New Block

New building.

Of all the district visiting, this probably the best in term of comfortability and facility. At the end of the consultation, we were served lunch.

So, my LDL was down from 5.2 to 3.1 after 1/12 of Lipitor.

Emergency call

Axonopathic, you owed me two meals and RM500.
Just kidding.

A friend had emergency, so I have to be 'on-call' tonight. Oklah, hope I'll take this opportunity to continue with my revision, after few days on hold. At least, this also distract me away from the computer. I just hope for a good night sleep after 12.

Qbay

Queensbay has now become another popular spot for people to hang around especially in the evening. However, the air over here is very filthy. I wonder how lovely birds could tolerate.

An irritating incident made me thinking. In the morning, I went to a Buddhist temple to meet a patient. I learned that the temple is the only English speaking one here and usually visited by rich people with big cars. While on my way out, a car was parked right in the middle of the road and was blocking my car from going out. I asked the owner politely to reverse his car so that I could move forward. However, instead of been apologetic, he asked me to move mine instead. I told him, that was a one way road and I couldn't move against the traffic. Reluctantly to give in, he tried to reason that I actually could, since there was no traffic behind. I was a bit angry but didn't have the mood to argue with him.

I was wondering, what was this inconsiderate and uncivilized uncle doing in the temple? One does not need to practice Buddhism to be courteous, right?

Pg CVS Conference 2007

The 5th.

And this was the 3rd time I attended the annual Cardiovascular Conference event organized by PMPS. Thanks to the organizing committee for having it at the so called "Penang's Most Stylish Address", g Hotel; much more 'stylish' than the previous year's disaster at least. At least we had a change of environment and the type of foods. But then, nothing much could be said about the limited parking spaces, well in a stylish way, obviously the parking fee was also very stylish. I choked up RM9 for the parking at the Gurney Plaza.

Don't be so Kiam Siap or such a stingy bastard ok?

Well ok, at least we were been treated to a lavish dinner in this famous-for-tourist Oriental Seafood Restaurant, least to say, in my 30+ years in Pg, I've never dared step my foot there.

Yes, we had King Losbster.

I learned about some weird creature called Geoduck.

Magnificent Gurney.

Despite the dirty and filthy beach side, the view is as captivating as ever.

Stand By

The land of the future building, situated next to sloppy terrains was bought by MOH from the developer for RM1.

This week, quite a number of MOs are taking leaves in preparation for the upcoming PACES next week. In addition, some are going for courses. Therefore, the specialists have to double up as MO-Sp, but anyway, we get used to this.

When the boss asked me to arrange for physician coverage in the medical standby team, I didn't waste much time, must as well I volunteered, cause as guilty as I was, I was the only one 'freer'.

Travel

BM town.

Once in a while, it is nice to travel outstation. At least, it breaks away from the dull daily routines.

We were having breakfast at a nearby mamak store, forced to eat roti canai, cause everyone was having it.

Store room.

Our consultation room was so rundown, but never mind as I managed to finish 23 cases in two hours.

MVA.

Sometimes when traveling and we are faced with such scenario, should we 'stop and help or not'? Sorry ya, we were in a rush.

Depressed.

It was cold and wet. Look like, we are going to endure this kind of atmosphere for another couple of days, but hope it 's over very soon.

Hallucination

Time to get revision. I need to finish the book within the coming two weeks. My target.

I was all alone in a small room at the end of the whole 4th floor. It was all dim and quiet.

The whole night, there wasn't any case and I wasn't been called at all, but that didn't mean I had a good night sleep.

I heard children running in the corridor and two ladies having some conversation next door. On top of that I had nocturia 5 times.

Spooky spooky.

JMTI

JMTI

Sent a relative off to college, an institute so isolated in the Bukit Minyak industrial areas. It is visible from the highway, but one needs to make a big turn via Juru exit.

Free time

Locum.

Not that I am really desperate for money, considering that I have long retired from the scene, but sometimes it could be rather difficult just to say no when friends need help.

These weekends I am embarking on some locum marathons, three to be exact.

Somehow, I do value money very much. By just sitting at home doing nothing, except blogging, don't expect money just drop from the sky.

It may not be much, few hundreds can actually cover my daily expenses for meals for two weeks, considering I spend RM15 a day.

I remembered those years, some 15 years ago, I worked as a waiter for RM3 an hour, and also RM20 day (8 hours) as sales assistant in the departmental store.

I can't really complaint much now for a RM35/hour locum these days, could I?.

Legendary Rose

Damn, this was what happened to my PenDrive thumb when I tried pulling it out from the USB slot. So damn lousy quality.

Reading today's article in the The Star, stirred my interest to want to know who this legendary Rose was.

My only recollection of memory was from my mom telling me how great this lady was. She had many admirers not only from those Ham Sup men, but even women too.

She used to perform at the New World Amusement Park too in Swatow Lane.

It really amazed me what this lady capable of doing.

My mom told me she did watch her performing in one of the shows in Ipoh and one of the memorable ones was how she could puff cigarettes from the hole down there.

A search at the Wikipedia reviewed more interesting stunts.

"With her legs spread wide open, she peruses her most intimate parts to:

• stuff a banana inside;
• open the cap of a Coca Cola bottle;
• pull out a string ofrazor blades that was inserted in one by one;
• shoot a dart at a balloon high up."

She is truly a legend.

From Wikipedia.

From eBay

Related read:
Shifting Sand
Kakiseni.com
Rose Chan Benefited From The NEP
M.Bakri Musa's Blog

District

I can't really recall when was the last time I was on the ferry, cause there was no reason for me to do so.

Today we decided to cross over the strait by ferry because my driver refused to pay toll, cash RM 0.50, for using a newly opened short BORR road on our way to the health clinic (if we use the Pg Bridge route).

On a nice sunny day, I don't know why an irritating lady wants to spoil my mood.

I find it hard to control my anger and emotion nowadays.

She, who claimed to be a government servant, was the last patient and she insisted to be seen earlier where there were 9 more patients ahead of her. Reason, she had a meeting at 2.00pm.

Not until, I shouted a her, "Why can't you come earlier in the morning and get the earliest FK number when you knew you have a meeting!!!". Damn you bitch!

Kind of pissed me off.

I wonder why such species never extinct, especially so in Penang.

And before she left, she insisted to be given 2 containers of BVO, cause she doesn't have time to come to the clinic too often.

Post-call Hyperactive-Manic Syndrome

The emerging skyscrapers of Georgetown

After my exhausted call a day before, I had managed to get 4 hours sleep from 4am to 8am, as I had an appointment to meet a friend in Seberang Jaya.

After that, I had a shopping marathon. I wandered off to the Sunway Carnival, then to Carrefour, and lastly went to Bukit Jambul till dinner.

As I had deprived few hours of sleep the night before, I went to bed at 9pm.

I turned left, right, center, prone and supine, I could not get into the REM stage. There were so many discharges inside my brain. So hyperactive.

Fed up, I hooked on to the net at 2am and surfed till 5am, and then closed my eyes till 6.30am. So in total, I had only 1.5 hour of sleep last night.

I am getting crazy now and I am gonna stop here.

Soyuz-TMA 22

Blast Into History

At 2.51 AM (Malaysian time), my heart was palpitating heavily, as I was seated in Soyuz-TMA 22 at the launching, on my way to the International Space Station (ISS).

Just a split second of dream.

No, this is just the blood bank tower, showing the forever low blood supply.

So, what am I doing at 2.51 AM?

Well, I just finished reviewing all the total 27 new cases of the day + clerking a new case + flushing 3 blocked lines.

A sudden influx of patients on the third day of Raya as expected; plus not to mention a stupid lady who decided to come at night after bedridden for a week at home due to a stroke.

Such a tough life, huh, no thanks to the recent spate of mortalities.

I have become very paranoid these days.

In Space

So everyone blogs about it.

Our Leng Chai doc, the first Malaysian in Space.
The Star reports.
He is even in Wikipedia.

Numbered

Seemed like a trend nowadays that new hospitals or even old ones are been named after some royalties of the states. I wonder what rational behind, but I find it difficult to memorize the long names. What's more confusing for someone who is less literate.

Some even went to the extend of naming the wards with floral names, such as wad chempaka, wad bunga raya, wad orkid, etc, confusing more the confused.

In term of patients friendly, I guess ours is the best. We have every wards, offices and clinics with numbers. I think this is a more universal way that everyone would understood, even foreigners or the illiterate ones.

I just hope such naming and labeling will remain forever unless someone with 'less work to do' thinks otherwise.

Down Love Lane

One of the few 'summons' that probably left that I received, I traveled to Ipoh.
In the mean time, I took some time to visit my 'kampung'.

Roads leading to Tronoh has changed so much. Smaller towns like Menglembu, Pusing and Tronoh are bypassed by new highways, which made travel easier by having wider roads and lanes.

This made Tronoh deserted, almost like ghost town.
Paid a visit to my grandma' s old house, which is now partially abandoned.
In the backyard, the old faithful Star fruit tree still stands.

Jap Lunch

RM 25.90

Got a lunch treat from Axonopathic. I don't really fancy Japanese food, but that doesn't matter as long as there is RICE, and most importantly, it is FREE.
The menu was full of Japanese jargons, but I just told the waitress, "Give me anything Chicken".

First day

A nest of my own

At least I don't have to share with two other officers anymore.