How did I do it?

I ask myself this question multiple times.
I actually did it with the help of God, family, friends and you (yes you reading this). Thank you for all the support, for reading my Housejob chronicles for the past one year.
You gave me a sense of responsibility and audience and I could hear you all cheering me on saying ‘Go Esther! Go Esther’ and I put in all I had and I did it. You all know I had a very roller-coaster kind of HJ experience.
I also wanted the forthcoming houseofficers to have a documented experience of how housejob is. ( if you have specific topics/experiences you would want me to talk about let me know in the comment section 👇🏽)

My Struggles

Balancing my walk with God and medicine.

I’ve been shying away from writing this because it’s something I actually wasn’t happy with.
It’s a subject many of my colleagues have discussed randomly and it’s a struggle and I don’t know if I should say I felt better when I got to understand that I wasn’t the only one struggling. I had to learn to see my life and career path with a different perspective.
I might not have the luxury of time but my life and what I do is a ministry.
I should radiate God’s light in what I do. I was placed in the right time and space for someone who needs God. Whenever I had time to spare I would pray and the most important thing was to live a Christ-like life.
I also had to redefine how I felt my spiritual growth was meant to be. I made sure I made God my priority. I was always connected to him and when he gives me an instruction, I make sure I obeyed.
Church programs became online ones. Thank God for earpods,mask,wigs or braids. I could disguise 😂. They were so helpful. I had this community of friends that we had bible study together. I didn’t achieve this once. It took time and commitment.

Don’t just prioritise your schedule; schedule your priorities. Set aside a regular time to read the Bible and pray, schedule it as a top priority.
Medicine is an extremely jealous wife /husband 😂 but I tried and I will continue to put God first because without God I am nothing.

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” Matthew 6:33

Lord, in those difficult times when I seem to be in the refiner’s fire, help me to put my faith and trust in you and to ‘come forth as gold’. Help me every day to live a life of trust and confidence in you in Jesus name. (From BIOY with Nicky Gumbel)

I also had a hard time keeping up with friendships. I could barely text and call but I guess this is part of adulthood 😂. To everyone who checked up on me, I’m very grateful.

Lessons

Gold was refined and tested by heating it and skimming off the dross over and over again until the reflection of the goldsmith could be seen in it.
Through different career paths and experiences in our lives, I see that strength grows through struggles, courage develops in challenges and wisdom matures from wounds and through it all, the goal is to emerge as pure gold.

For the medics reading, Personally, HJ made me know where and what I won’t specialise in and where I would. So for some people you might not even know what you want to do yet but you know what you don’t want to do. At least, that’s a starting point. 😉

“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you”
-Luke 14:28‭-‬29(NIV)

Sit down and think how you want your future to be. Count your cost and find your passion. That thing you wake up to each day and you’re happy to do no matter how fatigued you are. Don’t follow the crowd and don’t feel bad if you don’t like clinicals or you love clinicals and it’s like everyone is looking at you as a weirdo. There are different paths in life and there’s nothing as being fulfilled in what you do, if not you will be frustrated and frustrate people around you.
I’ve seen people who are passionate with what they they do and I have seen those who are not . There’s a very wide gap.

When work is a pleasure, life is a joy. When work is duty, life is slavery.

In conclusion, for the last time on my Housejob chronicles, it was sweet, fun-filled and crazy in the beginning but I explored and made memories. It became extremely rough in the middle and I wanted to run away but I had a soft landing at the end.

‘The end of a matter is better than its beginning…’
Ecclesiastes 7:8 NIV

I’m on to the next phase.

Thanks for walking with me. It means a whole lot 😘

Estée ✨💜
Your Medical Officer. 😂

The end of a matter is better than its beginning…’
Ecclesiastes 7:8 NIV

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22. “It was a time for major stretching” – Bola

23. “God has been good”- Wura

24. “House job has been all shades of colours, in the sense that it can show any part to you. It can be all fun and exciting in the next moment be very stressful and demanding
It basically helps you to see more into the life and occupation of being a physician “-Blessing.

25. “Housejob was a bittersweet experience which I’m grateful to have had.” – Ayo

26. ” A total roller coaster” – Victor

Everyone has had quite an experience but in the midst of all God has been faithful and there’s a lot to be grateful for.

I want you to sit back and reflect on everything, the highs and the lows, the good, bad and ugly.
God has still been faithful in everything. Most times we focus on the things that made us sad and ignore so many wonderful things God has done and how He turned around some situations for your good. That you’re alive is a thing to be thankful for.

There’s always something to thank God for.

Take a moment and thank God for everything.

Happy New Year in advance!


Estée ✨ 💜

Finally done with Housejob 💃💃

A breath of fresh air.

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……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Let’s talk about this 3rd lap that just passed 😂 coming from this , I had this fear of the unknown and I was also physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted . I didn’t know what to expect because I had seen the worst and I didn’t want to see it again. I had my colleagues tell me it was a calmer posting and you will be fine. You’ve got this. At this point it wasn’t seeing but experiencing that made me believe.

My first solo call +God
My anxiety level was out of the world, I was so scared like why would I be alone? How would I handle neonates? preemies all by myself. Those impossible IV lines? Alot of questions were running through my head.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Philippians 4:6 NIV


I remember I was called to set an IV line in the midnight and I didn’t know I could do it but I did it. That encouraged me and added 1 % to my previous zero confidence battery and I scaled through that call.


Answered prayers

I’m convinced God has my best interest at heart no matter what. I had previously prayed that there would be more hands in this department and more people to work with and of course, new houseofficers came and it really made a difference.

Coping

I was always having dramatic cases like this that would stress me accompanied with fear. I always prayed for a calm call and I would say ‘ God help me’.
One day I realized I was saying the wrong prayer so I changed it and asked for extra grace and strength to cope. I had to become a problem solver with wisdom from God and help from people around me to also help people (patients) . God uses people by sending help through them to other people. I enjoyed that privilege from God and I’m grateful for my circle ❤️.
You never know why you’re there at that time for a particular person and I’m ready to be that available vessel for God to use.

Another thing I did was to pray for my patients, hospital isn’t a place to be. Being sick isn’t even the purpose of life.

I fell ill and for a week I couldn’t go to work, it wasn’t a nice experience and I’m thankful for the people around me and those far away that took care of me. God bless you all.

Experiences

Med students reading this let me give you a secret. They won’t teach you this in medical school 😂. You know that part of “I will like to take a detailed history down to the investigations you would do and what you will see in it” 😂
Its not always that straightforward. Especially in our setting, you can find yourself in a maze (ft the patient’s financial status, the lab, the logistics with the hospital and many more) and start looking for the way out and reaching so many dead ends before giving up. (I’d write a proper post on what school won’t teach you after all those years 🤣)

My motto is whatsoever your hand finds to do, do it well and if my conscience has been satisfied, I leave the rest to God because some things are way beyond your control in the system we have found ourselves in.

I also learnt how to eat more healthy and making the most out of natural things. As my consultant and Prof will say nature throws a festival, participate in it.

Miracle

I saw / heard the most heartfelt prayer I had ever seen. I had given up when this young boy involved in a RTA was rushed into the emergency. We couldn’t help at that point because it was really bad but we resuscitated and this woman held her son and prayed so hard. The atmosphere was hot, I had to join where I was documenting . She poured out her heart to God and before I knew it her son started responding. What shocked me the most was that the next morning he was eating moin moin and Pap. 😮
Truly, What God cannot do doesn’t exist.

Lessons.
• Do whatever you do well and put God first.
• Know that you’re there because God placed you there to be of help to someone. You’re God’s battleaxe
• Let God lead you and please obey him( I will write about an instance that I didn’t obey God😔) .
• I had to consciously balance my faith in God and medicine. To be honest it clashes a whole lot but what I know is God is God and He is the greatest physician.
• Shine God’s light wherever you go.
• Pray without ceasing.
• God is always with you, you’re never alone. That’s one thing I never forgot 😁


NB:
You will still be burnt out and feel like running away no matter what you do but one thing is to rest when you can and find out how you can recalibrate.

Order that ice cream, sharwama etc. You deserve it because not everyone can do this doctor thing but you did.



‘The end of a matter is better than its beginning…’
Ecclesiastes 7:8 NIV

I’m on to the next.. Last lap 💃🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️

Thanks for going on this journey with me it means a whole lot 😘

Estée ✨💜

Crossing over into the new year as a Houseofficer

• WordPress

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I had been praying 2 to 3 days prior to my call duty on Thursday night at the Children emergency. Praying for a calm call, those that can relate will understand what I mean. It’s harder for me to process emergencies since I’m more of ‘fright’ than flight.
I really wanted a calm call and my previous call duties weren’t exactly calm hence the need for serious prayer. 😩🙏🏽

Thursday.
4pm – 11pm

It had been Peaceful and I was just thankful to God.
I had personal time with God, I finished the book I was currently reading and I tried sleeping when it was getting late but with my subconscious still praying because any footstep I heard scared me.
I still trusted God to answer my prayer. I made sure I had no doubt.

11pm
Voilà, a wonderful patient with a Dramatic entrance came in.
I already knew it would take a while before I finished up with the patient due to logistics and the different kind of delays.

I wasn’t wrong after all. The power went off and the power house man slept and put off his phone deliberately 🤣. We eventually sorted it out but before we could do that, I had to start documenting in the dark with my phone’s torchlight amidst killing mosquitoes.
Apparently it was a case of “people who think they studied medicine”. They learn medicine in their ‘own way’ and they just don’t see the importance of going to school and studying medicine properly. The child had already been given all sorts of things that I needed God’s direction on what to do and eventually had to consult a colleague.
I confronted the woman who brought the child and asked her what she now wanted since she had administered all the drugs she knew and she couldn’t answer.
But really if you are good with what you do, why come here for help?
Does it pay to study medicine well or is it something you learn under a year and do ‘freedom’ and celebrate round the streets carrying frames and crates of coke? Do you joke with life? 🤷🏽‍♀️

After I was done, I needed to sleep as it was getting late(past 2 am)
I still reminded God(not like He ever forgot) that I wanted a calm call and I had been praying ó. The child actually came in with an IV line in situ. God is good!
The truth is, God put that in place for me to ease my stress… Oh! My joy was palpable when I flushed the line and it went freely 💃💃💃 (if you’ve set paeds line, you will understand) 😁

Calmness restored

I still believed everything would be fine till morning, then past 4am, I saw a patient and then around 7am another patient was rushed in, I took it in good fate and started my work. Then my colleague came to join me (angel) and we did it together which made the work easier.
I was late for work though but still glad I was done with the call 💃

Did God answer my prayer?

Yes God did…

How?

God’s ways are not our ways.. He knew what could stress me like the IV line and he sorted it out and he knew I could handle the rest
For the other patient, he sent help already….My colleague didn’t know why he woke up early and decided to just come but God had a hand in it. 💃🏽


Was the call calm?
It wasn’t turbulent nor calm but I knew that God was in this ship with me and there was no need to fear. Just like the way Jesus was in the ship with His disciples but they did not see it that way and when the storm came they were crying.

You know what God loves me and He loves you too and trust me He always has your best interest at heart.

You probably have learnt something, please share let me know what you learnt? 👇🏽

Please seek help from the right sources.. Many ‘fake doctors’ are out there on a mission to steal, kill and destroy.

God always answers prayers.

I’m glad it’s weekend and I’m not on call 💃💃💃

Please give me suggestions on how to turn up 🤣😎

Estée ✨ 💜

Part 2 of how Peadiatrics posting went

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Yours on strike presently,

Estée ✨ 💜

My pediatrics posting experience

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More than a friend

I had writers block for a while. I tried to write something even if it was just one sentence but I couldn’t so I let it be.
Luckily, some days ago I was inspired by my present situation. I started my internship months ago and I’m currently in ob/gyn posting so I’ve been seeing lots of pregnant mothers.

On a particular day, we were having rounds and I saw this woman I attended to the night before, she came in pregnant but she had delivered by that time. She was so relaxed and she seemed to be at peace dressing up for her baby. It reminded me of how she came in pains, worried, anxious,literally at the doctor’s mercy to help her and get the baby out. Once the baby is out, there’s this joy on their faces that you cannot explain. It happens to a lot of pregnant women. Most of them even forget you and all drama that ensued while they were in labour.

The attention shifts from you and even from themselves they become concerned about the baby.

I likened the situation to something that happens to most of us.
When we come to God with a lot of  requests, worries, anxiety etc. We want God to answer immediately and when God finally answers, there’s this peace and joy that is unexplainable.
Most times after thanking God, that’s where it ends.
We become so engrossed with the answered prayers and our attention reduces, it shifts and we start praying less. Until something comes up again and we want God to answer again, we come back with all that attention and the cycle repeats itself.

I’m guilty of this, almost all of us are. We tend to relax because we’ve gotten what we wanted, it’s human nature sadly but that’s not what God wants. Let’s always remember to thank God, keep the fire burning and not only pray to him when we need something. He’s not your bank. He actually craves and enjoys all round communication with us. You don’t only talk to your friend when you need something so why do that to God who is so much more.

Be thankful and grateful always. 🙏🏽

Struggles
My spiritual life and this internship is something I need to ask help from God for.  I have to choose between sleep and actually having my personal time with God. I was thinking of how to find a balance one morning while doing wardrounds when I noticed a colleague of mine was down and after talking it out it was the same thing he was facing. It was good to know that I wasn’t alone. We talked about it and we both felt better.
The solution I found is to keep on trying, keep the plug in and talk to God even if it’s for a second before I doze off.
Some days are perfect and some days are not but I’m getting better. I still read my devotional but my bible study isn’t as I want it yet and my devotional journal hasn’t been put to use in a while. Well we go little by little. Poco a poco.

Food/Rest
For someone like me who isn’t a foodie, it’s been tough and exhausting. I’m actually very hungry now but it’s a matter of if I don’t cook, I won’t eat and I’m too tired to cook. Please send me food if you love me 😭.
Another thing is Sleep… It’s gold and whenever I get the opportunity to sleep I do not take it for granted 😂. I’ve learnt to unwind every tiny opportunity I get to avoid being burnt out so my heartfelt advice to you all today is to learn how to unwind. Please.

It was a pleasure working with Wesley mothers, it’s time to mend bones 😉.

I think I’m back this time. Welcome me 😁

Estée ✨ 💜

How my surgery posting went.

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Estée✨

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