moved!!
Moved to a new blog - more space, more photos =)
Moved to a new blog - more space, more photos =)
BULA! Just returned from an amazing medical missions trip in Fiji (it's one of the Pacific Islands, north-east of Australia; quite different from Mt FUJI which is in Japan =P). The population is under a million, with most people living along the coast - understandably, as the country's economy is based mainly on sugar exports and tourism. A minority live in the interiors, planting crops such as tapioca and taro (yam) which are the Fijians' staple foods.
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THE TEAM (from L to R: Pohan, Sue, Hsu En, Kelsey, myself, John our local guide/interpreter) travelled to the interiors where health access was poor. We brought along medical aids and our medical and nursing expertise, with an aim to serve the villagers in helping to improve their health and well-being. 
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ACCESS into the village involved a 3 hour bumpy ride on the back of a truck (together with the week's supply of groceries, our luggage, and a couple of villagers who were returning from town) - a few of the team members had a sore back for the next few days from the ride. It was one of those roads tracks you knew deep in your heart that it's only by God's grace and protection that you were able to make it through safely to your destination! The last hour of the journey was through a non-road that was usually non-accessible to vehicles (naturally), but it was dark and we didn't know that; somehow the truck just got us straight into the village. When we left the village on the last day, we had to ride on horses on the non-road for about an hour to get to the truck track (still wondering how the truck managed to get in when we came).
AT THE VILLAGE, we mainly did clinics in the morning, followed by health education in the afternoon and church service in the evening.
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CLINICS - Sue, Pohan and Hsu En triaged and prayed for each patient before sending them to be seen by either Kelsey (for wounds, dressings) or myself (for medical advice/treatment). One lady had knee pain, but felt warmth in her knees as the triage team prayed, and left without needing to see the doctor as she was painfree after! Kelsey did well with dressing wounds which were just left open and mostly infected (with pus squirting out when you pressed on them) - a couple of the wounds were completely healed when they came back the following day to have their dressings changed! God heals indeed!!
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I SAW Baby "A" who was only 4 month old and had multiple (>10) boils on her (little) head. Some were oozing with pus and she had a fever with it. My heart went out to her and wanted to cry when I first saw the poor little baby. I applied some antiseptic cream and prayed that she'd recover quickly. Pics below: two and four days later!!
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EDUCATION SESSIONS - we taught on hand hygiene, rehydration when one gets vomiting and diarrhoea with gastro, diet and lifestyle changes for prevention/management of diabetes and hypertension. It was encouraging to see the ladies huddling together to discuss about how they were going to change their eating habits and use less oil/sugar/salt/coconut milk in their cooking. The evidence was at breakfast the following morning when the ladies prepared healthy light-grilled roti instead of the usual deep-fried flour balls =)
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HMMmm... should've perhaps taught on CHILD SAFETY as well (e.g. do not eat bread in front of dogs).
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.TRAINING - we trained two ladies on some basic first aid and wound care, as well as early signs to look out for when someone was really sick and needed to go to the hospital before it's too late. They were very grateful and keen learners, taking down notes and remembering them (we'd test them the next day). Apparently someone bled to death last year because no one knew what to do when her hand was accidentally chopped off with a machete. Pic below: the ladies practising with dressings and bandages.
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EVENING SERVICES - we had praise and worship (Fijians are the best singers, everyone can sing in parts!), and each of us took turns to share our testimonies/preach. God moved powerfully, touching hearts and changing lives each night. On the last day, God filled them with the Holy Spirit, from young to old - they were lifting their hands, many had tears streaming down their faces as they were set free from bondages and oppression (where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty), and empowered to serve the Lord, to preach the gospel and bring healing and deliverance to the other villagers and surrounding villages (Isaiah 61).
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* * * * * To have L O V E * * * * *
1 Corinthians 13:1-8
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love if patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.
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God IS love. (1 John 4:16)
We had God, and so we had love - for one another (the foundation of our unity as a team), and for the villagers (the foundation of our service).
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There were countless opportunities and ways to bless the villagers, I believe our eyes were opened because His Spirit of love was overflowing through us.
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LOVE IN ACTION - other HIGHLIGHTS...
Before and after a very professionally done haircut by our very own Hsu En (MBBS, Melbourne Uni, majoring in hairdressing).
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CHILDREN!! CHILDREN!! CHILDREN!!
Jesus loves the little children...
With cool hairstyle...
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With NO hairstyle...
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The heavy...
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The dirty!!!
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He loves 'em all!!!
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BLESSED!!
The team's been really blessed to have had the opportunity to experience God's abundant riches as we availed ourselves to be used by Him. A BIG BIG THANK YOU to all of you who partnered us in prayer while we were there, the work accomplished was certainly achieved by a team larger than the five of us!
(after a long tiring shift at the emergency department)...
Me: Eh Tat.. if Hugh Grant, Bruce Willis and Tom Cruise come into the emergency dept at the same time who will you treat first?
Tat: Mmm... I'll treat Tom Cruise first lah...
Me: Why??
Tat: Coz I like him most compared to the other two..
Me: Should treat Hugh Grant first lah..
Tat: Huh? Why?
Me: Coz if you don't treat him soon you might be seeing a funeral very soon after the 4 weddings! Who would you treat last?
Tat: ??
Me: Treat Bruce Willis last, don't have to worry much coz he's Die Hard. Although Tom Cruise might be Mission Impossible you can just take your time.
Tat: Like that Hugh Grant also quite difficult, coz Notting will Hill him woh...
Me: Haha.. smart huh.. we're indeed from the same family.
*hugs* (not)
Me: (getting more inspired).. then hor if Bruce Lee comes along you probably won't need to see him anytime soon lah...
Tat: why? coz he's dead already?
Me: nola he's probably just got minor stuff, like Bruise Lee mah..
Tat: hohoho...*laughs hysterically*...
From The Age(d) newspaper yesterday...
This is one ringtone you've gotta hear
Enterprising teenagers have hijacked a high-pitched electronic blip which adults cannot hear and turned it into a stealth ringtone.
It is suitable for use in situations where grown ups aren't meant know there's an incoming call or text message.
The ringtone - which can be downloaded from the internet - is proving especially popular amongst school students in the US and UK who use it in classrooms.
With it, students can receive text message alerts on their mobile phones without the teacher knowing.
As people age, many develop what's known as presbycusis or aging ear - a loss of the ability to hear higher-frequency sounds.
The ringtone is a spin-off of technology that was originally meant to repel teenagers - not help them.
Last year, a Welsh security company devloped the 17 kilohertz buzz to help shopkeepers disperse youngsters loitering in front of their stores.
Mr Howard Stapleton, the inventor of the "Mosquito", claims the high-frequency pulsing sound can be heard by most people younger than 20 and almost no one older than 30.
Realising the commercial possibilities in the unintended use of the blip, Mr Stapleton's company has quickly produced it's own official version of the ringtone which they are calling the "the authentic Mosquito ring."
If you're under 20 (or over 20 with very good hearing), you can listen to the blip here.
(Hint: in your Windows Media Player, set the option bar to visualisations > bars and waves > bars and at least if you can't hear the sound, you'll be able to see it.)
agencies
p/s: I CAN HEAR IT I CAN HEAR IT!!!!!!!!! Woohoooooo...(well I guess it's not surprising, those under 20 are meant to be able to hear it)..
Tomorrow's the Medical careers Expo - where the different hospitals have an exhibition-type thing with their representatives there to take questions. Gotta be deciding (ALREADY??!!!) which specialty I'd wanna train in (e.g. if I train in Medicine I'll be a Physician, if I train in Surgery I'll be a Surgeon).
The mentor sent a timely link - The Medical Specialty Aptitude Test, which matches your personality to the type of specialty that would suit you...
Mine:
http://www.med-ed.virginia.edu/specialties/
| Rank |  Specialty | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
med oncology |
44 |
| 2 |
dermatology |
43 |
| 3 |
emergency med |
41 |
| 4 |
preventive med |
41 |
| 5 |
occupational med |
41 |
| 6 |
pediatrics |
41 |
| 7 |
radiation oncology |
41 |
| 8 |
family practice |
40 |
| 9 |
anesthesiology |
40 |
| 10 |
general internal med |
39 |
| 11 |
rheumatology |
39 |
| 12 |
physical med & rehabilitation |
39 |
| 13 |
ophthalmology |
39 |
| 14 |
urology |
39 |
| 15 |
radiology |
39 |
| 16 |
psychiatry |
38 |
| 17 |
nephrology |
38 |
| 18 |
gastroenterology |
38 |
| 19 |
endocrinology |
37 |
| 20 |
hematology |
37 |
| 21 |
colon & rectal surgery |
37 |
| 22 |
aerospace med |
37 |
| 23 |
obstetrics/gynecology |
37 |
| 24 |
neurology |
37 |
| 25 |
otolaryngology |
37 |
| 26 |
orthopaedic surgery |
36 |
| 27 |
pathology |
36 |
| 28 |
neurosurgery |
36 |
| 29 |
plastic surgery |
36 |
| 30 |
allergy & immunology |
36 |
| 31 |
pulmonology |
35 |
| 32 |
thoracic surgery |
35 |
| 33 |
nuclear med |
34 |
| 34 |
infectious disease |
34 |
| 35 |
cardiology |
32 |
| 36 |
general surgery |
32 |
Must say it's quite accurate - Med Onc is a specialty where you care for cancer patients, I've always liked talking to cancer patients, learning from them, reflecting with them what's past and what's to come. It's one of those diseases where you're suddenly thrown into having to ponder (with a mind often still healthy and not demented) upon the mortality and fragility of life.
Dermatology should not belong anywhere near the top of my list! I won't want to look at skins and describe lumps and bumps for the next 30 years of my life thankyouverymuch. Was just telling a friend I'd rather be a teacher (haha that's what I'd wanna be if I weren't a dr by the way)...
Emergency medicine I love! Love the action in the department and the fact that you never know what sort of cases to expect as patients walk in. Just the odd shifts that make the lifestyle quite difficult, would definitely consider it more seriously if I didn't plan to have a family!
Preventive med and Occupational med have never crossed my mind...
PAEDIATRICS!! i love kids i love kids - treat them not eat them (krys!).. Besides the fact that I think I can identify with them (and behave like them at times), there's just something about being able to help a sick kid feel better. A kid who is unwell, somehow is just able to draw our care and love, compassion... even parents separated would for those moments put their hatred/differences/grievances aside and work together to help the kid get better. As if suddenly there's an awakening of the GOOD inside each person - no matter how little, is magnified, to care. Maybe it's their innocence, that kids should not deserve to suffer.
Maybe it's instinctive within each parent's heart, to want to take over, in whatever ways possible the suffering of the child.
Q: How do you know that you've truly started working?
A: When everyone's got exams and you haven't... *cheeky grin greeted by threatening stares and glares from STUDENT OCFers*...
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Speaking about exams I think they got more manageable with each year (in my 6-year-uni-experience anyway). Still remember I used to get really bad tension headaches and insomnia in my first year, then it was racing thoughts and hyperactive mind in my second year. Third year med was kinda okay, so was fourth year (research year and the year where the exams didn't really count towards anything, also incidentally the year where you get to spend your time doing lotsa things outside school like OCF.. hehe). Fifth year was the toughest (I think it's the first time I cried - it was interviewstyle exams and I was nervous/stressed the night before, so my friend decided we should all take a break and just worship God and tears just flowed when we sang Enter In. I was just overwhelmed as His peace filled my heart, literally as the song goes "King of glory, enter in..." Final year was supposedly the most stressful but I think after 6 years I learnt to cultivate the trust and dependence on God, that He'd carry me through like how He'd graciously done so in the previous years. And He did.
He did it all, BECAUSE.
Funny now as I look back on my student years it's become more obvious that the fingerprints of God are smeared right across each season. BIG enough to be the Creator of the universe, small enough that what matters to me matters to Him.
All the best for the exams, folks!!
The pharynx is inflammed and nasal passages congested!
Had to take sick leave today (friends had to teach me how to call in sick) so I wouldn't infect the hundreds of innocent lives in hospital! The thing is I KNOW which kid gave it to me! It was this seven-year-old fattyfattykiddie I saw two days ago (shan't reveal too much for patient confidentialitysake) who came in with a SUPER sore throat! Incidentally he BREATHED into my face although I was standing a METRE away. I remember I could imagine the virus-containing-respiratory-droplets floating and settling onto my mucous membranes and have now given me a SUPER sorethroat after incubating for two days in the ideal climate my oropharyngeal cavity provided.
Mmm...yummy paracetamol...
AH TAT!!!!!!! COOK PORRIDGE!!!!
(red font mine)
No pork for chang festival (!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
KUALA LUMPUR: Chinese celebrating the Dumpling Festival might have to go without their favourite “bak chang” or pork dumpling this year (HOW TO HAVE BAK CHANG WITHOUT PORK!! PORK = BAK. BAK = PORK! It's like KFC without CHICKEN, BAK kut Teh without pork and tea!! Char kuey teow without si ham.. Wanton mee without wanton.. Pisang Goreng without banana.. you get the idea).
This is because more than 3,000 pork sellers nationwide will not be opening shop for four days prior to the May 31 festival to protest against the “continuous” increase in ex-farm prices.
The price reached a record high of RM690 per 100kg on Sunday, compared with RM500 last year. Since January this year, prices have increased four times. (PORK IS NOT cheap k..and the value continues to appreciate.. think twice next time before you call someone a pig)
National Pork Seller Association chairman (hehe what a glorious title, you wonder if it's been a childhood ambition) Goh Chui Lai said the four-day boycott would start on May 27. The decision was made at an emergency meeting on Sunday night attended by association representatives from all states.
“If we do not increase prices, we cannot survive. For every 100kg we sell, we make less than RM50. And we have to deduct operational costs.”
“Pig farmers are manipulating prices by reducing supply so that they can keep charging higher prices,” he alleged.
However, the Federation’s Pig Unit vice-chairman (i think this is even better) Sim Ah Hock refuted the claim.
“It is not true that we reduced supply to increase prices. The low supply is because of strict government regulations and also due to the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak which affected our stocks,” said Sim.
He said the unit would call for a meeting to discuss the association’s proposed boycott.
“We want to make sure that consumers will able to buy pork for their chang during the coming Dumpling Festival,” he said. (yes please, VERY IMPORTANT!!)
He said the ministry would call for a meeting between pork sellers and pig farmers to reach an amicable solution as the current problem between them was affecting consumers (in malaysia, singapore, some say Melbourne oso ah!).
I still can't figure out whether it's the being in the centre of attention bit... or the getting to hear from / be with people I love bit that made the birthday weekend such a good one! Am thankful to God for surrounding my life with such beautiful people - family and friends, in Melbourne and abroad... who always make me feel special. I think it's the consistent security, love and encouragement that taught me humility and gave me the ability to be able to promote others above myself...
Mum was the first to call (like a day before) - I think she knows that her happening daughter would be out: "HAPPY BIRTHDAY ahh.. make sure you got celebrate, go and have a nice dinner with ah tat (which I did...seafood platter yumyum).. And make sure you eat more fruits ha.. you know ah.. they say fruits are very good for taking away the toxic things in your body.. so eat it half an hour before your dinner, like before you cook dinner.. so that when you are cooking you can digest the fruit, then when your dinner is ready your stomach is ready also......"
And then there were calls and SMSes (wah so popular) after midnight from friends and family who had good memory and loved me. Then a day after there were still some calls and SMSes from friends and family who also loved me but had notsogood memory - which I didn't mind coz it just meant I got to celebrate my birthday for like THREE DAYS... Oo.. my notsolittle brother (who's working back home now) sent a message reading "happy birthday to my wonderful sister"... I couldn't help smiling, somehow it's extrasweet coming from naughtyboy brother whose hobby is to tease me and ahtat...
My colleagues were sweet to insist on sneaking out so we could have some coffee and donuts downstairs (we got to sit around for like 15mins before our pagers got busy beeping with SMS-like messages about patients who needed some attention.... as in, medical attention).
My young adults' cell surprised me pre-dinner..
Then OCF cell had a lovely cake for me too.. (heehee benefits of joining TWO cell groups)..
Just when I thought everything was over.. I went home and was pleasantly surprised by the Brunetti cakebox that was sitting on my dining table (which was empty because the HEAVY cake was hiding in my room along with my favourite peoples)... so I ran in to SURPRISE them (yay).. ah tat was the mastermind behind all these (he has a great gift of making people feel special).
Then the next day lunch and homecooked dinner with the OLDER OCFers.. hehe.. they treat me like a little sister because I am SO YOUNG (the power of denial)...
I love life!! I love this celebration of life =) God continues to make all things beautiful.. thank you to each and everyone of you who have added and brought much joy and meaning into my life through your friendships. Love you all!!
1. ah tat who was our centre rep working hard to accommodate / get people going to camp, plus organized buses and got the campers there!! (and back)!! **proud approving smile** - mum was also impressed!
2. Black and orange lanyards with OCF Victoria printed on!
3. Heaters in dining hall (that you wish you could take with when you go to the showers).
4. Showertime!! Talking to people when you are showering (which you don't get to do at home). Shower curtains that stick to you when you turn on the water - think Bernoulli's principle (low air pressure area attracts shower curtains).
5. Getting deserved airtime to share lame jokes - thanks LiWei for continuously believing in me...
6. Girls workshop!! Read previous entry on beautiful woman.. for even more details, read Captivating by Stasi Eldredge.
7. DG!! (which stands for Discovery Group) - their curiosity and interest in Jesus taught me that God is the answer to so many of the situations we have in life - He is a relevant God indeed! Praise God for the many that took a joyful step into a wonderful relationship with Jesus - a decision that is of no regrets!
8. D&G!! (Debs and Gillian from Adelaide) - we meet each other like once a year (thanks to events like OCF convention) but each time we come together, we just connect (in G's words - kindred spirits) - passionate to live the call of God in our lives, passionate in our pursuit of Him, passionate about OCFers and the mission ahead!
9. VIC OCFers being fantastic hosts to newcomers and friends! Am really proud of my MUOCFers - each time I look, they're serving others, having a good chat with new friends, getting to know people from other centres - great going, team! I love serving under Lucien, Jolyn and the comm - not just coz of what they're like upfront but their deep hunger for more of God!!
10. Thai missions team sharing! The team just shared their hearts out and I was inspired again and again - that the trip blessed both the Thai people and the team members - God's abundant blessings!
11. Taking crazy photos by the Portsea beach!!
12. The other side of EmSeck that you don't see - when she's not being good and quiet working diligently on her Archi projects, she's away practising her kungfu kicks by the beach (on Dong).
and of course, Dong could not withstand her powerful, wongfeihung kicks...
14Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue ruler said to the people, "There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath."
15The Lord answered him, "You hypocrites! Doesn't each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? 16Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?"
17When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing.
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We may not be crippled physically, but many of us are crippled emotionally / spiritually - largely due to past experiences, upbringing...
Six things about being a beautiful woman of God that we can learn from the crippled woman:
1. A beautiful woman positions herself well - i.e in the presence of her Lover. God has created us with a desire to be loved, to have affection and approval. However when we start seeking these things first, we end up a desolate woman, just searching everywhere for these desires to be fulfilled. Instead we need to be positioned to hear the gentle whispers of our Lover, Jesus. Want a satisfying love from Jesus? Guard our time with Him, guard that date with Him. The crippled woman went exactly where Jesus was, where she knew she would meet Him, hear Him, have Him meet her deepest needs.
2. A beautiful woman acknowledges her disabilities/wound. We need not be ashamed to name the jealousy/bitterness/insecurities that are making us void. They result in us becoming emasculating / domineering / distant / wary / untrusting toward others. Rather, we need to identify them and allow God to work to free us from them.
3. A beautiful woman steps forward toward Jesus - rendering herself vulnerable before God and man. We need to be honest and transparent with God, and good trusted friends.
4. A beautiful woman allows Jesus to heal her.
5. A beautiful woman knows her identity. We are daughters of the King. We have been cleansed from the past, present and future wrongs, forgiven, made whole, made new - that is the finished work of Christ. Our Creator says that we are fearfully and wonderfully made - Psalm 131.
6. A beautiful woman stands upright, confident, overflowing in praise of her God. We are women of destiny, fashioned for greatness, princess warriors. Women rested in our souls.
~ Sarah Koh, VIC Easter Camp 2006.
Journeying On.......
"Ahh.. the pen! We would be jobless without the pen, all that we do around the hospital is paperwork, that's all they need us for, fill this in, sign that, write that up..." - semi-sarcastic fellow intern.
"penny, you're gonna be here till 8 if you're always doing the other people's jobs. Just keep to what's necessary..." - semi-reprimanding senior colleague after I helped another colleague look after a sick patient.
Subtle, but these are things that potentially would shape me day after day, especially in these impressionable early years as a junior dr. I've always enjoyed learning from others, being teachable, but more and more the responsibility lies in me to filter what I'd allow into my thoughts and soul.
When Jesus asked Peter "who do people say I am?"... He already knew who He was. He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God - the confidence He had lied in His identity. It wasn't shaken by His hanging out with unimportant, insignificant people, it wasn't crushed by His bending down to wash His disciples' feet.
My identity is in Christ - I am a child of the Living King, who is rich and hence I am able to be generous to offer to others based on what's in His account ('savings'.. hehe..)! And I want to continue to have the loving, compassionate, gracious mind of Christ, careful not to allow myself to continue to be stifled and restricted by the mindset of "just doing the necessary", of being narrow and small. Because I believe I have more than medical knowledge to offer.
Everyday, words will be spoken. We don't have control over what people may say...
But...arrest/filter/resist words spoken over you that drive you further away from His destiny for you. And accept/meditate/practice with diligence words that agree with what He says about you in His Word.
Who does He say you are?
“Do not fear; let not your hands be weak. The Lord your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17
"I pray that we as Christians never lose our conviction that God does change lives. Change is a gift from God. It is given to the person who finds himself too far removed from what he feels destiny has ordained for him. Unbelief in God's ability to change causes people to judge others on the basis of their past."
"He created man from dust. He created him in such a way that, if need be, He could pull a woman out of him without ever having to reach back into the dust. Out of one creative act God transformed the man into a marriage. Then He transformed the marriage into a family, the family into a society, etc. God never had to reach into the ground again because the power to transform was intrinsically placed into man. All types of potential were locked into our spirits before birth. For the Christian, transformation at its optimum is the outworking of the internal. God placed certain things in us that must come out."
-Can You Stand to Be Blessed? - by TD Jakes.
So it's true what they said about how 6 years of medical school doesn't prepare you for what you'd face at work.
I have many things to be thankful about for the past 10 weeks of working in the general medical wards, namely my immediate bosses (ie senior doctors) and my intern partner. I thought we made a great team, in the way that we aways lift one another up with the things we say, and how my partner and I would help with each other's workload. Not to mention how everyone's got a great sense of humour at the right times and the right amount of concern and seriousness when it came to work. It really made a difference!
Feeling competent was something else altogether. Somehow theoretical knowledge didn't always translate into practice, and there's been countless episodes where I'd felt so uncertain of myself, or decisions I've made. Like almost missing a possible diagnosis of cancer (the patient didn't have it as we eventually found out but the fact that I didn't consider it as a possibility was incompetency on my part). Another time I thought a patient had a heart attack when she didn't (well at least better than the other way round). And once when I'd made a certain diagnosis at work then changed my mind as I was driving back and had a chance to think deeper about the case. Ended up having to call my colleague to treat the patient based on the second line of thought. (see.. warned you not to come into hospital in the beginning of the year! You'd really get a heart attack!! (and be told later that it was a misdiagnosis.. hehe))
Now that I begin to reflect over the past weeks, I realize how important it was that God had shaped my character over the years of walking with Him (and is continuing to shape my character) to face these challenges.
Despite feeling incompetent due to a lack of knowledge and experience, I continued to feel significant in my role, knowing that this is something God has meant for me to do. Feeling significant translated into confidence. Confidence in admitting my mistakes, confidence in asking not only doctors but nurses about things I was unsure about. Confidence to be honest and almost vulnerable to allow others to have an accurate assessment of my capabilities and incapabilities as a doctor at this stage. Sometimes the fastest way to learn is to be able to quickly admit the painful truth of where you're at so that you can get on to where you need to be. (Kee, 2006)
Hung out with a new friend last night - she's a nurse in the wards, from India! Invited her to watch Bollywood at SidneyMyer Music Bowl... but it was full by the time we got there, so ended up chatting by the river. She spoke about how the nurses liked working with my partner and I, and thought we were a good team, helpful, not sitting on our high horses...
I think she really helped put into perspective the things that matter, and the things that matter more. Knowledge is certainly important, and almost determines your success in the career. But it's clear that CHARACTER is what carries and maintains the success.
It's a good thing that it's quicker to develop knowledge than character. Actually it's quite easily fixable - will spend some time at the library from next week onwards! (yes, reading up on the diagnosis of a heart attack... ahem.. the medical term is Acute Myocardial Infarction, at least I know)..
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Due to a lack of brainspace, I think I'm almost cured of the tendency to come up with lame / corny jokes. But here's one from a medical drama - Scrubs:
Q: Why didn't the scallop go to the party?
A: Because it had noBODY to go with!!!
Have a good week ahead everybody!!
Dale..
You must've arrived safely by now. Better enjoy your time back home because you'll be back here soon (haha wishful thinking). Have fun at work and take good care of yourself (also allow the people around you to take care of you before you jump straight into taking care of everyone)...
Feels weird not having you around, realized how much we've spurred each other on in good (and naughty) deeds and love. Read and re-read your letter (sounds a lot like the one I wrote you)... Haha from Fiji to China to Thailand... am gonna have a hard time finding my next partner in crime... (plus who's gonna pray for me at camp altar calls now)!!
Sigh.. be good okay. Make a difference in our beloved country. Your heart - keep it beating with Dad's...
Love
Chip
The general medical ward just seems to be filled with frail elderly (big) men and (little) women, mostly confused, incontinent, suffering from heart / kidney failures, pneumonias, urinary tract infections; they all seem to merge into one big patient at first. But over the last 3 weeks spent in the wards I've really grown fond of them, especially the longer-staying ones, each with their own little unique and special personalities. A number of them have gotten better and are getting discharged tomorrow, I think I'm gonna miss them (especially the really pleasant ones =P)!
A few interesting characters...
There was this lady in her 80's who believes she should look her best though staying in the wards. Makeup, neat hairdo, even the hospital gown somehow appears stylish when it's on her. When I told her she's well enough to go home, she was overjoyed: "Ohh.. thank you, doctor! You have been very kind to me, and you are always dressed so neatly, yes, I've noticed that everyday you make an effort to dress well, and you look really pretty."
????????????
Then there was my favourite confused gentleman...
We normally ask the delirious i.e. confused patients three simple questions to see if they're oriented to time, place, and person. So..
Me: Hello Mr Z... can you tell me which year it is?
Mr Z: Errr.. 2001??
Me: It's 2006, Mr Z. Do you know where we are?
Mr Z: Surrey Hills!
Me: We're at the Austin Hospital, sir... Now do you know who I am? (which you'd expect them to say doctor / nurse, or my name if they're really good)...
Mr Z: You?? Hehhh... you're a Chinese girl!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And lastly, this old little lady who was getting better from her infection but decided one day that she didn't wanna eat! So I was trying to persuade her...
Me: Mrs Y... I heard that you haven't eaten very much today. Why is that?
Mrs Y: I don't wanna eat!
Me: Uhh..okay.. can you tell me why?
Mrs Y: I've had enough to eat (which she hadn't eaten anything yet).
Me: Hmmm.. but if you don't eat, we're gonna have to keep you on the drip.. and you won't be able to go home if you still have the drip running into your arm...
Mrs Y: No.. I don't wanna eat.
Me: (points at dinner) Ohh but look Mrs Y... tonight's food is really yummy.. there's roast chicken, mashed potatoes, veggies...
Mrs Y: NO...
Me: Not even a little bit?? Please??
Mrs Y: Sighh.. you know, you're gonna nag your husband to death next time!
Me: (a bit speechless for a while, then there's almost the AllyMcBeal-type of mental imagery of me shoving the food into her mouth =P)...
Be careful when heading for tourist destinations, eg Disneyland, etc...
Despite:
- having to wake up very early;
- being a blurnut most times;
- appearing clueless;
- having to say x1000 "this is my first week at work";
- failed attempts at putting drips into veinless patients;
- not having very much of a lunch break;
- having to stay back to finish off the tasks;
- staplers running out of staples when I need it;
- papers getting jammed in the photocopier;
- computer not printing;
- computer print jobs printing out everywhere else but the printer next to me...
I AM LOVING MY JOB.
I have found meaning...
... in smiling, having a kind word to say, extending a hand to be held...
Amidst it all.
God's love and compassion - they overflow.
9am: Wake up.
9.30am: Drive to work and park at designated spot reserved for doctors ONLY
10am: Morning tea with consultants and other senior doctors, exchanging witty remarks and jokes, getting a pat on the back for having finished med school.
11am: Ward rounds - patiently and cleverly advising patients about their various ailments, full of empathy and care
12pm: Lunch break - meeting up with other interns and exchanging our amazing stories of how 6 years of uni has totally geared us up for this. We are totally focused towards giving our best care to our patients, just like what we started out to be.
1pm: Walking around the wards, getting the nurses to do things. Once in a while stopping to hear patients' concerns. Some paperwork in between, proudly signing my initials next to important documents and prescriptions.
3pm: Afternoon tea
3.30pm: Seeing patients. Hearing their complaints about symptoms they have been experiencing, listening intently into the stethoscope and hearing every wheeze and abnormal heart sound. Informing them of their diagnosis, followed by steps they need to do to get well. And of course, ending with the advice that "prevention is better than cure"
5.00pm: People wave goodbye as I leave for home... as I gave a slight nod to acknowledge them.
...............
The reality....
6.30am: RINGggggggggggggggg!! And Penny wakes up from her fantasy.
All I can say is... thank God for dumbcredits! I am totally maxing mine out.
The working adult starts the exciting journey...
Today was orientation. Lotsa talks, free meals, pieces of advice from the seniors. Realized that the last time I had to try to remember stuff or think was... a month ago.
They were really encouraging though. Mainly teaching us how to learn from our mistakes. Apparently a study showed that people with more experience make the same amount of mistakes as the juniors. Just that they recover quicker from their mistakes. I think a huge part of the intern year is to really be able to make the most out of mistakes made and keep doing well what you're doing right. Mistakes will remain as part and parcel of life. Repeating them should not.
It was also a relief to know that interns aren't expected to know much in the first few weeks and hence we can ask any dumb questions we want. Better to be thought dumb for a few minutes than to really remain dumb for the rest of the years. But after a month we are expected to know something... so I really need to try to expend my dumbcredits in the next few weeks before they expire.
This is all very humbling. At least I've got a prepared attitude, if nothing else. And surely God is with me.
And I've got a piece of advise to all my loved ones out there... DO NOT get admitted into a hospital during Jan-Feb. The interns are at loose........ !!
*****
Soph here's one just for you (though I didn't come up with it)
Q: What does Mozart do, now that he's dead?
A: He de-composes.
At the immigration office, needing to get my visa sorted out - queing up to get a number...
Lady behind the counter (as she hands me my waiting number): I'm sorry love, I'm afraid you're going to have to wait quite a while before someone is available.
Me: Oh dear, would you know how long I might have to wait?
She: Hmm.. at this point, we're looking at approximately a half an hour wait...
Me: Oh that's alright! (half-tempted to pretend to throw a tantrum going.. HALF AN HOUR!!!!!!!!!!!?????)
(Ha ha she obviously does not realize that I've just arrived from the MyKad country)...By the way my friend advises that you should go with your grandmother when you need to get MyKad done because they give special privileges to "warga emas". She did hers in like 15mins.
Anyway I only had to wait 15mins to and they took 5mins to process my visa! Just that I paid a ridiculous AUD 3.50 for parking (i.e. RM 10 = char koay teow x3 plates)
Ah Tat... meet Yo. Our new brother! He's 15, from Thailand! He's cool.. and supernice! I think he's really good looking too =P
Due to popular demand, I've decided to post more photos from Thailand (yes I've only recently discovered that I can post photos on friendster blog)...
Here's a selection of some cute photos from my album.
First up is of course the 20cmx15cm little John:
Here's John the Thai pup eating his rice. The pic is a bit blur because he was wagging his tail too much till his whole body was like vibrating and couldn't stay still for the shot. He couldn't finish his food actually. A few minutes later it was eaten up by the bigger dogs ("it" referring to the food not the pup).
Mit trying to cheer the kid up...
I wasn't much better at it. He just looked rather uncomfortable...
He decided to run away...
And we found out why...=P
More random photos...
Guess who...
Just got back from my trip to Bangkok / Nakhon Sri Thammarat and suffering from withdrawal symptoms wishing it didn't have to end! It was an amazing trip, especially in being able to experience God's power in healing of the sick, His comfort of the brokenhearted, lifting up of the downcast, provision for the needy... He is certainly the Great I Am, everything that we ever needed or hoped for.
I LOVE THE TEAM!
From top to bottom, left to right: Nai-cheowl, Dong, Mitsheowl, SuetBeng, me, Ajan Wit (local pastor), Hengsome, Em, Krystin aka Ling, Tian Mi Mi, Jan-jee-lak (= beautiful in Thai)
English Camp at Tar Pae Resort (Liming was once crowned Miss Tar Pae 2004. For 2006 it's ME ME ME)... The team taught English and we had lotsa fun doing action songs. I hope the kids had fun too =P
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Learning guitar from Josie the little girl who likes to pretend she doesn't know how to play the guitar...
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Michelle - domesticated and currently able to make Som Tam (Thai papaya salad)!!
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Our humble abode, where we sleep (guys and girls separate), do devotionals, eat (emotional food), pray, laugh, cry, and make funny faces (check out the piggy.. no, not the pink one).
The team was dressed exactly like the waiters in the restaurant and thought we might just assume the role!
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Family in Christ...
My new Thai family! The beautiful young lady (not me, the other one)... her name is Pla and she's my best friend in Thailand. Her parents have just decided to have me as a daughter so now I've got Thai parents! They love me a lot =)
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The family puppy. Err.. his name is John! He came to bid me farewell at the bus station too... He's really small, like 20cmx15cm...
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.Farewell... Off in a Songthaew!
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UNITY - the team worked not for, but from unity. God kept us loving, caring, and gracious with one another throughout the trip - for His glory!
A big THANK YOU to Wayne and Hsu En who have coordinated the prayer support groups, and thanks for partnering in prayer, everyone. It's been a missions trip where His Name is lifted high indeed.
Truth teaches me that Santa Claus (a.k.a St Nicholas of Myra - a 4th Century bishop known for his generosity with gifts to the needy and widows in his time - St Nicholas ---> Santa Nikolas ---> Sinta Klaas ---> Santa Claus!) has nothing to do with the "true" meaning of Christmas. In fact, a "distraction" from what Christmas is all about - the birth of Jesus, God's gift to us.
BUT...
Compassion shows me that Santa Claus / Father Christmas is more relevant than we realize. He represents the outcry of a generation of children who lack a father figure - a generation who is living through marriages that end up broken half the time, living through relationships of an abusive nature... A longing for a father who is happy (ho ho ho), who generously provides, who loves to give good gifts, who is CONSISTENT - at least he's there every year, as promised!
Little does the world realize that this longing can be fulfilled every single day of the year, whether we are naughty or nice. We don't even have to make a wishlist, He knows before we ask. This is our Father in Heaven, who loves to give good gifts to His children, who shows and guides us in the journey of life, who loves us just the way we are but loves us too much to let us stay the same, who speaks to us gently, slow to anger and not bad-tempered, who listens to our cries in the night and comforts us, who keeps our deepest darkest secrets... a best friend.
***
Letter from a cleverkid:
Dear Santa,
What I want for Christmas this year aren't gifts or toys. I want YOU - because I figured that if I have you, I can have anything I want anytime of the year.
Signed,
cleverkid.
***
Seek the Giver not the gift.
My "HO" peng you sent me... (it's funnier than my jokes i promise):
*Honk! Beep! Honk honk honk!!* Inching along in the traffic...
Non-indicating vehicles. Indicator equals threat ("ohh noo.. someone wants to cut into my lane, I better speed up...")
No dangling handbags, beware snatch thieves...
"Pennnyyyyy ahhh.. WAKE UP ALREADY LOH!! So late liao... faster fetch mummy to the hairdresser's, got no parking..."
"Pennnyyyy ahhh.. where are you? So late already better come back loh.. Nowadays a lot of kidnappers ahhh..."
"Wahh.. big girl already loh.. dr penny ah.. next time aunty see you for free ah.."
"Ehh city got everything ah? Like that city no what?"
"Ermm.. city no-haliza..."
Assam laksa. Assam fish. Nasi lemak kampung. Indian mee goreng. Chilli crab. Pork noodles (chu yok mee). Prawn noodles. Roast duck. Genkisushi softshellcrab roll. Hokkien mee. Bak kut teh...
No housework for a month =p
Uninterrupted time reading non-textbooks.
Divide all prices by three.
Little cousins, nephews, nieces toddling around the house and running away from the stranger whom they see once a year =(
Secretly proud parents who keep boasting about their daughter-turned-doctor behind my back.
Friends - after all these years of changes, differing seasons of lives, yet faithful, fun...
It all comes in a package. I've had to learn to love my country, am ashamed to say. God taught me; He loves the M'sian folks even more - more and more people are realizing that =)
Dear fav peeps,
While you were sleeping, I was already up at 7am your time, listening attentively to Ps Ted at church today. As always, church was superb. I took down notes for y'all!
Matthew 18:28-30 (The Message)
28"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. 29Walk with me and work with me--watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. 30Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."
RECOVER...
We can only recover what we previously owned. E.g. "I can't go to the police station and ask them to recover my Ferrari *snicker* coz I never owned one to begin with", says Ted.
Sometimes we think when we give our lives to God, that He just wants to take away what we desire/enjoy/our dreams. We think our will and God's will never meet, that it's totally different. We're afraid to give our lives to Him because we're afraid He'll give us something we don't want, afraid He will extract from our lives. In fact He wants to recover, restore.
But KNOW that your desires have been put there by God. REMEMBER that Jesus has your best interest at heart. Everything that you want out of life, God wants it even more for you. He has designed you, and the dreams within you. God has put plans in our lives and the only way we'll be able to reach it is with God in our lives.
With God, He makes your dreams come true. Without Him, your desires become bland. Without God, You can be a successful CEO of a company and have lotsa money but you could come home at night, sit in the dark and be all lonely. With God, you can be a successful CEO of a company and have lotsa money but you come home and feel awesome. Even if you lost your position and all your money, with God, you'd still feel awesome.
He will give me everything that is beneficial to me. Whatever is NOT, it means I'll have to push for it... and that disturbs the rhythm of our walk as I'm yoked with Him. I don't wanna have to push. I wanna move in effortless grace...I wanna learn the unforced rhythms of grace...
Watch your dreams unfold when you have God in your life, when you give your life to Him!
=)
now... can I have the musicians up the stage please...
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