#BL VERSION: "A CRACK IN FOREVER" - [COMPLETED]

CRACK 12

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NOTE: TECHNICAL TERMS!💡⚠️ © Google

RESIDENCY (or postgraduate training) - is specifically a stage of graduate medical education. It refers to a qualified physician, podiatrist, dentist, or veterinarian (one who holds the degree of MD, DPM, DDS, DMD, DVM, DO, BDS, or BDent; or MB; BS, MBChB, or BMed, etc.) who practices medicine, usually in a hospital or clinic, under the direct or indirect supervision of a senior medical clinician registered in that specialty such as an attending physician or consultant.

PSYCHIATRY - is the medical specialty devoted to the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of mental disorders. These include various maladaptations related to mood, behaviour, cognition, and perceptions.

BRONCHOSCOPY - is a procedure that lets doctors look at your lungs and air passages. It's usually performed by a doctor who specializes in lung disorders (a pulmonologist).

PNEUMOCYSTIS - Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) is a serious infection that causes inflammation and fluid buildup in your lungs.

PROPHYLAXIS - action taken to prevent disease, especially by specified means or against a specified disease.

BACTRIM - this medication is a combination of two antibiotics: sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim. It is used to treat a wide variety of bacterial infections (such as middle ear, urine, respiratory, and intestinal infections). It is also used to prevent and treat a certain type of pneumonia(pneumocystis-type).

GURNEY - a wheeled stretcher used for transporting hospital patients.

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Zane's P.O.V

Sa buwan ng Nobyembreng 'yon, nag-apply si Azrail para sa residency niya, ito na ang ika-apat at pangwakas niyang taon sa medical school. Ang panonood ng paglagas ng mga dahon ay parang naging magic ulit nang makasakay kami sa aming taunang biyahe papuntang Coron, sa Palawan, na nakalubog sa buhangin at tubig kung saan kami naglalaro, at kung saan siya sa akin nag-propose nun, tila, nangyari yun sa nakaraang buhay ko.

Sa pagbabalik namin, sinabi niya, "I'm applying in psychiatry."

"Ikaw?"

"It's perfect for me."

"You're a born surgeon, Azrail."

"Alam ko."

Tinitigan ko siya pero tumingin siya sa malayo.

"Psychiatry's good," sabi ko.

"It's good."

I reached for his hand, held it, a graceful surgeon's hand that dissected to perfection, creating works of art that could heal. Yet, a simple scalpel nick through a glove could turn that hand into dripping scarlet death. He didn't want that.

Azrail's HIV had transformed our lives into a series of concessions and compromises. It was an invasive, intrusive, inculcating, in-your-face infection. We lived with it, and we bent. But when the next bend came, we weren't prepared for it.

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National matching day, the day when future interns and residents are assigned their programs, comes in the last week of November. When graduation was only months away, several days before the match, the medical school dean called Azrail into his office and told him there were no spots for him in psychiatric residencies.

"I'm sorry," dagdag pa niya.

"He's sorry?" hindi ko napigilang mapasigaw nang sabihin iyon sa akin ni Azrail. "Sorry?"