OOPS

SPEECH # 7

RESEARCH YOUR TOPIC

 OOPS…HEALTH ECONOMICS 101

WHAT IS YOUR IDEA OF GOOD HEALTH?  BEING IN TIPTOP SHAPE? HAVING A BUFF OR SEXY BODY?  FEELING GOOD?  NORMAL LAB TESTS? NOT GETTING THE H1N1?  YEAH…THESE ARE ALL CORRECT …BUT IN A SURVEY DONE SOMETIME AGO, FILIPINOS EQUATED GOOD HEALTH WITH TWO THINGS: AVAILABILITY OF MEDICINES, AND BEING ABLE TO PAY THEIR MEDICAL BILLS.

AVAILABILITY OF MEDICINES IS VERY MUCH UNDERSTANDABLE.  I WILL FOCUS ON US BEING ABLE TO PAY OUR MEDICAL BILLS.

THE LIKELIHOOD OF HAVING APPENDICITIS IN A LIFETIME IS 7 PERCENT.  AT PRESENT, IF ONE UNDERGOES APPENDECTOMY, THE OPERATION AND HOSPITALIZATION WILL COST YOU AROUND P 70,000.  FOR FILIPINO WOMEN, THE LIKELIHOOD OF HAVING BREAST CANCER IN A LIFETIME IS 12 PERCENT.  AFTER BEING DIAGNOSED, EXPENSES RUN IN THE RANGE OF P 1.5 MILLION FOR THE FIRST YEAR, THEN P 120,000 A YEAR FOR THE FIRST 4 YEARS AND THIS STILL EXCLUDES DOCTORS’ PROFESSIONAL FEES.

TO FILIPINOS WITH AVERAGE MONTHLY INCOME, THIS CAN BE BIG PROBLEM.  BUT FOR OUR POOR COUNTERPARTS, THE SCENARIO COULD BE NOTHING SHORT OF A CATASTROPHE!  FACED WITH THE DILEMMA OF KNOWING THAT YOU HAVE A CERTAIN CONDITION AND THAT YOU WILL BE SPENDING A CERTAIN AMOUNT FOR A CERTAIN PROCEDURE, THE EASY CHOICE WOULD BE: GETTING UNHEALTHY OR BECOMING POORER. 

REALITY.  WE LACK THE MEANS TO PAY FOR OUR MEDICAL BILLS.  SOLUTION. SOMETHING MUST BE DONE BY THE STATE.

THE GOVERNMENT GAVE US PHILHEALTH IN 1995.  THINK OF IT AS A BIG FINANCING ARM OF HEALTH IN THE COUNTRY.  JUST AS THERE IS CAR FINANCING, HOUSE FINANCING, THERE IS ALSO HEALTH FINANCING.  IT AIMS TO ACHIEVE UNIVERSAL COVERAGE. MEANING TO SAY 100% OF FILIPINOS SHOULD BENEFIT FROM IT.  THE PHILHEALTH CARD BEING MORE THAN JUST A CARD—A DISCOUNT CARD, A POLITICAL CARD… 

A STUDY REVEALED THAT ONLY 85% OF THE POPULATION IS COVERED BY PHILHEALTH.  MUCH MORE, IT COVERS ONLY 25% OF YOUR TOTAL EXPENDITURES.  FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU GET A HOSPITAL BILL OF P 10,000, THE MOST THAT PHILHEALTH CAN HELP YOU WITH IS P 2,500.  THE REMAINDER OF THE AMOUNT IS THE SO-CALLED OOPS OR OUT OF POCKET SCHEME.  OR SIMPLY, THE MONEY THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO SHELL OUT FOR YOUR HEALTH.   IF YOU HAVE THE MONEY…

IN THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL HEALTH ACCOUNTS OF 2005, A STUDY THAT DETERMINED HOW MUCH WAS BEING SPENT FOR HEALTH BY WHOM, SHOWED THAT 60% WAS PAID THROUGH OOPS, ROUGHLY 20% EACH CONTRIBUTED BY THE GOVERNMENT AND PHILHEALTH.  IN CONCLUSION, MAJORITY OF EXPENSES WAS PAID FROM OUR OWN POCKETS.  THE SITUATION OF THOSE WITHOUT MONEY IS THE SORRY SCENARIO.

THIS IS BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT DOESN’T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO SPEND.  IT SPENDS ONLY 2% FROM THE TOTAL BUDGET, VERY FAR BELOW THE WORLD STANDARD SET BY THE WHO AT 5%.  IN 2005, THE GOVERNMENT SPENT P 180 B FOR HEALTH.  IS THIS ENOUGH?  NOPE, THIS TRANSLATES TO ONLY P 1,978 PER HEAD PER YEAR.  THIS AMOUNT IS THE COST OF A FINE DINING FOR TWO THAT A RICH GUY CAN EASILY PAY, AND HALF THE AMOUNT OF THE CHEAPEST CELLPHONE IN THE MARKET.  THIS COST IS TOO LOW TO HAVE SOME VALUE.

THIS IS REALLY THE CHALLENGE FOR THE NEW ADMINISTRATION NOW.  PRES. NOYNOY SAID IN HIS SPEECH THAT HE WILL WORK TO HAVE UNIVERSAL HEALTH COVERAGE IN 3 YEARS.  MOST PROBABLY, AT THE RATE WE ARE GOING, THIS WILL NOT MATERIALIZE.

BUT I HAVE A GOOD NEWS. SPENDING FOR HEALTH IS NOT ALL THERE IS TO HAVING GOOD HEALTH. THINK OF THE US, WHICH SPENDS THE MOST FOR HEALTH THE WORKD OVER, WITH BAD HEALTH OUTCOMES.  THEY ARE THE MOST OBESE PERSONS ON EARTH, AND THEY HAVE GENERALLY SHORTER LIFESPANS THAN THEIR COUNTERPART RICH NATIONS. ON THE OTHER HAND, THINK OF CUBA, A POOR SOUTH AMERICAN NATION WITH LOW SPENDING ON HEALTH BUT WITH GOOD HEALTH OUTCOMES.  THEY HAVE LOW MORTALITY RATES AND LONG LIFESPANS. 

REALITY. CHANGING OUR PARADIGM FROM CURATIVE TO PREVENTIVE IS THE WAY TO GO.  SOLUTION.  PEOPLE MUST DO SOMETHING ABOUT THEIR OWN HEALTH.  HAVING THE RIGHT MINDSET, EATING THE RIGHT FOODS, DOING THE RIGHT THINGS-EXERCISE, REGULAR CHECK-UPS..ARE PRICELESS SOLUTIONS THAT CAN GIVE US GOOD HEALTH.

THE SAYING, “AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION IS WORTH MORE THAN A POUND OF CURE,” IS VERY CORRECT, ESPECIALLY IF MONEY IS CONCERNED.

Speech #6

CHANGE IS YET TO COME

(Voiceover 1) The prophesies of Nostradamus are part of the historical record.  Though they are highly speculative and controversial, their legacy endures up to now.  Listener discretion is advised.

(Voiceover 2) Dec. 21st, 2012, the day has broken, but the skies are dark.  Could it be the end of days, as predicted by the Mayans, the earliest civilization of mankind?  And as many cultures, religions, scientists and people believe so?  Are the events that are happening now all pointing to 2012?

I don’t know the answer about the FUTURE… But in the NOW, I think we humans need to get serious and get our acts together.

The quadruple typhoons that hit us recently, Big Boy Ondoy who gave us the flood that could put our modern-day Noah’s Ark to the test, Persistent Pepeng who landed on us not once, not twice, but thrice, No-Feel Ramil who’s worth forgetting and the initially windy and gusty but really Holy Santi who spared us, they all have something to tell us: we will we will blow you…(with whistling)…Go back to your home and run to a safe place, I’ll knock your face, you big disgrace, gather your mess all over the place…I say, we will, we will blow you…(whistling)

Blown away we were, we went home and our homes were unsafe and unsecure.  We drowned with our homes, we were thrown in the wind with them, some even got buried under them.  Some didn’t even get to see their home.  But our big home, the environment we were born and lived in, the shelter that seeks to nurture us, whose plentiful resources serve us, now revolts against us.  Why?

Let us count our ways: We choked it with CO2 from our cars and factories, we poisoned its blood with chemicals and obstructed its circulatory system with garbage, we shaved its hair of trees and forests to make money, we raped its body and violated its flora and fauna.  In short, we have damaged the place we call home.  Poor or rich, squatting in Welfare Vill or living in Provident Vill, walking or driving when the tragedy happened, we are all guilty of these acts.

The winds have blown furiously and the rains have inundated us.  Floods…landslides…many dead, many missing, many grieving..so much loss..so much distress…What’s the meaning to all of these?  I don’t know…But I think they are necessary.

We don’t need to wait for the ground beneath our feet to shake and crack, for the volcanoes to erupt and throw lava once more for us to feel like it’s 2012.  Let us start thinking of solutions and doing some actions. The future is NOW, whether we believe it or not.

(Voiceover)  Meanwhile, as the truth of Nostradamus’ predictions are being debated, the world continues to exist to serve humans, the most honorable of all creatures.  Let us prove we are worthy of this honor…

Good evening, fellow Toastmasters!

Speech #5

MEASURING SUCCESS

 We often would say that life was simpler back then when we were younger.  For an average guy like me, this is definitely true. Life in high school for me was all about attending classes everyday, seeing my crush, playing pranks on other classmates, sneaking out of school to eat streetfoods, and passing quizzes.  Success was a rather abstract term then—I had an idea what it is, but it’s not something that I lived for.  But when I graduated from high school, I got my first shot at success.  My parents told me graduating is a success on its own.  But looking back, I think it is more of their success than mine because in the first place, I never settled on any goal and I really didn’t make sense of my activities then.

 But going back to success, if we really want to get it, we have to think of it not as a one-way street wherein you just stop after achieving something.  Instead, it is a continuous journey that tells us: it’s not how we achieve success, but how we sustain it.  

So after finishing high school, I arrived at my first crossroad.  What good course to take in college?  My parents, always in support of their eldest son, advised that it has to be consistent with my ambition in life.  Suddenly I imagined myself being a doctor, a lawyer, an architect, a scientist, even an artist.  Being a person with different inclinations, coming down to decide what only one path in life to tread was mind-boggling for me.  So by some wisdom I got from my parents and relatives, I chose to root for the greater dream.  I planned to become a doctor so I took pre-med.

Pre-med should lead to medicine so qualifying for medicine in a decent medical school was the obvious goal.  I went through pre-med with much difficulty but fortunately, I was able to make it again.  I was admitted to medical school.

This was the most gruelling part of my life.  This was when studies took over my life totally, taking me away from my other preoccupations and taking time away from me.  After all the patience and hard work, we finally passed Medicine.  Next natural goal afterwards was to pass the boards without passing which I won’t have the right to be called a doctor.

So hard did I study for the boards that I secluded myself from the outside world.  This paid off when I saw my name in the list of successful board passers.  I was very happy with that big success and the celebration and jubilation seemed to have no end.  Until I arrived at a crossroad again.  After the boards, what’s next?  Will I specialize?  In what field?  Will I moonlight?  Will I be employed in a company?  Will I go abroad?  Will I take up nursing?       

I decided to be employed.  I went from one company to the other until I was promoted to a managerial position.  But then, something was missing.  I thought I was doing something that is far from what I really want to do in life.  I wanted to be a doctor.  And I already was.  But I was being pulled from doing hospital work to do my passion: reaching out to more people as a doctor.  So it was then that I decided to shift to Public Health.  I took masters for this squeezing studies with work for the first time and I almost gave up.  I tried to recall my other successes and these strengthened my resolve.  Lately, I was able to finish my masters.  When I got my second degree though, I sustained my success further.  I applied for work in the government until I got accepted. Next goal, my ultimate goal: the World Health Organization. 

I just turned 30…and it’s still a long journey ahead.  Failure is also part of the journey, but why fail, when you don’t stop trying?

My Speech #4

CONQUERING THE WORLD

“How can we observe what we can’t see? This is my mind-boggling million peso question for you tonight.  The answer is simple: close your eyes.  Think of one big thing that shook the world lately.  Think of its effects on us. Think of the strong reaction that we had to it.  Think of how concerned and scared we had been.  More clues–it’s contagious, but is it serious and dangerous?  No!  Then, it’s not Michael Jackson’s death. This is not the first time that this happened to the world, but we seem to be unprepared for it.  End of the world?  No, but close.  It’s the news that had many updates for so long a time already up to now.  It’s like the daily weather forecast.  The horoscope? Definitely not!

 H1N1, anyone?  Yeah!  It’s the influenza A(H1N1) virus gimmick, rather pandemic. A virus as it is, it is invisible, but its presence is very much palpable, its traits very much observable.  Here are some of its traits:

First, it’s contagious.  When it was born or came out of this world, it has spread on the globe like gooseflesh cropping on the skin. From Mexico, the US, to Canada, Europe, Asia, Philippines to Fiji, it has really arrived.  It has traveled far, fast, and wide into the world.  It’s very much alive inside of us, in the droplets that we cough and sneeze out, in the very spaces that separate us from one another, on any surface of any object.  And most importantly, it is daring enough to cross any border, without minding a barrier or two, even continents, struggling to get into anything to spread itself, like the cold air from the aircon that pervades even the thickest of jackets when we’re in the movies.

Second, it’s a tough and sturdy virus.  It can survive extremes of temperature, it can survive the ice of Alaska and the deserts of Egypt.  It can hit any person, even a strong boxer like Manny Pacquiao will go down on the floor, even those with very good immune systems may suffer from its fury when challenged.    If a person is weak or diseased, it knows when to take the opportunity to knock down that person’s defenses.  It is also hard to put off, so you have to sing the whole “Happy Birthday” song while you wash your hands. 20 seconds to be exact.  “Happy birthday to you……”

Third, it’s a new virus on the block, making it very unique.  It came into being from different flu genes found in birds, pigs and humans. This unique pedigree becomes a personal gift that it uses to its advantage.  Up to now, the make-up of the virus still baffles scientists and virus experts around the world.  Humans aren’t ready for this virus yet because we still don’t have immunity to this.  No vaccine, no medication, has yet been made to prevent and cure this virus 100%.  Being new, it’s also thought to be an adventurous virus.  Just like some of its ancestors, it has the potential to mutate into a very aggressive and powerful virus that can wipe out mankind.  It might be the kind that can easily jump from humans to animals and vice-versa, at the speed of air.  If this happens, this will be the pandemic of all pandemics.

Viruses have been here with us since time immemorial.  But unlike us humans, they have managed to survive the challenges of the times better than us, by transforming themselves, undergoing evolution of sorts as far as their traits are concerned, for them to be effective in what they’re supposed to do.  Spread itself, take down a person’s immune system, and grip the world in pandemic. 

There are three personal viral lessons I will like to talk to you about:

As a person, my enthusiasm for life and what I do is in the proportion of a contagion.  I spread the word on how marvelous living is despite setbacks and tough times.  I am passionate about being a doctor and a public health practitioner and I intentionally infect others with this passion, sharing with them something which I know is transcendent—the love of the world. 

I am a determined and focused person.  I see my goal everyday eye to eye.  Whatever it takes to get it, I will do it.  Things will trip me, make me fall, or even stop me in my tracks but I will persevere and persevere and persevere until I get what I want.  Just like how I accomplished things in my life: taking Medicine, passing the boards, having a stable well-paying job, getting a Masters, and lately, getting a good position in the government.

But after all that’s been said and done, it’s about transformation.  From a meek, uninterested, unconfident child in grade school, I have become what I am today, a person ready to conquer the world with his profession, expertise, and special skills.  It takes assessing one’s self, sizing up the situation around, and seizing opportunities to reinvent ourselves for us to be more formidable and more capable of achieving our goal.

We need not wait for the next wave of pandemic to come out of our own.  We need not see the A(H1N1) virus for us to believe—that deep in ourselves, we might not see it, but we have the power,  the skills, and the ability to transform into someone who can change the world.

Good evening, fellow toastmasters!

From dreams to reality

I’m posting my Toastmaster Speech # 3 (Get to the Point) in the Competent Communication manual: 

FROM DREAMS TO REALITY

Do you dream in color or in black and white? The answer to this, I thought then, is related to one’s level of imagination. That one who has rich imagination dreams in color while another with dull imagination dreams in black and white or not at all. Very prejudicial and controversial I suppose. But recently, I came across a Sunday magazine article that says that dreaming in color or black and white reflects one’s perceptions about accomplishments in life. Those who dream in color are those who think that they haven’t accomplished their life dreams while those who dream in black and white think they already did.

I dream in vivid colors, like in a plasma TV–straight from colorful reality. So after reading this, I thought that I’m not really cool and I’d like to look forward to dreaming in vintage black and white soon.

Tonight though, I want to paint a colorful world that blends imagination and success in life. I will discuss three uses of imagination in relation to our human capacity to accomplish our life dreams. A life of constant imagination can help us 1. Enhance our creativity, 2. Strengthen our motivation, and 3. Provide relaxation to us. These are essential for us to be successful.

First, imagination is very much related to creativity. All individuals are born to be creative; but only a few are able to tap this creative potential. To learn how to be creative, the first step is very simple–to imagine. We often associate imagination with daydreaming and fantasizing which connote a waste of time and energy. We say dreamers are people who are up to nothing.

But imagination is productive. Good imagination is a must-have trait for people in the arts; but it should not be excluded from the rest. As someone said, we are only limited by our imagination. In this age of technological advancements that make our lives easier, there is still a need to do things in a different way, to come up with new products, to meet the changing needs of people, to try to change the world in a new way. But everything starts with a big idea. Amidst the confusion, disarray, noise, the barrage of information in the world, one big idea is always waiting to be thought of. And imagination is the first step to this. Think of Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity, Henry Ford’s automobile, Watson & Crick’s DNA, Tim Berners-Lee’s internet, Tody Fadell’s iPod. We are all capable of thinking one big idea that can change the world, if we start to imagine.

Second, imagination can help us strengthen our motivation. Ever heard of the word “imagery” in psychology? This is a process of imagining yourself to be in a situation that you would like to be in. This is believed to be very effective as a source of motivation to us as we try to realize our ambitions in life. For example, when I was a kid, I used to mix medicines—transferring one syrup medication to another bottle, and so on—from our refrigerator. My mom took this as the earliest sign that I wanted to be a doctor. In my mind though, it was an experiment of colors and a life-changing experience at that—for someone who dreamed of being an artist. Seeing the syrups change color when I mixed them got me fascinated with color. This started my life-long passion for the arts. During that time, I saw in my mind’s eye that I am an artist draped in white suit with brush on one hand and palette on the other, mixing pigments, staring at a blank white canvas mounted in an easel in front of me and beginning to paint.

I didn’t become an artist though. I became a doctor. So my mom was kinda right. But those imaginations strengthened the artist sensibility in me. I have become a passionate artist in my own little way. I paint, I write, and do photography, thanks to the power of imagination.

Lastly, imagination can provide us relaxation. A beautiful sunset, a dazzling rainbow, a majestic mountain, a flower abloom, colorful fishes swimming in the ocean. Imagining these are relaxing to the mind indeed. Buddhas and monks meditate endlessly and reach enlightenment; so they see the world in a different way from us. But they never move. They just hold a certain position in a certain place for a long time. So even if we don’t have the resources or the luxury of time to travel, to go to a spa, go shopping for things that we want, we can always imagine and be refreshed. Looking at paintings, appreciating the beauty of the written word, listening to classical music, and appreciating the grandeur of nature are ways of using our imagination to achieve a relaxing and even therapeutic effect.

If imagination can enhance our creativity, strengthen our motivation and give us relaxation, then living a life of constant imagination will make us closer to the successful reality that we aspire for.

One of the most creative person that ever walked on the earth, Albert Einstein, said that imagination is more important than knowledge because knowledge has limits but imagination circles the world. Suddenly, I thought dreaming in black and white or in color doesn’t really matter at all. What’s more important is that we dream…

Good evening, fellow toastmasters!

Y.E.S. (Yours Eternally Still)

My second speech turned out fine.  There were just 6 of us present in the meeting, 5 speakers and the toastmaster of the evening (our club president) and no evaluators.  Second speech has the theme “organize your speech”.  It should be done in 5-7 minutes but I clocked in at 9 mins 44 secs.  Probably because of my topic:  3 things to fulfill before making before a proposal side-by-side my love story.  I may have gotten carried away when I was making the speech forgetting to mind how long it will take to deliver it.

Plus points: excellent opening, clear body, mastery of English language, descriptive words, good voice, good pacing, passionate delivery.

Minus points: poor time management (exceeded alloted time), confusing hand gestures, especially the clenched fist, weak closing.

The following is my speech…

Y.E.S. (Yours Eternally Still)

“Hon, are you willing to spend the rest of your life with me?”  This is not some cheesy dialog from Casablanca, Gone with the Wind, Notting Hill, Jerry Maguire, or any of your favorite romantic movie, old or new. These are real words that I said when I proposed to my better half one cold December evening over dinner in a secret garden in Tagaytay a year ago.

Proposing is one thing guys like me do only once in our life, the commitment-phobics that we are; but when we do it, it has to be memorable.  Not the ambiance—red roses, jazz music, fine dining; not the glitz and glamour, not even the diamond ring or anything fancy (not in the literal sense because I’ve got her a real one).  Not anything fancy will make the moment “the” moment.

For those who propose, the focus is always on the proposal itself.  After the cheesy part comes the serious part.  When we pop the question, we want to get the answer that we want.  But after the “yes”, how many engaged partners actually make it to the altar?  This makes for thinking what are the essentials to consider before making a proposal. Because just as there are failed marriages, there are also failed proposals.

I’d like to believe that there are 3 things that we guys should already have done before diving into that one-time moment in our life.  No big deal.  Just 3 things.  First, find the right person.  Second, fall in love.  And third, stick it out.  “Yes” or “no” answer in the proposal, if we’re lacking in any of these, we’re doomed.  The eternal love story that we want to write will turn into a disaster movie.  And this is way bigger of a problem than our big ego can handle.

So, first things first.  Before we make the proposal, we should already have found the right person, no matter how rocket-science as it may seem.  For me, the right person was a petite, fair-skinned, sweet, unassuming girl from Bulacan by the name of Jody.  She with the long shiny black hair and raised pinky.  All the stars but me knew about this.  13 years ago in college, she was my constant groupmate, thanks to alphabetical arrangement–I am an L, she an M.  We were always doing reports for class and in the laboratory dissecting frogs and mixing chemicals.  Strange because there was no “lab” at first sight, nor instant chemistry that developed between us then. But yes, she’s got traits that fitted into the barkada’s definition of a perfect girlfriend.  Sophisticated beauty, innocent charm, warm disposition, feminine ways.  I really thought that she was the right person then–for my bestfriend who had a crush on her, that is.  The good dependable friend that I am, I served as their bridge.  I would hand her sweet somethings from my bestfriend and would even translate their conversation, mostly muted and unintelligible because they were both quiet and my friend couldn’t find the right words.  Little did I know that the more forcibly I drew them together, the more she became closer to me, rather me to her, until one day before summer vacation began, I felt that a part of me was on the brink of being lost.  That’s when I realized she’d already taken a big part of me.  I wanted to see her, be with her everyday, schoolday or not.  She was to me the epitome of a so-near-yet-so-far kind of girl.  I found her.  I saw her then, knew her well.  I was not looking for her, I found her for my bestfriend, but I found her.  She was the right person for me.

After finding the right person, requirement number 2, we should already have fallen in love.  I liked her but on second thought, I was already beginning to love her.  This was when the feeling kicked in.  I weighed this feeling.   It weighed so heavy that my heart cried that love it was then and nothing else.  The world became a much better place to live in.  And suddenly I couldn’t imagine my life without her.  But, to make it proper, I had to let the right person know about it.  I had to tell her about it.  But man, it wasn’t easy because she was identified with my bestfriend.  Our barkada was divided into 2 factions: one rooting for my bestfriend, another rooting for me to be the right person for her.  Remembering how I used to tease them made me feel weird and thinking that they would be “them” broke my heart.   Good thing love really has strange hypnotic powers.  I mustered the courage to open it up with my bestfriend, careful not to offend him, to maintain our friendship. He understood my intentions and approved of me wooing her.  After all, he hadn’t made any move ever since.  Against all odds, fighting for my feelings, I wooed her.   Love as a romance bloomed like red roses that I constantly gave her, like the love verses that I wrote for her that started the exciting symphony of our lives.  And after 6 months of servanthood, rather courtship, everything in the universe conspired to let us become “us”.  She gave me the first “yes”.  I jumped and cried and cried and jumped.  I became her first; and I told her she was my first too-because she was the first and only girl I’ve courted in my life and thank God I did not fail.  Otherwise, this hopeless romantic would have turned suicidal.

Lastly, before making the proposal, we should already have sticked it out with the girl through thick and thin.  Since we became “us” 10 years ago, our relationship never had an off period.  Our relationship is like an ECG tracing with different waves, rises and depressions, progressing at different paces, but always pulsing with activity.  From the time we went to medical school, became doctors and pursued our careers, we had several milestones.  There were just too many reasons to celebrate and just as many reasons to grieve.  Seasons of laughter gave way to seasons of hurting, sometimes in predictable cycles, sometimes not. Our similarities drew us together but it’s our differences, especially the ugly ones, that made us stick.  Love is really hard work.  Diversity, variety, and spontaneity provided the twist. Trying out new things, discovering new skills, exploring new places, developing new relationships (not with another woman, hehe).  And of course, romance.  Some say romance cools down in a long relationship; but ours just sizzled with each passing day.  Up to now, we still celebrate monthsaries, text each other like new sweethearts:  “Wer u na?” “Hav u eatn na?” “Mis u, Mwah!” and oh! We still do the HHWW with PSSP! (Holding Hands While Walking, Pa-Sway Sway Pa).

Finding the right person.  Falling in love.  Sticking it out.  I am so damn certain that I fulfilled these 3 things, which means I was really ready to propose!

It was a singular defining moment that transported us to a place where only the two of us mattered and when the only thing standing between me and her is our love for each other. Black and white. Heartbeats in sync. Everything else canceled out.  Yes, no, no maybe.  I was left then with only two possible answers.  What were the odds?  My boggled mind wouldn’t do the math.  It’s the emotions that calculated.  The yes or no suddenly became a life or death situation for me.  My heart beat fast.  My breath almost escaped me when I waited for the answer, and I would have died instantly in that rarefied moment. Lucky me, I continued to live. She said “yes”.

 

Rollin’ Ron

 

 

 

 

The following is my Icebreaker speech, the first speech I delivered at Toastmasters.  Feedback was generally good–good show of confidence, unique manner of presenting a speech (I used PowerPoint), well-written speech with poetic touch, well-articulated words–save for the fast pace in which it was delivered that left the audience running after my words.  Probably because of:

1. I was in a rush to finish within the alloted time;

2. I’ve drank too much coffee today; or

3. I’m naturally “fast”.  Not surprised about this though.  I used to be told by some that I always seem to do things in a hurry.  Pauses.  Calming down.  Taking a leisurely walk.  I think these should be my mantra now, in the way I go about my work, studies and personal affairs.

This is my Icebreaker speech that made my first presence felt in the club.

“How does it feel? How does it feel? To be on your own, with no direction home, like a complete unknown, like a rolling stone,” sings my idol and favorite music icon, the legendary singer and poet Bob Dylan. To be a rolling stone implies someone running away constantly, without a care in the world, exploiting his freedom and escaping responsibilities and attachments whenever he can.  As a consequence, a rolling stone gathers no moss–he doesn’t develop steady relationships.  Because he doesn’t linger. He doesn’t go someplace where he can establish himself.  So he doesn’t shine.  The phrase “like a rolling stone” however defines me in a different way.

I am a wandering, free-thinking, restless soul by virtue of circumstances and choices made in life. I was born in Baguio, grew up in Quezon province, finished elementary in Pasig and high school in Manila.  I took my pre-med at UST, studied medicine at UERM Medical Center, and trained at the UP-PGH.  I was supposed to take up Fine Arts in college, eventually became a doctor, decided against taking up Nursing and going abroad, and now I am pursuing a Masters in Public Health.  I work now as a clinic operations manager of FortuneCare, a Health Maintenance Organization.  I’m on my fourth year in the corporate world and this is already my third company.

These crazy transitions often make me wonder about my purpose in life.  Beneath the restlessness in me, the seemingly wild abandon in which my heart’s desires are followed, I have a theory that God made me experience these things to prepare me for something big.  I want to be a renaissance doctor. I want to make a dent in our healthcare system by creating a program or putting up an organization that will make my colleagues stay here in the country and make many poor patients access health services.  Also, I want to be known for the art I create, the literature I write, the photos I take.  I want to travel the Philippines, the world, and back again as a doctor who heals bodies, touches souls and gives hope to the desperate.  

Going back to Bob Dylan’s song, it is about liberation, of being able to see through the wordly views that people have, of being able to feel the negative vibes around us, and of being able to have a clear, transcendent vision of one’s mission in life and really transform himself to add value to others. 

A compassionate doctor, a passionate artist and a humane human being, that’s how I’d like my eulogy to sound as read by my children.  Wait, I almost forgot that I will have to work on getting married soon first before I’ll have children.  Yes, this rolling stone before you, Dr. Ronald Law, will come home and out into the world and be attached soon, but it won’t stop rolling and rolling and rolling ‘til it shines. And so how will I feel by then?  Definitely great!