Ecstatic!

It has been such an awesome 2 days. For the first time I actually drove all the way from Sandakan to Kota Kinabalu which is a 6 hours drive (for me a 5 1/2 hours). It was so much fun. Roadtrip!

Leaving Sandakan was emotional I guess. I mean it did become my home for the past 6 months and having all close friends leaving under one roof was nice. When you're bored they are just so near to you for them to start entertaining you. Hehehe. Will definitely miss all those moments. Another plus point is that it is SO far away from main campus. So lesser administration nonsense was good for a change. I felt as though this is what you call university life. Unlike back in campus where they bug at every detail of your every day life. It's frustrating at times. Guess I have to get use to it all over again. *Sigh*

The past 2 days was spent with him and another 2 friends. How I didn't want it to end! I know it's corny saying all this stuff but I just had to let it out somewhere. Hehehe. Really got to know him better and I just felt blessed. Such small things can make me happy, it's embarrassing at times admitting to these. There's still the lil' girl hidden in me somewhere. Guess it happens to anyone. Although what we did was just walking around the town, shopping, eating and just hanging out, it felt so nice. Hopefully this can continue on. But with the others back now I guess it's a little hard. Oh well. Let's just keep our fingers crossed!

Am heading back home tomorrow! It has been 4 months already. Miss everyone back home, my sis especially. Miss miss miss! It has been too long, too long... Looking forward to seeing all the familiar faces. Just can't wait. Am waiting for the others to head out for the award ceremony now. Been ages since I last wore a baju kurung. Hopefully we'll be able to take lots and lots of photos. Till the next post la. Tong Tong Chiang! Gong Hei Fatt Choi!!

-KaRlEen-

Exams, Exams and More Exams!

I officially finish (actually more like 3/4 finish) my exams! The last week was tough. All I was picturing myself doing while studying was me driving back to KK, shopping for new clothes, and worse yet, getting on the plane back KL! It was so hard to concentrate, plus with the lion dance troops playing the drums, it made it mere impossible to concentrate. *sigh*

To those unfamiliar with exams format in UMS, let me just bring you through. Well in 3rd year basically we go through 3 postings, medicine, surgery and obstetrics & gynaecology (women sickness la in other words). For every posting, we spend 8 weeks learning everything we can either through lectures, going to ward or clinics. Or in special circumstances operation theatre or delivery room. Proud to say I conducted delivery of 5 healthy baby boys! (Dad always tease me about having chinese mothers coming to me to have their babies delivered as they just love boys!) Coming from pre clinical to clinical was really a challenge for me. Cause you're like practically being thrown into the wards to wander and learn by yourself. It's like what the heck!

When I was in 2nd year, I never would have imagined myself going up to patients, asking what's wrong and just do examination on them. Whether it's their private part or not, you just examine them. Then to enter operation theatre, that was fun for me too! Call me crazy or what so ever, to see the doctor opening up a patient was exciting for me. Cause they are like breaching in, exploring what's underneath what you see. *Laughs* I've also never imagined myself doing all kinds of procedures, like vaginal examination, blood taking, branulla insertion etc. It's crazy at times to think that the patients really put so much trust in us to do all that!

Oh yea back to exam format. So basically we have written paper (MEQ and MCQ), viva (somewhat like an interview, OSCE as well as long and short case. For OSCE or like what I call station games, basically you run from one station to another in 5 mins time. And at each station you have to complete a task. Whether it's pictures or equipments or even performing basic procedures (catheter insertion, suturing), it's all mixed up la. A total of 10 stations and this is the last test which I have not completed now. Then today I just finished my long and short case. for long case basically is they put you in a room with a patient and you have to ask questions as well as perform physical examinations to come up with a diagnosis and a few differentials. It's hard and the adrenaline rush and panic you get. It's scary!

For short case then, basically we have 2 short cases, each lasting 10 minutes. for the first short case, it's short history taking where you are to ask patients questions and come up with a diagnosis. It's like so scary wey! To figure everything out in a mere 7 mins of asking and to be asked your diagnosis and points supporting. Wow! oh that's not tough yet, the 2nd short case is to ask you to perform examination in front of your examiners and present them. So even the slightest slip, your marks will be deducted. And later to be asked your diagnosis. Seriously, there's no higher adrenaline rush than this!

Since arriving in Sandakan, I've really grown fond of this place. It's really a nice town. Not too big but not too small. Just nice. But if you were to compare it in terms of recreations in big cities of course it loses out! It's very similar to Port Dickson so I find it very easy to fit in here. Who knows I just might serve here. Haha. Talking about working as houseman, I'm really worried now actually. With the number of universities producing doctors increasing by the day in Malaysia, not including those graduating from overseas, I'm afraid we just might get doctors overload in such a small country like Malaysia! We have now 30 (yes you heard me right, THIRTY!) universities with medical degree offering. And let's say on average, every university were to produce 100 grads per year, that's like 3000 new doctors. Plus minus those from overseas let's say 300, that's like 3300 already! There's not enough teaching hospitals and specialist to train us housemans to be equipped with the right skills and knowledge. Who would have thought that us graduating as doctors would one day worry about getting a job?

So that's all la. If I weren't in medical school also, I wouldn't have thought that this was how medical school operate. Haha. I'm like so free now! *Smiles* Let me just enjoy the moment before the dreaded study month comes and Professional Exam 1 comes along. Till the next post!

-KarLEen-

Short Update

Exams coming real soon. Don't cha just hate pre-exam periods? Well I for 1 absolutely hate it, and coming from a university who loves putting exams for us like every other month, life just isn't fun.

So I've been in surgical posting for about almost 2 months now, and I'm seriously liking it. I know all you guys will go like 'eee..' when you hear the next statement, but having to see surgery up close is so much fun. When the surgeon cuts open and you see the structure beneath it all really fascinates me. But I really do have to work on my suturing skills. Ain't that good at it yet. And being a lefty, learning how to tie knots using the right handed style is not the easiest thing in the world.

So for now it's back to the books. Will update soon when I get bored studying which I often do. Till the next post!

p/s: I can't wait for CNY!

Aren't we just the cutest?

I miss all of you! ALL of YOU! It's been 4 months already!

-KarLeeN-

New Experience for the New Year

Remember the time I told you I fell while jogging? Well the wound is healing. Yes it is. Just that with my itchy hands, I can't seem to take my hands of it, hence this happens...

Day 2 post trauma

Currently

Notice how the wound is gonna turn out to be a hyperpigmented scar? Or to put it into lay man term, scar that has higher pigmentation (darker) than the surrounding skin. Ahhh! How I regret having to 'kopek' my scar now. But then it was so itchy! I just couldn't resist. Hopefully the bio oil I bought today will help lessen the scar mark, or just making it less obvious. Also for my legs. As I'm a known case of mosquito attractor, mosquitoes here had not have mercy on me! The scars over the leg. Ugh! Not so obvious but some how so obvious to me! *note the vanity* Nak kaki cantik saje la.. :(

My lips 2nd day post trauma

Glad to inform you that there's no scar what-so-ever over my lips! Weee~ Now the ulcer inside is healing perfectly fine, no pain or any symptoms. I can even finish my tomyam! *laughs* I've been craving for spicy food since last week. I don't know why. And being here in Sabah, somehow Sabahan's toleration towards spicy food is really low. I've even one friend who mentioned that sweet and sour chicken is spicy! I'm like OMG! Because there were some cut chilies, and mind you these are the huge chilies. So it was so hard for me to find tomyam. And when I found, eventhough in comparison to Peninsular this loses hands down, I'm so glad I had tomyam. Now off to my next spicy adventure. Can't wait!

So what else have I been doing since the start of 2011. I'm proud to inform you that I've finally done some good to the society! What you may ask. Since last time I've always wanted to do this. But there were always certain obstacles. Whether it was low blood pressure or low hemoglobin (forget about being underweight as the cut off value for female is 45kg!), something always came in the way. And there was also the hesitancy and fear. Mummy always said no to me when I mentioned I want to donate blood. But then this time, the blood bank was really lacking in blood supply, so hopefully with my 1 pint of blood, it can help save a life in the future. :)

Blood was flowing so fast

Seeing these blood donating photos I can't help but go 'gosh! my face is like so round and oily!'. Sorry for that. Must be the angle (denial still). But how good I felt after donating it. It's like you've contributed something to the society. Haven't donated blood yet? Well before that there are some criteria to adhere to:

1. You're healthy on the day of donation

2. you're aged between 18-60 years old

3. body weight is over 45kg for female and 65kg for male

4. Slept more than 5 hours the day before

5. Do not have any medical illnesses

6. Not on medications (antibiotics for example)

7. Ate before donation

8. Not involved in homosexual, bisexual, having multiple sex partners/with hookers, or on recreational drugs.

9. Last donation was more than 3 months ago.

Few myths regarding blood donation. Blood donation cause weight gain. So untrue! Most people think that will happen and not donate blood. The thing is, what I think la, once people have donated blood, they'll think that they've loss a lot from their body and try to gain it back through diet. Thence the weight gain. normal human have 5 litres of blood flown around the body. Having have 450ml of your blood taken out is just small amount! And bear in mind that our blood cells do reproduce once it is insufficient. For red blood cells, their life cycle is typically 120 days. So why waste your blood when you can do good?

Up close (so bulat la muka!)

So what is the process. Well it doesn't take more than an hour! I finished donating in 30 minute! This includes the earlier filling up of forms, having your haemoglobin count checked, blood group checked, blood pressure and pulse rate checked. Then you'll be brought to a bed, once you lie down, you'll be given a holder for you to grasp and a cuff around your arms to apply pressure. Then an injection will be given (heparin usually used) to prevent clotting of blood. the needle is then withdrawn before having a large needle inserted to that same vein. Although the needle is like so huge, it wasn't painful at all. At least for me. :)

In less than 30 minutes, I'm done! It's that fast! Well I have to admit having been pricked with the injection was painful (like ants biting), but other than that it was all alrite! I was asked to rest a while more just to make sure that I do not develop any headache or palpitation, or worse still, fainting. I did develop slight dizziness after donating. My bad for not having a meal before donation. But other that that all was well. The funny part of it was, I was given like one crate of eggs for the donation. Yes you heard me. One crate! So egg sandwiches for everyone!

So why not spare some of your time, donate your blood. It does save lives. And the fun part is, your whole blood can be further divided into platelets, plasmas to be donated too. So not only 1 life you save, but so many more! You'll feel a sense of achievement after having done all that. So donate today, you can save a life! Till the next post!

-KaRLeeN-

The Beginning

New post for the new year! Okay, as you can see, I'm back to my cheerful self. No more tears for now. Everything will be held back. I've reached the stage of acceptance, and this is just fate I guess. Fate can just be a bitch at times.

So anyway, what I wanted to share here was what happened this morning in the ward. I didn't know it would be that hard. Standing there amidst the patients who were about your age was hurtful and to think that I was not there with you made it even worse. I held back my tears in the ward, but a lot of my colleagues somehow sensed that something was wrong and offered a sincere 'Are you okay?'. It was comforting. But the scar is still there to heal.

This past few days has been kinda tough. I can't help but to think how irresponsible I was. How uncaring I was towards you. But what I was worried most was my mummy dear. She's one heck of a strong lady. I've not seen her burst into tears in my 22 years of life. Even when I cried through the phone when I first came to Sabah and even made my dad cried, she was strong and was calm to comfort both my dad and I. See how strong she is? This must have been a major blow for her, and to think I was not there for her when she needed me most crushed me even deeper. :(

Well all that I want to say has been said. But action needs to be done. This has really thought me a lesson of not taking things for granted in life. I love you so much, and as heart breaking it was to watch you leave, I have to let you go. I'm sure you're in heaven now, looking upon us hopefully with a smile on your face.

So for this new year, I've listed a few of my new year's resolution in my mind. 1 that tops it all is that I promise to care for those, and cherish those all around me. I will not take all of you for granted and hopefully we'll share wonderful memories as we progress along the years. This stays as my resolution no matter what. *fingers crossed* Till the next post

-KaRLeeN-