"3 things I have seen this week August #2 : Identity"

"3 things I have seen this week August #2 : Identity"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr. MD

We all seek it. We all ask who are we? why are we here? Do I serve any purpose? What defines me? I am my identity but in the grand scheme of things who really is that. This week I have seen things that makes me wonder about certain people and am thankful that I have friends and family.

1) ID Man - I saw a man in a SM counter complaining that he was being asked for ID. He was being obnoxious raising his voice and berating the counter lady who for all intents and purposes was just doing her job. "I do my groceries here twice a week!" "Para naman akong magnanakaw nito bakit kailangan pa ng ID?" 

Which made me pull out my Drivers License and PRC License.It made me wonder how hard it really was not to have these one hand? And if he was going to this particular SM twice a week then shouldn't he already know that they ask for ID when you use credit cards for purchases? Hmmmm

And even if he was in the store twice a week there are hundreds of people and dozens of counters. We really can't expect the counter people to remember everyone unless they were family or a really close friend. 

I looked at ID's again. It doesn't seem all that hard to pull them out.

2) The Cement Truck Crushing a Car - I saw A family of 5 in a car about to do groceries in the afternoon was crushed by a cement truck which climbed an Island and landed on them sideways killing the family patriarch instantly. 

The randomness and loss of this event shook me as it could really happen to anyone who was driving out there and it seemed that even in flowing traffic death can come for you at any time.

My wife gave me a long hug as if she did not want me to go anywhere and actually asked me where I was despite her busy schedule. I am husband and a father and even at my worst I found myself important to her and Aven.

3) Friends carrying Load - Jus and Yo. I saw them carry bags of magic cards for me as we ended our Thursday bout of EDH magic and I found myself grateful. I did not ask them for this but they did it any way and I was moved by the gesture. It would have taken me two trips to get everything down but thanks to them we all were happily chatting about decks we would be making in the future. And I am happy that I am friend to them and they are a friend to me.

"3 Things I have seen this week August #1: Dialysis"

"3 Things I have seen this week August #1: Dialysis"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr. MD

Nothing gives a family more dread than when a doctor tells you that a loved one will have to go on Dialysis. The process by which blood is cleaned because the kidney has malfunctioned to a point that it can no longer do it for that patient. Most people have the notion that this signals the end and prepare for the worst eventuality. I am saddened to know that some of the people in my immediate family and workplace have undergone the process for various reasons.

1) Dialysis #1 - Leptospirosis - When my cousin Aljem posted something online about my Cousin Alvin I assumed that he was in some sort of accident and had to be operated on.

My brother informed that Alvin was being rushed to Manila to undergo dialysis because he had elevated creatinine Levels.

My Uncle Rey told me that he had been suspected to have Leptospirosis and might have been exposed near some falls.

Such a bad fate to fall on someone who is young , kind and hardworking. Get well soon cousin.

2) Engineer  , ESRD - One of the people I work with in my lectures is a retired Engineer who has proven to be jolly and gracious with his time with me. The few jokes we shared in the lectures as a springboard when things get too serious. 

We have not seen each other for almost a month and I was just attributing that to the rotating schedules of the facilitators in the schedules until I saw him with a covered fistula on his right arm. 

His creatine had risen and he was diagnosed with ESRD. I asked him if he wanted to just quit the work and just rest and he said , "Mas lalo akong mamatay kapag sa bahay lang doc."

I shook his hand. I knew I would have probably said the same thing if I was in his predicament.

3) Young Female ESRD - S - The last case was a cousin of my wife Stephanie. She was hospitalized for feeling week and was sadly diagnosed to have elevated creatinine as well. She is just 26 years old. Some of her family members blamed it on the excessive diet that their family had , eating way too much or not eating healthy enough. I did tell them that this maybe a factor but most likely this was not the cause and her Nephro did not give a specific cause as well.Regardless of the cause the end result is the same. She will still undergo dialysis. And it is troubling that patients are getting younger and younger now.

"Lost in this summer night"

"Lost in this summer night"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

I

Lost in this summer night

In those eyes of amber

Bathed in the moonlight

your porcelain skin shines

II

I cannot let go of this

Now that you are here

You whisper your words

like nectar in my ear

III

Lips touching

Mind slipping

Here this summer night

Holding each other tight

IV

Lost in your soft voice

No coherent choice

No longer in control 

I let myself go

V

And you smile knowing

This will be the summer night

You say , hold on to this

And your memory sets me afire.

Shaw 08/07/2017

"Doc In , Doc Out August 2017 #4 :Sara at Sira"

"Doc In , Doc Out August 2017 #4 :Sara at Sira" 

by:

Virgilio F.De leon Jr.MD

Overheard in the other Medical Examiner room
Doc: Pakisara po ang pinto.
Patient: (confused and closes door too noisily)
Doc: ang sabi ko po pakisara hindi pakisira.

"The Promise to the Dragon."

"The Promise to the Dragon."

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

"Anyeong" he said to her as she passed by.

"Anyeong" she said beaming with a smile that she could not control.

"Did you sleep well last night?" V asked the lead dancer. "You look well rested."

"I did sleep well.I think I am ready for anything today."

"Be careful what you wish for YuuA."

"Well whatever comes our way , you are here today right?"

"Always. Now is that all you are carrying for such a long trip?"

"Daegu isn't that far and I have this boyfriend who is willing to spend on clothes on me if I need them there."

"what makes you sure he will be spending money on you."

"Oh I don't know. I just might withhold something from him if he doesn't."

"Now that sounds like blackmail."

"Maybe he wants to find out what it is I will be withholding?"

"He probably knows."

"Good. Then he might want to look at what I will be wearing. Preferably in private." YuuA threw her small back pack at V. "Enjoy imagining."

V took the bag and grinned.

"Dragon Hoops"

"Dragon Hoops"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

V stood at the back of the 4 girls he was assigned to watch. For this broadcast for their fans they were divided into 2 groups and each would compete at a shooting hoops game in this arcade. YuuA stood excitedly with Jinyo , Bee and Seunsee. 

The latter two were looking at V with grudging respect after the events in Myeongdong but they were acting really feminine as the camera filmed. 

The 4 of them drew lots to find out who would go first and it was Seunsee who kept shooting until she got 46 points. Jinyo handed the camera over to YuuA and she shot 36. Bee who was the most boyish in the group got 56 points and a nervous YuuA didn't even think that she could score higher than 20 points. In the end she only got 9 points.

V could not help but laugh at the score which made YuuA look at him with utter disdain.

"Kpop superstar. Let us see you shoot better then."

V just nodded. "Only if you turn off the camera."

Jinyo put down the camera but she angled it in such a way that it would still catch V in action. She plans on having a laugh at their bodyguard/drivers expense later.

V stood in front of the machine and cracked his knuckles. He slammed on the bright red button in the center and the balls all came falling down. He grabbed one , bent his elbow and flicked his wrist sending the ball into an arc that swished into the chain net. The 4 girls looked on as he repeated this motion adjusting for the weight of the balls in his hand and not missing a single shot which gave him a grand total of 465 points. The machine announced , "Top Player".

The 4 girls gaped at their bodyguard/driver. 

"How in the world did you do that?" YuuA said who came next to him. "Teach us. We need to do better than the other team."

"Teach Yuua the most V. She needs it!" Jinyo joked as she looked at the camera.

"You didn't turn it off did you?" V asked

"Yeah, it makes me think that you were just showing off for YuuA."

Bee and Seunsee looked at the tall man who suddenly lost his grin.

"I'm impressed. Now teach me!" YuuA said like a cat who just found a chew toy. She was pawing at V. "Teach me  , teach me."

"Ok" V said. She positioned the lead dancer in front of the hoop and grabbed a ball and placed it in her hand. "Bend your elbow like this" , V started and Jinyo continued filming. Later they would see how YuuA smiled so much when she reached a 100 points. And behind them V just giving a thumbs up.

"The Maknae , The Dancer and the Dragon."

"The Maknae , The Dancer and the Dragon."

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

Binmi was pretending to eat the bagels in front of her while secretly looking at V. Besides her was YuuA who was doing the same thing and was not doing a great job of hiding it. 

"I don't know Unnie. If he loses the hairstyle and the weird clothing he does look really cute." Oh My Dolls Cute Maknae said without taking her eyes off the odd dressing weirdo who served as their driver and body guard.

The lead dancer said nothing and continued to eat. The maknae turned to face her and with a very serious face that seemed out of place for her asked."YuuA unnie if you don't like V could I have him?"

"Have him? are you asking me like he was some sort of toy that I owned?" YuuA raised an eyebrow at the bold way the younger Binmi was acting. "You seem to have some experience at this."

"I do Unnie , there were a lot of boys in my old school and I'd kiss once on a date.Have you ever been kissed by a boy before Unnie?" 

There was a prolonged silence as YuuA gathered her thoughts. She went back to the time that boys would try and kiss her one way or the other only to be met with the timely kicks of his older brother. She would be mad at him for costing her the experience but she knew better now , he was only looking out for her. "No. Not even once."

The fox smile on Binmi's face appeared again and YuuA knew that she would be up to no good again. "I kissed a lot of boys but I want to know what V Oppa's lips taste like. It is probably the least I can do after what he did for me with those 5 awful men."

YuuA turned red at the younger girls bold words. "If he wants to kiss you then there is nothing I can do about that. You just need to be careful around that one. The more I learn about him the more questions pop out."

"I'm really surprised that you would just let me have him unnie. I have seen the way he looks at you.Those long lingering stares. I want someone to look at me that way too."

"He looks at me that way? " YuuA was blushing even more. 

"I also see the way that you look at him. You can try to hide it but Fox smile Binmi sees all!" Binmi placed her hands over her head to make fox ears and made them flop up and down. "Buing Buing!"

V approached the two ladies. "And what is it that you noticed today Fox Smile Binmi?"

The two girls turned red.

"That these Bagels are great!" Binmi said while picking one and waving it at V's face. "V Oppa why do you wear the things that you wear?"

"It's a secret." the turtle necked , blond wigged weirdo said.

Yuua looked at Binmi. "I told you that whenever you ask him something he gives you more to think about."

"No I do not." V said. Grabbing a bagel himself and taking a bite at it. "It's a secret only because I am hiding from some people."

YuuA rolled her eyes. "There he goes again. He tells you the answer but it invites another question to be asked see Binmi?"

"Should I ask him or should you unnie?" The maknae said. Yuua turned silent so Binmi asked away.

"Do you like my Unnie?" 

V smiled at the question.

"I could answer that now but I want to have a bet with you."

"Sure" the cute Maknae smiled back.

"I will take you out to dinner. Anywhere you want but you have to prove that she likes me."

"Deal!" Binmi said while raising a thumb towards V. "I know she likes you because....Mmmm...mmmpph....mmmmph..."

YuuA with her almost cat like reflexes was able to cover anything Binmi had to say and dragged the younger one into another room. All the while giving V that dreaded I will deal with you later look that she had given Bee before. 

V shrugged his shoulders and grabbed the bagels left on the table. There was no sense in wasting good food. He wondered which one did YuuA's lips touched and when he determined that he could not know so he just ate them both.

In the other room One can hear the faint cries of Binmi asking forgiveness from her Unnie as the latter tries to strangle her.