The Real Crab Mentality

It was a day that started early and ended late. All cancer professionals and advocates under one roof, sharing knowledge, ideas and experiences, all for the great goal of keeping the big C at bay. I felt the usual kind of tiredness, but an unusual career high. I'm proud to have been proud of this event.

Some scenes from the event -

backstage with Jam, my fellow research doctor, who helped me a lot through the coordinating process despite her other big responsibilities

jam with jesse (team medical technologist), dr mon severino, and
leidy (team nurse) at the technical box

our boss, dr cecilia llave, overall chair of the organizing committee

with dr michael sarte (in blue shirt) of the sleep society of the philippines

with dr eva cutiongco-dela paz of the institute of human genetics

with dr romulo de villa, the philippines' foremost nutritional biochemist
with ellen tordesillas, cancer survivor and advocate

with pediatrician dr anna ong-lim, vaccines expert

abbygale arenas-de leon, founding director of personi-fi, talked about the warning signs of cancer and gave good personality tips - cool!

cathy babao talked about good treatment of the dying patient

the organizing committee and officers of the philippine society of oncology

fun at the fellowship night. good food and setup too.

i heart my staff =)

Bestfriend Beverly + Bali Blessedness = Bliss!

Beverly and I knew each other from elementary school. We were both winners in a Manila-wide features writing contest, she in 6th and I in second, or so she reminded me. We went to the same high school but I don't remember saying a single word to her all those four years.

It was only in college that we hit it together. Hard. She made our two bedroom apartment in Tondo her second home. We ate the same food, bought and wore the same clothes, talked endlessly about the same interests and ideas. We belonged in a group of 8 girls, all other 6 of whom accepted the fact that the two of us, Bebang and I, will always be the two closest to each other. Even when she transferred from Sampaloc to Cavite, we continued nourishing that special bond we were forming. We shared family problems, boyfriend problems, health problems, makeup, thesis, shoes, bags, and yes, underwear. The only thing we did NOT share was religion. Obviously we found a way to keep its discussion at bay, and it was never a problem.

Bebang wanted to be a doctor too, but her family's finances then made it appear impossible. So when most of us went to med school, she was juggling jobs here and there. She got a lucky break not long after with a famous company, where she still works up to now. We were vaguely in touch during the four years I was in med school, and before I knew it a Catholic guy in her office was willing to convert to her religion so that they'd be together.

For good. They got married when my physician's license was only a few months old. A part of me was dying of envy for the prosperous life she was having, and that made me kind of turn away, especially since we found her husband Bombet a little aloof. I turned down several offers to visit their home in Sta Rosa, Laguna. I couldn't feel exact happiness when Bea was born.

That changed when Noy , my parents and family made me feel I had a lot to be thankful for. The next five years that I spent working in Laguna was then filled with twice-monthly visit to Bebang and her family.


Eventually after our wedding, where Bea was one of the flower girls, Bombet and Noy became good friends. Before long Bebang and I didn't have to worry about keeping our husbands entertained while we chatted and caught up with each other's lives.


(I had a hard time rummaging through my external hard drive looking for bevs & bombet wedding pictures - and I can't find any! how pathetic is that? i promise to update this blog entry with those beautiful wedding pictures by Chito Vecina. Yes, we got the same wedding photographer. I hired her make-up artist too =P)

Since 2006 however we didn't have the chance to really just be with each other. I had to admit, and I bet she would too, that it's quite different having husbands and kids around while we talked about our lives and other people. So I challenged her to meet halfway, aka Alabang, to catch up and be just like old times.

She brought me to this wonderful place called Kartini Spa, an events place/restaurant/spa/art gallery with a very relaxing Bali-inspired atmosphere that makes one forget it's really just within the Alabang Town Center complex.

We had callos and gambas in comfortable rattan chairs on a sweet-looking gazebo nestled in a nicely manicured lawn accented by a koi pond. The sound of water from the mini-falls combined perfectly with the soothing overhead music. We talked and talked and talked until we felt our bladders getting heavier. We found the quaint comfort room, which accommodated only one user at a time, but we both came in and peed in front of each other. Yes we were that close!

The spa place looked so inviting we gave in to the temptation despite the growing threat of a nasty thunderstorm. Since we were the only clients we had the luxury of chatting away mindlessly while the pleasant attendants pampered our feet superbly. I never felt so amazingly refreshed. If it weren't too late I'd have a full body massage.

Too bad I was so engrossed into conversation I forgot to take pictures. I came up with these lousy ones, but you can check out Kartini's website here.

I boarded the bus home with a smile on my face. Surprisingly invigorated, I wondered, was it the food? Maybe. Was it the place? Probably, what with the beautiful intricate details and such. Was it the company? Definitely. There's nothing like a familiar warm body to radiate enough goodness to make one feel great.

Crab Mentality

Yep. Im still alive. The whole IELTS hoopla thing is on a fizzle, but I've adjusted to that and I'm hoping for the best. What kept me busy these days was the title Assistant to the Overall Co-Chair of the 10th Midyear Convention of the Philippine Society of Oncology, Inc.

Obviously, it's my first time going on business like these. And like anything, I'm having ups & lows, but there are definitely more ups, so I'm quite enjoying myself. Rubbing elbows with the high and mighty in the Oncology world felt different but thrilling.

I've been into meetings here and there, and it's great to meet people in this circumstance. I get to arrange the entire program, talk to the speakers and panelists, and know about the different support groups concerned with cancer and cancer-stricken patients and their caregivers. This whole process involves a lot of learning, for which I am grateful.

Here is the ad which is hopefully being scattered here and there. And while awaiting for my affiliate membership to be approved, I'd like to invite you to this event, which is very much open to the lay, apart from medical professionals.


Registration fee is free for PSO members, Php 500 for doctors, Php 300 for nurses and other medical & allied medical professionals, and Php 100 for laypeople. It's on June 26th at the Auditorium of the Lung Center of the Philippines. For more about the midyear convention, please get in touch with the Secretariat at philsoco_pso@yahoo.com.