Before our end of shift for the first week in the LR/DR/OR of the OB-GYN department, Super Typhoon Bising (International name: Surigae), has hit the region.
Last day syndrome
It was my last day in our LR/DR/OR shift for the week. I had a 6 am shift and I have stayed the night as transient occupant in a boarding house near the hospital. As I stepped out of the door, I knew that the weather is not at all the best one for a last-day shift. Last day syndrome, they say- it's going to be toxic.
I was in my white uniform, clad in a cute pink umbrella I had borrowed from my room mate. I braved the storm, with the umbrella tilted in front like a shield as the wind blows and sends raindrops into me. I wasn't looking attentively on the path I was taking as I was busy trying not to get wet when I turned the wrong corner. Being new in the neighborhood, I wasn't really familiar with the streets and I thought I got lost. I had panicked for a while when I saw an unfamiliar dead-end. I walked faster, thinking that if this wasn't the right way, I could just retrace back my steps and find my way back, still with time to spare. As reached the dead end, I looked for the familiar fountain that served as the landmark of the entrance to the village. I was so disoriented, lost, wet and cold. What a start! In the end, I managed to retrace back and re-orient my lost self and found my way out of the village and into the main road.
Super Typhoon Bising; Super Busy(ng) Clerks
I was already in the hospital when I learned that it was a super typhoon that's bringing in the rain and strong winds. I thought it was just a low pressure area. Although it's raining outside, our duties and responsibilities inside still has to be performed. We had 5 patients in the Delivery room for close monitoring, and one at the OR.
We had hypertensive patients at risk for pre-term labor and were for close monitoring for further elevation of blood pressure to avoid seizure and non-reassuring fetal status. One patient is a post-stroke pregnant mother with no sensation on her right half of the body. Her baby kept on sleeping as shown on the CTG monitor as minimal changes on the feta heart rate. We have to wake the baby up by ringing a bell on the tummy. It was cute and fascinating to watch as the fetal heart rate changes with each ring, as if the baby was screaming for ice cream.
It was almost 9 am when the school admin had a meeting discussing our concerns re face-to-face clerkship and possible suspension of duties today, and they were shocked to know that we're already on duty. Duh! Our duty started at 6am while they're still contemplating weather we are water proof or not. What did they expect?
Anyway, it was around 11:30 when they announced that our duty today was suspended and that we could leave post already. But before leaving we had to take one last check on the heart rate tracings of the patients' babies. Good thing, one of my groupmates had a car they dropped me off along their way somewhere near my place where I could just hire a tricycle going home.
The commute in the rain was a hassle. Especially with all the things I have brought with me- a heavy duty bag, a miscellaneous bag for PPEs, and a kit with our tools and med stuff in it.
By the time I went home, the wind has already picked up and the rain has become stronger. There was total blackout in all over the place. I also had to wash all my clothes and PPEs I have used for the past few days, which I left soaked in detergent soap and bleach.
My phone's battery was barely hanging. I have been saving what's left with the battery to keep updated with the suspension of duty, whether we'll resume by the next day. Our class groupchat have been buzzing nonstop until the awaited announcement of suspension of duty tomorrow has come. We have been asking the school admin for a one-day off to accommodate other personal duties like doing laundry, buying groceries, claiming of allowance from money transfers, and to rest. However, our efforts raising our concerns seemed futile. The school admin be not giving us a day off and so mother nature stepped in an gave us one, saving some from 24-hour duties. And so we retired our worrisome mind and tired bodies. Hoping for the storm to die down sooner.
After all, we survived "last day syndrome" with enough rest.
See you on the next update!
Love you ten thousand! 💕
