new found inspiration

looks like im going to be doing orthogeriatrics at RAH for my next MSA. gosh that is going to utterly boring. unless i concentrate on the 'ortho' part of things, but i doubt that there is much opportunity to do that. >.<

at least i'm glad that is settled. can't say that im not sore about not going for rual GP.. but i guess that's life. gotta let go and live.

anyhow, i stayed around till 6.15pm today. did a very thorough admission note for a patient, who is to say the least, rather difficult to extract history from. ugh. spent so long reading through previous admission notes and outpatient notes. at least my RMO thought it was a good job on my part.

so yeap. that kept me slightly pleased at myself. yay for me!

*sniff*

I got a call from Christine Egglestone saying that they were unable to organise for me to do rural GP afterall. I kind of had a hunch about things, seeing how I did not get any information at all regarding the rotation.

Firstly, I'm peeved that it took that THIS long to come tell me that hey, sorry mate, no place for you. It's already Tuesday today and the rotation is due to start next Monday. Secondly, I had a pretty good list of other MSAs that I could have choose from - ID, hematology, forensic pathology and what nots. BUT I CHOSE to do rural GP. just simply because I wanted to! plus all that crap about how good the country is and blah blah blah. So I'm mighty disappointed. If you allow 4 students to sign on for each rotation, shouldn't the rural coordinator be able to accommodate for that number?

Anyhow, after receiving the sad news from Christine, I got an equally sad email from the rural coordinator, Marie Smith.

Hello Daphne

I am so sorry for leaving it this late but i have tried to find a rural placement
for you but most practices already have enough students or the GPs are going on
leave so it hs proven to be very difficult. Christine Eggleston from MLTU will be
finding an urban placement for you as there is plenty of places available. She will
be in contact with you very soon.

regards


Anyhow, I stood by my choice and refused to do a urban GP rotation. So now, Christine is going to try put me up for some rotations at the RAH.

Everything is in limbo at the moment. So so so annoying.

feeling in need of some inspiration?

年轻的心
作词：陈佳明 / 作曲：巫启贤
演唱：裘海正 / 巫启贤 / 伊能静 / 方文琳

你享受和平日出的光辉
映照昨天你的泪水
在和谐的旋律中成长
让我们一齐欢唱
也许今日我们有些困苦
也许明天依然如故
但千万不要畏惧退缩
让时间拨开黑雾
就算身处在艰难和困苦里
也有生存的勇气
只要从头开始把握你的信心
紧握的双手里有你的命运

给我年轻的心
给我你的热情
让太阳为你披上雪亮的制服
你我的肩上有着共同任务
给我年轻的心
给我你的生命
在今天抚平所有波涛的汹涌
向未来岁月展现你的笑容

你享受和平日出的光辉
映照昨天你的泪水
这没有战火的天际
它需要你的延续
这世界会有不安的动荡
这国土也曾有沧桑
在此刻清醒的回顾
你背後不远的历史
只因你我祖先的艰苦
才会有今日的财富
我们历经几代风雨中的奋斗
要相信所有困难就要结束

给我年轻的心
给我你的热情
让太阳为你披上雪亮的制服
你我的肩上有着共同任务

给我年轻的心
给我你的生命
在今天抚平所有波涛的汹涌
向未来岁月展现你的笑容

给我年轻的心
给我你的热情
让太阳为你披上雪亮的制服
你我的肩上有着共同任务

给我年轻的心
给我你的生命
在今天抚平所有波涛的汹涌
向未来岁月展现你的笑容

给我年轻的心
给我你的热情
让太阳为你披上雪亮的制服
你我的肩上有着共同任务

给我年轻的心
给我你的生命
在今天抚平所有波涛的汹涌
向未来岁月展现你的笑容
在今天抚平所有波涛的汹涌
向未来岁月展现你的笑容

Whenever this old chinese song plays on my itunes when i put the playlist to shuffle.. it gets me all happy and inspirational. It speaks of life and how we should treasure the peace and harmony that we grew up in, brace the challenges of the present with trust and faith and face the future with hope and a big smile on your face!

It does sound rather cheesy. afterall, this song was written in the 80s! sometimes I wonder if I should have been born in the 70s or something. I really like oldies!... lol

melby!

i'm not going to be able to talk on and on about how wonderful melbourne is. most people already figure that out on their own. so i guess i'm just going to post up a couple of pics just for the heck of it. first up! laurent on little collins street. (click pic to check them out). I think it's a great place to hang out and have a slow afternoon. There's this very old-school french feel to the place. decent cakes and coffees... and they have macaroons!
and this is vickaroo. with his cup of latte. there ain't many pics of me because i was in charge of the camera.. so he gets very lazy.

oh chicken and avocado sandwich! yumyum. (vic's)

roast lamb and roast veges sandwich (mine) yumyumyum
and look below! post-sandwich indulges included a strawberry tart.. and a macaroon.

(click on pic for link to moonlight cinemas)

and on one of the days, we went for an outdoor screening of the movie, sweeney todd! it was held in the royal botanic gardens. there were tons of people, probably nearing a thousand or something. everyone brought their mats, sleeping bags, cushions.. we didn't. everyone else brought snacks and drinks.. we didn't. haha we were like total amateurs at it. lucky vic's friend (who invited us for the movie in the first place) prepared some mats and stuff. it was a pretty chilly night and i was clad in SHORTS. the only way i could take my mind off the freezing atmosphere was to really really concentrate very very hard on the movie.

and sweeney todd was pretty neat in my opinion. some of the songs are hilarious! especially 'the worst pies in london' and the one about the magical hair elixir. haha. ok. enough talk for now. look out for the next part of the melb pics!

friday's my fave day!

i ended at 12 because the afternoon off was meant for 'self-directed study'... which didn't really happen. haha! i went to rundle mall, got my electives application forms sent off. ran a few other errands. came home. turned the aircon on full blast. it's still freaking 40 degrees in the day and it does not get much cooler at night.

joined the boys for abit of soccer but got bored so i ran around the oval. the route is pretty nice, alot of trees and stuff around. only problem is i don't really dig running on gravel. the noise irritates me! all that stone grizzling sounds.

anyhow, we went to the northern lights outdoor exhibition just now. really cool! photos will be uploaded when i. feel. like. it.

i'm tired from all that running and walking.

tata

back in adelaide

I did superwoman worthy acts yesterday, waking up at 3.30, flying back to adelaide at 6.00.. and being able to be awake and alive for ward rounds at 9am.

and best of all, lasting till 3.30pm! all this on 2 hours of sleep.

haha and then i got home and totally died on the bed for a very much needed nap.

melbourne was great, shall blog when i get my photos uploaded.

anyhow, gastroenterology seems full on. eeugh. i received my cardiology case report and assessment form in my mail yesterday. let's just say that prof horowitz must have been in a hell of a good mood when he graded my papers. No mean comments scribbled on my work, no big question marks anywhere. heh heh heh.

anyhow, need to sleep.

seeya world.

safe in melby!

it's so much cooler in melbourne; so glad to miss the heat wave going on at the moment in adelaide! apparently sporting events might be cancelled for fear of sportsmen collapsing from heat stroke. o.o that sounds pretty bad man.

anyhow, my last day at cardio was pretty uneventful. did the usual ward round and was really amused by my reg.. who claimed that i looked 'different' and more 'radiant' today compared to the day before. i'm not sure what criteria of difference and radiance he used...

he was oblivious to the fact that i woke up late! (turned the alarm off and went back to bed for a longer than intended length of time) and thus had to rush like speedydoo out of the house. i was still partially asleep whilst washing up and changing.. no idea how he would think i looked 'better' than usual.

but then again men are weird creatures.

and i have to tell you about my friend's brother! he makes mean cocktails! it was one of the better long island teas that i've had in a long while man....

anyhow, long day ahead tmr.

blog soon! takecare world :)

cardiology rox my sox! (not)

It's times like these.. I can finally get why some medical students/junior doctors fall in love with cardiology and would like to pursue it as a career option. It's intense, interesting and positive. You have the opportunity to do procedures - such as catheterizing, EP studies, ablation, blah blah. There are various investigations and imaging modalities that you can employ to aid management of your patients. There are so many drugs (and drug interactions) that you can fiddle around with.

Sorry to interrupt here, but that was not my acclamation of my love for cardiology. it's just an understanding that I've arrived at. and I think it's really cool! :)

With the completion of my case writeup.. I sense the end of the cardiology elective.

Met too many nice folks on this rotation. pretty glad about that! Sometimes I think Medicine is a vicious cycle of learning, teaching and re-learning. All that trading of information is really helpful in formulating your own opinions in the long run.

and for now.. i'm looking forward to melbourneeeeeee!! (double yay)

big night out.

our initially sophisticated and dignified dinner at la tratorria turned into a crazy night. I say it as though I am very surprised by that, but truely, the after dinner drinks were unplanned and totally spontaneous!

We didn't really want to do karaoke (because we would have to play audience to hans' singing lol) and then we didn't really want to adjoin to a pub/bar (because drinks would be too expensive and we cannot be crazy)

So, after rounds of having people volunteer their stash - Alfred and his wines, citrus fruits and mint leaves, Venita and her baileys, Ian and his Jaeger, Sean and his Barcardi Limon.. Hans going off to buy mixers and redbull...Vicky dearest with his expensive grey goose vodka..

WE WERE SET!

I am not going to tell you how crazy the night was because really, you had to be there to experience it. Oh, and you had to have CNS depression as well. Slow reflexes, incoordination and slurred speech make the best combination for losing drinking games. In the zone we say!

Halfway through the night, we decided we would absolutely LURVE the idea of having a group picture with poker cards flying down on us. Alas, time and muscle coordination were not on our side. After something like 10 attempts, we did not even manage ONE single photo that could capture our intended aim.

some blackmail evidence as follows:

birthday girls! Quinnie and I ^^

US again! with the yummy tiramisu from muratti's (victor supplied cake!)

the poses in this pic. ARE.SO.BLOODY.HILARIOUS.

-----------------------------------------------------

Besides, I have to thank everyone who has taken time to send me a message on facebook, text me on my mobile or sent me a little email/note. It has been much appreciated!! :) It kinda feels nice to be remembered. te he he.

Alrighty, and that marks the end of my birthday weekend. It's back to cardiology!

I FEEL SO OLD.

i have reached the point in my life where.. birthdays are starting to ignite feelings of dreadfulness and not excitement. if not for the well wishes flooding in at the moment from well-wishers, i'd be damned!

Going to have a combined birthday dinner with quinnie later this evening! should be good. especially all the girly dressing up and helping one another pretty up. gosh i feel so vain! anyway, Victor has made today pretty special already. Time and time again, he has proven to me the limitations of the male human species.

The script for today's play is aptly titled:

Why men should never live alone in this world

CAST
Daphne (played by Sandra Bullock)
Victor (played by Hugh Grant)

SCRIPTWRITER
Daphne Law

This story is adapted from real life and hopefully bears no resemblance to your life, in this life or the next.

Daphne walks into the shower after a late morning sleep in. She yawns and stretches her arms, embracing the fact that she had a satisfying late saturday sleep in. She was totally looking forward to the idea of having some egg and ham sandwich for lunch, which she would obviously prepare for the two of them. Well, simply because men should not be left alone with cooking utensils, fire or raw food.

However, she stopped in her train of thoughts. The selection of bathing products ain't what she was used to. "What? Pantene for my precious hair? And you expect me to use Johnson and Johnson's shower gel?" Daphne shook her head in disapproval. She reckons if she was going to get serious with this guy, she must start by changing the bathroom products.

Thoughts of luscious and creamy lo'cittane shea butter products were terminated the moment she saw the following product, snugly positioned in between the pantene shampoo and conditioner.

She frowned and felt extremely puzzled. Did men apply moisturisers in the shower room right after they wash their faces? Did the skincare regime for men differ from women?

She continued her shower with this lingering question that she could not find an appropriate answer to. Daphne walked back to the room and promptly asked Victor.

"Do you apply your moisturiser in the shower? Is it better for the skin or something?


"Oh! you mean that that's for moisturising? No wonder it felt funny. It didn't lather up very well you see. I thought it was meant to be a facial wash."

THE END

yay

i was abit of a crazy spendthrift today.

i bought a new blue strippy top.
trimmed my hair.
went to norwood in the evening - got myself a witchery top that i actually saw 2 weeks ago but was too expensive then to buy it. and now its 40bucks off! so i felt that i had to.
oh, and a new adidas sports bra.

and i made a mean dish today! lamb kebabs!! it tasted really good. except the funny thing was.. I forgot we had no bamboo skewers at home, so I had to use toothpicks.

there were AT MOST 2 cubes of meat on each toothpick. it looked like a kid's meal. but it tasted yummililousssss! i think garlic and herbs make most things taste good. oh. add lemon to that list.

i'm not sure if i am looking forward to saturday.
vic made it sound like there is 'something' going on.

hmm i guess i will just wait and see.
at least martini is stuck with me!!!

la clique!

(click on picture for link to laclique's website!)

It's been a really long time since I've watched a fringe performance. The last one was some jazz concert back in 1st year - exactly four years ago can you believe it? This time around, we settled on la clique, after hearing rather eccentric rumours about it.

"This woman can play a flute with her vagina!!"

I guessed we were really curious!

I don't know why but alot of people thought it was an erotic/sexual type of performance. I found it simply hilarious and light hearted most of the time - with some sexual connotations scattered here and there for comic relief. BUT the 'demin guy' which you can see on the ads at many of the bus stops around town.. he was so skillful and smooth! Only one word of advice: do not sit in the first row unless you are prepared to get splashed by water.

Other than that, I really did enjoy myself. Or.. maybe I'm a simpleton who's easily amused.

And that lady, she could play a WHISTLE with her v-jay-jay, not a damn flute. The boys were so disappointed.

please rain.. just a teeny bit?

It's hot hot hot! The walk home was like an instantaneous suntanning session. Very annoying. I had sunblock cream in my bag, but taking into account the fact that it takes 20minutes to kick in I decided to just increase my risk of skin cancer.

Today's common program was on O&G. Screening for ovarian cancer (nonexistent unless you count CA-125), cervical cancer (vaccine and pap smears) as well as breast cancer (mammogram) My level of interest declined as the afternoon went by. Kept myself awake by doodling on my friend's notepad.

Oh I think I need to email the coordinator for the rural GP program. Everyone else I know that is going for rural GP has gotten their letter. BUT I HAVE YET TO SEE ANYTHING! this worries me. a great deal. maybe they forgot about me. boo hoo.

Alrighty. One last day of Cardio! Before the weekend. Which reminds me, should I go in on Sunday to get my patient for the writeup? Or is that way too eager? Shall play it by ear. Hopefully I can get a patient tomorrow or something.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On a totally random note:

I think I need to do some self-evaluation soon. I can't stand myself sometimes!
Extremely good at procrastinating tasks at hand, Not putting in my 100% in rotations, Not particularly giving and generous to others, Tendency to see the worse side of things.

I've become an old.jaded.cynical person.

Eeeips.

cardio!

i wished my hours spent in the hospital weren't so damn long. I was at the hospital for 11 hours today. I'm not sure about you but that is bloody long. My feet aches and my brain is off to bed. Oh well, I did learn stuff.

Oh oh oh! and I TAUGHT and supervised the 4th year student who was on cardiology with me how to put in gelcos!! (iv catheters) He failed the first 2 times but managed it pretty smoothly on the 3rd try. I must admit the first 2 attempts were on old and wrinkly patients with poor skin elasticity and texture. I was abit apprehensive when he asked if I could put the gelcos instead. My mind was thinking "if I bloody don't get it this, I am going to look so so so dumb." THANKFULLY i got it in, and the 4th year thought i did a sleek job! *giggles to self* Oh well, i know i know. I'm so easily amused.

We also introduced ourselves to Prof (of cardiology) and all he said was "Welcome and I hope you survive this rotation."

So promising.

And during the afternoon unit meeting, angiograms were doing their little dances in front of my eyes. Rexson (4th year student) and I kept questioning each other. Top questions included:

"Is there a stenosis?"

"Where the heck is the lesion?"

and best of all...

"is that the right or left circulation?" -.- you can tell how good we are at cardiology hey.

Alrighty i have to go.

lup dup lup dup...whooooosh!

news!

James Blunt is coming to Australia and New Zealand this April/May! And since Adelaide is one of his stop, I'm going to attend it! :) His voice is pretty unique and I really like his songs! I guess that's enough reasons to attend a concert yoh?

And.. it's friggin' hot today. The flies are not out, presumably because the heat has dehydrated them into little dried flies - uncapable of moving and annoying the hell out of human beings. I praise the heat for that.

I got a free environmentally-friendly-cottonish-material bag from one of the grocer's in central market. The grocer lady must have felt I was super killing the planet, with my compulsive packing of every item into plastic bags. I don't know about you, but I love love love it when the corn is separate from the broccoli, and the mangoes ain't in contact with the grapes. So she gave me a bag, hoping to convert me to a more eco-friendly person. we'll see how that goes.

Gonna play badminton later! Yay. that sounds good to me :)

nearing the end.

***********************

After a rather nerve wrecking case presentation to the very smart and knowledgeable bunch of doctors at PICU on Wednesday, it's nearing the end of my stint at PICU. I presented on this 11 year old boy suffering from disseminated staph. aureus infection (pneumonia, vertebral osteomyelitis, epidural abscess.) I couldn't believe that I could rattle on non stop about epidural abscesses, especially when I realise that I hardly know a thing or two before preparing for the presentation.

Anyhow I followed my plan and baked cookies and banana bread. The cookies were really well-received; my registrar ate 6. She must have either really liked the cookies or the stress of enduring a night shift really got to her. Victor brought a batch of my baked goods for his team and they were well received too! yay. I'm a happy camper.

And then it was assessment time today. Yay I got my first A of the year! Pretty happy about it. Further considering the fact that I managed to thoroughly enjoy my time and learn heaps makes it all the sweeter. And as vic puts it, "that's absolutely awesome."

Yeap.. so now, onward to Cardiology! I feel a run of tachycardia already.

tuesday blues!

YAWN....
(not kid from PICU)

woke up earlier to research on some stuff.. gosh this whole studying business is really tiring. How do you spend your day in the hospital..and still be expected to come back home and study? not to mention do all the other normal things that people do like socialise, do housework, go shopping...

anyway i have decided that i am going to bake some stuff for the PICU stuff on thursday, coinciding with valentine's day. and if there are any leftovers (hopefully not) I will bring them to common program or something. I'm sure I can always count on my friends to eat up the cookies.

have a case presentation due tmr.. not sure how much detail to include. sigh. i'm so not good at convincing people with my vocal skills.

sometimes I look at the teeny babies in PICU and I wished my life was as simple as theirs. they just lay in bed and get nursed all day long. some of them are shooo cute, you'd hardly believe they have been ridden with illness. I have a really bad habit at the moment. It's called I-must-press-the-fontanelle-when-I-see-one syndrome. Thankfully PICU patients are well sedated on the M+M formula (midazolam & morphine) so I can happily indulge in my sick habituations.


[[A fontanelle is a anatomical feature on an infant's skull. Fontanelles are soft spots on a baby's head which, during birth, enable the bony plates of the skull to flex, allowing the child's head to pass through the birth canal. The ossification of the bones of the skull cause the fontanelles to close over by a child's second birthday. The closures eventually form the sutures of the neurocranium. Although there are the two anterior and posterior fontanelles, there are two more fontanelles of interest, the mastoid fontanelle, and the sphenoidal fontanelle.]]

alrighty. it's almost time to get ready for yet another day at the hospital. seeyaaaaaa.

new chinese year.

Well, I did spend some good time with the med peeps for reunion dinner. But most of thursday and friday were spent running around the PICU. quite a few interesting cases and they all kept me busy. I'm starting to feel a teeny bit sad because I only have a week left in PICU! This has thus far been a really enjoyable elective. Not sure how I'd rate it, it's definitely better than my MHU and SHU rotations, as well as my previous electives (neurosurgery and radiation oncology). I'm not even sure myself what a 'good' elective/rotation means.

Good teaching?
Good learning environment?
Good medical team?
Good timetable?
Good ... food? coffee?
Good fellow medical students?

Well, I'm the only lone med student in PICU. The nurses are extremely dedicated. The consultants are fabulously knowledgeable. PICU is like this little small bubble of a really good place. I get to run around the place checking up on patients. I chase up blood results, call the lab, amongst other brainless stuff. Oh wells, but I still find it fun. I must be getting weird.

Anyway, my cousin just sent me some pics from home. Oh I do miss celebrating CNY at home! In fact, I miss celebrating this more than say christmas or other ang-mohed holidays. oh wells, it proves to show i'm still cheena at heart. heh. but anyway, my very talent cousin did something to the colour bit of the pictures. they look cool, don't they? And my granny's very artistic maid has made numerous red packets dangle from every nook and corner.

Alrighty, enough crap. Time to go!

what to do?

I got to do an external elective at the start of next year. It can be almost anywhere in the world except in Adelaide. I have thought about it and decided it would be (in no order of preference)

Singapore - because it's home and I don't have to spend extra on accomodation. My mummy will feed me. However, SG doctors have previously irked me. My 3 weeks in SGH did not bring back too many fond memories.

Australia (another state) - environment is familar enough but yet still interesting. Melbourne? Perth?

USA - the good places have solid foundation in research, supposedly good teaching. And I can tour USA when I am done with the elective! Downside: probably one of the most expensive options.

India - cheap? Many patients, maybe more hands-on experience. Can also tour india, ride animals, blah blah.

I guess I would just speak to my parents and see what they say. Sometimes life has too many choices. *sigh*

Anyone with an opinion?

sunday already!

and we start the weekday routine once again. it's really hot and stuffy in my room. My fingers are inching towards the control for the air-conditioner. eeeick.

point 1: business in the PICU really picked up over thurs and fri. In the end I left at 6+ on friday, which if you know me well -- is REALLY REALLY late for daphne's standard. But there was truly alot to see and do and learn. So it was worth it, despite the fact I was standing on my feet for nearly 10 hours. whooooo. so proud of myself. I administered the milky white sedative! (that starts with the letter P. P for propofol) heh heh. ok i'm really cheap thrill. leave me alone.

point 2: we has semi-resumed badminton sessions! played on thurs and friday. yay! felt great to be once again acquainted with the game. might do the waterfall gully to mount lofty trail sometime in the next few weeks. It's 8km return, which should be okie if you go in a group.

point 3. having CNY eve dinner on wednesday with med school peeps. should be good.

point 4. i got a new toy! hahahaha!

point 5: my dear friend Ian, is freezing in Southampton. See lah, don't want to bring more winter wear. tsk tsk! But he sounded happier for some strange reason. Maybe the cold has gotten to him. heh.

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on my way home from the hospital on friday, I looked up into the bright blue sky and discovered this! Some plane must have done it. And I wasn't sure why but I smiled to myself when I saw it.

uncertain to what was written - boopers? coopers?