Sunday, May 18, 2008

Ramblings over a long weekend

Friday
In the afternoon, helped cover for a friend in terms of examining a patient for Long Case discussion this coming Thursday. The patient was a child psychologist, who apparently had an episode of headache and fainting. We talked abit, for 2 hours (disappointed lar, missed the Thomas cup badminton semi-finals between Malaysia and China). Being very stressed, he tried to convince me why 2-3 cigarettes a day is good for your health. But I guess, he shared it coz I tried to see things from his point of view lar, non-judgementally..

I think it is a rather tragic story that his mum fainted while he was in India studying, and passed away of unknown causes. Then, after he flew back the next day, his dad fainted while nagging him about the fact that he is the only bachelor left in the family, and passed away at that moment. Learnt he hard way not to try to be funny with patients when asking questions, coz I kind of joked with him earlier about him being single.

It was a rather long time spent there.. Imagine lar a patient offering to share his tea break cake and Milo with you. He was upset that the nurse gave him panadol on an empty stomach, he told me he scolded the F-word at the doctor.. *swt* Then, he asked me to say Hi to one of my HK classmates who was 'cute'.. *swt*

He was commenting that the tutor who took them was a very good teacher. You can see that he was really determined in imparting what he knows to his students wholeheartedly. Of course lar I know, coz that tutor happened to be my tutor also for long case. Initially when I 1st met him, he seemed to be a rather strict, no-nonsense person. But I guess, it's only at the end of your posting, when you are swapping tutors that you appreciate nice people like him.. Respect lar..

Went for gym later with a few friends, and had a chat when we finished. A friend was sharing about a young patient with a terminal disease in the wards, comforting his crying mum in the wards, trying his best to remain calm even though his prognosis is poor. It reminded her of an incident from the past (I'll not mention what). And as much as I don't want to, I got reminded of Year 1 Australian rural week, when I got news of a fellow secondary school classmate dying after a fall from the 18th floor of his university hostel. Then a few weeks later, an uncle whom I was very close to (just spent time with him during Chinese New Year that year, and he seemed fine then before I flew off), passed away 2 days before my mid semester 2 exam due to terminal liver cancer Time span of say, 5 months? The fragility of life.. Here today, gone tomorrow.

Anyway, duno lar how I would have reacted in her shoes in that case, or is it that I have already been desensitised already from a previous incident..

Saturday
After a short interrupted nap, went and watched Narnia at Pelangi. I was lazy to change my Monash t-shirt, so I just put on a pair of jeans. To my horror, somebody who came along decided to copy me (NO, I HAVE NO INTENTIONS OF MAKING YOU MY FASHION ROLE MODEL). Pfft.. Well, minus all the hoo-hah about the Susan + Prince Caspian love scene, it was a pretty good film. I enjoyed it. I guess there are a few things I can sum up from the movie:
1. There is a need to be wise and plan ahead, otherwise rushing into doing something may result in disastrous consequences not only for us, but people around us.
2. The need to be united and humble.
3. It pays to have a simple, child-like faith, even if adults don't believe you (ie go and talk to trees more :p lolz).
4. Sometimes when the going gets tough, it is so easy to want to cheat / take the easy way out.
5. Look at what you have, not what you don't have.
6. God is never late, even at the last minute. And hope never fails.
7. Rodents can be so funny :p

Ok lar, kidding for the last part.. but at the end of the movie I was getting a little emo / high (gazing up at the cinema ceiling).. nothing really lar. As much as I shouldn't be worrying, just reflecting long and hard on a few things lar.. among them was myself having come quite a long way since Melbourne, where I am now at this point, having transited here and there (ie my current state, things I'm going through in JB), and like the movie, me going back there in my final year (kind of completes the full circle right, of a journey which kind of started there). How is it going to be like? What will I bring with me over there? Looking back at that time, what will I see? And what next after that?



Ok.. better stop, thinking too much :p Move on.

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