Gawad Bayaning Kalusugan

 GAWAD BAYANING KALUSUGAN announced 12 winners of the INDIVIDUAL category and I was blessed to be included in the list.

 

My mother said that some people are fortunate to be doing the work that they love doing, but receiving recognition for it tops it all!

Thank you for the recognition!  

My grandfather taught me that if something is worth doing at all, it is worth doing well.  St Therese of the Child Jesus said nothing is small in the eyes of God, so do what you do with love and do ordinary things extraordinarily well.  Inspired also by Arthur Ashe (PLHIV tennis champion), we face the challenge of responding to the COVID19 pandemic by starting where we are, using what we have and doing what we can!

Honored and humbled, we celebrate each achievement as a blessing.  The victory of one is the victory of all.  Our shared identity, this is made possible by the cooperation of the healthcare workers of the VSMMC COVID19 Health Facility.  In unity there is strength! #TatakSOTTO #BeatCOVID19 #WeHealAsOne

Congratulations to the Department of Family Medicine for winning team category!  Congratulations as well to Dr Mishelle Vonnabie Bala (the secret weapon and MVP), to the VSMMC Subnational Laboratory, the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Department of Pediatrics!

Thank you to the organizers Carl Balita and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry for recognizing the efforts of the COVID-19 frontline healthcare workers when once upon a time we were met with stigma, discrimination and investigations into management, expenses and financial charging - all sources of additional stress to our COVID-19 warriors!

#childrightsPH

November is Children's Month and this year's theme is

"Sama-samang itaguyod ang karapatan ng bawat bata sa panahon ng pandemya"

The Share A Child Movement Inc usually conducts monthly meetings with the 40 or so scholars at the office, however with the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdowns, the children were safely isolated in their homes.  With the loosening of strict quarantine protocols, we were able to assemble 5 scholars per group to conduct virtual meetings via facebook live, maximizing the use of technology to keep them connected.

With struggles as they started Facebook LIVE programs, April and Federicee discussed their ideas on TRANSFORM as they discussed Children's Rights last November 7, 2020.

This Saturday, November 14, 2020  Carlito, Revie and Marife discussed their points of views on children's rights.  

The SUPACA President Vida Marie Panangin also guested on DYRC with Bill Felisan and myself, sharing how SHARE A CHILD MOVEMENT INC started out as an NGO promoting preventive measures to ensure children's rights thru educational assistance and advocacy programs.

#HCSMPH2020

Yesterday, we had the first installment of the 6th Healthcare Social Media Summit Philippines 2020 #HCSMPH2020 with a lecture by Dr Iris Thiele Isip-Tan on establishing a professional social media presence followed by a panel discussion with #HealthXPH 

Later that same evening, the #HealthXPH tweetchat was like an extension of the #HCSMPH2020 session with the tweetchat allowing the community to answer the same questions in the panel.  Here are some of the tweets that caught my eye.

T1.  What advice would you give for researchers wanting to start a blog as an online portfolio?

T2.  In what ways has Twitter been useful for you in the research process?

T3.  What tips can you give for those who are new to Twitter?  Who should they follow? Do you have criteria?  How can you grow your personal learning network?

Elizabeth Pacheco advised to follow people who make you smile!  I am glad that #HealthXPH is a safe space where one can de-stress after a hectic week and just verbalize and vent and people will accept and support you, so follow #HealthXPH!

Jerome Cleofas called for people to PARTICIPATE.  yes, I would agree that one simply has to engage and be willing to try something new to be able to maximize use of social media and gain social capital.  Go out there and talk with people.  On twitter, my students learn how to communicate professionally, both to patients, policy makers and to consultants.  That's the beauty of twitter connecting people regardless of station, rank, religion or nationality.

Hope to see everyone in Cebu livetweeting the activities of the Central Visayas Health Research and Innovation Conference from November 16-20, 2020 on #hcsmph2020 so that we can evaluate the success of the virtual conference this year, as we move forward and adapt to living with COVID-19 in the new normal. 

See you again next week for the 2nd part of #hcsmph2020 as we discuss about conducting social media research with Dr Narciso Tapia.  register on bit.ly/HCSMPH2020.

In any case, it was happy to see all of #HealthXPH in one monitor screen virtual is next best thing to face to face.

Gawad Bayaning Kalusugan

Thank you to the Gawad Bayaning Kalusugan organizers for the recognition of our work and choosing me as finalist in the individual category.  I now know how it feels to be a Miss COVID-19 Universe Philippines candidate.

These were my questions, and I would like to answer them in the comfort of my downtime, while reflecting the more profound answers I would have given in a parallel universe.

1. How do you think the cost of treatment for COVID-19 can go down? 

Quoting ARD Dr Guy Perez: The right patient to the right facility, at the right time, all the time!

By centralizing severe and critical cases of COVID-19 to a COVID-19 referral hospital, you allow specialized care with adequate equipment, facilities, supplies and manpower to manage complications of COVID-19 instead of spreading thin your shared resources.

Also, focus on the minimum health standards for infection prevention and control. Health risk communication has an essential role in empowering the community regarding prevention of transmission and identification of pathognomonic signs and symptoms for early detection and control.  Prevention is better than cure!

2. How do you take care of yourself during this COVID-19 Pandemic?

Good nutrition, healthy diet, regular exercise (one hour per day) and maintaining mental health by shouting out to all frontline healthcare workers and asking people "how are you?" because it takes a whole team to beat COVID-19.  We need to walk the talk and practice what we preach.  No ONE hospital or healthcare worker can do it alone.  Our health has to be a team effort.

3. As a maternal health advocate, how do you keep mothers admitted to your hospital safe?

Engineering and administrative controls, innovations for droplet protection, algorithms for triage and hospital zoning, swab testing for SARS COV2 to ensure patients are managed appropriately, COVID19 case managers for psychosocial counselling of both the mother and the family.  Being in a transitional change in the life of a woman is stressful enough.  Having a new baby, going thru the extreme pain of labor, experiencing physical changes in your body is traumatic enough for a woman.  Getting separated with no physical, mental, social and emotional support because of COVID-19 infection can be grueling with the added stigma and discrimination to grapple with.  This should be provided sufficient attention by healthcare workers.

LOVE in the Time of COVID-19

This is where it all began: facebook SOTTO LIVE as an intelligent conversation among colleagues agreeing to disagree on some discussion points but willing to continue communicating altogether for the benefit of public information dissemination. 

Our first ever episode discussed
responsible social media use, with Dr Van Phillip Baton as special guest on loan from the Department of Health CHD7. 

Today as we aired our 142nd episode of the SOTTO LIVE, we have our most special guest Dr Van Phillip Baton debunking myths about LOVE in the Time of Coronavirus!

At one point in our discussion we dissected the myth that fighting can doom the relationship, but just like my personal relationship with doc Van, we can argue our points of views and opinion into the wee hours of morning in heated tones, but at the end of it all, we still greet each other "good night" as friends and agree to disagree.

After all, it takes two to tango and building relationship need work and dedication.  LOVE is a choice, more than just a feeling.  LOVE is a conscious choice to make sacrifices, putting the other person's needs before your own.  LOVE is making time for the otherperson despite the quarantine, the isolation, the geographic barriers and the slow internet speed.  LOVE in the time of coronavirus changed it ways of expression: staying at home, avoiding kisses and hugs and bless, being more online than offline, and sending airhugs and flying kisses to your loved ones, making sure they don't feel alone.

Rest, if you must

 

It has been a long fast-paced day today. 

Waking up early for surgery then catching up with the MSGC presentation.  I remembered stopping at lunchtime to squeeze in my not-so low impact core work-out in between meetings. 

After rushing back to finish paperworks, sign documents, resolve arguments, attend meetings then prepared for #TatakSOTTO FB Live program, I had to speedwalk to the training office to join my OBGYN "team" to support the interview for Gawad Bayaning Kalusugan team category.

Slowing down for the night, stopping to smell the roses/beautiful plants, we say THANK YOU for all our blessings despite of or because of all the challenges we face daily.  I need to remember to rest.  Good night!

Bayaran

For several years now, I have been pushing myself to make and publish one research paper per year.  However, teaching research to medical students and resident physician trainees, my ideas end up as their research topics for requirement purposes.

Moreso the COVID-19 pandemic brought everything to a halt, and now we are desperately trying to jumpstart efforts to encourage staff to do researches that would impact policy change, direct clinical management practices and improve health systems.  Collaborating with other healthcare professionals and academicians hopefully will help make work easier to bear.

Our hospital has begun work on COVID-19 related researches looking into the Impact of COVID-19 on the Healthcare System, Patient Management and on Healthcare workers.  Our first step was to start talking about our experiences during the COVID-19 response, looking back at how we handled the different circumstances for patient and healthcare worker safety.  We invited speakers and organized webinars for the staff and the general public.

For tonight's tweetchat, I get inspiration from our current endeavor on the COVID19 RESEARCH PROGRAM and the news article on DENR spokesperson Undersecretary Benny Antiporda lashing out at UP scientists calling them "bayaran" or paid workers.

1. What is your perception of the state of scientific research in the Philippines?

2.  What kind of support do scientists need to create  an enabling environment for conducting research?

3. Considering the COVID-19 pandemic, what type of researches do you think scientists should be focusing on?

NGOs bridge the GAP

Locked in a closet for privacy, I snuck out during lunch break to deliver a message to partner NGOs during the provincial NGO network KAABAG SA SUGBU General Assembly to encourage them to continue collaboration, partnerships and consortia.  Main messages I want to share is that:

1.  There is a big role for NGOs in the community especially despite of or moreso because of COVID19 pandemic.  Obviously the government is not capable of providing all essential public services to the communities.  NGOs bridge the gap.

2.  Teamwork makes the dream work.  Each NGO complements each other in projects, activities, movements. As Hal Atienza says "we make things happen".

3.  There is power in numbers.  We continue to be watchdogs for peace and order, social justice, and good governance.  We call out political leaders who might abuse their powers.

4.  The solution to pollution is dilution.  There is a lot of fake news that abounds on social media where our children are these days.  It is our moral and ethical responsibility to make sure that accurate reliable information is equally available to the general public.

It's called dengue

I was admitted to the hospital on a Saturday night.  Nurses were very accomodating, I just needed to walk in.  It helped that the suite room was awfully nice, and that the aircon was not too cold, because I was still having chills.

Horrible time with needles and pricks.   I tried to be brave when first try my vein burst.  Thankful that nurse Cyril was an expert shooter and was very gentle with this crybaby.  It was exceptionally difficult because I was dehydrated.

I was greatly relieved by the IV hydration and IV antibiotics.  I had fewer chills and no more fever, but my body ached all over and I still didn't have any desire to eat.  Considering our working diagnosis was a urinary tract infection, ai had to submit a urine specimen.  It showed ketones.  Somehow I was ordered CBG monitoring tid, much to my panic... I had to talk with ny doctors re what causes ketones in the urine.

Usually po pag nag starving po or keto diet, but common din po sa dm patients pag inadequate carb intake or metabolism.

An "aha" moment and the dreaded CBG pricks stopped.

Day 3 of my influenza-like illness, it was a Sunday.  I wondered why people started texting me "what happened?" Turns out my attending physician Dr Pen Villamor posted on facebook about me, her intentions were to appreciate thr things that I had done for VSMMC and for Cebu, but that getting sick is a reminder that we have to take care of ourselves as well.

The IDS rotator came in to inform me that the Dengue NS1 came out positive, so what i have is dengue.  He was also very kind to re-insert my IV line with one try, amazing sharp shooting skills!  We documented it with a selfie with my very attentive nurse Alice.

The chill now comes from IV hydration. Seem to have cough.  Slight Pain on deep inspiration at the right side of my body.  No more fever but with muscles aches and joint pains, and a terrible fever. I had a tough time falling asleep, but nurse Cyril was very helpful.  He even gave me a hot water bag to put on my tummy and turned off the aircon and electric fan, and allowed me to drink warm water.

So here I am, I woke up like this - ready to face a new day.  As nurse Cyril gets off his shift I need to prepare for a series of diagnostic tests and treatments.  My other labs werr abnormal too, but I will let my doctors handle that and just allow myself to be a patient for today.

Thank you Lord for another day at this life and thank you to all the people who cared to say a short prayer for my speedy recovery.

Influenza-like Illness

Day 2 of my influenza-like illness.  Everything hurts: fever, alternating chills and sweats, muscle aches and joint pains, sore throat and tummy aches. Haven't eaten since yesterday, can't keep anything down.

Waiting for the results of my RTPCR results.

Serve with honor and excellence

Today we celebrated the virtual commencement exercises of UP Manila via http://upmcommencement2020.com/livelink/ and although this was not a physical ceremony, we felt excited and fulfilled nonetheless.  My classmates and I were in constant communication and we all opted to dress up for the occasion while watching the ceremony:

Dr Pascual's speech seemed to reverberate in my heart.

1.  Be ethical in your professional dealings.

2. Serve with honor and excellence, not because of your reputation, but because we have a country to serve.

The titas of Cebu graduate from Diploma Course in Health Professions Education.

The valedictory address was spoken with so much emotions.  She cited Dr Jose Rizal's Adios Patria Adorada, so I looked it up!

https://www.univie.ac.at/Voelkerkunde/apsis/aufi/rizal/rzpoem7.htm

Use of Social Media by Healthcare Professionals

Public Health Education and Promotion. When COVID-19 crisis hit Cebu City sometime in March 2020, I personally felt frustrated that most of the infomercials online educating the public about transmission of the novel coronavirus was in Tagalog. Not everyone could understand Tagalog. This was a hindrance for me since I had yet to learn how to speak Cebuano. So I challenged Atty Rey Cris Panugaling to create a program to educate the hospital employees as well as our patients on what COVID-19 was, how it is transmitted and what the Department of Health and our own hospital was doing about it - to gather public support for frontline healthcare workers.

Since then we've aired more than 100 episodes of our SOTTO LIVE FB program to connect healthcare workers with patients and their families... and I learned to speak conversational Bisaya or Cebuano, the local dialect!

SOTTO LIVE has evolved to different shows on a daily basis with Debunking Myths on Mondays, Mental Health Check on Tuesdays, The Doctor is Here on Wednesdays, SOTTO NATIN 'TO on Thursdays and SOTTO LIVE Reports on Fridays.

Teaching, Learning and Patient Care. Today the Philippine Obstetrical and Gynecological Society (POGS) Committee on Information, Communications and Technology launched its #virtualPOGS webinar 1.0 as a guide on how to behave online as well as how to access the society's website in preparation for our annual convention.

Moving Forward. I look forward to my own lecture for #virtualPOGS WEBINAR 2.0 of the POGS Committee on Information, Communications and Technology on September 10, 2020 from 10:00 am to 12:00 nn. This will be the FIRST TIME for me to give a lecture to a National POGS audience, and it's on social media! Do support me please!

Health Professional Education. Last week, we were required to attend a workshop on how to use google classroom for our medical students: how to create a class, how to add students, how to make assignments as well as quizzes. Amazing how programs like these make checking student work and grading them easy as a peach! It seems the faculty (and parents of students) have a more difficult time adjusting to online classes compared to students themselves!

 

During last year's #HCSMPH2019 keynote speaker Jojo Fresnedi spoke about social media being the medium of this era. We realize that #HealthXPH has long identified that social media is here to stay and that we aim to make the impact of social media on healthcare a positive one, where healthcare workers, policy makers, students and patients can connect and have online conversations on healthcare.

How has the new normal forced you and those around you to embrace digital technology?

How do you use social media today?

Who do you follow on social media for guidance and why?

Be Blessed

Over the weekend I was feeling sorry for myself because I realized that at 42 years old, my contemporaries have already established their own households and have sent their kids thru highschool, while I remain dependent on my mother without any savings and without any investments to my name.

I tagged along to the mountain barangays for home visit of our scholars and their families.  I was humbled to think that these nuclear families have nothing, not even the land on which they built their homes, the land which they till to plant gladiolas, the chickens and ducks that keep them company... These are not theirs, but they remain happy with what little they have and even share with others.  How dare I complain when I have so much more than they have, and I feel unhappy.  I need to remind myself to be blessed!

When you feel down, count your blessings.  It works for me!

Forgive, not Forget

 

To forgive is divine.  Vengeance is not ours, it is God's.

Everything that happens to you is a learning event.  Life teaches us that way.  We change our behavior based on our experiences.

The Hands that Raised Me

 

Family.  I will always be thankful for my family - the group of people who keep me anchored as I spread my wings to explore beyond my comfort zone.

The problem with this pandemic is that factors that we cannot control cause friction among the people that we love.

There should be a balance between understanding the other person and the circumstances there are in, and defending yourself against misconceptions.

When dark thoughts come in, I always have to remind myself that sometimes it is better to be kind than to be correct.  To be the better person.  This is so difficult to implement, but not impossible.

Again, we need to be humble, self-effacing.  Because we can.

Push ups for Mental Health

 

I started the 25 day push up challenge to promote mental health and suicide awareness.  All I had to do was perform 25 push ups each day, video it and share it quietly with my scholars.  Soon after, they started posting their own videos.  I don't know when I stopped doing the push ups, but mental health promotion and suicide prevention was still topmost on my mind.  With all the things happening these days, it is feels so easy to fall into the trap of giving up.

They may be kids, teenagers struggling thru puberty and concerns growing up... but they learn the language of love and supporting each other and communicating with compassion.

As we face more than the 25 day push challenge, like we face and accept the challenges of life, we need to be thankful for community.  So that no matter how lonely physical isolation may feel, we are grateful for the support of others rooting for us to succeed.