Will be gone for a while. Off to a 3-day retreat. See you soon! :)

Now, who says Physical Therapists are just massuers?

See this book? This is one of our many books for PT. It’s three inches thick and you know what else? We need to study this whole book for our final exams. THE WHOLE BOOK. Not just a few chapters but the entire book. There a total of 276 special tests for patient assessment that are included in the book. And we have to memorize them all by heart for the written and practical exams. And did I metion, this is for just one subject. I am not kidding.

So you see, branding us as people who just do massages is quite insulting. We study so hard that we barely have time to sleep. We have Anatomy, Physiology, Kinesiology, Neuroanatomy and several other subjects that are taught in medicine, and yet we are considered as massuers. Physical therapists are not massage therapists. There’s a huge difference between those two. So before you talk about us as people who just poke and massage other people’s body, please get your facts right. We don’t go through such hardships in studying just so you can degrade us like that. Again, it’s very insulting and belittling.

Penile implants.

This may sound a little awkward and gross to others, but in our course, this kind of discussion is normal. So here’s the deal:

We just finished dissecting the genitals of our male cadavers during Anatomy Lab class. Basically, it was done by cutting the penis into two by a sagittal section. Of course, it was very weird since none of us, both the girls and the boys, wanted to do the cutting. For the guys, it was because they cannot stand to see their “sacred” part being sliced into two. If you could only see how they cringe as the cut was made, you’d probably laugh. As for the girls, we were quite embarrassed to look and touch that part, more so do the dissecting. But then things must be done and a guy from our group braved up and did it with the professor assisting him.

So all was well until we started studying the parts. It was then that we saw something off about the said genitalia. There’s this ring-like structure, like a gluestick you use for glue guns, around the shaft just below the head of the penis. Of course we don’t know what it was, just that it was not supposed to be there, because it was not in the atlas. So we asked our professors what it was. The first two professors we asked just looked at each other and laughed, but they did not tell us what it was. And then we asked another one and luckily he answered. He said it was a bolitas or penile implant. It was made of silicon and it was supposed to increase sexual performance. So that explained why the two other professors looked at it weirdly. Apparently, it was inserted there via surgical procedures. And mind you, these procedures aren’t exactly proven and approved by doctors. Penile implants to some extent are helpful especially during penile fractures, which it is inserted not around but along the shaft to fix the injured part. Our professor said that this kind of implant is dangerous and may cause infections.

So yeah, we were just shocked. We never knew that we could find something as weird as that. I mean, really, how many times will you ever see a penis cut open? Oh well, Anatomy is Anatomy and we cannot do anything about it, no matter how crazy it gets. 

Two more days, two more practical exams, three more written exams and the prelim week will be over.

And then finally, I can rest and sleep for more than 4 hours. I just want this week to be over. 

Rexed Laminae, Ascending and Descending Pathways of the Spinal Cord, why are you all so confusing??

We have a quiz on all of these tomorrow and so far, I’ve only mastered the Rexed Laminae and some of the pathways. Damn, I need to memorize everything but I’m just so sleepy and my eyes are drooping. 

My parent’s wallet would soon be dead.

So after almost a week of classes, we finally had an idea how our second semester would be. Above is the list of books we need for this semester. Our professor said that these are the references that we need to read and study for all our subjects. And so we asked if we really have to buy them all. Their answer was YES. Why? Because we will go through them from cover to cover. We will finish the books listed above, in this semester. How great is that? NOT. I am not yet a medicine student, and yet the books I need are this expensive! I wonder how my parents would react when I send them this list. And to top that, these aren’t just small and light-weight books we can carry around everywhere. We are talking about hardbound, 3-inch thick books. The kind that will break your back just looking at it. 

And as for how this week goes, well, I didn’t have the time to relax that much. Since there would be no classes on November 30, our Physiology Lab started during the second day of class. Yup, we did two experiments and because of that, we would be passing two written reports the following week. And that doesn’t even end there. Since the grouping is alphabetical, I am placed in the first group. Being the first group means that we will also have to do an oral report for next week. Awesome right? Oh, and did I mention that we will also have the first quiz in Anatomy 2 Lab on the same the day that we will submit the written report and do the oral report? The coverage for that quiz? Oh nothing, just every single lesson we have last semester in Anatomy 1. Yes. Life is so great for us third year Physical Therapy students. So great that sometime, I wonder why the hell did I even choose this course. Haha. But still, I have to be strong. I wanted this. I WANT THIS. This isn’t even half of the hardships of medicine students. I want to be a doctor and I will do everything just to be one. And sacrificing sleep and a bit of my social life isn’t a bad price. 

Oh no. I just realized, there’s only one week left to savor the sembreak. I’m not ready to face those cadavers again, just yet. :|

My oh-so-awesome schedule.

Oh lookie, it’s my schedule for the next semester. And it looks so great! NOT. I mean, look at that! Just look at that 6-hour straight classes! How are we supposed to concentrate for six hours straight? Especially in the morning. I, myself, don’t take breakfast because I dorm. Now, I can’t because I have 6 hours before I can have my lunch. But then, I should be more thankful. The other two sections have a full week with 7am classes. And I don’t want that either. I am really nervous about next sem. All of those are major subjects and all of them have lab counterparts except for Neuroanatomy. I can feel that even though I end up early during Saturdays, I won’t able to go home every weekend.

Oh well, what can I do? I chose this course. I want to be a doctor so badly. And this is just premed. All I do to convince myself not to give up is tell myself that I do this so I can save lives. I want to save lives. That is my goal. I want to be someone who can help others, in a medical way. And that is what I hold on to whenever I am stressed. It gets me through. I will succeed. I know I will. I want to. :)

Another stupid discrimination of Physical Therapists.

From TV Patrol (Sept. 25, 2011), at 02:55 of clip:
” Pangarap ni Wena na maging isang physical therapist. Pero dahil sa kakulangan ng pera nagdesisyon itong mag-training sa TESDA (sa kursong) PINAKALAMAPIT SA PT, ETO AY ANG PANGHIHILOT”- Jasmine Romero

“Wena dreams of being a physical therapist. But because of financial insufficiency, she opted to train in TESDA in a course closest to PT which is massage therapy.”

And here’s what I found to be the best response for this issue:

From Eman Yu (from BAYAN MO IPATROL KO FB ACCOUNT)

I am not a physical therapist but i couldn’t agree more with what Jing said. Top 3 hardest licensure examination in the Philippines are

1) Bar Exam
2) Physician’s Exam / Medicine
3) Physical Therapist licensure Exam

if physical therapists are to be compared with any of the professions in the world, that is being a doctor. They studied 5 years, concentrating on anatomy, physiology, and medical surgical conditions).

Massage therapy is just one of the interventions they use with their patients and they didn’t even spend 2 hours studying/discussing that topic. They seldom use it with their patients.

Physical Therapists Plan, prepare and carry out individually designed programs of physical treatment to maintain, improve or restore physical functioning, alleviate pain and prevent physical dysfunction in patients.

Perform and document an initial exam, evaluating the data to identify problems and determine a diagnosis prior to intervention.

The phrase “PINAKAMALAPIT sa PT” (which means “CLOSEST TO PT”) is improper, foul and degrading to their profession.

If ABS CBN stands for responsible journalism, Jasmine Romero should be accountable enough to correct her mistake.

- - - - -

Seriously. Responsible journalism requires ample amount of research. Know your fact well before stating anything because you don’t know how you can degrade or misjudge people. I am a Physical Therapist student and being called “masahista” (massage therapist) is just unacceptable. We work hard and spend hours studying those subjects. One of our doctor professors even said that we could be considered as “little doctors” for the difficult subjects we are taking and then you compare us to masseurs?? That would really set us off and go ballistik. Please do your job well. Journalists should be credible of informative news not some bullcrap untrue statements like this.

Pa-rant lang.

I am supposed to be doing my homework in Marriage and Family but I really don’t understand why I have to take this class. I mean, who in their right minds want to learn about the essentials for married life when they’re still at this age?! Like me for example, I am not even at the legal age yet and I’m supposed to listen to all these talks about what should we do to be ready with marriage? Hello?! I want to graduate from college and go to work and even go to med school! Why would I want to get married this early?! I mean, I would love to know what I’m supposed to do to be prepared and all that, but not at this point in my life. I am too young to be married and I still want to do a lot of things before I settle down. Another thing I hate about the subject is that it talks about how family should work, how it’s supposed to be perfect and flawless. God, that’s too insensitive! There are students who came from broken families and they don’t need anymore talk about this. Do you know how would they feel when you are babbling about the things that would keep families together? That’s just a big slap on their face to know the things that they should have done or the things that will never be. I really hate this subject. I feel that it’s unnecessary and it takes up a lot of our time instead of focusing on our major subjects. 

Today, we started dissecting our cadavers.

After 3 long years of waiting, we finally had human dissection in our Anatomy lab. We first prayed for the cadavers, thanking them for being a great help in our study. After that, we had a brief orientation as to how we should treat our “study friends” and how we should still respect them.

Our group had given our cadaver the name, Kiko. We don’t know why but it sounds right and appropriate for the man plus, no one can give a better name so we all agreed. The cadaver looked as if he he’s in his mid 50s or something. It was very strange at first when we were asked to touch and feel the skin of those preserved bodies. It’s not like what we’ve had before, when we opened cats, sharks, turtles and pigeons. This time, it was a human being, someone who used to live and breathe like us. It’s strange how they felt cold and hard when they seem to be just sleeping in those tables.

I, for one, felt a strange feeling of sadness for Kiko. Instead of listening to the procedures, my mind kept bugging me with question regarding the cadaver. I keep staring at him, looking at his scars, wondering what happened to him and how he died. Why is he here in our lab? Where are his relatives? Does he have a family of his own? Do they even know that students are going to use him for studying? Are they still looking for him? I felt pity for the body. We don’t know if the cadavers end up in our lab because no one bothered to look for them or their family cannot afford burying them or maybe they are victims of unsolved crimes. All we know is that they are paid for by the university.

The thought of these things makes it hard for me to do the dissection. No, I am not grossed out by it. I’m just cautious not to damage the body very much. I don’t want to mutilate it. I am scared of disrespecting the body. I feel that we should handle them with such care so as not to dishonor them.  I feel that there’s something wrong in using them without the consent of their families or themselves. Nonetheless, I made it through the whole 3 hours of Anatomy lab, doing half the skinning of the head. 

We are going to continue next week and study the muscles of the face. I am excited to see Kiko again. I hope that wherever he may be, he can forgive us and understand why we are doing it to his earthly body. I hope he’s in peace now.

Oh great, we’re having a lesson on ovulation and the menstrual cycle just when I have my period.

What a timing. I don’t need to know the freaking details of this ungodly blood flow, okay?!