mac's comfort zone

e m P t Y

Saturday, August 12, 2006 ( 04:33 )

Wednesday was RED and WHITE day!

Sunday, August 06, 2006 ( 04:01 )

I simply detest being sick.

Got hit by an asthma attack a few days back. Had to receive nebulizer therapy and was almost put on steroids. Became febrile and suffered fainting spells again. Couldn't retain any oral intake and vomited whatever was consumed. It was an ultimate bummer, especially since my pediatrics placement had just started. I was so psyched but the bout took a toil on me. Am only beginning to feel more souped up now, but the slight cough's still bugging me.

Can I just grumble over how unethical my doctor was by the way? What a flimflammer. He found out I was covered by insurance and doubled my consultation fees from A$31.45 to A59.70. %$!?@&# How shady is that?!

One week at Royal Children's was already an enriching hap and a know-how by itself. Being in a general medical ward with chronic ailments and long term stayers made me realized how the world is really painted - in the peepers of these children.

There is this boy, aged 11, deemed to have a tracheostomy (artificial airway) for life. He also has tracheo-oesophageal fistula, and has thus never, never tasted anything before. Even a sip of water can choke him and send him short-winded. He doesn't know the sweetness of chocolates nor the coldness of an ice-cream cone. All feeding is being done via the PEG - a gastrostomy tube which passes through the abdominal wall directly into the stomach. With poor parenting skills and negligence, his compliance to treatment is hence badly compromised, leading to a high re-admission rate.

I've forgotten how it feels like to hear a Code Blue (resuscitation) call. Reminiscence unfortunately stroke on Wednesday for a pre-schooler who threw a fit. I hate it. I really really scorn situations like this. Sigh.. Sometimes I can't help but dawn on whether I'm in the right profession.. I know it's definitely not gonna be all sundaes and strawberry shakes. I just don't want to get detached and be numbed and jaded by such affairs. But yet I can't be too emotionally involve. Where does one draw the line then? That's something to chew over in dead cert.

Written in retrospective:

Went for my second footy last Friday at MCG! The game wasn't as enticing as the first, cause we nailed the Haws even before half time. Besides, it was extremely chilly that evening. Still, little extra "activities" peppered the night's event. This guy, just few seats to my left was sent out by the security for smoking. He refused to barge, and police was called in. Another group of fanatics was being all bawdy and constantly screaming cuss off their lungs. A friendly josh between two families a few rows down took a rough turn and almost got brutal. In all, the Ground was a pretty riot sight! Two words for the second experience: Far out!

Saturday was annual bowling tournament day! My personal average score was a remarkable 68! Jumping jellybeans! Even the small tods did better than me, with that sliding device of theirs. And someone had 4 strikes consecutively! Geez... Some people just have eyes that even an eagle would be envious of. *sour grapes* Ha...

Caught "White Chicks" at Cherri's place today after a sumptuous din-din at Afi's. A side-splitting, knee-slapper flick that just got me amused for 90 minutes. Two thumbs up! Kevin made his signature curry puffs and Yum, they were absolutely divine, piping hot out of the oven. Had a few rounds of "Uno" and "Uno Stacko" as well, and it was just hilarious!

Of course, tonight was another fab time spent with the good old gang!