Wednesday, December 26, 2012

When Ever After Has Finally Arrived

'I don't really know if I'll have my own wedding someday but one thing is for sure: I can patiently wait for my own prince charming.  He does not have to be royalty. He does not have to be handsome, brave or statuesque.  He can always be an ordinary guy who will love the plain and simple me.  

That was two years ago.  Now, after 27 months, I can finally say that the long wait has come to its end.  Call it fate.  Call it destiny.  Call it serendipity.  I think I have found 'the one.'  



Sabi nga ng nanay ko, 'Ang pag-ibig, hindi hinahanap 'yan.  Kusang dumarating 'yan.'  I'm glad I listened to her (partially listened, I guess) because right now, I am really, really happy.  Imagine spending 21 Valentine's Days alone, 21 Christmas Eves with my family, 21 birthdays with no one else but my twin sis and I.  That was a little bit lonely I guess.

Well, I won't have to go through it all once again.  All those lonesome moments seeing lovely couples holding hands and expressing their love for each other are all but memories away.  I already met the guy I'll watch movies with, the man I won't get tired of sharing stories with, the one I want to spend the rest of my life with.

He's not even of royal descent.  He's not as handsome as Cinderella's Prince Charming (because he is handsome in his own way), as brave as Hercules or as statuesque as Aurora's prince.  He's just an ordinary guy who has learned to love the plain and simple me and that's what really matters.


 

It all started when this simple Mindoreña stepped onto the halls of Philippine Heart Center(PHC) and this guy  from the said institution approached her and said:


'Miss, nagkicrit care ka pala.'   

And the rest, as they say, is history.

Lovelots, 
Maica Angelle



 
Credits:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.255279787928095.57934.100003382270306&type=3
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.259557077500366.59288.100003382270306&type=3
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3749060253904.2133394.1498278212&type=3  
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.326426567380604.92720.100000397892268&type=3
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Tuesday, December 25, 2012

My Crit Care Experience

Dearest Bloggerbuds,

Christmas is just around the corner.  I know, and by around the corner, I speak of Christmas ornaments everywhere, Christmas carols arising out of nowhere, Christmas parties here and there.  Oh well, at least you all get the picture.  Anyway, inasmuch as I want to blog how the season had been treating me lately, let me first share my memorable experience with one of the premiere hospitals in the country- the Philippine Heart Center.

Last September 17- November 9, 2012, I was given the chance to attend the Critical Care Course of PHC(Philippine Heart Center). Defined by http://www.phc.gov.ph/training/nursing-education/nureduc/index.php?prog_uid=1 as an eight-week program intended to prepare nurses to be responsive to the complex needs of the critically ill in the advanced field of critical care nursing, the course is composed of a three-week didactic phase and a month-long exposure to the various critical care units of PHC.  It is intended for Filipino nurses like me from various parts of the archipelago who want to be more adept in responding to the increasing demands of the critically-ill patients from all walks of life all over the country.

Unlike the other training programs I've come across with, this one is the most challenging and memorable for me.  Imagine, I had to pass the arduous pre-qualifying examination and the immense interview with the PHC mentors in order to secure a slot for this program.

Anyway, if getting onto the program was already challenging, keeping-up with it is yet another story.  The first three weeks weren't easy at all. Imagine, I was out of my comfort zone dealing with various people in a diverse environment trying to keep up with the lectures, quizzes and major exams.  I had to endure all those boring, lengthy nights at the PHC dormitory.  I had to learn how to ride the LRT (Light Railway Transit)/ MRT (Metro Railway Transit), commute from Vito Cruz to Quezon City, experience the condo life(since I was visiting my brother at his condo unit somewhere in Vito Cruz over the weekends), and live the life of an ordinary probinsyana stuck in the wilderness of Metro Manila.  It was clearly insane.

Lecture Days







my Batchmates
When the didactic phase has finally come to pass, we finally bid goodbye to the classroom-type environment to make way for 'the critical care environment itself.' All the tiresome lectures, the mind-boggling surpirse quizzes, the nerve-wracking major exams and all the kulitan moments in between already ended but learning didn't have to stop there.
 
Surgical Intensive Care Unit II 


Petal 3D Children's Ward 


Adult Service Ward

Cardiovascular Lab










 
Neuro ICU(Intensive Care Unit)
Surgical Intensive Care Unit I


Pediatric ICU


 
Coronary Care Unit


 
 Pulmo Rehab




Medical ICU


As part of 'the Crit Care experience,'  the batch had to prepare several case presentations- the most challenging, burdensome and ambitious requirements up-to-date.  Imagine, I had to spend some tiresome days, sleepless evenings and tedious brain storming sessions with my groupmates before we were able to come up with a manuscript. 









My Case Study Buddies

Prepping-up for Case Pres

The Pulmo Group














Hence, after all the case study manuscripts were done, the case studies were presented, the journals  were checked and the exposures were finally over, the group had to set our white uniforms aside for our most awaited moment- the Graduation Ceremonies.


              My Crit Care Mentors
 

  Group 3- 73rd PHC Critical Care Course




73rd PHC Critical Care Course Graduation Ceremonies


    Archer, Rizza, I and Romeo 










It has been a month since I stepped out of the comforts of the Philippine Heart Center(PHC) to be somewhere close to my heart- HOME.  And right now, I don't have lengthy manuals to review,  case studies to focus on nor journals to finish.  All those Light Railway Transit/ Metro Railway Transit rides, sleepless nights at the dorm, the Crit Care challenges and everything else in between are all but memories away.  However, for what it's worth, I left my heart at PHC and the story doesn't end there.


Lovelots,
Maica Angelle
Credits:

http://www.phc.gov.ph/training/nursing-education/nureduc/index.php?prog_uid=1
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100004365368144&sk=photos
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.542132789134412.141453.100000130881158&type=3
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.551529118194779.143428.100000130881158&type=3
https://www.facebook.com/media
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3749060253904.2133394.1498278212&type=3
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.326426567380604.92720.100000397892268&type=3
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.258372894285451.58931.100003382270306&type=3
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.326426567380604.92720.100000397892268&type=3









 







 










 
 

















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Location: Malakas Ln, Quezon City, Philippines

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Memory Lane: Experiencing Malaysia


Malaysia Truly Asia Slideshow: Maica’s trip from Singapore to Melaka State, Malaysia was created by TripAdvisor. See another Melaka State slideshow. Create your own stunning free slideshow from your travel photos.

Last 2009, I was given the chance to visit the historical state of Melaka in Malaysia..  It was during my two-week stay at Singapore with my mom and twin sister.  Malaysia is the second foreign country I visited and it was clearly fabulous!

Lovelots,
Maica Angelle
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Memory Lane: My Trip to Singapore

My Trip to Singapore Slideshow: Maica’s trip from City of Calapan (near Calapan, Luzon, Philippines) to 4 cities Orchard (near Singapore, Singapore), Sentosa Island, Changi Village (near Pasir Gudang, Johor, Malaysia) and Jurong Lake (near Jurong) was created by TripAdvisor. See another Malaysia slideshow. Take your travel photos and make a slideshow for free.
I've recently discovered a cool app on facebook... It's an app wherein I can share photos from some of my memorable trips.  This slideshow showcases visit to Singapore way back in 2009.  It is my first out-of-the-country trip, something that will always be special to me. 

Lovelots,
Maica Angelle
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Thursday, June 14, 2012

Experiencing Anawangin with the 4As

Imagine an overnight stay in a remote place deprived of electricity, concrete buildings, cellphone signals and all the hustle and bustle of the city life.  That's what I and my high school buddies had to go through last month at Anawangin. 


Anawangin Cove, Pundaquit, San Antonio, Zambales

Described as a crescent-shaped cove bestowed with off-white sand, lush pine forest surrounding and crystal clear waters, Anawangin is an island located in Pundaquit, San Antonio, Zambales. It is a 4-6 hour drive from Manila, a perfect destination for those who want to get closer to nature. 

In our pursuit for the perfect summer getaway, I and my 4A friends came up with a non-traditional out-of-town get together last May 12-13, 2012 at this place.  Despite of the 2-hr. boat ride from Mindoro to Batangas seaports, the 3-4 hr. bus ride from Batangas to Manila and the long journey all the way to the north, our group braved all the odds just to experience the cove's wilderness.

Station I: Calapan Seaport
Station II: at a Montenegro Shipping Line bound for Batangas


Station III: SM North EDSA





Station IV: Subic

Station V: @Resto Bar, Subic


Station VI: Chilling at 7/11
Station VII: waiting for our boat ride heading for the island

Hence, after all the endless walks, the tiresome boat rides, the never-ending drives and the long wait, we were finally able to set foot on the cove.  We then saw the evergreen pine trees, the calm shore, the colorful tents and a camp site like no other.  We were somewhere unlike any other places we've been with before.  We were one with nature.  

Anawangin, Here We Come...
Our Camp Site

My twin sister and I experiencing the Camp life

4As at Anawangin
It took us a while to set-up our tents and prepare for the next adventure for the day: the trip towards Capones island.
Prepping-up for Capones Island


Famous for its lighthouse,  the sand and rock mixture, and the open sea, Capones Island is one of the main attractions of Pundaquit Zambales.  It is a 20-30 minute ride from the cove, a place to go if you are in for some adventure.
 Capones Island

the view atop the island

sitting by the rock

by the light house
the light house

the view from the top



The weather suddenly became unstable as we headed back to the cove.  Clouds overshadowed the sky giving way to the pouring rain.  Then, we went to the shore and swam our way at a place away from our home, somewhere we were only dreaming of seeing before.

Hence, as the day has finally come to an end, we all went back to camp.  There, we had to survive a dark, rainy night at the wilderness with nothing but our tents, bags and each other.  We were somewhere away from all the facebook dramas, the cheesy telenovelas, the stressful workplaces and all the negativities of the world.  We were at peace and before we knew it, a new day has finally arrived.

What a beautiful morning...
Good Morning Anawangin...
Start the day right!






Unlike the previous day, the next one is all about exploring the wilderness.  We've had two activities before we finally geared-up towards home. First, we had to climb one of the steep, rocky mountains of the cove.


Activity: Climb that mountain!

4As on a hike


My hiking adventure

Our last activity at the cove involved a visit to one of the rivers by the area.  It wasn't as grand as the other rivers I've come across with but I had fun.  We took a lot of pictures, had our own dose of 'kulitan' moments, and explored Anawangin for the last time as we then headed back towards home.

Time for some river adventure

by the river
with the Tamaraw skulls
Kulitan by the wilderness
I had to sacrifice another busy night shift at our ER for the sake of the long trip towards home but it was all worth it.  I was able to spend some time with my long lost high school buddies and amidst the scorching heat, the endless search for normalcy and the quest for survival, my experience at the cove is something I'll always remember for the rest of my life.

As we head back home...
With the Anawangin boys


Lovelots,
Maica Angelle


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