4.4.20. Amidst a pandemic.
Who would have thought that we would be here today, in the middle of an actual pandemic.
It's been four months - started in the far east, and now snaked its way into the present. Four months ago - I was a regular Infectious Disease consultant, known for being smart and nerdy and very detailed, but among specialists, also the lowest-paid medical subspecialty. But, I was doing my part and trying to live my life. While the SARS-COV-2 was slowly spreading amongst the Chinese population, I was actively starting cardio kickboxing classes, staying on and off the keto-diet, surrounded by family (parents with me since November, then sister and bro-in-law visiting in December, with CD and Kira coming over for a long weekend - how did I fit six humans and one dog in a one-bedroom apartment?) and also back to dating. A little bit.
Parents and sister and bro in law went back to Manila right around the Mt. Pinatubo eruption. I gave them most of my n95 masks. They got home safely. Shortly after, the pandemic creeps in. I don't know if the volcano eruption was a premonition of what was to come, but definitely the masks served dual purpose.
Since last February, the incident command center has been set up in my hospital. I was made co-chair of IPC very recently, and without a chance to confirm my actual role, I was shoved into the limelight. And I've been talking nonstop ever since. Talking, texting, emailing, with one person, with multiple people, in front of a camera for townhall.
Its been crazy. I am more than exhausted. I have also somehow become the face of ID And IPC all of a sudden. I yearn to go home everyday and hide. But at the same time I know I have a very important role and an important job. I am seeing now how I have both the ability to see a different kind of picture and the capacity to interpret today and tomorrow's problems and try to incorporate the solutions of both into one. I also see how I am so powerless, and that sometimes I rely on people and there is no one. But sometimes I am also surprised by the people that I do not rely on. My number has been thrown around everywhere. People who don't know me are saying hi to me and smiling at me. I don't know what to say. The new psychology chief said that I'm popular, and I simply replied that "I'm not popular - more infamous", if ever.
I've been off the keto diet for a month - I stopped because at the time I was regularly working out, so I could do low-carb diet. However in the middle of the pandemic - I have been on a high-carb diet. For happiness' sake? Haha. At work, my officemate and I have instituted "Chips Time" every afternoon, sometimes also in the morning.
It's been four months - started in the far east, and now snaked its way into the present. Four months ago - I was a regular Infectious Disease consultant, known for being smart and nerdy and very detailed, but among specialists, also the lowest-paid medical subspecialty. But, I was doing my part and trying to live my life. While the SARS-COV-2 was slowly spreading amongst the Chinese population, I was actively starting cardio kickboxing classes, staying on and off the keto-diet, surrounded by family (parents with me since November, then sister and bro-in-law visiting in December, with CD and Kira coming over for a long weekend - how did I fit six humans and one dog in a one-bedroom apartment?) and also back to dating. A little bit.
Parents and sister and bro in law went back to Manila right around the Mt. Pinatubo eruption. I gave them most of my n95 masks. They got home safely. Shortly after, the pandemic creeps in. I don't know if the volcano eruption was a premonition of what was to come, but definitely the masks served dual purpose.
Since last February, the incident command center has been set up in my hospital. I was made co-chair of IPC very recently, and without a chance to confirm my actual role, I was shoved into the limelight. And I've been talking nonstop ever since. Talking, texting, emailing, with one person, with multiple people, in front of a camera for townhall.
Its been crazy. I am more than exhausted. I have also somehow become the face of ID And IPC all of a sudden. I yearn to go home everyday and hide. But at the same time I know I have a very important role and an important job. I am seeing now how I have both the ability to see a different kind of picture and the capacity to interpret today and tomorrow's problems and try to incorporate the solutions of both into one. I also see how I am so powerless, and that sometimes I rely on people and there is no one. But sometimes I am also surprised by the people that I do not rely on. My number has been thrown around everywhere. People who don't know me are saying hi to me and smiling at me. I don't know what to say. The new psychology chief said that I'm popular, and I simply replied that "I'm not popular - more infamous", if ever.
I've been off the keto diet for a month - I stopped because at the time I was regularly working out, so I could do low-carb diet. However in the middle of the pandemic - I have been on a high-carb diet. For happiness' sake? Haha. At work, my officemate and I have instituted "Chips Time" every afternoon, sometimes also in the morning.