Ward 9

For the past three days, our group was assigned to the Psych ward of Zamboanga City Medical Center. For those in the know, this is also more commonly known as Ward 9.

Being the only Psych ward in the entire region 9, I somehow expected a little bit more. Silly me! Of course by now I've learned not to expect much from public hospitals in the Philippines. Unlike in other countries, health care has NEVER been a priority here anyway. Why should health be given a priority over government travels and purchase of new vehicles "for official use only"? Our health care system is just as third world as our country and just like it, it's in dire need of some sort of charity or almsgiving from, lets see, the United States maybe? 

Being there, surrounded by patients whose families and friends have abandoned them, unable to do the things they want to, confined in the premises, not knowing who they are, unable to remember important people or moments in their lives, I realized how much we take for granted everyday. Sometimes, we forget how blessed we are to have what we have, to be where we are, to know who we are, to be with people we love and love us back.  

Not only for the freedom we have that they don't, we have so many things to be thankful for. So many things that sometimes we neglect to take cognizance of, I neglect to notice because I'm too caught up with trivial matters. I realized too how selfish I can sometimes be, complaining about my life, failing to see how blessed I am, always wanting more, not appreciating the great things and wonderful people I'm surrounded with. I can't believe it took me a rotation in Ward 9 to be reminded of how lucky I am everyday.