A look back....Things to be grateful for in the year 2006

It's the last day of 2006. It's been a good year for us, and for that we are thankful. Milestones that have occurred during this year for our family:

- My son had a full year of NOT being admitted in the hospital. He is currently seizure free even without maintenance medications.
- My son accomplished his milestones at about the time the books said he should. Sometimes even earlier. Yey! Developmentally normal.
- My son had his first out of town trip. It's just Tagaytay, but still....
- My son celebrated his first birthday party. First time for mommy to organize a kiddie party.
- My husband really became the primary breadwinner in our family, as I had to step back a bit and become a little more laid back with my clinical practice. Thankfully, his patient base also grew this year, and at pace faster than normal.
- My mother turned 60. We threw a surprise party for her. First time for us to host a party for her, that was really a surprise for her!
- My brothers went into new avenues for their careers.
- I started our family's online gift shop business this Christmas season. Still on the "sideline" stage though. [It's at ethansstore.multiply.com , in case anybody is interested :) ].
- I went back to school.
- We bought a new laptop computer, via installment. Our old laptop died....but we were able to have it repaired at a low cost, so now we have 2 laptops! Yey!

There is still so much more. I am thankful for all the blessings that have occurred. I am looking forward to the new year and to new milestones.

Remembering

I attended the "babang luksa" of my uncle and cousins. I really miss them. They were fatalities of the devastating tsunami that hit Phuket, where they were spending their Christmas holiday. My uncle was 44, my cousins were 13 and 10. Sometimes life really seems so unfair, that good, innocent people have to die so suddenly and under dire circumstances. My consolation is that they are most likely in a much better place right now. It does not stop me from wishing that they were still alive. It's really hard to believe they are gone, even after 2years. Deep down, I know Im still mourning.

When Doctor becomes Mommy

Hmmm....what to write?

First of all, I'd like to give you a backgrounder on myself. I'm a doctor, an ophthalmologist to be precise, whose whole life BB (before baby) has been focused on my training and career. Being a doctor is not something you accomplish in a single day. You don't just wake up one day, saying..."Yes, I want to be doctor!" and become one the next day. It takes years and years of singleminded ambition. It takes a lot of patience, sleep deprivation, studies, no holidays (forced, without pay). After which, people think you're already rich just because you have the letters M and D affixed after your name when in fact you're swimming in debt (or your parents supported you all the way).

Did I ever regret my decision? No! Coz being a doctor is something that I really, really wanted. It's my passion, my calling, my vocation.

Now, after the seemingly endless years in the quest to attach the 2 aforementioned capital letters after my name, I got married. Then had a child a year later. Late by conventional standards, at 35. Suddenly, my priorities had to change. Now there's someone who's my new priority. Someone who comes ahead of my career. That means I have to cut back on my clinic hours. My little precious comes first. My baby's mom-- that's who I am, first and foremost.

But can I give my career up? No. Because it's who I am. Now, how to balance being a mom and having an active medical career? I'm working on it....and I hope I get the balance right.