Live With Dr. Mike

I often laugh just thinking about it. I can't believe that I have my own health segment on an FM radio station on Guam! Just this past week I had the privilege of being a part of "Total Health" which is a weekly hour-long radio broadcast on KSDA 91.9 FM (or "Joy 92" as it is affectionately called). The goal of the broadcast is to educate people on a variety of health topics and to provide advice on how to maintain our bodies -- the "temples" that the Lord has blessed us with. Topics range from nutrition to women's health to diabetes to preventive care to just about any other health topic. It's surreal to think that hundreds (maybe thousands) of people are listening to me talk so I try and sound intelligent, and pretend that it's just me and the microphone. It really does blow me away to see how the Lord can use me well beyond the confines of the clinic.

Here's a clip that Gemma recorded while at home listening to my initial appearance as a guest on the show:

A GU Christmas

For unto us a Child is born,

Unto us a Son is given;

And the government will be upon His shoulder.

And His name will be called

Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah prophesied the Messiah's birth, the Savior of the world. And He did everything to earn those rightful titles; He fulfilled the word. It's expected that His birthday celebration should be nothing short of worldwide participation, complete with lights, cameras, and action! But as fun and inviting as trees and nativities and presents are, Christmas would still be Christmas without it. So what do you need to celebrate the birth of Christ? All you need is Him. All He needs is your heart--as open and bare as a vacant stable.

With the foundation of Christmas in place, there are 2 "essential extras" that tend to set this season apart from any other time of year: family & tradition.

First, a word about family... we sure missed the presence of the Mercado's, Miranda's, and Guinto's who have always been at the heart of our Christmas celebrations until this year. (A big Maligayang Pasko to all of you!) In God's grace, though, He has supplied a family on Guam for us to belong to--thanks to the Coloma branch of the Miranda family tree! Lola Oning (Coloma) Jimeno and her husband Pastor Eli have been kind enough to adopt and treat us as their own grandchildren. And Lola Oning's grand-niece Gizelle (also a member of the Coloma clan) and her husband Ken Lee have been our barkada since the day we met! Guam is all the more home because of them.

Christmas Eve dinner was hosted by the queen of the kitchen, Lola Oning herself! She and Lolo Eli, once again, opened up their home to us ... and our tastebuds! On the menu were tantalizing casseroles, savory lumpia (eggrolls), a perfect pancit, and homemade calamansi juice. Deeeelicious! Then to top it all off (as if there was room for any more goodness!), Lola's famous Mango Pie--a la mode! I think I ate enough to last me till New Year's Day.

Nobody does it better!

Christmas morning was the dawn of a new tradition. This being our first one celebrated overseas and on Guam, we took advantage of our natural resources and made this Christmas like none other before. We went snorkeling! What better way to experience serenity and joy? After recounting the Christmas story over breakfast and having Max open his 1st present of the day, we gathered our beach gear and headed to Gab Gab Beach (on the Navy base) with the Lee family. Max and I, along with Gizelle and baby Jasmine, chose to admire the fish from above the surface while Mike ventured into the deep blue with snorkel-compadre Ken.

Props to Ken for braving the waters despite his quiet disdain for water deeper than his height. Before taking their exploration further away from the land, he courteously warned Mike, "If anything happens to you out there, you're on your own." Good thing guardian angels can swim!

We were also blessed to celebrate Christmas with Mike's side of the family! After parting with the Lee's, we paid a visit to the Meyer family. Mike's newfound 2nd cousin Lerna and her husband Jeff were our very first "island tour guides" of Guam, pointing out many of the sites we took Mom & Dad to during their visit. Their household of 3 energetic boys reminds me of a good old American family who are faithful church-goers and football fans: loyal to their God and to their Green Bay Packers! Their generosity and hospitality has widened the circle of our Guam family.

Manong Jeff & Manang Lerna with Jeffrey, Joseph, and John Paul

The Mercado Christmas finally came to a close when we opened the last present under our tree (2 days after Christmas!). But the real story of Christmas lives on with every moment Christ lives in you. Our prayer is that it's a story that never ends.

Welcome to Our World

Have you ever had to take responsibility for something that wasn't yours? Well, when it comes to something so valuable that you can't put a price-tag on it, the responsibility is a privilege and a sort of calling. Today, Mike & I had the privilege to stand by our dear friends Ken & Gizelle Lee as they dedicated their newborn daughter Jasmine Ha Eun Lee into God's keeping and guidance during this Sabbath's church service. The seriousness of the role that we had been asked to play in this little one's life didn't really hit me until we were asked to sign the Certificate of Dedication. Beneath the signature line was printed the title "Spiritual Guardian."... whoa. So much weight in such a little phrase. To guard and protect, nurture, defend... the eternal salvation of this precious soul. Not just in the event that Jasmine's parents were no longer available to do so, but in partnership with them now and throughout her life.

As a parent, I have a subconscious wish and hope that the rest of the world would desire the safety and well-being of my child just as much as I do. And when I witness someone doing something truly good for him, what a relief it is to know that there are others who are watching out for him. How much more important is his faith and relationship with God? As members of the Family of God, each one of us has been given the responsibility to help protect the other from the attacks of Satan. Don't let the opportunity pass to guard the heart of a little one within your reach.

Thank You

It's our first Thanksgiving on Guam, and although we may be separated from our loved ones back in the States, God has given us more than enough reasons to celebrate this holiday with grateful hearts. At the top of the list, He has been gracious in actually leading us to build new relationships with dear friends and relatives here on the island... which means we have some awesome food and fellowship to look forward to later today!

Our most recent blessings include a smooth transition into me going back to work and Max starting daycare, surviving another birthday, and acquiring an additional form of transportation. I'll have to expand more on the work/daycare experience later (maybe after we get some heavy-duty cooking done!).

"O taste and see that the LORD is good:

blessed is the man that trusteth in Him."

-- Psalm 34:8 (KJV)

Maxwell's just as excited as Mom is about her birthday silicone baking pans!

Mike's new macho car... in classic "Military Green"

We pray your hearts would be filled with joy and laughter as we praise God for His gifts of love.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Thirty!

I'm trying not to see myself as old but rather as wise or experienced! I actually had a pleasant birthday experience which included a weekend visit from a good friend and favorite Saipan resident Bev, dessert at Cold Stone (yes Guam has a Cold Stone!), golf stuff, snorkeling, discovering local Japanese cuisine, and spending time with Gemma and Maxwell. God has truly blessed this past year and I know he has so much more in store for the future.

Since I don't blog as often as I would like I wanted to share other October experiences. Last week, I went on my first medical evacuation--a.k.a. "medevac"--to Tripler Medical Center in Honolulu, HI. I had to fly with two hemorrhagic stroke patients who needed a higher level of care. As a family medicine physician, this really was out of my comfort zone, but it was cool to get into my cammies for the long military flight (sorry no pictures)! The trip went well, and the patients were safely placed in capable hands. The rest of my trip consisted of jogging, reading, NBA on TNT, Spiderman 3, and Chinese take-out. Good times.

Upon my return from HI, the next morning I ran my first PRT (physical readiness test) on Guam. For those of you unfamiliar with the PRT, it is a semi-annual test which consists of push-ups, sit-ups, and a 1.5 mile run. There are minimum requirements for passing based on age. This PRT marks the first test that I get to be placed in the 30 and over bracket! What I am most proud of is that my numbers have improved in all categories despite being placed in a new age bracket. 10:59 on the run, 71 sit ups, 75 push ups...not bad for an old guy! :)

One last story. These last few days have been a bummer. Our clinic has been pushed to the very limits trying to meet the demand for appointments. We have been shrinking our appointment times to 10 minute appointments, increasing our walk-ins, seeing patients post-call...all bad things. Also, 2 providers from our department are being sent to the Middle East for 9 months which doesn't help the situation. We are constantly being asked to do more with less. I was starting to feel a hint of burnout. But through all this the Lord seems to find ways to speak to me. Today, I saw a patient in clinic with a problem list that included chronic pain, bipolar disorder, depression (the list goes on) and a warning from my staff that the patient was "not being nice". By the way, the patient had no chart and was asking for more narcotic medication. The pain of primary care. My strategy was to listen. He gave me an earful about his horrible experiences with surgeons, his medications, his shoulder pain , his knee pain, his neck pain, his memory loss, his career. I continued to listen, nothing more. After what seemed like an eternity, he began to calm down and then said something that really touched me. He said, "Don't let this hospital get in the way of taking care of the patient." What? Did I just receive sound advice from my bipolar, chronic pain, mad-at-the-world patient?? I laughed quietly to myself. Thank you, Lord, for such timely wisdom.

Eureka!

We've found it!

After almost a month of searching, we have finally found a daycare worthy of our dear Maxwell!

...Which translates into "the daycare that makes Mommy the least nervous to leave her only begotten son." And the corollary (as my dad would say) to this discovery is that I am now available to join the workforce. Bittersweet.

Since July, I've had the priceless opportunity to be Max's primary caregiver 24/7 (of course, with the exception of "Daddy duty" hours). And during that time, I've seen him grow and learn and be all the things that make him Max. With all his "firsts" that we've awaited and celebrated, tomorrow will be a "first" that I can't say I've been looking forward to. But at least I know that Max loves to be around other kids and that he'll be in a clean, safe environment with very caring and qualified people. The biggest reassurance, though, is that I get to see him again! ...before rush hour! Ah, yes. The beauty of working part-time.

Wow. I can only imagine how heavy-hearted God the Father was to send off His Only Begotten Son to this unclean, unsafe world filled with very uncaring and unqualified people. It's a good thing the Creator loves to be with His created! And an even better thing that reunions are a big part of God's plan. ;) Speaking of reunions, tomorrow I get to see my hubby again after a 3-day assignment off-island! Yay!! (I'll let him expand on the details.)

So this is it. Keep us in your prayers for a smooth transition into a new world. Anchors aweigh!

Guam Revealed - Part 1

After several minutes of quiet excitement and anticipation, there emerged from the security-restricted doorway 2 faces that made home feel not-so-far-away. Max required a little transition time to reacquaint himself with Grandma & Grandpa, but after lots of hugs & kisses (and the comedic gestures that only occur between grandparents and their grandchild) he appeared quite content to have 2 more sources of undivided attention.

Despite the unpredictable precipitation pattern, it was great to have Mom & Dad Miranda spend some time with us and experience a bit of Guam life. It was also an excuse for us to slip back into the touristy exploration mode. When the sun was out (or when the rain was up), we made sure to visit the island's most beautiful sights. Many of them rich with a stories of the past...

Just behind us is the bay in which Magellan landed upon his discovery of Guam in 1521.

Further out towards the water is an old Spanish fort--Fort Nuestra Senora de Soledad (Our Lady of Solitude)--complete with intact watchtower...

...as so well-demonstrated by Mom here!

One of the several tiny uninhabited islands along Guam's coastline.


Near the northern tip of Guam, a cliffside lined with coral--evidence of the water line's previous location.

Ga'an Point--a component of Guam's "War in the Pacific National Park" complex--where Japanese and American forces battled for weeks during World War II.

The beautiful Talofofo Bay on Guam's eastern coast.

With Navy privileges, we seized the opportunity to lounge at the military's own Gab Gab Beach.


...and to explore Guam's UNDERwater sights! We were tickled (literally!) to have exotic fish nibbling bread at our fingertips.

Our last day of sunshine before Mom & Dad left was spent admiring the Talofofo Falls which had been somehow converted into a sort of amusement park by a Korean entrepreneur.








One of the park's features was a replica of "Yokoi's Cave" named after a Japanese sergeant who fled into hiding during WWII and was not discovered until 1972 by 2 hunters...who informed him the war had ended! This mural illustrates the structure of his hideout.










Within just a few steps, a scenic gondola lift ride, and an obligatory walk through the "Ghost House" (ask Mom & Dad), we reached a place of beauty and serenity... which, apparently, mosquitoes enjoy also.

Well, that sums up the outdoor portion of Mom & Dad's visit. As captivating as those scenes were, however, I think it was all the "resort fun" they had at Leo Palace that made Dad ask if they could come back next Christmas! We'll save those pictures for the "Leo Palace Revealed" entry!

Having my parents go out of their way (and out of their continent) to come spend time with us was really a sweet blessing and a reminder of how God uses family to teach us what it means to belong. And for the relatively nomadic life we're living, that sense of belonging is invaluable. Praise God, He's been fulfilling our need with awesome friends and neighbors... and even new found relatives! (More on that later!) Of course, in the greater scheme, all of us who've been adopted into the Family of God know that Home is a long way off, but what a comfort to belong with those who journey there together--all the others on the water, too.