To The Abattoir

For all the stupid, ridiculous, REDUNDENT protocols we have to shoulder, this takes the cake for 2009. Our hospital has instructed us to take airborne and contact precautionary measures for ALL our patients (hell yes, ALL), regardless of contact history.

Nevermind that they've been here for ages. Most of them still insist Lao Lee is still the Prime Minister of Singapore. They're all been branded as potentially life threatening.

Yes, ah ma. You are capable of devastating viral warfare.

I believe that sensible precautionary measures are neccessary to uphold infection control across the board. I say yes to the contact log sheets, mandatory mask fitting, circculars and of course stringent hand washing.

PS - I am very anal about mask fits because it's the very 1st line of defence for the healthcare provider when dealing with respiratory diseases. The hospital administration has to take the initiative to either find the right mask to fit their staff, educate and drill appropriate compliance measures and ensure all staff that can not be properly fitted to be moved to an alternative worksite.

Imagine the exposure risk!

But lets view things objectively. Hysteria is not objective. Treating all patients as airborne and contact precaution is just beyond sense.

And as the main building makes space to brace itself for a possible outbreak, they've flooded our modest ward to clear beds. I'm not complaining but people should practice a little consideration and transfer the patients a little earlier. Transferring at 8.30pm or 10pm?!

Wah. Inconsiderate leh.

Perhaps the Ministry of Health can step in with a campaign to re-educate the public on the importance of compliance to hand hygiene and quarantine measures. Remember SARS? Teach people that it is important to wash your hands, that visitors need to be restricted in hospitals.

Wash your eff-ing hands. You pig.

Basically, be civic minded and understand that germs can spread from one person (or pig) to another.

A jail term for flouters sounds fair enough!

Just Swine

The effect of the recent outbreak of swine flu in America has rippled through my hospital. Urged by the Ministry of Health, hospitals here have upgraded its alert to a Yellow code, bracing itself for any possible entry of the disease to hit our shores.

It deals a big blow to our plans.

Somehow, America and I don’t seem to have much fate. I had to shelve plans the other time because there was only business class air tickets left. And that would cost 4 blardy thousand just for travel alone.

Since I am no millionaire or businesswomen, I trashed the idea of dumping my (blood-sweat-and-tears) money away just like that.

Then there was the issue of bringing forward our leave slots in case the ward closed down before our previously applied slot in Nov. We’ve already sacrificed a cool autumn for the blazing summer heat.

This time round, its swine flu.

Damn you bak kuah!

The thought of being quarantined when we’re back isn’t appealing. Unless we’re paid, then of course I won’t mind! Har har. Though that would most certainly be impossible.

And there’s also the problem with Stick Insect’s citizenship outcome. Being in the midst of her application complicates matters. What would happen if her citizenship got approved while she is in America? How would she then return with her old passport?

Hmmm… what a headache.

Hopefully things will iron itself out.
Better still if prices plummet further.
Best if I get to go free.

But since I’m off hallucinogens and there’s no fairy Godmother in sight, I guess I have to wait and see.

Here's a peek at my new phone, heavily subsidized by my fierce, sparkly lion who likes biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig, fluffy hair.

Wahahha.. don't you think this sticker is so apt?!!

It's a groovy SE W705. Swoons.

And not to mention.. there's also the glitzy new crystal studded earphones which I sooooo love!

I bet Santa's really broke. Hahahaha.. Thanks again yah!

Meow!

After an agonizing 3month wait, we finally watched Cats at the Esplanade on thursday. And fortunately for my wallet, it lived up to the hype and was quite a sight to behold!

Because I had to send my W910i for repairs (it was experiencing a stroke in evolution. Read : progressive loss of function), it pushed our movie slot to 4pm. It resulted in a shift in schedule and we frantically gorged down our dinner at The Asian Kitchen over in Citilink Mall before tornado-ing down to the venue just in time.

By the way, the food was really good! We ordered the hot and sour noodles, a horfun and the mango sago. All of which were delicious!

Here's some pics that I managed to sneak out at Cats...!

The performers, dripping with feline agility, gracefully pranced across the stage in fluid movements. An equally impressive set, with all its glittery lights mesmerized me for a good 2 hours.

Stick Insect fell asleep for a while through the play. It's not something new lor. This often replays during our movie sessions!!

Anyway, she quickly came to her senses as the music blared on and with a nudge in the ribs from me. I, on the other hand, sat silently in the dark with my pupils fixed and dilated. Absorbed in this alternate world of singing cats, trying my utmost to decipher the lyrics as the ang moh performers belted song after song amongst the muffled whispers of the audience.

Stick Insect had the luck to sit beside a psychotic Cats wannabe. She said the woman hummed throughout the entire show, tugging her idiotic BF's arm periodically. In fact, I even heard her hum the final song. And I was a seat away!

Rolls eyeballs.

What I enjoyed most was the way the musical incorporated the audience. Extending the set to spill into the hall and having the performers coming in and out down the aisles was very nice.

My personal fave song is, "The Magical Mr Mistoffelees". If they ever do return, I would go watch it again =)

I Heart FOC

Like millions of women (and maybe a handful of men) out there, I am now a proud owner of a Longchamp. To be precise, its a medium size, red nylon from the Le Pilage range.

Best of all, it's free!

Somebody got it for me from Paragon last week. Hohoho. my little santa!

I thank the somebody who showered me with such a bag with my wiiiiiiiiiiiiide smile =)

Grand Show

We watched Gran Torino last week, catching it just before it slipped out of cinemas and into some obscure DVD shop. Like any other Clint Eastwood movie, there was a premise of great things to come.

We were not disappointed.

Gran Torino is in essence about a man, Walt. Bitter at the recent loss of the love of his life (his wife), the strained relationship he shares with his children and the memories of a past that continue to plague.

The thing that haunts a guy is the stuff he wasn't ordered to do.

The changing landscape of his neighborhood worsens matters. Sapped of its familiarity, Walt sees his old neighbors either die or move away. Swopped in its place are immigrants, people of a different skin tone and unknown culture.

By a stroke of fate, Walt finds himself unwittingly embroiled in a gang tussle. And out of this torrid mess brews a friendship so genuine, he rekindles his passion for life.

It is a simple story. So simple it becomes so believable. Well, at least to me.

There is a Walt in all of us. We all battle our inner demons and can carry some form of resentment towards life if we are not careful.

But like Walt, when we have the courage to crack the walls that we've built, we realise that these walls crumble with ease. And perhaps, salvation awaits us all.

BettleBRAIN juice

There has been a blatant misrepresentation of information. Nobody ever hinted in the teeniest-tiniest (yellow polka dot bikini) bit about the masses of brain juice I had to squeeze out for research.

As is, I have yet to solidify any convincing arguments for the upcoming debate heats, let alone churn out a proposal for a research paper. I've not even had any formal training for research. People higher up ASSumes months of full-time education can be pumped into me just like that.

I'm teetering on thin ice here, people.

Ovid, Cinahl on Ebsco, Science Direct, Systematic Reviews, Clinical Trials, Qualitative Vs Quantitative Research?!

This all might as well be in Urdu.

And what?! I need to be CITI certified?!

What the...

I'm spending all my off days magnetically gravitating back to the hospital. I feel like I'm married to the institution, only there's no sex or companionship in this particular relationship.

I do enjoy the process of learning and analyzing information, though mainly informally for my own knowledge. And at my own snail slow pace. It's really hard work on a project with different members and stick to a deadline.

Thankfully, I have Stick Insect to help me. She NEEDS to help me.

Help me.

Too Little, Too Much

My shift is permanently tagged to the AM shift, which translates to waking up at unearthly hours, eye bags, plentiful changes and NO meal allowances. And since I’ve had only a single round of night shift per roster for the past year, my pay has taken a page out of the current US stock market situation (read : nose dive).

Hai.

Haai.

Haaai.

My expenses are not letting up, so why in the world is my pay shrinking?! I’ve erased any hopes of buying the canvas Agnes B sneakers, the patent white pointy toed Vans and just about most things that remotely cost money. -clutches chest in agony-

I hope Stick Insect buys me stuff!! *bambi eyes*

Work’s still quite stuck in a lengthy Korean serial phase with unrealistic expectations from relatives, 2 projects to complete and mushrooms of emergencies here and there.

I'm taking it as an opportunity to learn something new.

But I have to admit, apart from these little unavoidable hiccups, life is proceeding at a nice pace and I’m content. Except for my pay!! *sigh*

Anyway, I got rejected from donating blood for the 3rd time this year. I’ve been trying for the looooooooongest time but my HB is always on the low side. Today’s reading stood at 11.6 and you need at least a 12.5 before they give you the green light for donation. I'm going to freaking break the machine soon.

Just Take My Blood. Take It..!!!

Stick Insect has a theory though : Small Breasts = Low HB

She states that there is a direct correlation of breast size with HB levels. She says that my HB is low because my neh neh are small. AHEM.. *clears throat*

Look who’s talking. Hohoho..

But then again, Mokie has always been successful with her blood donation. So Pamela Anderson should be able to squeeze out liters of excess blood. So it’s no wonder why Stick Insect is not eligible for donation either. Hehehehee.. Love ya Sticky!

So let’s hope science can help refute or support her hypothesis!