GENOGRAM BY LEADER ALEJANDRO L. GARCIA JR.

GENOGRAM BY LEADER ALEJANDRO L. GARCIA JR.

FATHER SIDE

Grand parents:

Luis Santarina Garica (deceased)

     My grandfather was a surgeon from Nueva Ecija. They say that his parents were farmers. He graduated from the UP College of Medicine. I don't know where he took his training as a surgeon. When I was young, he was already semi-retired and my father already took over his practice.  I remember he would bring us to the farm and have a picnic. He died of adrenal gland cancer in 1988 and I was still in grade school. 

Eufrocina Ramoso - Garcia

     My grandmother is a pharmacist and is still very alert at 93 years old. Her dad was a lawyer and her mother a housewife. They say they owned large areas of lands in Nueva Ecija. I remember my Lola had a pharmacy adjacent to their house which was open 24/7 and was doing very well back then. They had five children and four became doctors and one pharmacist who took over her business.

Children:

1. Catalina Garcia - Domingo (deceased)

     She was a doctor. After graduating from medicine in University of the East, she became professor in biochemistry in the same institution. She married a soldier who is now a retired general, and had two children. Unfortunately, she died of a car accident at a young age. Her children then were only three and two years old. Both of her children are now doctors. One of them is now living in the US. 

2. Corazon Garcia - Reyes (deceased)

     She was a pharmacist and was the one who inherited my grandmother's pharmacy business. She married a businessman and had three children. She also believed in herbal medicine that's why when she was diagnosed of breast cancer, she opted not to undergo medical treatment despite the fact that my father was a cancer surgeon and took herbal medications. Soon after, she passed away.

3. Alejandro Garcia (my father)

     My father is a general and cancer surgeon and is currently practicing in Nueva Ecija. He also became chief of hospital of a government hospital before becoming a hospital administrator of a private hospital in Cabanatuan. I remember during summer break I would hang out in the hospital and mingle with the employees. I would also watch him do surgeries and later on became his assistant when I was already in medical school. 

4. Luis Garcia Jr. 

     He is also a surgeon married to an obstetrician. I don't know any current information about his family ever since he drifted away. He fought with my grandmother and my dad about his inheritance after my grandfather died. All I know is that they are in Manila. They have four children, 2 doctors, 1 lawyer, 1 businessman. 

5. Conception Garcia - Pantig

     She is an obstetrician married to an anesthesiologist from Angeles, Pampanga. After her training they started their practice in Angeles and are doing well. When I was about to finish my training in anesthesiology, my uncle called me up and asked if I wanted to practice here in Angeles. I went over and looked at the community and I liked it because the hospitals were just as equipped as the ones in Manila, the city is very progressive, and it's only an hour away. It's a more laid-back lifestyle but with everything I needed from Manila. After my training, I moved to Angeles and started my practice with my uncle whom I will forever be grateful to. He jump started my career and with his help I was able to achieve a lot of things. 

MOTHER SIDE

Grand parents:

Antonio Reyes Lahoz

     My maternal grandfather is also a surgeon. He studied medicine at the UP College of Medicine and took his residency training in UP-PGH and became chief resident. After his training he went back to his hometown in Vigan, Ilocos Sur and put up a small clinic which later on expanded to a hospital. He was very active in the community and initiated a lot of programs to improve health in the province. He became president of different organizations like Rotary Club, Philippine Medical Association and many more. He was very athletic during his prime that's why now at 94 he is still very strong. His daily exercise include push ups, pull ups, and walking. 

Trinidad Rasay - Lahoz

     My maternal grandmother is from Cavite. She was a nurse in UP-PGH when she met my grandfather. When they moved to Vigan, she helped my grandfather in his practice. She was the one who managed the hospital at some point because my lolo had a very busy practice. They had nine children which she took care of aside from helping my lolo. She's also very sociable that's why she was active in the different social organizations in the province and in the church. Being a "cavitena" she taught the traditional and conservative women in Vigan "girl power." 

Children:

1. Rosario Lahoz - Garcia (my mother)

     My mom is an ophthalmologist. According to her she was an average student until she was in college. Her grades were not high enough to make it to UP College of Medicine so she went to University of the East. However, things changed when she topped their first exam in medical school. She was inspired and wanted to maintain her rank. So she studied hard and graduated cum laude valedictorian of her class. She went to PGH to train in ophthalmology and practiced with my dad in Cabanatuan. However, since they wanted us to school in Manila, her practice was only secondary to being a mom. She was with us in Manila most of the time. She gradually focused on her practice later on when we became older and more independent. 

2. Monina Lahoz

     She's a pharmacist. She took her degree in UP then went to the U.S. for masters and PhD. She's now a professor in a graduate school in Boston. She's still single and would come home every Christmas break. 

3. Antonio Lahoz Jr. 

     My uncle graduated in UST with a degree in Psychology. They say he was the "black sheep" because he went into drugs and rehab. He was spoiled by my grandparents being first-born son. He went away, got married, had two children, and separated. He had difficulty looking for a job so he was sent by my grandparents to Norway in the 80's where he worked as a nurse with a fake diploma. He was doing well until he suffered severe headaches and was diagnosed to have an arteriovenous malformation in the brain. He came home and underwent a 48-hour brain surgery by the best doctors in Manila. However, after the surgery, he manifested deficits because the AV malformation was very deep and some parts of the brain were damaged. He's disabled and unable to work so he's now dependent on my grandparents and his siblings. His children grew up with my grandparents and now have their own families. 

4. Gloria Lahoz - Rivada

     She's a cardiologist who trained in PGH and is an alumnae of the UP College of Medicine. She's practicing in our hospital as well as in the other hospitals in Ilocos. She's married to an architect and has two children. 

5. Gerardo Lahoz

     He's a veterinarian and general practitioner, also an alumni of the UP College of Medicine. He's very intelligent according to my Lola that's why after finishing veterinary medicine, she encouraged him to become a doctor by bribing him with a new car. He obliged. However, he got married early so after graduation he went back to Vigan and started his practice as a GP. Aside from his practice, he's into breeding fighting cocks and farming which I think is his real passion. 

6. Esperanza Lahoz

     She's also a surgeon who trained in PGH, graduated from the UP College of Medicine, and is a single mom. She's a super woman and is also very active in social organizations in Vigan. Aside from being a surgeon, she owns the Mc Donald's franchise in Vigan. Her daughter is now a first year medical student. 

7. Ramon Lahoz 

     He's a pharmacist who married a pediatric pulmonologist. His wife was his classmate in pharmacy in UP. He's managing our hospital pharmacy while his wife practices in the hospital. They also have a laundry business. 

8. Cardiad Lahoz

     She's a physical therapist by profession and graduated from UP. After graduation PT's were very in demand in the US and she was offered a PT job in New York and accepted it. She worked there for about 30 years but decided to retire early and come back home. Right now she's doing private practice in Manila as a PT and started small businesses in Vigan. She's still single.

9. Fides Lahoz - Filart

     She's a nurse by profession and worked in PGH for a few years before getting married. She's married to a banker and they are also based in Vigan. She's the head of the nursing staff in our hospital. She also has a pastry shop and an egg farm. 

My siblings:

1. Antonio Luis Garcia

     My brother is very athletic. He graduated Sports Science from UP and worked for s while in Fitness First before landing a job in ABS-CBN as an account executive. He's into triathlon. 

2. Armesto Garcia

     He took Management Information Systems in Ateneo and worked in Proctor and Gamble. He was assigned by PnG to Singapore and lived there for a few years. He decided to come back home when his wife got pregnant. He now works in Coca Cola Philippines as a demand forecaster and market analyst. 

ME 

     I believe that the biggest influence why I became a doctor was my exposure to the field of medicine on both my paternal and maternal families at a very young age.  I grew up playing in the hospital, hanging out in my parents' clinic. I would spend summer in Vigan where I would hang out in my lolo's hospital. As early as three years old they would bring me inside the operating room, stand in a stool and watch my grandfather do surgeries. When I was in high school my dad taught me how to circumcise and I would do circumcisions during medical missions. I did not have any other profession in mind except becoming a doctor. 

     Although I enjoy being a doctor and the perks that come with it, I realized that doctors need to have other sources of income because if we stop practicing we won't earn a living. Having passive income will also give us opportunity to help more patients because if we are not dependent on the income from our practice then we can serve for free. 

     By taking MBA in the best business school which is THE Ateneo, I'm hopeful that I will be able to find opportunities that will help me achieve my dream of financial stability and at the same time help others by serving them or providing them with jobs. 

     Thank you for taking time to read my GENOGRAM :)

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