Laughter is the Best Medicine 1

Check out one of my hospital bloopers!

I remember when I was still a medical clerk and was rotating at Fabella Medical Center (the baby factory of the Philippines!), I was assigned to monitor the vital signs of all the patients together with some colleagues. The ward was so huge it has 100-150 bed capacity.When I was in this particular row, I noticed a pregnant patient with her baby's head sticking out from her!I noticed that the baby was already cyanotic and so my instinct told me to call the attention of the resident doctors and to pull out the baby right there and then (yes, without even wearing sterile gloves)!

And so at the top of my lungs I screamed "Doc, baby out!" All of the patients, nurse and everyone in that huge ward stared at me puzzled while I panicked. Then one of the doctors approached me and told me to calm down because it's alright. What I didn't know was the patient had intrauterine fetal death (the baby was already dead inside) and they were just waiting for the mother to spontaneously deliver the baby so that they won't have to induce labor!

Yikes! I made a scene and it was very embarrassing!

Confession of an Atypical Physician

"Atypical pneumonia is a term used to describe a form of pneumonia not caused by one of the more traditional pathogens. The term 'atypical' is used because atypical bacteria commonly affect healthier people, cause generally less severe pneumonia, and respond to different antibiotics than other bacteria." Source


A few weeks ago, I met up with a new friend. After waiting for him for several minutes, and seeing me for the first time, his first words were “Uy, ‘di ka mukhang duktor…!” (You don’t look like a doctor at all…)

I want to entertain the idea that the reason why he said that was because I look like a ramp model or a matinee idol but he was quick to say “…kasi mukha kang high school!" (…because you looked like in high school!)

It was not the first time I heard that.

Nurses in the ward would ask me how old I am because to them I have the physique of a 16-year old. They will jokingly say that I resemble somebody who’s just running an errand for his mom but then ended up having 24-hours duty in the hospital!

I can’t figure it out if it is a compliment or otherwise.

But on the other hand I admit maybe I really don’t look like a doctor—not because of my appearance but because a huge chunk of my personality and everyday life is very “un-doctor-like.” Let me share these things with you:

Generally, I don’t see myself in the future as a “hardcore physician” but, instead, I envisioned myself doing other things not related to medicine. I want to have a great family, serve the poor, be an investor, etc.

I want to put up a business that will be my main source of income (I see my medical practice as a form of service and compensation will just be secondary).

There are times I hate having patients! (if I am not in the mood!)

Sometimes, I don’t dress like a doctor. I am fond of wearing denim jeans, shirts, and sandals. There was one time I saw a patient in our house wearing only sando and shorts! (hehe!)

I am a budding entrepreneur, infopreneur, and soon I will be a financial consultant and will be in the business of educating people how money works.

Everyday I walk approximately 200-300 meters from Fatima University Medcal Center on my way home as a form of exercise (also to save money).

Before I go on duty at the hospital, I drop by at the chapel and ask for His guidance. After my duty, I say my thanks to God. I tithe. I pray the rosary with my family every evening. I even say a prayer before I insert an intravenous line (so that I won’t miss—but I miss the vein anyway!)

And there are a lot more!

Yes, I am a doctor. Unconventional, sometimes even radical!

iSTETHOSCOPE Medical Apparel

Hello guys! I’m launching my first line of medical apparels in the market—the iSTETHOSCOPE Adult BP cuff. So if you’re bored with your usual BP cuff, why not spice it up a little! For orders just email me.

P.S.
iSTETHOSCOPE Pedia BP Cuff to follow very very soon!

Smoking is Bad for Your Health

This morning I was approached by a pretty, young, sexy lady—asking me if I smoke.

You see, she's a promo girl working for a popular brand of cigarette. They were showcasing a new look for that brand name and as part of promotion she told me they are giving away freebies if I buy just one pack of cigar.

Fighting the temptation to flirt (which I did with utmost will power), I politely said that I don’t because it is bad for the health. (I felt the urge to enumerate to her conditions like pulmonary carcinoma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis and halitosis but I thought it wouldn’t make sense.)

I returned the question to her. She said she does. But probably trying to connect with a potential buyer like me she said she’s trying to quit.

Our conversation ended as she approached another customer, sensing that her charms didn’t work its wonders to me.

Yes, she’s pretty but she’s a total turn-off to me.

Medical Trivias

Hello everone! I just want to share this interesting trivias I got from http://www.triviacountry.com/17_Medicine_Trivia.htm.
Enjoy!

How many miles of blood vessels are there in the average human body?
A: About 62,000.

How many fat cells does the average adult have?
A: Between 40 and 50 billion.

Do identical twins have identical fingerprints?
A: No. No two sets of prints are alike, including those of identical twins.

How much saliva does the average human produce daily?
A: One quart.

How many muscles are there in the human ear?
A: Six.

How many bones are there in the human hand?
A: 27.

What physical symptom is exhibited by those who suffer from blepharospasms?
A: Uncontrollable winking.

Where on the human face is there a muscle known as the corrugator?
A: On the forehead. It's the muscle that contract the forehead into wrinkles and pulls the
eyebrows together.

What part of the human body has the thinnest skin?
A: The eyelid--it's less than 1/100 inch thick.

How many bones are there in your big toe?
A: Fourteen, the same as in your other toes.

What is the average lifespan of a human being's taste bud?
A: From 7 to 10 days.


Truly, our human body is a product of ingenuity of a remarkable Creator! Astig!

Intubated

“This is the air I breathe

This is the air I breathe

Your Holy Presence, living in me…”

- Darlene Zschech (Hillsongs)

A few days ago we admitted a 54 year old female complaining of generalized body weakness, easy fatigability, and pallor. She was conscious and coherent, responding to the queries of her attending physician. I thought nothing special about her, probably just a case of iron-deficiency anemia.

Yesterday, I even talked to her in the morning, asking how she was. She still had body weakness although she was gaining some color after several transfusions of fresh whole blood.

Suddenly, in the afternoon she had changes in sensorium, to the point that her respiratory function stopped. She was eventually intubated. Her stat cranial CT scan showed massive bleed inside her brain, causing a part of her brain which contains the respiratory center to herniate down to the foramen magnum, thus the cessation of breathing. Before she was hooked to a mechanical ventilator I was holding the ambubag—her only means of respiration. Her children cannot help but cry because of the sudden deterioration of their mom. Silently, I said a little prayer for the family, and for her.

There she was, unconscious—dependent to the machine that was mechanically infusing air to her lungs.