Deja Vu

“They say when you die your whole life flashes before your eyes. If let's say for some reason I get to kick the bucket during the boards [e.g. choke on my #2 pencil], will all the stuff I reviewed flash before me?

“Yep. It flashed. But the answer ain't nowhere to be found.”

*

June 10-11, 2007. Nurses Licensure Examinations. Last year I took it somewhere at the outskirts of Manila, almost near Pasay City where public transport no longer could reach. This time, I took it somewhere in the University Belt. At the lair of the Red Warriors. A place too hostile, and polluted, for a tame tiger like me.

Initially shocked with the questions. Some are lifted from a 2,304-page book, while some, from the testmaker’s personal and private experiences. Results pending, everything is in a halt. The verdict, on the other hand, was promised by mid-July.

Mid-June 2007. Went to Boracay with family, most of them from the States. Wallowed under the sun praying to Ra for a good, even tan. End result: pallor-be-gone, welcome my glorious tan (imagine Addison’s disease, or Stevens-Johnsons Syndrome).

Mid-July 2007. PRC made a statement. Too many examinees, so few optical checking machines. 36% of the total examinees, however, passed. Guessing whose papers they were, er, matching the papers from the serial number I mean, will take an eternity. PRC promised to release the results by August 15.

July to August 2007. Prayed to God that the results will be favorable. Wholeheartedly accepted the possibility of failing. Failing because of low grades, okay; but failing because of simple erasures, incorrect shading or clerical errors, not okay.

August 14, 2007. Received rumors, er, messages that the results will be out by midnight. Darn, has to be awake by midnight. Resting heart rate accelerated at 133 bpm, a few beats more and I might have a heart attack. Had to do something to divert too much adrenaline. Updated my blog, concocted Colors of the Wind and Vanessa Williams post.

August 15, 2007. 12 midnight. Checked PRC.gov, Inquirer, Manila Bulletin. Shoot no results. Had that sinking feeling that everybody knew except me and that no one had the courage to tell me. Message received in the morning that the testmakers are still finalizing the checking of the papers until the 20th.

August 20, 2007. Testmakers must be finished checking by now. Read from an Internet site that an insider from PRC said that results will be released by the 27th. On the other hand, a professor said, it will be on the 29th. A blogmate said, on September. I said why not December?

August 25, 2007. The rest of my plans are still in a gray area. For the past couple of days, I have waited. Waited and prayed that I may accept whatever the results may be.

We wait. We pray. I blog.

"I should’ve choked on my #2 pencil. At least if not for lead poisoning, I would have had a perforated esophagus. And the healing time will be not this painful."

August 26, 2007. Received an SMS that results have been finally released. And I guess, all the waiting is worth it. Yup, I passed. Just like a Déjà vu.

"And this time, it flashed. And the answer is exactly the one that I want."

Nursing license, here I come. Again.

*

Once again, I would like to thank every one of you for your prayers and well-wishes. Thank you for sticking with me through these trying times. Filled with eternal gratitude, I offer back my sincerest appreciations to everyone who have held my hand as I travel this tortuous and thorny path. For that, I will be forever indebted. Again, CONGRATULATIONS to all of us and GOODLUCK.