tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24745663142155392722024-03-12T21:56:06.823-05:00Dr. Lilac's ChateauA blog of an International Medical Graduate from the Philippines diving into the complicated world of the American health care system.drlilachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15980538422186359704noreply@blogger.comBlogger58125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2474566314215539272.post-6209860027218476012013-10-21T11:14:00.001-05:002013-10-21T12:52:21.799-05:00HIV Replication 3D Medical AnimationThis week I'm on a mission to master HIV- a very elusive topic...
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/RO8MP3wMvqg" width="459"></iframe><br />
drlilachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15980538422186359704noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2474566314215539272.post-89509760822746383442013-10-09T11:10:00.000-05:002013-10-21T12:39:51.054-05:00It's been a long time...Dear friends,
I have been away for a long time...So many things have happened in the interim. I am now doing my fellowship in infetious disease in a great program here in Chicago and just recently found out that I passed my certification exam for internal medicine. And the best part: I now have 2 little girls :)
Life is good but could not have been possible without God's blessings....
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drlilachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15980538422186359704noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2474566314215539272.post-47770495556464482792011-07-03T11:11:00.000-05:002013-10-21T11:12:38.115-05:00Intern of the Year?!On June 10, 2011 I was on call at the ICU. It was the night when the PGY-3s graduated and awards were given to some people. Had no clue that I was one of the lucky ones....
I got awarded the Categorical Intern Of The Year...
Hard work pays off...Thanks be to God!drlilachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15980538422186359704noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2474566314215539272.post-6315301493604993672011-03-14T10:37:00.002-05:002011-03-14T10:38:18.834-05:00Hilarious!The first time I watched this video I had tears rolling down my cheeks! Never laughed this hard in years...ENJOY :)<br />
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<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/azhgVB5uXlo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>drlilachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15980538422186359704noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2474566314215539272.post-22998007518313612672011-03-14T10:33:00.000-05:002011-03-14T10:33:33.980-05:00MATCH DAY 2011OMG! Today is the Match day for 2011. Around this time last year I was at work checking my email every 10 min. This is sooo nostalgic!<br />
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Good luck to those who are in the game!!!! :)drlilachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15980538422186359704noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2474566314215539272.post-62503930027318317452011-02-02T12:37:00.003-06:002011-02-15T10:40:09.761-06:00BLIZZARDA snowstorm hit Chicago yesterday until this morning and I was on call. It was actually a good thing coz I did not want to be stuck in the middle of the road covered in snow. Plus I THOUGHT I would get some sleep since of course nobody would wanna leave their house in this kind of weather, right? Wrong! I capped at midnight admitting 5 patients. But after that it was catching some Zzzzzz's in the call room.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrvY0TkIk5pMT7xo371DsOEnYAd3IZ13n4iXcxw2piQqb_3g1rTS9dZBPjUbVVEweHrfY_DGVDskFozoVXaVDGr91uckmq6KoX3V256zzDu-eCMVapXQzuUAf0Hci28UPE0H41-0bUaI0/s1600/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrvY0TkIk5pMT7xo371DsOEnYAd3IZ13n4iXcxw2piQqb_3g1rTS9dZBPjUbVVEweHrfY_DGVDskFozoVXaVDGr91uckmq6KoX3V256zzDu-eCMVapXQzuUAf0Hci28UPE0H41-0bUaI0/s400/photo.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Taken from the window of my call room.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The next day on my way home the streets were almost completely devoid of cars. People are trying to shovel the snow so they can get their car out coz the snow is literally knee-high! My biggest challenge was finding a parking spot in the street. But luckily I did. And thank God for SUVs otherwise I would be stuck trying to get into the spot.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgANqn72Bhm9e9uhH2LybEtKf2l9FpDhe9MaB7mWEI-F16Ik4Zur1M_YkPyR8BpGRp5hFRtPFZoiCJXtzwEeD7fl7RfAz3bwhyMqWW72S4Sjt6uGhgm7HpK6saPVO9ETBuBJek7Q3ws2L8/s1600/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgANqn72Bhm9e9uhH2LybEtKf2l9FpDhe9MaB7mWEI-F16Ik4Zur1M_YkPyR8BpGRp5hFRtPFZoiCJXtzwEeD7fl7RfAz3bwhyMqWW72S4Sjt6uGhgm7HpK6saPVO9ETBuBJek7Q3ws2L8/s400/photo.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Can you even see anything???</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div align="center"></div>drlilachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15980538422186359704noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2474566314215539272.post-77330047023982070842011-01-15T16:01:00.001-06:002011-02-02T12:15:58.764-06:00A blissful monthI was on leave for a month. Being with my baby 24/7 was a bliss! :) And the best part of all, she was an easy baby to take care of. She would only cry when hungry and tired. She wouldn't even care if she had a dirty diaper. <br />
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Me, on the other hand, was limping for the first week post partum because of symphysis pubic dysfunstion. So it was a bit frustrating when I couldn't move too fast to attend to the baby. But that is just a tiny sacrifice. At least I didn't have any major complications. <br />
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The baby had no problem sleeping at night. She did not confuse day from night. She initially fed every 2 hours and gradually stretched to 3 hours. She absolutely LOVES to stretch! And when she does she makes this funny groan like she was a grown MAN! ;) She looks more like daddy and that doesn't bother me at all. However, most people think that it does coz when they comment on that they apologize and give me that look of pity like it's the most devastating thing in the world for your child not to look like you! Seriously?! But I'm still hopeful she would turn into mini-me when she grows up ;) She was growing up fast! She was born 6 lbs 15 oz and on her 4th week appointment she weighed 10 lbs and 8 oz! Her newborn clothes only fit until her 2nd week and she started wearing 3-month size clothes. Well, she's tall for one. I think it's the length more than the width. Nah! Who am I kidding? This kid is chubby! :)<br />
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It was getting emotional towards the end of my leave. I would cry thinking of leaving my baby. Heck I would cry watching a child with the mother on TV. I was seriously thinking of extending my leave for another month but then it would mean that I would have to extend my training. Hubby was totally against it. I didn't care. And there was the issue of child care. My mother was supposed to come and help out but for some reason she had a strict immigration officer during the interview and she was denied for a tourist visa :( She was so devastated :( It's her first grandchild and she's being denied to see her. How cruel is that?! Anyway, we found a great babysitter. <br />
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That month came and gone like the wind. It's time to go back to work...sigh...drlilachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15980538422186359704noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2474566314215539272.post-66609127031800950602010-12-15T15:59:00.004-06:002011-02-02T12:15:58.765-06:00Natal DayOn December 13, 2010 at 2:11 PM my baby girl was born :)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg2iXBw0FJ7bTKjvx3xpBb1M0hURCxRHcL4dvarLFZEVSUHOPKh92zQ7w-jcqVsQrYMeuwcaF7Ha7osBSE3H_amEYHYmNWE01j1dmrDhXJ8O1KBzVWdk7CA7MLSDafM53qvl5PXre8xDc/s1600/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg2iXBw0FJ7bTKjvx3xpBb1M0hURCxRHcL4dvarLFZEVSUHOPKh92zQ7w-jcqVsQrYMeuwcaF7Ha7osBSE3H_amEYHYmNWE01j1dmrDhXJ8O1KBzVWdk7CA7MLSDafM53qvl5PXre8xDc/s400/photo.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>drlilachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15980538422186359704noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2474566314215539272.post-69126343771955183942010-12-10T15:19:00.002-06:002011-02-02T12:16:37.523-06:00First signIt was a Friday and I was on call. At 6 pm I went to the bathroom and saw some spotting. No big deal. I was a spotter. I didn't feel anything else but deep inside I knew something was cooking in there. I silently jumped for joy realizing that I will be meeting my little princess very soon. I went about my business. That night was a bit busy. I had admission left and right but was thankful that I would be capping early and so I would be able to get some sleep. At around 9PM after I admitted my 3rd patient I went to the bathroom again and saw anothe spot- bigger this time. Still no contractions but I didn mention this to my senior and he kinda freaked out saying I should be going to L&D right now. I just laughed at him. <br />
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I admitted my last patient (5 is the max) at midnight and decided if I was still spotting to get myself checked at L&D. Yep. Still spotting. I told my senior I was going to L&D just to be checked but I would still answer any pages. I texted my hubby as I was going in the elevator to L&D. Once at L&D, the nurse brought me to a room and gave me a hospital gown. Wait a minute. I just want my cervix checked. Can't someone just do it real quick??? Nope. I have to be admitted for observation since I was already term. Jeez. Ok. Fine.<br />
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I went and changed and laid down on the bed. The nurse hooked me on to the monitor to see if I was contracting. I was but not strong and not consistent. I was there for about 30 min until the OB resident came in and asked me more questions. Finally she checked my cervix. 1.5 cm. No big deal since I'm a primi. I knew it'll still take a while. So I was discharged and given instructions to come back once I get PAINFUL contractions that come in every 5 min. Phew! At least I won't be going into labor tonight. I kept checking my pager and prayed that there won't be any code or issues on the floor I was being "observed."<br />
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I slowly went to my callroom and got a snooze....drlilachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15980538422186359704noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2474566314215539272.post-18710052214063438102010-11-10T17:10:00.000-06:002011-02-02T12:16:37.524-06:008 months and countingWOW! I'm already 34 weeks today. Time flies soooo fast. I still remember the conversation I had with my husband about adopting, thinking that I would never have the priviledge of carrying my own child. Now in a matter of 4-6 weeks I'll be holding her in my arms. It's still overwhelming sometimes to think about the miracle we have received from God. Sometimes I still can't believe it's happening. But it is. And right now, I feel like the luckiest girl alive :)drlilachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15980538422186359704noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2474566314215539272.post-19482915129950715222010-10-28T17:15:00.001-05:002011-02-02T12:16:37.524-06:00Gestational updateI'm currently 32 weeks pregnant. It has been a smooth pregnancy so far. No GDM, no pre-ecplampsia, just the usual back aches, round ligament pains, annoying Braxton Hicks and the frequent elbowing and kicking from the growing peanut. By the way peanut is a SHE :)<br />
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Yesterday my hubby and I went for our last ultrasound. I did not expect to hear the words 4.7 lbs from the tech! I thought she'd be small or at least average in size but 4.7 lbs at 32 weeks seems like a giant to me. People kept saying how small I was and that I should eat some more. Oh well... Last week when I weighed myself at my prenatal visit I have gained 23 lbs. Looks like I'm on the right track in terms of gaining. Of course some of the weight went to my thighs and hips- totally unavoidable! But I'm happy I'm not gaining weight uncontrollably. <br />
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Tomorrow will be my first baby shower. It's being hosted by the medical director of the surgical center I used to work at. I can't wait to see old friends again! Some of the gifts have already arrived. When I came home today there 3 big boxes waiting by the front door. Can't wait for hubby to come home tonight so we can open the boxes together ;)<br />
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I have been so blessed with this pregnancy. I have not been plagued by fatigue despite my 5-6 calls/month. It has been very tolerable so far. Co-residents are amazed by how much stamina I have! I am too :-O<br />
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Thank you Lord for all your blessings :)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXMUQ0Mk66JtSINopoEmpPMjjjzCHb5Q1ypZOwXC4h3ny0Gf_Qq7CkWoHY8lt6yvQy71tppcvYKfuXNY0q20-loUaOFrHXo7bHTtvxWXWIbtG3CPOfBOGWAt2m6KBZMoR3xhTghZoUym8/s1600/profile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXMUQ0Mk66JtSINopoEmpPMjjjzCHb5Q1ypZOwXC4h3ny0Gf_Qq7CkWoHY8lt6yvQy71tppcvYKfuXNY0q20-loUaOFrHXo7bHTtvxWXWIbtG3CPOfBOGWAt2m6KBZMoR3xhTghZoUym8/s320/profile.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Taken at 22 weeks</div><div align="center"></div>drlilachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15980538422186359704noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2474566314215539272.post-86119801714282542912010-10-21T14:58:00.001-05:002011-02-02T12:17:30.166-06:00ICU RotationI just got done with my ICU rotation. Despite being on call every 3 days I thoroughly enjoyed it. Did I learn a lot? Maybe...But learning is really hard to gauge. What I really learned most is to make sure that critical patients have some sort of advance directives. Otherwise the Ethics Team will hound you till you get one. I had some patients who did not have a family at all to help them make any sort of decision and are now unable to decide for themselves. So we go about in applying for a gurdianship with the state which can take 1 month or so for processing. In the meantime, these patients are under the wise and discreet care of their residents and attendings. <br />
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Some families do not know how to let go of their obviously dying relative. Seriosuly, I had patients who were in and out of the unit, with a trach and PEG in place, lying like a rotting vegetable, clearly suffering, yet families do not want to pull the plug. "This is America! Do what we pay you to do!" I think that's what these people are thinking. Oblivious of the fact that medicine can just do so much and sometimes you just gotta let nature take its course. <br />
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I know it's hard. But personally, it's harder to see your loved-ones suffering...What do you think?drlilachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15980538422186359704noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2474566314215539272.post-5792200569482201302010-09-21T14:44:00.002-05:002011-02-02T12:17:30.167-06:00My Routineo, it's been 4 months since I started internship. So far it has been great. With my pregnancy I do consider myself very lucky as I do not have the complaints of most pregnant women. My stamina is the same, my appetite is the same (although my sweet tooth is bacn and I do crave a cookie after dinner), and my personality is as preppy as ever :) Although I do have the occasional back pain- esp when I sit for more than 30 minutes.<br />
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Calls have been tolerable. We do calls 5-6 times in a month. That's pretty good compared to other programs. <br />
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This month I am rotating in one of the floors. The schedule is pretty much routine in a daily basis:<br />
7:00-8:00AM: Morning Report<br />
8:00-9:00: Occasional lectures<br />
8:00-11:00: If no lecture then patient care<br />
11:00-12:00PM- Teaching rounds<br />
12:00-1:00: Noon Conference (while eating lunch)<br />
1:00-4:00:Patient care<br />
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Yup. We are done at 4PM if not on call. If we are oncall then we stay until 12N the next day. It's pretty laid back compared to what I was used to during med school. Not that I'm complaining ;) We do get to eat breakfast after morning report and it is a good way of bonding with co-residents. I love my batch. I think we all get along pretty well. I don't see anybody giving potential problems....Hope I'm right :)drlilachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15980538422186359704noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2474566314215539272.post-11941593388356106672010-07-23T15:23:00.003-05:002011-02-02T12:16:37.524-06:00It's kicking! :)I just turned 18 weeks yesterday but starting 17 weeks I started feeling tiny pokes on my lower abdomen. I was like, "Wow! I'm disgustingly very gassy today!" Then I realized that it could be the baby letting me know it's growing ;) Now, I constantly feel its movements all throughout the day- when it's awake of course. When I'm on call it likes to keep me company :) How sweet of my little baby.<br />
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In 2 weeks I'll be finding out the sex! Can't wait :)drlilachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15980538422186359704noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2474566314215539272.post-47810635693364506562010-07-19T15:14:00.000-05:002011-02-02T12:17:30.167-06:00I miss bedside care :(During my training back home I spent way too much time with patients that it made me sick. We were the ones doing EVERYTHING from drawing blood to taking specimens to the labs or taking patients to radiology. Now that I am in a new world where technology is so much more advanced and staffing is so much more adequate I spend more time on the computer writing progress notes, checking lab results and typing orders. I've only been here 3 weeks and I can truly see the huge difference in clinical exposure. I have to admit I do learn more now that there are teaching rounds with attending physicians than back home since back there work was more physical. But I do want to interact more with my patients and just learn about them in general. I love connecting with patients. 2 have already pledged to be my patients when I graduate. I guess technology does make one lazy. Gone are the days where diagoses are solely done clinically. Also with the rise of lawsuits doctors are now more cautious in their patient care that they tend to practice defensive medicine. "We need to order such and such just to be sure we rule out everything." I don't blame them. I would do the same thing.drlilachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15980538422186359704noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2474566314215539272.post-51646860143576086272010-06-30T12:20:00.000-05:002011-02-02T12:22:42.961-06:00On callMy first call experience was not bad at all. I only had 2 admissions. But was I able to sleep? Not really. I don't sleep well in a new environment. Plus I kept checking my pager making sure I didn't miss a page. Yup! Paranoid me as usual.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKE5knM_rZO9P6MulDChbaNG9zVtHBWiXArMrB9x3qGM-0lDHoItYK5v9MFRi6azliSDnENyeRV1jFyjmwpI1NxLDhtdqB1P2lx8Qk0f0b-dX84RX-tdLXGvpwwlNHj_Kgy-r8ydN094w/s1600/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKE5knM_rZO9P6MulDChbaNG9zVtHBWiXArMrB9x3qGM-0lDHoItYK5v9MFRi6azliSDnENyeRV1jFyjmwpI1NxLDhtdqB1P2lx8Qk0f0b-dX84RX-tdLXGvpwwlNHj_Kgy-r8ydN094w/s400/photo.jpg" width="298" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The call rooms</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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It was my first time to enter the call suite. It was so eeriely quiet. I guess everybody is busy on the floors. Each on call intern and resident has his/her own room with an adjoining bathroom. Pretty convenient but would I really get a chance to take a shower after my shift? I HOPE SO!drlilachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15980538422186359704noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2474566314215539272.post-857328366248715592010-06-25T16:31:00.010-05:002011-02-02T12:17:30.168-06:00My first weekI haven't really been excited about the start of my residency until about 3 days before my orientation. I guess it really hasn't sunk in yet and now it's just a few days away and my adrenaline then started to flow.<br />
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I got my stuff ready for my new job. Well, there's nothing really a whole lot to prepare. I got my stet, good quality pens, 2 comfortable pairs of shoes, 2 pairs of maternity pants (which I wouldn't probably start wearing until I'm mid 2nd tri), a small notebook to jot down some important info, a binder for my patient list, etc. My lab coats and pager will be provided for. Ok...I'm, ready! :)<br />
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First day of orienation was our ACLS class. I have already been certified but I decided to take the class again since I didn't really learn a whole lot from my recertification class last year. It was fun and I got to meet most of my co-interns (3 of them got delayed due to visa issues). Next day was our pre-employment screening, distribution of benefits packages and computer training. Benefits are great! Residents are 100% covered and if I choose to give birth at the hospital my bills will be fully covered- except for the professional fee which I will need to pay 20% of. Not bad! Then at the end of the orientation we got our lab coats, pagers, badges and locker keys. Yeah!<br />
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First day of official training went by really fast. My first rotation was in CCU (Coronary Care Unit). I had a resident with me at all times. Going through the Electronic Medical Records (EMR) was a breeze but getting to know all our patients took a bit more time due to their conditions but on the 3rd day I got the hang of it and started doing my own rounds ahead of the resident ;)<br />
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I'm actually glad I got the tough rotation first. In that way when I rotate in the wards it would be a piece of cake :)....Hopefully....drlilachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15980538422186359704noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2474566314215539272.post-45593936273909260712010-06-17T15:48:00.000-05:002011-02-02T12:18:43.819-06:00Farewell Not GoodbyeOur lives are made up of different chapters. And in each chapter We meet a group of people who have made an impact in our lives. My life has been decorated by beautiful relationships I have made with the<br />
characters in each chapter of my life. And now another chapter just ended.<br />
<br />
Today was my last day at work. It seemed like a very long day. One by one I hugged each and everybody at work. Sharing tears and words of endearment. But I refuse to consider this as good-bye. My relationships with my friends will live on.drlilachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15980538422186359704noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2474566314215539272.post-34600211435834695802010-06-15T19:15:00.003-05:002011-02-02T12:18:43.820-06:00TiffanyThe inevitable is here. Tomorrow will be my last day at work and I have been feeling the sadness in the air for the past week. My co-workers often give me the pouty look when we talk about my last day :( I guess this is one of the reasons why I haven't really felt the excitement of starting residency yet. My excitement was being overshadowed by my sadness of leaving my friends behind. See I don't only consider River North as a work place but also my second home. I have become good friends with everybody there and it really shows how they felt the same way about me too.<br />
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To my surprise my friends threw the "Farewell Party" today! And the culmination was a very touching gift from everybody....<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span id="goog_1202287970"></span><span id="goog_1202287971"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcCdirx3gaF5trBXS5BDpTO2-dL3oMddd6OurmNWNZJEAItXJhAE58zHV1smu1CRu6KXaxry7ArJWvLha1x_FCpDW7_5ua4UawgmdrybBE9K6SPuaK52LRc0PRx2Q9eRdwjZi_pdtTvdk/s1600/IMG_5593.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcCdirx3gaF5trBXS5BDpTO2-dL3oMddd6OurmNWNZJEAItXJhAE58zHV1smu1CRu6KXaxry7ArJWvLha1x_FCpDW7_5ua4UawgmdrybBE9K6SPuaK52LRc0PRx2Q9eRdwjZi_pdtTvdk/s400/IMG_5593.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTeLdpujhRV4mjEWCUOcKZ0T4D20GvN37H7WgQQM2Qv6YTAuJz5bBvLv5B8dxn1zIXAYpEExbZxVFwsbeCW5adhPEg9uTakyvwAUmKMI2_eOEwpF9irS_gyadsh6M-Ab6zet4BvIPlS6k/s1600/IMG_5595.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTeLdpujhRV4mjEWCUOcKZ0T4D20GvN37H7WgQQM2Qv6YTAuJz5bBvLv5B8dxn1zIXAYpEExbZxVFwsbeCW5adhPEg9uTakyvwAUmKMI2_eOEwpF9irS_gyadsh6M-Ab6zet4BvIPlS6k/s400/IMG_5595.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrTJmSDpUupqaWnPEF4cj2cJLqcfYE1XBmZ2rnvZETAu8bPu2jyplGNH4qURhR2rS9FfLs3wm1WPlX2DomIs8r7YyA5Uhh-1bQKzeDBOZ5V3VGih51Wzg5C568N-uw3_f-10CBRqEDdaE/s1600/IMG_5599.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrTJmSDpUupqaWnPEF4cj2cJLqcfYE1XBmZ2rnvZETAu8bPu2jyplGNH4qURhR2rS9FfLs3wm1WPlX2DomIs8r7YyA5Uhh-1bQKzeDBOZ5V3VGih51Wzg5C568N-uw3_f-10CBRqEDdaE/s400/IMG_5599.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>One of my friends put the necklace on for me. I am not a fan of jewelry so I guess they all thought it's time for me to wear grown-up things ;) As I was saying some words of thanks and expressed how I was going to miss them terribly my voice just started to crack and before I knew it I was being hugged by everybody with tears and snot running down our faces. It was a very sentimental moment being surrounded by people who truly care about and appreciate you.<br />
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I love you all and I will always remember our time together....drlilachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15980538422186359704noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2474566314215539272.post-47784939409331275612010-06-06T09:19:00.002-05:002011-02-02T12:17:30.168-06:00My Step 3The night of June 2 I was thinking of my Step 3 result. I wasn't really sure when my score would be available but when I looked at the calendar I realized that June 3 would be the 3rd Wednesday after my exams which means my score COULD be available. The score is usually ready at midnight but I decided to just wait til the morning to check my email.<br />
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At 5:30 I woke up and my heart started pounding. What if I failed this darn exam? I thought I did well during the exam. I was calm the entire time which actually worried me a bit coz in the past a little bit of anxiety boosted my performance. This time I was very nonchalant and impatient to get this exam over with. But I felt good about my answers so that's all that matters. I did all I could and now it's all in God's hands.<br />
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So I turned on my laptop and checked the Step 3 candidate website and there it was: Print Score Report. I clicked on it and it started to download. For some reason my laptop decided to act up on that day. It was downloading the file ever sooooo slowly! But finally I saw 3 sets of figures that made my jaw drop to the floor...<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">I was in utter disbelief. My preparation was not as good as my previous ones. Plus I only spent 2 hours a day studying due to so many distractions like my pregnancy, residency, etc. I was even only aiming for a 75. But hey! This was a huge blessing from God and I accept it with all my heart. Thank you Lord! And I think my baby gave me good luck ;)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">So how did I prepare....</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">My materials:</div><div style="text-align: left;">* Kaplan qbank: Not so good so I didn't finish it. Only completed 60% with a cumulative score of 65%</div><div style="text-align: left;">*USMLEWorld qbank: Very good! First round I got 64% correct and 2nd round of incorrect and marked items my score went up to 73%.</div><div style="text-align: left;">*USMLEWorld CCS: Very good! I did the interactive cases 2x and read the PDF files 2x as well. </div><div style="text-align: left;">*Master The Boards: Average. Good for quick review but felt there were incorrect concepts.</div><div style="text-align: left;">*Kaplan CK lecture notes: Only did a fast reading of IM and OB. </div><div style="text-align: left;">*Practice test on the USMLE website: 84%</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The key to my preparation is my good CK knowledge and attitude. I thoroughly enjoyed studying for the exam coz I know learning all the principles will make me a better doctor. I didn't look at step 3 as just another exam, a hurdle in my path, but a way of improving myself. I learned a lot while studying and now I feel like I am ready to tackle any case in front of me ;)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Good bye USMLEs! Thank you for the challenge :)</div>drlilachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15980538422186359704noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2474566314215539272.post-78174869525926910492010-06-02T08:25:00.001-05:002011-02-02T12:18:43.820-06:00My last hurrah!My husband and I spent the Memorial Day weekend in Florida. I considered it my last vacation before the hectic schedule begins.<br />
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It was a fun-filled trip. We stayed at my friend's house in Orlando and she was the best host ever! She pampered us everyday. Thanks Mic! :) Of course when in Orlando you can never by-pass Disney World. We didn't go to all 4 parks though as our stay was short so we decided on 2 parks instead- Epcot and Disney Hollywood Studios. It was great to feel like a kid again. Next time we visit there will be a 3rd person with us and so it would be time to see Mickey ;)<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">It was sad to be leaving Orlando and Mic behind. Now back to reality....</div>drlilachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15980538422186359704noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2474566314215539272.post-65992627535385312992010-05-20T16:53:00.000-05:002011-02-02T12:18:12.391-06:004 weeks and countingMy orientation is 4 weeks away. I haven't done a single thing to prepare myself for internship. I guess I'm still giving myself a break after Step 3.<br />
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First thing I gotta do is buy those books which I will do as soon as I publish this post. Then I NEED to learn Spanish! I have been meaning to do that since last year but things have always come up. Now there won't be anymore excuses. I just bought the Rosetta Stone CD and will upload it this weekend by hook or by crook :) My co-interns and I are planning a get together before the start of our training. I'm so glad we have been communicating via Facebook ( Yup. We created a private group ;) How cool is that?!). It's soooo nice to start getting to know each other early on. I mean we'll be working closely for the next 3 years. We need to bond as early as possible :) I must say though that I really like my class :) Everybody was so supportive when I announced my pregnancy. I'm really blessed...<br />
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I have to do some modification on my wardrobe since I won't be able to squeeze a giant watermelon in my size 2 pants. I refuse to buy maternity clothes though. I will be buying those <a href="http://www.ingridandisabel.com/bellaband.html">Bella Bands</a> so I can just leave the pants unzipped without worrying about it falling to the ground. Plus it's going to be VERY cost-effective :) We are on a tight budget people! My salary will be practically nonexistent once the baby comes. Let's just hope my butt won't grow as big as my belly. Now that will be a catastrophe coz then I won't have a choice but to buy maternity clothes.<br />
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<br />
Update on the pregnancy:<br />
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Today I am exactly 9 weeks. Hubby and I went for our first OB appointment. I wasn't expecting to hear the heartbeat thru the Doppler as I am still too early but we did! I was pleasantly surprised ;) Hubby said that it sounded like the baby was running on the threadmill ;) I chose an OB from the hospital I will be training at. That will be very convenient for my prenatal visits. And when I'm on call and the water breaks all I have to do is go to my suite up on the 3rd floor ;) Yes. I have it all figured out...drlilachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15980538422186359704noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2474566314215539272.post-33485579475123351262010-05-13T18:18:00.000-05:002011-02-02T12:17:30.169-06:00Step 3 down...What's next???I just got done with the dreadful 2-day Step 3 exam. It actually wasn't too bad. I was prepared for the worst and I'm glad I conditioned myself this way. I think my secret weapon was to give myself ample breaks in between the blocks so as not to exhaust myself coz it was very exhausting.<br />
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Now comes the agony of waiting for the result...3 weeks. But I have so many things lined up to keep myself busy for the next 4 weeks.<br />
<br />
First I have to clean the house! It's sooo dusty that I've been sneezing a lot lately :(<br />
<br />
Next is to focus on my pregnancy 100%. I think the first few weeks I was still too scared to allow myself to get too excited coz unexpected things can happen during early pregnancy. But now I can no longer deny it. I really am pregnant and a few months from now (well 32 weeks to be exact) I will be a mommy! Oh my! I'll be a mommy!!!<br />
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My first official OB appointment will be on the 20th. And I'm so excited coz my hubby will be coming with me this time :)<br />
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Next is to get ready for my training which is really just around the corner! June 21 is the start of our orientation. I plan on buying books for references which the program will reimburse me later. That's great of them to do that. But then again they should do that ;) I'm still in the process of searching for the best book/s for internship....Any suggestions? I hear <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Washington-Manual-Medical-Therapeutics-33rd/dp/1608310035/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1273792225&sr=1-1">The Washington Manual of Medical Therapeutics</a> is a good reference and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Washington-Manual-Medical-Therapeutics-33rd/dp/1608310035/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1273792225&sr=1-1">The Washington Manual Internship Survival Guide</a> is great as a guide for interns. So I think I'll start with these...<br />
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Then on Memorial Day weekend my husband and I are going to visit some friends in Florida. I guess this will be my last vacation before the hectic schedule starts...But it's a great chapter in my life that I can't wait to start....<br />
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So bring it on!drlilachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15980538422186359704noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2474566314215539272.post-88294861041503717022010-05-05T16:34:00.000-05:002011-02-02T12:18:43.820-06:00It's May already?!Wow...days come and go so fast! With everything going on in my life (getting matched, getting pregnant, taking Step 3 next week) I hardly noticed the clock ticking. I did notice tho the change in the weather! No more winter clothes for a while! :)<br />
<br />
Step 3 review is coming along. I haven't been studying intensively as my previous preparations. I guess it's because I don't feel pressured to get a super high score anymore. I just need to pass this exam then I'll be free of the USMLEs! May 12-13 here I come! Yup, it's a 2-day exam...<br />
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As for my pregnancy...so far not a whole lot of nausea. Just small waves of queesiness here and there BUT I'm hungry ALL THE TIME! As in every 2-3 hours I have got to eat. My stomach starts churning as if I have not eaten in days! I learned how to portion my meals. I eat small snacks all throughout the day and I realized then that this is the best way to combat nausea.<br />
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Anyway, I went for a 2nd ultrasound this morning. The little bean has gotten so big in just a week! Heart reat: 147 :)<br />
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</div>drlilachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15980538422186359704noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2474566314215539272.post-23667853307189075392010-04-29T09:07:00.000-05:002011-02-02T12:18:05.562-06:00First glimpseI had my first ultrasound yesterday. I was a bit nervous. I was thinking: "What if there's nothing in there?!" I guess part of me was still in disbelief of this awesome miracle.<br />
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But then I saw the little bean with its heart flickering. It was an awesome feeling :)<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I informed my program of this life-changing event and I'm so happy that everybody was very supportive. The last thing I wanted to do was screw up the rotations. But I was reassured by the chief residents that there will be no problems at all and that there will be more than enough coverage. I'm really lucky to be in a big program. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My step 3 is in 2 weeks and I'm sooo relaxed and so ready to get rid of the USMLEs! </div>drlilachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15980538422186359704noreply@blogger.com2