Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Oh EssJeeH, let me enumerate the ways in which I love you
I haven't really blogged much about my current elective so far; not that it's boring, far from it, just that I keep wondering how much I can say and how much I should leave unsaid. (Especially since that SPH person left the comment on my previous post, I think it's prudent that I not reveal too much in my blogposts, yet I'm an incorrigible blabbermouth)
For those who don't know what elective I'm doing now, I'm doing Neuro at EssJeeH (the hospital "I've sold my soul to", as I affectionately call it) with Dr P. A lot of people have been asking me why I'm doing a Neuro posting at EssJeeH and not at AnnAnnEye, which everyone knows (rightly so) is the best place to go if you want to see patients with neurologic conditions, and learn neurology, and people who know me will know that when I'm asked a question far too many times I go berserk when someone next asks me that question. So maybe I shall explain, just a little (it would be far too boring to lay out my various intersecting trains of thought - like a nightmarish subway map), as to why I chose EssJeeH.
I guess there's just that bit of rebellious streak inside me, like why do I have to follow the crowd and choose AnnAnnEye for Neurology. I have always had the strong belief that EssJeeH is really top-notch for any medical discipline, and that includes Neuro, and so I wanted to invest in that belief by taking up Neuro here, for I do believe that it will reap good returns. I'm also a person who doesn't like crowds, preferring to operate in small groups of two or three and have a relative freedom to do what I want, which I thought might be a problem in AnnAnnEye with the large numbers of students (in the dozens, usually) that apply there, and having to compete with them to see cases. I don't want my electives to turn into an aggressive seek-and-clerk/examine mission, and EssJeeH gives me the freedom to see who I want when I want without that encumbrance of having to "fight" with other people. An emotional component is definitely present: I often feel much happier just walking around EssJeeH, for reasons I can't even begin to explain, while at times the wards at TeeTeeEssH can be rather depressing (I swear, it's the triangular ward station, but no, I jest). Financially, lunch is quite a bit cheaper at EssJeeH, and the food quality is more to my liking. I could go on, but those are about the main reasons.
And well, I should report that my choice seems to have been very satisfactory so far, for I am thoroughly enjoying this Neurology posting. Dr P is a most excellent tutor (I would like to say she's one of the best tutors I have ever had in medical school, together with my Gastro tutor from last year's elective, and a surgeon from my TeeTeeEssH surgery posting). Excellent not just in the sense of teaching of factual or practical information, but also contributed by her kindness, the way she's affectionate to us students in a motherly sort of way, chatting to us and giving us advice about working life, and also in the way she can be cynical and utter politcally incorrect comments by the truckload and yet still love her job so much that it's in a way quite inspiring. I never fail to feel more uplifted after her tutorials and clinics.
I'm also loving the fact that there are only three of us elective students attached to the Neurology department, thus we effectively have the entire ward to ourselves. There's also no lack of interesting cases in the ward or clinic because somehow our luck has been pretty good and we've seen a wide range of conditions ranging from CIDP/GBS to many myasthenic and Parkinson's patients to the rare motor neuron disease, hereditary myopathy, multisystem atrophy and the simply bizarre pendular nystagmus of hypertrophic olivary degeneration. Strokes are of course the bread-and-butter of a neurology department, and some of those patients do also present with interesting features. I definitely do not regret choosing to do Neurology in EssJeeH, and it sort of re-affirms my adoration for this hospital (lol, so mushy).
This week is an exciting week because both Lost and Heroes' season finales will be broadcast in the United States, and of course being the horrible p.ir.a.te that I am I will be do.wn.loa.d.ing them as soon as I can. I'm hopelessly behind in my reading for Neuro because of my TV addiction, sigh.
Suddenly got struck by this completely whimsical thought the other day that one of my tiny little dreams (the kind that would make you really happy if it came true, but is completely unimportant and yes, whimsical) in life is to be able to say 行って来ます (itte-kimasu, meaning I'm going off) and to have someone respond 行ってらっしゃい (itte-rasshai, meaning have a safe journey), and when I get home I would say ただ今 (tada-ima, meaning I'm back) and hear the response お帰り (okaeri, Welcome back). Ah, how nice that would be. I tried getting my mother to say it once but she looked at me like I was completely out of my mind, and said I watched too many Jap dramas. This is one of the countless reasons why, if I ever decide that I wish to get married, that I would like to marry a Japanese, or at least someone who can speak Japanese. Completely whimsical, aren't I?
Avaris / 5/22/2007 09:27:00 PM
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