My 40th Birthday

Well, a day before my birthday, Friday afternoon, I have a clinical class with Batch 9 at Centinela Hospital Medical Center.

I was patiently waiting for my students in the cafeteria's small room near the vending machine. It's already past 3 pm but still there were no students around except for Chasity who was intently talking to me about her studies.

When it's around 3:30 pm and there were no students around I was already almost getting mad. I told Chasity to check the main big room on the other side if her classmates were there. When she came back she told me that there were some students there waiting for me and watching TV.

I stood up and went there to call them to move to the other room. When I went in the room I saw they were preparing potluck food on the table.

Then when I went near the table, they started to sing Happy Birthday to me. I was totally surprised about it and just held both my hands on my ears gesturing that I couldn't believe what I saw and heard.

I thanked the whole group after that and told them that I was totally surprised about the little gesture. We started to take pictures after that and then eat the food.

They also brought a mango cake from Red Ribbon and a pink hello kitty tin balloon. I was still awe-struck by their small gesture. For me, their effort of putting up such thing was kinda big and touching.

I didn't know that spending time for this small group for a short time meant so much for them. I did't know I created such big impact to them. I didn't know how much they liked me compared to their previous clinical adviser.

But being with them in a short time gave me a lot of confidence in myself. I thank God I met them and handled them.
**********

Saturday morning the next day, the day of my big day, I met with Batch 5 at Greater El Monte Community Hospital.

It was so unusual for me though working on my birthday. But I have no choice, I have to work because I need money to pay-off my condo in the Philippines and help my niece finish her nursing studies.

I met the group at the hospital's cafeteria, discussed with the some procedural guidelines and talked to them a little bit about anticipating in the unit they are going to be assigned. After the pre-conference I dispersed them to their respective units.

ER was kinda slow that time so I stayed most of the time in L&D and Post-partum. In the Nursery though, there was a newly born baby who was born the previous night having a steady pulse oximeter reading between 60-70%. I then presume it was a cardiac baby.

I asked Lidjia, the nurse in-charge, if I can assessed the baby and she gave me a go signal. When I listened to the heart sounds I noticed a faint swooshing sound indicating a small heart murmur.

Then the nurse notified the Pediatrician and I assisted her start the IV. The Pediatrician then ordered to transfer out the baby to another level 3 facility.

So, while awaiting the transfer I went back to ER and checked my other students there. We did some procedures there and assisted the ER doctor suture a lacerated wound of a boy on the left forearm which was cut by a broken glass.

I also taught the students how to obtain an RSV nasal swab for a congested 3-year-old child to rule out a respiratory virus. Then after that we went to lunch.

I opted to stay at the cafeteria, because it was so hot outside, and told the students to come back at 1 pm. I stayed there and ate my lunch.

While waiting for the students, I randomly checked some of my paperworks to lessen some of my burdens in checking it and then took a short nap for a while.

When they came back, I didn't know that they bought me a yummy chocolate cake and a very meaningful birthday card.

When they came in the cafeteria they started singing Happy Birthday to me and I was very surprised about the little gesture. I thanked them after that then we took pictures and enjoyed the chocolate cake that they brought.

Again, another day of celebrating my 40th birthday with the batch that I am handling in the clinicals, which is Batch 5.

I mean, this group was my primary group, and I grew a lot with them. They mentored me so much, learned a lot from them, and made me more confident and I loved them so much.

I felt that my birthday was a special one because of this overwhelming attention that was being given to me by my students.

Thanks to you all for your love, respect, and trust in my care and teachings. I love you all!
*************

After, I dismissed the students, I went home and picked up Kuya George at his apartment because we were planning to have a dinner that night.

After picking him up, I went home to change then we left off and went to Koreatown. We went straight to where the ChungDam Korean BBQ is located then we asked for a table for two.

We ordered the authentic Korean food and enjoyed it. We also took pictures at each other and started to make happy and funny conversation and shared our wishes for each other for my birthday.

Kuya George, as my best friend was my best buddy and the person I can talked with about my major problems. So it is just apt for me to celebrate my 40th birthday with my best friend and shared with him my graces and wishes.

After the dinner I dropped off Kuya at his apartment and there he handed me my birthday card. It was a very meaningful card I had from a best friend. The message really touched my heart a lot.

So far, my birthday celebration goes all well. This was the most memorable birthday I ever had.

I thanked God to have known those wonderful people around who have brought joy to me and shared their frienship with me, especially on my birthday.

To my dear students, my family and relatives, my facebook well-wishers, and my best friend Kuya George, thank you so much.

And most of all to my dear God for His grace and guidance. Thank you very much.

They say life begins at forty and I hope it will become true, for I know I just kicked it off today, on this very auspicious day.