Five Years After

01

"Doktora Claraval! Nakikinig ka ba? Naiwan na ata utak mo sa pansitan!"

This is what woke me up from my dream in the operating room. My eyes shot open, adrenaline suddenly pumping through my veins. It was 6 in the evening and I was dozing off while assisting.

"Sorry po, doc." I mumbled.

"Huh! How do you expect me to trust you to do your surgeries if tinutulugan mo lang ako? Senior ka pa naman na. Specimen out." Ani ni Dr. Ed Divinagracia.

"Sorry po, doc." Patuloy ako humingi ng tawad with my head down.

Nkakahiya talaga but then I have been awake for the past 36 hours. Not kidding. Pero hindi naman ito bago kapag surgical resident ka. It is expected that you go on duty for 24 hours, then the following day na post-duty ka, hanggang alas-singko ka magtatrabaho.

In theory. Pero alam naman natin na that theory does not always apply in real life situations. Hindi na rin bago ang basta na lang manirahan ang residents sa ospital kasi by the time they finish their work, 10 or 11 na ng gabi and it's dangerous to head home na barag-barag, either to drive, commute, or kahit na maglakad lang pabalik ng condo. More often than not, hindi nasusunod yung status nyo na pre-duty, duty, post-duty.

"Okay, Cara, ikaw na bahala sa patient. Thank you, everyone, enjoy the weekend!" nagpaalam na si Dr. Divinagracia, and this snapped me out of my drowsiness yet again. At kahit na wasak ako, I noticed that first name na ulit tawag nya sakin. Yes! Naka move-on na agad si doc E-di!

"Okay doc, thank you!" sagot namin ng mga OR staff. It's Friday na pala, hindi ko man lang nakita ang sinag ng araw the whole day today. Oh well, tomorrow's another day and it's the weekend so I can see Justin!

I hope walang emergency ORs tonight. I am so looking forward to sleep in my real bed. Sana tapos na silang mag rounds, I'm so hungry and tired and sleepy and dirty, baka pwedeng matulog na lang ako sa washing machine while naka NGT? Sana pwede, but no.

When I got out of the changing room, sinalubong ako nina Kaloy at Jasmine, my batchmates for life. Fifth year na kami. It was our last year and they were graduating this December. Whereas ako, I have a couple of months na extension dahil sa mga nangyari noong first year ako.

We went through a lot as first and second years, no thanks to my unplanned pregnancy. Nevertheless, hindi nila ako pinabayaan. And when they were in trouble, hindi ko naman sila iniwan. I can't help but smile, maswerte kami sa isa't-isa. Hindi kami nag bibilangan ng trabaho, tho minsan, nagnanakawan lang kami ng mga gamit ng isa't-isa.

"Guys, wasak na wasak na ako, please tell me tapos na kayo mag rounds." I begged them.

"Of course, babe! Ikaw pa ba pababayaan namin?" sagot ni Kaloy na nakangiti. I also smiled and my heart melted. I can go home tonight!

"Babe, how are you? Nasigawan ka raw ni Doc E-Di." Concerned na tanong ni Jasmine. Mukhang fresh na fresh ito galing sa paligo at ambango pa ng buhok. She looks pristine at 7 pm on a duty day. Just you wait when the party-goers are on their way home, you won't be so pristine. But damn this girl, I want what she had: a bath.