Category Archives: All in a days work

as a medical officer

A possibly tragic October

Posted in All in a days work, Everyday Life by

Just thinking about next months roster and added responsibilities are already making me an emotional wreck. Not to sound melodramatic, but family time would be affected and my son would probably not recognize me as Mummy. Maybe the mumia mummy. Huhu.. exaggerate lebih.

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But then again, who am I, a little medical officer in a district setting to complain? oncall sikit pun nak cakap banyak? yah yah.. Im sadapping. I’m sure my counterparts in the tertiary hospital are having yo-yo feelings regarding their job as well. Their job demands are tougher, they deal with more lives than we do.

Big, profound changes are coming my way soon. I would say most are half-baked ideas but then an orthopedic surgeon once said, if you can’t give a solution to the problem, don’t even think about raising the issue”

So yeah, keeping mum.

 

Of passing exams …

Posted in All in a days work, Everyday Life by

My colleague and I passed our skills exam recently. The questions were not leaked like the recent UPSR paper thus the success felt more sweet and deserving. We studied diligently for the theory and practical aspect of the exam – we pooled our resources and shared what we knew with each other. All this for an exam of a 1 day course. 1 day theory, next day exam. Ha ha. Even Mr Husband was impressed that I was reading something serious. LOL.

“Omg.. I can’t believe my wife is studying … you haven’t opened a proper book for two years!!”

Yes, his exact words in his sarcastic, sing-song tone. Ahem.. I have been opening my books in between traffic light stops okay..

terpaksa belajar takut fail then malu dgn haousemen

On my part I did not feel the need to hide any extra information – I never was the type who would do that anyway because I honestly think that there is nothing to lose by sharing the ‘extras’ that we have. In fact, the more we share.. the easier it is to achieve a certain goal  – in this case, saving a patient’s life – because we are all thinking along the same line of thought.

While some advocate for an exam-free environment, I for one is a strong supporter for the implementation of a formal exam to gauge one’s competence in skills and theory. An exam should not be the sole measure of one’s ability though, and should be supported by ongoing informal observation of one’s character and interaction with others in his/her daily duties. At least that is what Pan-Ro in Good Daughter, Hana (Korean drama) thinks. And I agree.

Nevertheless, the passing or scoring on an exam is not to give one a reason to gloat over the success. It should in fact serve as a reminder that many aspects come into play to get such good results – hard work, smart play and team effort. On top of reinforcing the knowledge that we thought we have and is doing it right and safe.

Now that I’ve passed – I feel more confident to guide my colleagues who didn’t have the chance to participate in the course. At least I can say without doubt,

” aku dah belajar canne nak buat from specialist – come I teach you and we learn the proper way ” 

 

The team is down by 3..

Posted in All in a days work by

“you might want to decide fast. We live in a dangerous world. If you see a chance to be happy, you have to fight for it, so later you have no regrets.” 
― Ilona Andrews, Magic Bleeds

So they say, ” the grass is greener on the other side”

In 2014 itself, I see a few transfer requests and resignation letters already handed in to the hospital director. Some say

“its just time to leave”

others say “I want to make more money”

What was more important to me was seeing how happy they were after they made the decision to leave. I couldn’t imagine myself leaving ones comfort zone for something new. That needs you to explore again, forge new relationships and such. Perhaps this is what they meant by chasing their dreams and to make sacrifices in between.

Yes, we make sacrifices so we could gain something MORE out of the bloody, sticky situation. An end gain they say. If you’re still stuck in the horrible situation and not getting anywhere with it, its not called a sacrifice and dont let any hospital director tell you likewise,because then its just anew form of slavery. Working your butt off for long hours only to have your annual leave denied et cetera.

This month alone, 3 smart brains are leaving. And these are senior medical officers that we usually consult and turn to when we have a sherlock dilemma. Their motivation to leave was to experience that greener grass at the other side of the field. I honestly wish them all the best and hope they get what their heart yearns for.

As of now, I am content in being a possible chronic MO as I find Anaesthesia no longer the R.O.A.D to happiness that my intensivist once described it to be.

R – Radiology

O – Opthalmology

A – Anaesthesia

D – Dermatology

Love,

th_coffee

The old, lonely road

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“Seven Ages: first puking and mewling
Then very pissed-off with your schooling
Then fucks, and then fights
Next judging chaps’ rights
Then sitting in slippers: then drooling.” 
― Robert Conquest

Once in a while we chance upon an elderly patient with a sad story. 

He who has neurofibromatosis and lives alone till old as no one wants to marry him because of his appearance.

He who was an ex addict and now is paying his penance by living in isolation as his own family members think HIV is contagious from a simple touch.

She who losts her husband in an accident and refuses to leave the house she’s staying in because of the memories it stores throughout their married life.

She who bore 10 children and yet not even one turned out to be someone of great use.

Them who couldn’t have children since the early days and the only adopted child they had,  passed away earlier.

Them who depends on the charity of others to live because the world just moves faster than them. And they don’t know how to ask for help.