Tempestuous ;;

and when she speaks

Saturday, July 25, 2009

This week has been night shift week. 7pm to 7am. Including travel time means 45 minutes per train ride.

I'm still adjusting to my sleep schedule; but it's been failing miserably anyway.
And I won't really bother- cos I re-start with morning shifts come Monday morning :)

Plus, I'm lucky I still have the adrenalin rush so I dont fall too much asleep during my shifts although there are moments when I know I will drop; and I start walking about and getting my coffee fix (from the nurses' refreshments room :))

My senior resident Justin has been pretty amazing. He's a terrific teacher; always ready and willing to guide and teach and explain. And for that, I'm very thankful. He's shown me the ropes on how to manipulate the computer system; and tonnes of other clinical knowledge :)
I think I'm pretty lucky to have gotten him as my senior :)

That said, working on SSU, I've also been around Lucia, Fareed, Ali, Janice- so it's been really great company all around.

Patients have come in a lot of variety!
A patient we think is 'crazy' - she was pacing around the room; moving from bed to chair and back to bed again; saying "ants are crawling all over her skin"- and then, getting defensive when we ask about her job and social situation... and then, getting all her dates mixed up. *phew* that was quite the workup.... discussing her colourful underlying health problems LOL

Yesterday, a patient laughed and said to Justin 'You must be the senior cos she's doing all the asking' whilst pointing to me. And we both laughed... cos the intern does the history-taking whilst the senior sits back and joins in only when necessary ;)

All my patients wince and their face cringes up when I start palpating their tummy! I so don't like my cold cold fingers! It gives them so much discomfort.
I rub my hands together for awhile but it doesn't do quack. And then, their tummy tone increases in reflex when I press *bugger* -.-' So I always say 'Sorry' and let them know 'Cold hands, Warm heart' *hahahaha* I don't think they're really listening anyway, when there's something icy cold prodding at their belly uncomfortably.

An old man we had seems to have lost hope. And I thought that was really sad. But I didn't know too much about the disease and what I could say. What I could do to reassure. False reassurance is possibly the worse thing to do. This is when I always observe how Justin handles the situation.

Tonight; I'm heading over earlier than usual- so I can grab dinner with the other medicine team on call *for fun* :) Our dinner plan with a few friends have taken this long to surface ( 1 month to be exact; the end of our first months' intern rotation!) - dinner at the wonderful hospital! *sarcasm* it's the only place that will work out for all; so I figured it doesn't matter :)

My desk has finally arrived!

P.S. I am enjoying work life. So don't worry about me :)

Much love to all *muacks*

her
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her ALIBIS
4:41 AM;;

Monday, July 20, 2009

A patient with cancer of the bone; removed her tail bone, had some screws and plate put into her spine... then a complication developed- she had a fistula formation; connecting her colon to the outside of her skin; draining poop and blood.

She described to us; sometimes having the need to digging out the poop from the fistula. Whilst she was telling us her story, she looked so fatigued; so drained; all blood drained away from her pale lifeless skinny face. She lost so much blood- and she needed blood transfusions from us.

Sometimes when life deals you a blow you can barely imagine; with cancer- then to surgery; and a complication from that procedure; and then this: a life-long relationship with a stoma (bag draining poop from a hole out of your body) ...... how do you go on?

My patients never fail to cease to amaze me with their strength; determination; courage and the will to find meaning in life.

And for that; I take my hat out to so many of my patients.

Friday: My senior resident and attending switched today; and funnily enough- now; the team consists of 3 chinese faces (lol) I find it amusing really; cos we're the only group made out with people of the same ethnicity :)

Finally got the opportunity to talk to my close friends back at home using Skype.
Kathryn. Sakthi. I miss them all :)

Sat: Went shopping at State Street; was pretty efficient in getting what I needed. I bought 6 pieces altogether; and couldn't be happier :) Came home; joined Karl and Mark at this lunch place at River North called 'Carmines' and their chocolate brownie with ice-cream was indulgent :) Came home; caught up with Aaron for a movie '500 days with summer' and dinner at this Irish pub bar. The movie was pretty entertaining; and it was a realistic love romantic comedy :) I quite liked it; even though I didn't see the ending coming!! *hehe, I'm so slow*
Came home; joined Brian in front of the TV; cos he couldn't sleep!! So I ended up konking on the couch whilst we were watching 'The gringe who stole christmas' LOL.... and went to bed at 2.30am.

Sunday: This was planned for the night before at the last minute. So early in the morning; barely eight hours of sleeping; Brian was knocking on my door-waking me up *-.-'* Went to pick up Cheah and Raina- we caught everyone at a yummy brunch place called M.Henry. *mmm....* did some Vietnamese grocery shopping with three of them; and then left for some pingpong at Gaurang's place with some space for tong yuen *glutinous rice balls with sesame filling* and mooncake :) and then; off for dinner at a Vietnamese place called Bon Bon *laughs*
Slept; watch TV and had late supper :) :)

Off to collecting my table tomorrow from UPS *bugger* luckily Cheah is so nice to offer company and help tomorrow.... :) :) I'm looking forward to my yoghurt and granola dose tomorrow for brunch :) then some sleep before work at 7pm! :)

MUMMYYYYY: thanks for the skype call.
As usual; she starts off with some nagging; some mini lectures- a few scarily-toned statements on what I should be doing *lol, sorry MUM* then, off to loving, warm, mother to daughter heart to heart talk. Which I miss doing. And haven't been doing much since starting real medicine work instead of the pap smears I was doing previously.

I love you all.

her
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her ALIBIS
1:16 PM;;