BACOLOD City – For doctors Patrick Mabugat and Dyan Dimalaluan-Mabugat, there’s always this paralyzing fear of getting ill with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). But what keeps them going is their higher mission to serve to the community – together.
“Keeping a relationship strong takes effort. More so when both of you are medical professionals, and even more so if you are both serving in the middle of a pandemic,” Dyan told Panay News.
Their “COVID rotations” had also been a challenge.
“We can’t see each other or our loved ones as often as we could. We are in the hospital almost every day. We would only have the chance to meet a few times a week or even a month,” she said.
Dyan recalled one of her toughest experiences at the onset of the pandemic last year.
“Patrick was at the Philippine General Hospital in Manila while I was at the Riverside Medical Center in Bacolod. Everyone was very scared because nobody really knew back then what COVID was and how to keep yourself from getting it,” she said.
According to Dyan, Patrick decided to volunteer for a month at PGH as all hospitals suddenly were strained short of health personnel.
“I was initially against it,” she said. “But we knew we had to help.”
It didn’t help that all flights to Bacolod from Manila were cancelled.
“We waited for a couple of months until a sweeper flight for stranded Bacolodnons allowed Patrick to return home,” said Dyan.
How did they get through the challenges?
“Constant communication, patience and trust,” Dyan said.
“Some days we may be too busy to even share a meal together, but what’s important is we let the other know and feel that we truly care,” she added.
To maintain a healthy relationship, Dyan and Patrick, also both registered medical technologists, remind themselves “we are both doing this for our future.”
“We are doing this to fulfill our mission to be a channel of God’s gift of healing to those who need it,” Dyan said.
As for her best experience, it’s “passing the Physician Licensure Exam,” Dyan said. “Getting that long-awaited and hard-earned MD license meant we can finally start working on our dreams.”
“Patrick topping the board exam was a big bonus and unexpected (even though this was his second time passing the boards). We were just very happy that we made our families, friends, and alma mater proud,” added Dyan.
The couple is currently working at the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital.
Patrick is a resident of Barangay Alijis, while Dyan is from E.B. Magalona, Negros Occidental.
They graduated B.S. Medical Technology at the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos. Dyan finished as cum laude.
They took Medicine at the University of St. La Salle. Patrick graduated as the class valedictorian while Dyan was 4th Honorable Mention.
Patrick, No. 1 in the National Medical Technology Board Exam (2014) and Top 2 in National Physician Licensure Examination (2020), said Dyan was a big part of his success.
“When I was lost and confused, she guided me to the right direction. When I was at my lowest, she came into my life, picked me up, and made me whole. When I was a nobody, she believed I could be anyone I wanted to be,” Patrick said.
They got engaged in June 2019 and tied the knot on Oct. 10 this year./PN
