September 3rd, 2009
Let's Eat @ Buckaroo's
Maraming bagong food outlet ngayon sa SM Fairview Annex 2 and so Jes and I decided to try one of them. From the different choices that we have, we chose to eat at Buckaroo's.
When we arrived there, wala pa masyadong customers, kakabukas pa lang kasi ng SM at that time and so we have time to enjoy the ambience of the place. Talagang niyakap nila ang concept na Wild West with matching cowboy hats on display pati yung style ng tables and chairs akmang-akma sa theme nila.
We ordered one of their classic pizza, the Ranchero (toppings include: ground beef, pepperoni, ham, sausage and bacon) and one burger, the Chuckwagon Burger (Bacon Cheese Burger).
1/4 slice of the 8" Ranchero
The Ranchero was toasted/grilled perfectly, hindi sya nasunog as in sakto lang talaga giving the crust of pizza a perfect crispiness. The toppings were also sufficient at hindi kulang. What I really liked in this pizza e yung sufficient amount nung cheese na nilagay nila, hindi sila nagtipid kaya talagang cheesy yung pizza.
Chuckwagon Burger (Bacon Cheese Burger)
The Chuckwagon Burger, on the other hand, was also great. Medyo mahirap lang sya kainin pero tamang-tama yung pagkaluto dun sa beef patty and although hindi namin mkita yung cheese, lasang-lasa naman sya and together with the beef juices, lumabas talaga yung sarap nung burger.
All in all, I can say that my experience in Buckaroo's is not what I'm expecting. Beyond expectation sya and to think that the food price is not that costly, hindi sya ganung kamura but still affordable and the price is worth it naman. I just hope na sana kapag tumagal sila they'll not change the amount/serving of each ingredients in their products para hindi masira yung quality na inooffer nila today.
RATING: 
September 1st, 2009
A Past Entry That Was Never Posted
While reading some of my drafts here in Tabulas, I found this entry. Hindi ko alam kung bakit hindi ko sya naipost dati but it is so funny na until now parang applicable pa rin yung entry na ito sa buhay ko. Here it is:
12/29/2008
Have you ever doubted yourself? your abilities? your skills?
Well, this is just a random rambling about my insecurities but still I needed to let it out. So here it goes.
Before entering college, I'm very sure that I really wanted to become a nurse. Although I know what kind of job the nurses have, I had a different image of them. Not the usual one, I envisioned them to be a compassionate one, a person that brings hope and cares a lot for the patient's well-being.
During college, I saw the difficulty of the path that I would undergo and once asked myself if being a nurse is a good choice. I thought God already gave me His answer to my doubting mind. Why? Well aside from not being prepared in the college exam, I am able to pass it. Then even though my college interview is actually a mess, I was able to pass it too. Well, at first I thought I did ok in that interview but when I heard what kind of interview my classmates had, I thought how come I passed my interview when I took that interview as a joke. I thought nobody would fail an interview or rather that interview is just for a show, for formality sake only and nothing else. But hell I was wrong. There are people who didn't make it in the college because they failed their interview. So I thought maybe I'm just a lucky guy because aside from not answering the interviewer in English (they're asking me in English but I still answer them in Tagalog) I still passed it. Then I thought maybe this is God's answer to my doubting mind. If He had other plans for me, surely I'm not studying nursing in one of the best nursing colleges in the country. At that time, my mind was set. I'm destined to become a nurse and I will do a great job. I'll become a very good nurse.
But after college, my mind doubts again. Aside from the fact it's very difficult to find work, I felt that I chose a wrong course, wrong career. I asked myself, why I took nursing when I should be taking this kind of course. Why nursing, when I love doing this kind of job. etc. But still, I endure. I look for job. Review for my NCLEX. But still doubt clouds my mind.
I already passed my NCLEX. Then I thought maybe this is God's answer to my doubting mind once again. To believe that I am really destined to become a nurse. I don't know. Maybe, maybe I should really stop doubting myself. Maybe. But I'm still having difficulties. I hope someday, everything will go smoothly. Without any troubles. With a happy ending. Is it even possible? I think this is the time that I should say, "In God I trust."
So that's my entry long time ago, ang drama no? Right now I have little doubt about myself being a nurse pero I'm still wondering why among the batches, our batch (Batch 2007) ang pinakaminalas. Bilang lang siguro sa amin ang masasabing masaya sila sa naging takbo ng kanilang career as a nurse. Almost all siguradong hirap pa rin maghanap ng work as a nurse at ang ilan opted to choose a different path already.
Siguro kung swabe lang ang naging buhay namin, we already have 2 years of experience at kung sawa na kami magtrabaho dito sa Pilipinas we can now work and look for greener pastures out there sa ibang bansa. Pero hindi e, this is the reality of being a nurse in our time. Mas marami pang naging call center agents at med reps kesa sa naging nurse. Ang iba nga napunta sa linyang napakalayo sa nursing e.
I'm giving myself two years time at kung wala pa ring nangyayari sa buhay ko, siguro magbubusiness na lang ako, ang problema ko lang parang hindi ko ata kayang pumasok sa business world e..pero let's see and try, kung kaya ko ngang tiisin ang hirap ng naidulot ng pagiging nurse ko, ano ba nman ang konting tiis pa, db? Maybe my luck is in there?
August 31st, 2009
Oh Yessss!
Finally after a month and nine days (oo, binilang ko talaga ang mga araw) nakapag-scrub na ulit ako. It was my first time in my current hospital. Unlike in my previous hospital kung saan 20+ mahigit ang mga cases sa isang araw, doon sa bago kong hospital napakadalang kasi nga nagsstart pa lang sya. Pero simula dumating kami doon nagkaroon na ng 8 surgeries doon, unfortunately, everytime na may operation, either off ako or iba ang shift ko.
Syempre yung surgeon (which is also the Medical Director) alam nyang sabik na akong magkakaso kaya last Saturday bigla nyang sinabing, "duty ka ba sa Monday? May Lap Chole ako, 7 am." Sabi ko naman opo duty ako, 6-2....and so kanina nag-scrub na ako. Hay! wala lang nakakamiss talaga ang ka-toxican ng OR. Mas gusto kong may kaso kahit sobrang OT at ang hihirap ng kaso ko kesa naman sa wala akong ginagawa at natutulog na lang.
*****
Tinanong ko pala yung isang senior OR nurse kung sobrang galing ba nya nung college sa Anatomy and Physiology kasi ang galing-galing nya. E hindi daw, through experience lang daw kaya medyo ok na sya sa Ana-Physio. He then told me na one way daw kaya natuto sya kasi everytime after the surgery rineresearch nya yung case so by the time na may same operation medyo may idea na sya....sa isip ko ganun pala un sana sinabi nya nung nandun pa ako sa hospital na maraming kaso..o well at least ngayon alam ko na gagawin ko para maintindihan ko ung operation na ginagawa.
*****
Ngayon gagawa na ulit ako ng bagong category: OR Manual kung saan ilalagay ko yung mga nangyayari sa akin sa OR at mag-share na rin ng info about sa surgery that I have assisted now and before. So to begin with here's some information about:
LAPAROSCOPIC CHOLECYSTECTOMY
Definition: Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy is now the gold standard treatment and is the commonest operation performed laparoscopically worldwide. It is a minimally invasive approach that involves specialized video equipment and instruments that allow a surgeon to remove the gallbladder through four tiny incisions, most of which are less than a half-centimetre in size.
Lap Chole OR Set-up
Procedure: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy requires several small incisions in the abdomen to allow the insertion of surgical instruments and a small video camera. So, the surgeon makes a small incision at the navel to insert a thin tube carrying the video camera. The camera sends a magnified image from inside the body to a video monitor, giving the surgeon a close-up view of the organs and tissues. The surgeon then inflates the abdomen with carbon dioxide, a harmless gas, for easier viewing and to provide room for the surgery to be performed. Next, two needles-like instruments are inserted at a different place. These instruments serve as tiny hands within the abdomen. They can pick up the gallbladder, move intestines around, and generally assist the surgeon. Finally, several different instruments are inserted to clip the gallbladder artery and bile duct, and to safely dissect and remove the gallbladder and stones. When the gallbladder is freed, it is then eased out of the tiny navel incision. The entire procedure normally takes 60 minutes.
My Experience: Well, it was really an easy operation once you know what instruments are needed and the sequence of the operation. As a scrub nurse, I can say that having this kind of operation instead of the traditional one or the Open Cholecystectomy make our lives easier because first, the operation needed only few surgical instruments aside from the hand instruments needed by the surgeon to do the operation laparoscopically. Second, we can also relax during the operation especially when it is not a toxic one. But this kind of operation doesn't mean success everytime, sometimes due to some factors, surgeons may do open surgery when they find it difficult to continue with laparoscopic approach.
Credits:
http://www.siumed.edu
http://www.aasthahealthcare.com/Laparoscopic-Cholecystectomy-Surgical-Treatment.htm
August 28th, 2009
Masaya at Malungkot
One week pa lang ang lumipas pero parang isang buwan na ang dumaan sa dami ng nangyari sa buhay ko.
May malungkot, may masaya pero ngayong iniisip ko, mas marami atang lungkot kesa sa saya e, bakit kaya ganun, will there be a time na masaya naman ang buhay ko without worrying that problems will be just around the corner. Naiinggit ako sa mga taong parang perfect ang buhay, all of their plans fall perfectly in place, pero ok lang I know naman my experience will help me to become a better and stronger person, sana lang wag sumobra dahil baka hindi ko rin kayanin ang problems. Tao lang ako at hindi superhero.
So ito na ang kuwento ko:
Last week, sinimulan ng current hospital ko na wag papasukin ang ilang staff ng hospital (ang wild guess namin, wala silang pampasweldo sa kanila) so kaming mga nasa OR (na parang swinerte dahil hndi kami nadamay dun sa lay-off kuno)ang naging reliever sa mga areas na walang nurses. Iniutos ng higher ups na dapat one OR nurse lang ang nasa OR complex every shift (kmusta naman yun db?) so kapag dalawa kami (yun na ang marami) ang isa pupunta sa ER or sa ward. Ok lang sa akin para ma-enhance naman ang nursing skills ko na mukhang tuluyan ng nawala pero parang everytime na papasok kami doon hindi kami napupunta sa OR, nakakapagod din yun para kaming permanent pull-out, e OR nurse ang inaply namin dun e.
Nakuha na rin namin yung sweldo namin last week at nagulat kami ng malaman naming trainee ang status namin dun sa hospital kaya kakapirangot na Php150 a day lang ang sweldo este allowance pala namin. Hindi sya makatarungan actually dahil parang lahat ng hirap at effort naming pagandahin ang OR nila ganun lang ang bayad sa amin. Ang masklap pa, nung araw na nakuha ko ung sweldo, sa ER ako naka-assign, e nung araw na yun Php 1000+ ang naipasok ko sa hospital tpos ang sweldo ko hindi man lang kumalahati dun sa naipasok ko!
Syempre hindi dyan natapos ang problema ko, after makuha ang sweldo, dumiretso kami sa dati naming hospital na pinagtrabahuan pra bisitahin ang ilang OR staff at planuhin na rin yung birthday nung isang staff. After nun sumabay ako sa isang senior staff pauwi. Akala ko ok na ang lahat sa araw na yun kaso may pahabol pa pala...Madaling araw biglang nagtext yung senior staff na kasabay ko, nagagalit sya sa akin. Ako naman itong nagtataka kung anong nagawa ko, yun pala nalaman nyang sinabi ko dun sa isang staff yung sinabi nya sa akin, e wala naman akong bad intention sa ginawa ko, basta in short ayaw na nya akong pagkatiwalaan.
Syempre nung sumapit na ang umaga, tinext ko sya ng sobrang haba to explain my side (hindi kasi nya sinasagot yung tawag ko, saka naka-duty na ata sya). Buti na lang nung gabi na, triny ko ulit syang tawagan at sinagot naman nya at nag-explain ulit ako at nagexplain din sya ng side nya. In the end nagka-ayos din kami at forgive and forget na daw.
After nun, following day another dilemma came around sa buhay ko. Nagdecide na ung mga kasama kong i-boycott ang hospital na pinapasukan namin. Hindi na nila kaya yung ginagawa sa amin na parang bolang pinagpapasa-pasahan, at yung turing sa amin ng ilang staff na porke't kilala namin ung medical director e parang almighty na daw kami umasta so they're talking behind our backs e kami nga itong nagpapakasuper humble na at lahat-lahat. Basta ready na silang umalis with or without any hospital na pwedeng pasukan. Ako naman itong pilit nag-coconvince sa kanila na konting tiis pa, kasi mas gusto kong may sure ball na hospital kaming babagsakan kesa naman tuluyan kaming mawalan ng trabaho at mahirapan pang maghanap ulit. Then after several days, napilit ko silang maghintay lang muna to see some improvements (kung meron o wala, dun kami magdedecide...syempre after pa namin kausapin si Medical Director)
Then, birthday na nung OR staff dun sa dati naming hospital. Night before that ok na ang plano, as in ok na sa alright pero kinabukasan binulaga kami ng sobrang lakas na ulan na nagdulot ng kabahaan sa Kamaynilaan. E 6-2 shift pa naman ako pagdating ko dun sa area, hala lagpas bewang na ang baha, pinilit nung FX driver na ibaba kami sa destination namin pero in the end gumive up din sya. 3 hours late ako at iniisip kong umuwi na lang pero napilit ako nung night shift na pumasok (wala kasi syang kasama at hindi rin sya makauwi kasi nga baha), pero in fairness kahit lagpas, lagpas ang baha sa bewang ng mga tao, nakarating ako sa hospital na hindi man lamang nabasa. Ang masaklap lang sa araw na yun Php150 na ang nagastos ko (dahil hindi ko sinunod ang instinct ko na magdala ng tsinelas, so bumili pa ako ng tsinelas na worth Php50 tapos yung pedicab na may motor e kumikitang kabuhayan pa at Php100 ang singil sa akin), hindi pa kasama pamasahe papunta at pauwi, so in short nagastos ko rin yung sweldo ko for that day, abunado pa ako dahil hindi pa counted ang pamasahe ko at siguradong may kaltas pa yun kasi 3 hrs late ako. Natuloy naman yung birthday party pero hindi na kami nag Star City, kumain na lang kami sa Congo Grill at uminom ng kape sa Starbucks.
Tapos the following day, pumayag na akong sumama sa mga kasama ko na maghanap at mag-apply sa ibang hospital pero out of 4 hospitals na pinuntahan namin, sa isa lang kami nakapagbigay ng resume at other requirements tapos hindi pa yun for immediate employment...maghintay lang daw kami ng tawag. So in the end, naisip naming magtitiis na nga lang talaga muna kami sa current hospital namin. Pero bago matapos yung araw, nakausap nung supervisor namin yung Medical Director and she explained to him our situation, sabi nya, ok na daw ang lahat, naayos na nya yung sweldo namin (ito ang titingnan namin ngayong araw ng sweldo kung ok n nga ba or hndi pa rin) saka medyo maghintay lang daw kami at makakaraos din daw yung hospital.
Then after nun, so far itinigil na ang pagpupull out sa amin sa kung saan-saang area...nakapirmi na kami sa OR ulit at may mga bago na kaming OR instruments...sana lang mag-tuloy tuloy na sya at umasenso na yung hospital...
O db parang lahat ng mga yan nangyari lang sa loob ng isang linggo, pero para talagang buwan ang lumipas....Nakakapagod!
