Simplicity

Simplicity...is what I yearn for.

Amongst many other things, not appropriate to be disclosed here.

But that's the basis. Simplicity. If only I can find its counterpoint.

To shuly: please stop thinking of all the nonsensical thoughts..;
And,
Don't be frightened..

You lied.
I cried.

"Immensurebility"

In the midst of time, tide and the passing of moments, yet another of many thoughts was triggered. And I am writing this because I had a second trigger. Thus, although being a sceptical person, I think it is a sign that I should reinstate it. I have a diary that I do keep for myself and it is probably a better thing to do than to announce to the world these thoughts of mine. Yet, I think typing is faster - I can type pretty fast apparently. This was surprising as it was said by different people in a matter of a couple of days! Besides, I can refer to my archives easily.

People change. There may be some things in us which are innate and untouchable, cannot be changed nor dented. Yet, many of us jump to the conclusion that a person wouldn't ever change. If you know a friend for 10 years, you think you know him/her well. You know their bad habits, you know what they like, you know what they detest, you know how to approach them and how not to anger them. But can you assume that that person would react similarly in the present as he/she would have done so in the past?

I believe that people can change. We are all ever-changing. Time and experience change a lot of things, especially those which had an immense impact. Some change for the better, some for the worse; but it will be ongoing.

Assumptions can only go a certain distance.

Question is, can you accept that change and believe in the (desire to) change of the OTHER person?

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~..Back when I was a child,
before life removed all the innocence..~

Title-less

To those of you interested in finding out what others are up to in their lives, and particularly mine - since you're at my blog's page! :

1. Its been freezing cold!
2. Week's been awesome! And STILL ongoing.
3. A tinge of fear for enjoyment did not equate work.
4. Can't wait for the postman to come by! =D - if u're close with me, you'll know how much I ADORE mail. And i'm expecting one! *happyness*
5. Becoming more impromptu with life.
6. Books! Not a reader, but has quite a few in line.
7. Procrastination of what needs to be done vs what I chose to do. =P
8. Never been so excited over life in such a distance.
9. A trace of the diminishing, because I am only human
10. I'd love a smile from you who's reading.

i wanna kiss all my friends!

Tick-Tock

I had a good weekend.
And it is not to end with the start of the week.
I shall be the determinant of that imminent occurrence.
And this shall be a testimony to that statement.


~Fight for me in this battlefield of love,
And we'll run to our secret getaway..~

The Third Law

I learnt something valuable over the past 2 days. I was upset by a past memory and speaking to a friend made me realise a few things.

Who do you turn to when you need someone?

Friends can be there for you, but they are not required to. It is their choice whether or not they want to be there for you. They do not have a responsibility or obligation to be there for you. This is not a new revelation but it was a reinstatment. And I thank this friend who was there for me, deeply.

You’re on your own, most of the time. But yet, you’re never really alone. I am one who believes in what comes around goes around. Do not do unto others what you don’t want to be done unto you. Be true to yourself. Don’t expect someone to treat you perfectly when you’re full of imperfections. Cherish and appreciate those who stick to you through your flaws and valuing your strengths. But this would only go until a certain extent because if you refuse to acknowledge and recognise serious flaws even when it is put in front you, you are not going to go far and neither would the people close to you. I've learnt it the hard way. Respect what others have to say but you don’t have to take everything on board. Whoever said that they are right all the time?

There are many people whom I have come across in my short life and learnt so much from them. The crazy laughter that they induced will never be forgotten. I want to forget the deep hurt that I have experienced or make it into something better. At times, I think it was to protect myself and thus I have translated that into hatred. Yet, there is an opposite end involved too. I hope I am able to grow away and out of certain issues. I would like to face my future in a more positive manner.
The best thing I learnt yesterday, was that after all the whining and grumblings, the tears and cries, is that, what can be LEARNT from them?

This again, is taken with a pinch of salt. Nothing is ever completely or perfectly right. Sometimes, we are allowed to do things without reasons.

People can put up a strong front. The stronger you think someone is, don’t forget about Newton’s Third law. There is an equally strong opposing force. When you are in admiration of someone strong, don’t forget the unseen opposing force that he/she is facing.

I hurt my finger today, and I am unable to use it. But God has blessed me with 9 others which are now compensating for that lost of usage. We adapt, we learn, and the other fingers will grow stronger until that affected one is healed and together, they will be back to normal, in fact, perhaps stronger than before.

Boston, Massachusetts - Sept 2009

So what..

If you love somebody, let them go, for if they return, they were always yours. And if they don't, they never were.
-K. Gibran-

What if you love somebody..and let them go, but both parties were too proud , or scared, to return to each other?
Isn't that akin to lost love... that it is present, but never came back to the same meeting point.

Would it be true love if it only applies to one?
And then, they say,
True love is your soul's recognition of its counterpoint in another.

When should you open up and give yourself that chance?...especially when you've been hurt, ever so badly?

The offsprings..

Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them,
but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children
as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,
and He bends you with His might
that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies,
so He loves also the bow that is stable.
-Khalil Gibran-

Hyped over and out!

Ok, here's what we're gonna do when I get back!

WK: If u cannot come out, I will bring a bucket of KFC for the two of us. My bike's tyre punctured..so "SFC" might have to do. Will see.

Alan + WK: If Alan is around, I hope he still has some booze! If not, I'll go hunt for some good ones and u guys can come over and gather at my place!

Lav: We rock! No plans needed. Haha!

CS and co.: Yum Cha sometime? Sorry man, Man Utd game is a bit too rushed! Looking fwd for AE tho! =D

Maha: Will cook up some really saucy stuff in line with our latest conversation themes! HAHAHHAA!!

ZLi: Hope u've booked the courts! If not, lemme know!

G,A,N et al.: Card/board games all aboard!

RR: Coffee + cake and everything sinful! ..cuz we're too angelic ;)

A: A chill-out meal perhaps?

Everyone: Pubs, Rooms, Pillows!..ICE SKATING??!

Side note:
I have so much to learn in life, so much to catch up on, so much to experience.. I yearn for the opportunity. Sigh.

What's in a name of "Professionalism"?

In a recent article published in the BMJ, a survey was done on how patients and medical professionals (namely doctors) view professionalism. One aspect which was surveyed was behaviour, and the other, dress code.

As medical students, it is part of our conduct and requirement to 'dress appropriately and professionally'. However, in this survey, it was found out that many patients are not as bothered to the doc's dresscode but rather, their behaviour in itself.

Yet, I struggle to comprehend. We live in a society where first impression matters, unfortunately, but acceptable. Perhaps we were told to dress professionally and thus allmost all doctors and medical students alike would dress adequately to the medical school's satisfaction. Lack of public's exposure to these misdemeanours might just cause the public to care less. What you see is what you get ain't it? If you are unable to see anything bad happening, it will not disturb you thus you'll not put it according to importance. Generally that is, in the wide scheme of event.

Secondly, earning gap between female and male doctors. Sexism is all over the place. Some for the right reasons, some not. I believe in acknowledging and respecting differences. :)

Sometimes, I don't understand why so many doctors would want to work part time, and mind you, medical students yet to graduate are planning to do so! This part time hoolah is to the extend of coming in twice a week, for a few hours. Is this because you're in a position where you can demand to be paid and the supply is conveniently there? What's the story here? You want the job as to provide healthcare, or is earning comfortably and sufficiently are suffice for your likings? On top of this part-time jobs are holidays and leaves in between. Perhaps i am being cynical towards non-committal doctors. Perhaps I am just not a wife, or mother yet. But I know I am a medical student and it has already impaired my learning.

3rd issue. To what extend do we need to practice evidence and statistic based medicine?
Evidence change all the time. No statistics are perfect. There are too many confounding factors. Yet, we need them in order to claim that we are doing 'good practise'.
Well, I think that's good in a way because we need to think and consider what's best. Hoorah, we're using our brains than merely following guidelines! :D I'm lazy. I'll just follow, for now. I tried reasoning out these good practices and found the literature too confusing for me to think about. Its like ... YouTube! One link links you to another relatively relevent one and another and another and by then, you've spent so much time, seen so much, yet, only able to remember minor details of each..unless its interesting. *D

Everything needs to be taken with a pinch of salt. Perhaps these days, we need to take a heaped tablespoonful instead.

Educational psychologists suggest that to acquire elite levels of expertise, in any field, requires about 10000 hrs of practice. Given that surgery requires both cognitive and manual skills, you kinda have to double that (says them - I shall remain humble and quiet since the word 'interest in surgery' is mildly ostracized [talk about the confound of irony!] in non-surgical fields). MPs are not going to change the law, which once accepted isn't easy of course - on top of it being a whole continent's! Back to evidence and statistics: Hard evidence need to be provided to support the claims of threatened patient safety in lieu of the EWTD. Indeed, doctors need to be given some life beyond work. That said, some of us really got no life, and work is our life. And wouldn't you agree that a nation who champions on human rights should give a right for people like these a CHOICE to work and contribute to the healthcare? Back when America reduced their doctors' working hours, there were rejections from several groups! The reduction? It was to bring the work hours down to 80hrs weekly! Oh, how interesting this is! I am just going to have a cuppa, get naked, tuck myself under my 100% blended Egyptian cotton with 500 threadcounts sheets, get a book out, or a man by my side and enjoy life. HAH!

We all use evidence nowadays to back our truth (except in certain countries - haha). Very good practice. I live in wards (mori)bound to definitions, guidelines and requirements made by others (hopefully in my best interest, and the patients of course - they deserve it). I follow, of course, but I have to admit, sometimes, I cannot fully reason out why. Also, I realise that I have failed to grasp the basics of physiology and pharmacology. Who's fault? Mine! ... I hope to improve.

And yes, perhaps surgeons are close to God, because 80hrs weekly (official) for 5years = 20800hrs can be replaced by 48hrs weekly (official) for 5 years = 12480hrs, for the similar end product.

Oh, and btw, a magazine printed on 100% recycled paper = good and environmental friendly rite? Caveat: "except for the front page". So, one has to manually remove the front page before being able to recycle it? I wonder what is the volume of BMJs published per issue. And, I am assuming that recycled paper be recycled again. Can it?

Peddling life.. it's a cycle.

I think the life cycle is all backwards.
You should all die first.
Start out dead and get it out of the way
Then, you wake up in an old age home,
Feeling better everyday

You get kicked out for being too healthy,
Go and collect your pension
Then when you start work
You get a gold watch on your first day.

You work 40 years,
Until you’re young enough to enjoy your retirement,
You drink alcohol, you party
You’re generally promiscuous

And you get ready for high school
You go to primary school, you become a kid
You play, you have no responsibilities
You become a baby.

You spend your last 9 months floating peacefully in luxury
In spa like conditions, central heating
Room service on tap, larger quantities every day
And finally
You finish off as an orgasm.

Blasé

The ups of Ups, and lows of Lows..

Blasé.

A reminder...

I don't know what led to this train of thoughts, but they're definitely not directed to anyone, nor to myself. Perhaps indirectly, to myself. I can't be certain.

Try not just criticise as though you know more than another person.
Giving negative comments do not improve any outcome.
If you so wish to reprimand someone about their idea/thoughts/actions, do so with educational input. Your thoughts are yours alone and if u like to share it with another, make sure there is an impact - provide logical reasons etc. Do not repel if u wish to influence.
Support and understand why first.

People are all different and indifferent.
You might have your own ways to do things, and they might have theirs. And when these two do not come together cohesively, understand this and come to a standpoint where both are acceptable. Let it go if you think its not worth the negative emotions. Take your time in that too, but not too long, afterall, like previously said, its not worth it. Some minor issues can be considered as artifacts of life. See the bigger picture.

I'm taking the positives, learning from the lesser ones and brushing over the negatives. :)

p/s: i am such a shy person!

1 thing 2 say 3 words 4 you.. ~ :)

Yesterday, I chatted with a dear friend and enjoyed every minute of the long conversation. We randomly keep in touch, perhaps roughly just 5 times a year if I had quantify/put a numeric to it, but she's one of those few who makes me feel so at ease talking to and brightens up the day even if its night ;)

Ok guys, if you're Muslim/Malay, I'd like to play matchmaker with this superb girl! HAHA.

Today, I dropped her a message and led me to this remarkable song. I love this band and a few of their songs. I adore this clip that they've made for the song. Its so meaningful, touching and adorable; but most importantly, simple. And, its location is CHICAGO!! Feels awesome to recognise the sites and in my heart, to say, "I've been there." It brings a lot of bittersweet memories. But I am gradually remembering only the sweet bits. :)

I've also just found out that this group, the Plain White T's is from Chicago's suburbs!

Perhaps some day, I can add my story to the clip. *smiles*
eNjoY~

Taking pleasure against Wind and Rain..

Many leave thoughts, opinions and expressions.
Today, I would like to write akin to a journal entry.
Here goes;

A friend came down over the weekend to visit another friend. I am very glad and happy to be in their company. We decided to go for one of the wonderful walks around the area and chose a 'moderate' one, with a distance of roughly 6 miles, taking between 2-4 hours, and with the highest altitude being around 1000ft.

Now, we were meant to take the train to the starting point to save time as it was rather far away. However, there were no trains available that day! And the bus timetable squeezed time out of us. Nevertheless, being ambitious, determined and 'casual', we dressed quickly and left.

The rain was pouring, the wind howling and turning raindrops into pellets stinging our faces as we walked against it. The reverberating sounds of tiny bullets against our rain jackets continued throughout the walk. We didn't quite end up the route we were meant to go. I did, however, thoroughly enjoyed the amiable chat, the comfortable company and the exuberant smiles in spite of soggy socks + shoes, damp clothes and shoe-sinking muddy grounds mixed with 'enriching' by-products of farm animals. HAHA. =D

We walked back by the sea and the estuary, against v.e.r.y strong winds. I wouldn't be surprised if it was 70mph! It completely dried out my jacket and trousers! As we walked by the estuary, the setting sun finally peeked through the wispy grey clouds and gave us a 'Twilight' moment (Pun intended!).

It was just too bad that I was still feeling short of good health and could not continue the great company through the night.

This would be one of those things where with the right company, I believe, one can enjoy a different perspective. It definitely gave me a memorable one.


Note: OHCM surgical chapter must be written by a woman, or at least partly!..or, a very intelligent man, because a section of it goes, "...ideally, this should be from the surgeon herself."
Utter brilliance!
HAHAHA =D *wicked*

*Silent surprises~

Almost everyday, I learn something new from you,
And on days that I don't, I learn something new about myself.

This, is hard to come by.
And things hard to come by,
yet often occurring,
takes you by surprise;

You think about what's happening,
And then when you realise,
It is an inexplicable moment;
one to ponder, one to reflect,
and one to wonder, or to deflect.



An apple.
A fruit,
A rotten apple,
or the apple of my eye?
Or the forbidden fruit,
or the fruit in a child's fantasy (disney),
or the fruit of peace (in cantonese),
or the fruit of technology (apple inc.)?
Or the fruit of health - to keep the doc away?
The apple.

Under the weather..

When you're not feeling quite right..
You just yearn for that ray of light to be shone upon you,
The warmth on your skin,
That special scent by your cheek,
The enveloping tenderness..

My silent smiles..

Ah, I'm rather chatty today. But everyone else seem to be busy doing something. I cannot blame them. There is a lot of work to be done - of which, needs my completion too. Just that I'm procrastinating and shrugging it off. Lazy me huh.

Its been quite a week thus far. Today marks the day we all returned to the northern hemisphere a week ago. The day I was somewhat awakened away from my magical dream. No one should question the wonders of holidays. They are there for a reason. They take us away to places we never knew existed, they teach us things we could have only imagined before this, they enlighten us about how tiny we are in this big big world, yet how similarities and differences can form a lasting bridge, connecting people, society, culture, opinions and attitudes.

I had a beautiful summer. I never thought that it would be such a steep learning and experience curve. It was a marvel. It shone light into my life - things are clearer now, both good and bad. It can be somewhat blinding..but hey, if it's too bright, put on some shades! Gonna look cool still.

I laughed, I cried, I smiled, I frowned, I panicked, and I resolved. I also did things that some would say as impulsive, I had doubts about them too but, I have no regrets, because up until this point in time, it still..feels..right. :)

I hope that the coming months would be as enjoyable as the past months. There would be a lot thrown at all of us, but in light of adversity, I hope that all of us shall rise together, and shine ever so brightly - as my friends deserve nothing less.

Just want a little bit of you..

May the powers above bless the people around me,
and forgive me for some of the things I've done.
and i am thankful if I managed to have good moments.

:)

The thoughts.

Summer has come, and summer is going.
The leaves are turning golden brown, gone is spring.
Chills and breezes turning into bitter colds and snowfalls.
Light florals draped down by thick and heavy sombre overalls.

I've walked a passage, I've made my wrong turns
I've learnt much, I've changed moderately.
I've enjoyed my freedom, I might even have mis-used some.
But I have definitely, lived.

I don't want to go back to the stressors of matters.
Yet, I want to reap the realms of matters.
I've pictured myself, the person I want to be,
And I'll work on this artwork of a lifetime,
Along with others who make up the colours
on this plain canvas of mine.

I have learnt so much from others,
the friends I've had all my life,
the friends I've known for years,
the friends who made me strong,
the friends who believed,
the friends who encouraged,
the friends who supported,
the friends who criticized,
the friends who I've just met,
the people on the streets,
the colleagues from work,
the admirers, and the admired.

There are also those precious few,
whom all these while love me,
And those whom recently shared their love with me,
They gave me the greatest gift of all;

They taught me how to love myself.

To believe in oneself,
To believe in others.

Back to business

I shall write a short note here.

The past few weeks have been really enlightening for me. I suppose I saw and learnt a lot from the many people I have met, and in the past week in particular. I am glad to have met up with a familiar face in the USA after all. That said, if you could consider the term 'familiar' being referred to a 'row' (debate competition) 8 years ago followed by a couple hours meet which eventually led up to a 7 year absence!

Yet, I had to sniff some things out for him too, which I found hilarious and it was hard to contain my giggles as I was doing so. People must have thought that I was mad!
I also walked in the rain. It was a thunderstorm. With company.
Saw a good tennis workout. Haha, a feast ;) [gosh, i hope the person isn't reading this. or if so, take it as a compliment yea. =P]
Drank a bit with a bunch of people I newly met (not advisable) but had someone I could rely there, that's why. But of which tables turned. LoL.
Danced.
Had a good time. period.
Chilled and relaxed.
Learnt how to think and ponder with "why nots" rather than "why" i.e why should I do this? Why not I do it?

Gonna be more vocal, more outgoing, and loosen up a lil'.

Pointings.

I learn. I try to remember what I learn. I do forget what I was meant to learn. I go around in circles. I get back at square one. But, I try; and in these attempts, I learn too. As long as I am moving, I am content, I do not regress. As long as I stay positive as I move, I will progress.

Sometimes, it's just that we are forced into directions we have ought to have found for ourselves.

Sly

Why is there so much vested interest in people? A term I learnt in college in the 'Thinking Skills' subject.
How is it that you can even find these in the people you are close with?

Why is it that I cannot avoid just simply being truthful? Sadly, after being so, I feel as though I have been suppressed and forced to divulge things I was comfortably telling initially, but subsequent actions of the people didn't add up to sincerity and honesty in return.

When would jealously end?

When would I grow up, and not be so naive and innocent?

I am not a wise person. I am not as sly and I cannot use others to my advantage, unlike some people.

Tenderness of a different kind

Pain... was triggered in today's thoughts. And Pain, was triggered for today's blog.

It is a simple word, easily understood, and an uncomplicated term. Yet, it is terribly interpreted. Or rather, mis-interpreted.
What is pain to you? The feeling when physical harm is inflicted? Or when the mind is triggered to express hurt? How do we cope with pain? How do our friends and family cope with pain? What is the pain that they are feeling and are we understanding it enough to help ease the pain? In medicine, the description of different characteristics of pain can lead to our differentials, but how often do we see beyond this? When something so subjective is approached, do not expect it to be easy to deal with.

We cope with pain in many ways. There will be biological effects, but our minds play a huge role such that we face pain with it. After all, it is the mind which interpreted it. The body will deal (ie compensate) with the biological changes. This, is how we attempt to raise the threshold of pain.

That said, there are not many who can successfully manage it. All of us are designed to withhold different volumes of external opposing forces. No matter how hard we try, sometimes, failure does occur. What do we do then?

Never forget how painful pain is, nor how fear magnifies pain.

Let us care, and help, and open up to each other; to be sincere and kind, and not let pain destroy the people we care. They may put up a brave front - respect, appreciate and admire such courage, but don't let it be invisible to you.

To try to ease pain is a humanitarian undertaking. I shall make it a point to try to be as helpful as I can, in my own capabilities, to address any form of pain in the people I would come across. You'll never know, they might be hoping that there is something you could do. Though it would not be possible all the time, but I don't want to take away someone's hope. It may be all they have to hold on to.

This, is the enigma of pain.

My dilemma

It has been a while since I last made an entry here.
There has been just too many things going on, and several things that I would rather keep personal.

Blogging is so much more than describing one's life or opinion. Personally, it is a mean of expression, and reflection.

I have been in a very volatile state of late. There has been so much going on, that I wonder if I can keep up with all of these. Indeed, I merely need to focus on the task at hand, ONE AT A TIME, mind you, and neglect all other self-doubts and worries. Easier said than done.

I believe that I have surpassed myself in this past month and a half. I do wonder if it would be a learning curve. I hope that it does, in many ways. However, at this point in time, I have yet to see this side of things clearly. Perhaps in time, I would. I believe that I will. Sometimes, when dealt with a cards like this, all one can do is patiently and calmly wait for time to pass to view the future. This sounds rather silly, and doesn't make sense, does it? Oddly, it is exactly how I am viewing matters.

I believe that I can stay positive, be as righteous as possible, and as confident in what's left in me. However, there is this other side of me, who worries, who considers too much what others might think or perceive, who cannot accept certain things, who is pessimistic.

Life is a balance. Yin and yang, I truly believe in. Sometimes, the balance is tipped, sometimes more so than others, and sometimes, longer too. Thus, similarly, currently, I am being on this fluctuating scale of extreme ends.

I want to be myself, but what if there are others who want be to be different? What if I make decisions which do not go down well with others? Where do I draw the line? This line will never be clear, or straight.

Oh, and I seriously need to be more competent. Gimme T4 please. And moments of mania.

Note: To JL - Yes, I will try to get drunk on Friday/Saturday. History has showed that I do not go along very well with alcohol. I get very bad headaches without the 'merry' state. And, I don't think the ADH-ases can miraculously appear.

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A friend of mine said, that in the face of all these, others might have just cracked whilst I am persevering...

Persevering I am, but in the face of being cracked.

I hope I don't let anyone down..I can't do it for myself, but I hope to do it for others.

I feel like a tiny insect
Buzzing about, needing a rest
I have been smacked and twacked
Yet I am still alive, put to the test.

I am giddy, and I am faint
I'm looking for that one place to take a break
Away from reality, away from danger and pain
Into the tranquility of an oasis or a lake.

...to be continued..

My deepest regret, and never-ending sorrows

Then,
My best kept secret for years..let out in the worst of times.

What a swine!

Swine (H1N1) virus? Swine-y (contemptible) people?

Should we be afraid of the recent emergence of Swine?

YEessssss, we should be afraid. we should all be very afraid...

Why? BEcause the government tells us not to be afraid. That, is more than enough for us to be afraid!

Should I be worried? Hell yeah, my elective!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After an absence

I couldn't concentrate, as usual. Though, much more so today than other days. I went to a dear dear sis' blog and saw that she had something posted up from something she stumbled upon. So, I followed and this was the result:

You Are the Communicator

You are a collector and facilitator of knowledge. You love storytelling and teaching. You light up when you're around other people, and you especially light up in front of a crowd. You are a charismatic person who's genuinely a joy to be with. You remind others to have fun. You love life, and you're wake up grateful for every new day. This attitude makes the people around you love life as well.

What's Your Life's Mission?

I wish I was as positive as it has predicted me to be.
It's easy. Yet, difficult. Can't really explain the irony in it...
Being a student
Being a girl
Being a semi-professional
Being a daughter
Being a friend
Being responsible
Being independent
Being alone

EARTH HOUR

It's Earth Hour. Lights in my house now is at a bare minimum. :)

Stop pollution. Start reducing!




Picture source: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/image/s_full-moon.jpg

Respect vs Indulgence

In Malaysia, at official functions, invited / honoured guests when called upon or addressed are not only referred to by their names, but also their titles/darjah/pangkat such as 'Datuk', 'Tan Sri', 'Datin', 'Yang Berbahagia'..etc.

This appears very much in the media especially, where these titles are twice to thrice the length of the person's name himself/herself.

I wonder how the person referred to feels at that point. Does he feel as though he is being fed some ego, indulging in that title, or is it a form of respect for what he has done to deserve that title (we would temporarily not go down that road) or both?

I feel humbled by people I meet daily who have accomplished so much address themselves by their first names, or just their surnames to me. I respect this even more so.

Obesity !

Today, I went for a stroll at ONE retail outlet - Believe it or not, I went all the way out to town, and only went into ONE retail outlet. I'm such a terrible shopper!

Anyway, I was flabbergasted when I saw how this outlet was promoting their new arrival collection for spring/summer. There were banners above the racks stating something like - NEW BIG DRESSES -

The collection amassed many very pretty dresses. BUT, I overheard quite a few chatters going "This is size 6. Can you believe it? It's huge for a size 6!".
What was happening is that, in this country (UK), everyone is getting large. So, there is the petite range, and the range for the 'larger' clientale. BUT..the sizes of clothes are the same.

I will, for the convenience of your idea, disclose my size - in the UK. I normally wear size 8 - 10. In these retail outlets, a size 10 in 'petite' is smaller than a size 10 in 'normal', of which is smaller than size 10 of 'big'. So, no matter which section you're going for, you can claim that you're a size '10'.

No doubt, its only fair that consumers of larger sizes have their own cuts and designs to fit them better. I do agree with that. BUT this used to be put as size say, 16 or 18! Than size '10' from a 'BIG' range.

It only comes to show how the society, size wise, is changing. And how everyone is trying to be politically correct, but with detrimental effects, as far as I am concerned. I have been aware of this, but it has now come to light how society is adapting by making it the 'norm'.. That, is WRONG.

Diabetes!

Today, I shall post something which I think is an important aspect of diabetes, a malignant disease in the way it is spreading across the globe. Truly debilitating, troublesome and poorly managed due to many reasons.

p/s: I should really summarise these two, but I'm lazy and merely copied and paste. Next time perhaps!

This would be an entry of
Somogyi Effect vs Dawn Phenomenon

The main similarity between these two presentations is that hyperglycaemia occurs upon waking up in the morning
The main difference would be the pathophysiology behind them. One is due to hypoglycaemia at night, and the other does not occur with hypoglycaemia in the night.

Topic: Somogyi Effect

This is quite a controversial topic, and therefore not quite adequately mentioned in general clinical textbooks (i believe) due to its lack of scientific evidence despite being well-known to clinicians ( wikipedia )

A brief description from: http://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/articles/Diabetes_Definitions/Somogyi_Effect

The tendency of the body to react to extremely low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) by overcompensating, resulting in high blood sugar. The Somogyi effect, also known as the "rebound" effect, was named after Michael Somogyi, the researcher who first described it.

When blood glucose levels drop too low, the body sometimes reacts by releasing counterregulatory hormones such as glucagon and epinephrine. These hormones spur the liver to convert its stores of glycogen into glucose, raising blood glucose levels. This can cause a period of high blood sugar following an episode of hypoglycemia.

The Somogyi effect is most likely to occur following an episode of untreated nighttime hypoglycemia, resulting in high blood sugar levels in the morning. People who wake up with high blood sugar may need to test their blood glucose levels in the middle of the night (for example, around 3 AM). If their blood sugar level is falling or low at that time, they should speak with their health-care team about increasing their food intake or lowering their insulin dose in the evening. The only way to prevent the Somogyi effect is to avoid developing hypoglycemia in the first place.
____________________________________________________________________________

Dawn Phenomenon - also hyperglycaemia presentation in the morning
Difference with Somogyi Effect is that this is NOT due to hypoglycaemia in the night.

Dawn Phenomenon - source: http://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/articles/Diabetes_Definitions/Dawn_Phenomenon

Very high blood glucose in the early morning due to the release of certain hormones in the middle of the night. The body makes certain hormones called counterregulatory hormones, which work against the action of insulin. These hormones, which include glucagon, epinephrine, growth hormone, and cortisol, raise blood glucose levels, when needed, by signaling the liver to release more glucose and by inhibiting glucose utilization throughout the body.

In the middle of the night, there is a surge in the amount of growth hormone the body releases, followed by a surge in cortisol, which effectively cranks up glucose production in the liver, presumably to prepare the body for daytime activity after a period of fasting. In people who don't have diabetes, these processes are offset by increased insulin secretion by the pancreas, so blood glucose levels remain relatively stable. However, in people with Type 1 diabetes, whose pancreases don't make insulin, and in people with Type 2 diabetes, whose livers may not respond to insulin well enough to stop glucose production, changes in glucose metabolism during sleep can have a profound effect on morning blood glucose levels. Typically, the blood glucose level rises between 4 AM and 8 AM.

It is important to realize that high morning blood sugar may be caused by something else: the body's rebound from low blood glucose levels at night. Rebound hyperglycemia, also caused by the release of counterregulatory hormones, represents the body's defense mechanism against low blood sugar. The only way to tell the two phenomena apart is to check your blood glucose level in the middle of the night (around 3 AM). If your blood sugar is high, you are probably experiencing the dawn phenomenon; if it is low, rebound hyperglycemia is probably at work.

What a STUPID remark!

If you have not read theStar today, go read this link:

No way to cut waiting period (for SPM,STPM results)

The part which annoyed me the most was:
"Asked to comment on Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Senator T. Murugiah’s statement that the three-month wait was too long, Hishammuddin said the processes should not be questioned."

It seems as though everything these politicians do nowadays end up with "should not be questioned". If you dunno the answers, just say dunno la! and let everyone know how inadequate you are. Or explain and let everyone else be the judge.

We are meant to be a democratic country. If the people asks, as representatives, you have an obligation to answer. Know what you're doing, and why, and what for LAH!

So geram.

Vascular teaching

How to explain an aneurysm?
Take long balloon like the ones used to form animal shapes, wait until it is rather deflated, then walla! squeeze the 'aneurysm', another will form, but there will be a particular area where it will inflate more easily. And that, my friend, is an aneurysm!

Hello

My life has been busy. My laptop broke down. I found myself even more busy.

I realised today, that Cardiff Medical School is really not as bad as everyone perceive it to be. If one knows how to go about and take advantage of how the layout of the programme is, it allows many doors to open, and opportunities to explore. One can really stretch to the extreme and test how far one can go.

To a certain extent, that is why during medical school admission interviews, students who do not possess a medical background are taken into consideration - i reiterate, to a certain extent.

I wish I had more willpower and limit my computer + internet time. I haven't done any work at all since it functioned again! I was doing work daily before this! Stomach that!!!!!! Pigs can fly isn't it?!

=D

Unknown

Society conforms what the norm is and isn’t. It has made each of us, boys and girls, to develop into social beings needing of one special person, of the opposite sex. Today, this includes the same sex too, and it might be more prevalent now because of better acceptance.

There are billions of people out there. If we cut down to the sexes, and the extreme age groups, we would be left with millions of people to ‘select’ from. Considering the distance between continents and countries has virtually been shortened, the possibilities are again increased, or decreased significantly. Then, calculating the factors which restrict our socializing skills such as time, work, and opportunities, we might be left with thousands.

So, how do you know if the one you’re going to be with, or currently with, will be the right one? There are so many nice, kind hearted people out there. There are so many guys and girls who have qualities and distinctions of being a loved one. The long-standing hypothesis about meeting people is that it is all about timing. You need the right timing.

That said, so what if you got one of the right person at the right time? You would still experience ‘time’ with this particular person, and time is an evolving matter. What if you realize, with time, that there are things about this right person who does not seem too right? Would you look at the ‘right’ aspects and feel reassured and comfortable? Or would you find yourself wondering and confused that certain ‘rights’ do not make things all right?

No matter how many rights there can be, some wrong things are definite. And perhaps, that should be a diagnosis of exclusion. We are individuals first and foremost. We have our beliefs and principles. These may come from our upbringing, and the experience we gain, with time.

If you find yourself in a difficult position, not being able to accept certain wrongdoings, you need to be strong and ask yourself if you are able to recover from them. If it is chronic, recurrent or with no remission, it will lead to permanent scarring. Thenceforth, the prognosis is poor. It is like having a disease, but with a major difference. You can suffer from it for a long time, and eventually succumb to it. The major difference here is that you can choose to have the ‘disease’ or to be free from it and recover.

Perhaps the next person, at the right time, will be like an enzyme, creating a catalytic reaction.

Afterall, we are organisms. Just at a very much more macrocytic level.