Aftermath

Thanks to Calvin's Hub for the pics

Missing Your Comments

I’m hoping that many are still reading my blog but somehow can’t find the ‘post comments’ area :D Anyway, in case that’s the case, it’s on the upper right side of the post. I can’t find a way to change the font of the word ‘comments’ so it’ll be more visible.

Raging Waters

Video taken at University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Foundation by those present last September 26, 2009.

Metro Manila Sinking

In just a span of 6 hours this September 26, typhoon Ondoy (International Name: Ketsana) broke the previous record rainfall which occurred during a 24-hour period in 1967 [Yahoo News].

Rains aren’t unusual here since this is a tropical country so I didn’t pay any attention to the Saturday morning downpour. Our whole family went to church as we usually do on Saturdays. All throughout the church service it rained. By lunch time I had received a few text messages from friends about some flooding. It wasn’t until we got home that we realized that it wasn’t an ordinary downpour.

Messages started pouring in (we don’t turn on the television or radio during saturdays) from friends stuck in massive traffic jams and some who had to wade through flooded streets just to get home. I guess what caught my attention was that areas usually not prone to flooding were reportedly waist-deep in water.

Here are some videos and pictures of that day (not taken by me):

Dozens of pictures and videos are also on iReport.com

And it’s still raining right now :(

Lost in Translation

According to a study done by the Mayo Clinic, one of the desired traits patients want in a doctor is that he should be FORTHRIGHT. Which means being honest and explaining to his patients in such a way that they understand their illness and their treatment.

That's all nice and good but I often have patients who don't care the least what their illness is as long as their bad symptoms go away. This isn't a good attitude especially for chronic illnesses like diabetes and hypertension. These are the patients who usually stop taking their medicines once the symptoms disappear.

On the other hand, I also have patients who already have been to other doctors. While they received proper medical attention, the explanation of their illness is either oversimplified or too technical that the patient cannot provide me with enough information to allow me to continue management from the previous doctors. This means repeated lab tests and examinations which could have been avoided (health insurance over here is almost non-existent).

What to do?