Last Minute Briefing

Prof RP (a.k.a The ROCK) called for a last minute meeting today at 5 pm. She wanted to meet all the ’finalist’ who will be defending their theses next Monday. There are 8 of us, but only 7 turned up (the other I heard has gone shopping for some ‘killer’ outfit to wear come Monday!).

Here’s the final check list:

1. Make sure power point presentation is loaded into the main notebook to be used that day. (checked!)

2. The presentation is 10 minutes long and there will be 20 minutes of viva after that.

3. Come on time

4. Do NOT drink coffee that morning (to avoid being too jumpy)

5. Dress to KILL!

6. Go through the power point again. (checked)

7. Repeat step 6 over and over again till anxiety has subsided some what (checked)

8. Never argue with the examiner (don’t plan on doing that)

9. Since 1998 NO ONE except ONE has failed the viva! (He/She failed because he/she disagreed with the examiner’s view; hence rule number 8 above)

10. Good luck guys!

Thanks Prof RP! I always knew you have a heart of gold.

SMS-itis

My right thumb hurts. I think it’s because I went on a marathon texting over lunch today – mainly trying to KPC and then console and comfort my friends who failed in their exams. One went down in Masters in Anaesthesiology Part 1 and two went down in Masters in Family Medicine Part 1. Sigh! I was rooting so hard for them.

I think I am suffering from sms-itis. A very serious condition if not treated which could lead to a severely swollen and painful thumb which might lead others to think that you may have been up to no good with it.

I am trying to rest the thumb but sms-es kept coming in from friends, enemies, strangers, relatives…..sigh! I wish they will invent a phone which will translate my voice or even thoughts into text! That would be cool!

I am trying to train my left thumb to do the work of my right one. It’s not easy.

Had a ‘hellish’ day. It’s always hellish when you start to get inter-department referrals at 5.30 pm! I received 3! (Actually I should consider myself lucky, I heard the chest team received 6!).

I am actually peeved that the referrals would come at a time when everyone else is heading home.  I mean, are these people heartless or what? Why can’t they call earlier? And they are not even emergency referrals!

One of the referral was for a ‘second opinion’ because they “do not trust what the hematological team has written earlier”!!!! Personally I consider hematologists to have the best brains around and I feel it’s an insult to them that their opinion is not trusted and a second opinion sought from a lowly less brainy fella like me! sigh!

It’s a long story and I don’t want to talk about it.

Now it’s past 10 pm and I can finally sit down and enjoy a cup of green tea (darn, some one used up all the hot water!).

Sigh! Another 10 more hours to go!

Fri, 171106 @ 2221

Last Call

I just walked out of the ID clinic, probably for the last time, for now anyway. Felt kinda nostalgic but also relieved.

It’s been a good day so far; I enjoyed telling 2 patients that from now on, their HAART is FOC and then started another ex-drug abuser on HAART (again FOC) today. Their eyes spoke first of surprise, then disbelief, and then gratitude. I felt gratitude too, because this new policy has now enabled us to extend a life line to more people who would otherwise be without treatment. I felt gratitude to God, that I am given the opportunity to make a difference in people’s life.

I am on call today, the last in my 4 years here. I still pray it’s going to be a good call, with some sleep at night. No intention to go out with a bang! Heh heh! Going out quietly is best.

It’s lunch time. Waiting for my food at my favourite eating joint, just opposite the hospital. It’s a good day.

Fri, 171106 @ 1255

24

I stole this from the MMR (confession is good for the soul but bad for the reputation).

I am happy to say that a person who has HIV can expect to live, on an average, 24 years more after diagnosis and treatment, with certain caveat; namely, you must be:

1. an American (coz in other places, you would probably die sooner from you know, famine, starvation, pestilence, homophobe attacks, severe social stigmatization, land mines, floods, tsunamis, thigh zooming CCTVs, that sort of thing…)

2. filthy rich, at least $600,000 in the coffer (that would be RM 1.8 million, give or take a few sen) to afford the therapy.

The rest of the world? Watch and weep I guess.

You can read about it here

Friday, on my final on call duty (Hallelujah!), 171106 @ 0800