Trivia Night

Today i decided that i must join my colleagues for an outing at one of the restaurants/pub/karaoke places. So after work i drove a colleague and myself there and got to catch up with 7 other interns.

If i thought that Surg has got me working my ass off and doing too much overtime which i can't really claim for without getting into trouble, then there are other people out there in Gen Med who have it worse. Much worse.

Like those who have horrible registrars. I am so thankful that all my registrars give me great support.

Also, i realised that i don't really know alot of the questions asked during Trivia Night, especially those related to music. My goodness. I think i answered like 5 questions out of 45.

At least i seem to be doing better in Theatre. I was praised by a surgeon for knowing basic anatomy... erm... i think he just doesn't have very high expectations of us interns. But i managed to answer a question that my registrar couldn't. Woohoo!

I shall read up more before i turn up to theatre again, in preparation for tougher questions.

The Godforsaken Thing...

The "zzzzzzzzz" *vibration* and "rrriiiinnnngggg" can only evoke feelings of dread, anxiety and annoyance.

Each time the bloody pager goes off, someone somewhere wants me to do something for them. Yet i can't just throw my pager aside and ignore it because come one day that will herald my downfall.

So now it lives a detestable yet irreplaceable existence on my pouch which i carry everywhere. And i mean everywhere. Even to the loo when i have the rare leisure of visiting it.

Sis was saying that being paged makes one feel needed and important. Somehow, it feels more like a porter's bell, i'm at their beck and call.

If paeds gives me another page i swear i might just fly off the handle this time.

Happy CNY Everyone!

Sorry Lai... i think i was too blunt and tactless. It was a hot, tiring and busy day.

So far things that have happened include...

4 incidents of low BP... one of them below 70 systolic...

1 incident of high BP... above 200

3 blood transfusions

2 insertions of urinary catheters... one of them for acute urinary retention...

1 code blue

1 continuously seeping wound which ended up requiring re-operation

1 billion phone calls including getting yelled at by an unreasonable parent, talking to a stupid GP who was refusing care of a VRE positive patient.

working unpaid overtime...

buying the nurses chocolate in appreciation of their effort and making them my allies...

being thanked by many patients as they are leaving...

getting the title of "favourite doctor" from a patient...

getting praise from my registrars for doing a good job...

getting my first substantial paycheck... and spending money on new comfy shoes and cheap levi's jeans...

spending the long weekend with MOAO...

bliss...

Note to self

You'll be amazed by what happened in a span of 1 week. My skin is so thick now, i can compete with a rhino.

I survive by making lists. Lists that i have to cross off or else i will get into serious trouble. Can you imagine what happens if i was meant to order a test but it didn't get done and then the patient deteriorated?

More updates this weekend. Looking forward to it.

Oven

Did i complain about the weather just a few posts ago? It must have been my big mouth because now it's even worse! It's bloody 42 degrees out there today. Last night my sis and i pulled the mattress out into the living room because that is where the air con is.

Not looking forward to the 15min walk home in the baking sun.

Don't anyone try to annoy me now because i will seriously explode because i'm just goddamn tired after running around the whole day. And i really mean the whole day. I downed my lunch in 5 mins while i was hiding in outpatients clinic flipping through a patient's notes at 3pm. I didn't even have time to go to the toilet!

Grrr...

Jitters

As you probably know, Gene and i spent a lot of time during our Gen Surg rotation last year on the wards, writing in the notes, seeing patients in clinic on our own etc. So when i got my roster back in Oct and found out that i was starting out in Surg i was pretty pleased because i felt that i was prepared.

But as you know, i was having cold feet just before i started. Even during orientation this week, the night before we were meant to shadow the out-going interns, nagging thoughts in my head kept me from sleeping well.

Yesterday, when i was on the wards writing notes, seeing patients, doing paperwork under the supervision of the interns, i felt alright. Finally, something from my 6 years of training has prepared me well for the job.

Until today, when the oldies went for lunch and left us newbies in charge of the ward. The nurses flagged a patient who has a positive fluid balance of 1.5L and basal crepitations. Then i went, "OMG... what should i do now?".

If i were a medical student, the answer would be easy, patient has fluid overload, so give her diuretics and get rid of the excess water.

But NO... all of a sudden, i'm the one writing up the drugs, i'm the one held legally responsible for her care, i'm the one with the potential to do harm. Paralysed by indecision.

So in the end, went back to my fellow newbies and had a minor discussion and then was saved by a 2nd year resident.

Please please please...... don't let me kill a patient.

News!

Excuse me for the absence, the reason being it's a new year, i moved to a new town into a new house and i just started my new job.

Almost everything about me is new. I bought a new shirt, wearing new clothes to work and trying to take on a new perspective. I'm getting my new phone line and broadband next week and looking into a new mobile phone plan.

It will be a good year. Not in terms of the economy and all. But it will be a good year for me.

Only thing i'm not enjoying right now is the weather. It got up to 38 degrees just yesterday. It's killing me. Thankfully i'm indoors in air conditioned rooms most of the day except when i get home, when the house turns into a mega oven. Grrr!

Lai, when i get my internet up and running i'll msn you my new address and phone number. It's really cute! Come visit me in winter, i'm close to the snows!

It's time you did something Mr. Brumby!

Came upon an article "The road to perdition" by John Whitelegg who is a professor with the Stockholm Environment Institute on improving our public transport system in the face of climate change.

I have to confess that i'm not very knowledgeable about the green house effect, global warming etc, but i agree with his views entirely. Everyone who knows me has heard me rant about the failings of our public transport system. Issues with it's cost effectiveness now coupled with the increasing need to reduce carbon emissions makes it all the more important.

Many people have long held and voiced similar opinions, the only question left is, why has our government not done anything about it?

Are they waiting for a sign from God? Cause we all know that the apocalypse will arrive before that.

Garage Sale!

Secretly, i've always been apprehensive about garage sales.

Even though my neighbourhood has a fair amount of garage sales going on year round, when i pass by one, i've never stepped in despite my curiosity.

The thought of organising and holding a garage sale seemed like an insurmountable obstacle. The advertising is enough to evoke thoughts of burrying my head into a hole somewhere. Having strangers walking into the home and looking at my belongings brings a whole new level of anxiety.

One of my earliest mottos, way back from high school when i faced and conquered class tests and common tests by the dozens every week, is proven to hold true again: Desperation is the best motivation.

Having to move to the Country early next week, i am in dire need of getting rid of my furniture. So despite the nagging fear that my garage sale will be a total and utter flop, I've opened my home to strangers, thickened up my skin and plastered on a smile (thank you med school!) and I've sold off quite a number of big ticket items.

Now i understand how exhilarating it is to make a sale! *licking my fingers and counting $$$*

I guess garage sales ain't that bad afterall.

Cold Feet

During the final semester, i prayed so hard for med school to be over. I was ready to be an intern.

I can admit patients, do referrals, order tests, write discharge summaries, put in IVs, do PR exams on alert patients. I was ready.

I was going to be the best intern in Said Country Hospital (SCH)!

Now i'm 2 weeks away from starting my job and all of a sudden i realise that i have forgotten all of my medicine.

Ask me anything, my most likely answer is "I don't know!"

I have the sudden inexplicable urge to study! But all of my books are packed into boxes.

Am i going crazy? Me, actually feeling a need to study!? This is insane! I'm must be going nuts! Why do i feel strangely inadequate?

Self Doubt is one of the greatest ghosts that haunts me.

Yeay?

Today we drove up to Shep, saw 16 properties and decided on the last one, went to the hospital but didn't get anything done in the end. Drove 2.5 hours back.

I'm glad my house hunting is over. I just want some food and some sleep now.

Let me worry about my furniture another day. Oh... come blessed sleep.

I flew... erm... fell gracefully...

Thank you Lai! Did i tell you that i mentioned you in my yearbook? You must be so touched. When you come over i'll let you have a look at it.

My grad ceremony was such a farce. I was quite bad tempered before it started because General #3 and #3+ were having this ridiculous tiff and they dragged me out of bed at 10am just to drive them to uni, which is only 5 mins walk away. In addition, they made me rush to uni after my sis' ceremony so that i could take pictures and then i had to endure a full hour of walking around in that outrageously stifling regalia which kept on slipping backwards and came mostly undone by the time i was meant to receive my certs.

So i'm mighty glad it's all over and that i probably don't need to go through that again.

Cairns on the other hand was fun. It turned out to be a major puke fest for me though.

Sky diving was so quick it was over in a flash before i could fully register what on earth was going on. We jumped from 11, 000 feet from a small tiny plane with the door open the whole time. My sis went first and when i saw her flip out of the plane and fall away at an incredulous speed i was thinking "Oh Shit!"

Basically, i was pretty much pushed out of the plane by my tandem. I went "aaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrgggggghhhhhhh..... pause to catch my breath.... aaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrgggggggghhhhhh". It was exhilarating! We were falling at around 160km/hr. Can you imagine that? I've never even driven so quickly in my life!

Strangely enough, the sky diving didn't do me in but the obnoxious bus ride in an overcrowded, poorly ventilated mini van seething with a mixture of body odours did. I got off the bus and minutes later, was looking at the remnants of my breakfast.

Scuba diving was enjoyed the most by General #3+. He was getting all excited about the fishes and was posing for the camera with many OK signs. :D

I discovered with certainty that the sea is my death star. Remember how i puked underwater when i went scuba diving with MOAO in Vanuatu. Guess what? I am now officially crowned the Queen of Underwater Puking. I puked at least 4 times that day.

Armed with the experience on how to handle puking underwater, after my first puke into my regulator, my instructor was keen to bring me up to the surface but i said no, i was fine and soldiered on. However, I did give General #3+ a shock of his life when he saw me kneeling on the ocean floor turning green while spewing my guts out. Hehehe. I've never seen him so acutely concerned about me before.

Despite all that spewing, i managed to touch the most number of fishes among the 4 of us. I think physical contact traumatises the fishies. But the prospect of food keeps bringing them back anyway. Who would've thought that they possessed enough brains to process that?

On the second last day we went white water rafting. I think it was the best because i didn't throw up!!! Woohoo!!! Loved it. Our guide was humorous and experienced. Serendipitously, all of us assigned to raft Eh were from Melbourne. Here is my favourite photo from the trip.

Can you make out what we're signing? Hahaha... Don't you think we look hilarious?

Upon returning to Melbourne, all the other things i had disengaged myself from temporarily came back to haunt me. The word stress is an understatement. The unseasonably cold, wet and miserable days probably reflected my inner mood. I sat for the IELTS test required for my PR application on Saturday. It was unreasonably and ridiculously long for such an easy paper.

Now it's back to my house hunting and dealing with my car and internet troubles. Sigh. At least i don't have to hunt for christmas presents as well.

My holidays are dwindling awaAaAaAayyy.......