When we were young, the regular scenario in our home was a fight scene between my sister and me. Back then, I was way smaller than Ate. We would exchange pinches, punches and even slaps. At one point, I can remember that Mom gave us knives. Haha! Of course, we were afraid to get cut too, no slashing scenes! My apologies in disappointing you. Haha! We grew old. Petty fights are set aside. We grew mature. Fight scenes were ceased, we cuddle each other instead.

This Christmas break is all about family. I spent time with Ate. We talked a lot. We shared frustrations.
We will have a doctor at home. Ate graduated from BS Biology in UP Los BaƱos. She was all set to entering the medical field. She took NMAT and was able to enter UERM, one of the well-known med schools. The first three years were filled with sleepless nights studying – well, it seemed effortless, this was her thing. When we were together, she would boast jargons they use in med. She would scold people about their health, followed by a geeky explanation. We would end up drop jawed, or sometimes, pissed off (siya na ang doctor!).

So it came, fourth year med at UERM is spent for internships. Ate was excited. She bought everything needed as soon as she got hold of the list. Excitement wasn’t enough. We do know how much effort she put in preparation, but I guess it wasn’t enough for the real thing. I saw how she looked after months of internship. Stress. I never saw her like that. She was losing weight. She was losing appetite. She was losing composure. All the enthusiasm was drained out of her system. I am sure that her internship was definitely hard, knowing she was a strong person. I found tears roll from her eyes. I never saw her that way. A month later – she quit.
Getting out from UERM was not easy, but the days later were harder, I could tell. People can only torment her by why she quit – they didn’t know how it was. Torture! Physical plus emotional. They don’t know my sister. They go to that hell. After that, I will listen to them.
We will have a doctor at home. Give it less than a year. She just had a little detour, but rest assured, we will have a doctor at home. This time, it is certain. This Christmas break made me see somebody that wants to prove something. She will cry no more.
I’m totally excited to that day! We will have a doctor at home.