Tempestuous ;;

and when she speaks

Saturday, July 21, 2007

Just came back from dinner and a night out at seniors'.

Seniors' night out can only mean one thing-A.L.C.O.H.O.L. and trying to get you to do crazy stuff whilst you're drinking.

They derive satisfaction from seeing us go high. Thankfully, I don't really get high, I just get throbbing headaches and sometimes flushed cheeks. I can still walk in a straight line and am perfectly sober. But, MAN... that

Game "Up and Down the River"- that was absolutely crazy.

"What is your most perverted sexual fantasy?"
"Who would you do it with-in this room. And, why?"
Truth or dare was even worse.

Game went like this. You each get 4 cards. Then 3 lines of 4 cards were lined up.

Card line number 1- If you have the same number as that lined, then you have to drink. Vodka, mixed with 7-Up or Punch.

Card line number 2- You can dare someone- to drink. I got it, thanks to a few 'devils'.

Card line number 3- Truth or dare. Dare you to suck someone's thumb. Lick someone's neck. Stroke the inner thigh like she's 'your woman'. Really wacky, perverted things.

Definitely not for the saint.

I should learn to take smaller sips next time, because I'm so full now from all that water.
It's time to hit the sack. It's almost 3 a.m. Gay and Lesbian fest tomorrow. More crazy stuff to see :)

her
STORY,
her ALIBIS
1:29 PM;;

Bumped into Dickson yesterday. Turns out he's another budding muso. I've met tonnes of people who love music here. And what's more interesting about him is that he's studying geology-fossils, in particular.
Told him he soo wont be able to find a job like that back in Malaysia. He said he cant even go back to Hong Kong for that. LoL.

Anyway, Siraj told me his birthday was last week on Friday and he was on call. He just came to Halifax- a month ago. And the only person who wished him was his mum. I felt a pang of sadness for him. But he laughed it off saying his ex-girlfriends didn't even call him. I said 'Obviously. You just said it yourself-'EX'. ' ;) So I went to get him a slice of CHocolate cheesecake from Gingerbread Haus this morning and a Gingerbread man too.

My other attending staff today Dr.Hachett, was wonderful- he bought all of us Tim Hortons for tea :) We've been spoiled by all our attending staffs. Am so happy I got Infectious Disease.

Today, I went into an old lady's room to check on her cellulitis on her neck. This one was special.

She has a psychiatric history- she's a schizophrenic.

I went in there, all gowned and masked because she's MRSA positive. Anyway, before you enter her room, there is a front door-with two pressable locks. So I undid them, got through and pushed open the second door. And then, I closed the first door back-meaning the two locks were - locked.

Then, she heard. I saw her ponytail on top of her forehead. And she fixed her gaze onto me-her eyes were piercing and boring into me...and not a single blink. She raised her voice, "I am changing here.Get out."

"Get out. Get OUT. GET OUT!"

Honestly, at that moment, I was filled with fear and trepidation. She was bigger than me, and I was so worried she'd come over and whip me at any second.

"Sorrrryyy" came out hurriedly from my mouth and I said "I'm gettting outtt"
Then I tried to undo the first door. I couldnt reach the second lock.
Her voice was rising and she was losing her patience at every second I wasted trying to fiddle that dumb lock open.

I couldnt reach that second lower lock on the door. Inside, my heart was begging for someone to come to the rescue. I was really, really scared.

I tipped toe and tried it again. I couldnt reach it.
Feelings of desperation came over. I wailed for a nurse "Excuse me anyone! Please help me unlock the doooooor!"

Someone came and laughed at me. Then, another doctor told me 'She kicked you out too eh?'

I came out frozen white, I think cos Siraj said to me 'I know you were scared. I could see it in your face'

Anyway, that sure went well....
LOL.
Then, my doctors and I went to check on her again a few hours later. She was so difficult to handle.
She was calling this female doctor 'Stupid. DOn't listen to him. I know the answer, and you don't. You're stupid!' Apparently, this new female staff doctor had tears in her eyes after that.

My staff was totally looked at with anger and hatred by her. She was saying 'I only listens to god.You want to cut me open and put my head in a box with arms and legs, don't you? (she was eye-ing him so evilly-it gave me the chills) DOn't you dare come near me. I don't want this doctor.I know what's wrong with me. Not you.why should I listen to you. " bla bla bla... it was scary.She was a challenge. No one could go near her and see the oozing abscess on her neck. It sure wasn't a pretty sight. In the end, before we left, the staff nurse had to call security and restrain her.

Anyway, they say, these psychiatric patients usually end up causing their own death. Simply because they won't let the doctors do their job.

her
STORY,
her ALIBIS
5:07 AM;;

Friday, July 20, 2007

I was driven home by my resident. And, yes, he is going to a concert this weekend-and Rihanna's performing there! I told him he's way cooler than me. When I revealed this to my attending staff Dr McNeil, she laughed and said he doesn't look like "that kind". I told Siraj and he burst out laughing.
She scared him by saying all those teenage girls are going to trample all over him at the concert. He got worried and asked me, 'Teenage girls?"

I laughed at my resident. Love being with him and my other resident, Stephanie, in the wards.
Stephanie and Dr.McNeil keep on asking me if I want to go home early, they are afraid they're 'slaving' me. I told them I'm having so much fun with them, I'd rather be there than go home :)

Should I head to the concert too? I've got two lunch invitations. So much to do, haven't been like this in ages ;)

I've penned down words for Merck's 'It Begins with You' HIV/AIDS campaign for their US counterpart and completed my article by request for IMU. I feel like doing so much more.

I just did grocery shopping since I was let off early. Bought what I was craving for... Red Pepper and Wholemeal Pita bread. Yummmm..went so well with all my veggies and my marinated stir-fry pork.

Another latest craving which is not so healthy-rich creamy peanut butter and strawberry jam sandwich for supper and breakfast.

Food for the happy happy soul.

her
STORY,
her ALIBIS
5:40 AM;;

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Yesterday...

During Microbiology Plate Rounds:
The attending staff looks around and wonders who hasn't been picked on. Then, he glances at me, who is standing right in front of him (obviously because I'm the shortest). Hey, I'm only a pre-clerk, NOT a resident...!

"Give me some example of nematodes" *with an evil, msichievous glint in his eyes*:

Me: "erm..... Then I said whipworm (forgetting the scientific name)"
He said: "What's that?"

I tried to remember that page in FIrst AID Step 1 USMLE.

Me: "Trichuris Trichiura... (louder, this time) -------- PAUSE-------

... Onchocerca Volvulus..."

The residents in the room now had stunned faces on. I could see my own residents feeling proud of me :)

The attending staff continued : "WOw. She's going for the bronze medal now."

I laughed. And scrunched my brain. Out came : "Enterobius vermicularis"

The attending staff exclaimed, " Now, she's going for silver!"

I laughed but inside I was really trying to remember more sillly worm names... Dang, I came up with 3. And he was waiting for more.

Then I triumphantly exclaimed, " Strongyloides stercoralis!"

He was smiling. SO was my other attending staff, Dr.Schlech :)
And my proud resident Stephanie Snow told everyone, " And She's not even a clerk yet" ;)

I was brimming with happiness. My other resident , Siraj, told me he was soo happy when I bombarded all those names. Stephanie told me "Wow, Sue, you really impressed them."

I blushed and thanked USMLE for that.
...

Today...

A 20 year old patient of mine shot himself through his mouth into his brain 3 times. Surprisingly, he didn't even lose consciousness. Apparently, it was a suicide attempt because he got dumped by his crack-head girlfriend. She ran after another cocaine-taking guy and dumped this sweet boy. He took cocaine and then,shot himself. How silly of him!

Now, the doctor has removed almost half of his whole frontal lobe. He's got nothing left... his future will be in ruins.

So PLEASE PLEASE: here's my attempt to educate-

There are plenty of fish out there. DOn't kill yourself because of a failed relationship.It's not worth your life and the pain you cause your loved ones when they see you suffer.
---
Stephanie, my resident who is so in love with her boyfriend who is an accountant-turned DJ/MUsician, told me about how surgeons never last in their relationships. There is this doctor with 4 kids and he's sleeping with a much much younger resident, who is surprise surprise, also a surgeon- both are workaholics-meaning they see each other VERY often in the hosp. They even named her 'Dr's little friend'. How shameless can u get. Sleeping around with a married man, and the whole hospital knows and talks about you.

There are the nice loyal ones who aren't like that, but they are hard to come by- RARE, truth be told.
Then, there are the bad eggs- those who have huge egos and think they're god. So, they have fun flings around with girls who throw themselves at their feet knowing they're 'surgeons'. She was not invited to the surgeons' drinking party because she's close friends with their wives and so- they're afraid.
She was saying how widespread this was. And telling me about the extreme opposite reactions when it comes to gender discrimination.

Guys who aren't doctors themselves usually back off when they know you're a doctor. I'm thinking is it intimidation ? whereas girls love guys who are 'doctors'... see? - the juxtaposition... :)

I told Stephanie thats why the guys who really do make an effort to come after you know where they stand- they have the confidence and the self-esteem to chase after you PLUS they know you're worth the fighting chance.And, they're usually the nice good ones too. But there are always exceptions lol...

Anyway,
here's a quote from one of my fav. romantic comedies -Bridget Jones:-

"Nice boys don't kiss like that."
" Oh yes, they fucking do."

*muacks* :)

her
STORY,
her ALIBIS
6:06 AM;;

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

What a day.

Walked to the hospital in my new shoes from Malaysia and when I reached the hospital, I looked down at my legs and there was blood all over the back of my ankles.
I did feel stings of pain as I walked over but didn't give much thought til' I actually saw the amount of blood that oozed as my leather ballet shoe cut into the layers of my skin. When my resident arrived, I showed him and he shook his head, saying 'Sue, next time wear comfortable shoes. You know you'll be walking the whole day.'

'I have never worn these shoes before!'.

Anyway, the whole day I was walking in pain and towards the end of my ward rounds, I was limping- a nurse was so nice, she packed me a whole bag of gauze, bandaids, disposable scissors and gel to ease the pain :) Reason why I'm home 2 hours earlier today is because my resident told me to take the afternoon off seeing my leg like that. He was with me, when I gauzed and plastered my ankles :) Sooo nice.

My resident and I are buds. He takes care of me like I'm his daughter, he says :) In turn, I help him out with his spelling of patient's names. LoL.

ANyway, my attending staff is as wonderful as him. She told me to take the noon off to catch the Tall SHIPS sailing off! Which I did. I called the person, whom I knew would be free to accompany me - Kien Ji. So off we went to the harbor front. Snapped tonnes of photos of the ships, the best of all-I'd have to say was the Indian ship (much to Sid's pride)-Tarangini- with amazing sails and their sailors were standing atop the horizontal bars up there (dunnowhatchacallit ;P) in their cute red uniforms, waving goodbye to us.

Kien Ji and I took a picture with a JAck Sparrow look-a-like. Couldn't miss the opportunity.

Then, off to lunch- picked on Kien Ji's french fries as he nimbly chewed on his fish and chips. He read my palm and exclaimed in surprise 'Wow, your palm lines say that you're not easily led on by other people.'

I said, 'I know. But people always think otherwise. Maybe it's my look. I look naive and innocent.' LoL.

Which reminds me, I was given the nick 'Devil in Disguise' on the night of my Boarders' graduation dinner in Australia. ;)

Back to the hospital at 2.30pm, I did my very first PPD skin test where I poked a needle into an old lady's hand. So happy :)

Walked back home and there was this crazy kuai lo guy in a van who waved at me. I looked away and phoned Sid about something else. Then, all of a sudden, he parked his car and opened his window and said to me 'You're beautiful. Come in.'

At that point, I freaked. Uh Oh. He's a weirdo.
Stayed on the phone with Sid, and increased my pace.
His van remained stationary. I sped across the road. As I reached the other hospital which is on the way home, here he was back again. He took a circle and came back! He was following me!

I dialled Sid's number again and told him and stayed on the phone whilst the guy was still there. I was worried he'd follow me home, so I told Sid I wasn't going to go home yet. Sid told me to go to their apartment, cos Wei Boon's there. I was heading there then I saw an inturning into another hospital, and I went in and through the parking lot-because there was no way he could have entered the parking lot unless he was really mental and paid for the parking ticket. So I zipped through the parking lot whilst taking back glances and in the midst of it, Wei Boon called and said he'd walk me home. Sid called back again to check on me.

Honestly, they're such sweethearts. It's nice to know you've got boys whom you can count on, especially in times like this.

I declined because I was so near my home, plus my two ankles couldn't take anymore walking.

Safe in the walls of my own home now. Thank u, guys :)

P.S. It's Vickie's birthday. So, let's all wish her a sweet 23rd *muacks*

her
STORY,
her ALIBIS
4:40 AM;;

Wrapping my hands in yours,
Looking into your eyes,
I see through the depths of your soul,
And I feel so loved.

hehe, mummy, don't worry, I'm not hit by any love bug. Just felt like being poetic.

---

her
STORY,
her ALIBIS
4:29 AM;;

Monday, July 16, 2007

Sunday.
Went to do more Grocery shopping with Fatou.
Did more laundry.
Killed a bug.
Went to watch Kien Ji bask. Near harbor front. Didn't do too well, it seems, cos they made $2.75 after an hour. LoL. Got to admit it takes guts to do that. And sing solo, on top of it all.

Back to Sue-Sue's yummy Black Pepper noodle ;)
*muacks*
---
Saturday-house chores D.A.Y.
Paid phone bills.
Grocery shopping.
Laundry.
Clothes shopping at Spring Garden :)
Cooking.
More Shopping with seniors at HSC.

Went to catch the Tall Ships Fest, took a picture with a pirate.
I don't like it when they put their hands around my waist. Call me old-school, but I disapprove of it.

Ate my Hunky Dory- Mint ice cream with Choc Fudge. Will stay off another ice-cream for a long time coming. Yea right ;) I was told by a doctor's wife that I've got ice cube fingers ;) And my own resident added his own diagnosis; Raynaud's phenomenon. Tut tut,dismiss em' all.

Went to the boys' and watched Harold and Kumar and Wei Boon whipped us up a hot garlicky- tuna sandwich. Whilst Wai Voon was teasing our smell buds with his culinary skills in the kitchen.
...

her
STORY,
her ALIBIS
5:42 AM;;