hi guys!

just thought you might be interested: i was interviewed by sinigang girl, mae:

part 1
part 2

don’t forget to leave a comment!

hey mae!… sa PM na lang… hehehe!

the past few weeks, i have this term in my mind: adventure medicine. it came to me because the way things are going, my career seems to be going down that path. i only know 2 doctors whose careers could qualify as “adventure medicine.” however, i do not recall of a chapter or even a section in my medical books on such subject.

it was after discussing with mae - a blogger-friend from the states - that what i had in mind was verbalized. she also called it adventure medicine. while we were concluding a phone conversation just some 5 minutes ago, i was telling her i like that term. she said, “it’s what we call it here.”

“you mean it’s a term?”
“yeah!”

OMG. really?

so i googled it…

OMG!! IT’S A TERM!!!!

hi guys!
this is an invitation to be a part of mensa! tell me if you guys are interested or if you want more info! kasi i think i can make it on the test day (and siguro, proctor. hehehe!)

=)
zoe

MENSA IQ CHALLENGE™ TO BE HELD NOVEMBER 30
AT FULLY BOOKED BONIFACIO HIGH STREET

Mensa Philippines  the local organization of the international high IQ
society Mensa International  will be holding its qualifying test for
individuals aged 12 and above who are seeking membership in Mensa.

The testing, dubbed The Mensa IQ Challenge, will be held on November 30,
2008 (Sunday) at Fully Booked Bonifacio High Street, Taguig.  Tests will be
given every hour from 11am to 5pm.

The only criterion for Mensa membership is to score within the top 2% (98th
percentile and up) of the test. The test is culture-fair and does not test for
math or language skills.

Limited slots are available to those interested in taking the Mensa test.  To
avail of these slots, interested parties can pre-register at the online facility
available at mensaphilippines.blogspot.com.  The deadline for pre-registration
is  before 12 midnight of November 28.

During the test, exam takers will need to bring a valid ID and a testing fee of
P500.  Undergraduate students with valid student IDs are entitled to a
discounted fee of P300.  Note that payments will only be received at the
testing venue itself.

Mensa has over 100,000 members in over 80 countries worldwide. Actress/Olympian
archer Geena Davis, comedian John Cleese and science-fiction writer Isaac Asimov
are some of the more prominent Mensa members.

Mensa’s aims are to identify and foster human intelligence for the benefit of
humanity; to encourage research in the nature, characteristics and uses of
intelligence; and to promote stimulating and social opportunities for its
members.

…but they’re posted on the official website of Survivor Philippines.

You can view them by clicking on the following links:

The Perils of Devil’s Island

An introduction to Koh Tarutao National Park in Satun Province, Thailand.

“Ano ka ba, John?”

An attempt to enlighten viewers on what happened to John during his evacuation from the Jarakay camp.

The Challenges That Make Up Survivor Philippines

A look behind the scenes on life of the Survivor team in Thailand.

Answering Your Questions

“What causes hypokalemia?” and other questions that may have entered your mind while watching Survivor Philippines

Did Nikki Gain Weight?

Metabolism during starvation made simple.

This blog fell on Oct 11, 2008.

I went wall climbing for the first time this afternoon. And I did it alone.

Fuelled by a renewed sense of independence, I braved the commute to Southmall. I never go on an adventure alone. Partly because I want my friends laughing if we end up with a misadventure. Partly because I’m afraid to do it alone. Partly because I love doing things with my boyfriend or my friends. And partly because it seems geeky to me to be doing things without a buddy. But I have to accept that most people won’t be on the same page of adventure 100% of the time, because 95% of the time, their comfy beds lure them back to slumber, as was the case today.

I was proud of the fact that I got to the top on the first attempt. I have been told that that doesn’t happen all the time. However, I immediately felt the strain on my arms. Although I was instructed to use my legs to propel myself up, I also still had to exert some effortusing my arms and fingers.

I went up on my 2^nd attempt, this time feeling the weakness of my arms. But the worst part was figuring out where to step next. I thought pre-planning my climb would be the secret. But when you’re up there, you don’t see that route anymore and then you find out that you didn’t go the way you planned it. So I was stuck there.

Now what?

Niño said that sometimes you have to let go if you get stuck. Otherwise, your muscles will end up with fatigue and you won’t be able to continue. He also said that you just have to step on where it is convenient. He also says that he won’t be teaching me the basics yet because I have to build a foundation of having my own technique and to get accustomed to the strength that vertical plane required.

I rested for a while and Niño let me. And then I saw it: no one said I can’t move to my side. So I did. And that brought me up.

I think by this time I earned his trust that I could go all the way up for a 3^rd time and rapel down (or was that the 4^th time?). Never did I feel more afraid than that moment when he told me to let go and rapel. Was it the weakness of my arms that made me doubt my success with this? Or was this really fear? But I had to rely on what was left of my strength now and let go.

And I wasn’t sorry. In fact, midway through, I really enjoyed it. As a bonus, I got some applause from the onlookers.

Today, I’ve learned more about my strengths and my mental abilities. And I’ve learned further that I should never limit myself again.

maaring nagtataka kayo kung bakit “again.” ito ay sa kadahilanang “nakatago” yung unang episode ng nagpapanggap kong talk show upang protektahan yung mga guest ko sa episode na yon. pasensya na po.

ang tawak

sa linggong ito, nasa isang ospital ako kung saan nasa gitna sya ng grazing area. ito ang unang beses kong napadpad sa isang ospital kung saan pag dungaw mo sa bintana ay baka at tandang ang makikita mo, at kung saan pwede kang makipag-patintero sa mga sasakyan sa labas.

tatawagin natin itong lugar na ito na naak, cavite.

may in-examine kami ni doc jiggs na isang nurse na naniniwalang nakulam sya dahil sa dami ng pigsa nya sa lugar kung saan ayaw mong magka-pigsa. tinapalan pa nya ito ng gumamela. marami nang mga doctor ang nagpahiwatig na gusto nilang pigain at gamutin ang mga pigsa nya ngunit ilang beses na nya tinanggihan ang mga ito. ako pa lamang ang babaeng doctor na nag-alok gawin ito sa kanya. nag-sales talk pa ako na kesyo magaan ang kamay ko, pero ayaw pa rin. binilog ko na lang ng konti ulo nya para man lang mag-simula ng antibiotics at para malanggasan ng maayos ang sugat nya. napapayag ko rin.

nakaka-gulat na may mga nurse pa pala na sumusunod sa mga kasabihan ng mga matatanda at naniniwala pa sa kulam.

mahirap tutulan ang mga ito dahil sa tindi ng paniniwala nila. sarado na ang utak ng iba. lalo na dito sa naak kung saan mayaman sila sa tapal…

… at ang kapitbahay ng ospital na ito ay ang bahay ng albularyo at tawak.

doc zoe: ano po yung tawak?

doc jiggs: yun yung manggagamot na naninipsip ng sakit.

doc zoe: ah, yung pag may bukol sa suso, sisipsipin yung suso…

doc jiggs: …o kung may pigsa sa pwet, sisipsipin nya yon…

doc zoe: … o kung may snake bite sa paa, kahit ang dumi-dumi pa nun, sisipsipin pa rin nya?

doc jiggs: ganon nga.

doc zoe: ew.

doc jiggs: pag ganon kasi, di mo na sila pwedeng kontrahin pa. e yung anti-venom natin ay ide-deliver pa from 20 minutes away. e kung pinigilan mo pa yung dala nilang tawak, baka ikaw pa ang sisihin ng pamilya, kesyo dahil di mo pinayagan ang tawak kaya namatay yung pasyente nila.

doc zoe: oo nga naman. may na-encounter ka na ba na ganon?

doc jiggs: oo. pinayagan ko lang, bahala na sila kung saan nanggaling yung paang yon at ang dumi-dumi… sasabihin ko na lang na pwede habang wala pa yung anti-venom pero di na nila pwedeng higupin yon pag nalagyan na ng anti-venom. syempre, papayaga na sila sa compromise ko.

doc zoe: nagkaroon ka ba ng case na kung san dinala na nga nila sa e.r., nagsama pa sila ng tawak sa e.r., ginamot ng tawak, tapos iinsist na iuwi na, tipong ginamit lang yung e.r. at yung tawak ang nag-take ng place mo?

doc jiggs: marami! minsan nga pipilitin pa nila na wag na lang magpalagay ng anti-venom kasi sabi ng tawak ok na yon. pag ganon, pinapa-pirma ko na lang. e di sila mapapakali kaya magpapalagay na rin sila ng anti-venom.

doc zoe: mostly ba ang kaso ng mga tawak ay yung mga natuklaw ng ahas?

doc jiggs: oo, yun talaga ang karamihan sa kaso nila.

doc zoe: bakit? may powers ba sila? as in, may powers ba ang laway nila?

doc jiggs: parang ganon na nga. hindi naman kasi yan ina-applyan. mana yan. kung tatay mo ay tawak, magiging tawak ka din. pag mamamatay na sila, dadasalan ka nila kaya may powers ang laway nyan. bukod don, may parang training din yan. kasi, example, alam nila na pag may singaw sila ay di sila pwede mag-sipsip, ganon.

doc zoe: ayos! buti na lang pala di ako pinanganak na anak ng tawak! may natutunan ako: na it really sucks to be one!

(pun not intended)

TWO MOTHERS: PART 2 – JEREMIAH

Not long after pronouncing the pre-term baby, an 18-year old mother was brought into the delivery room.

Angelica was silent but in obvious pain. She was red and shedding tears while she endured each excruciating spasm.

As minutes passed, Angelica abandoned all inhibitions and screamed. By the time the baby’s head was showing, Angelica was already so restless and motioned getting off the delivery table.

What moved us was that she kept screaming “Jeremiah” from this moment forth. Every push had her screaming that name, which reverberated throughout the operating room complex. It was quite touching that despite all pain, she still longed for her husband to be on her side and drew strength from him.

We learned an important lesson later: that “Jeremiah” was not her husband. Instead, it was Chavacano for “Di ko na kaya/ayoko na!”

Last night, a mother delivered a pre-term baby. He was only 6 months in her womb. He was mostly developed, except that the eye slits still could not be opened. He was limp and blue. And he only had 2 hours of life before he passed on.

The mother knew this before she even delivered, but had to go through with it with the hope that she could save that tiny child. It took (a lot) of courage and she was blessed with that life, even if it were only for 2 short hours.

I, thus, re-learned something today: that at 23-24 weeks AOG (about 6 months), the eyelids could not open yet.

Oh yeah, and that a person’s a person no matter how small.

valuable things i learned today:

* goya chocolate has improved immensely.

* when you have chopped labuyo in preparation for your meal, then jumped in the shower and washed your hands, you still should not blow and pick your nose.