In an alternate universe, President Maria Leonor Gerona Robredo would be giving her first State of the Nation Address today. And we would all be proud and hopeful as Filipinos. 🥹🇵🇭
*at the OPD*
An 80+ year old lola: Ampopogi talaga ng mga doktor dito! 😎
Me: *smiles, feels flattered* 😊
*checks diagnosis*
“CATARACT, BOTH EYES”
‘Wag ko na kaya siya i-clear for OR??? Jk. I love cute lolos/lolas! 👴🏼👵🏻
Sige. Gawan natin ng root cause analysis.
“Bakit namatay si Mang Rolando?”
Kasi gutom na siya. Kasi walang ayuda at kulang ang pera niya. Kasi marahil nawalan siya ng trabaho. Kasi naka-lockdown pa rin tayo. Kasi tumataas pa rin ang mga kaso.
Kasi incompetent ang gobyerno.
A shift to MECQ WITHOUT a concrete plan of action to MORE EFFECTIVELY address the rising number of cases is USELESS.
More people will lose jobs, business will close, the economy suffers worse.
And the progression of this pandemic? MERELY DELAYED but NOT ADDRESSED.
I once dated a girl, and I will never forget how she made me feel special.
In the few dates we had, she’ll go the extra mile to know more about me. As someone who prefers listening more, I felt valued and cared for. During those moments, I was worthy of someone’s eyes and ears.
With all due respect, Sir, I invite you to PGH.
Drop by at the ER to say hi to all critically ill patients who deserve ICU admission. Say hello to HCWs who are scrambling left and right due to fully occupied wards and ICUs.
Look us in the eyes and tell these again if you can.
Ang mahalaga ay ma-maintain ang bilang ng mga kaso at manageable levels para hindi natin ma-overwhelm at mapagod ang ating healthcare workers. Kaya’t importante na sundin natin ang minimum health protocols- magsuot ng mask, maghugas ng kamay, at mag-physical distancing.
She could have survived if she were admitted to the ICU. But she didn’t.
Our ICUs are full. The ER overflows with critically ill patients. We’re near the Italian experience—deciding who gets to live.
As physicians facing the virus, we are sounding the alarm. This is NOT okay.
All clerks of the PGH were pulled out a few days ago. Tom, all interns will be free of their duties.
In these trying times that our oath as MDs are put to test. Together with the nurses, allied med profs, and utility workers, I know we’ll win this war. 🧑🏻⚕️👩🏻⚕️💪🏻🦠
#COVID19
A gov’t official gets admitted immediately in a private room and gets VIP treatment.
A single mother of two and a market vendor without a peso to spare, waits outside the ER. She is gasping for air and fighting for her children. No vacancy.
Nakakagalit. Mahirap maging mahirap.
*overheard a consultant talking to a PGH staff member*
“Don’t do someone else’s work. It takes you away from your own work. It makes you less efficient.”
A hard pill to swallow especially when you want things done quickly and in your own way, but I couldn’t agree more!
Being a non-confrontational overthinker can be self-destructive when left unchecked. You have a lot of things going on in your head, but you choose not to let it out. 🤯
We’ve had 7 leptospirosis patients for the past week. Nearly all required dialysis and pulse doses of steroids.
Climate change, poor drainage systems, and lack of a robust disaster management plan from the government are all contributory.
Health will always be multifactorial.
*at the OPD, interviewing a diabetic patient on follow-up*
Me: May mga sugat po ba na hindi naghihilom?
😦
😕
🙁
☹️
😣
😖
😣
😩
😭
Patient: Wala naman po, Dok.
Me: Okay po. *punas luha*
“For hope to be viable, it must first be actionable.” - Atty.
@lenirobredo
in her keynote speech at the graduation of the UP-PGH Department of Medicine
The PGH blood stocks are in very critical levels 🩸‼️
We encourage voluntary, non-remunerated, non-pre deposit, non-replacement donors (in accordance with the Republic Act 7199: National Blood Services Act).
Please RT.
1/2
Me: *endorses the history of the patient to the consultant*
Consultant: Kumusta po kayo? Ano pong nangyari sa inyo?
Patient: *TELLS A WHOLE NEW HISTORY*
Me:
Appreciation tweet to all restaurant staff serving today! Instead of spending time with your own families, you’re making Christmas of other families more special. Sana masarap Noche Buena niyo mamaya! ☺️
This is an out-of-touch remark. People are dying in our ICU despite our best efforts.
And don’t downplay the situation. A death is a death. Behind every number is a mother, son, sibling, or a friend.
“Ano bang ipinaglalaban niyo?”
This question guides us in a society full of “padrino” and “utang na loob”. It unites us when taken aback by greed for power and self-interest.
#GoyoAngBatangHeneral
teaches us that a true hero is made up of unwavering principles at the very core.
To be an incoming first year Internal Medicine resident is both an honor and a responsibility...
CHAROT. HUY PASOK AKO, MGA KABABABAYAN. HUHUHU. ANG SAYA KO!!!
#ForTheCrown
#HelloAgainPGH
#ParaSaBayan
In medicine, the details that you miss are the ones that stick. Some may also leave you scarred, unfortunately. And the only way to go is to move forward and learn—hoping to never miss them again.
Dark tweet ahead.
The people I hate the most are those who are full of themselves. They occupy the room—drawing all the attention to themselves as if they are the main protagonist in our own stories. May their pride and narcissism choke them.
1/
PGH is a tertiary referral 🏨 with multiple subspecs that can cater to complex cases. If DOH makes it a 🏨 only for COVID, where would pts needing such kind of care go? In the current health system, even some of the specialty 🏨 under DOH refer to PGH for further tx.
I'm a firm believer that if you really really want something, you should nurture it. May it be a relationship, a hobby, or an interest, you do everything to keep the flame burning.
Empty beds. Silent monitors.
The battlefield has been laid.
And though our armamentaria, scarce
Our warriors, few
Our knowledge, lacking
It is faith that we grasp
It is courage that we muster
We will march on
For our patients
For our fallen comrades
For service to humanity.
As you grow more mature, you become more intentional. You don't say "yes" to everything because resources, including your time and energy, are limited. You try to orchestrate things within your control to align with your values and life goals.
This year, I’ve realized that our parents aren’t getting any younger.
Let’s spend some time with them when we can. Let’s take them on trips while they still can. 😊
Mantra for residency for 2021: “Be the Senior your first year self would have wanted.”
On to a better year ahead! To a relatively uneventful yet learning-filled 2021! 😂🥳😬
Sneak peek of the newly renovated callroom of the residents of the Department of Medicine. 🧹💯🏠
Worth the wait! I can literally live here. 😂
Thank you to the Department and to its generous sponsors! 😭
‼️DOCTORS NEEDED IN PGH ‼️
We are in URGENT need of licensed MDs (GP or internists) who will help us in taking care of our COVID-19 patients.
✅ Guidance (and learning!) from internal medicine residents 📝
✅ Competitive salary! 💯
Please RT! We need all the help we can get!
I have always believed that PGH is a microcosm of the PH health situation.
Our COVID-19 patient census ⬆️ by ~50% in 2 wks. The no. of “fresh cases” ⬆️ by 300% since the start of GCQ.
We just slowed down the progression but still headed towards disaster. Act fast,
@DOHgovph
.
*Telemedicine OPD*
Ako: Magandang umaga po! Dr. Besa po ito sa PGH. Ito po ba ang kamag-anak ni <pangalan ng of pasyente>?
Kamag-anak: Ah opo. Sandali lang po ah. <pangalan ng of pasyente> !
Pasyente: Oh ano yun!?!
KA: Doktor mo sa PGH!
P: O tapos??!
Me: 🥺
I’ve always perceived dating as mind games. But you never made me overthink. I feel comfortable sharing how my week went. Our humor just jived. We have independent life plans, and we agreed to make our relationship work. Excited to create more memories with you,
@laislabonnieta
!
Breaking: Biden is announcing a COVID task force, which will be chaired by 3 scientists: former Surgeon General
@vivek_murthy
, former FDA Commissioner
@DavidAKesslerMD
and
@Yale
epidemiologist Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith.
80% of PGH IM ER admissions yesterday are COVID-19 patients. The 5,404 new cases today are the highest in the past 7 mos! The surge is real!
The government has to know that IT IS NOT DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB IN HANDLING THIS PANDEMIC. Stop with the blabbing and face the numbers.
It takes conscious effort to not let your past experiences shape your present behavior. When you recognize patterns, you shift to panic mode. You can freeze, suffer from frustration, and make hasty decisions. Or you can step back, conquer your emotions, and let logic guide you.
Fully vaccinated HCWs + high-risk exposure + no symptoms = no quarantine 😱
Given the alleged "mildness" (or asymptomatic for some) of Omicron to the fully vaccinated, waiting for symptoms is too late. The collateral damage will be the vulnerable and unvaccinated patients. 😭
Now THIS is how you frame a public health message.
You overestimate the threat and NOT underestimate aka there-is-no-surge-we-are-not-in-a-critical-state narrative. 😒
Today
#Taiwan
reported no new local COVID-19 cases. I want to thank our medical personnel & all citizens for their hard work. I also want to emphasize that this does not mean the virus is gone, so please stay alert & continue following the latest prevention guidelines.
As a planner type of person, my kryptonite will always be uncertainties. Spur-of-the-moment events are welcome, but being in limbo makes me uncomfortable.
When people around you are taking postgraduate degrees, publishing papers left and right, and advancing in their career paths, you can’t help but feel slow in your own race. You just have to find inner peace that your time will come.
For my past duties, I got 2 referrals for anaphylaxis which responded to IM epi. Yesterday, had an informal consult for anaphylactic shock. No response to IM epi and resorted to IV. He improved. But what if he didn't?
[When IM epinephrine fails: a thread]
#FOAMed
#medtweetorial
Kahit strong and independent ka, nakaka-miss din na may ka-“good morning” at “good night”. Sa simula at pagtatapos ng araw mo, sigurado kang may kahit isang taong nakakaisip sayo.
Same time last year, I was emotionally devastated. I felt inadequate. I questioned my self-worth. I chose to be defined by another person.
A year later, I’m happy where I am. With him. With residency.
Unpopular opinion but 2018 was a better year than 2017. 💯
Me: So ilang araw na po yang ubo niyo?
Patient: Isang buwan na po. *coughs*
Me: May plema po ba? *coughs*
Patient: *coughs* Dilaw po *coughs*
Me: May *coughs* lagnat po *coughs* ba?
Mask up especially in crowded places! 😷😷😷
It’s been more than a month already, but it still feels surreal to go back to UPCM now as a faculty member. Thank you for the opportunity and trust, dearest home department! 🏫🩺
My intubated lolo patient finally got to see his daughter after being admitted in the ICU.
He touched her face, mapping its contours. “Ikaw ba yan?”
She held his hand. “Opo, tay. Palakas ka ah. Dito lang kami.”
Definitely one of the “this is what I live for” moments as an MD.
Having good work ethics and achieving work-life balance are not mutually exclusive. The latter should not be achieved by dishonesty and at the expense of colleagues.
The inhumane schedule of training, its unjust (or lack of) compensation, and toxic culture are separate issues.
I was left flabbergasted after finding out that a number of medical interns/clerks abandoned their duty post to watch The Eras Tour. If you think it’s justifiable then maybe a career in medicine is not for you.
A kind-hearted physician (who refused to be named) generously fed the healthcare workers of PGH! Your generosity will forever be remembered, Maam! We will continue to remain strong in this battle! 🏨💪🏻🦠
#COVID19PH
#BayanihanNa
While the toxic hierarchical culture of medicine has to stop and all feelings are valid, medicine will always be rigorous at the end of the day. Much is expected from physicians because lives are at stake when we make decisions. Someday, your competence will save patients.
To our pre-residents tomorrow:
Pre-residency is not just us getting to know you; it's also you getting to know yourself deeper. Going into residency is a major life decision. While the next 2 weeks will be tough, may you find your heart's desire in the process.
Pangarap ko talagang maging gym fit tito na nagba-brunch sa Barcino Rockwell every Sunday kasama yung corgi ko. Sa hapon, kape-kape lang with my amigos and amigas talking about how we made it in life. Tapos sa gabi, wine-wine lang kasi hindi kailangan maaga kapag Monday. 😭
Me: Paano yan kapag nag-start na residency, ‘di mo na ako matatawagan nang madalas. Chat na lang tapos minsan late pa makaka-reply. 😞
Him: E ok na ako sa chat lang. Kaya lang kita madalas tawagan ngayon kasi nilulubos na kita bago ka mag-residency. 😊
My heaaart. 😣😫😩😭
Being both a COVID referral center AND a tertiary referral hospital is a juggling act. And now that non-COVID operations are almost in full swing in the midst of rising COVID cases and crippled workforce, PGH can only do so much.
We need everyone’s help. Mask up, people. 😷