the unintentional countdown

only three more weeks of paeds, then exams.

it really is starting to dawn on me how close graduation is. since 4th year, patients have been saying "not long to go now", but every year before now has gone by soooo slowly that i never really allow myself to imagine being an intern. 5th year really has flown by- and it is only now that i have begun to feel tired.

some of that has probably got to do with my waking at 0530 hours every morning for the past week. i thought it was just my usual sensitivity to the light, it being nearly summer and all. but when i looked at my watch this morning and saw that it was 0450 hours, i decided it had gone too far and refused to budge until 0630 hours. when i tell them, my fellow (reasonably)-soon-to-be-interns classmates can't make up their minds about whether i am anxious or depressed. perhaps both?

also had a very eventful day in hospital and i am exhausted now. my consultant arrived and decided to do a ward round shortly after the wednesday morning teaching session. the rmo (resident medical officer) was off putting a cannula in somebody, so i took the files and volunteered to scribe. there i was, clutching the files to my chest awkwardly, when the consultant turned to me and asked how i was doing, and if i was her new rmo! i was like er, no, i am your student (and have been for the past week that you've been on call). i don't know how it is that some consultants can see your face in all the meetings but never take any notice until you are introduced. it's quite a common occurrence, too.

once we were introduced it was fine. i sat in with her during endocrinology clinic and she was quite happy to discuss our patients. in fact i accidentally cut her off during an explanation about a certain rare medical condition.
consultant: yes so in that boy we had to blah-blah-blah because blah-blah-blah.
*pause*
me: okay thank you so much! ... *picks up bag, file, stethoscope*
consultant: in [insert condition name], the patient will often have [insert associated symptoms]...
me: ohh mm uh-huh *crap! did i just interrupt the consultant?*

remember that post on CTEC? well, the day came sooner than expected. i left clinic in a hurry so that i could attend the WAMSS suture workshop from 5-7pm. 14 students showed up, myself included, which was a little disappointing considering there were enough spots for 50 students. it was taken by two plastic surgeons, and definitely not a waste of time.

in terms of other news, lodged UK visa application today. fingers crossed.

off to do some PICOs and evidence based medicine for my THIRD case report (out of 4).

it has begun

so i was sitting here, innocently listening to some Scott Darlow when my mother approached me with a suspiciously large envelope...

...containing radiographs of my brother's OPG. my reflex reaction was "mum, i'm not a dentist". of course, hers was "i know, i know, but will you just take a look at this anyway"

the other day, kaixing also had a right-sided facial swelling. we took her to the vet and it turns out that she also has wisdom teeth, plus abscess formation! he gave her antibiotics, and i had a peek at the generic drug names. would you believe it- amoxycillin + augmentin, which is precisely what i'd suggested to my brother :P

so there you go- paediatric endocrinology by day, and moonlighting as a dentist/vet.

paeds endocrinology is going fabulously. i love, love, love my entire team. even so, i doubt i'll specialise in this area. CAH and Pituitary disorders are interesting, but all of that insulin adjusting would drive me nuts.

life's like a box of mooncakes

number one food i miss about Singapore would have to be mooncake. specifically the double egg yolk traditional-style mooncake. unfortunately, i doubt i could impress upon the quarantine authorities the severity of my cravings every october.

i haven't gone back to Singapore for the mid-autumn festival for at least 10 years. in that time i've become much less picky.

recently, mum brought back a box of mooncakes (no egg- i don't know why but i'm always hoping). they're multicoloured, and a random assortment of flavours. i chose a light spearmint-coloured one.

bit into it.

found lots of chunky bits of carrot.

veggie-flavoured mooncake??! who would do such a thing! -_-