Saturday, January 31

Reading

My first ever memory of learning to read was trying to follow the chinese characters of the children's sing-along music video. I remember my father being so impressed that my sister and I could read the lyrics of songs in the whole video by the second day since the video was purchased.

My parents are avid readers. Pa had a gigantic bookshelf in our living room upstairs. When I was young, I used to climb to the top of the shelf like a spider and see if there is any interesting books. Mummy reads lots of story books and pa always complained that she was passing on a bad habit of reading in the loo (especially while pooing) to us.

In pa's big bookshelf, there were two rows of adult fictions belonging to mummy which were of no interest to little children. But behind those books was where the gem where hidden - hundreds of copies of 'er tong le yuan' (lit = 'Children's playground', a children's magazine) which my father has kept from his childhood. My sister Yee Leng and I started picking a few copies every night to read on our bed before bedtime. We used to be reading those until 2 am. And mum wouldn't allow the lights to be on, so we read on our bed with the light from the wedged toilet door, I think that was when I started developing poor eyesight (but why does Yee Leng has perfect vision?).

I can't say for all my other sisters, but when I was young the place that I really look forward to going was the bookshop. Once in the bookshop, it can be hours before we come out. With both my parents engrossed with their own readings and the rest of us in our own favourite sections, it is usually one of us in hunger or with nature's call that prompt us that we have been in for too long.

I have never been too fond of library in schools. I used to be the sort of person who judge a book by its cover, and unfortunately the school library book cover were often not interesting enough to catch my attention. But I was almost ran wild the first time I went into the national library. We were supposed to be researching on our history project. Instead I brought piles of science books with nice colourful illustration and sat there reading them for ages. After secondary school, the first university (UTP) has an amazing library which kept the most up-to-date books with the most fancy covers. I was too bewilded and borrowed loads of books on flash, photoshop and webpage design which was my interest of that time. Then in Manchester, I was again surprised by the bigger and better library facilities provided. In my first and second year, I used to borrow up to the maximum quota of 20 books all the time (not always related to my course). Now, although I have calmed down a little (in terms of not always loaning 20 books from the main university library), I still borrow a few books from many different libraries (the public library and hospitals + departmental libraries) every now and then.

Again rubbing off my father, I am a fierce protector of my own books. All my new books have to be wrapped up in plastic covers. Apparently it's not a very popular thing to do in this part of the world - my friends asked me why do I laminate my books... Almost every school children do this in Malaysia. I would be very crossed if any pages are folded or if there are 'ears' on the cover page, I would be very crossed.

If I can be granted a wish, I would like all the books in the world and spend a lifetime reading. It tells me that who I meet, what I see and experience aren't the only things that exist in this world. There are so much more to discover. Reading imaginary fictions, it sometimes makes me wonder if weird things like alien and ghost are real, or even, if good values like the spirit of justice and kindness are in the human nature. Reading really broadens our minds. I would be very interested to find out what any of you think about reading. Have you been interested in reading? How has it affected you? What would you be without it?
Pic 1: All started here: pa's gigantic bookshelf. Roughly 4m x 3m?
Pic 2: YL and my first bookshelf
Pic 3: Pa also loves collecting old newspaper. Imagine this x10 in my house. He has to collect cuttings of interesting news and features. I hope he has fully abandon this hobby and switch the more efficient internet now










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Tuesday, January 27

Obs and gynae

I am now on my fourth week out of seven in obs and gynae, and I better write something about it now while I feel positive about it. It is one of the better organised placement. Seven of us in a group are each allocated to one consultant. In my case I have two of them since they both only work part time in this hospital.

On a typical monday, I would spend the morning in the antenatal day case or early pregnancy unit. In the afternoon, we attend a tutorial and the postgraduate meeting while hoping to get some free food. I would then clerk in the theatre patients for the next day and hence go home quite late. Tuesday is theatre day, when I perform some PV exams. Wednesday, the GP day, starts unusually early at 0730, but I am usually home by noon. On Thursday I attend the hysteroscopy clinic in the morning and the Antenatal clinic in the afternoon. Friday morning tends to start with an MDT, followed by the gynae clinic and PBL. We also need to attend one off clinics like termination of pregnancy, GUM, breast, colposcopy, scan etc.

So far I am enjoying it more than I expect. I am surprisingly attracted to the surgical side of gynae, probably rubbing off from Mr S (see below). I am beginning to understand some of the surgical concepts like haemostasis and the different equipment used as well. Learning anatomy in theatre is confusing and so unlike reading a book, but I am getting more familiar with the pelvis every week. For example today, I learn to appreciate how curvy the sacrum actually is, that when you pour water into the pelvis for washout, it fills like a bowl. I don't think I would be doing Obs and gynae for the rest of my life. I can't really stand watching too many external genitalia for a long time, and to be honest, besides childbirth, there is nothing really exciting about the reproductive organs. (Well actually that's not true as tumours can grow to impressively big sizes).

Some personalities worth mentioning:
Mr S is one of the consultants I am allocated to. He is like a typical surgical (wants to Get Things Done, and becomes annoyed when there is delay or people messing about wasting time), only a really nice one. He has a great personality and sense of humour, and would introduce himself to anyone new working with him in theatre or in meeting. He is very tall, and is like a father to his team of juniors. He spoonfeeds me most of the time and doesn't ask me much questions to embarass me. Mr S is a gynaecologist subspecialising in surgical oncology, so I was not really exposed to a wide range of conditions. Theatre is getting quite dull - hysterectomy after hysterectomy after hysterestomy... But I can see why his job is so rewarding, as surgery means cure for many conditions, including some cancers.
Dr R is the second consultant I am attached to. I attend her hysteroscopy clinic once a week. She smiles all the time and is casual and friendly. She loves classical music and sometimes dances with the music on her chair. It really helps to be a female student as ladies are more likely to allow female to observe. I have only met her twice because she has been on holiday, but this is good because I am also a little bored of watching hysteroscopies.
The midwives in my hospital are amazing (I still have my favourites). I have never really felt left out, and I am always be given the opportunity to do stuff. Hence now I am now fairly good at measuring BP manually, taking blood and getting the gist of palpating a pregnant abdomen.
Dan is my PBL groupmate and he bakes a cake for every friday's PBL session, so our PBL discussions have been a delicious affair. Isn't it wonderful to have a groupmate like this?

3 and a half more weeks to go. Look forward to my labour week.


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Sunday, January 25

Happy Chinese New Year!


May the year of Ox brings us all peace and prosperity!


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Friday, January 16

Happy Birthday To Me!

24th aniversary of me popping out of my mum's birth canal. For two birthdays, mum has been describing to me how, for the first time in her life, her water broke and a gush of warm water rushed through her thighs and legs. It's lovely to hear these things.

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Saturday, January 3

First time in 2008

The following are a few things I did for a first time in my life in 2008.

- Away from home for more than a year now (My choice and no regret. But it's been difficult. I missed my family shifting home and at least two weddings and two funerals)

- Worked over summer

- Lived with a flatmate who smoked cannabis in his room (but I didn't know it was cannabis until after he left, I only knew that the constant horrible smell in the flat made me really angry!)

- Listen, read, write, speak and do math in French

- Bought a pair of boots with two and a half inches heels

- Spent a night in freezing temperature in a bus stop

- Purse got nicked

- A few issues with guys

- Attended the Buddhist Society's meditation class

- A visit to the hairdresser in England

- Baked a cake

- Sang with 300+ people and a full orchestra


Also as a medical student, I see new things everyday. These are a few momentous ones in 2008 I shall remember forever.

- Worked a night shift

- Sat in an ambulance in action

- Did CPR > did not manage to save anyone

(And subsequently)

- Watched people die. (These were hard. Ever so swamped with feeling of incompetence and inadequacy whenever I think about them)

- Clerked in my own patients. I love it!

- Made mistakes in medicine. Been judgemental, arrogant, inconsiderate, snobbish etc etc. Forced to acknowledge the ugly and stupid side of myself.

- Assisted in theatre. Hammered the metalwork into someone's knee

- Saw actual DNA in test tubes

- Three mere passes in the OSCE examinations indicate that I am ultimately only an average student (should I bother proving the trend wrong...?)

- Reviewed the student BMJ. (I am a fourth year medical student, not a fifth year as stated in the webpage)

- Attended a medical education conference for GPs as a student volunteer. Was embarrassed by the attention given, but had thoroughly enjoyed the day.

I think that's it for year 2008. Happy New Year 2009 everyone!



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