Friday night shift in the ER, and looks like the wet weather is helping to keep the numbers down, at least in the consultation area. Resus was rather busy, and the other 2 MOs only just managed to clear the cases inside and get some rest. I'm not due for a nap for at least another 1 1/2 hours, and a whole lot of people with chest pain have been turning up. Try evaluating the nature / duration / radiation of this pain at 3am in the morning, repeatedly, and you'll know what I'm going through. Starting to get quite hungry for some funny reason. Must be all the thinking that's burning up the calories. :)

But then, there was an episode that annoyed me a bit. Saw a young lady with tonsillitis that was so severe her pharynx was occluded ( ie kissing tonsils ). She had been unwell for a few days, and not really responding to antibiotics. She told me she wasn't eating or drinking, and of course had difficulty swallowing the medications she was prescribed. She looked lethargic and dehydrated, so I thought it'd be good to admit her. However, the system here is such that admitting to certain specialties requires clearance from the doctor-on-call from that department, which in this case was another MO. I gave him a ring and explained the situation, to which he replied that there was no need for admission. He didn't sound very happy from the start, and I was geniunely worried about this girl, 'cos I was admitted in 1999 for tonsillitis as well, and required Iv antibiotics and 6 hourly normal saline drips, so I decided to admit her to medical with an added footnote regarding the MO's comments. He probably monitored admissions from upstairs ( our computer systems are useful in that sense ), 'cos a split second after I clicked in the admission, he called me back, and after giving a few deep sighs, told me he'd come down to review her.

She was discharged in the end, but the MO came in to inform me so I could change her ER records, and he did not look pleased. It's interesting that during our earlier conversation, he mentioned in passing that admitting this patient would result in some kind of trouble upstairs. His words were, "They'll kill us." or something to that effect. I have little say in other departments' policies, but I felt that this MO should've at least come down after that first phone call, especially since I voiced my concerns about discharging her. If having these MOs around doesn't help us, then why should we even bother ringing them anyway? (MOs who've passed through this department previously attest that the calls are often "quiet", and I try really really hard not to bother them unless I have an issue I'd like them to advise on, so I didn't appreciate the attitude of the MO concerned. ) Just voicing my thoughts here.

So I wonder if this morning's paper will feature an 8-car collision on the PIE which occurred earlier tonight? I saw one of the drivers involved, but she was uninjured, so that was a close shave. In my opinion, though, some people I meet on the road don't deserve to own cars. I was hit by a young male probation plate driver once at a traffic junction, and I strongly suspect he and his passenger Ah Lian girlfriend were engaging in some hanky panky prior to his ramming into my behind. Just this afternoon, while stuck in a jam along Jalan Eunos, my attention was shifted to the car next to me when it started to shake. Yes, literally. I looked over and saw a couple in their 20s playing a game of "pak-kah pak-chew" ( meaning slapping hands and legs in Hokkien ).

Have decided to defer taking the Part 2 exam this year, and aim for Edinburgh in May 2004 instead. Reasons are multifactorial, but a main issue is my need for more time and adequate preparation before I squander $3000. Plus, I think I need a break, and will be proceeding with the trip to New Zealand this December, after having to cancel it last year due to my mother's operation. Will be spending time pursuing my hobbies too, and exploring other non-medical avenues to add more colour to my otherwise very monotonous life. The exam in May will also afford the opportunity to return to London for a short spell thereafter, and maybe a hope across the Channel to nearby France and Monte Carlo. My parents are getting older by the day, so I'd like to go travelling with them while they're still mobile. I learnt a lot about regrets from past experiences, so I'm not going to make that mistake again.

Also got my hands on the Rolling Stone magazine featuring Clay Aiken from Kinokuniya. They've stocked up this time, so although there were quite a few reserved copies, more were available on the racks as well. Get them before they sell out! The article was really funny, and shows a side of Clay's that was previously hidden from the public eye. His comments about house cats are kinda sad, but everyone has his/her quirks so he has a right to speak his mind. The photo inside is nicer than that on the cover, but that's just my opinion. Look out for the WWJD bracelet he always wears on his right wrist. It stands for "What Would Jesus Do", and is a strong testament to his religious faith, which he's very proud of. I've always said that Clay belongs to a new breed of young celebrities who are also excellent role models ( another good example is Josh Groban ). Clay is already making big waves among his young Christian followers all over the world, and I'm doing what I can to spread the word to my own Christian friends. His debut full-length CD is due in August, woohoo! :)

Starting to feel a little tired. Will post again another time.