I’m barely a month away from my last one week of freedom before I bid goodbye to my “life”. Luckily enough, I’d be spending a good five days touring Bohol and Cebu with my mom and Bee. In fact, I just finished booking our flights. It got me so psyched up that I’m already on the lookout for a new swimsuit at where else? Ebay! Where the best steals on clothes, swimsuitssexy camisoles, and what-have-yous on the planet are! I can’t help it. I want my last taste of summer to be perfect. If only I can roll in the sand for all that 5 days of my trip out-of-town I would, but Bee isn’t buying that idea at all. He suggests we see the rest of historical Cebu (and when he said historical, it meant visiting museums! What the. Is this a field trip?) Anyway, beggars can’t be choosers (but some beggars loitering the streets of Manila, to my dismay, even have the gal to be choosy). This is an unplanned trip. My mom who’s going to be assigned in Cebu during my so-called vacation is just bringing us, lovebirds, to tag along with her and give us a taste of life in Bohol and Cebu. Well, that’s good enough for us especially since it meant saving loads of dough for us. I really can’t wait! I am so excited that I wish school’s out already. Too bad my hell is just about to begin.

I woke up this morning an eager beaver to go to school. I ain’t one who habitually skips classes despite the fact that I seem to have developed a dislike to school nowadays. But then I have a problem: the colds I caught last week has finally taken its toll on me. So I went back to my room with my Delsey luggage in tow planning to take the whole morning off hoping for this wheezing to go away by noon. Yep. I have asthma.

Asthma has been a very common problem among children especially in this day and age of tremendous pollution. Statistics have shown how more and more children are developing asthma but most of these kids, fortunately “outgrow” their sickness as they reach adolescence. I, unfortunately, is one of the number of children who developed asthma later in life and persisted. It didn’t help that I have a very strong family history of asthma (most of my cousins in the father’s side has or had one) and that I am extremely irritated by cigarette smoke. It can be terribly annoying not being able to enjoy a night out with friends because I have to stay outside to breathe fresh air. I can be a burden too since my friends start to panic when I start to wheeze in between words. But thankfully enough, I’ve never been hospitalized because I can’t breathe nor do I have to take mega doses of steroids to keep my problem in control. I especially empathize with a current classmate who’s extremely allergic to almost anything. One time she entered the washroom in a rush and there she stayed in a cubicle trying to calm herself down as she battled it out with a sudden attack of asthma. Us left outside could only hope she would be okay. I can’t seem to imagine how she can possibly handle her responsibilities as a doctor in the future when her allergic attacks decides to pester her every now and then. Perhaps that’s one very good reason to take Radiology and stay in the comforts of a cold, cold diagnostic lab. Hehe.

Anyway, just a little update to tell you I’m still here - wheezing, yes - but still alive and kicking.

I can’t believe how fast time flies. It sure feels like it was only yesterday when I turned 20+ and now, I’ve just recently added another year to my age. When I look back to the year that was, I can’t say I’ve accomplished much. I mean, compare me to my colleagues and it seems like I was stuck in the middle of then and tomorrow while they’ve all moved forward to make their lives better. Just more than a month ago, Pauee left for Singapore and will soon start her way to her first million. I on the other hand, remains to be a struggling medical student. I don’t really mind it much since I’m well surrounded by people who are in the same plight as I do. Hehe.

I have mixed feelings about turning a year older. At its most superficial, I don’t want to grow up! It scares me to know that a few years from now I’ll be the one worrying about all those “grown up” stuff that give my parents a headache. Yesterday while on our way to UP Manila, my groupmate Ria and I talked about how we both felt like we are still “babies”. And we both agreed how we wanted to remain forever this way but alas, as the clock ticks, we know that the time will come when there’s no more turning back. And then there’s also the fact that I’ll be saying goodbye to my so-called social life when April comes. Oh dear. Am I ready to face the real world? If you’re to ask me, I’d rather wonder what Amazon books to buy than wonder what’s the diagnosis of my next patient is. =P

Banapple Pies and Cheesecakes

2L Il Terrazo

Tomas Morato cor. Sct Madrinan, South Triangle QC

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