A story of a millennial recently went viral after graduating from med school at 35 years old while being pregnant and taking care of her two kids and husband.
Loribel Adeser-Bontilao, 35, wants to encourage moms that their life doesn’t end even though they have their own families.
“‘Yung journey na nabuntis ako ganun palagi ‘yung scenario na tumitigil na mag-aral kasi nabuntis. Pero always remember na walang nangyari sa buhay natin na sayang. Walang wasted experience, lahat ‘yan plan ni Lord, and gagamitin natin ‘yung lahat ng ‘yan para makapag move forward,” Loribel told The Philippine STAR.
Loribel enrolled in medical school in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic after she found out her “calling” after visiting Marawi in 2015.
Luckily, she found a sponsor that helped her with her expenses while studying Doctor of Medicine at the Our Lady of Fatima University in 2020.
“Nung nag start ako ng med school, 31 years old. ‘Yung tumulong po sakin, ang tawag ko sa kanya si Anda, doctor din siya. Doctor siya na naka-based sa US. Dati din siyang member ng church kung saan kami ngayon nagchu-church. Nung sinabi ko ‘yung breakdown, sabi niya, ‘Update me kailangan mo lang naman pumasa.’ So, wala akong grade requirements, hindi siya naging part ng stress ko,” she recalled.
Recalling her journey, she said it was difficult to catch up to her classmates who took premed courses in college as she graduated Bachelor of Theology at the Asian Seminary for Christian Ministries.
“Hindi ko akalain na mag-papandemic pa, na mag-o-online. So, eto ‘yung alam kong mahirap siya. Pero mga five times, ten times siya harder than I expected. Una muna nung pumasok ako, wala akong classmates sa katabi ko. Visual learner ako, gusto ko nakikita ‘yung teacher sa harap, face-to-face na nagtuturo, video lang ‘yung pinapanood namin,” she shared.
“Hindi ko talaga siya ma-shortcut kasi talagang hindi ko maintindihan. ‘Yung effort ko is talagang extra-extra effort tapos nakaka-frustrate kasi hindi ko maintindihan,” she added.
When she decided to pursue her newly found dream to become a doctor and help other people, Loribel said that her family especially her husband played a big role in her journey.
“Number one support system ko talaga is ‘yung husband ko.‘Yung family ko, nag-meeting kami, nag usap kami. So, ‘yung husband ko tinake over niya muna lahat ng patungkol sa bahay, lahat ng concerns ng mga bata. Hindi ko ‘to kakayanin nang ako lang mag-isa. Unang-una ‘yung sa husband ko, kung hindi ko siya asawa, kung hindi siya ganun na 100% supportive talaga sa direksyon na ‘to, magiging malaking away siya,” she said.
On her fourth year in medical school, Loribel found out that she was pregnant to their third child.
“Fourth year kasi ‘yung clerkship, finale na namin ‘yun eh. So, excited na excited talaga ko, tapos biglang aww, buntis! Akala ko made-delay ako and hindi kakayanin pero sabi ko, the child is a blessing. Ayoko siyang maging sagabal sa direksyon na ‘to. So, nag-notify ako sa school,” she said.
Loribel made sure to take care of her baby while continuing her clerkship at the hospital.
“May mga kind people talaga, may mga angels talaga si Lord na binibigay na nakakaintindi. So, nasurvive siya. Pero ‘yung lumalaki na ‘yung tiyan ko, ‘yung sobrang bigat na, ‘yung nagca-cramps na, nagmamanas na, it was really a big struggle na bumangon ako everyday,” she noted.
In the future, Loribel wants to work as a trauma surgeon and become a volunteer doctor during wars and other conflicts.
