The sorry state of affairs

ETA major exams: 19 days

Oh dear, oh dear.

When you dream
What do you dream about

Do you dream about music
Or mathematics
Or planets too far for the eye?

Do you dream about Jesus
Or quantum mechanics
Or angels who sing lullabyes?

Are they colored or black and white
Yiddish or English or languages not yet conceived?
Are they silent or boisterous?
Do you hear noises
Just loud enough to be perceived?

~Barenaked Ladies

In the course of a stolen 10mins nap in the midst of a busy day I had a dream in which I was asleep and dreaming (in my dream). In my dream I was slumbering on the living room couch with Julie commenting on how much I sleep. It was certainly a cause of post-slumber confusion as I was actually asleep in my bed.

I think something needs to be done when one dreams of sleep when one is asleep.

Theatre embaressment

This blog should really be renamed to "The stupid things I do in the hospital". Well, here's another one, an excerpt from an email I sent a friend. Can't be bothered to change it, so you'll get it in that form.

"I did something else rather stupid in theatre the other day too. You see, I've previously only inserted urinary catheters into mannequins. The organ of insertion of catheter on the mannequin is made of rubber and hence is quite firm and erect.

So, I rocked up to orthopaedics theatre the other day and was told to insert a urinary catheter into a man who was under GA (General Anaesthesia) and spinal, with the surg registrar and surgeon watching. I prepped the area and then proceeded to pick the organ up in order to squirt anaesthetic jelly into it, and commented (out loud of course), "It's SO soft! And the hole is so small! You want me to put the tip of THAT injection into THAT small hole?".

Needless to say, the surg reg was highly amused and kept saying, "Yes, into THAT".

To make matters worse, I honestly couldn't see how the injection tip would fit into that hole, and stood there holding the organ upright with the syringe in my other hand with an incredulous look on my face for literally 30 seconds before I did anything. My partner Kemble was pissing himself in the corner. ;) "

Oh dear, oh dear.

The importance of referral letters

Consultant proffers Mrs. Miggin's knobbly hand

Consultant: Right Sue, describe what you see.

Sue: "Well," whilst looking hard at the particularly large index finger knuckle, "this is Mrs Miggins* who presents with a firm protruberance at the head of the right 2nd metacarpal head about 4cm in diameter, which is non tender and as it's consistent with the rest of the metacarpal is probably a..."

Consultant: "Can I just stop you right there. Why don't you take a look at the referral letter and then describe it."

Sue: Picks up referral letter, begins reading it.
"From GP. Thank you Mr Consultant for seeing Mrs Miggins for the management of her skin cancer...". Looks quickly again at Mrs Miggins' hand and sees the tiny patch of gnarled scaly skin below the huge knuckle.

Sue: "Oh oops."

Consultant: "Yes, oops."




* not her real name

Tasmania

Yes, I'm still alive and yes, there have been a few notable happenings in my usually monotonous Shep life, and yes, I have become crap at blogging, but let's just focus on my little break to Tasmania.

Highlights include
-Raspberry Lattes at Christmas Hill Raspberry Farm
-Long pretty and fun (due to windy roads) drives
-Food, food and food.
-Great company: The Sri Aman duo, Gaya and Puay San
-Vegetarian sausage, spiced gouda and gherkin sandwiches at Wineglass Bay
-Late night Chor-Tai-Ti sessions
-Hanging out with Ta again
-The view from the lookout point at Wineglass Bay
-The spa/jacuzzi bathtub at Gardener's Cottage in Launceston where I put too much lavender bath gel in and was literally swimming in foam with bubbles overflowing around the huge bathtub onto the heated floor

Ok enough... recanting my highlights is making me want to blow off studying for the upcoming med exams and fly off to live a gastronomic life in Tasmania.
But, I shall leave you with two things.

Firstly, PHOTOS (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/chansuelyn/)

Secondly, the poem which we left in the guestbook of Lester Cottage. (All the other entries were boring)

Wandering tourists from Malaysia
Ignorant in the art of lighting fires
But howling winds and magic firelighters
Ignited the fire we so desired.

We can experience the joy of cracking fires
And comprehend how logs can squeal
Ah simple pleasures combined with homely supplies
Made breakfast a delightful meal.

So thank you for our pleasant days
With quaint touches the cottage displayed
Thanks for the maps and guides that showed us the way
Next time we're around, we'd love to stay!