Precious Moments Close to you Originally uploaded by Sunlight follows me For the last few days, Stardust and I have been struggling. Or rather, Stardust is well but I have been struggling. It is really hard at midnight when one is already on the verge of crying from overtiredness, to deal with a wailing baby who is already crying from overtiredness. Today, I received an email that really put things into Culture Shock #4 I am shocked to realise that: It is unacceptable to leave work at 5pm even though there is no more work to be done. One has to stick around until the senior doctors have either dismissed you or have gone home themselves. Even though there are no more outstanding tasks to do on the wards, one has to look busy and overworked. A doctor? Finishing work at 5pm? Impossible! He or she must be a Small packages Very displeased, originally uploaded by Sunlight follows me.Stardust and I have been having a tough time. He's all hungryhungryhungryhungryfeedmefeedmefeedmehelpmemummyhelphelp. I'm stressedstressedstressed and stressed out mummy means poor milk supply which means hungry baby which means stressed out mummy ad infinitum. So, I had to supplement some of his feeds with formula milk. This made me Thoughts on the labour process 1. Be prepared. I nicked some disposable incontinence pads from the ward and put them on my mattress along with an old towel. Really glad I did this because when my waters broke in the middle of the night, I did not have any control over it and would have otherwise soaked the bed with liquor! I also packed my hospital bag about a month in advance and prepared a birth plan so that I would not We are golden A bundle of Stardust, originally uploaded by Sunlight follows me.He's so beautiful. Culture Shock #3 I am shocked to realise that: Most Singaporeans are flexible when it comes to the usage of gender-specific terms in everyday language, that is, the use of the gender-specific terms such as 'he/she' or 'him/her' have become interchangeable. In fact, the speaker may even change the gender of the subject mid-sentence, completely unaware that an error has been made (eg. "I spoke to him and she told Thoughts from the 16 week ultrasound scan Oh my did the radiographer just say what I thought she said? She's going to check for the heartbeat first before turning on the scan screen. Well, of course, there's going to be a heartbeat. Right? Right? What if there isn't? Oh, but there will be! But...what if there isn't? Why isn't she turning on the screen yet? Why is this taking so long? Turn on the screen, woman! Turn on the Culture shock #2 I am shocked to realise that: Singaporeans are surprisingly ignorant about their own medical problems. One would think that, amongst such an affluent and highly educated population, there would be more awareness of health-related matters. But there isn't. My Singaporean patients seem to be quite disinterested in personal health. I feel like grabbing some of my patients and screaming, "Don't Skin to skin I consider it a great achievement that I managed to get to 35 weeks gestation before finding my very first stretchmark. I shall consider it a battle scar! Culture Shock #1 I am shocked to realise that: In this country, people very seldom pay compliments to each other - especially to people who are seen as being 'junior'. A good work or good effort is hardly ever acknowledged - and if it is, it is done in such a begrudging manner that one is never sure if a word of praise has been spoken or not. However, compliments may occasionally be paid behind one's back in a Look out for Mr Stork Hello folks, Sorry for the long silence! I didn't intend to go AWOL for so long - thank you all for your concern and well-wishes! I am very touched. The last few months have been rather challenging as MDH and I have made a Very Big Move to a Much Tinier Island, and we are both suffering from culture shock. However, I received some lovely emails over the Christmas season which were very It's all downhill from here! I can feel my IQ dropping every single day. I think I am becoming increasingly less intelligent, or at least, more dull. I can't concentrate for any length of time without feeling fatigued so I can't even entertain myself with music or books. Maybe the lack of appropriate nourishment and stimulation is making me lose my mental edge. This proves my theory that people tend to lose their common Bloatsome 1. 'Morning sickness' is a lie. It is more like 'Daytime sickness', or maybe 'Every waking hour sickness'. 2. Today, I have discovered that I no longer fit comfortably into any of my smart trousers or jeans. This is a disaster. I am not yet ready for fat-pants! *stares at elasticated waist and weeps uncontrollably* 3. When I am awake, I am usually too ill to eat, and the best I can manage is a 5 weeks by date Two by two, lines of blue. I'd write more but being at the computer makes me feel nauseous. Waiting Late. Very late. I wonder. Invasion of the Outlaws (part 2) Floury Hands Originally uploaded by Sunlight follows me. Mother-Outlaw has been bustling around the kitchen since she got here. I'm not possessive about my homespace - so I am happy leaving her to her own devices and letting her poke around the cupboards. Mother-Outlaw hails from Hobbiton, so her cooking is as plain and simple and as British as can be. Hence, she is in awe of my spice and Invasion of the Outlaws I have come home from work to find that the Outlaws have invaded the home. A surprise visit from the Outlaws can oftentimes be a shock to the system, especially when I have realised that the Father-Outlaw has taken it upon himself to dismantle the cistern in the bathroom and effect some repairs. However, the blow is cushioned by the fact that the Mother-Outlaw has taken over the kitchen and she Backbreaking I've been alone on the wards for the last two weeks, covering for other doctors who haven't been able to turn up for work due to sickness, study leave, last minute interviews, resignation etc. So now, I have to attend my own ward rounds and look after my own patients, as well as carry the on-call bleep. However, due to the sudden lack of junior doctors in the Trust, senior doctors from other Ask TSCD #1 I have decided that I will start answering interesting reader questions on my blog. Of course, I will not answer questions on this blog about personal or confidential medical issues. However, quite a few of you have emailed me some interesting queries about being a doctor which I have often thought would make very good blog posts. I have also received questions about the weird and bizarre, Grand Rounds This week's Grand Rounds is hosted by ImpactEDnurse. ImpactED nurse says: "For this week's Grand Rounds I threw down a challenge for writers to submit a post that they were particularly proud of. As you will soon see, there are some truly gifted writers amongst us; recording the narrative of their experiences as they bump up against the medical humanity. Do not rush these readings. They are in Bad Day 1. You. Yes you, will you just sit down and just be quiet for one second while I attend to another patient? Thank you very much. I am only one person and I can only talk to one patient at a time. You will just have to wait your turn, so go back to your bed and sit down. 2. Stop stealing other patient's food. 3. Screaming "I WANT MORPHINE NOW" over and over again will not get you what you want, Being Constructive Whilst I have been hard at work this week, MDH has had a few days off for study leave. Study leave? Yes, doctors are entitled to a few days off in order to attend training courses or post-graduate examinations. Sometimes, doctors are even allowed to take a few days here and there for independent study. MDH has been using his time very constructively to do some revision and work on some Beware the toothless granny The toothless granny is a sweet old lady who lives in the hospital and has lost her dentures many years ago and smiles at you in an endearing gummy way. She is wrinkled and rosy and good natured and kind and hazardous. Be warned. She will strangle you with your own stethescope when you are not looking. She will pull out your hair. There is much strength in those deceptively frail, delicate Fun with dentures This evening, we had five new admissions onto the ward within one hour. The nurses were bustling about sorting each patient out, so I helped by taking an inventory of each patient's property. The healthcare assistants gave me some sterile plastic tubs to label - these tubs were for keeping dentures in. Elderly patients are very prone to losing their dentures, especially in hospital where the Grand Rounds, Vol 3, No 34 This week, the medical bloggers' Grand Rounds will be located in the Vesalius viewing arena at Medical Humanities Blog. Gather round everyone, and pay close attention as we begin the dissection of these interesting cases... (Footnote: This post on DNA is hilarious!) Tips for medical students: How to Survive Lectures Now, I don't remember very much about lectures in medical school, because to be perfectly honest, I was asleep during most of them. With all the dim lighting, the comfortable high backed cushioned chairs, the soothing hum of the lecturer's voice, I just couldn't stay awake. Not for lack of trying, mind you. I did try sleeping early the night before, drinking caffiene-laden concoctions, avoiding Tips for medical students: Packing the survival kit This is the standard survival kit for medical students: 1. Stethescope 2. Notebook and pen 3. Pocket sized textbook aka external brain 4. White coat (optional, doubles as pillow or blanket.) To be considered an exceptional medical student, this is what the survival kit contains: 1. Sweeties/Chocolates - to be used as bribery and emergency rations 2. Spare change amounting to at least £2 - Tips for medical students: How to Survive Ward Rounds 1. Turn up early for the ward rounds and introduce (that is, ingratiate) yourself to the house officer. The house officer will probably know who the new patients are and will give you a brief summary of their problems (if you ask nicely), so that you can do a bit of quick reading before the round. Chances are, the questions directed at you during the round will be related to the new patients. It Grand Rounds, Vol 3, No 33 This week, Grand Rounds is hosted at The Blog That Ate Manhattan - in the form of a tribute to medical blogosphere's beloved surgical registrar, Barbados Butterfly, who was suspended for writing one of the most thoughtful, educational and beautiful medical blogs that I have had the priviledge to read. I believe in music I remember looking through your music collection, the first time you invited me round to your flat. Being the good host that you are, you had gone to the kitchen to get drinks for everyone, and left us sitting in your room. The others were chatting away about the upcoming examinations and I was listening in on the conversation, and rummaging through your CDs. I have always believed that one can