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ROOM 4by Richard V. Diongson
Hindi ako naniniwala sa multo. Imagination lang yan, pare. Parang mga character sa comics na kinokolekta ko. Mga kuwento lang yan ni Madel, yung katulong namin sa bahay. May nunal daw siya sa mata kaya nakakakita siya ng multo.
Isang nakakatamad na tanghali, nilito namin si Miss Baluyot, ang teacher namin sa Biology, para hindi siya magturo ng taxonomy ni Aristotle. “Sige na, ma'am!” biro namin. “Sabagay, class, I know you just came from lunch,” eksplika niya. Kaya raw kami inaantok dahil busy ang tiyan namin sa pag-grind ng pagkain.
“Ma'am naniniwala ba kayo sa multo?” tanong ng isang makulit na kaklase ko.
Tumayo si Miss Baluyot at tinungo ang harapan ng teacher's table. Tiningnan ko isa-isa ang mukha ng mga kaklase ko. May abot-tenga ang ngiti. May mga nanghahampas ng armed chair. Roudy na ang klase. Sinutsutan kami ni Miss Baluyot. Pag hindi kami tumahimik, hindi siya magkukuwento. Nakauto na naman ang mga kaklase ko, nasasaloob ko.
Habang nagdo-drowing ako ng anime character sa sketchpad ko, pinakikinggan ko si Miss Baluyot.
First teaching job niya sa Mataas na Paaralan ng Heneral sa Tupi, General Santos nang mangyari ang experience niya.
Room 4. Maliit ang kwartong iyon. Madilim pero malinis at maayos naman.
Kinuha niya ang kanyang plastic ruler mula sa drawer at saka niya ipinagpatuloy ang paglilista ng mga estudyante para sa kanyang Science class. Biology rin ang itinuro niya noong una.
Habang nagsusulat, may lumitaw na anino sa peripheral vision niya. Nang lingunin niya ang anino, may nakita siyang isang estudyanteng babae na lumapit sa kanya mula sa pinto.
Ang babae ay nagpakilala sa pangalang Agnes at transferee mula sa Iligan. Maamo ang mukha, malungkot. “Sige,” sabi ni Miss Baluyot kay Agnes. “I'll confer with the principal. See you next class.” Tumango lang si Agnes at tinungo ang pinto.
Simula noon, araw-araw nang pumapasok si Agnes. Itinataas niya ang kanyang kamay tuwing tinatawag ang kanyang pangalan habang nagro-roll call si Miss Baluyot.
Nang mga panahong ding iyon, nagtataka ang kanyang mga estudyante kung bakit panay ang tawag niya ng Agnes habang nakasilip sa bakanteng upuan sa tabi ng bintana.
Isang umaga, papunta siya sa Room 4 nang marinig niya mula sa corridor ang ingay ng klase. Napabuntong-hininga na lang siya.
Nang makarating siya sa silid, dire-diretso siya sa teacher's table at sinimulan ang pagtse-check ng attendance. Ilang ulit niyang tinawag ang pangalan ni Agnes pero walang sumagot sa kanya. Napansin niyang wala si Agnes sa upuan nito.
“Class, have you seen Agnes this morning?” tanong niya sa klase.
Lumitaw ang pagtataka sa mukha ng mga estudyante niya. “We don't know, ma'am,” sabad ng isa.
“Maybe she informed your adviser that she's going to be absent today. Anyway…” May nagtaas ng kamay mula sa likod ng klase.
“Yes, Maclang?”
Tumayo ang tinawag. “Ma'am, ahhm.. Wala po kaming kilalang Agnes po.”
“What do you mean?”
“Yes, ma'am. Wala pong Agnes dito sa class.”
Isa-isa niyang tiningnan ang mukha ng mga estudyante niya pero iisa lang ang sagot nila. Wala silang kaklaseng Agnes.
Naguluhan siya sa mga pangyayari. Baka pinaiikot lang ng klase ang puwet niya dahil bagong teacher siya kaya pumunta siya sa registrar's office para alamin kung may naka-enrol na Agnes sa klase niya.
Laking gulat nya nang malamang wala sa listahan ng mga bagong estudyante si Agnes. Pinuntahan niya ang prinsipal.
“Miss Baluyot,” anang prinsipal na humarap sa kanya, hawak ang isang lumang folder. “Do you mean Agnes Reyes?”
“Yes,” sagot niya sa prinsipal.
“Yes, there's a student here named Agnes Reyes. But she's gone, Miss Baluyot. I mean, she's already dead.”
Nabitawan ni Miss Baluyot ang hawak niyang Biology book.
“Are you okay, Miss Baluyot?”
Pinulot niya ang textbook at tulala siyang lumabas sa principal's office.
Simula noon, may mga estudyanteng sunud-sunod na nasasaniban. May nakikita raw na kalansay ang mga estudyante sa Room 4. Lagi nilang binabanggit ang pangalan ni Agnes. Gusto raw niyang mahukay ang mga buto niya na nalibing sa likod ng silid. Nag-decide ang prinsipal na magpamisa sa school tuwing Biyernes. Katahimikan ng kaluluwa ni Agnes ang ipinagdarasal nila.
May isang local TV station na pumick-up ng istorya. Sabi sa balita, tuwing gabi, may mga motoristang napapadaan sa harap ng school at nakakakita ng babaeng estudyanteng nakaputi, mahaba ang buhok, at hindi maaninag ang mukha. Ayon sa kanila, kumakaway ang babae. Animo may gustong sabihin. Kaya nagmemenor ang mga motorista kapag napapadaan sila sa paaralan lalo na kapag disoras ng gabi para makaiwas sa anumang kapahamakan.
Isang security guard naman na ininterview ang nagsabi na may naririnig sila tuwing nagroronda sa gabi. Animo may taong naglalakad na may nakakabit na kadena sa paa na hinihila mula sa silid na yun hanggang sa dalawang kalapit na silid.
Natawa kami sa binanggit ni Miss Baluyot.
“Baka nalipasan ng gutom yung guwardiya, ma'am,” biro ng kaklase ko.
“Maybe…” pakli ng aming guro.
Isang first year student ang unang pinagpakitaan ni Agnes sa comfort room. Pugot ang kanyang ulo. Hinayaan lang diumano ng naturang estudyante ang nakita. Pero makalipas ang dalawang araw, nagpakita ulit ito sa kanya.
Kuwento naman ng isang English teacher, isang araw may pinagawa siyang seatwork sa mga estudyante niya. Nasulyapan niya ang isang batang may katamaran at kahinaan ang ulo. Nagtaka ang guro kung bakit hindi nito ginagawa ang binigay na seat work. Nang ipasa ang bata ang papel, laking gulat nya nang makitang may nakasulat sa papel gamit ang isang pulang ballpen at tama lahat ng sagot.
Maya-maya'y sinapian ang bata at dinala sa faculty room. Mga sampung tao rin ang nagtanong kung sino sya. Hanggang sa nalaman nilang si Agnes ang pumasok sa katawan ng bata.
Agad na nagpamisa ang school. Habang nagdadasal ang mga guro at estudyante, lumutang ang amoy na hindi nila maintindihan kung ano. Biglang umakyat sa gate ng school ang batang sinapian ni Agnes. Nabulabog ang lahat.
Hinukay ang mga buto ni Agnes sa likod ng Room 4. Makalipas ang dalawang taon, hindi na ulit sya nagparamdam.
Nang lingunin ko ang mga kaklase ko, natawa ako dahil tahimik silang nakatitig kay Miss Baluyot.
“Ano ang nangyari kay Agnes, ma'am?” singit ng isang kaklase ko.
“You know, class. Biktima si Agnes ng isang karumal-dumal na krimen. She was raped sa isang sulok ng building before it was finished. Where Room 4 was situated till now.”
Sakto nag-ring ang bell. Nagsigawan ang mga kaklase ko. Box office ang kuwento ni ma'am.
5:54 PM
Posted
Monday, May 21, 2007
It's my birthday!!! :-).. New life... New Journey.. New beginning.. At 19...
1:47 PM
Posted
Thursday, May 17, 2007
LET’S TALK ABOUT CONDOM
During my clinical exposure at the City Puericulture and Family Planning Center, instead of waiting for "miracles", our clinical instructor decided to talk about contraceptives. I don’t know why I’m very interested about the topic. And I guess, my group mates think the same way. Our CI let us choose a topic to be discussed in the group. Without hesitation, I chose condom. My super- ego speaks, “Hey, why are you so engrossed with condoms?” My id replies, “Well… I like to talk about things that block my sanity, and condom is one of them, believe me.”
Condoms guarantee safety. It prevents pregnancy. Failure rate is low with 3 to 20%. It also protects against Sexually Transmitted Diseases. Some condoms have those different styles and designs printed on them with a fruit flavor (No! It’s not a flavor, it’s a smell… Whatever). Thank God, they don’t consider Rachael Newman of American Psycho2 for that matter.
At the food court just left wing of Central Warehouse Club is the place where I, colleagues, chums loves to bunch. It is just a walking distance from Colegio if you’re poor like me without a five- peso tricycle fare. It is the most attractive “caller” for window shoppers, purchase- outers, passersby, bystanders, etc. It is the place to relax and sometimes a rendezvous for lovers and text mates. I tell you, it is affordable, clean and of course, the food is yummy. But I still prefer to eat those in streets where I can spend 5 to 10 pesos only such as kwek- kwek and isaw.
Just yesterday, I and a friend of mine met there. After taking our order, we sat in the vacant chair in front of Chow-Ann’s. As the ketchup smudged in my teeth, she suddenly said, “I’m pregnant.” Oh c’mon, how could that be? Ahh.. err.. uhm, I don’t think I’ll be able to finish telling it. All I can say, they did not use condoms. And besides I have too much to think about than to be pestered with it. I have a lot on my plate. Hahayaan ko muna ang problema ng iba sa blog na ‘to. So, it’s time for me to proceed for the next meat of this rant. Peace out!
I’m already a senior nursing student this coming new school year. But I’m still a novice (I hope I used it right). I still have few DR and OR cases. As required by the Philippine Regulatory Commission, nurse wannabes must completed 5 handle, 5 assist and 5 cord dress for Delivery cases and 5 minor and major operations before taking the Nurse Licensure Exam. As of this writing, I only have 1 handle, 2 assist, 3 cord dress, 4 minor operations and a zilch for major operation. But I still have 1 year to comply. Just wish me luck.
Sorry (with due respect to my Clinical Instructors), but I have to blame the schedule and the clinical areas given to me. The reason why since the first day of the summer semester until now I still have no new cases is that I’m exposed on a primary hospitals and a puericulture center where limited patients are admitted. Plus this week, I have no schedules clinical exposure as posted in the bulletin board. Plus I have no OR/ DR duty in KDI. Ergo, no new case is equal to a disappointed Richard.
When will things get better?
That’s why they (CIs) are subject of criticisms is because of the students (like me) cannot keep silent on issues that concern them. As the maxim goes, when there is smoke, there is fire. But then again as they said, it is not part of some evil plan to fail us. It happens beyond their control. They don’t wear condoms, that is.
3:21 PM
Posted
Sunday, May 13, 2007
ONE NIGHT STAND
I live for night. My clinical schedule starts from three in the afternoon until twelve midnight, thrice a week. Whether I like it or not, it should be understood as final and absolute. It is not part of some evil plan and make my life even more miserable (?).
I hated everything from the start. My subconscious told me that the schedule was not for me. Our house is twenty kilometers away from the clinical area, with a multicab or a bus ride plus a 5-peso fare tricycle as the means to reach the place. It was dusk and I had no choice because this is to be the last trip to our baranggay. I cannot afford even to rent a boarding house or a lodging house [and one more thing, my duty is just thrice a week] so it is just a waste of time and money. So I had no choice but to accept the next option, as a one night house mate of my group mate house at J.P. Laurel. Ha.. ha... See how pakapalan ng mukha could bring? So, I just laugh about it. Of course, those are those times when I have to swallow my shy.
Our clinical concept this semester focus on special areas- Emergency Room, Operating Room and Delivery Room. Unfortunately, there are no patients for operations and delivery. Maybe because it is just a primary hospital. Ergo, it's a whole new level of boring. So our clinical instructor assigned us to different areas of the hospital as a medicating student nurse, for Vital signs monitoring, charting, ER and OPD. As usual, we're doing a usual experience we learned before. I couldn't help but wonder, did it all matter in the end? We spent 8- hour shift span but my perception of apathy did not budge. I did learn one thing, though. One absent tantamount to an extra six- make up duties and five hundred pesos.
Oh, I forgot! I learned to get some sleep during a day. Be well rested because you will be up all night. :-)
EXTRA:
Day- shifters may think night nurses are relaxing while patients sleep, but night nurses want to clean the air. Anxiety can run high for night nurses pressured to make all the right decisions. And while some patients have successfully counted sheep into their dreams, nurses often are confronted with requests and issues that no one else can solve.
Night nurses also are managing psychosocial issues that are masked during the day by the commotion and welcome interruptions by family and friends. At night, patient trust the nurses will look after them while they sleep and take care of all their problems if they can't.
It is a different world at night when you are caring for patients. They are totally alone without family and that sometimes causes them to get confused and disoriented.
Nurse- patient ratios can shift drastically at night, as well, and create heavier work loads for nurses.
All of those pressures have contributed to the heightened skill levels night nurses tend to posses, they are blood drawers, IV starters, baby deliverers and, often, a friendly face to share that sometimes not-so-friendly night.
Source: Advance for Nurses, Loving the Nightlife.
2:29 PM
Labels: Related Learning ExperiencePosted
Monday, May 07, 2007
EPITOME OF CARE
In life, we are usually placed in a situations where we should placed to situations where we should undergo metamorphosis. We are to face transitions if we are to live at all. Nobody improves while remaining stagnant.
As my head hits the solace of the pillow, I realized that there are lots to care about in life. For example, the decision to go into nursing means that no matter what kind of bad things I have to deal with each day, someone’s life will be directly impacted by my interventions. It is simply one should care. I need to take care my patients as if they are my chosen families.
I go to nursing with the anticipation to be a registered nurse. For I see my love ones haunting my mind. My father labored the whole day for our mouths. My mother still cooked a dried fish despite a restriction on the monster of her thyroid. My brother is a picture of a life, a college education despised. We’re running short of cash. It’s hard not to fret all the time. So I care about it. I care with passion, the reason why I become slave of it. It won’t be called care for nothing. In a long run, we must have done something great to deserve such a grand life.
I land up taking nursing because there is a great demand for nurses abroad. Nurses are paid with high remuneration for their work. So in two to five months time, I could have thousands of bucks. I persist to continue studying nursing because I learn to love nursing and everything about it. It’s amazing the things that people will let you do to them when you’re in uniform. When you walk into someone’s room with a thermometer, sphygmomanometer and a stethoscope, they tend to trust you to disturb and touch them. All this is done with complete trust on what you are doing. This is not just about patients but also my father, mother, uncle, auntie, brother, grandmother… They trust and support me along the way. So it’s a right thing that I will [should] do all my best. At least, there’s a fact that gives a damn over support, trust and money’s worth. I want to become a nurse not because it can give me a good life but because I promise to give people and my family a good life they truly deserve… A dream I want to fulfill.
But! What if I fail?
In a way I feel like I haven’t learned enough to be a good nurse someday. Sure, I’ve learned important skills but it’s not enough. If I have to rate myself from one to ten, I’ll give myself -3- blag!-lower… I found myself at the bottom of the ladder. Moreover, I persist to be a nurse. I knew if I will not take the opportunity, lack the guts, the will and the attitude to overcome and conquer, definitely, I’ll keep on wrestling with the “what if,” or “I should have..,” or “I guess this is my destiny to suffer, to settle for what is least” syndrome. I stand firm in my belief that we should fail a failure. We are blessedly endowed with GOD (Gift of Decision). By the way, I still have faith, courage and determination.
It’s in Jerimiah 29:11. The Lord said, “I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future.” “I will never leave nor forsake you.” So we may boldly say, “The Lord is our helper, I will not fear.” Hebrews 13:5-6. See? Isn’t that enough to inspire?
I should not fail myself, my family. Step forward. For this is a struggle.. of fighting with or without.
4:23 PM
He's hardworking and determined because he wants to accomplish his many aspirations in life. He's handling his course very challenging and in fact experiencing difficulties but he still handling it quite well. Email/ friendster- richard.diongson@gmail.com.
The guy has a life!
