Today, I had a chance to participate actively in a mass circumcision drive hosted by the GAD (Gender and Development) Department of my school. I am a fan of medical drives because as a science scholar aiming to be a medical doctor, it exposes me to real-life blood and gore that scares me more than anything, at least in medicine.
We arrived at the Judith Lazarraga Tiongco Elementary School, Tabuc Suba, Jaro, Iloilo City around 8:30 am, successfully pinning down our target time. We settled down in a school classroom a.k.a. clinic with makeshift beds formed by joined student tables. We started preparing all the needed materials for the circumcision, which I will refer to as surgery hereafter.
Preparing the materials, one of the least exciting steps in the process, was a life changer for me. Each and every material in the kits will be used in the gory ritual every pre-pubescent Filipino fear. Somehow I felt prepared for what is to come.
To remind you, I’m just 16 years old and a dummy in surgery so I am in no way capable of doing the surgery, or any other surgery to be exact. I will be assisting professionals so no need to feel alarmed about this article.
First patient arrives. About 16 years old, obviously had undergone puberty. I got scared. My dream of confidently assisting a doctor evaporated. All courage and confidence just flew away. This is scarier than I thought. He walks in, gets naked. Lays down and waits for everything to be over. I can’t even take a look. I was so scared of something I never met. This is not a good start.
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