Wednesday, November 21, 2007

The Yellow Shop

Went 2 SS15 2 cut my hair today.. haven't really done that since I was studying in Taylor's.. walked along one of da streets, when I noticed the hairdresser's place where I used 2 get my haircut was no longer there, replaced by an office building..

Last time I was there (it was on da 2nd floor of one of the shoplots), it took me 2 hours just 2 get a hair cut.. aiya, u will know lar when u r qualified 2 bcome a grandma.. anyway, i usually ended up waiting 4 more than an hour if she has customers (usually some aunty) perming their hair.. (If u r wondering what I was doing at such a place, I was so stingy that time, I didnt want 2 pay more than RM10 4 a haircut, so I rather wait - til I discovered the Indian barber across the road)..

Friendly grandma.. she would ask me bout my course (doing A-levels back then), my family, hometown etc.. long chats we had usually made me 4got how super long I took just 2 get a haircut, but nevertheless I didnt really mind, I reminded myself 2 bring newspapers 2 read whenever I dropped by.. her daughter who was studying in Chinese school would then run up 2 me and ask me 2 help with her primary school maths homework. lolz

Compared with hair saloons u c in shopping complexes and stuff, hers was a simple setup.. old magazines stacked on the cushion. the whole family lived there - in fact the saloon was practically their living room. Nevertheless, simple people living simple lives. Contented. Sleeping on mattresses on the floor. Surviving in the midst of brisk development in the area. No signs of headaches. And here I am wondering what in the world is going 2 happen tomorrow, or whether I am going 2 b able 2 achieve / get my hands on this or that..

They have probably moved on. I probably should as well.

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Listening to..

I like this song.. inspired by watching Grey's anatomy - earlier episodes from da very first season..

Friday, November 16, 2007

Run Through the Rain!



She had been shopping with her Mom in Walmart. She must have been 6 years old, this beautiful brown haired, freckle faced image of innocence. It was pouring outside. The kind of rain that gushes over the top of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the Earth it has no time to flow down the spout.

We all stood there under the awning and just inside the door of the Walmart. We waited, some patiently, others irritated because nature messed up their hurried day. I am always mesmerized by rainfall. I get lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world. Memories of running, splashing so carefree as a child come pouring in as a welcome reprieve from the worries of my day.

Her voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all caught in. "Mom, let's run through the rain," she said. "What?" Mom asked. "Let's run through the rain!" She repeated. "No, honey. We'll wait until it slows down a bit," Mom replied. This young child waited about another minute and repeated: "Mom, let's run through the rain!" "We'll get soaked if we do," Mom said. "No, we won't, Mom. That's not what you said this morning," the young girl said as she tugged at her Mom's arm. "This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet?" "You said, 'If God can get us through this, he can get us through anything!'"

The entire crowd stopped dead silent. You couldn't hear anything but the rain. We all stood silently. No one came or left in the next few minutes. Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say. Now some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly. Some might even ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young child's life. A time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it will bloom into faith.

"Honey, you are absolutely right. Let's run through the rain. If God lets us get wet, well maybe we just needed washing," Mom said. Then off they ran. We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they darted past the cars and yes, through the puddles. They held their shopping bags over their heads just in case. They got soaked. But they were followed by a few who screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars. And yes, I did. I ran. I got wet. I needed washing.

Circumstances or people can take away your material possessions, they can take away your money, and they can take away your health. But no one can ever take away your precious memories... So, don't forget to make time and take the opportunities to make memories every day! To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven.

I hope you still take the time to run through the rain!

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

2 down, 1 2 go

*opens exam paper, wonders why there are no Short Answer Questions, 102 MCQ questions??!!* :p

Ok lar.. honestly, felt a sense of peace while doing the paper.. not stressed at all, although half the paper I duno how 2 answer (was shooting here and there). Can hear Ji Keon sighing behind me so many times.. all the negative energy flow :p lolz

I just realised 2 things:
1. If I put an answer the first time based on gut instinct, never change the answer coz whenever I do that, 99% of the time the 2nd answer will turn out 2 b wrong.
2. If a friend who usually does better than me already has almost 30 mistakes, what more me? super alot of mistakes lar.. i duno, but then.. the more i go back 2 check the answers, the more stressed up i become, so I shall not bother til after Wednesday.
3. I got only 1 day 2 study Year 1 stuff.. but I will rely on God's grace :-) Wednesday merdeka!!!!!

Sunday, November 11, 2007

Exam in just over 12 hours

Thanks 2 Mosquito 4 da encouraging SMS..

I got a big headache (need panadol) after cramming 20 lecture notes and 1 chapter of anatomy yesterday (new record). Slept at around 2, woke up 2day feeling terrible. Ji Keon even more siao, anatomy of Head and Neck in 3 hours.. :p It's like a rush.

Why headache? Coz I only managed 2 cover just over 1/3 of year 2 stuff (what more Year 1 haven't started much), and out of the 1/3, I don't remember much, coz the stress has oxidated my brain cells :p The year 3's in JB have warned that if we don't start early, we will be digging our own grave.. Well, like a friend said, this time Monash dug the grave for us with the assignment pile-ups. If I don't pass, then I can say bye bye 2 going 4 church convention in Kuching in December, as supplementary exams are during that time.

My QT yielded 4 verses in the past week. I mentioned 2 in an earlier post. And despite that I'm still suffering from headache. It's like during last week's CF where we were sharing bout the feelings of being blindfolded and led 2 walk from one end of Building 6 2 another, then up the stairs.. Despite being led by the voice of the person in front, some of us still feel around 4 pillars with our outstretched arms and steps with our feet..

I think it has come 2 a point where God is probably fed up dy n had 2 smack me during this morning's praise and worship with
Psalm 121:1-3
I lift my eyes to the hills - where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip - he who watches over you will not slumber;

Nothing much I can do dy.. stayed back in church til 5pm coz of the rain.. thanx 4 everybody's prayers though.. we'll c how it goes, still abit of fever though.

p/s: Chris, bring ur guitar. Either tomorrow or Wednesday. I duno y, just a thought that came 2 mind. Maybe I'm suffering from thought insertion :p lolz

Friday, November 09, 2007

1. I just studied thyroid and peptic ulcer drugs a few days ago. I did the formative quiz on MUSO and got the answers wrong. Was reading on MUSO how the Aussies' debate and discussions on certain topics show their depth of understanding of the topics they have studied. Felt like an idiot.

2. 3 days to 2nd year exam on Monday, and I have only finished 25% of 2nd year's work. And on Wednesday I have a 1st year + 2nd year combined paper. Haven't read much for that. And I'm super sick and fed up dy of staring at books from 10am til midnight non-stop. Mental block and can no longer absorb anymore.. Fever. Headache. Agitated..

While Clayton had all the time in the world to study from books and grasp certain concepts, here we are trying desperately to memorise as much bits and pieces of lecture notes as possible to be able to regurgitate them out in time for the exams.

All I know is that I don't want to sit for supplementary exams in December (ie I DESPERATELY want 2 pass.. 4get the results, at this point I will be happy if they don't phone me by 30 November).

....

Why in the world am I even bothering 2 rant it here.. Go away.

Wednesday, November 07, 2007

OSCE blunders - duno whether 2 laugh or cry

Slept at 1am, woke up at 5.30 am staring at the ceiling, stoning.. duno what 2 do.. tried 2 sleep back, but then it was freezing 4 some unknown reason..

Ok lar.. this is it so I thought, since we did not have much time 2 practice due 2 work overload, juz go in and c how..

Station 4 - Urinary system. Look at the patient and wondered how come so familiar wan? Then when patient looked up, turned out 2 b Shu Yi.. Didnt know how to proceed with the history coz patient was in super alot of pain.. only managed 2 reach family history..

Station 8 - Haematology station, explaining blood test results to patient (iron deficiency anaemia):
Patient: Ok, so what is this ferritin and iron saturation ar?
Me: Erm..
*stoning.. why does 8 minutes take so long to pass by - ended up simply crapping sumthing*
Patient: So what do you suggest I do ar coz I've been feeling very tired leh..
Me: Erm.. take iron tablets?
Patient: but i live in rural area leh.. my family is poor and husband busy, I have to look after the 3 kids..
Me: Erm.. do u take red meat (ie beef)?
Patient: No. Expensive..
Me: Erm, mayb u can try green leafy vegetables?? got non-heme iron kua..
Patient: *blank look on the face*
*sweat*

Station 10 - Cranial nerves of the eye
Me: Hmm.. looks like easy station..
*walks in, looks at simulated patient*
CHUA LI WEN!! WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU DOING HERE??
*heart stopped 4 a moment and immediately suffered mental block - somehow bitemporal hemianopia became bilateral hemianopia and the medial retina fibres which cross at the optic chiasm became temporal fibres.. pfft*
Note: Now u know y doctors r discouraged from treating their own relatives or friends, as it may affect their objectivity.

Station 11 - Respiratory station:
Me (running out the door after the station): Wait, what is this around my neck? This does not look like mine.
Examiner: Ya, come back with my stethoscope!!

Throbbing headache after OSCE.. went back home 2 sleep but couldn't. ended up stoning in bed, staring at the ceiling 4 more than an hour..

Monday, November 05, 2007

Stuck in a moment

.. actually, kinda more like lost in transition..

duno lar.. feeling emo, suffering from cold, fever, insomnia and stomach upsets.. probably the effects of studying til 3am and waking up at 8am.. super unprepared 4 the exams..

I dun like transition phases.. as in having to move on after a short period of time.. in 2 months time it's goodbye undergrad campus life, hello hospital phase in JB..

It's like 1 year i was in Aussie, then 1 year here in Sunway has been so stressed and zoomed past so FAST that I just did not even have the time to sit down and ponder or reflect.. yes, i am thankful for many things this year.. but didn't like that feeling of having 2 uproot so fast, not knowing what 2 expect for the next 3 years..

It's just.. me, and my difficulty accepting the need 2 move on from point A to point B.. I'm thinking too much, maybe I should go and re-read the SPM novel Terminal Tiga :p

Saturday, November 03, 2007

QT verses of the week



Psalm 46:1-3
"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging."

Isaiah 41:10
"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

Thursday, November 01, 2007

Faculty lockdown

6 days countdown 2 da OSCE (ie practical) on 7 November.

We had our first discussion today and a bit of practice based on the questions they released for us to prepare, hoping 2 continue our tomorrow and next week. Look at the questions also felt like dying dy, some of them look like history taking stations, but you just cannot guess what nonsense they are going 2 throw at you. Example:
Part A
Discuss contraception with Mrs X, answer her questions appropriately.
Part B will be given 2 u after u finish Part A.

No big deal wat, we thought, since from 2-8 November they will only seal off the learning suites and we should be able to still use the Histopathology lab to study, practice and print stuff.. at least that's wat we thought..

Today, apparently, they said during the 1 week period, access to admin staff and ALL LEARNING FACILITIES will be off limits to students. They want to use the histopatho lab for quarantine, so it will be locked up (cannot even come to study) and to prevent leakage of questions, they will be cutting off the internet access too??!! No borrowing of medical equipment for practice will be allowed after today.

WTH??? even da library will be super packed with other students studying..

and 15 lecture notes are missing (ie not given) on the repro system - considering the fact that it makes up 25% of our exam on the 12 November. Currently chasing the lecturers 4 them..

Crap, super S-C-R-E-W-E-D...

Addendum: In an about turn, the faculty decided now that the histo lab will be opened on weekends and Tuesday. yay!