discharged

here i am , finally getting my hands on some internet connection i have sorely missed for the past 3 days or so. I was just discharged from the hospital for acute appendicitis but somehow by god's grace didn't require surgical intervention as intravenous antibiotics did the trick.

It all began on friday afternoon when i suddenly had attacks of colicky abdominal pain which lasted till midnight when i had to drag myself out of the bed and rush myself to my own emergency department to get some oral treatment. it only lasted a while and returned to haunt me a few hours later.

Seeked a specialist consult and was given oral antibiotics with the impression of early appendicitis. Strangely enough i was on call the same night and i braved through the pain threshold to finish the call. I guess that's what all those years of ragging in the VI can do for you.

Sunday morning i could not bear the pain and the discomfort and headed over to one of the private hospitals around kuching, met the surgeon and opted for admission. I was started on treatment and was KIV for appendicectomy if the pain worsened but it didn't. I responded so well to treatment that we (surgeon and I) decided it was a good decision. The stay was a good time to recharge my batteries and to catch up on some reading, sitcoms and even got a hair cut.

One of the things ive learned during my stay is that an intravenous cannula hurts like hell! and its no fun at all. secondly, the thought of surgery scared me, not because of the pain but possible complications many years down the line. Im grateful that it worked out this way.

My friends and colleagues have been extremely supportive and considering the fact that i hardly have anyone around in Kuching, they have been my pillar of strength. Lesson no 2, never take the pain endured by your patients lightly. you will NEVER know exactly how they are feeling so do whatever you can to help alleviate the pain.

Such a joy to be finally back in the comfort of my own rented apartment, now ive got some cleaning up to do.

Borneo

my borneo

As many would already know, I was sent here (kuching) by the government (gomen) to continue rendering my services to the fine people of sarawak . I must admit that I had my own reservations about heading east but 3 weeks down the road and all I can say is , Kuching is full of pleasant surprises.

 This is going to be my 2nd and final attempt at getting a blog up and running and regularly updated.
As yet, I can't decide on what main topics to embark on but it will evolve mainly around my new hometown which is Kuching.

So follow if you want to know more.

In perspective

Just last Sunday we received news of a tragedy that occurred in Kota Kinabalu involving 3 young doctors. I simply cannot imagine if I was one of them or even if I was one of their parents. how would I react? Having your son/daughter - young, ambitious and just starting to create a name for themselves in the medical profession and boom! disaster strikes. Malaysia is a small enough country where almost everyone knows everyone else somehow and all 3 who died somehow had friends who were friends of mine. My condolences goes out to all of their family members and this event has made me take one step back and realize once again that we simply cannot take the people around us for granted.

Secondly, I came across a blog of daphne iking. yes the model cum mother cum hostess cum fashion designer cum whatever it is. I had a strong interest in her blog from the very beginning because her thoughts drew similarities and i could relate to her. After a while she closed her blog to only invites only and that's when i relied on the newspaper for updates. Then one day news of her private life surfaced and I was wondering what happened to her almost becoming fairytale life. Recently she once again made her blog for public viewing again and I feel what she had gone through. You are indeed strong Daphne, God Bless.

I think today's entry is very non specific as many of my previous entries but I assure you that it is intended. I have never been a lay it bare for public kind-of-person as many of you already know and I will never be one. Then again this blog was to update friends and at the same time a sort of diary to record certain moments in my life.

Chinese New Year is coming again and I will be heading over the good ol' Penang Island for a 4 days 3 nights reunion with the entire Wong family. Yes, geting myself ready for endless eating, laughing and loud noise not forgetting the mahjong and karaoke'ing. For the rest of you folks, Gong Xi Fa Chai. May this year of the tiger bring joy and prosperity.

Special greetings to my two most (only ) readers of this blog as I've only received comments from the both of you over the years. Mei, I've been reading your blog regularly and I'm very happy that you are doing so well career wise and relationship wise. I'm just waiting for the day you announce the happy news (wedding bells?) So keep up the good work of updating your blog (unlike me). All the best for you girl and for god's sake let's meet up the next time you come down to Kuala Lumpur. It IS about time. innit?

Also to Mr. Thum Wai Khong, hey ... why did you put your blog to an invite-only? Now I can't read your blog. Congrates on your engagement or did you get registered already? everyone around me is somewhere around there including my dear old friend MUSLE. But i'm glad for everyone. We should take part in some marathon / walk this year... aim to join you guys one day k.

As for myself, I'm currently in the bones department and is having a fantastic time being back in the operation theater and having the opportunity to cut, Cut, CUT! been away from it for far too long and now it feels good. Ward work day in day out is monotonous and was almost driving me up the wall. being surrounded by fantastic seniors makes things lovelier. Been having more time to get back to soccer and more time to relax at home.

So yea, let's hope this long winded entry does not result in another super long gap before the next entry comes around.

Happy new year

So happy new year friends and family... for those who did not receive my sms ; wishing you all the best that 2010 can offer in terms of family, work etc. For those of us who blog, wishing us persistence in updating our blogs (look who is talking) and hopefully fulfill some of those over-zealous new year resolutions we have written down somewhere.
As for me, I've got a whole list of things that i personally want to achieve by the end of this year... It is a BIG year for me, I will finally be completing my Housemanship by the end of August and will then take my first big step towards specializing. Can't wait for that to happen. Let's take things one step at a time and hopefully by the end of the year we can look back proudly and say "mission accomplished".

August 2009

YES! im done with another posting. I'm not relieved but more like happy that i'm inching ever closer to completing my 2 years as a house officer here in malaysia. It's been great fun during the 4 months attachment in Pediatrics Institute of Kuala Lumpur General Hospital. Had the opportunity to work with some of the nicest souls on earth and learn t a great deal of how to deal with kids and diseases that are normally associated with them. On a more personal level i now know how to deal with kids a little better and actually learn to like them more. Still at times there are a lot of difficult kids and not forgetting parents to deal with. The staff nurses were great and competent and that made life easier.

When i was posted in the neonates division, i had the opportunity to work closely with the staff nurses over in the labour room once again. oh , the fond memories of my first posting still lingers in my head. The experience certainly didn't disappoint and i'm missing the place more than ever. These past 4 months were great times with wonderful competent colleagues. There were certainly some rotten apples about but I'm just glad that I dont have to deal with them anymore. Not till i get posted to the next department where rotten apples are definitely lingering somehow.

I'm on a week's leave at the moment. Getting some time to spend with family and friends and myself. Been able to catch up on things i love like soccer and Manchester United. more on that on another post. There was something i wanted to share which is my consultant was speaking to me about returning to pediatrics sometime in the future if I was interested in it. coming from her was certainly an honor. Made me ecstatic for almost the entire day. But I did tell her that I still uncertain about my future plans.

Plan to go somewhere tomorrow, beach side or perhaps genting highlands... we shall see

awaiting for a new saga to come...

and when i mean saga i mean literally the proton saga that we malaysians are so familiar with =) ive chosen a white saga blm as my first ride. I must admit that i wasnt too keen on purchasing this car but settled on this model and brand after much pondering... and I must also admit that i did not bother test driving it because whatever the performance was going to be during the test drive i was still going to get one. Been patiently awaiting the arrival but due to the systems currently down in JPJ - i'm still left waiting... apart from that I'm currently posted back in the labor room... this time to take care of the newborns and to make sure they leave that place nice and pink =) challenging at times but very fulfilling still.

fooh

another night duty has passed me by. it wasnt too bad, managed to catch a couple hours of sleep but these ankles and calves are killing me. feels like it belongs to a 80 year old man... fooh. makes me feel so tired come evening everyday. early signs of varicose vein setting in?? NO!!!