The Bilog Blog Picks a Fight. Issue 1.

Something I saw on the internet pissed me off today. In one of the friendster clone-websites I joined (this one supposedly for book lovers) a person I was connected to gave this review about the book "Soulmates, Karma and Reincarnation" by local woowoo idiot Jaime Licauco:

"either we believe it or not ,, there are some facts that prove about reincarnation... try this book and let's talk bout some experience (if you believe in such thing as karma, reincarnation and soulmate) "

Something in the above statement made me want to provoke a fight. (Guess what it was?! Hahahaha!!) So I added a comment to her little review:

"What facts prove reincarnation?"

I'm waiting for her to reply. I'll keep you losers posted.
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Note: I don't believe in reincarnation. What I do believe is that any Christian or someone with a good education who believes in reincarnation is an idiot.

Next Issue: The Bilog Blog picks a fight with Losers who like The Da Vinci Code.

The week of the crap interview and b*llshit exam.

September 23, 2007

Lest you think that I practically spent the whole week just eating rich food and lying around at home, let me clarify that I did have an eventful week. I had clinic days and was called for an interview at Veteran's Memorial Medical Center. The entrance exam for NKTI was also last Saturday.

The interview at VMMC was, in my opinion, okay except for when they screwed us all in the ass by giving us an oral exam. Each of the interviewees was given a clinical case to discuss with the interview panel. I'm not going to tell you what my case was because I'd really rather not think about it anymore. (Sobs in the corner.)

Last Saturday was the entrance exam for the residency program of NKTI. While I did browse through my Harrison's I have to admit that I didn't study for it since I was trying to finish my Microbiology for USMLE.
...
Okay, fine! I was also lazy! Ahhh, Constant Reader, you know me so well. F*ck you.

At NKTI, I met a batchmate of mine from UPCM and some people who were my clerks at PGH. They were all taking the same test I was. Holy crap! Madami na kami na UP grads applying for only FIVE slots sa IM Department! (Nakanampucha naman mehn!) Then there were about 60 to 70 others applying and taking the exam that day. I had a really bad feeling about my chances and I'm no longer hoping for it.

As for the exam, the only thing I can say about it is, "tawa na lang ako."
I then went home and sulked for the whole day and only went out when I was weak from hunger.

Wow, two ass reamings in a week! No wonder I overate.

The Week of Overeating

September 23, 2007

My mother is currently visiting my brother and his wife in Hong Kong, leaving me and my cousin to fend for ourselves. What this basically means, since we were both fully functioning adults, is that we were left to our own devices when it came to our meals. I don't know what my cousin ate but I soon found myself, after a few meals, in a bit of a pickle.

The fundamental problem I had was basically I could only barely afford to feed myself. To solve this, I made out a budget and told myself I was going to stick to it. I woke up late everyday so I didn't have to eat breakfast. What I had almost everyday was brunch, which according to Timmy Turner's dad in the cartoon Fairly Oddparents is "better than lunch!" I planned to stick to the standards, Jollibee, McDonald's and KFC and probably something like Chicken Bacolod or a pizza. The purpose of eating out was also so I didn't have to wash dishes or put out the garbage.

By the end of the 2nd day, I was sick at the thought of fastfood. So I shifted to foodcourt stuff which was only marginally better and more expensive since I ate at the foodcourt in Gateway Mall. My budget was in shambles soon enough because of this. I also found myself eating more than what I normally eat (an understatement), having extra rice for one thing and some dessert, which I normally never have. Having to get dressed every few hours to walk to the mall soon wore me down. Kakatamad!

By the end of the 5th day (last Friday), I was a bit eager for my mother to come home. However, I did not want to worry her too much since I knew she was enjoying her stay abroad so I just shut up about how I was eating when we talked over YM.

Tomorrow, I pick her up at the airport so my week of hellish (not really) overeating is finally over.

Conclusions:

1. If ever end up living alone, I need to hire a cook. Someone who knows how to cook healthful meals. Otherwise, I predict I'll be dead by 40.

2. My eating habits since med school have changed. I can no longer tolerate non-home cooked meals for very long. Nakakasawa ang food court at fastfood.

3. I am a spoiled brat and will probably be hanging around my mother's house even when she and Dad are old and retired.

4. I'm obsessed with food. I even write about it in my blog. Huhuhuhuhuh!!!

A Clinic Story - that sucked!

This guy comes in and he tells me he has a problem with "singaw." I take a look and see one small oral ulcer on the inside of his lower lip. I then disregarded one of the lessons I learned in medicine: "Don't overthink." I asked about sexual history. Yup, he did have sex with a you-know-what. I then asked him if he developed a painless lesion in his thingy. Yes he did. I then informed him that he may have syphilis and that we needed to do a blood test (RPR) to confirm. I then made out a lab request and sent him on his way with the instruction of seeing me when he got the results back.

I was a bit proud of myself. I was finally developing the vaunted CLINICAL EYE. I was so sure of the diagnosis that I even filled out a prescription for antibiotics.

Then the poor fellow came back with the results. Negative.
Hehehe. So much for clinical eye.

THE JP Update - September 2007.

Hello! For once sinipag din ako gumawa ng update sa super blog na ito. Stuff happened during the past few days since my last post. A lot of stuff.


August 27, 28, 29

I went to the 1st ever BREATHE Conference which was held in the PETA theater in QC last August 27-29. I paid 1500 for it and it sucked. It was supposed to be a CME (continuing medical education) seminar but instead it was a disorganized mess. The lectures which I wanted to attend were in conflict with the Basic Life Support workshop which I had to attend (due to NKTI requiring it of their applicants) and the lectures I did manage to attend were for respiratory therapists and nurses. What was I doing in a lecture on the different types of mechanical ventilators for example? There was even this Australian speaker who gave a talk about Buteyko Breathing, a psuedo-scientific load of crap and I could see that all us doctors there were itching to interrupt and say that what the speaker was saying was pure horsesh*t. However, the Filipino trait of not wanting to contradict and embarrass guests prevailed and I (and apparently everyone else) kept my piehole shut.

And then there was the food.

The food, while okay, was in very small portions that we had to (even the very slim doctor who was with us) buy additional food later. That to me was the worst thing about the whole damn conference.

The whole seminar was a waste of money and the only good thing I got out of it was the BLS training and certificate. I left early on the last day and went home to sleep and cry on my pillow for the money I had flushed down the toilet.

September 1
I was called for an orientation for pre-residency in Quirino Memorial Medical Center last Saturday. I went there early and was shocked to learn that the damn thing was a month long and was in September. However, they did say it was okay for us to do it in October and about half of us jumped on that. The residents then gave us a tour of the whole hospital.

As we walked through the place, I began to have a feeling that while I had run away from my beloved PGH, I was going to a place that was almost a twin of PGH. A big hospital bursting with charity patients. I didn't know if I should rejoice or feel dread. This time, I would not even have the luxury of my peers of having clerks and interns to order around!!

As of today, I'm only about 50% sure that I'm going to go through with it and show up there on October 1. You see, I finally received my exam permit for my step 1 MLE and I know I have to ace it in order to have a good score. I was advised to not go and just spend October studying. I don't know. I'll give you updates later.


September 4
I spent the day cleaning the car and driving to 2 hospitals today. I went to National Kidney and Transplant Institute and to Veteran's Memorial to submit applications for residency. More on that in later blog updates. Tamad na ako eh.