my SSC topic - cardiovascular physiology

This will be my bedtime story book from now on :(


busy and tired ar...

Manchester trip

Last weekend, I was in Manchester.



Sheena, my high school classmate who is 1st year chemical engineering student in Manchester uni was very kind and nice to accommodate Lynda and I for one night.

our hospitable host and tour guide!

It's really blessed and glad to meet Sheena again. Just by observing her indirectly taught me some invaluable skills. I realised that, putting aside the 'Chung-Hua-competitiveness' all A class students have, Sheena is very nice and friendly and someone who has the passion for God. Really glad to have known her.

Visiting Manchester made me go 'wow' almost every second. It's so much better than Leeds! The Chinatown is bigger than Leeds, they have Tesco which is easily accessible by walking, they have bigger shopping complexes and there's a tram which moves about in the city.

Manchester Chinatown!

Even the place Sheena is staying in is nice! There's internet connection and a sink in her room and she only paid 63 pounds for it! Damn envy.

This is the only picture which I took of her room. Aiks

But anyways, I should be happy with what I have in Leeds already. In Leeds, everything is also easily accessible but there are less choices here.

We met up with our new-found S'porean friend, Edmond (notice his name is spelt with an 'o' instead of the usual 'u').

Edmond - he used to work as a part-time model and actor

He and his group (all M'sians) were visiting Manchester too. We ate dim sum at the famous 'Tai Wu' restaurant and we met another church friend there! Such a small world!

Tai Wu restaurant

His M'sians friends from Leeds

group photo outside 'Tai Wu', the guy (he looks so much like Yee Jun, one of my college friends) and the girl standing on my right are both 3rd year medics (IMU twinning students)

another group photo but this time without Edmond coz he was the photographer

While walking in town, we met Stephanie's course mates who also happened to visit Manchester! Wow...seems like a lot of people like to visit Manchester. Maybe it's because it's near Leeds.

That night, we went to the South part of Manchester uni to eat some Indian food. There are lots of Persian people staying in Manchester. The whole stretch of road consist of shops and restaurants all opened by Indians. The competition is really great there as shop owners and managers of restaurants were trying to grab every customer they can by offering the best price.

As students, we have to look for the cheapest food available and we scrutinized the price of every food on the menu at each restaurant. Then as we looking at one menu at one of the restaurants, the manager of the restaurant immediately rushed out and quickly recommend us to come in and eat.

Sheena asked how much it cost to eat an average meal. The man answered 8 pounds. Then quickly added that there's free drinks and a starter. But when he saw our reluctant faces to go eat there, he asked how much was our budget.

'5-6 pounds', Lynda said.

Then manager did some mental calculation in his head then he said, 'ok, I give u 6 pounds'

whoa man...I didn't know we could negotiate the price on restaurant food! They must be desperate to look for customers!

Well, we ate a starter dish (dunno what it's called), lamb tikka (marinated lamb) and white rice. Each of us ordered some Indian curry sauce. Lynda's sauce was very nice. But I forgot what it's called again ^.^" Very hard to remember Indian food names la

the food which we ate in the Indian restaurant

We went home after that and watched a movie online called 'The Pursuit of Happiness'. The movie was ok la..except that I pity the guy inside but in the end it had a happy ending :)

Went to church on Sunday. the worship was damn awesome. Pity we couldn't stay long coz Lynda had to catch her bus back at 11am.

On the way to the coach station, we took pictures.

Poor statue was being harassed by us... (din mean to insult the statue...my due respect to him man!)





Lynda got a bit extreme by sitting behind the statue's back..haha




But












I was even worse...haha




****

It snowed!!

It snowed!!! Yipee!!

car covered with snow

It didn't snow heavily but it's enough to make snowballs to throw at people...wakakaka *evil laughter*

while posing for this photo, some stupid people threw snowballs at me!! wana kick them next time I see them

Some people can be crazy over the snow.

One of my course mates liked the snow so much that she made a snowman and put it inside her fridge!

I didn't get to throw snowballs at anyone this time...but next time..hehe...I shall throw!! wakakaka

Term 2 is fun!

Yup.

Term 2 is interesting and fun!

But interesting as it is, there's lots of self-directed learning which I've to do at home. Before and after each dissection, we have to study the anatomical parts of the body which we dissect. SSC work is also quite tough. My tutor gave us a short brief on what cardiovascular physiology is all about and expect us to summarise the whole thing in a report. I haven't even familiarised myself with the terms yet.

This term PPD( Personal professional Development...something to do with the professional development of doctors) was relatively interesting than last term.

Guess what we did in PPD?

build towers?! Amazingly the weird design of the structure was quite stable and eventually became the tallest tower.

The tutor wanted to make us know what teamwork is all about and asked us to build tallest towers. She made us list out 10 favourite musics and movies as a group too...I think PPD is quite good in the sense that I have to voice out my views, so can help improve my confidence a bit. It's at least better than last term where we learn about ethics...boring subject to me, but some people may find it interesting (i'm quite surprised that the British could talk A LOT on ethics where as my mind is just blank during the discussion). People were drawing turtles and stick people on their paper pad while I was sleeping during ethics lecture last term.

But I think this term will end pretty fast. It's only 8 weeks left before Easter starts. So soon huh? Term 3 will be busy again and sigh...end of year exam coming up soon too...die die

Just got back from my study group on anatomy today.

I find study group really helpful especially when we really sit down and study seriously.

Each member of the group is assigned one topic to teach on every week. This week was Faizal's turn. He taught us on last week's anatomy and it really gave me a better understanding on parts of the nasal cavity etc.

I'm really grateful to my malay course mates coz they asked me to join their study group. They didn't withheld any information and just helped me understand clearer. Kinda touched by that.

Wanna cook dinner for them but sigh...their eating has got lots of restriction...hv to buy halal stuff etc.

I like my SSC

Last term my SSC was epidemiology on various cancer cases around the world. It was kinda boring as it was just mainly research and writing.

This term my SSC was an investigational project which require us to find out the effects of general anaesthesia on cardiovascular physiology.

As part of the SSC, the students were given a chance to visit operating theatres (OT) and find out how general anaesthetic works on patient.

Today had my first trip down to the OT in St James Hospital. One word to conclude...it was fun! Hehe...

It was interesting and informative trip and the anaesthetist was very friendly and very professional. It made me really respect the doctors there. They can really talk to patients and comfort them so that they didn't have to worry. They know their stuff really well and the anaesthetist who was assigned to us explained the procedures really well. She taught us a little anatomy of the mouth too..hehe..now I remember how the epiglottis and vocal cord look like now.

We watched a very short operation on a patient. I couldn't really understand what the surgeon was trying to say as he was using lots of medical terms. But I know that he was trying to loosen the muscle on the patient's anus so that she could pass motion easily. When the doctor stuck a tube into the patient's anus, there were lots of gooey yellow stuff flowing out from it..ewwww....

I was kinda blur when the surgeon asked me and my partner to wear gloves and then he started showing us to put his index finger and turn clockwise inside the patient's anus. Only then I realised that I've to do that too..haha...my partner did it first and they asked whether she felt any scarring or not. Then it's my turn and I put in my thumb...aiyak..really blur la me...the surgeon had to tell me to use my index finger.

The feeling was eeeewwwww....kinda gross...but I guess I have to get used to that kind of feeling...haha..and there was some sort of smell wafting about in the room...

I like this SSC as there were only 2 students going to the OT each time. So we could ask questions. I finally know why during surgery, patients have their eyes cover up. Learned many things which I never knew last time. I didn't know that during surgery, the blood pressure of the patient was purposely lowered but the heart rate remains constant. So interesting...

I also got to wear the blue gown which I always see in TV. Hehe...so shiok...I tot I've graduated as a doctor already...need to keep reminding myself that I'm still a first year medic.

Anyways, I pretty glad that I was one of the students who so fortunately got selected for this topic...I wanted to put the other SSC topic which was on ECG (we get to learn some OSCE on it too) as my first topic but lucky I didn't. phew...

PS: sorry for some of the short-forms on this post...SSC stands for student selected components...it's just one of the modules which students are required to take each term. The others...ECG and OSCE...google la..sure can find one

me in blue gown..that's when camera phones come in handy :)

hey...after I posted up my entry on how sad I feel, there were a few people who came to ask whether I was ok or not.

actually I'm ok already. Just can't help feeling disappointed. This is just a small test and there are many tests to come. It's not even the end of the world yet. And like what my friend said, 'there's more to life than my course'...hehe..thanks ar

My malay course mates were quite kind, they said they would call me to join their study group if they ever have one in the future.

Seriously, I'm quite touched by what people have done for me. This whole week has been quite a down week for me. But in life, if there are no downs, how can we learn to grow?

There were a few things which really made me happy. The photo tag from Yee Jun came unexpected. Although he made it for all his college friends in UK and it's free, a little surprise can brighten up my day. Then there's Gab who is always there to encourage and support me. Thanks. And to JC as well...still dunno u that well but anyways thanks for tagging. Give me the bible verse when you've found it ok?

Janice the rabbit will continue to persevere...she would not give up easily :)

pleasant surprise

Today I just received a photo tag sent from one of my college friends in Glasgow!

So nice and so surprised to receive it...it has indeed brightened up my day!

will keep it safely in my wallet :)

PS: if u wana give a lil' surprise to anyone in UK, can try giving this...hehe...it's free btw, just visit www.klm.com and fill in your friend's details :)

sigh

Medicine course is not easy.

To get honours is even not easy. Damn difficult. Where got like engineering, so easy to get.

Sigh. Damn sad la :(

Why do people think I'm smart when I'm not smart?

Just got my neurobiology exam result. Got a C. I don't know why..I thought I studied quite hard for it and the exam was quite easy? Don't ask me to ask the lecturer for my paper to see what went wrong coz he won't let. Don't nag me to give me suggestions on how to improve my grades.

I'm in shock...sigh

Paul

Paul has left Leeds for good last Tuesday to work elsewhere down south

Paul giving his farewell speech

Before he left, he was asked to share on the podium. He said our life is part of a tapestry and every thread in it has an intention by God.

Leeds has lost a good leader. But somewhere down South, the people are blessed with a good leader.

God bless ya Paul :)

3 more days...

3 more days and I'm back to uni which is equaled to back to insanity

sigh...but look on the optimistic side, in another 10 weeks, it's easter holidays! 10 weeks will be super fast but by then I think I will be busy studying.

2007...a year which I hit a 2 so sad...I've lived 2 decades of my life and also one-fifth of my life.

Like what was written on one of my msn friends' nickname, 'a brand new year, full of hopes'

Hopefully 2007 will be smooth-sailing for me. There will definitely be trials and difficulties but hopefully I will learn to grow from these and become more mature.

Ok..like what all typical bloggers do at the start of the year,

my new year resolution (I doubt I will fulfill any by the end of this year)

• read my bible consistently everyday
• say 'shit' less..lols
• pass first year exam
• maintain my weight at 52kg
  
• Try out cooking at least 10 exotic dishes (approx one dish per month)
• Cook for my course mates at least twice this year
• Make more ang mo friends

Aiyak..can't think of anything more at the moment, maybe will add some things to the list later.

New Year eve dinner

9 Blandford Grove residents decided to hold a dinner for New Year eve.

3 great cooks and 2 so-so cooks combined to cook a total of 9 dishes for only 8 people to eat!

It seemed like we overestimated the number of people coming and cook extra dishes. But never mind, it means I get to eat more! wakakaka

Jacket baked potatoes...the dish which I abandoned halfway and let the others make for me

Tada...yummy food

everyone posing..Yung Kit was in the picture but he didn't eat coz he said he was sick. Melvin was the one who took this pic

It's sad that 2006 has finally come to an end. 2007 will be the year which I'm turning 20...sigh...I don't want to grow old

nice story

One day I decided to quit...

I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality...

I wanted to quit my life.

I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.

"God", I said. "Can you give me one good reason not to quit?"

His answer surprised me...

"Look around", He said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?"

"Yes", I replied.

"When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them light.

I gave them water.

The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed.

But I did not quit on the bamboo. In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful.

And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. He said.

"In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit.

In year four, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed.

I would not quit." He said.

"Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth.

Compared to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant...But just 6 months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall.

It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive.

"I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle."

He said to me. "Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots"

"I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you."

"Don't compare yourself to others" He said. "The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern.

Yet they both make the forest beautiful."

"Your time will come", God said to me. "You will rise high"

"How high should I rise?" I asked.

"How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return.

"As high as it can" I answered

"Yes." He said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can."

I left the forest and bring back this story.

I hope these words can help you see that God will never give up on you.

*Never Give up Friends.*


PS: I find this story touching on God's faithfulness. We are reminded again and again that God will never give up on us. God bless to all who read it :)