and when she speaks
Saturday, September 08, 2007
A short summary of my day today.Class was for only half an hour :)So we left for McDs for a nice big brunch- fries, cola and burger :)Then I forced the boys to go to Chocolate Lake. Which was a bit of a disappointment because all we saw was a lake and some sand. There wasn't even a bed of green grass where we could lie down on, to enjoy the sun.Anyway, as we were leaving the place, someone noticed apples on a tree. Then, all the boys got excited-*sigh* so they went on picking the apples and trying to get more apples down,using whatever they could get their hands on-apples on the ground, sticks. Anyway the best part- was we all got to climb up an apple tree :)Bottom picture: Admiring the apple tree.LoL. Actually they were waiting to see if their throws were successful in dropping a few apples down...or not.Middle pic: I got up! Whee ~ Was afraid at first. Wei Boon and Sid were pushing me up and Wai Voon was instructed to go to the other side of the tree just in case i fell over to the other side ;)Man, I swear my butt was wronghandled and pushed up... LoL. Well, I got to climb up a tree :)Top pic: The process of getting someone up isnt an easy one... :)After all that hard work, we all went for double coned chocolate-layered vanilla ice-cream ;)
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Friday, September 07, 2007
It's officially two weeks off into our Introduction To Clerkship sessions and I am absolutely having a blast, with my new classmates and my lecturers :) This weekend, I have got shopping on plan and another Thai dinner with my classmates ;) Next week, I'm heading to a smaller town for a mini weekend trip :) with med students.
Only complaint is it's nearing end of summer and already, my heater is switched on. But thankfully, I have made some nice new friends who offer to drive me home, especially when some of my classes end late at night and the wind at that time is unforgiving :)
I just came back from class and its now 8.30pm and I had a slice of free pizza. By the way, it's the Canadian way of appreciating us med students ;) and it's no good at all for the waistline.
My maid has told me I look 'gemuk gemuk' on SKYPE.
And somehow, I'm not too perturbed by it because here, I'm considered tiny and I was seriously considering putting on about 5 kilos more so that I feel more average-y here and look more voluptuous too. LoL. Only I'm thinking about the repercussions when I head back home this Dec- facing the wrath of all my skinny cousins and the aunties saying 'Oh you put on weight ah?'
Doesn't seem too appealing, does it? LoL.
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On another note, today we had a lesson on the last few hours of dying and that class brought tears to some of our eyes.
The videoclips shown were of a girl slowly dying and her father grappling to come to terms with her disease and her soon-to-come demise... and another of a young boy who donated his bone marrow to his baby sister suffering from leukemia and learning to accept her untimely death.
A few interesting facts here about people who are going to pass away, which we learnt today;
Sometimes they wait til' all their loved ones are back before they slip off- even though they're unconscious but they somehow know that there's still that one more granddaughter on the way back home from Australia...
Or those that don't want their loved ones to be there when they die,waiting for the moment their loved ones who have been by their bed side all along, to just go and get that ice-cream in the hospital cafeteria- and then, they quickly slip away.
And some, lying unconscious on the bed but still not ready to go, simply because they're waiting for you to stroke their forehead and tell them, the family will do just fine so they can go readily. Their unfinished business is to know that the family will be OK and then, they're at peace to go.
And some who just need your permission to go. They want to hear your approval.
It's funny how things work... isn't it?
It makes a lot of difference.
Just because they're lying there, immobile and unconscious, doesn't mean they don't know what's going on. The universe works in wondrous ways and this is one of those unexplained mysteries.
A simple touch, stroking the forehead, talking to them- makes the transition easier, so they say.
I've seen one old man on his death bed and his daughter, crying silently, stroking him, talking to him as he is slowly slipping away from the clutches of life. As sad as it was...
They are on their death bed. Let's give them the best farewell we can while we still have the opportunity to.
A reminder to - Never take your loved ones for granted.
*muacks*
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Wednesday, September 05, 2007
A few days ago when I was walking to a class held in the kids' wards, I walked behind a nuclear family.And you could see they shared that special bond.The bald, skinny smiling adolescent daughter...the silently courageous mother and the quiet but loving dad - all holding hands, fingers tightly wrapped around one another.It was a sight; reminding us of a family's undying love and united support.No matter what, they're always there to hold your hand if you need them.
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Tuesday, September 04, 2007
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Even though we're miles apart separated by distance and the time difference, you still make me feel as though I'm at home with you by my very side.I am very blessed. Blessed to have parents who truly love me. You just went off to sleep and its nearing 1am there. And you have to get up at 6.30am for the kids. That's because you stay up with me chatting and just being there with me on Skype. You head off to sleep and then funnily enough, ten minutes later, your face appears on the screen again and I hear laughter- and you smile cheekily and wave goodnight to me again, teasing me lovingly...And then, half an hour later, daddy appears with his sleepy eyes. And ask me what I'm doing. Always so concerned and always so worried. Yet, you know I'm doing fine and enjoying myself here. It tugs my heart strings each and every time we finish skyping because I know how lucky I am to be so loved.It's embarrassing to say this, but as I'm typing this, I'm actually crying. They're tears of happiness and contentment. I am touched. I feel blessed. I don't know how else to express how I feel.But, I love you all very very much.*muacks*Sue Sue
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Monday, September 03, 2007
One week of class, with my new classmates...
... It's been a good week :) My classmates have been wonderful :)
Strangely, as much as we've been told over and over again about how challenging and stressful this coming year will be for us, I don't feel trepidation. Our lecturers have been wonderful; reminding us not to get our hopes high; that mistakes will be made & our mental strength and emotional vulnerability put to the test...
And how we should prepare ourselves and have a support system ready behind us.
It already sounds scary, doesn't it? LoL. I have got my support system- tick that :)
Surprisingly though, I'm looking forward to clerkship. It's definitely going to be one heck of a year, but I think the roller-coaster ride of sleepless nights and wee early morning on-calls and the stress of juggling our studies with the hospital rounds and our personal life will, nevertheless be tough but surmountable, I believe, and even, thrilling- as long as you make it to be.
On the bright side of that equation, we're going to come out stronger than ever and form strong friendships/alliances along the way... and save a few lives too, I hope ;)
I've told myself even though I know I'm going to be working my butts off like all my other classmates, I'm going to try and have as much fun as I can. This is life. I'm not going to let truckloads of work pass my life by without me enjoying my journey through the hurdles and obstacles.
Like an old roommate once told me 'You don't want to look back in 20 years' time and realize you were working too hard and you didn't even enjoy yourself.'
So, here's a toast to the beginning of clerkship :)
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