Day 18: Chisom

I’d love to thank Perry’s Tots for featuring me on this year’s edition.
I’d also like to thank Dr. Pero Ajayi for the ‘necessary’ encouragement to pen this.
Oh yeah! Special thanks to my Gallery, without which I wouldn’t have been able to remember quite as much-the year went by really quickly!

1st Quarter.
Let’s just say I entered the new year with a BANG! Had a near death, or should I say, near blindness experience on the 2nd of January. I had just pulled up in front of the banking complex in LUTH, where I had recently started my House job, when the owner of the jeep parked in front of my car reversed into my car without looking at his mirrors. Dude apparently thought he was the last person parked and reversed at full speed- into my car!
The window of the driver’s side was smashed into a thousand pieces, some falling on me. I was pretty fortunate that I looked away a split second earlier to apply my handbrake. God did it!
February was a wonderful month in a wonderful posting-private wing; basically sunshine and flowers. An amazing place where everyone had impeccable manners,and patients were treated with respect(who says Nigerians don’t have sense?) I saw a Consultant ‘set a line’ for the first time 👀(yeah, it was also my last time throughout Housejob-so I savoured the moment).

March landed me in the most difficult posting ever to be done in Housejob, Neurology aka Neuro Medicine( I stand corrected). It wasn’t so much about the hardwork, than about the people I worked with, a lot of whom were difficult, to say the least. People who simply couldn’t be pleased. I was stretched to the bone. Neurology was my most prayerful season of Housejob, I think. I understood better the hypothesis of why the poor/ afflicted were more religious…Lord, if only you would remove this burden! Much as I couldn’t squeeze out time for lengthy devotion, I woke up with two major prayer points:
1) Lord,give me the strength for today.
2)Lord, help me not to get into trouble today.
Because trouble was imminent and strength was needed!
I also had my first, and hopefully, last needle stick injury. Guess that was the turning point for me. I realized in practice that ‘aye o pe meji’ and I was solely responsible for it. I learnt the art of withdrawing to refill myself because you can’t take care of people without first taking care of yourself, and I had perfectly mastered the art of working like a German machine, often forgetting to eat till late at night.
Oh yeah, I also learnt how to choose my moments and decipher when I was truly needed and otherwise ( can I hear someone say tissue-ing)?
But on a more serious note, this posting taught me responsibility and accountability. Because even the Ogas at the top worked like bulldozers so what’s your excuse?

2nd Quarter.
I started my countdown out of Neurology posting. Everyday I woke up; it was an additional reason to be glad I was alive. Minus one day, everyday🙌🙌🙌!The posting got lighter, or perhaps, I carried my load better.
Another defining moment was when I was denied my terminal leave (most of us were made to take our leave mid-posting).
I remember my Oga aka ‘Chief’ asking who the Senior House Officer (SHO) was, before ordering me to go on leave the following day.
And when I tried to protest that the dates didn’t suit me, Chief, in typical Neuro fashion went, ” You either start your leave tomorrow, or stand a chance to forfeit it. I alone have the power to make you go on leave; I alone can forfeit it)🌚🌚
Then guess who asked me to resume work midway thorough my leave due to shortage of House Officers?! Nwanne m! I’m out of town. I travelled to the East for Easter, o?
On a funny note, May ended with laughs( can anyone remember our CSO? Those who know, know).

3rd Quater.
June to August landed me in Surgery posting. It was a breath of fresh air, albeit marred by the fact that my Grandmother was on admission in LUTH. That experience made me change my outlook on a couple of things-seeing things from the patients’ and their relatives’ perspective. Our healthcare system really needs to be revamped, and we as healthcare providers have to up our compassion and understanding. This country is really difficult to live in.

The next three months was basically about me rounding up my Housemanship. I worked with the sweetest people in Neonatology Unit(Ward D1). My Chiefs were simply amazing. The work was stressful but the people made it work.

4th Quarter.
October brought about heartbreak in the form of death. One isn’t ever prepared for these things, despite the warning signs. Time heals, they say.
I had fun in between the hectic work hours, visited some fabulous places and made a few new friends. I also became a bonafide foodie☺️and an official member of the Owambe gang 💃.

I was privileged to witness a couple of my friends and colleagues get engaged and married; some are currently pregnant and others have added to their budding families. It’s all so beautiful and sweet- yes,I’ve said it; I love love💞. We’re basically all moving to the next level and I can’t wait to be at the top with my people.
One thing I plan to learn how to do before the year runs out is to tie my own gele.

This year, I’ve learnt to be relentless in pursuit of what sets my soul on fire. Easier said than done though… and that stuff about not worrying so much about things that won’t matter in the next 5 years. Yeah…that one. Also to show more love to my family(and friends turned family). We often take them for granted, until when push comes to shove and we realize whose got our back.

I’m quite positive about next year. Literally can’t wait. Next year, for me is a major determinant, a propeller into a huge portion of my life. I plan read more, expand on my knowledge, show gratitude more, give more, complain less, hang around older people more, be more curious and observant, take bold steps, let in love and let out fear. In short, I hope to DO MORE and BE MORE.

As my people will say, ‘echi di ime’ (tomorrow is pregnant), and I can’t wait to push forth.

Wishing us all a Merry Christmas and a prosperous new year.

Seasons Greetings from Perry’s Tots.🎄🎁

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