If I could dance with my father again.

October 13, 2016 - It seemed to be a normal day. I attended a lecture about diabetes in the morning and a Parasitology laboratory session in the afternoon. I had usual chats with my groupmates while waiting for our laboratory manuals to be checked. Suddenly, I received a text from my half sister. It was unusual because my heart pounded while unlocking my phone. Then she told me that my father was in emergency room in a district hospital in Danao. I panicked and went out and the doctor called me that maybe my father could not make it since he came with no blood pressure and pulse. It could be a heart attack. I begged to the Lord to give my father a chance because I really want that he will see me as a doctor. Later then, yeah he left us and my world seemed to be shattered into pieces. That was indeed my worst day so far.

Yes, I cannot see my daddy anymore. The process of healing wasn't that easy. I may look strong in front of others but deep inside, I couldn't describe it. I still continued going to school. I still attended sgd and took exams but while studying, it was really hard for me to focus. No more monthly meet-ups at SM for me to give him his medicines good for one month. 

Thanks to my mother and sister. For now they are my strength. My mother kept on motivating me to do my best and gave me a huge support. I also had my groupmates, Khaleesix which made my days less bearable. As of now, as i thought about my memories with my daddy, it seems that I smile already unlike before which was so painful. Oh, those roadtrips with him are the best. Those good times he sent me to school and fetched me. Those foodtrips especially at the gold course. I still believe that he's still guiding me. As an honor to him, I moved forward with my studies. I will make him proud in heaven. 

To all of you, cherish your time with your loved ones everyday. Say "I love you" to them always. Our lives are not ours, it is borrowed by God. I may had misunderstandings with my dad before but good that I spent best memories with him on his last years and I felt no regret. I guess he is already done with his mission here on earth.

Daddy, I dedicate this passing grade for this school year for you. Wait and you will see me in my doctorate toga.

Jose Real Lawas

1937-2016

 

Med before you (PBL 1 Journey)

My PBL 1 groupmates:
Daisy Sighs/ Selenosixteen/Group 16

Less than a week from now, I unfold another chapter of my Medicine journey. I am officially a 2nd year medical student. I am so delighted to enter another level in my medical studies. I am so excited to learn about diseases, treatment and clinical diagnoses already. Honestly, I am so happy about reading Harrison's and Robbins.

Actually, since entering and all throughout my journey in Cebu Institute of Medicine was really tough. I never thought that I will be accepted by admissions committee. Prior to the review classes before my medical technologists board exam, I heard rumors that getting to CIM requires connection like for an example, if you have any relatives who are alumni there. At first I was discouraged because I do not belong to the family of doctors. I have a doctor cousin but she's from Cebu Doctor's University. I applied in CDU and got accepted but I didn't consider getting there because of the distance from home. It is located in Mandaue and I live in Minglanilla. I am a home person and I don't like living in dormitories. I know it will be convenient but for me I'd rather live in my home because I know it will be uncomfortable. I just applied in CIM and my grades were just my armor. Thankfully, I got accepted. Aside from it is my dream school, I got used in commuting from Minglanilla to Ramos for four years (I am a Velezian Medical Technology Alumna).

The style in CIM is different. It's style is Problem Based Learning. It is different from the Traditional style of learning since it encourages the students to be independent learners. It doesn't rely on lectures like in the Medtech Days. The instructor doesn't spoonfeed us notes either. We are only given a competency as our guide for studying and correlates (like the doctors will discuss few points about the topics). We have small group discussion (SGD). Like we are divided into groups. In SGD, it is like we share what we read and learn about a certain topic with our group mates with a facilitator doctor observing us. It is really different in C.I.M. Even in laboratory works like Anatomy and Histology, we work independently. It is expected that we are ready through our readings prior to entering the laboratory.

We still have mentor-student meetings. It is the way the facilitator doctors are guiding us in the progress of our grades. It is the time wherein we share our own sentiments about studying.

1st year medicine gave me a chance to grow. I learned that grades are not just the mere key to education. Yes, grades guide us to monitor how much we learn. But I realize that studying to get good grades is not only my objective. I must put everything in my head that I am studying for a dream-- My dream to serve others and become a physician with a heart. I know that the things are learn are useful in treating my patients in the future.

Another, through small group discussions, it practices me on how to mingle with different people. God made us with different kinds and degrees of uniqueness. There may be times that we may not agree completely with others plus we cannot please everybody. Plus in the health care setting, we cannot choose our colleagues. We cannot choose like only my friends will ONLY be my workmates. SGDs and group activities made each one of us practice the sense of professionalism. This school year I will have a new set of groupmates. I am not praying that most of my groupmates will be my friends or must agree with me like in terms of attitude. I am praying that I can mingle with them whatever they may be professionally and we can do so with each other.

Studying very (or very very) hard doesn't give an 100% assurance to pass. Some who are studying hard even fail. Yes, God permits. It doesn't mean that failing makes a person weak. Failure in exam is like a notification that there are some things to learn or not stuck into the head. In short, God is training a person to learn more.

Another, rest is still essential. Medicine doesn't really mean that medstudents doesn't really sleep at all to study. I failed in three exams because I was like drunk while taking them but I studied for those exams. I learned that enough sleep like a minimum of five hours for me is needed for my brain to function.

Most of all, getting to medicine must be in own will. It means you are 100% sure that you love medicine. Medicine is like unconditional love. Though there are times it stings, love still remains. Medicine is not an easy game. We are trained to be doctors. We will not face computers, ship or any inanimate objects but HUMANS.

Stay tuned for some updates in my medjourney.. if I have time. 

Someday

Our story was once like an unexpected shooting star. Still, it jubilizes our soul. Even though it started like a bumpy road and may had stabbed the hearts of nearest to us but still we go on.

I may be an angel in disguise. You said that I was the one who lightened your own darkness. I even turned the light with beautiful colors.

But the conflict may be me. There are things that are out of my pace or control that might hurt you. We already made rivers of tears.

In times of trouble, would you still be with me?
If I might suddenly let go of your hand, would you grab my hand back?
If I might throw you rocks by my words, would you resist me?

Or if I might bleed you hard, would you still embrace me?

If I might cut your patience, would you still drown me with your love?

I might not be too perfect for you but my heart still beats with you. Despite of everything, my spirit is with you. Please bear with me dear, everything will be in our favor. Someday, someday.

The Invulnerable Medstudent

 January 29, 2016, Friday 9:31 PM I have no class for a week due to International Eucharistic Congress in Cebu. I have lots of reading assignments and there will be a long exam this Tuesday. Right now, I am in front of my book but I suddenly thought about my blog. I asked my self like when was the last time I wrote my "latest" entry? Yes, this blog is really a part of my life.  I decided that this will be my study break for now. 

 I am Franzis Mari G. Lawas, RMT, 23 years old and a registered medical technologist. I am sorry for I just kept on introducing myself in every post. This blog isn't really that updated like before. If you read my previous posts, it is always about my college life as a BS Medical Technology in Velez College. Right now, I entered a crucial part of my life. It is medschool. Yes, I proceed to medschool. I may be too immature and blurry in my decisions before but God gave me some signs to enter this.

I am currently studying in Cebu Institute of Medicine. This was my dream school because this is one of the best medical schools in the country. Being in medschool as what I thought before is really tough. There are lots of reading assignments and exams. I even experienced failures in some of my exams which most of the people who knew me find it unusual.

Yes this is medschool. Too much things to sacrifice. I even saw some of my friends of the same age who already have family on their own and enjoying the fruits of their jobs.  While me? I am right now still studying and dating with my books. I know someday this will be worth it. Even though there are ups and downs in my journey, I am still happy unlike the wrong path I entered last year. (Refer to my previous blog post). Medschool really made me stronger. Medschool made me appreciate my loved ones even more. Medschool made me appreciate the value of human life. My dream is to serve others. What I am studying right now will help me achieve my dream.

This is it. Stay tuned for my future posts. I'll try to keep this a bit updated. Thank you so much.

Updates about Alisonblue

Hello! I would like to let you know that this blog is still alive. This blog is already 7 years. I created this when I was still a naive high school student.

I apologize that I didn't update this for the past months. I know that I religiously updated this at the start. In this post, I would like to update to you the brief events that I missed in this blog.

May 16, 2014

I graduated BS Medical Technology. I finally earned a degree like yay! It started to mark myself as an alumna of Velez College.

My graduation was held at Redemptorist Church, May 16, 2014

June 2014 to August 2014

I was already a Medtech graduate but I still need to have a licensed to practice as a medical technologist. I attended my review class at ACTS Review Center in Manila which is located at Sta. Mesa. I stayed at Shaw Boulevard. It may be located near fancy places like SM Megamall and EDSA Shangrila but still it's a way far from  my review center. In order to get there, first, I'll ride MRT from the Shaw Boulevard station to Araneta Center Cubao then an LRT from Araneta Center Cubao to V. Mapa Station. Still, it's one of the memorable days of my life not only with the plain review classes but to unexpected trips to different places of Manila as well. I am already a bit familiar to Manila. Someday, I'll go back to Manila for only the reason of leisure and fun. I still need to save my money first hahaha. 

Make your Own Magnum from SM Aura

Overview of Shaw Boulevard

Pardon my red hair hahahaha

September 13-14, 2015

I was just until August 18 in Manila. I decided to take my board exam in Cebu because it's kind of comfortable if I'll gonna take my exam at my hometown. I spent my self-review days at home prior to the exam and that was it. The subjects in the first day were Clinical Chemistry, Microbiology, and Clinical Microscopy. Hematology, Immunology and Blood Banking, and Histopathologic Techniques and Medtech Laws were taken on the second day. I found Clinical Chemistry a bit easy though it was my hardest subject during my academic years. The toughest was really Immunology and Blood Banking. 

September 17, 2015

1548 Lawas, Franzis Mari Geonzon

Yes, one of the best days of my life. Officially, you can call me, Franzis Mari G. Lawas, RMT. I am a registered medical technologist at last. 

November 9, 2014

I spent about one-month being a "tambay" at home. I was still looking for a job. I chose one hospital to work on but before that, to be officially a medical technologist, I took my oath at Cebu Grand Convention. 

I am so proud that I took a selfie with one of our board of examiners, Mrs.Marilyn R. Atienza, RMT

November 10, 2014 to January 6, 2015

I worked in a tertiary hosptial (not to mention the name). I admit that it's my privilege to work there but unfortunately, there were unfavorable circumstances so I decided to leave. I'm happy that I made great friendships there with my workmates but still I realized that I am not really meant to stay longer in that institution. Well, charge to experience. 

At present...

I am a freelance medical technologist. I am a regular medtech at a free standing laboratory near our place and I am an on-call medtech at other laboratories. I am even happier as I am practicing my profession before I pursue medicine. And also, I am currently molding myself into business. Well, I'll post about this more

This all thank you *bow*

Memoir of a Medtech Intern Part 1 - (3 weeks left for Internship)

iThis week marks my last week of rotation here in Cebu Velez General Hospital Laboratory. I've been assigned in this lab for 6 months unlike in my previous affiliations (Visayas Community Medical Center and Chong Hua Hospital) wherein I only had 3-months each. Well since I am studying in Velez and the hospital is also Velez, okay there is really justice that each intern should stay long in CVGH. 

It's still fresh in my mind that a section head of mine in Chong Hua appreciated for my "job well done". I just did my job naturally. That was still the first month of my internship. But he told me that internship is not merely heaven. To spice up my intern experience, I shall face some obstacles for me to learn. Honestly, I made a huge mistake in VCMC and I was sanctioned and it made me learn a huge lesson-- to b careful all the time and double check. That's why it brought me up to be meticulous all the time in my job. 

Yes, when I was going to my first step as an intern, I thought it would be paradise because I got used to become a third year students with lots of examinations everyday and too many pressures to handle. Then I realized that it was half wrong. In internship, it isn't as necessary as third year to study and to handle pressure. As a medtech intern, you need to fight sanctions like extensions and also you need to overcome "boredom on waiting". Yes. On my first day of internship in Chong Hua, it seems like I wore a huge smile in the lab and I kept on saying - Yes! Intern na jud ko (Yes! I am already an intern!). But as the days went by I said "Kapuya na ug sige ug duty uy! Kanus-a pa kaha ni mahuman?" (I'm already tired in going to duty. When will this finish then?). It got severe when I started for a 6-month rotation in CVGH then lately I knew that my Sillimanian and SWU co-interns graduated already and here we are Velezians, still on duty. To the future interns, I know that you are excited right now but don't be too excited. I am not discouraging you. As we all know, Too much of everything is bad. To be honest, I am also excited on your first step in the lab since you will gonna replace us hahahaha. I have just told you literally that I'm already tired, haven't I?

In less than 6 months, I will already be an RMT. There were some events that motivated me to strive better. I will enjoy this week as much as I can and yippeee next week will be Paknaan! 

Random Thoughts of a GradWAITING student

There are really times that time doesn't really agree with me. It's been a long time since I had this kind of Saturday- a kind of Saturday without Seminar or Research class to worry and even without a night duty to await (To update you, my usual schedule in CVGH is that I have a night duty on Saturday. I chose that kind of schedule so that I will have two REAL day-offs in a week. Having a seminar or research class on a day-off isn't like a day-off after all so it's better to have a duty on a Saturday. Also, I really hate Sunday duties :(... It would be rewarding if I had a pay but I'm still an intern.

Well, to be honest I am jealous at my SWU and Sillimanian friends. (When I was rotated in Visayas Community Medical Center, I had co-interns from Southwestern University and Silliman University from Dumaguete.) They graduated already last March and then us? Here we are GradWAITING. Waiting for May 16, our most awaited big day and still finishing the last chapters of internship. They are now starting to review for our board exam this September. And me? I am currently rotated at Hematology department (A department in clinical laboratory which deals with human blood, literally. It is where CBC (Complete Blood Count) is commonly performed and also where blood extraction is a big deal). I always went with my medtechs warding and do all the smear and stain then receiving specimen as usual. The brighter side is that it's my last department in Cebu Velez General Hospital Laboratory before I'll gonna be assigned in Paknaan, Mandaue which will be my last affiliation. I am hoping that I will not get any extensions on my final weeks of internship.

Even though I don't have a complete cooperation with an inevitable thing called time, I am still thankful for it. I didn't noticed that it's more than 40 days that my friend named Lorenzo passed away (just refer to my previous post if you want to know who he really is). It seems like our last talk was yesterday. For me his voice was still fresh in my mind. We may not be together for a long time but I am thankful that God gave me some instances that we became together during the last days of his life. The truth is there were really small things that remind me of him and it made my shed my tears most of the time. The painful thing is that I cannot graduate with him.  Right now, I bet he's in peace right now and I shall be happy for him. Since we became friends, he doesn't want to see me sad.  I know he's watching over me and he's always with me. My advice to everyone is to make most of your time to your loved ones. We can't really escape death. That is reality. You know, Lorenzo's death was really unexpected. Cherish every moment. Be happy most of the time.

Anyway, while waiting for the big day. I was planning for some things after graduation. I was already registered for ACTS review center 2nd batch Medical Technology board exam review in Manila. I am already booked for my flight this May 29. It was really my plan ever since to pursue a Medical Technology license before I'll proceed to Medicine. Right now, I started a little for my review for the board exam. I am still in a procrastination mode. I am still doing my best to resist procrastination because it's for another big day. I shall make most of my loved ones proud. In less than 6-months, I'll be an RMT.

Right now, I downloaded some ebooks to occupy my vacant time. Currently I'm reading Divergent. I shall finish it before this day ends. Tomorrow, it's my first time after 3 years that I will not gonna be in Kabanhawan Festival (A festival here in Minglanilla which is held every Easter Sunday) since I was scheduled for a PM duty (3 pm - 11 pm) tomorrow. It's okay. There is still next year.

Okay, this is all. These are some of my random thoughts right now. I am still counting for May 16 to come.. :)