“Dra. Bae, road traffic accident in bed 4, possible concussion, patient with persistent vomiting. GCS 14, blood pressure 130/90.”

“Projectile?”
….

“I mean, projectile vomiting?”

“Sabi lang po ng nurse nagsusuka daw ang pasyente.”

“Ano sabi sa CT-Scan report?”

“Po?” 

“Yung CT Scan ng pasyente, ano resulta?”

“Di pa po ako nagrequest ng CT Scan for the patient.”

Dr. Irene Bae, the youngest and one of the most brilliant senior resident in the hospital. Matalino, masipag, responsable, matiyagang magturo sa mga juniors, paborito ng mga nurses, respiratory technicians, dahil propesyunal, humble at marunong makisama. 

Maganda pero walang lovelife.

Wala ding social life.
Ang ER ang buhay nya, at sya ang buhay ng ER. Without her, this whole unit of the hospital will be in chaos.

“Fine. Request a full head CT Scan. Check for signs of increased ICP. Observe for any leaking fluid from the patient’s nose or ears. Update me with the patient’s level of consciousness. As of now, GCS is normal, vital signs are normal. Continue monitoring.”

“Noted doc, thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

..
‘Tooooottttt’ her phone alarmed

7 minutes, she was asleep for 7 minutes. 

“Thank you for the blessing Lord"

“How’s the patient with allergy in bed 7?”

“She’s for possible discharge Dr. Bae, hydrocortisone IV administered, oxygen saturation went to normal, 99% on room air.”

“Write discharge for her, we’ll probably need extra beds in the morning, to avoid overstaying patient here in the unit.” instruction ni Dr. Bae sa kanyang junior res.

“I’m on it Dr. Bae.”

--

“How’s your sleep Bae? Slept well?”

“I just napped, it was just like …”

“See you tomorrow, for the announcement of new ER Resident Head.” He sarcastically smirked

“Goodluck din Namjoon” she sighed

How can she forget that? She's also a candidate in that new post. And this Namjoon is pushing all his efforts to land that position including buying the director’s lunch, Christmas gift, flowers.

3:30AM, humupa din ang sitwasyon. She’s been in ER from 6:30 AM. May pa-isa isa pa ring mga pasyenteng pumapasok, kadalasan mga mild asthma cases, lagnat, etc. Hinding hindi nawawalan ng parokyano ang departamentong to ng organisasyon, bukod sa ito ang pinakamalaki, government owned din. Hindi free ang lahat, but atleast, mas pangmasa. But for Dr. Bae, everything is free. 

Ang pasyenteng dinidischarge nya ngayon pang labing walo nang pinatakas nya.  Isang construction worker na walang dalang kahit ano, hinatid lang ng katrabaho nya matapos nitong aksidenteng nasugatan ang kamay habang naglalagare. After nya idisinfect, tahiin and idressing ang sugat, buying all the necessary supplies (suture, IV fluid, etc)  from her own pocket and ‘stealing’ antibiotics and pain relievers from pharmacy because the pharmacist on duty is head over heels for her. 

Because there are 2 types of people at work
1. Mahal ang trabaho
2. Mahal ang katrabaho

“Doctora, maraming maraming salamat po talaga, kung wala kayo, di ko na po alam ang gagawin ko.”

“Wala pong anuman manong, sa may bandang CR na exit na lang po kayo lumabas, magpaalam kayo sa nurse na iihi lang kayo, pero diretso na po kayo uwe.”

--

“Dra. Bae!”

“Ay kalabaw! Nakakainis ka Dra. Kim! Alam mo nga na magugulatin ako.”

She’s currently drinking her 6th espresso in the doctor’s lounge. Kahit noong una ayaw nya ng kape, anong magagawa nya, she needs to be awake during night duties.

“Aherm, Dra. Bae, ilang libo na naman kaya ang nalugi ng hospital na to dahil sa pagpapatakas mo sa mga pasyente?”

“Ssshhhhh. Marinig ka. Lahat kaya pinagbabayad ko na.”

“Hahaha. Funny. Kahit yung kainuman nila, alam ang mga galawan mo dito. Kaya save your lies to the Finance Department”

Dr. Kim Taeyeon, ang mentor/closest friend/only friend in the building. Neurosurgeon Specialist, 5 years older than her but is ridiculously young looking as her.

“Why are you here? Mali-late ka na sa morning conference.”

“Ugh. I really don’t want to attend. Mag aattend ang mga nursing supervisors today, and my ex-wife will be there, she'll try to convince or rather force me again to meet with her mother, who until now doesn’t know that we’re divorced.”

“I’ll exchange my 5 patients on blood transfusion monitoring, 3 partial exchange, bone marrow aspiration and elective Explor. Lap for that. I can’t continue with my life anymore”Dr. Joy Park as she dramatically “fainted” to the couch where the 2 were sitting.

“Get a life Dra. Park, go to a club after your duty. Attend a party. Off ka naman na after ng duty mo na to diba? Mag-date kayo ng boyfriend mo.” Payo ni Dr. Kim sa isa pa nyang Junior

“Isa pa yan, nastress na ako sa pagiging clingy nya lately, di nya maintindihan ang nature ng trabaho ko. Kahit inexplain ko na sa kanya ng paulit ulit. Buti pa si Dra. Bae, di nya kailangan problemahin ang mga ganitong bagay. Hayyyy. Gotta go, mag scrub pa aq.”

Irene somewhat felt an indifference. Having no social life, no commitment. She’ll work additional hours instead or confine herself reading medical books.

“Alis na rin ako Irene. Uwe ka na. 24 hours ka nang nagduduty ah.”

“That won’t give me the ER Residents Head position, I need to work harder.”

“Don’t sweat it too much Rene, I’ve been noticing your detachment from reality these past few days. There is a very thin line between being introvert and antisocial. Meet with your sister, spend time with your family, date, and get laid.” The senior doctor naughtily suggested

“Nagsalita ang ancestor. And speaking of ancestor, I promised my sister to pay her a visit today.”

--

“Yes ate. Ate please huwag ka na magalit. I will make it up to you. What about dinner tonight? I’ll be out at 4PM, I will treat you and the kids.”

“OHHH speaking of dinner, tamang tama, may ipapakilala si Byul sayo.”

“Teh, sinabe ko na sayo. I’m not into men. Kailangan ko bang idikit sa post its sa ref mo para maalala mo?”

“No! the last time I called you lesbian, your niece, my little innocent girl curiously asked me if bagong palayaw mo daw ba yun. Buti nakalusot ako, sabi ko, yun ang mga tawag sa mga taga Lebanon.”

“Hahahaha.”

“I miss that laugh little sis. Pramis, this new girl is super nice daw.”

“Girl?”

“Yes! Kaya be there.”

“Okay then, see yah”

Click

--

“Doc, the patient is bradycardic (mabagal tibok ng puso) ”

“What’s the case , past and present medical history?”

“Post appendectomy doc, nagcomplain lang ng palpitations. She has normal VS reading 10minutes ago. Ngayon unresponsive na sya.”

“Ale, ale, naririnig nyo po ba ako? Ale?” She tapped her shoulders 

“She’s losing her consciousness. What’s her vital signs reading?”

“Unrecordable doc” inform ng nurse

“I’ll start CPR. Call for code!”

“Code blue, code blue, please proceed to Female ER”
“Code blue, code blue, please proceed to Female ER”

“Dra. Bae, patient is still apneic (not breathing)!”

“Prepare for intubation.”

Intubation was successful. What do you expect? Dra. Irene Bae in the house. Kahit nakapikit, shoot sa ngala ngala I mean sa airway ang tubo.

“Where’s the Respiratory Therapist(RT)? They need to set up this Mechanical Ventilator and attach to the patient” 
There is still calmness in her voice despite the delayed response from the Code Blue Team.

“Doc, busy ang RT sa ICU, may code din sila.”

“I’ll do it.”

“Are you sure doc?” alangan na tugon ng Junior resident 

“Damn sure.”

--
“Well well well, if hindi dahil sa bara barang aksyon ng nag iisang Irene Bae, patay na ang pasyente. Pulmonary embolism, you were able to diagnose the patient with your eye.”

“But Dra. Kim, she’s  not allowed to set up a ventilator, diba napag usapan na sa medical board na respiratory therapist lang ang mag aattach ng Mech.Vent. She even ordered thrombolytics. Damn streptokinase.”

“Well as you know Dr. Namjoon, she just saved the patient. And I saw the patient’s surgical history in her medical record. And damn, ikaw ang isa sa surgeon na nag opera pala sa kanya, asan ang VTE (Venous Thromboembolism) prophylaxis teh? Tsk tsk. No post op prophylaxis. You should thank Dr. Bae instead for saving your pamintang as*”

He was speechless.
And as much as Dr. Kim Taeyeon would want to continue teasing the homophobic self denial closet gay....

“Stop that. Dra. Kim, your patient with subarachnoid hematoma is in OR bed, baka gusto mong puntahan na.”

The ED director caught there exchange of banters.  A normal doctor will flinch, will perspire, and will be shaken but not Kim Taeyeon.

“On my way Director Boa”

“Who want to scrub with Dr. Kim? Dr. Namjoon, ilang oras ka nang nakaduty?”

“Mga 13 hours and 21 minutes po” proud na proud nyang sagot

“Ikaw Dr. Irene?”

“Parehas po Dra. Boa.” pagsisinungaling nya

“Okay, Dr. Namjoon, scrub.”

She was dejected upon hearing the decision of the ED director. At hindi yun nakatakas sa obserbasyon ng director.

“Irene. I can call you that name right? I’ve seen you work for the few past years. You are diligent and hard working fellow. I was planning to announce the name of the new ED Resident Head, but I can’t wait to inform you now. Congratulations. You got the position.”

“Oh my God. Thank thank you director”

“Don’t thank me. I should thank you. 42 hours, 42 hours ka nang andito sa ER.”

Nagulat is Irene kung bakit fully aware ang kanyang sunbaenim sa mga nangyayare sa ER k