Chapter Fourteen
Dennise POV:
Five years later..
"So we have Mr. Onesimus Rivera, dob 12/13/66, NKDA, Hospital Number is 1234567890, he is here for a carotid endarectomy of the left carotid artery with 78% stenosis," I heard the floating Nurse, Ms. Santillan's serious voice as she initiates the beginning stage of the operation.
After several confirmation from the anestheist back to series of questions to the floating nurse, the assigned surgeon, Miss Villanueva began doing her job. As someone who has practicing her one year residency here in the Philippine General Hospital, this had become a weekly routine of mine and the team. Usually twice or thrice in a week kaming mga interns na labas-masok sa loob ng operating room ng hospital or known to us as the 'amphitheatre'.
This had been my dream ever since, so kahit medyo toxic sa OR-always naman, na kahit palaging kulang sa tulog, because there were times or most of the time, madaling araw na ang schedule na binibigay sa amin then you have the 7am rounds after, giving you 2-3 hours of sleep or none at all, I really don't mind because for me this is the beginning of my purpose in life. Seeing your patients, seeing you as their hope sent an exquisite pleasure to mine every single day. I also love discovering the inside of one's body and so far vascular was my favorite.
But tonight or I must say this very early day as I glanced at my wrist watch strikes at one o'clock in the morning, I couldn't help but to silently pray that this operation pushed through successfully as planned. Mr. Rivera is one of my patients, whom I usually talking to after I've done with my rounds. He's the man with so much positivity in his life. One of the reasons din na I'm hoping walang maging aberya is because I'm going to meet my bestfriend Aly after this. I haven't seen her all week because of my hectic schedule so later on I'm dealing with her. I felt my face heated up behind my thick mask, as excitement enveloped my physically self.
"Dennise," I stopped on my track as Paul, one of the interns called out. The operation was successful and we were all heading out. "Coffee break muna tayo with the team," he said as we took sideways to give way to the nurses wheeling the patient to his recovery room.
"I cant." I answered shaking my head. "I have to meet my bestfriend now."
"Okay, well have a good night then, I mean have a good morning." He laughed realizing it was already four in the morning. I said my goodbye to the others before I hurriedly went down to the nurses station located at the 2nd floor.
"You're just in time, Doc Den," Lila, one of the nurses I became close with, said smiling after she saw me approaching the nurses' station. "Tara, I save a good seat for the both of us, mukhang madaming manonood ngayon," she said grabbing my arm towards one of the doors of the Doctor's Office.
There were at least ten persons inside as Lila and I sat on the only vacant seat beside the big porcelain vase placed at the far end of the room. I was glad, Dr. Ho, brother ni Gretchen, lent us his office after he saw us the other day na nakikinood sa Ipad sa loob ng nurses station. We've got some scolding but in return he lent us his office plus his 40 inches tv as a way of him for not getting caught us again. I observed that today it was placed on the center of the room, on eyelevel unlike before na nakapwesto sa upper right corner ng office nya. The room became alive and some cheering began as the lenghty commercial ended and it began showing the players of the two opposing volleyball teams warming up on the court.
