Orthopedic Surgeon Wannabe

As a medical intern who has already decided what field to pursue after the board exams, nothing beats doing majority of the procedure on your own. In my case, I've always wanted to become an orthopedic surgeon so just imagine my excitement when I was allowed to handle a simple procedure of Below the Knee Amputation (BKA).

I know it's really, really simple but for noobies like me, it's a big thing.

Although I have hits and misses during the surgery, I must say that I had fun because it really sealed the deal that it is what I want to do. I still don't know where but that's how I envision myself to be in the next few years.

The Aftermath

Thank you Dr Remo for this supercharged experience. I almost shed a single tear. Mrhrhr.

Muchas Gracias!

I am so happy for the donations that we received after posting a good number of PSA's on Facebook. It's actually my first time to be hands on with these relief efforts and I am really overwhelmed with the generosity of our fellow Filipinos and foreigners as well.

As promised, the Task Force Yolanda Facebook page is currently posting updates regarding your donations.

Let me just share the photos that I took prior to the pickup of the first batch of donations in CEO Flats last November 18.

That's the truck from Food Asia Corp.

These boxes also contain some of the 700 relief bags
from Trash Mountain Project Philippines

First batch of donations is now loaded :)

We have so many donations so it cannot fit into the truck. That's when we decided to repack the other goods left because we heard that there's not much space for repackaging since most of the open spaces were used as evacuation centers.

The rest of the goods were picked up and was sent to Roxas City on November 19. Thank you Food Asia Corporation for flying the relief goods for free. I would also like to thank CEO Flats and its very accommodating staff for allowing us to use the backroom and the parking space to store our donations.

I would also like to thank my San Beda Med batchmates Ice Soria and Joy Sayo for donating. Thank you Kuya Macky for driving us to CEO Flats. And a big thank you goes out to Ma'am Jackie and Kuya Leo of the San Beda Med Office for facilitating the tarpaulin donations of the Colleges of Law, Arts and Sciences and the Alumni Association. For the rest of the photos of the donations, feel free to check out my Task Force Yolanda Album on Google Plus.

This will not be the last. Nagpapahinga lang muna kami. :D

Update!

Update from Capiz:

According to Tracy's uncles in Cogon, Panit-an, Capiz, there's about 3,000 people who are dead. The only relief goods that the province was able to receive was from Mar Roxas and PNoy and it wasn't enough for the whole province and it didn't reach the remote areas. Anyone who's been in the province knows that the seafood is it's prime product but no one in the province wants to eat the fish because they are scared it's been feeding on the dead bodies scattered in the area. They have no electricity and from Roxas City, only motorcycles can be used to go to the towns of Panit-an, Pan-ay and Pontevedra.

This province also needs help. If you have something to spare, please donate it. Tracy, Pia and I are accepting donations in form of the following:

>> blankets

>> canned goods

>> bread

>> candles and matches

>> water (lots of it!!)

>> hygiene kits (sanitary napkins, diapers for babies, toothbrush, toothpaste)

>> flashlights with batteries

>> used clothes and toys

>> generators

Your donations will then be shipped to Roxas City via LBC/Air21/JRS wherein we are currently organizing with The Boy Scouts of the PH-Iloilo, Iloilo Law Students, Purisima College, Capiz Medical Society (and just in!) Rotary Club and JCI Roxas City and some PRIVATE SECTORS. We will be monitoring this personally and taking full responsibility of the donations to be shared and given to the right people.

Drop off area are as follows:

- 9th floor unit 10 The infinity Bldg, 26th street BGC Taguig

- Tokyo Posh Rockwell Branch (beside Draft)

- We can also do meet ups in Makati (Greenbelt, Glorietta, Rockwell), Alabang Town Center, Robinson's Galleria, Manila (Taft Avenue-Pedro Gil) if ever you are too far away.

For immediate contact, text at 09088513397 (Tracy dela Cruz) 09088163599 (Pia Alviola) or 09178924628 (KC Cervales)

Please repost, reshare or donate your excess goods. Thank you.

Help Us Fill Up A Box For Northern Cebu and Capiz :)

The past three days have been very tumultuous as the Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) wreaked havoc upon Central Philippines, leaving hundreds of thousands of people homeless, thousands of people dead and a lot of properties destroyed.

Since most of us know how greatly devastated the province of Leyte is, I am taking this opportunity to bring some of the other devastated places to your attention since we hear less of these places. Photos courtesy of Task Force Yolanda Facebook Page

1. Northern Cebu

Daanbantayan

Bantayan Island

2. Capiz 

e.g. Roxas City - my daddy's hometown! :(

Ang Panublion

I followed Task Force Yolanda in Facebook because they focus on other places that receive minimal help from LGUs despite the massive scale of damages.

Right now, my mom and younger sister are collecting and packing our old clothes to send to these places. Even my mom's friends are pitching in so we can fill up the boxes that's available at home. So far we have almost filled up a large Speedbox with clothes. I would like to ask you to lend us a hand in filling up these boxes. Right now, these are the things that we are collecting, based on the basic needs:

1. Ready to eat food (canned food, biscuits, bread) 
2. Drinking water 
3. Medicines for cough, colds etc. 
4. Basic toiletries (i.e. soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo) 
5. Clothes and blankets

I would also like to thank my friend Tracy, who helped me out in this by posting Public Service Announcements (PSAs) in various social media to help us gather more relief goods for the victims of the typhoon. There were people who already pledged donations and with that I'm really happy.

You may email me at kristine_cervales@yahoo.com or send me a private message at my Twitter or Facebook accounts if you are interested in helping us fill up a box.

Here are some of the drop off points for donations if you also want to help out Task Force Yolanda:

TOKYO POSH EASTWOOD

3/F Eastwood Mall - Beside Me and You
Please look for Jocelyn

TOKYO POSH ROCKWELL
R2 Level, Power Plant Mall - Beside Draft
Please look for Joanne

ENERGY. / MARA CHUA MANILA
Unit 9-C Scout Rallos St. Brgy Laging Handa Quezon City
You can leave them with the security guard - There's gonna be a box there soon!

CEO FLATS
27 Canopus Street Cor Jupiter St. Brgy Bel Air Makati City
c/o Pauline Alviola

HABI SHOWROOM
Unit 217 FBR Arcade Brgy. Loyola Heights Katipunan Ave
(above Yellow Cab)

Rest assured that your donations will be delivered to the above mentioned areas. Thank you guys!