Early Predictions for American Idol 7
It's never too soon to make a few so-called bets ( though mine are strictly non-profit in nature :)).
Top Favourite: David Archuleta. Hands down.
He was featured prominently throughout the audition and Hollywood week episodes, and has proven formidable with his unbelievable performance of The Miracles' Shop Around a few days ago.
Despite being a tender 17 ( and refreshingly innocent for someone his age, considering teens these days ), he owns a jaw-dropping set of pipes, hitting those beautiful high notes perfectly and exuding stage presence like a pro.
No surprise then that he was a winner on Star Search when he was only 12 years old. This boy has significant prior experience to back him up.
Still, there's no mistaking his God-given talent. I would even say that of all the seasons so far, David is the only one who boasts the oft-talked-about "whole package" -- i.e. good looks, great voice, star quality. ( Carrie Underwood comes a close second, but she blossomed only AFTER winning the title. ) His age is an advantage rather than an impediment. If he keeps this up and audiences remain loyal, he can easily win this competition.
His reaction to the judges' high praise was so hilarious! Stunned speechless and stammering uncontrollably, he even got Ryan Seacrest nudging him in the ribs. It was a rare heartwarming TV moment. :)
2nd Top Favourite: Jason Castro, age 20
This fellow, on the other hand, was hardly seen this past month, and only made his big debut this week singing What A Day For A Daydream - a folksy, happy piece showcasing his comfort with a guitar and minimal backup from the band.
His vocals didn't wow me the way David's did, but he does have an easy, slightly goofy charm, nicely complemented by the odd yet appealing combination of dreadlocks and warm blue eyes.
Based on this 1st performance, he's definitely a contender. But it remains to be seen whether he can remain consistent and survive to the end.
3rd Top Favourite: Ramiele Malubay, 20
Very talented, this one. She's the only female contestant I can stomach, and her rendition of You Don't Have To Say You Love Me was terrific.
She's got a huge voice for someone so tiny, and the tone is a husky soulful mix yet superbly controlled in terms of volume.
Last year's crop of contestants was a letdown ( winner Jordin Sparks? puh-leeze ), but this batch looks mighty promising.
Update On John Lloyd Young
He's giving his debut solo concert Feb 23rd ( Sunday morning Singapore time ) at the Lincoln Center, performing songs from the '60s. Read a recent interview here.
Wish I could be there, but alas, I'm stuck here. Working. Bleah. :)
Congratulations, Singapore
I rarely get excited about local news events, but this is considered a huge coup, so it's something to look forward to eh?
All I can think about is how our hospital is going to be the designated first-line medical centre yet again. Not necessarily a bad thing, but colleagues who had to endure some major prima donna behaviour from World Bank delegates 2 years ago have made me wary of foreign visitors coming to our ER expecting VIP treatment.
I mean, we promise to do our best for you medically, but within reason. If I have a collapse or a critical patient, don't expect me to come running over to treat a minor condition that can jolly well wait.
Sigh
It's going to be a busy week ahead, not to mention a crazy schedule next month.
However, I'm thrilled that the SMA News nabbed interviews with 2 high-profile medical figures recently ( both from the US ), one of whom is so renowned he's a regular guest on Larry King Live.
Shall not ruin the surprise. Watch for them in our February and March issues. :)
Wishing you a fun weekend.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Burnout!
I really should chart these little episodes. Have a strong suspicion they're becoming more frequent in recent years.
So much to talk about, so little time...
First, the easy stuff.
Impressions of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Actually watched this on Jan 31st, but had no opportunity to review it ( such is the sad state of my hectic life ).
In short, I loved it! By far the boldest, and probably the best, effort from Tim Burton and Johnny Depp, though the songs aren't exactly my cup of tea.
Despite the unwieldy plot and gore factor, this unconventional film has one vital saving grace -- the incomparable Depp, of course.
Clad in ghoulish makeup and effortlessly spewing dialogue in a British twang ( Jack Sparrow speaks the same way, come to think of it ), he impresses most in 2 areas -- (1) singing, and (2) scaring the wits out of movie audiences ( well, me for one ).
He possesses a very decent tenor voice, and demonstrates an intuitive touch in his song delivery, emoting spectacularly in every piece. The high notes are especially enjoyable. Bravo, Johnny!
The frightening bits aren't your typical jump-out-of-your-skin scenarios. Rather, they make you cringe and hold your breath ( or perhaps gasp, depending on the individual ). All that spurting blood wasn't a pretty sight. I may be immune to gore in a hospital setting, but seeing the vicious throat-slitting act itself is something I found difficult to stomach, hence the frequent episodes of averted gazes or covering of eyes during violent scenes. ( I'm still traumatized by Jurassic Park, which featured a poor cow being devoured by velociraptors -- remember that? Brrr. )
However, I still recommend this to anyone who's game for a good movie, 'cos that's what it is. I can't guarantee that you'll like it as much as I did ( or like it at all, for that matter ). But you definitely shouldn't miss it.
Memorable line: Depp's sneery "At last, my arm is complete again." as he lovingly caresses his trusty razor.
Last but not least, LOVE the poster slogan: Never forget. Never forgive.
Ahh, I couldn't agree more. :)
Digital Cable Rocks!
The recent upgrade has proven to be a wise move. My mind is officially boggled. :D
Just a sampling:
Foxcrime - features reruns of all 3 CSI series, from Season 1 onwards, every night of the week; also has reruns of Law & Order; I absolutely love Born To Kill ( Saturdays 11pm ), which showcases a serial killer every week ( recent profiles include Ivan Milat [ murdered hitchhikers in Australia ], Frederick and Rosemary West [ House of Horrors in Gloucester ] and Dr. Harold Shipman [ the quintessential Dr. Death ] ). Fantastic stuff!
Crime and Investigation Network - growing on me slowly, with shows like The Unexplained / Infamous Murders. A recent episode discussed cannibalism through the centuries, and featured serial killers like Ed Gein, Andrei Chikatilo and Jeffrey Dahmer, as well as the Guangxi province in China ( which practised its own barbaric form of human consumption during the Cultural Revolution *shudder* ).
I just love informative tidbits like these, haha. :)
Turner Classics channel - screens old gems from musicals ( Singing In The Rain, An American In Paris ) to thrillers ( Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The Picture of Dorian Gray ). You get to see the stars of yesteryear in action ( Spencer Tracy, Ingrid Bergman, Gene Kelly, Katharine Hepburn, James Stewart, just to name a few ), and honestly speaking, most of these classics trump current films by a mile in terms of content, style and acting. Now if only they'd show something with Sir Laurence Olivier in it, or every single Alfred Hitchcock movie known to Man.
MGM Classics - Another terrific channel to rave about. Features more recent shows ( 1970s onwards ) spanning the spectrum from thrillers to romantic comedies to action-adventures. I especially enjoy the John Hughes classics from the '80s ( starring Molly Ringwald, Andrew McCarthy and James Spader ), and experienced a jolt of nostalgia watching Untamed Heart last week ( a lovelorn Christian Slater wooing the perky Marisa Tomei -- super-sappy fare, but very moving :)).
Today, there's a 1970 version of Wuthering Heights with a youthful Timothy Dalton in it. I saw him in Jane Eyre once ( he played Mr. Rochester ) -- broke my heart, that one.
E! Entertainment - loads and loads of fluffy Hollywood gossip. But you'll be surprised at how much general knowledge you may accrue from this. They've got some decent shows on the movers and shakers of the world ( and their glamourous offspring ).
HBO Signature / Hits / Family - they've got completely different programmes lined up, and I spent the whole of last week getting stuck on Pride & Prejudice ( the remake with Keira Knightley and Matthew MacFadyen ). I couldn't pry my eyes away each time it came on ( and it aired every night for a week ). Bad time management. Bad, bad, bad...
I haven't even had time to check out the other channels yet ( i.e. NatGeo Adventure, extra Discovery channels ).
So the morale of this story is: get digital cable! :)
Here's an interesting recommendation:
One Man Star Wars Trilogy with Charles Ross
I first heard about this from a fellow colleague who saw the show in NYC a few years ago. He assures me it's funny and worth catching, so I've booked my tickets.
I have great faith in one-man comedy acts from the West. A good example is Rainer Hersch, who performed at the Jubilee Hall maybe 4-5 years ago, and made me laugh so hard I literally cried. It was so bloody cathartic. I need another session like that so I won't have to see a psychiatrist.
So How Was Your Valentine's Day?
I am a non-believer where Feb 14th is concerned. Ask my ex and he'll tell you I detest soppy gifts like flowers and chocolates.
But being a non-believer doesn't mean I lack a romantic core. My recent obsession with Pride & Prejudice made me realize what a pathetic wimp I am where aspects of love are concerned. True, a Jane Austen classic is hardly applicable in this day and age. But I am totally susceptible to the charms of tall, good-looking, eloquent and beautiful-mannered British gentlemen ( or American / European, I'm not picky :)).
And I repeat: Singaporean men need to brush up on their chivalry!
And Speaking Of The Locals...
Recall reading a few Straits Times articles / Forum letters about ugly Singaporeans this month ( what's new eh? ).
What can I say -- travelling extensively will surely open your eyes to the utter disgrace of our fellow countrymen and women. ( Though I can confidently state that the males are a lot worse than the females. )
To cite a recent example, the North Americans took me completely by surprise during my vacation ( even in LA and Manhattan ). Drivers let pedestrians cross even when it's the former's right of way. The men almost always open doors for women ( including strangers ), and the public toilets are spotless ( Americans routinely drag their carriers / strollers into the stalls without a second thought -- try doing that in Singapore, yuck ).
But nobody can beat the Japanese. I love the people so much I want to go back ASAP. :)
And Now For The Health Matters
In short:
1) A recent dialogue session with a high-ranking ministry official was deeply depressing. Sorry I can't tell you more.
2) The Straits Times article on ER overcrowding was, thankfully, quite forgiving, though not as helpful as we'd hoped. The Health Minister's closing comment about emergency cases being "attended to immediately... don't worry" was quite distressing, to say the least.
3) Kena a major arrow ( the biggest so far in my career ), which essentially means the next 12 months of my life will be hellish. More weight loss, yay. But hopefully this will herald a bigger year-end bonus. :)
4) Had another dose of the Administrative Firewall during a meeting last week. I don't want to blame anyone, so let's just blame the system, shall we?
5) The problematic MO I mentioned previously chose to do medical administration, but was thrown in the ER instead. Like I said, it's the system, stupid.
Ooh, Flight Of Ideas :)
That last line links to my closing topic for this entry: the 2008 U.S. Presidential race.
I've been following it closely, but couldn't find time to post anything.
To cut it short, I'm rooting for Hillary Clinton ( not just because she's a woman, but because she comes across as a lot smarter and level-headed than Obama, who sometimes gets carried away by his emotions and talks in annoying circles ).
After the George W. Bush re-election fiasco of 2004, let's hope John McCain will suffer a clear-cut defeat this year.
Till next time...
I really should chart these little episodes. Have a strong suspicion they're becoming more frequent in recent years.
So much to talk about, so little time...
First, the easy stuff.
Impressions of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Actually watched this on Jan 31st, but had no opportunity to review it ( such is the sad state of my hectic life ).
In short, I loved it! By far the boldest, and probably the best, effort from Tim Burton and Johnny Depp, though the songs aren't exactly my cup of tea.
Despite the unwieldy plot and gore factor, this unconventional film has one vital saving grace -- the incomparable Depp, of course.
Clad in ghoulish makeup and effortlessly spewing dialogue in a British twang ( Jack Sparrow speaks the same way, come to think of it ), he impresses most in 2 areas -- (1) singing, and (2) scaring the wits out of movie audiences ( well, me for one ).
He possesses a very decent tenor voice, and demonstrates an intuitive touch in his song delivery, emoting spectacularly in every piece. The high notes are especially enjoyable. Bravo, Johnny!
The frightening bits aren't your typical jump-out-of-your-skin scenarios. Rather, they make you cringe and hold your breath ( or perhaps gasp, depending on the individual ). All that spurting blood wasn't a pretty sight. I may be immune to gore in a hospital setting, but seeing the vicious throat-slitting act itself is something I found difficult to stomach, hence the frequent episodes of averted gazes or covering of eyes during violent scenes. ( I'm still traumatized by Jurassic Park, which featured a poor cow being devoured by velociraptors -- remember that? Brrr. )
However, I still recommend this to anyone who's game for a good movie, 'cos that's what it is. I can't guarantee that you'll like it as much as I did ( or like it at all, for that matter ). But you definitely shouldn't miss it.
Memorable line: Depp's sneery "At last, my arm is complete again." as he lovingly caresses his trusty razor.
Last but not least, LOVE the poster slogan: Never forget. Never forgive.
Ahh, I couldn't agree more. :)
Digital Cable Rocks!
The recent upgrade has proven to be a wise move. My mind is officially boggled. :D
Just a sampling:
Foxcrime - features reruns of all 3 CSI series, from Season 1 onwards, every night of the week; also has reruns of Law & Order; I absolutely love Born To Kill ( Saturdays 11pm ), which showcases a serial killer every week ( recent profiles include Ivan Milat [ murdered hitchhikers in Australia ], Frederick and Rosemary West [ House of Horrors in Gloucester ] and Dr. Harold Shipman [ the quintessential Dr. Death ] ). Fantastic stuff!
Crime and Investigation Network - growing on me slowly, with shows like The Unexplained / Infamous Murders. A recent episode discussed cannibalism through the centuries, and featured serial killers like Ed Gein, Andrei Chikatilo and Jeffrey Dahmer, as well as the Guangxi province in China ( which practised its own barbaric form of human consumption during the Cultural Revolution *shudder* ).
I just love informative tidbits like these, haha. :)
Turner Classics channel - screens old gems from musicals ( Singing In The Rain, An American In Paris ) to thrillers ( Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The Picture of Dorian Gray ). You get to see the stars of yesteryear in action ( Spencer Tracy, Ingrid Bergman, Gene Kelly, Katharine Hepburn, James Stewart, just to name a few ), and honestly speaking, most of these classics trump current films by a mile in terms of content, style and acting. Now if only they'd show something with Sir Laurence Olivier in it, or every single Alfred Hitchcock movie known to Man.
MGM Classics - Another terrific channel to rave about. Features more recent shows ( 1970s onwards ) spanning the spectrum from thrillers to romantic comedies to action-adventures. I especially enjoy the John Hughes classics from the '80s ( starring Molly Ringwald, Andrew McCarthy and James Spader ), and experienced a jolt of nostalgia watching Untamed Heart last week ( a lovelorn Christian Slater wooing the perky Marisa Tomei -- super-sappy fare, but very moving :)).
Today, there's a 1970 version of Wuthering Heights with a youthful Timothy Dalton in it. I saw him in Jane Eyre once ( he played Mr. Rochester ) -- broke my heart, that one.
E! Entertainment - loads and loads of fluffy Hollywood gossip. But you'll be surprised at how much general knowledge you may accrue from this. They've got some decent shows on the movers and shakers of the world ( and their glamourous offspring ).
HBO Signature / Hits / Family - they've got completely different programmes lined up, and I spent the whole of last week getting stuck on Pride & Prejudice ( the remake with Keira Knightley and Matthew MacFadyen ). I couldn't pry my eyes away each time it came on ( and it aired every night for a week ). Bad time management. Bad, bad, bad...
I haven't even had time to check out the other channels yet ( i.e. NatGeo Adventure, extra Discovery channels ).
So the morale of this story is: get digital cable! :)
Here's an interesting recommendation:
One Man Star Wars Trilogy with Charles Ross
I first heard about this from a fellow colleague who saw the show in NYC a few years ago. He assures me it's funny and worth catching, so I've booked my tickets.
I have great faith in one-man comedy acts from the West. A good example is Rainer Hersch, who performed at the Jubilee Hall maybe 4-5 years ago, and made me laugh so hard I literally cried. It was so bloody cathartic. I need another session like that so I won't have to see a psychiatrist.
So How Was Your Valentine's Day?
I am a non-believer where Feb 14th is concerned. Ask my ex and he'll tell you I detest soppy gifts like flowers and chocolates.
But being a non-believer doesn't mean I lack a romantic core. My recent obsession with Pride & Prejudice made me realize what a pathetic wimp I am where aspects of love are concerned. True, a Jane Austen classic is hardly applicable in this day and age. But I am totally susceptible to the charms of tall, good-looking, eloquent and beautiful-mannered British gentlemen ( or American / European, I'm not picky :)).
And I repeat: Singaporean men need to brush up on their chivalry!
And Speaking Of The Locals...
Recall reading a few Straits Times articles / Forum letters about ugly Singaporeans this month ( what's new eh? ).
What can I say -- travelling extensively will surely open your eyes to the utter disgrace of our fellow countrymen and women. ( Though I can confidently state that the males are a lot worse than the females. )
To cite a recent example, the North Americans took me completely by surprise during my vacation ( even in LA and Manhattan ). Drivers let pedestrians cross even when it's the former's right of way. The men almost always open doors for women ( including strangers ), and the public toilets are spotless ( Americans routinely drag their carriers / strollers into the stalls without a second thought -- try doing that in Singapore, yuck ).
But nobody can beat the Japanese. I love the people so much I want to go back ASAP. :)
And Now For The Health Matters
In short:
1) A recent dialogue session with a high-ranking ministry official was deeply depressing. Sorry I can't tell you more.
2) The Straits Times article on ER overcrowding was, thankfully, quite forgiving, though not as helpful as we'd hoped. The Health Minister's closing comment about emergency cases being "attended to immediately... don't worry" was quite distressing, to say the least.
3) Kena a major arrow ( the biggest so far in my career ), which essentially means the next 12 months of my life will be hellish. More weight loss, yay. But hopefully this will herald a bigger year-end bonus. :)
4) Had another dose of the Administrative Firewall during a meeting last week. I don't want to blame anyone, so let's just blame the system, shall we?
5) The problematic MO I mentioned previously chose to do medical administration, but was thrown in the ER instead. Like I said, it's the system, stupid.
Ooh, Flight Of Ideas :)
That last line links to my closing topic for this entry: the 2008 U.S. Presidential race.
I've been following it closely, but couldn't find time to post anything.
To cut it short, I'm rooting for Hillary Clinton ( not just because she's a woman, but because she comes across as a lot smarter and level-headed than Obama, who sometimes gets carried away by his emotions and talks in annoying circles ).
After the George W. Bush re-election fiasco of 2004, let's hope John McCain will suffer a clear-cut defeat this year.
Till next time...
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Review of The Police Concert, 4th February 2008, Singapore Indoor Stadium
[ p.s. I just noticed visits from The Police fansite's message boards, but can't access them because I can't register as a user - keep getting prompted to choose a U.S. state but I live in Singapore.
So if someone can post a comment to update me on what's being said over there, I'd greatly appreciate it! ]
Simply put, it was FREAKING AWESOME!!! :D
Worth every cent ( i.e. S$400 x 2 ), and the seats ( 1st tiered row ) offered an excellent, unobstructed view.
My main grouse: that the show proper started at 9:15pm. Didn't really enjoy the opening act ( Fiction Plane, starring Sting's son, Joe ) -- very rock-star-ish, complete with a leap from the speakers on stage, head-banging and long hair. I wasn't even aware that the singer's related to my idol, though I did notice that he sounds a lot like him.
Anyway, on to the concert repertoire. Here's a list of the songs that I remember hearing that night:
Message In A Bottle ( 1st of the night )
Every Breath You Take ( last song of the 1st encore set -- there were TWO, woohoo! )
Roxanne ( the BEST! )
Don't Stand So Close To Me ( fantastic! )
Hole In My Life
King Of Pain
Can't Stand Losing You
So Lonely
Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic ( LOVED this one )
De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da
There were more, but I'm not familiar with all their songs, so please add to the list if you know the titles.
It was a beautiful show in every aspect. Sting looks even better now than he did 3 years ago when I caught him during his solo concert. ( I still can't believe I've seen him twice in 3 years! Yay, more please! :)). He wore this tight black ensemble which showed off his bulging biceps, tight abs and long legs. Back in 2005, when I reviewed his performance ( entry dated January 11, 2005 ), I mentioned how darn sexy he is. On Monday night, he looked gorgeous, sounded phenomenal, and even gave my mom a few chills of her own.
The songs are classics from the '80s, yet redone spectacularly by The Police in a 'live' setting, and it's just amazing how 3 guys can produce such a rich, layered sound, sans backup.
Sting, as always, delivered the goods with his pitch-perfect vocals and mesmerizing stage presence. He was friendlier this time round, chatting with the audience and egging us on to sing along, clap in rhythm and yell ourselves hoarse. He smiled a lot, laughed a few times, and looked visibly impressed when the 10,000-strong crowd filled in the blanks at certain points when he deliberately stopped singing to see if we knew the lyrics.
Naturally, the biggest hits got the best response -- Message In A Bottle, Don't Stand So Close To Me, Roxanne ( the audience was practically roaring on this one! ) and of course, Every Breath You Take.
His buddies -- drummer Stewart Copeland and guitarist Andy Summers -- kept pace and intermittently stole the show. Copeland, especially, is a joy to watch. 55 years old with graying blonde hair, but decked out in '80s regalia -- complete with a sweatband on his head, something with a net-like pattern on his sleeves, and a pair of Michael Jackson-style gloves. His physical prowess on percussion is astounding, as he pounded non-stop for 2 hours without losing any steam, and left everyone breathless during Hole In My Life and King Of Pain, where he hopped between the drums and a set of chimes behind him, doing what I can only describe as a fluid dance number, accompanying Sting flawlessly on both pieces.
Summers impressed with his guitar skills ( he's 65 ), but compared to his fellow partners, he paled in terms of personality and stage energy. Still, his numerous solos had fans cheering their approval.
Another thing I noticed is the beat-up instruments wielded by Sting and Summers. The new plasma screens hanging above the stage provided high-definition vivid pictures of the band, and I could see all the scratch marks and flaky paint on their guitars during the close-up shots. I found it very apt, considering the nature of these performers -- old but still rocking hard and beating their younger counterparts hands down. It seems only fitting that we realize it's the musician that matters, not the condition of his instrument.
I'd also like to give kudos to the full-capacity crowd at the Stadium that night, for making the evening such a success. The audience ranged from kids to white-haired seniors ( many Caucasians attended as well ), but from the moment The Police stepped on-stage, we stayed on our feet, sang and screamed ourselves hoarse, and managed to generate enough noise to garner TWO encore sets ( 4 songs in total, yeah! ). Sting obviously likes Singapore ( he received an equally effusive response in 2005 ), so maybe the fans have something to do with that. :)
At the very end, the 3 blokes came to the front of the stage to link hands and take a bow, before Sting yelled a good-natured "Happy New Year!" and waved goodbye.
I remained partially deaf until the next morning, but enjoyed an adrenaline high that kept me up till 1am and helped me wake 5 hours later for some early morning New Year marketing. I'm now blasting Sting's All This Time 'live' concert recording on the car stereo, and counting down to his next show in Singapore ( hopefully it won't take another 10 years to get him down here again ).
Rock on, dudes! :D
[ p.s. I just noticed visits from The Police fansite's message boards, but can't access them because I can't register as a user - keep getting prompted to choose a U.S. state but I live in Singapore.
So if someone can post a comment to update me on what's being said over there, I'd greatly appreciate it! ]
Simply put, it was FREAKING AWESOME!!! :D
Worth every cent ( i.e. S$400 x 2 ), and the seats ( 1st tiered row ) offered an excellent, unobstructed view.
My main grouse: that the show proper started at 9:15pm. Didn't really enjoy the opening act ( Fiction Plane, starring Sting's son, Joe ) -- very rock-star-ish, complete with a leap from the speakers on stage, head-banging and long hair. I wasn't even aware that the singer's related to my idol, though I did notice that he sounds a lot like him.
Anyway, on to the concert repertoire. Here's a list of the songs that I remember hearing that night:
Message In A Bottle ( 1st of the night )
Every Breath You Take ( last song of the 1st encore set -- there were TWO, woohoo! )
Roxanne ( the BEST! )
Don't Stand So Close To Me ( fantastic! )
Hole In My Life
King Of Pain
Can't Stand Losing You
So Lonely
Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic ( LOVED this one )
De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da
There were more, but I'm not familiar with all their songs, so please add to the list if you know the titles.
It was a beautiful show in every aspect. Sting looks even better now than he did 3 years ago when I caught him during his solo concert. ( I still can't believe I've seen him twice in 3 years! Yay, more please! :)). He wore this tight black ensemble which showed off his bulging biceps, tight abs and long legs. Back in 2005, when I reviewed his performance ( entry dated January 11, 2005 ), I mentioned how darn sexy he is. On Monday night, he looked gorgeous, sounded phenomenal, and even gave my mom a few chills of her own.
The songs are classics from the '80s, yet redone spectacularly by The Police in a 'live' setting, and it's just amazing how 3 guys can produce such a rich, layered sound, sans backup.
Sting, as always, delivered the goods with his pitch-perfect vocals and mesmerizing stage presence. He was friendlier this time round, chatting with the audience and egging us on to sing along, clap in rhythm and yell ourselves hoarse. He smiled a lot, laughed a few times, and looked visibly impressed when the 10,000-strong crowd filled in the blanks at certain points when he deliberately stopped singing to see if we knew the lyrics.
Naturally, the biggest hits got the best response -- Message In A Bottle, Don't Stand So Close To Me, Roxanne ( the audience was practically roaring on this one! ) and of course, Every Breath You Take.
His buddies -- drummer Stewart Copeland and guitarist Andy Summers -- kept pace and intermittently stole the show. Copeland, especially, is a joy to watch. 55 years old with graying blonde hair, but decked out in '80s regalia -- complete with a sweatband on his head, something with a net-like pattern on his sleeves, and a pair of Michael Jackson-style gloves. His physical prowess on percussion is astounding, as he pounded non-stop for 2 hours without losing any steam, and left everyone breathless during Hole In My Life and King Of Pain, where he hopped between the drums and a set of chimes behind him, doing what I can only describe as a fluid dance number, accompanying Sting flawlessly on both pieces.
Summers impressed with his guitar skills ( he's 65 ), but compared to his fellow partners, he paled in terms of personality and stage energy. Still, his numerous solos had fans cheering their approval.
Another thing I noticed is the beat-up instruments wielded by Sting and Summers. The new plasma screens hanging above the stage provided high-definition vivid pictures of the band, and I could see all the scratch marks and flaky paint on their guitars during the close-up shots. I found it very apt, considering the nature of these performers -- old but still rocking hard and beating their younger counterparts hands down. It seems only fitting that we realize it's the musician that matters, not the condition of his instrument.
I'd also like to give kudos to the full-capacity crowd at the Stadium that night, for making the evening such a success. The audience ranged from kids to white-haired seniors ( many Caucasians attended as well ), but from the moment The Police stepped on-stage, we stayed on our feet, sang and screamed ourselves hoarse, and managed to generate enough noise to garner TWO encore sets ( 4 songs in total, yeah! ). Sting obviously likes Singapore ( he received an equally effusive response in 2005 ), so maybe the fans have something to do with that. :)
At the very end, the 3 blokes came to the front of the stage to link hands and take a bow, before Sting yelled a good-natured "Happy New Year!" and waved goodbye.
I remained partially deaf until the next morning, but enjoyed an adrenaline high that kept me up till 1am and helped me wake 5 hours later for some early morning New Year marketing. I'm now blasting Sting's All This Time 'live' concert recording on the car stereo, and counting down to his next show in Singapore ( hopefully it won't take another 10 years to get him down here again ).
Rock on, dudes! :D
Friday, February 01, 2008
A Short Entry
Just returned to work after a week-long break, and it's still a warzone in the ER.
But at least there's some element of crowd control now, with the new staff-card-only access to the Critical Care Area. ( It's about %^&*$ time. )
There're a few reasons I didn't blog during my short holiday ( even though I didn't travel overseas ).
1) was too busy ( sustained a few bruises from spring-cleaning )
2) preferred vegetating to blogging, which can sometimes be quite tiring
3) wanted to blog about controversial topics, but thought better of it
4) recently switched to digital cable, and am now preoccupied with Foxcrime and E! Entertainment :)
5) am a bit fed up about a few things ( which I may or may not blog about )
Further updates will follow once I have time and am in the right frame of mind to write coherently.
In the meantime, only 2 days to The Police concert, woohoo!
Just returned to work after a week-long break, and it's still a warzone in the ER.
But at least there's some element of crowd control now, with the new staff-card-only access to the Critical Care Area. ( It's about %^&*$ time. )
There're a few reasons I didn't blog during my short holiday ( even though I didn't travel overseas ).
1) was too busy ( sustained a few bruises from spring-cleaning )
2) preferred vegetating to blogging, which can sometimes be quite tiring
3) wanted to blog about controversial topics, but thought better of it
4) recently switched to digital cable, and am now preoccupied with Foxcrime and E! Entertainment :)
5) am a bit fed up about a few things ( which I may or may not blog about )
Further updates will follow once I have time and am in the right frame of mind to write coherently.
In the meantime, only 2 days to The Police concert, woohoo!
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Tragic
Saw the breaking news telecast on CNN just a couple of hours ago. It's like River Phoenix all over again.
Very sad.
Watching The Dark Knight ( sequel to Batman Begins ) will be heartbreaking.
As CNN ran a 5-minute rundown of his career so far, I suddenly realized how many of his films I've seen ( almost all of them ).
His best work: still, IMHO, 10 Things I Hate About You. Especially the bit where he did a song-and-dance routine on the steps at the running track.
And so another promising future is snuffed out yet again.
RIP...
Saw the breaking news telecast on CNN just a couple of hours ago. It's like River Phoenix all over again.
Very sad.
Watching The Dark Knight ( sequel to Batman Begins ) will be heartbreaking.
As CNN ran a 5-minute rundown of his career so far, I suddenly realized how many of his films I've seen ( almost all of them ).
His best work: still, IMHO, 10 Things I Hate About You. Especially the bit where he did a song-and-dance routine on the steps at the running track.
And so another promising future is snuffed out yet again.
RIP...
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Online Straits Times Forum Page letter.
The GEP's objectives are clearly laid out. But the MOE's reply wasn't as illuminating as I'd hoped. A few statistics would've been helpful ( as 'hazy memories' comments, how many GEP grads have left the country? ). Considering the tiny population of recruits and the government's close watch on the group, surely all this information is available at the tips of the authorities' fingers?
I've had the opportunity to interact with GEP students and alumni since my secondary school days, and have had both good and bad experiences. There are those who excel ( not surprising, of course ), and those who don't ( for various reasons ). Some are humble to a fault, while others strut around like they're God's gifts to the human race. I count many as good friends ( my JC and med school class are full of GEP grads ), yet others have proven themselves to be unscrupulous snakes who use their intelligence to get ahead by trampling on their friends and colleagues.
But this isn't the GEP's fault. What can you possibly expect when tender 10-year-olds are thrust into these intensive programmes? You're tested on your language, math and spatial skills. A family friend's daughter managed to qualify by studying from textbooks 2 grades above her level ( with multiple home tutors on hand ). Over the next 6 years, she failed to do well in the GEP and was overcome by stress-induced illnesses during the PSLE and 'O' Level exams.
One GEP grad made it to the top 3 during the university finals, impressing everyone with his academic knowledge and eloquence. Interesting how he once confided about fantasizing that he's a sniper, then systematically described how he would shoot individuals strolling along Orchard Road, and picture their horrified reactions in his mind.
Another fellow projected an online persona which is completely at odds with his real self. His grand tales of heroism failed to materialize during a clinical posting, and he was unanimously ranked last in a batch of 30 doctors.
It's easy to categorize success in terms of academic achievements and professional titles ( these two men have already attained both ). But what the statistics fail to capture is also what matters more ( or perhaps, what matters MOST ) -- integrity, generosity, humility... and sanity.
I wish I could write more, but it's been an awful week, and my mind weighs heavy with a load of ethical conundrums.
However, I highly recommend Damages, an absolutely delightful drama which expertly blurs the line between good and evil, boasting top-notch performances from Glenn Close, Rose Byrne, Tate Donovan and Ted Danson. Close just snagged the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a TV Drama. A well-deserved win indeed.
American Idol 7's double-episode premiere hasn't disappointed either. Bespectacled politician wannabe Kyle Ensley ( who did a very competent rendition of Queen's Somebody To Love ) and all-American cowboy Drew Poppelreiter ( who sang a George Strait piece ) stood out. I hope a guy wins this year. Let's break the female dominance pattern, people!
Films-wise, I'm psyched about Sweeney Todd and Indy Jones 4. Johnny Depp singing Sondheim, and Shia LaBeouf playing Indy's ?son ?sidekick -- enough said! :)
The GEP's objectives are clearly laid out. But the MOE's reply wasn't as illuminating as I'd hoped. A few statistics would've been helpful ( as 'hazy memories' comments, how many GEP grads have left the country? ). Considering the tiny population of recruits and the government's close watch on the group, surely all this information is available at the tips of the authorities' fingers?
I've had the opportunity to interact with GEP students and alumni since my secondary school days, and have had both good and bad experiences. There are those who excel ( not surprising, of course ), and those who don't ( for various reasons ). Some are humble to a fault, while others strut around like they're God's gifts to the human race. I count many as good friends ( my JC and med school class are full of GEP grads ), yet others have proven themselves to be unscrupulous snakes who use their intelligence to get ahead by trampling on their friends and colleagues.
But this isn't the GEP's fault. What can you possibly expect when tender 10-year-olds are thrust into these intensive programmes? You're tested on your language, math and spatial skills. A family friend's daughter managed to qualify by studying from textbooks 2 grades above her level ( with multiple home tutors on hand ). Over the next 6 years, she failed to do well in the GEP and was overcome by stress-induced illnesses during the PSLE and 'O' Level exams.
One GEP grad made it to the top 3 during the university finals, impressing everyone with his academic knowledge and eloquence. Interesting how he once confided about fantasizing that he's a sniper, then systematically described how he would shoot individuals strolling along Orchard Road, and picture their horrified reactions in his mind.
Another fellow projected an online persona which is completely at odds with his real self. His grand tales of heroism failed to materialize during a clinical posting, and he was unanimously ranked last in a batch of 30 doctors.
It's easy to categorize success in terms of academic achievements and professional titles ( these two men have already attained both ). But what the statistics fail to capture is also what matters more ( or perhaps, what matters MOST ) -- integrity, generosity, humility... and sanity.
I wish I could write more, but it's been an awful week, and my mind weighs heavy with a load of ethical conundrums.
However, I highly recommend Damages, an absolutely delightful drama which expertly blurs the line between good and evil, boasting top-notch performances from Glenn Close, Rose Byrne, Tate Donovan and Ted Danson. Close just snagged the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a TV Drama. A well-deserved win indeed.
American Idol 7's double-episode premiere hasn't disappointed either. Bespectacled politician wannabe Kyle Ensley ( who did a very competent rendition of Queen's Somebody To Love ) and all-American cowboy Drew Poppelreiter ( who sang a George Strait piece ) stood out. I hope a guy wins this year. Let's break the female dominance pattern, people!
Films-wise, I'm psyched about Sweeney Todd and Indy Jones 4. Johnny Depp singing Sondheim, and Shia LaBeouf playing Indy's ?son ?sidekick -- enough said! :)
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
A Very Pleasant Surprise
The package was sent to the SMA, but later redirected to my home.
Inside: 2 personally autographed photos of John Lloyd Young, with one specially addressed to me.
The biggest surprise: a handwritten card from JLY, thanking me for the letter I sent ( in early November ). He also mentioned other comments I made, and clearly read every single thing I wrote, because he quoted remarks which I'd scattered throughout various sections of the missive.
I was - and still am - very touched by this personal and kind gesture. While my timing may have been fortunate ( he received the letter after finishing his run on Jersey Boys ), I just can't believe how much he truly appreciates his fans ( especially one living 20,000 miles away ).
His card ended with the reason he sent me the autographed photos: "since you couldn't say hello at the stage door".
Wow, I am officially floored! Thanks so much! I'm a fan for life. :)
Here're the Internet versions of the pictures he sent ( right ).
And just for reminiscing's sake, a link to a Jersey Boys performance, featuring JLY himself.
TV Update
New legal thriller: Damages, starring Glenn Close. Premieres tonight at 10pm on AXN, and nominated for 4 Golden Globes. Looks very promising.
The return of: American Idol season 7. Isn't it amazing how past winners ( and runners-up ) haven't included even one single gorgeous chap? Would be a nice change to see a good-looking all-American dude take the title for once.
Book Update
Just completed: More Twisted by Jeffery Deaver. Much better than Twisted; highly recommended.
Next on the list: Cracking More Cases by Dr. Henry Lee. There's a reason I'm reading then reviewing this. If you stay tuned to the SMA News, you'll soon see why. :)
New Year Update
Just a week into 2008, and I've already offended readers of my blog. A new record! :)
No, of course I derive no pleasure from that ( unless it's someone named "urgh", haha :)). But I've resolved to keep writing, so visit at your own peril.
There's lots to do this year, one of which is planning for my overseas fellowship, the duration of which is still undetermined.
Location is a no-brainer though -- Manhattan, where else? :)
More next time...
The package was sent to the SMA, but later redirected to my home.
Inside: 2 personally autographed photos of John Lloyd Young, with one specially addressed to me.
The biggest surprise: a handwritten card from JLY, thanking me for the letter I sent ( in early November ). He also mentioned other comments I made, and clearly read every single thing I wrote, because he quoted remarks which I'd scattered throughout various sections of the missive.
I was - and still am - very touched by this personal and kind gesture. While my timing may have been fortunate ( he received the letter after finishing his run on Jersey Boys ), I just can't believe how much he truly appreciates his fans ( especially one living 20,000 miles away ).
His card ended with the reason he sent me the autographed photos: "since you couldn't say hello at the stage door".
Wow, I am officially floored! Thanks so much! I'm a fan for life. :)
Here're the Internet versions of the pictures he sent ( right ).
And just for reminiscing's sake, a link to a Jersey Boys performance, featuring JLY himself.
TV Update
New legal thriller: Damages, starring Glenn Close. Premieres tonight at 10pm on AXN, and nominated for 4 Golden Globes. Looks very promising.
The return of: American Idol season 7. Isn't it amazing how past winners ( and runners-up ) haven't included even one single gorgeous chap? Would be a nice change to see a good-looking all-American dude take the title for once.
Book Update
Just completed: More Twisted by Jeffery Deaver. Much better than Twisted; highly recommended.
Next on the list: Cracking More Cases by Dr. Henry Lee. There's a reason I'm reading then reviewing this. If you stay tuned to the SMA News, you'll soon see why. :)
New Year Update
Just a week into 2008, and I've already offended readers of my blog. A new record! :)
No, of course I derive no pleasure from that ( unless it's someone named "urgh", haha :)). But I've resolved to keep writing, so visit at your own peril.
There's lots to do this year, one of which is planning for my overseas fellowship, the duration of which is still undetermined.
Location is a no-brainer though -- Manhattan, where else? :)
More next time...
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Sad, But True
First entry of the new year, and it's a grouchy one.
These aren't new problems, though. Been festering for some time, but reserved them for later in view of the festive season.
Still, I know readers enjoy it when I gripe, so here's a little NY present for you. :)
So Whose Fault Is It Anyway?
Let's discuss this "hypothetical" scenario.
Young man from a top secondary school enters a top junior college, and eventually gets into medical school.
However, he fails to excel in the course, flunking exams along the way.
Fortunately ( or unfortunately ), he clears the finals, and is unleashed into the medical workforce.
Housemanship is disastrous. Everyone agrees he's totally inept, and he's forced to repeat one of the postings.
Word spreads like wildfire through the hospital, with the senior administration made equally aware of his performance.
The eventual recommendation made upon completion of housemanship: more suited for NON-CLINICAL work.
The chap is now out-of-phase with his peers ( repeated a posting, remember? ), so he has the dubious privilege of being able to choose his next posting as a fresh medical officer, with almost 100% certainty of getting it since he doesn't have to jostle with the rest of the cohort.
And he picks ( drum roll... ) Emergency Medicine.
Bearing in mind the earlier recommendation ( i.e. non-clinical, people! ), he is nevertheless granted this request by a certain Hospital Top Gun, who emails the Emergency Department's Boss, BUT FAILS TO MENTION this fellow's history horribilis to the unsuspecting HOD, who is only aware of the manpower shortage in the ED, and happily welcomes the young man with open arms.
Within the 1st week, the new recruit is flagged out as hugely problematic.
His history-taking is atrociously bare, and physical examination totally unreliable. He has absolutely no idea what he's doing, and compounds the problem by frustrating the seniors who are asked to vet his cases. Busy shifts add to the stress, with patient queues coming to a complete standstill as seniors are tied up sorting out his mess.
His supervisor is informed and looks into the matter. The MO is counselled and given a reading list to complete, with close supervision by all seniors on shift to minimize damage.
2 months later, he shows mild improvement, but still looks spaced out most of the time, and can't shake a profusely annoying habit of starting his sentences with "Umm, I have this complicated / weird / funny case and don't know what to do / what the hell is going on."
So far, no-one's perished at his hand. But there've been a few close shaves, and he's been banned from night shifts completely.
Aside from the poor work output, he was also caught lying a number of times ( claiming he did something when he didn't, asking nurses to alter results ), but has since desisted after a stern warning from his supervisor.
So my question is: WHO SHOULD BE BLAMED FOR THIS GROSSLY NEGLIGENT ACT?
The act being: stuffing an incompetent 1st year MO in the ED, with the knowledge that he is totally unsuitable for clinical work.
How the hell did he slip through the cracks and end up in the Emergency Department, where a significant number of patients are on the brink of death, where astute assessments and quick decisions save lives, and lying cannot and will not be tolerated?
Of course, some of you will suggest that the ED seniors do some intensive one-on-one tutoring with the fellow, with regular progress assessments and such. Rest assured that these are already in place and will continue until the end of the posting.
But, one has to wonder what happened during medical school and housemanship. Many cannot fathom how he could've cleared the finals. And surely the year he spent in Medicine and Surgery must've drummed some sense into that head of his?
Only another 4 loooong months to go...
The "Power" Of The Press
Recently, we received a request for a piece on how to manage common minor illnesses and injuries at home without rushing to the ED during the busy festive period.
This was meant to be published in the newspaper to help educate the public, and I quote: "so they don't all end up at your A&E!"
I helped to write the article, spending 2 hours in the middle of the night drafting the damn thing in order to meet an insane deadline with some time to spare for the others to vet and edit accordingly.
It was comprehensive and deserved a prominent spot in the paper.
Sadly, the final product was a "side bar" type of column, so small I didn't even see it during my quick-flips of the main section over the next week or so.
The result? Massive patient loads at the ED during the X'mas and New Year periods, averaging 450-500 a day, many for minor complaints like fever, flu and sprains / mild contusions.
All I can say is: the newspaper owes me 2 hours of wasted time.
Now For The Upside
Following the dearth of worthy concerts in 2007, 2008 is looking mighty appealing!
Shows I will be catching within the 1st 3 months alone ( burned a huge hole in my pocket, but it's worth it! ):
January -- The Rise and Fall of Little Voice
February -- The Police
March -- Harry Connick Jr and Maroon 5
Another incident involves my 10-year-old cat, whose become increasingly frail and suffered a number of illnesses recently. His usual vet wasn't meeting our expectations so we sought a 2nd opinion elsewhere, with excellent results.
Still, there was a time around the X'mas season, when we had to seriously consider the option of putting him down to end his suffering, since ( at the time ) we thought we'd exhausted all possible treatments and lost all hope.
One thing most people don't expect of me is my soft core. Sure, I have a hot temper and won't tolerate nonsense of any nature, but I easily tear up under the right conditions ( real- and reel-life situations -- Grey's Anatomy and Brothers & Sisters always punch all the sensitive buttons, haha :)).
But there's a difference between crying over a TV show / movie and really breaking down. 5 years ago, my cat battled an almost fatal bout of leukemia and miraculously survived. This time, it's another virus which has been lying dormant but now rears its ugly head and wreaks havoc with my pet's immune system.
That week, as I helplessly watched him weaken despite the surgeries and powerful antibiotics, I had to shoulder the burden of deciding whether to let him go ( one of the disadvantages of being the sole doctor in the family ). His life literally flashed before my eyes -- from holding him in the palm of my hand when he was a newborn babe, to his snoozing in my lap as I mugged for exams, to his concerned gazes and comforting presence during my painful breakup, and his now increasingly frequent cuddling under my quilt whenever I take a nap.
He has brought so much joy to our family, possesses an ever-evolving personality, and is just...absolutely...adorable.
I know he will leave us someday, but not just yet. He's responded very well to the new treatment and remains as frisky as ever. But at least we're ready for the ball to drop at any time. For now, we will treasure our remaining time with him -- the longer, the better -- and pray for a few more years together, God willing.
First entry of the new year, and it's a grouchy one.
These aren't new problems, though. Been festering for some time, but reserved them for later in view of the festive season.
Still, I know readers enjoy it when I gripe, so here's a little NY present for you. :)
So Whose Fault Is It Anyway?
Let's discuss this "hypothetical" scenario.
Young man from a top secondary school enters a top junior college, and eventually gets into medical school.
However, he fails to excel in the course, flunking exams along the way.
Fortunately ( or unfortunately ), he clears the finals, and is unleashed into the medical workforce.
Housemanship is disastrous. Everyone agrees he's totally inept, and he's forced to repeat one of the postings.
Word spreads like wildfire through the hospital, with the senior administration made equally aware of his performance.
The eventual recommendation made upon completion of housemanship: more suited for NON-CLINICAL work.
The chap is now out-of-phase with his peers ( repeated a posting, remember? ), so he has the dubious privilege of being able to choose his next posting as a fresh medical officer, with almost 100% certainty of getting it since he doesn't have to jostle with the rest of the cohort.
And he picks ( drum roll... ) Emergency Medicine.
Bearing in mind the earlier recommendation ( i.e. non-clinical, people! ), he is nevertheless granted this request by a certain Hospital Top Gun, who emails the Emergency Department's Boss, BUT FAILS TO MENTION this fellow's history horribilis to the unsuspecting HOD, who is only aware of the manpower shortage in the ED, and happily welcomes the young man with open arms.
Within the 1st week, the new recruit is flagged out as hugely problematic.
His history-taking is atrociously bare, and physical examination totally unreliable. He has absolutely no idea what he's doing, and compounds the problem by frustrating the seniors who are asked to vet his cases. Busy shifts add to the stress, with patient queues coming to a complete standstill as seniors are tied up sorting out his mess.
His supervisor is informed and looks into the matter. The MO is counselled and given a reading list to complete, with close supervision by all seniors on shift to minimize damage.
2 months later, he shows mild improvement, but still looks spaced out most of the time, and can't shake a profusely annoying habit of starting his sentences with "Umm, I have this complicated / weird / funny case and don't know what to do / what the hell is going on."
So far, no-one's perished at his hand. But there've been a few close shaves, and he's been banned from night shifts completely.
Aside from the poor work output, he was also caught lying a number of times ( claiming he did something when he didn't, asking nurses to alter results ), but has since desisted after a stern warning from his supervisor.
So my question is: WHO SHOULD BE BLAMED FOR THIS GROSSLY NEGLIGENT ACT?
The act being: stuffing an incompetent 1st year MO in the ED, with the knowledge that he is totally unsuitable for clinical work.
How the hell did he slip through the cracks and end up in the Emergency Department, where a significant number of patients are on the brink of death, where astute assessments and quick decisions save lives, and lying cannot and will not be tolerated?
Of course, some of you will suggest that the ED seniors do some intensive one-on-one tutoring with the fellow, with regular progress assessments and such. Rest assured that these are already in place and will continue until the end of the posting.
But, one has to wonder what happened during medical school and housemanship. Many cannot fathom how he could've cleared the finals. And surely the year he spent in Medicine and Surgery must've drummed some sense into that head of his?
Only another 4 loooong months to go...
The "Power" Of The Press
Recently, we received a request for a piece on how to manage common minor illnesses and injuries at home without rushing to the ED during the busy festive period.
This was meant to be published in the newspaper to help educate the public, and I quote: "so they don't all end up at your A&E!"
I helped to write the article, spending 2 hours in the middle of the night drafting the damn thing in order to meet an insane deadline with some time to spare for the others to vet and edit accordingly.
It was comprehensive and deserved a prominent spot in the paper.
Sadly, the final product was a "side bar" type of column, so small I didn't even see it during my quick-flips of the main section over the next week or so.
The result? Massive patient loads at the ED during the X'mas and New Year periods, averaging 450-500 a day, many for minor complaints like fever, flu and sprains / mild contusions.
All I can say is: the newspaper owes me 2 hours of wasted time.
Now For The Upside
Following the dearth of worthy concerts in 2007, 2008 is looking mighty appealing!
Shows I will be catching within the 1st 3 months alone ( burned a huge hole in my pocket, but it's worth it! ):
January -- The Rise and Fall of Little Voice
February -- The Police
March -- Harry Connick Jr and Maroon 5
Another incident involves my 10-year-old cat, whose become increasingly frail and suffered a number of illnesses recently. His usual vet wasn't meeting our expectations so we sought a 2nd opinion elsewhere, with excellent results.
Still, there was a time around the X'mas season, when we had to seriously consider the option of putting him down to end his suffering, since ( at the time ) we thought we'd exhausted all possible treatments and lost all hope.
One thing most people don't expect of me is my soft core. Sure, I have a hot temper and won't tolerate nonsense of any nature, but I easily tear up under the right conditions ( real- and reel-life situations -- Grey's Anatomy and Brothers & Sisters always punch all the sensitive buttons, haha :)).
But there's a difference between crying over a TV show / movie and really breaking down. 5 years ago, my cat battled an almost fatal bout of leukemia and miraculously survived. This time, it's another virus which has been lying dormant but now rears its ugly head and wreaks havoc with my pet's immune system.
That week, as I helplessly watched him weaken despite the surgeries and powerful antibiotics, I had to shoulder the burden of deciding whether to let him go ( one of the disadvantages of being the sole doctor in the family ). His life literally flashed before my eyes -- from holding him in the palm of my hand when he was a newborn babe, to his snoozing in my lap as I mugged for exams, to his concerned gazes and comforting presence during my painful breakup, and his now increasingly frequent cuddling under my quilt whenever I take a nap.
He has brought so much joy to our family, possesses an ever-evolving personality, and is just...absolutely...adorable.
I know he will leave us someday, but not just yet. He's responded very well to the new treatment and remains as frisky as ever. But at least we're ready for the ball to drop at any time. For now, we will treasure our remaining time with him -- the longer, the better -- and pray for a few more years together, God willing.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
New Year Greetings
As 2007 comes to an end, I look back on a tumultuous yet exciting 12 months, and eagerly anticipate the year ahead.
To cap my last blog entry for '07, here's another photo from the US trip. Taken from our visit to Disneyland in Anaheim, California, it's a nice reminder of my happy childhood.
Enjoy your New Year, everyone! :)
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Time For A Few More Photos
Hoover Dam
The biggest thrill I get from having visited this historic landmark is knowing that Transformers was filmed here. :)
Only found out about it after I returned home and rented the DVD, of course. But you should've seen me when I spotted the dam's unmistakable towers in one pivotal scene: I was post-call but jolted wide awake. Huge adrenaline rush! :D
As you can see, it really is a remarkable structure, with the cream- / grey-coloured buildings contrasting strikingly with the turqoise waters of Lake Mead.
Weather-wise, it's positively cooking out there in typical desert fashion. Dry, dusty and cancer-inducing. I got a major sunburn, but didn't mind it one bit. :)
At least there's an occasional breeze from the lake to alleviate the discomfort.
One rather surprising finding: it's relatively quiet even though the place was packed with tourists and there was quite a bit of road traffic passing through.
A half-day trip is more than sufficient. Rent Transformers for a more complete tour. ( But pay no attention to the kooky storyline, which is totally untrue, though kinda fun :))
The Grand Canyon
... truly lives up to its name.
Again, super-hot and super-dry, but awe-inspiring in so many ways.
We visited the West Rim, where the newly constructed Skywalk is located, with a tour company run by the Shanghainese fellow who helmed the project.
The round trip took about 12 hours, and guess what -- the helicopter ride costs extra!
But it's an experience worth paying for. It's approximately 8 minutes each way, and you get spectacular views for dramatic aerial shots.
This is one such example -- notice the slightly skewed angle.
Here's a picture taken at the bottom of the Canyon. The water was muddy that day, but it's a lot cooler down below, which was nice.
Yet another illustration of God's great hand in this world we inhabit. But I still prefer the grand mountain ranges and vast, crystal clear lakes of New Zealand. :)
Hoover Dam
The biggest thrill I get from having visited this historic landmark is knowing that Transformers was filmed here. :)
Only found out about it after I returned home and rented the DVD, of course. But you should've seen me when I spotted the dam's unmistakable towers in one pivotal scene: I was post-call but jolted wide awake. Huge adrenaline rush! :D
As you can see, it really is a remarkable structure, with the cream- / grey-coloured buildings contrasting strikingly with the turqoise waters of Lake Mead.
Weather-wise, it's positively cooking out there in typical desert fashion. Dry, dusty and cancer-inducing. I got a major sunburn, but didn't mind it one bit. :)
At least there's an occasional breeze from the lake to alleviate the discomfort.
One rather surprising finding: it's relatively quiet even though the place was packed with tourists and there was quite a bit of road traffic passing through.
A half-day trip is more than sufficient. Rent Transformers for a more complete tour. ( But pay no attention to the kooky storyline, which is totally untrue, though kinda fun :))
The Grand Canyon
... truly lives up to its name.
Again, super-hot and super-dry, but awe-inspiring in so many ways.
We visited the West Rim, where the newly constructed Skywalk is located, with a tour company run by the Shanghainese fellow who helmed the project.
The round trip took about 12 hours, and guess what -- the helicopter ride costs extra!
But it's an experience worth paying for. It's approximately 8 minutes each way, and you get spectacular views for dramatic aerial shots.
This is one such example -- notice the slightly skewed angle.
Here's a picture taken at the bottom of the Canyon. The water was muddy that day, but it's a lot cooler down below, which was nice.
Yet another illustration of God's great hand in this world we inhabit. But I still prefer the grand mountain ranges and vast, crystal clear lakes of New Zealand. :)
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Reflections 2007
Ahh, another year draws to a close yet again. But 2007 seemed to pass by at a much faster speed compared to most. I attribute this to my post-AST work schedule, which has been insane ( to put it mildly ).
A quick rundown of memorable events:
Best of 2007
1. Jersey Boys on Broadway, NYC
Regular readers know how much I love this musical, so I won't belabour the point any further. :)
For the uninitiated, you can read my review posted October 20th 2007.
I'm just hoping JB will be staged at the Esplanade sometime in the future. We've already had quite a number of hit shows at that venue ( including the upcoming We Will Rock You ), so keep your fingers crossed.
2. Trekking across the USA
I survived 4 weeks of 24/7 contact with my parents, and had a great time along the way ( imagine that! :)).
NYC was obviously the biggest highlight of this holiday, but Las Vegas came a very close second.
I haven't blogged about Seattle or Los Angeles yet, but will do so in the coming weeks.
The weather was fantastic, the sights spectacular, and the people -- surprisingly pleasant! Singaporeans -- especially the men -- have lots to learn.
3. A Few Good Men
Not local, of course. :)
Seattle: Nick, our waiter at a cozy Chinese restaurant ( but populated by Caucasian staff ), looks only 17 or 18 years old but possesses perhaps the best public relations skills we've ever witnessed in one so young.
My mom still talks about how he kept replacing her glass of Coke every 15 minutes. Not refill, mind you. It's "replace". He'd come sweeping over with a brand new glass and take my mom's half-empty vessel away. It was unbelievable!
He also stopped at our table every 5-10 minutes to ask if we were happy with our food or if we needed anything, and kept saying "awesome" ( which my mom found very amusing -- oh well, he's pretty much still a teenager after all :)).
Looks-wise: cute in my book, heh heh. Blonde, blue-eyed, slim and clean-cut.
But ultimately, it's his impeccable manners and terrific personality which won us over. The generous tip I left was well-deserved.
Seattle: Again! This time, there're 2 guys whose names I don't even know.
One's a fellow who was about to walk into a shopping mall as my parents and I were exiting. He opened the door for my dad, but continued to stand there for 5 whole seconds, patiently waiting for my mom and I to walk towards him, smiling broadly the entire time. He graciously acknowledged our effusive thanks, before entering the complex after we'd emerged. Young man, maybe in his late 20s or early 30s.
Since returning to Singapore, we've had no such luck with local guys, who make it a habit to slam doors in other people's faces, rush in front of you to get ahead, or just act like you're invisible in case they're expected to behave a certain way.
Sigh...
The 2nd chap, I suspect, is a fellow emergency physician. I met him at a souvenir store within the Convention Centre where the ACEP Scientific Assembly was being held. I accidentally dropped something but caught it before it hit the ground, and suddenly heard a male voice exclaim, "Great catch!" just behind me. He looked like he's about my age, with brown hair and glasses, slinging the same conference bag as I was. He had a huge grin on his face, so I laughed and said, "Thanks!"
Unfortunately, the story ends abruptly, because even though he clearly appeared eager to strike up a conversation with me, for some strange reason I didn't take the bait ( damn! ). Still kicking myself over it.
By the way, the people of Seattle are the nicest I've met so far in my travels.
Coming in a close second are the Japanese, followed in third place by the New Zealanders.
Las Vegas: Gorgeous young man at the front desk who checked us in at Caesars Palace, and upgraded us to a Deluxe Suite for free, just because he "can tell that you really want it". He means my mom, since I was the one who kept telling her NOT to get it.
Las Vegas: Juan DeAngelo. Enough said. :)
Manhattan: An African-American fellow who runs a stall selling branded perfumes at wholesale prices ( at least I think that's why they're going so cheap, 'cos they definitely smell genuine ). We went back a 2nd time to pick up more bottles, and for some funny reason, he decided to throw in an extra one for free. We didn't see him do this for any of the other customers crowding his stall, and as we walked away, he came running over to whisper, "Now I don't do this for anyone, so don't tell anybody okay?"
We just stood there stunned for a moment until it finally sank in. Our lucky day indeed. :)
4. Favourites of the Year
Movie: Transformers -- just rented the DVD, and am already watching it for the 2nd time! I'm a long-time fan of Michael Bay's work, and couldn't be happier with this film. It's chock full of Bay's trademark dramatic, vivid-coloured shots and creative camera angles. There's enough migraine-inducing action to earn every cent of whatever money you put into the experience ( movie ticket or DVD rental ). But best of all, this might be the only movie of his that actually shows real heart and soul. From the geeky protagonist to the macho military and yes, even the hot chick -- every character is likeable and memorable despite being somewhat stereotypical and/or psychotic ( e.g. John Turturro's over-the-top Sector 7 agent, who had me in stitches :)).
Really hope Bay's future projects will stay true to this winning formula.
Plus, Bay's pretty hot himself. ;-)
Of worthy mention: Hairspray, which I watched on the plane back to Singapore -- twice. I'm such a sucker for musicals :) -- and Ratatouille, an absolutely perfect piece of animation and storytelling.
Actor: It's official. My latest list of Top 3 Favourite Actors include Kevin Spacey ( #1 ), John Cusack ( #2) and, new at #3 -- Shia LaBeouf.
I've already seen him in Constantine, The Greatest Game Every Played and I, Robot. But last week, I rented Disturbia and Transformers, which put him dead centre in the lead role. How I adore him. :)
LaBeouf reminds me of John Cusack in many ways -- the same limpid brown eyes, similar speech patterns and nervous tics, a laid-back everyman quality yet also sexy in a non-threatening way.
Cusack kinda missed the blockbuster mark with his career choices, but LaBeouf has the great and powerful Steven Spielberg behind him, so it's going to take a meteorite to annihilate the entire human race in order for this young talent to fade into obscurity.
Mark your calendars: Indiana Jones 4 ( where LaBeouf plays Indy's son ) is due for release on May 22nd 2008.
Album: Maroon 5's It Won't Be Soon Before Long is galaxies away from their debut effort Songs About Jane, but they've experimented successfully and are up for a few Grammys -- for Pop Vocal Album and Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo / Group.
Of worthy mention: The Jersey Boys original cast recording, which features covers that far exceed the original Four Seasons' versions, and East Of Angel Town, Peter Cincotti's 3rd studio release which features more pop, but still stays quite close to his jazz roots ( a full review to follow in a subsequent entry ).
TV Shows: None to speak of this year. Lost interest in Heroes after all that Sylar mumbo-jumbo kicked in. But I do love Milo Ventimiglia ( Peter Petrelli ), who will always be "Jesse from Gilmore Girls" to me.
Most of the TV fare hasn't lived up to my expectations. Managed to catch a lot of fall season premieres in the US, including CSI and CSI: New York ( both rather dull and unchallenging ), Grey's Anatomy, The Closer and Private Practice ( a Grey's spinoff which is so childish it's painful ).
The only one that didn't disappoint is Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, guest-starring Sex And The City's Cynthia Nixon as the scariest psychopath since Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction.
Books: Read minimally this year. But Raymond Tallis' Hippocratic Oaths and Mohamad Khadra's Making The Cut are quite excellent.
Upcoming in 2008
At least 3 to look forward to:
The Rise and Fall of Little Voice -- Jubilee Hall, January
The Police in concert -- I'm seeing Sting again in February, woohoo! :)
Maroon 5 -- their 1st gig in Singapore come March. Am REALLY excited about this one.
Now all I need is a Michael Buble performance, and I'll be happy for the rest of the year. :D
Here's wishing everyone a Merry X'mas in advance. Please don't get too drunk over the New Year. Or if you do, don't come to my ER ( oh wait, I won't be on call that day, so who cares haha ). :P
Ahh, another year draws to a close yet again. But 2007 seemed to pass by at a much faster speed compared to most. I attribute this to my post-AST work schedule, which has been insane ( to put it mildly ).
A quick rundown of memorable events:
Best of 2007
1. Jersey Boys on Broadway, NYC
Regular readers know how much I love this musical, so I won't belabour the point any further. :)
For the uninitiated, you can read my review posted October 20th 2007.
I'm just hoping JB will be staged at the Esplanade sometime in the future. We've already had quite a number of hit shows at that venue ( including the upcoming We Will Rock You ), so keep your fingers crossed.
2. Trekking across the USA
I survived 4 weeks of 24/7 contact with my parents, and had a great time along the way ( imagine that! :)).
NYC was obviously the biggest highlight of this holiday, but Las Vegas came a very close second.
I haven't blogged about Seattle or Los Angeles yet, but will do so in the coming weeks.
The weather was fantastic, the sights spectacular, and the people -- surprisingly pleasant! Singaporeans -- especially the men -- have lots to learn.
3. A Few Good Men
Not local, of course. :)
Seattle: Nick, our waiter at a cozy Chinese restaurant ( but populated by Caucasian staff ), looks only 17 or 18 years old but possesses perhaps the best public relations skills we've ever witnessed in one so young.
My mom still talks about how he kept replacing her glass of Coke every 15 minutes. Not refill, mind you. It's "replace". He'd come sweeping over with a brand new glass and take my mom's half-empty vessel away. It was unbelievable!
He also stopped at our table every 5-10 minutes to ask if we were happy with our food or if we needed anything, and kept saying "awesome" ( which my mom found very amusing -- oh well, he's pretty much still a teenager after all :)).
Looks-wise: cute in my book, heh heh. Blonde, blue-eyed, slim and clean-cut.
But ultimately, it's his impeccable manners and terrific personality which won us over. The generous tip I left was well-deserved.
Seattle: Again! This time, there're 2 guys whose names I don't even know.
One's a fellow who was about to walk into a shopping mall as my parents and I were exiting. He opened the door for my dad, but continued to stand there for 5 whole seconds, patiently waiting for my mom and I to walk towards him, smiling broadly the entire time. He graciously acknowledged our effusive thanks, before entering the complex after we'd emerged. Young man, maybe in his late 20s or early 30s.
Since returning to Singapore, we've had no such luck with local guys, who make it a habit to slam doors in other people's faces, rush in front of you to get ahead, or just act like you're invisible in case they're expected to behave a certain way.
Sigh...
The 2nd chap, I suspect, is a fellow emergency physician. I met him at a souvenir store within the Convention Centre where the ACEP Scientific Assembly was being held. I accidentally dropped something but caught it before it hit the ground, and suddenly heard a male voice exclaim, "Great catch!" just behind me. He looked like he's about my age, with brown hair and glasses, slinging the same conference bag as I was. He had a huge grin on his face, so I laughed and said, "Thanks!"
Unfortunately, the story ends abruptly, because even though he clearly appeared eager to strike up a conversation with me, for some strange reason I didn't take the bait ( damn! ). Still kicking myself over it.
By the way, the people of Seattle are the nicest I've met so far in my travels.
Coming in a close second are the Japanese, followed in third place by the New Zealanders.
Las Vegas: Gorgeous young man at the front desk who checked us in at Caesars Palace, and upgraded us to a Deluxe Suite for free, just because he "can tell that you really want it". He means my mom, since I was the one who kept telling her NOT to get it.
Las Vegas: Juan DeAngelo. Enough said. :)
Manhattan: An African-American fellow who runs a stall selling branded perfumes at wholesale prices ( at least I think that's why they're going so cheap, 'cos they definitely smell genuine ). We went back a 2nd time to pick up more bottles, and for some funny reason, he decided to throw in an extra one for free. We didn't see him do this for any of the other customers crowding his stall, and as we walked away, he came running over to whisper, "Now I don't do this for anyone, so don't tell anybody okay?"
We just stood there stunned for a moment until it finally sank in. Our lucky day indeed. :)
4. Favourites of the Year
Movie: Transformers -- just rented the DVD, and am already watching it for the 2nd time! I'm a long-time fan of Michael Bay's work, and couldn't be happier with this film. It's chock full of Bay's trademark dramatic, vivid-coloured shots and creative camera angles. There's enough migraine-inducing action to earn every cent of whatever money you put into the experience ( movie ticket or DVD rental ). But best of all, this might be the only movie of his that actually shows real heart and soul. From the geeky protagonist to the macho military and yes, even the hot chick -- every character is likeable and memorable despite being somewhat stereotypical and/or psychotic ( e.g. John Turturro's over-the-top Sector 7 agent, who had me in stitches :)).
Really hope Bay's future projects will stay true to this winning formula.
Plus, Bay's pretty hot himself. ;-)
Of worthy mention: Hairspray, which I watched on the plane back to Singapore -- twice. I'm such a sucker for musicals :) -- and Ratatouille, an absolutely perfect piece of animation and storytelling.
Actor: It's official. My latest list of Top 3 Favourite Actors include Kevin Spacey ( #1 ), John Cusack ( #2) and, new at #3 -- Shia LaBeouf.
I've already seen him in Constantine, The Greatest Game Every Played and I, Robot. But last week, I rented Disturbia and Transformers, which put him dead centre in the lead role. How I adore him. :)
LaBeouf reminds me of John Cusack in many ways -- the same limpid brown eyes, similar speech patterns and nervous tics, a laid-back everyman quality yet also sexy in a non-threatening way.
Cusack kinda missed the blockbuster mark with his career choices, but LaBeouf has the great and powerful Steven Spielberg behind him, so it's going to take a meteorite to annihilate the entire human race in order for this young talent to fade into obscurity.
Mark your calendars: Indiana Jones 4 ( where LaBeouf plays Indy's son ) is due for release on May 22nd 2008.
Album: Maroon 5's It Won't Be Soon Before Long is galaxies away from their debut effort Songs About Jane, but they've experimented successfully and are up for a few Grammys -- for Pop Vocal Album and Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo / Group.
Of worthy mention: The Jersey Boys original cast recording, which features covers that far exceed the original Four Seasons' versions, and East Of Angel Town, Peter Cincotti's 3rd studio release which features more pop, but still stays quite close to his jazz roots ( a full review to follow in a subsequent entry ).
TV Shows: None to speak of this year. Lost interest in Heroes after all that Sylar mumbo-jumbo kicked in. But I do love Milo Ventimiglia ( Peter Petrelli ), who will always be "Jesse from Gilmore Girls" to me.
Most of the TV fare hasn't lived up to my expectations. Managed to catch a lot of fall season premieres in the US, including CSI and CSI: New York ( both rather dull and unchallenging ), Grey's Anatomy, The Closer and Private Practice ( a Grey's spinoff which is so childish it's painful ).
The only one that didn't disappoint is Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, guest-starring Sex And The City's Cynthia Nixon as the scariest psychopath since Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction.
Books: Read minimally this year. But Raymond Tallis' Hippocratic Oaths and Mohamad Khadra's Making The Cut are quite excellent.
Upcoming in 2008
At least 3 to look forward to:
The Rise and Fall of Little Voice -- Jubilee Hall, January
The Police in concert -- I'm seeing Sting again in February, woohoo! :)
Maroon 5 -- their 1st gig in Singapore come March. Am REALLY excited about this one.
Now all I need is a Michael Buble performance, and I'll be happy for the rest of the year. :D
Here's wishing everyone a Merry X'mas in advance. Please don't get too drunk over the New Year. Or if you do, don't come to my ER ( oh wait, I won't be on call that day, so who cares haha ). :P
Sunday, December 09, 2007
ZoukOut, aka PukeOut
Forgive me for ranting yet again. ( Relaxing photos will be posted another time. )
I didn't realize my night shift coincided with the above event until it was too late.
Thought my December requests had covered all the bases ( i.e. X'mas and New Year ), but alas! the dreaded ZoukOut passed below my radar, and now I suffer the consequences.
Big bunch of young people brought in by ambulance -- intoxicated, vomiting, hyperventilating, shouting.
Mostly in their early 20s.
Typical history:
Dr: What happened to you?
Patient: I drank too much, doc.
Dr: What did you drink?
Pt: Vodka ( or some other hard liquor ).
Dr: How much?
Pt: A big bottle ( or "I don't remember", or "A lot lah, dunno how much exactly" )
Dr: And then you started vomiting?
Pt: Uh-huh.
One guy puked altered blood -- likely alcoholic gastritis vs Mallory-Weiss vs acute PUD, who knows which? Admitted to General Surgery.
Another girl is still pretty out of it. Able to sit up on her own but speaking gibberish intermittently. I gave her an empty vomit bag and she proceeded to try to drink from it like she was guzzling beer.
I suppose these youths think it's cool to drink themselves into a stupor, all in the name of partying.
And I guess the Singapore government believes that supporting such events makes our country appear hip and happening, raising its profile as a fun travel destination for tourists.
I'm just disgusted by our young people's behaviour. It isn't just during ZoukOut and festive seasons anymore. We now get similar cases at the ER most days of the week, often with concomitant injuries sustained in falls and fights.
Of course, we do see patients from the older age groups presenting with the same problems from time to time, especially old chaps with alcohol dependence who come to us almost daily for overnight TLC till they're sober.
But for such huge glitzy events, shouldn't the authorities think about setting up a few first aid stations on-site for these people, instead of stretching ERs which are already working on minimal manpower during night shifts?
In between the drunks, we had to attend to other legitimate patients, including one STEMI who went for PTCA and a collapse case who needed resuscitation.
Plus, our computer system was down for a couple of hours while undergoing maintenance. Thank goodness it was up and running way before the stipulated time, or things would've slowed down even further.
I'm just gearing up for the next wave, likely to begin in 2009 once the Integrated Resort is completed. This will comprise even more drunks converging on Marina Bay from every corner of the island, as well as gamblers both local and foreign. There're sure to be many coming in for chest pain, breathlessness, giddiness and what-not, probably induced by winning / losing, or just sitting down at the poker table / slot machine the whole day without eating or drinking anything.
I just find it all so sad really.
Note to self: do NOT do night shift during ZoukOut next year.
Forgive me for ranting yet again. ( Relaxing photos will be posted another time. )
I didn't realize my night shift coincided with the above event until it was too late.
Thought my December requests had covered all the bases ( i.e. X'mas and New Year ), but alas! the dreaded ZoukOut passed below my radar, and now I suffer the consequences.
Big bunch of young people brought in by ambulance -- intoxicated, vomiting, hyperventilating, shouting.
Mostly in their early 20s.
Typical history:
Dr: What happened to you?
Patient: I drank too much, doc.
Dr: What did you drink?
Pt: Vodka ( or some other hard liquor ).
Dr: How much?
Pt: A big bottle ( or "I don't remember", or "A lot lah, dunno how much exactly" )
Dr: And then you started vomiting?
Pt: Uh-huh.
One guy puked altered blood -- likely alcoholic gastritis vs Mallory-Weiss vs acute PUD, who knows which? Admitted to General Surgery.
Another girl is still pretty out of it. Able to sit up on her own but speaking gibberish intermittently. I gave her an empty vomit bag and she proceeded to try to drink from it like she was guzzling beer.
I suppose these youths think it's cool to drink themselves into a stupor, all in the name of partying.
And I guess the Singapore government believes that supporting such events makes our country appear hip and happening, raising its profile as a fun travel destination for tourists.
I'm just disgusted by our young people's behaviour. It isn't just during ZoukOut and festive seasons anymore. We now get similar cases at the ER most days of the week, often with concomitant injuries sustained in falls and fights.
Of course, we do see patients from the older age groups presenting with the same problems from time to time, especially old chaps with alcohol dependence who come to us almost daily for overnight TLC till they're sober.
But for such huge glitzy events, shouldn't the authorities think about setting up a few first aid stations on-site for these people, instead of stretching ERs which are already working on minimal manpower during night shifts?
In between the drunks, we had to attend to other legitimate patients, including one STEMI who went for PTCA and a collapse case who needed resuscitation.
Plus, our computer system was down for a couple of hours while undergoing maintenance. Thank goodness it was up and running way before the stipulated time, or things would've slowed down even further.
I'm just gearing up for the next wave, likely to begin in 2009 once the Integrated Resort is completed. This will comprise even more drunks converging on Marina Bay from every corner of the island, as well as gamblers both local and foreign. There're sure to be many coming in for chest pain, breathlessness, giddiness and what-not, probably induced by winning / losing, or just sitting down at the poker table / slot machine the whole day without eating or drinking anything.
I just find it all so sad really.
Note to self: do NOT do night shift during ZoukOut next year.
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Dousing The Fire - Sort Of
Regular readers are no doubt aware of my intermittent burnouts ( I count at least 3 major ones since 2003 -- SARS being the start of it all ).
I still get minor attacks on and off, but have learnt to accept that it comes with the job.
Each individual episode, however, has its own unique trigger. The SARS period took its toll on me physically ( I couldn't get sick when I desperately needed medical leave to rest! ) and of course emotionally ( helping to write Ong Hock Soo's obituary for the SMA News remains one of the most difficult things I've ever had to do ). Subsequent burnouts occurred for various reasons, be it insane patient loads, intolerable ER overcrowding ( not a problem anymore, thanks to a friend's marvelous initiative and some administrative pushing ), or most recently, a traumatic event which revealed someone's terrifying ability to camouflage pure evil with a sweet, innocent smile.
Don't worry, I've been able to recover successfully so far. But each bout inevitably eats away at one's soul, sapping energy and blotting out what little optimism one has left in a fast-emptying arsenal of defences.
Wow, that was a mouthful. :/
So lately, I've been asking myself: Why did I choose emergency medicine? Why do any of us emergency physicians do it, when it pays less than most specialties, is no less demanding in terms of hours and workloads, isn't exempt from angry complaints and adverse events, and rarely gets the recognition it deserves -- from fellow colleagues who treat the ER like a dumpster, and patients who never give us credit for saving their lives, choosing instead to bestow their appreciation and gifts on those upstairs who take over from us once the case has been resuscitated and stabilized?
We battle forces from all directions -- intubated patients who get rejected by every specialist we call, ward nurses who give us hell when we want to send cases up, patients who make unfounded accusations, administrators who scrutinize the numbers and don't bother to solve the underlying problems.
Contrary to what some people would like to believe, no, emergency physicians aren't losers who chose this specialty after unsuccessfully applying for other traineeships. Many of us have been encouraged to train in surgery, paediatrics or medicine during our MO postings, but had either already set our hearts on the ER, or subsequently picked the emergency medicine route, after considering our options.
Having spent many years in the ER, I've seen emergency physicians trump other specialists in making the right diagnosis ( without the need for scans or numerous blood tests ). They override decisions that are deemed incorrect, saving lives, improving outcomes and reducing costs ( lawsuits included ). They take their roles as patient advocates seriously, have some of the thickest skins in existence ( try talking to certain disciplines when you need a HD / ICU bed ), and have no opportunity to sit down or answer nature's call during most shifts.
You know I love what I do. But honestly speaking, it's a bloody thankless job, and there're times when I want to tear my hair out, slap people, or say, "To hell with you, I'm sending my patient up whether you say yes or not."
But of course, the real world is nothing quite like that.
A few hours earlier, my registrar described a complaint from the ward concerning a case where the diagnosis relied primarily on the history given by the patient. The team upstairs was unhappy about the admission, and some harsh words were used.
The registrar's side of the story made good sense to me, and it was clear that an underlying condition needed to be excluded. I don't know if the patient was entirely truthful or lucid while he was in the ER ( additional consideration should be given to the fact that an interpreter was needed ), but apparently he said something different once he got to the ward, hence the impression that the emergency physician made a huge mistake.
I know the author of the complaint -- a senior consultant who isn't famous for whacking others just for the fun of it, unlike some nutcases strolling along the hospital corridors. Still, the harshness of the correspondence had a significant negative effect on my registrar's psyche, and his tone was a mixture of sadness and frustration.
What we all need to realize is that nobody's perfect. But IMHO, the ER deserves special consideration because we pretty much function like the control tower at our Changi International Airport, juggling hundreds of patients a day, making snap decisions and hoping no-one dies in the process.
We don't have the luxury of ordering 20 different tests to evaluate a single complaint. On the contrary, we almost always decide whether to admit or discharge within the first 3-5 minutes of consultation. There're efficient management algorithms in place to expedite disposition and treatment. We don't believe in doing urgent CT abdomens for no good reason.
I suppose the main difficulty in getting other specialties to understand our limitations stems from the fact that most doctors don't have experience working in the ER. Back in 2001, when I did my first ER posting, I worked alongside trainees from surgery and medicine, as ER rotations were still considered a compulsory component of their training at the time.
Since then, this has been abolished in favour of more specialty-specific training -- surgeons do only surgical postings, and vice versa. Those who desire a more well-rounded CV may opt to work with us for 6 months, but of course, it's no surprise that most prefer to stick to what they know and like rather than set plugs, do manual evacs and treat our regular drunks and PSY cases.
Many of the trainees I worked with are now consultants in their own fields. I speak to them from time to time when I need to override their juniors' strange decisions, and am always glad to hear that they haven't forgotten what it's like for us down in the trenches, often taking us at our word and accepting the admissions without any argument.
Contrary to what many people would like to assume, I derive no pleasure from overriding other disciplines. I don't do it out of sadistic glee, or as part of some power play. In fact, none of us is happy to do it, because it means there's been some disagreement between medical colleagues, and the patient is caught in the middle. If our decision turns out to be correct, the patient benefits ( although s/he is totally oblivious to the preceding shoving match ). If we're proven wrong, then it's a lesson worth learning ( +/- a complaint letter from the ward ).
I'm sure some specialists have their own store of ER boo-boo's. But like I said earlier, NOBODY'S PERFECT. If you can't get past the childish assumption that emergency physicians exist only to make your life miserable, then government hospital practice may not be the right place for you ( private ERs, on the other hand, operate on a completely different set of rules ).
The other gripe I have is how the younger generation of ward doctors treat their more senior colleagues from the ER these days. When I was a house / medical officer, I spoke to my seniors with respect and never dared to answer back.
In recent years, however, I've had registrars and MOs irritate me with their sarcastic remarks and stubbornness. Some of them even yell at me over the phone like rabid animals, cutting me off in mid-sentence and telling me what to do before I can even finish my story. Does any of this help the patient?!
Occasionally, I pull rank on the bugger by announcing my status firmly, or threatening to speak to his/her senior-on-call ( or get the ER consultant on shift to do a bit of arm-twisting on my behalf ). This works in most cases, but one particular female registrar was a real piece of work. She had the gall to reprimand me ( her senior by rank ) and attack my fellow colleagues for being "incompetent", then bullied another discipline's reg-on-call to take over a case in the middle of the night, despite what we thought was an obvious diagnosis.
I followed up on this case who, after a long list of invasive and costly procedures, turned out to have the condition we diagnosed the night she presented at the ER. Suffice to say, my entire department was informed of the incident, and the registrar's chief was alerted to her antics.
Such incidents are becoming more common nowadays, necessitating the the need to track cases on the computer after they've been admitted, to determine whether my assessment was correct. Problematic encounters with other disciplines are flagged out, and nasty comments received are diligently documented under the confidential remarks section, WORD FOR WORD.
So back to the original question about why I chose to work in the ER.
It takes a special type of person to endure such an environment. We may not be experts in new-fangled surgical techniques or know the 50 tests to order for some rare disease. What we're good at is resuscitation in its many forms, rapid assessment and decision-making using the minimum number of investigations, and sifting through some patients' lists of 10 different complaints in order to determine which symptom needs the most urgent evaluation, and hence which admission discipline is most appropriate.
Emergency physicians aren't in it for the money. We're not doing this for the easy lifestyle ( I work most weekends and public holidays -- though by choice, haha :)) or the recognition ( still sorely lacking, despite everything I've said in the above paragraphs ). Getting any present or thank-you card from a patient is like striking the lottery, and the petty nitpicking never ends, so being appreciated isn't on our list of priorities either.
I left for America feeling pretty dejected ( after all, it was only a few weeks after that encounter with The Evil One ). But interacting with thousands of fellow colleagues at the American College of Emergency Physicians Scientific Assembly in Seattle changed all that.
Many of the lectures I attended discussed the same problems I experience here in Singapore. The professors, attendings and residents I chatted with voiced frustrations which echoed my own. But their passion for emergency medicine never abated in spite of all these trials and tribulations. They just kept on fighting.
Then I realized that we actually have some advantage over our American counterparts, since Singaporeans haven't quite developed a thirst for medical litigation just yet ( whew! ). This makes it easier to avoid the practice of defensive medicine, which poses a significant problem considering the ER's limited resources and the healthcare funding policies in our country ( Americans rely wholly on personal insurance coverage ).
I left the conference completely rejuvenated and tremendously inspired. Truth be told, some of those effects have worn off since my return to the warzone, but the underlying lesson will never be forgotten.
Why did I choose emergency medicine? Because I just wouldn't be happy doing anything else. :)
Regular readers are no doubt aware of my intermittent burnouts ( I count at least 3 major ones since 2003 -- SARS being the start of it all ).
I still get minor attacks on and off, but have learnt to accept that it comes with the job.
Each individual episode, however, has its own unique trigger. The SARS period took its toll on me physically ( I couldn't get sick when I desperately needed medical leave to rest! ) and of course emotionally ( helping to write Ong Hock Soo's obituary for the SMA News remains one of the most difficult things I've ever had to do ). Subsequent burnouts occurred for various reasons, be it insane patient loads, intolerable ER overcrowding ( not a problem anymore, thanks to a friend's marvelous initiative and some administrative pushing ), or most recently, a traumatic event which revealed someone's terrifying ability to camouflage pure evil with a sweet, innocent smile.
Don't worry, I've been able to recover successfully so far. But each bout inevitably eats away at one's soul, sapping energy and blotting out what little optimism one has left in a fast-emptying arsenal of defences.
Wow, that was a mouthful. :/
So lately, I've been asking myself: Why did I choose emergency medicine? Why do any of us emergency physicians do it, when it pays less than most specialties, is no less demanding in terms of hours and workloads, isn't exempt from angry complaints and adverse events, and rarely gets the recognition it deserves -- from fellow colleagues who treat the ER like a dumpster, and patients who never give us credit for saving their lives, choosing instead to bestow their appreciation and gifts on those upstairs who take over from us once the case has been resuscitated and stabilized?
We battle forces from all directions -- intubated patients who get rejected by every specialist we call, ward nurses who give us hell when we want to send cases up, patients who make unfounded accusations, administrators who scrutinize the numbers and don't bother to solve the underlying problems.
Contrary to what some people would like to believe, no, emergency physicians aren't losers who chose this specialty after unsuccessfully applying for other traineeships. Many of us have been encouraged to train in surgery, paediatrics or medicine during our MO postings, but had either already set our hearts on the ER, or subsequently picked the emergency medicine route, after considering our options.
Having spent many years in the ER, I've seen emergency physicians trump other specialists in making the right diagnosis ( without the need for scans or numerous blood tests ). They override decisions that are deemed incorrect, saving lives, improving outcomes and reducing costs ( lawsuits included ). They take their roles as patient advocates seriously, have some of the thickest skins in existence ( try talking to certain disciplines when you need a HD / ICU bed ), and have no opportunity to sit down or answer nature's call during most shifts.
You know I love what I do. But honestly speaking, it's a bloody thankless job, and there're times when I want to tear my hair out, slap people, or say, "To hell with you, I'm sending my patient up whether you say yes or not."
But of course, the real world is nothing quite like that.
A few hours earlier, my registrar described a complaint from the ward concerning a case where the diagnosis relied primarily on the history given by the patient. The team upstairs was unhappy about the admission, and some harsh words were used.
The registrar's side of the story made good sense to me, and it was clear that an underlying condition needed to be excluded. I don't know if the patient was entirely truthful or lucid while he was in the ER ( additional consideration should be given to the fact that an interpreter was needed ), but apparently he said something different once he got to the ward, hence the impression that the emergency physician made a huge mistake.
I know the author of the complaint -- a senior consultant who isn't famous for whacking others just for the fun of it, unlike some nutcases strolling along the hospital corridors. Still, the harshness of the correspondence had a significant negative effect on my registrar's psyche, and his tone was a mixture of sadness and frustration.
What we all need to realize is that nobody's perfect. But IMHO, the ER deserves special consideration because we pretty much function like the control tower at our Changi International Airport, juggling hundreds of patients a day, making snap decisions and hoping no-one dies in the process.
We don't have the luxury of ordering 20 different tests to evaluate a single complaint. On the contrary, we almost always decide whether to admit or discharge within the first 3-5 minutes of consultation. There're efficient management algorithms in place to expedite disposition and treatment. We don't believe in doing urgent CT abdomens for no good reason.
I suppose the main difficulty in getting other specialties to understand our limitations stems from the fact that most doctors don't have experience working in the ER. Back in 2001, when I did my first ER posting, I worked alongside trainees from surgery and medicine, as ER rotations were still considered a compulsory component of their training at the time.
Since then, this has been abolished in favour of more specialty-specific training -- surgeons do only surgical postings, and vice versa. Those who desire a more well-rounded CV may opt to work with us for 6 months, but of course, it's no surprise that most prefer to stick to what they know and like rather than set plugs, do manual evacs and treat our regular drunks and PSY cases.
Many of the trainees I worked with are now consultants in their own fields. I speak to them from time to time when I need to override their juniors' strange decisions, and am always glad to hear that they haven't forgotten what it's like for us down in the trenches, often taking us at our word and accepting the admissions without any argument.
Contrary to what many people would like to assume, I derive no pleasure from overriding other disciplines. I don't do it out of sadistic glee, or as part of some power play. In fact, none of us is happy to do it, because it means there's been some disagreement between medical colleagues, and the patient is caught in the middle. If our decision turns out to be correct, the patient benefits ( although s/he is totally oblivious to the preceding shoving match ). If we're proven wrong, then it's a lesson worth learning ( +/- a complaint letter from the ward ).
I'm sure some specialists have their own store of ER boo-boo's. But like I said earlier, NOBODY'S PERFECT. If you can't get past the childish assumption that emergency physicians exist only to make your life miserable, then government hospital practice may not be the right place for you ( private ERs, on the other hand, operate on a completely different set of rules ).
The other gripe I have is how the younger generation of ward doctors treat their more senior colleagues from the ER these days. When I was a house / medical officer, I spoke to my seniors with respect and never dared to answer back.
In recent years, however, I've had registrars and MOs irritate me with their sarcastic remarks and stubbornness. Some of them even yell at me over the phone like rabid animals, cutting me off in mid-sentence and telling me what to do before I can even finish my story. Does any of this help the patient?!
Occasionally, I pull rank on the bugger by announcing my status firmly, or threatening to speak to his/her senior-on-call ( or get the ER consultant on shift to do a bit of arm-twisting on my behalf ). This works in most cases, but one particular female registrar was a real piece of work. She had the gall to reprimand me ( her senior by rank ) and attack my fellow colleagues for being "incompetent", then bullied another discipline's reg-on-call to take over a case in the middle of the night, despite what we thought was an obvious diagnosis.
I followed up on this case who, after a long list of invasive and costly procedures, turned out to have the condition we diagnosed the night she presented at the ER. Suffice to say, my entire department was informed of the incident, and the registrar's chief was alerted to her antics.
Such incidents are becoming more common nowadays, necessitating the the need to track cases on the computer after they've been admitted, to determine whether my assessment was correct. Problematic encounters with other disciplines are flagged out, and nasty comments received are diligently documented under the confidential remarks section, WORD FOR WORD.
So back to the original question about why I chose to work in the ER.
It takes a special type of person to endure such an environment. We may not be experts in new-fangled surgical techniques or know the 50 tests to order for some rare disease. What we're good at is resuscitation in its many forms, rapid assessment and decision-making using the minimum number of investigations, and sifting through some patients' lists of 10 different complaints in order to determine which symptom needs the most urgent evaluation, and hence which admission discipline is most appropriate.
Emergency physicians aren't in it for the money. We're not doing this for the easy lifestyle ( I work most weekends and public holidays -- though by choice, haha :)) or the recognition ( still sorely lacking, despite everything I've said in the above paragraphs ). Getting any present or thank-you card from a patient is like striking the lottery, and the petty nitpicking never ends, so being appreciated isn't on our list of priorities either.
I left for America feeling pretty dejected ( after all, it was only a few weeks after that encounter with The Evil One ). But interacting with thousands of fellow colleagues at the American College of Emergency Physicians Scientific Assembly in Seattle changed all that.
Many of the lectures I attended discussed the same problems I experience here in Singapore. The professors, attendings and residents I chatted with voiced frustrations which echoed my own. But their passion for emergency medicine never abated in spite of all these trials and tribulations. They just kept on fighting.
Then I realized that we actually have some advantage over our American counterparts, since Singaporeans haven't quite developed a thirst for medical litigation just yet ( whew! ). This makes it easier to avoid the practice of defensive medicine, which poses a significant problem considering the ER's limited resources and the healthcare funding policies in our country ( Americans rely wholly on personal insurance coverage ).
I left the conference completely rejuvenated and tremendously inspired. Truth be told, some of those effects have worn off since my return to the warzone, but the underlying lesson will never be forgotten.
Why did I choose emergency medicine? Because I just wouldn't be happy doing anything else. :)
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