, Pat! Thank you for reading! 🙂
I love reading your blogs. Very Inspiring!
Hi Ma’am Ellen! Thank you po for reading. 🙂 See you around po!
Haaaaappyyyy ang galing galing! <3 Have fun! you deserve this! 😀
Thanks for reading, Mars! 🙂
Congrats, Sir! I still remember how you vividly captured your internship year through your blog posts then, and how they inspired me to go to that scheduled Intarmed interview. Fast forward to 6 years later. HAHA. Time does fly fast. Cheers to you!
Haha, cheers to you too, Greco! Enjoy the rest of medical school! 🙂
This is indeed a great year for you! It is good to be a child again sometimes, no worries and problems. Keep going and have a great year ahead.
Thanks, Finn! A great year ahead for you, too. 😀
[…] -RoniBats full blog entry here […]
naks, neurosurgeon na ang bats!!! Congratulations bai! Welcome to the real world!!! or further studies pa?
We’ll see what happens next. 🙂
I stumbled on your blog and enjoyed reading your essays. I’ll include you in my prayers that whatever choices you make, the outcomes will make you happy and proud. Best wishes.
Thank you, Loli.
Your posts never fail to inspire Doc 🙂
Hi Doc,
It’s nice to read your inspiring blogs. It really helps me a lot to at least be strong enough to deal with my battle with my illness. I’m a 39 years old lady suffering from cushings disease, just like your father, I’m a civil engineer and my work was really affected by my illness, the reason why I was able to reach your site by searching more informations about cushings. Im sure you knew Dr. Willy Lopez, he’s my neurosurgeon who performed my SRS last July 2010. At present I am still suffering all the symptoms though Dr. Lopez told me that SRS result may be a year or more after the radiation. I’ve already gone through Thransspenoidal surgery year 2000 and reoccurrence of the disease leads me to SRS. As of now, I’m just hopefull that SRS would be a success, though oftentimes I feel that this a fight I can never win. Anyways, thanks again for the inspiring posts and I pray to God that there maybe more Doctors like you and Dr. Lopez to help and comfort sick people like us. God Bless and More power!!!!!!!!!
Ohh, sorry My SRS was just last July 2013 (last year)
You may not remember me, but after 12yrs, I stumbled upon your name again.. this time sa Rappler then a link to your blog.
Congrats Ronnie sa achievements mo and sa family mo! — wow.. 5 valedictorians na wlang pressure from parents to study…
Dati rati, sa MTAP lang tayo magkalaban… either kayo or kami yung champion ng Category A… baka lang maalala mo pa yun days na yun
Chester Alomesen
Thanks for reading, Chester! Oo naman, naaalala ko pa yun. Paco Citizen! Teammate mo si Andrew Jonathan Co. Haha.
Very Inspiring!Keep it up. Godbless Doc.
hello doc ronnie
i will include you in my daily prayers.
in my novenas too. we need people
like you. i followed your facebook page.
i also shared your blog to my daughter
who is also a medical student at ustfms.
God bless you doc ronnie.
you are raised very well by your parents.