Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Neuro OT today

This is the reason why i dislike doing morning shift in OT...i always end up late to OT no matter if i wake up earlier to (hopefully) beat the stupid morning jam...and the worst thing is today is neuro OT and big boss is in charge...and i came into OT later than her...and the patient...sigh...i think she was so pissed that she totally ignored me...didn't let me intubate, set arterial line or CVL....dang!! so i was practically walking on the edge the whole day....well, i guess it's better to be ignored than to be picked on for every little thing i did...or did not do...

Anyway, whole morning this particular song kept playing on my mind and i was singing it to myself to keep myself awake...it's 徐佳瑩's 失落沙洲 (not sure how to translate but it roughly means missing a lost shore)...it's a very sad song actually...about this girl who lost her boyfriend...not sure of the COD coz it wasn't shown in the MV...but i always feel teary when i watch the MV...here's a link to the MV....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JrhC7v8p4c&feature=related

Will share the lyrics and attempt to translate them into English...though somehow it won't be as touching as compared to understanding the lyrics in Chinese....

又來到這個港口 (I've arrived at the same port again)
沒有原因的拘留 (a prisoner without reason)
我的心乘著斑駁的輕舟 (my heart is riding a mottled boat)
尋找失落的沙洲 (searching for a lost shore)

隨 時間的海浪漂流 (being carried along by the tides of time)
我用力張開雙手 (with my strength i stretch out my hands)
擁抱那麼多起起落 (embracing all the ups and downs)
想念的還是你望著我的眼波 (but i still miss you gazing into my eyes)

C/o:我不是一定要你回來 (i do not insist that you must come back)
只是當又一個人看海 (but once again when i'm watching the ocean alone)
回頭才發現你不在 (i turn around only to realize you're not there)
留下我迂迴的徘徊 (leaving me lingering aimlessly)

我不是一定要你回來 (i do not insist that you must come back)
只是當又把回憶翻開 (but again when i consider our memories)
除了你之外的空白 (besides the blank space you left behind)
還有誰能來教我愛 (who else can teach me how to love)

又回到這個盡頭 (i've returned again to this end)
我也想再往前走 (i also wish to move on with my life)
只是愈看見海闊天空 (but the more i look at the endless ocean and sky)
愈遺憾沒有你分享我的感動 (the more i regret you're not here to share with me my emotions)

Repeat C/o

我不是一定要你回來 (i do not insist that you must come back)

只是當又一個人看海 (but once again when i'm watching the ocean alone)
疲憊的身影不是我 (the exhausted shadow is not me)
不是你想看見的我 (not the me you wish to see)

我不是一定要你回來 (i do not insist that you must come back)
只是當獨自走入人海 (but when i'm alone among the sea of people)
除了你之外的依賴 (besides depending on you)
還有誰能叫我勇敢 (who else could ask me to be brave)

除了你之外的空白 (besides the blank space you left behind)
還有誰能來教我愛 (who else can teach me how to love)

Saturday, October 17, 2009

My Sister's Keeper

I've just finished reading Jodi Picoult's "My Sister's Keeper"....been reading it since Taipei...but only managed to finish it today, while lying on my bed, drenching my pillow...and i was right...Hollywood has once again distorted the whole book...really, these days, you can't expect to answer someone who asks you "have you read the book?" with a "oh, i've watched the movie"....and still be discussing about the same story...coz chances are, the book-reader and the movie-watcher would be talking about 2 different stories...i think i'll stick to reading original books...and watching original movies...

It's one thing to drop a character or two...or change a male judge to a female judge...or change a pyromaniac elder brother to a dyslexic one...but to kill off the wrong sister in the end? you might as well call the movie by a different name and claim it as original screenplay...it's not like i didn't like the movie...i did...it was a good movie...the actors played their roles very well...i just don't like the idea of Hollywood misleading people to think that what they watched would equal to what they would have read (but which they didn't)...it's like Hansel and Gretel being lured by the witch to her candy-bejewelled house only for them to find out they'd be burnt in the furnace as food for the witch... ok, maybe my analogue is a bit off...but you get the picture...

So just a short synopsis about My Sister's Keeper (the original book version)...Anna (short for Andromeda) was genetically engineered to be a perfect donor match for her elder sister Kate... Kate was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukaemia at age 3...Anna became stem cells donor for Kate at birth...and continued to donate more blood products and bone marrow throughout her childhood...Anna at age 13 is required to donate her kidney to Kate (now a miraculous survivor of APML at age 16) who has end-stage renal failure due to all her previous treatments...but Anna didn't want to do be a donor anymore...so she filed a lawsuit against her parents for medical emancipation...

I loved this book....it may not be a real life story...but the characters portrayed by the author are so realistic...so human...i hardly cried though...which is a good measure of how real this book is...i only cry when reading unrealistic stuffs...but i cried at the end when Anna died...she fought all the way to get herself medically emancipated from her parents and won...but she still lost to Death...the one whom everyone thought would die, didn't...but i guess that's life...always throwing the unexpected your way...i feel for Anna...it must be horrible to live a life defined by your elder sister...where you're only needed to save your sister's life...yea, sounds very magnanimous and all...but put yourself in Anna's shoes...it's easy to have magnanimous thoughts when you can't be the donor...it's not so easy when you are the only perfect matched donor...if i were Anna, i'd hate my parents for putting me through all those invasive procedures just for the sake of my sick sister...it's like, in that family, if you're not sick to the point of dying, then you don't count...

I think i'll start collecting Jodi Picoult's books...they're interesting reads...definitely worth the investment...if you're a reader...then skip the movie...

Friday, October 16, 2009

Taipei - Day 3

Slept about 3am this morning...and woke up at 545am...i guess i was totally drained after a whole night of adrenaline rush...finished up some last minute packing...good thing still could stuff everything into my suitcase...checked out of the hotel and was on the bus to the airport by 640pm...reached the airport and checked in for our flight...there were 6 of us flying back...3 of the reporters, Royce (of MYFM), Cam and i....

We went into the departure hall to do some duty free shopping...bro asked me to buy back some ice wine...got a pack of 3 bottles for NTD2980...totally used up the last of my NTDs...Cam finally bought her first Coach wristlet...it was cheaper than in Malaysia airport...she was so happy...and then we rushed to the boarding gate coz we were almost late...girls and shopping...

I totally knocked out for the whole flight...we departed at 940am...only got up when they served lunch... then was watching a German show "Vitus"...it's about a young musical prodigy who is also a total genius...who ended up helping his father buy over the company which fired his father... definitely the child of every parents' dream..hehe...then slept some more till we landed in KLIA...

Took the KLIA transit home..Dad picked me from the station..got home and slept till evening...i think i used up all my adrenaline store..felt totally physically drained...tomorrow will fly back to KK...back to real life..and my Taipei weekend will only be a sweet memory...well, at least i've ticked off no. 3 on my things do to before i die list...now i'm one step closer to dying fulfilled..

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Taipei - Day 2 - Khalil's Timeless Live in Taipei Concert

We got back to the hotel about 445pm...took an express bath, put on some make up, changed and blew dry my hair...in about 40 mins, according to Cam...that's actually considered fast yea? since most girls would actually take hours...Cam actually asked me if i've ever taken so much pains in preparing for my dates with my previous boyfriends...i was like...er...no wonder i'm still single then..hahahaha...i mean, the guys i used to go out with, the places we went for dates, didn't really require any make-ups or nice outfits...unless it was on special occasions lah...anyway, who wears a dress for a walk in the park (unless you're in the 15th century) or a mountain climb or a jog?

We went down to wait for the bus at about 530pm...which took us to the National Taiwan University Sports Complex..don't ask me exactly where it was...i have no idea...they were selling Khalil merchandise so i couldn't help but buy some stuffs...bought Khalil's Timeless CD + DVD (signed), a collection of guitar picks representing his 5 albums, and a pendrive-keyring..which has a K on it...got 2 of his posters for free too..:)

We waited for our tickets for quite some time...was getting worried that maybe there wasn't any tickets for us after all...paranoid me...but eventually we got our tickets...Cam and i went to the toilet before we went into the concert hall...so i was in the toilet cubicle...and there was this button which said 'push'...there were some Chinese writings around it which i couldn't read...so after i was done, i pressed the 'push' button...thinking it was the flush button...bloody hell!! it turned out to be an alarm...so the whole place was ringing with the alarm that i activated...shit!!! why do i always end up doing embarassing things like that? sigh...
why can't they put a sign in English to let non-Chinese reading ppl know that it's a bloody alarm button? and why do you need an alarm button in each of the toilet cubicle anyway? in case you fell into the toilet bowl? gosh!! really need to buck up on my Chinese...got the 'stare' from one of the lady organizer who came in to ask what happened...ugh!! totally embarassed myself...

So Cam and i went into the concert hall..found our seats...we were seated 9th row from the stage...the hall was huge...perfect for a huge concert ;)...the concert the night before was a full house...which was why we could only get tickets for the Sunday concert...fine by me...but my camera couldn't get nice shots of Khalil on stage..coz the
images were too small and blurred... anyway, as usual, we were told we can't take photos or film any part of the concert...like anyone heeded that...the atmosphere was buzzing with excitement and anticipation as everyone waited for Khalil to appear on stage...

Khalil came on stage about 740pm...he started the ball rolling with his cover version of MJ's "Bad"...which was bearable...but i couldn't stop laughing coz i was reminded of John's reaction towards Khalil's "Bad" version..hahahaha...but seriously, it wasn't too "bad"...;P...he continued with "1234567" from his Orange Moon album...he played the electric guitar well but his voice sounded pitchy...he then explained that he caught a cold the night before..poor Khalil, must have been sick and tired..all is forgiven...next he sang "Ru Guo Ai"...this was the song that really got me to notice his music...so unorthodox of the typical Chinese Music...

Then he went to the grand piano and sang "Ji De"...i love this song...but that night the sound system was a bit too blaring...when Khalil sang "Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You", i was suddenly overwhelmed by an avalanche of emotions...i cried...after all, this song got me here...next was "Chun Feng Chui" on the acoustic guitar...very nicely done...he also covered MJ's Billie Jean and Who is it?...thank God Khalil didn't do his MJ moonwalk dance thingy...urgh!! if there was one thing that i couldn't stand, it was that...he continued on with "Singer and Model", a song from his This Love album...it was fun and light...still on the acoustic, he sang "Mei Ge Ren Dou Hui" or "Love in this World", a song which he wrote for the Cartier Love Project...really like this song a lot..

He then went to the keyboard, put on his shades and covered Stevie Wonder's Superstition and Sir Duke...he really enjoyed himself impersonating Stevie...Stevie would have been proud if he was there..Khalil returned to the grand piano and sang "Nan Ying"...it was really awesome watching a spectacular display of his piano playing skills...Cam said Khalil lacked in facial expression...but i think that his music is the expression of his soul...his voice expresses his soul...who needs facial expression? Then he went on to sing "Love Song"..one of my must sing karaoke session song..hehe...next was a cover version of Faye Wong's "Red Bean"...i definitely like Khalil's version better...

He did a very different version of Ray Charles' "Georgia on My Mind" by playing it on the electric guitar..very Khalil-styled...but still soulful...he sang Moon River...but his voice sounded rough...i think i preferred the album version...when he sang Eric Clapton's "Wonderful Tonight", i almost swooned..it was totally wonderful...if only he was singing it to me..hahaha..wishful thinking!!! Then he sang a duet with Xiao Jin Teng (of some Taiwanese idol search fame)...Khalil wrote a song called "Say a Lil' Something" for Jin Teng...then he moved back to the grand...started saying about a song he wrote about a friend's friend...a very touching story...the song was "San Ren You"..and he continued with "Ai Wo Ba"...both are very touching romantic ballads...

Khalil then sang "Hei Bai" and then "Let's Stay Togethe
r"..not sure whose song was this...he then moved on to more upbeat songs from his Wonderland album..."Gong Yuan", "Love Actually" (this one's from his 2nd album) and "Jian Dan Zui Lang Man"...really love the lyrics to this song...one of the line goes "say 'I Do' in the church"..hahaha..wishful thinking again....he went back to the grand to finish up with "Wei Lai"... said his credits halfway...and finished with a bang!!! of course i stood up and hooted and clapped for an encore...though i've been hooting, cat calling and screaming his name throughout the concert...hehe...

He came back on stage for encore...played solo drums...then broke into his version of La Bamba...i can't say it's better than the original..but it's an interesting version...then he sang Stevie Wonder's "You are the Sunshine of My Life"...again, he would have made Stevie proud...halfway through the song, he came down from the stage..and everyone at the front went wild and rushed to get closer to him...i too, rushed to the front, managed to get a clear pic, but it wasn't too close up... then he sang his "Singalong Song"...at this, Cam was elated...coz she could finally singalong...hahaha...then it was "Ai Ai Ai"...the song which got him famous...next was "Mei Tian Mei Tian"...from his first album...love this song...then Khalil said, "I'm sorry but this is the last song" before singing "Sorry"... really like this song a lot too...and i was really sorry that the concert was over...after 35 songs and about 3 hours of Khalil, i still couldn't get enough of him...

But of course my night of all time high was far from over....we were going to his celebration party!!! AAAAHHHHHH!!!! Yes, my chance to meet Khalil up close!!!! Our bus sent us to this place called KiKi Restaurant...its logo had a cat on it..how appropriate ;)....we were seated upstairs...they served plenty of food but i could hardly eat despite that i hadn't had a proper meal since breakfast... i was awaiting with anticipation for Khalil to appear...Hermond and Howard (of Warner Music) were teasing me about Khalil...Howard asked if i cried during the c
oncert..i told him..yea, i did...when Khalil sang "Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You"...he laughed and said, bet you perasan he was singing for you...i said, no lah...but i was definitely singing for him....and Hermond asked why i didn't buy any gift for Khalil...and i said, actually, i almost bought him a couple ring...yea, like real...getting delusional here...

Suddenly, Khalil walked pass our table and said hello (to Howard)...and i turned around and said hi...with my eyes lit up like a happy puppy who has been just given a bone...but of course he didn't notice me lah..no actually, he did look my way, but perhaps he didn't like what he saw...so he quickly averted his gaze...sigh....Khalil went from table to table to be interviewed by the reporters... I asked Howard if i could take a personal photo with Khalil when he came over to our table..he said that usually the organizers won't allow...i was so crushed...i almost cried...he walked pass our table a few times and i could only gaze at him...sigh..so near, yet so
far...

Finally Khalil came over to our table...he sat at the opposite end from where i was sitting...so while he was being interviewed by the Malaysian reporters, i was trigger happy, snapping photos of him...Cam came up with this idea of sneaking a close up photo with him...so i snuck over to the end where Khalil was sitting and Cam quietly took pics of us...hahahaha...desperate times need desperate measures...after the interview, i asked Khalil to sign my Timeless Album...he signed it, but wrote an extra 'e' in my name...oh well, at least now he'll always remember how to spell the name Kathleen, i hope...and the organizer actually allowed me to take an up close photo with Khalil..bless her!! that was the whole reason of my being in Taipei...i couldn't stop giggling after that...hahahaha...Cam wanted Khalil to sign her eye mask...initially the organizer didn't allow but since Khalil is super nice, he signed it anyway...

Cam found a new crush in the form of Edward Chan...Khalil's band leader/keyboardist/music producer...the whole night during the concert, i think her eyes were more on Edward than Khalil, hehe...Edward Chan is an amazingly talented pianist/keyboardist...and very cute (according to Cam)...he was seated at the table behind us with the other band members...and Cam was stealing glances at him the whole time...hahahaha...i quote Cam, "he looked like a father of 2 on stage, but now he looks so cute, so fair..."...so i ensured that Cam marched over to his table and took a photo with him...she also got him to sign her eye mask...Cam was so impressed with his signature that she was admiring it before she slept that night...hahahahaha...

So anyway, like all dreams, wonderful and sweet as they may be, they're also fleeting...it was time to leave Khalil and return to our hotel...i gave Khalil one last longing gaze and that was the last i saw of him...sigh...you know? it actually feels worse to return to reality and normality from an all time high, than sinking into major depression from an already depressive life...still, my dream of watching Khalil Fong in concert and taking a personal photo with him has come true...and now it's time to move on with my life...but i know that tonight's memory will always remind me of how good God has been to me...

Taipei - Day 2 - Shopping

We woke up about 830am, got ready and went up to the 12th floor for our buffet breakfast..food's not too bad...so we filled up our tummy so that we would have enough energy for our whole day shopping...after that, the 2 girl reporters (Chai Hoon and Khai Li) and their friend, plus Cam and I went out together...our 1st stop was Taipei 101...so we took an MRT from Ximen Station (which was just 10 mins walk from the hotel) to Taipei City Hall Station...cost us NTD25 each...when we came to the surface, it was raining...we waited for the free shuttle bus that would take us to Taipei 101...but it was windy and the rain was splashing onto us...so we took the first bus that came along..paid NTD15 for it..only to find out that we could have walked to Taipei 101..it was just round the corner from the station..crap!! oh well, most girls don't like the idea of getting rained down...and i didn't wanna catch a cold before Khalil's concert...
We actually kind of 'touch and go' Taipei 101...took some pics..looked around the mall..Cam saw a Coach boutique and went in...price about the same in KL..we didn't manage to go up the observatory tower coz the girls were in a hurry to go shopping at WuFenBu Commercial Zone... we took a cab there coz the girls didn't wanna get drenched as it was still raining...cost us NTD135..not too bad...so anyway, WuFenBu is actually a wholesale shopping area...full of shops along the streets...

We started our bargain hunt from 1130am till 2pm...this time round, Cam and i bought more clothes and stuffs...i guess we were beginning to adapt to the style that is Taipei...i ended up buying 5-6 more tops..a belt..and a scarf...and the stuffs are definitely cheaper if compared to Malaysia...RM20-40 for stuffs you can only get at RM50-100 in Malaysia...after few hours of hard core shopping (which actually isn't enough to cover the whole place), we stopped for some snacks before we went back to the hotel...drank their bubble tea...ate Taiwanese pancakes, Taiwan style roti canai and fried dumplings...took the MRT from HouShanPi station back to Ximen Station (NTD30)...

We were all desperate to answer nature's call but the toilet in the MRT stations were full of people as well..it was like suddenly, the whole of Taipei became nature lovers...urgh!! and a distended bladder is really the worst thing to endure...luckily, we found a McDonald's along Ximen Ding...even that also we needed to queue up...but finally, we were relieved...phew!!! so, since we had time and there was no longer any 'urgency' to get back to the hotel, we continued shopping around Ximen Ding...wanted to get a paired keychain for Khalil...but couldn't find a suitable pair...oh well, i supposed it's better this way...prevents any future delusions...hahaha...

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Taipei - Day 1

So i got up about before 10am on Saturday morning...Mom and Dad cooked asam laksa so i just had to have that for brunch before i leave for the airport...after checking that i've got everything (essentials included my Khalil's Timeless album, besides passport and flight itinerary, hehe), Dad drove me to OUG to meet up with Cam and her bf, Han Kee...Han Kee drove us to the airport, with the help of his pirated GPS while we listened to Khalil's Orange Moon album in his car...apparently Han Kee was very excited about Cam attending Khalil's concert that he downloaded the whole Orange Moon album to let Cam listen...and he kept playing 'Singalong Song' over and over till Cam's quite sick of it.. hahaha...

We reached KLIA close to 1pm...waited for the guy from Warner Music whom we were supposed to meet...his name's Howard...about 115pm, Howard appeared with a few other people...his GM, Hermond and 3 reporters from the Malaysia Chinese dailies...so we checked in for our flight...oh, we were flying Eva Air...then Cam and i went to the satellite terminal and walked around...she saw some Coach bags which she liked a lot...i told her, we'll check how much it costs in the Taipei airport...

We boarded our plane at about 3pm...and our flight took off about 325pm...quite on time...was so glad we weren't flying Air Asia...so we had free inflight entertainment...finally watched Ice Age 3...it was funny...but really not an Ice Age fan so don't see the big deal of it...then watched My Sister's Keeper, adapted from Jodi Picoult's same titled novel...which i incidentally brought along in case i had time to read...managed to finish the movie few minutes before we landed on Taoyuan International Airport, Taipei at about 750pm...it was raining...after getting our luggage, we sailed through immigration and went out to look for our pick up...initially, we didn't see anyone...eventually Howard found the guy...so we boarded a chartered bus which took us to the Riverview Hotel about 1 hour away...

We checked in and went to our respective rooms...well, it wasn't exactly how it looked like on their hotel website but hey, it's still nice...plus...it's free..so no complains there...the whole bunch of us took a cab to the Shi Lin Night Market...it was already after 10pm when we reached the place but it was so happening...it's like Petaling Street except the fashion is definitely more recent i supposed... we tasted the Taiwanese snacks...the Taiwanese sausages...pancakes...but not the stinky tofu though...i didn't want to waste them in case i didn't like them, since Cam wouldn't want to eat them...

We tried to shop...since the girl reporters told us the clothes, bags and stuffs are cheaper than in Malaysia and there are styles we can't get in Malaysia...unfortunately, Cam and i had problem settling into the streetwear trend...not exactly our style..so i ended up buying a bling t-shirt which wasn't too bling..and a dress that's quite suitable for my future beach holiday...but we walked around till 1am anyway...so many things to see..and eat..hehe...finally took a cab back to the hotel...bathed...and read a little...i know i've watched the movie but i still wanted to read the original novel version...just to see how much Hollywood has distorted the whole book...i fell asleep after the 3rd chapter...guess a 4 1/2 hours flight and a night at the pasar malam does wear one out...

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Back KL...to Taipei later...

I just got back from meeting up with Cam, Kian Ming and Jee June...flew back from KK this evening.. got home about 9.30pm...then Cam came to pick me up about 10pm plus...Kian Ming came back from Singapore this week...so only had tonight to meet up..since Cam and i are leaving for Taipei later the next afternoon...

It was good to meet up old friends...Cam was so excited about our Taipei trip...so of course we had to tell Kian Ming and Jee June about it...Cam's bf actually downloaded one of Khalil's album for her to listen...as preparation to attend his concert...hahaha...poor Cam...and Kian Ming was like, who's this Khalil Fong? I've never heard of him until Kat mentioned him in facebook...hehe...a no. 1 fan is a good advertiser...

My elder sis gave me her shopping list...thankfully it wasn't too long a list...and i'm bringing a huge luggage which is quite empty...so should be able to bring back her stuffs...and my bro's asking me to buy ice wine back for him...i don't even know if there'll be time for shopping...but i really do hope i'll be able to check out Taipei 101...and keeping my fingers crossed that i'll get to meet Khalil backstage or something...so that i can get my Timeless album signed..

I'm so tired...but i'm wide awake...and my eyebags are getting as big as teabags...Pang sent me to the airport this evening, he gave me a word of advice, "in your pursuit of your teenage idol, do not forget your career, friends and life..."...hmmm, he sounded like my dad....hehe...

Friday, October 9, 2009

I don't know what to wear...

Right...i'm still up packing...i don't know what to wear for Khalil's concert...i didn't feel like i should get a new dress/outfit just for Khalil's concert...but right now i wish i did....hahaha...i don't think i've ever felt this way when i was going out on dates...but then again (for the record), my dates have been sparse... almost towards the 'nil' extreme...;P

Geesh! it's not like he'll even get to see me in my outfit, whatever it might be...i already packed 2 sets of outfit...i'll parade it for Cam and asked her which one looks better when we're in Taipei...if none looks good, then i hope i have time to get something in Taipei...urgh!!!

Anyway, tonight i finally got to test drive Jasmine's new Camry...i must say, it's definitely a new experience...i've never driven a big, new car....and the interior was so cool...Elaine, Siang Lin and i were like 'suakus'...pressing the buttons and trying out the gadgets...keyless engine start...a hand-brake where the clutch would have been (in a manual)...buttons for almost everything...so cool!!! i felt like i was in some star-trek spaceship...hahaha...and i didn't even realize i was driving too fast...

I think all this excitement is keeping me up...i still need to work later...and need to get up early to send Elaine and Siang Lin to the airport...my flight back to KL is this evening...i don't know if popping a piriton would help...i need to sleep, i need to sleep....

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Another bleeding splenectomy...

I actually planned to start this post while i was on call on Wednesday...but a laparotomy came up...so i had to abandon my attempt...now it's already early morning Friday...i'm still up..multitasking...packing for my Taipei trip while typing this blog...everything's been happening in a row, which has left me overwhelmed...to the point of being sleepless at night again....

My call on Wednesday was actually quite good during the day...was left with only a plastic case that was posted the previous 2 days...so i did the case...30% dermal flame burn...patient is 34 years-old...and they only debrided the limbs...nothing too complicated...then ortho posted 2 cases...one I & D and one saucerization...nothing too exciting...even had time to help the ortho elective OT to do one of their cases....about 4pm, the neurosurgery MO called...one of the ICU patient needed a re-craniotomy and evacuation of clots....oh well, that would fill up the otherwise wasted OT time, so i thought...it did actually...lasted 5 hours...

Of course i didn't expect that there would be another bleeding splenectomy....i did pre-med the day before for a 14 year-old thalassaemic boy whose spleen and liver were so big that he looked pregnant...last week when i was on call in ICU, i had a bleeding splenectomy as well...this was like history repeating itself...but this time, i was stuck in OT with the neuro case...the surgical MO called me at about 8.15pm and said, "I know you're doing a neuro case now, but i have a bleeding splenec that i need to go in now!"...Like, i wish i was God...but that's just not going to happen...i only have one emergency OT and they were still stitching up the head (that would be like another hour)...where the hell was i supposed to put the bleeding splenectomy? and a bleeding case definitely can't wait...

Thank God my boss came to the rescue and opened the OT upstairs for that splenec boy...but unlike the splenec girl last week, this boy didn't survive the re-exploration....by the time i finished up the neuro case and ran upstairs, the boy was dead...i was just talking to him and his dad the day before...and now he was gone....so this is the God-complex in me thinking...if only i had postponed the case...then he wouldn't have to die...but i didn't have any reason to postpone his case....i couldn't bear to look at the father in his eyes...

Sigh, i think i'm developing a splenectomy-phobia...i wonder if i'd still dare to do a splenectomy when i become a surgical MO...

Monday, October 5, 2009

Taiwan, here I come!!!!

"Oh my God!!" That was the reply from Cam when i messaged her that "I won!!"...hahahaha....sorry, this is going to happen every now and then from now onwards...coz i'm really over the moon at the moment...YES!!! I won the tickets to Khalil Fong's Timeless Concert live in Taipei!!!! hahahaha...

I'm post call today...and i got back home just before 10am to sit by the radio to listen to the announcement of the winner for the contest i joined last week...but since my radio is just beside my bed and when i'm post call my bed just looks especially inviting, so i lied down while waiting for the announcement....the girl from the radio station told me they'd announce the winner at 10am...but i think i must have dozed off by about 1030am...post call mah!!

Suddenly i was awakened my Phoebe's voice (the DJ)...i heard her announcing my full name...twice!!! i didn't hear what she said before that...but i definitely heard my name, unless i'm beginning to have auditory hallucination and grandiose delusion...hahahaha....i was still a bit dazed initially...but it eventually sank in...I won!! I won!!! So i messaged John and Cam...Cam called me and said i've cured her off her depression....well, i guess a paid trip to Taipei (even if it's for 3 days only and even if she had to endure through Khalil Fong's concert) will definitely cure her depression more effectively than Sertraline or Fluvoxamine...hahahaha....

This is really amazing!!! I'm still amazed that i actually won...God is so good to me...really, He loves me too much!! and i'm getting no. 3 on my "10 things to do before i die" list ticked...that's one down, 9 to go....hahahaha....thank You, Lord...thank You, Lord...i don't know if i can still sleep...but when i do, i'll definitely be smiling in my sleep tonight...:)

Saturday, October 3, 2009

A Fruitful Friday...

I woke up late for work today...well, i missed the CME but i still got to work before boss arrived so it was ok i guess...didn't really have any plans for Friday night since i was supposed to be on call on Saturday...but as the morning passed by, i got a call from Grace asking to change call with me...so i'd do her Sunday call and she'd do my Saturday call....then i decided to make an appointment for my long overdue facial...thankfully they had a slot in the evening..

I left work early to go to the office to settle my call claims and some paperwork...then went for my facial appointment...i actually dread facials...coz of the part where they squeeze out your blackheads, whiteheads, oil spots...so painful!!! always triggers sneezes in me...thankfully that part didn't last as long as it used to...apparently, according to the girl who did my facial, i don't have as many blackheads and spots as i used to anymore...and i haven't done facial for almost 4 months...hehe..quite flattering to know...;P

After facial, and a big hole in my wallet, i saw Jasmine's msg asking me to join her and Shalini for dinner...jap food again...i just had it last weekend...but since i hardly ever get to dine with Jasmine, so i wouldn't say no...while i was driving to the restaurant, Melvyn called...we were supposed to have cell meeting at his house...but i think he preferred to just hang out for dinner and then catch a movie...so i told him i was meeting Jasmine for dinner...and he rounded up all the cell members and joined us for dinner...so from 4 persons we became 8 persons...

Melvyn wanted to watch G-force after dinner...but by the time we finished dinner it was almost 9pm and the show was at 9pm...then he suggested 'Gamer' instead...it was showing at 1015pm...i was actually quite tired but the chance to watch Gerard Butler in action was too tempting to resist...so i fought my fatigue and went with them for the movie...was quite afraid that i might fall asleep...again, i shouldn't have worried....'Gamer' was so action-packed and loud...there was no way i could have fallen asleep...it was full of violence, gore and blood...not my genre really... can't really figure the storyline out (if there is one)...but the concept of the movie really left an unsettling feeling in my stomach...

Imagine a world where virtual reality is taken to the next level...you have players who control real-life people in games...like the ones they had in the movie...one is called Society and another is called Slayers...it's actually quite scary...and in Slayers, if the character in the game dies, then the person is really dead....how scary is that? it's quite sick really...i hope i never live to see the day when this actually happens in the world i live in...