Friday, July 21, 2006
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
My weekend (picture edition)
Saturday 
One of our good friends, Khush, is leaving in a week for the UK to pursue his studies and so he organised a get-together for all his friends. The mood of the evening was comfortably joyful, catching up with friends over dinner, eventhough in reality the event marked something quite the opposite.
[Here's Madeline, Micheal, Karen & moi]
Guess what I had for dinner? White & dark chocolate mousse hehe I know not much of a dinner but that was all I needed to keep me happy =) (very happy actually!).
[Happy ppl - Rochelle, Lesley, Sean with his big grin, & dear Maddie]
Oops, I realised that I don't even have pics of the man of the moment! Sorry Khush ;) soon soon.
Sean, Arthur, Karen & I couldn't stay long cos we were heading to 'something' we had been waiting all month for - to watch Russell Peters perform live! If you don't know who he is, where have you been?? He has got to be one of the best comedians ever =) and he was actually going to perform in Auckland and for one night only.
As expected, his show was great...totally new material which is always good, completely stand-up comedy meaning he picked on so many people in the audience! I was sitting up in the balcony so I knew I was safe *phew* but I spotted my friend, Balwinder, who was in the 3rd row from the stage and he told me after that he was scared s**t that he'd be picked on during the show haha lucky for him he wasn't.
You know what? 90% of the audience were Indians, like wow, it was definitely a statement saying "we represent!" *grin* all in support of their fellow Indian Russell =). And pick on them he did hehe especially with impersonations. He would include a line or two from his previous shows, like his chinese impersonation "Be a man, do the right thing". The crowd would go wild whenever we recognised one of these lines...and Russell had his reply ready - "You filthy downloaders," he said. That spurred the crowd even more and he laughed saying that only in his shows could you call the audience 'filthy' and they'd clap and cheer ;) so true hehe. He was able to keep us on our toes for 1.5 hours, fantastic show!
Sunday
I met up with Nadia, since she'd been away all week at Mata-Mata (ulu hehe) all week for her GP posting, and we indulged ourselves in some retail therapy =). There was definitely some lightening of our wallets but easing on the heart & soul after a demanding week *sigh*.
We later met up with Karen & Sean for a stint at the driving range! We're all basically complete beginners so from one person to the other, we didn't know what we were doing (!), but we had fun doing it anyway haha.
A perfect way to end a perfect weekend spent with friends.
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Orthopaedic surgery!
On to my next run - orthopaedics! (to my non-medical friends =) it has to do with your skeletal system i.e. bones, joints etc). Today was only my second day but already I found myself spending the entire day in the operating theatre - *exciting*. One thing I definitely have to say - orthopaedic surgery is nasty! Imagine fixing fractures by drilling through the bones, plates & screws being fitted in here and there, suturing (sewing) up gaping wounds, tugging & pulling...nasty.
However, I got to scrub in today! i.e. I got to wear an operating gown, glove up and assist the surgeon. And assist him I did...by cutting sutures! Haha about the most basic thing you can do...that and wipe up any blood that leaked out from the wounds. Ok those who cringed at the mention of the 'b' word, I shall talk of it no more ;). Wow, scrubbing in is a pretty extensive procedure (or rather it seems that way when you're new to it hehe) - first, you put on ur (suffocating) face mask and then you spend 5 mins on just washing your hands, hence the term 'scrubbing in'. Next, you put on the gown which is sterile (that fact is so drilled into you by every single nurse and doctor in the OT) and putting on ur gloves is another chore cos you can't just pick it up with your fingers - you gotta pick the glove up with your hand tucked in the sleeve of your gown, never touching with exposed fingertips. And I had to put on two pairs of gloves lagi - susahnya! Struggled I did hehe the staff giving me knowing smiles which said 'ahh this is her first time'. Then one of the nurses tied up my gown for me, oh how I felt special haha! And that was it, I was ready =).
It felt great thought, being able to witness everything up close since I was scrubbed in - one of the patient's had a shattered leg bone and after just two hours, the surgeon had pieced everything together and the bone was held intact with a plate and screws. Wonders, surgeons can do. I can't wait till the next time I get to scrub in, let's hope I manage to get it done in under 20 mins this time *grin*.
However, I got to scrub in today! i.e. I got to wear an operating gown, glove up and assist the surgeon. And assist him I did...by cutting sutures! Haha about the most basic thing you can do...that and wipe up any blood that leaked out from the wounds. Ok those who cringed at the mention of the 'b' word, I shall talk of it no more ;). Wow, scrubbing in is a pretty extensive procedure (or rather it seems that way when you're new to it hehe) - first, you put on ur (suffocating) face mask and then you spend 5 mins on just washing your hands, hence the term 'scrubbing in'. Next, you put on the gown which is sterile (that fact is so drilled into you by every single nurse and doctor in the OT) and putting on ur gloves is another chore cos you can't just pick it up with your fingers - you gotta pick the glove up with your hand tucked in the sleeve of your gown, never touching with exposed fingertips. And I had to put on two pairs of gloves lagi - susahnya! Struggled I did hehe the staff giving me knowing smiles which said 'ahh this is her first time'. Then one of the nurses tied up my gown for me, oh how I felt special haha! And that was it, I was ready =).
It felt great thought, being able to witness everything up close since I was scrubbed in - one of the patient's had a shattered leg bone and after just two hours, the surgeon had pieced everything together and the bone was held intact with a plate and screws. Wonders, surgeons can do. I can't wait till the next time I get to scrub in, let's hope I manage to get it done in under 20 mins this time *grin*.
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Casting day
Aargh! I so regretted today that I didn't bring my phone along with me when I had dinner at the dining hall...cos while I was happily eating away, my friend Sivaa had texted me saying she had an extra ticket to the premier of possibly one of the greatest movies released this year -Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Man's Chest! And I had 5 mins to get to town if I wanted the ticket. It would have all worked out fine since town was only a 10 min walk away anyway, and in my excitement I would have ran all the way and made it in 5 hehe. BUT NOOO...I had to have left my phone behind in my room and by the time I got back it was close to an hour after Sivaa had texted. *sniff sniff* I'm taking my phone everywhere with me from now on.
On a happier note, today was an exciting day at the hospital =). Aside from usual lectures...we ended the day with a lesson on how to put on casts.
Never having had the 'opportunity' to have broken a bone before, it was all new to me. Hehe I was as excited as could be. So there we all were, about 18 of my classmates and I, cooped up in a teeny room...sloshing wet plaster of paris everywhere. Here I am with my artwork on Michelle's arm haha it turned out pretty puffy.
[excuse some of the plaster spots that got on the camera lens hehe]
All in all it was a fun experience =) . So anytime you need a cast on, call on me! Haha if I'm able to recall how to put one on at that time that is ;)
On a happier note, today was an exciting day at the hospital =). Aside from usual lectures...we ended the day with a lesson on how to put on casts.
Never having had the 'opportunity' to have broken a bone before, it was all new to me. Hehe I was as excited as could be. So there we all were, about 18 of my classmates and I, cooped up in a teeny room...sloshing wet plaster of paris everywhere. Here I am with my artwork on Michelle's arm haha it turned out pretty puffy.
[excuse some of the plaster spots that got on the camera lens hehe]
All in all it was a fun experience =) . So anytime you need a cast on, call on me! Haha if I'm able to recall how to put one on at that time that is ;)
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
ED's over!
Sorry peeps, been absent for a while now I know...I was unfortunately hit with ED-itis (refer to previous blog). Although I wasn't required to work at the hospital everyday i.e. I was on shift work, that made it even worse cos it resulted in my biological clock being thrown off completely! Some days I'd work nights, others morning till the afternoon...I wasn't sleeping well *phew* it was just exhausting. Because of that I realised I didn't manage to enjoy working in the emergency department as much as I could have. Oh well, at least it's over and I have my next run (attachment) to look forward to =).
I do recall one funny moment tho that happened while on my ED run - I was partnered with Khairi, one of my fellow IMU friends, and since he lives at 'Flat 14' which is just down the road from where I'm staying (I stay at International House btw...IH for short hehe for future references yes?) , we would walk into town together to catch the train to the hospital.
One morning, when I got to our usual 'meeting spot', surprisingly Khairi wasn't there (as I'm usually the one that's late and not him hehe) and being on time for once I thought he might have slept in. Little did I know that my 'so-called friend' had already walked off without me! Aarggh and there I was waiting cluelessly cos I didn't realised he had texted to say that he had left. I knew I was going to miss my train and therefore end up being late for handover meeting (which we students had to attend as that's when the cases from the previous night are handed to the doctors taking over in the morning).
So there I was sulking all through my walk to town thinking 'How could Khairi not wait for me?'. Luckily, when I finally got on the train, it went exceptionally fast that not only did I arrive at the hospital just 5 mins late, I managed to make handover meeting as well *big sigh of relief*. After my *big sigh of relief*, I look around the room and notice 'eh, Khairi's not here'.
Suspiciously, he pops into the meeting room about 7 mins later. Only after the meeting did I manage to talk to him and he tells me, embarrased, "I fell asleep on the train...". He had woken up just as the train was pulling away from the hospital! And while waiting for the next train at the following stop, the train that I had been on arrived at his stop and he was thinking 'oh no, Saleena's arrived already...". Haha that was about the funniest thing I'd heared in a long time! With my smile of mock triumph I told him it'd be wise never to leave me behind again hehehe.
I do recall one funny moment tho that happened while on my ED run - I was partnered with Khairi, one of my fellow IMU friends, and since he lives at 'Flat 14' which is just down the road from where I'm staying (I stay at International House btw...IH for short hehe for future references yes?) , we would walk into town together to catch the train to the hospital.
One morning, when I got to our usual 'meeting spot', surprisingly Khairi wasn't there (as I'm usually the one that's late and not him hehe) and being on time for once I thought he might have slept in. Little did I know that my 'so-called friend' had already walked off without me! Aarggh and there I was waiting cluelessly cos I didn't realised he had texted to say that he had left. I knew I was going to miss my train and therefore end up being late for handover meeting (which we students had to attend as that's when the cases from the previous night are handed to the doctors taking over in the morning).
So there I was sulking all through my walk to town thinking 'How could Khairi not wait for me?'. Luckily, when I finally got on the train, it went exceptionally fast that not only did I arrive at the hospital just 5 mins late, I managed to make handover meeting as well *big sigh of relief*. After my *big sigh of relief*, I look around the room and notice 'eh, Khairi's not here'.
Suspiciously, he pops into the meeting room about 7 mins later. Only after the meeting did I manage to talk to him and he tells me, embarrased, "I fell asleep on the train...". He had woken up just as the train was pulling away from the hospital! And while waiting for the next train at the following stop, the train that I had been on arrived at his stop and he was thinking 'oh no, Saleena's arrived already...". Haha that was about the funniest thing I'd heared in a long time! With my smile of mock triumph I told him it'd be wise never to leave me behind again hehehe.