My World is Bigger

This phrase caught my attention:

“My world is bigger because of the things I do for others.”

This was written in a bottle of softdrink, and I so loved the phrase I had to photograph it before I forget it.

For me, the phrase seems like a nice quote for NURSES like me.

Nursing is about helping people. And with helping people, we are able to come out of ourselves and look at somebody else’s life. We come out of our shells and check out the people around us.

By this, we realize that lots of people out there are not as lucky as we are. Many are suffering from all sorts of problems - not just  health issues, but also finances and marital concerns to name a few.

And so we get a deeper appreciation for the life that we consider “normal”, but is relatively extraordinary for many individuals around the world. We learn what it means to be a part of something bigger than ourselves.

We take care of sick people. We try to help them with their sufferings. We are with them in their difficult times. We try to make them become well again. We make them go back to the society so they can live a happy and fulfilling life. By simply doing our jobs as nurses, we make a mark on this world.

There is no better feeling than knowing we’ve made a positive impact on another person’s life.

And so, my world gets even bigger everyday.

Reality Checks

I have gone back to work.

After 3 weeks of vacation to the Philippines and 11 days of cool work at Yas Island, I’m back to the real world of nursing. I have started working to the unit since last weekend. And I was floated to ER on my first shift! Whoa!

I guess I should stop dreaming. I’m back to reality. Or is the reality the other way around? Ah, difficult to tell…

******************************

My son got sick. He had some temps and some cough and colds. But then I had to come to work and look after other sick people, while I leave my sick baby to my wife. Reality bites.

He is getting better now though.

******************************

Christmas is fast approaching.

We actually planned to spend Christmas in the Philippines this year. But then we backed out because of the soaring airfare ticket prices. So we took our vacation earlier (which was last month).

For overseas foreign workers like us, spending Christmas with our loved ones back home has become an expensive idea.

******************************

A dear friend of mine celebrated her birthday yesterday and held a small party in her house. I was so amazed by the amount of food she could cook in a few hours only. She prepared so many dishes which she prepared by herself only.

And then after all the cooking, she still had to entertain her guests. And what about the party postmortem care after the people have left.

Superwoman must be super tired also.

******************************

Daddy + Mommy + Baby Inigo + Shopping + Eating out = HAPPINESS

                                           

Yas Island Overloads: Ferrari World!

my free entrance ticket!

14 November 2010 – After the pictorials at Yas Marina Circuit and Ferrari World, the group were given free entrance tickets to Ferrari World. It was my first time to come here and I had always wanted to get inside this huge building.

Ferrari World is the world’s largest indoor theme park located in Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, UAE. It is situated under a 200,00 square meters (2,200,00 square feet) roof making it the largest indoor amusement park in the world. Ferrari World officially opened on November 4, 2010.The theme park is home to Formula Rossa, the world’s fastest roller coaster (wikipedia). The roller coaster runs at 240 km/hr.

We were a big group when we went to Formula Rossa. There was a long cue. While waiting for our turn, the ushers announced that there was some technical problem with the coaster so everybody in line will have to wait abit until the problem is sorted out. The group then decided to leave the line. We all went to take the other rides.

I was determined to experience Formula Rossa so I asked my friend if he wanted to join me in going back to the cue. He also wanted to come back so we both went back to the cue. It took us half an hour and another technical problem until we got our turn to ride.

And the wait was all worth it! It was one ride of a lifetime. I thought left my heart on the tracks. The speed was amazing. I definitely encourage everyone to experience this ride.

Check out some pics taken inside Ferrari World -

Yas Island Overloads: Unconscious

How would it  be like an unconscious motor-vehicular accident patient? Of course, you will not be able to know because you are unconscious on the first place! But if you act like one on a disaster drill, you’ll know how it is to be one. You’ll hear how the paramedics talk about your case. You’ll feel their lifts, the manual assessments.

This was my role in one of our disaster drills in the field hospital in Yas Island. I volunteered to be an unconscious patient being brought by stretcher to the field hospital. Btw, It seemed this was the easiest role because others who volunteered had to really act like they were in pain, or confused. For me, I did not have to do anything – just lie flat on the bed.

This practice was to test the ER staff’s readiness in receiving such cases.

Check these pics out taken by one of the doctors.

It was a unique experience for me. Now I know how the ED staff would respond to a case like this, in a patient point-of-view. My eyes were closed but I was hearing and feeling everything.

It was a morbid feeling though, to pretend that you were almost dying. Knock on wood… that this situation never happens to me in the future. Gee Lord, my family needs me.

Kudos to the Emergency Department staff around the world. You are all life-savers and that make you super heroes of the modern times.

Day 11 at Yas Island: Bye, Yas!

16 November 2010 – Gee, Day 11 at Yas Island!

I woke up late in the morning. I have no more shuttle bus to catch up so I took my time fixing myself up before going down to the lobby for breakfast. I did not eat a lot though. I guess, I was fed up with good food. I felt I did not want to look at Turkey bacons again. But hey, I was not complaining. God will give me a kick if I do.

I had a dip at the pool after breakfast. It was nice to relax after 10 days of work at the field hospital. Oh and did I say “work”? It did not actually feel that I  was at work here in Yas Island. If all my “work” will be like this, you would never hear me complain about my job. This surely is an opportunity of my lifetime as a nurse.

I checked out of the hotel by midday. Gosh, I would surely miss the place. I guess, not just the place itself, but the good food, the job at field hospital, and the new friendships.

******************************

On our way home, with my nurse colleagues from our hospital, our service bus stopped in the middle of the road. There was engine trouble.

Good thing  there were two buses and we were ahead from the second bus. We waited for a couple of minutes on the road until the second bus stopped for us. We tried to fit in our luggages and ourselves in one bus.

There was no complaining. Our patience was just being tested, as we were about to go back to the real world of nursing.