The Patient

13. SKOOKUM

   Dominggo Romerico Morgarojo , Cum Laude ,  Doctor of Medicine !
   Those were the words most awaited for  by his mother and his father, both proudly attending his graduation from the course leading  to the  goal of his life , to own and manage a topnotch hospital in the region. He had wanted so long to open the first private secondary care health institution in his hometown, to provide medical care to his long suffering people. He knew only a few can afford to bring their sick members where tertiary medical facilities can  be sought. The primary medical care provided by the government operated health center really needed to be substantiated by a tertiary hospital facility. He wanted to gradually attract also the nearby towns populace who would later cater to the tertiary hospital he eventually want to build.
Not only will he be able to improve his town's health indices but also concentrate on treating his parents afflictions.
   Dom had remembered his family's  displeasure and also puzzlement  at his career choice. But he wanted to do something in a place where his service matters. He would be in his father's  shadow and more importantly , his influence. Dom's father was a big shot businessman in their province , but Dom had a different passion. The elder Morgarojo disapproved, saying it wasn't  a real career he was going into, meaning there was no money to be made, more than anything.
Dom  disagreed. In his eyes, what he was getting into was more important than what his father was doing.
   After years of arguments and threats about being cut off, Dom's  father finally conceded. Dom couldn't  be sure, but he could  have sworn his father's  breaking point was when his mother nearly lost her life via her own hands one fateful night. A night preceeded by a loud and violent altercation between his parents and the sudden departure and whole day disappearance of his father. He could have lost his family in a blink of an eye. But happily , when he reappeared the following night with Father Abel, the Parish priest, the husband and wife and the Priest talked for a long time inside closed doors. Dom had  a very dim idea about what happened, only that his mother threatened to take her own life if left behind. On that night his
father had their helpers pack their luggage and provisions for a whole month stay in Manila. This unplanned trip extended to a six months vacation abroad- around the world. Luckily, for Dom, that was on a time he was still bargaining about what he really wanted to pursue as a career.
   This drove his dreams and efforts to study and work to be a doctor. After his four year pre med course , he needed only a few more years before he can launch his dream profession. And dream project. And he had to take a management course on line at the same time.
   As all doctors, Dom began as a resident, which means  working under the supervision of more senior doctors on seeing and treating patients in a hospital in  Manila. Depending on his specialty preference, he spent his days talking with patients, performing surgery or other interventions or conducting research studies.
   After  residency, he began independent practice as supervising attending physician in a hospital. Then he pursued fellowship to gain advanced training in a subspecialty. At this point, he also began teaching, passing his earned skills to the next generation.
   As his proficiency and renown grew as a wholistic medicine practitioner, his clinical practice encroached on their family's  palatial residence area. More than half of their mansion was used for the DRM Hospital accoutrements, as what his healing institution began to be known. He came to realize that becoming a doctor really was a path that required hard work , dedication and strong  desire to provide compassionate care to others.
   On his parent's  death in a car accident while touring abroad, he became the sole executor of their estate and guardian of his siblings.
   At this time, he became aware that his sister Corazon has grown up to be a very beautiful young woman, and being pursued by most eligible bachelor's in town and beyond.
   And his brother Manuel  was still confused and undecided whether to follow their father's  footsteps and take over their various business enterprises, or practice his profession as an Attorney at Law.
    Still, Dom knew they regarded him as their strong, brave and impressive brother, who was tough and reliable in this, their dire hour of need... their 
SKOOKUM.
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