In this difficult time, I cannot help but to put myself in the shoes of our beloved doctors and reflect on the situation. With the knowledge and experience I have; I think I could have not handled it as good as them. I am but just a neophyte medical student who is tormented with bulks of reading materials, requirements and reports. I just can’t imagine the dedication and perseverance they are showing just to render service in healthcare amidst the big pressure they are working this time. This catastrophe that we are battling now has never happened in my whole life. I have never imagined this chaos as serious to what I have thought or watched in fictional movies.
It has been roughly two weeks when our classes are suspended and day by day it haunts us with fear and worry about what will happen after this pandemic we are facing now, but we never discuss really on what is happening now.
This morning I just read about the situation of Philippines, it is getting worse but not as worse as other countries, so far. What hit me really hard is that ten doctors were announced dead amidst our fight of this viral spread. I cannot handle my emotion of sadness because of the frontliners involved is the profession I am pursuing now. What if among your family members work in the hospital? What if I am that doctor who would trade his time for family and life just to treat people I do not know but I cannot say no, because this is my profession.
I need to be clear on this, I am writing this not to single out those other non-medical frontliners as well as allied professions but my heart goes to doctors today, because I can feel and I understand their struggle. I know it is the job of the doctors to treat those who are sick, but think of all l the sacrifices they are doing right now. Which makes me realize that truly, becoming a doctor is more than just wearing an M.D. and a white coat.
Just a background of my family, my dad’s side happened to be almost in the field of military and police, some of them fought wars, died for our country and has become my inspiration up to now. I told myself then, I think I needed to go the other side of my family, I thought of going to the field of healthcare, less chaos and will fit my personality. But only now I can realize that not all warriors carry guns and rifles. I have so much high respect to our doctors today, and salute to them.
What I am just fearing now is the number of doctors dying and we are just having small number of positive cases. Other countries like china, Italy and Even US have thousands of cases and considering their amazing healthcare system. I just hope and pray that our frontline will be that strong and prepared, because we cannot afford to lose more of our doctors, nurses, medical technologies, pharmacists, even janitors and others.
If there is one thing I have learned about our doctors today, is their willingness to help others even if it is very risky for them. I remember those unending question I hear whenever someone would ask, why do you want to become a doctor? and I casually say, I wanna help those who are sick. This, I think, is one of the motivations that our doctors are dealing right now.
Let us help hand in hand to protect and save or medical Frontliners because we needed them right now. We may not help them to their physical workplaces but giving them less burden and providing them the essential needs must be our priority.
Let us protect ourselves, be responsible and pray that this will end ASAP. And as much as possible if you can stay home, just stay!
If I may be very demanding to our government today; pls take care of our medical frontliners, safeguard them, feed them, clothe them. Because they have sacrificed much in their studies and practice, and they are ding their best, we cannot afford to just lose them that easy.
lesterrific
[03/27/20]
