Indexing Title: RCHAN’s Medical Anectodal Report [04-4]

MAR Title: Baptism of Fire

Date of Medical Observation: January 1, 2000

Narration:

Who could ever forget? Everybody all over the world was so excited a few days before celebrating New Year. Who wouldn’t be? It was the turn of the millennium! If it were even the turn of the century, people would still make it a big deal.

Other than it being a much awaited event all over the world, it was also one of the most spine-tingling and nerve wracking duty that surgery residents dreaded that year. The usual New Year’s celebration every year would never be complete without tons of medico legal patients, firecracker injury patients, trauma patients, etc. But that New Year ’s Day was special so we expected it to be more toxic twice or even thrice over. The hospital was prepared for the event too. All the medical supplies were suddenly made available and seemed to have been endless that New Year’s eve.

I was just an incoming first year resident then. All incoming first year surgical residents were on call on New Year ’s Eve. We were to be bonafide residents of the Department of Surgery of Ospital ng Maynila on January 1, 2000. What a way to start your training right? It coincided with the turn of the millennium!

New Year ’s Eve was benign that day. Three or four patients came in with minor firecracker injuries. We even had the time to prepare our Media Noche that evening with the clerks and interns. The male residents were VERY EXCITED too…after all, who wouldn’t be proud to say that “I did my KISSING ROUNDS during the millennium celebration!” Nobody can say that again in the next years of their lifetimes.

As the night was coming to an end, a stretcher-borne 4-year-old female was wheeled in. She was a vehicular accident victim. She was run over by a scooter, the tire-marks very much visible across her abdomen. We did the necessary procedures for the patient. She was referred to our pediatric surgery consultant who advised us to observe the patient. If she showed signs of significant blunt injury, we would open her up. After a few hours, she already had an acute abdomen. We prepared the patient for operation. It was past 11 pm when we finally brought the patient to the operating room.

As expected, we celebrated the millennium New Year there! When the clock struck 12 midnight, we all stared outside the glass windows of the operating room. There were brilliant fireworks across the sky. It was a beautiful sight. It could’ve been more spectacular if we were to see it while standing along Roxas Blvd. But we couldn’t, and so we had to content ourselves with a few glances through the glass windows.

After a three-hour battle for dear life, the patient died on the table. Two liters of hemoperitoneum was evacuated. She had an avulsed spleen and left kidney and a ruptured duodenum. All of a sudden, the millennium celebration didn’t have any reason for most of us to celebrate anymore. However on my part, that day was my “BAPTISM OF FIRE”.

Insights (DISCOVERY, Stimulus, REINFORCEMENT):

I came to the reality that from that day henceforth, it was the start of my career as a general surgery resident. I told myself, “Ok, this is IT!” I knew that what transpired would pale in comparison with the trials I would be facing in the next five years. That day I realized that training in Surgery is not a bed of roses. I had to prepare myself for this, emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually. Looking back, I can say I have come a long way. I have matured through the years and evolved as well. Indeed more challenges came my way and I have braved them all.