Day 4 @ Kota Kinabalu

i'm blogging from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah! yippie!! the net is a little slow today... so, i'll just share a few pictures ya...

after 4 days in Sabah, i realised 4 things:

1. There are many MANY roundabouts here... almost every corner...

2. The car plats here are usually starting with SA, SAA, ST... and they like adding an alphabet at the end of it

3. The food here are relatively expensive, can fight KL prices...

4. There are no Indians here

anyway, i went to this place today...

doesn't that reminds you of New Zealand?

oh, and we tried something today...

this(synchronized jumping) is super challenging wehh... trust me!

this is dedicated to dear Im Sing who couldn't join us...

an ImSing pose for you *hugs*

wished you were here !

raining pulak... siGh....

i decided that i will add 'learning a sun-dance or sun-song' to my to-do-list....

i hate the rain...

Oh, did i mention that this place was The Dairy Farm in Kundasang?
a very nice place... and the milk was very fresh as well... and not too 'cowie' for my liking...

the chocolate flavour was also good.. taste like ice-cream~

after drink, can grow tall tall, jump high high!!!

really nice milk... even Cherry Queen (who don't usually drink milk) bought a packet and happily finished it!

all habis!




We went to Poring Hot Spring and hiking after that...

hiking

cute little girl in Model pose @hot springs...

medical students having fun with terms....
med sch make us mad ?
acne vulgaris?
(like Prof Shahrir said, we should always revise, even during vacation~)

hiking super tiring wehhh... specially when in the wrong footware....

blisters~ man biggest enemy!

but yeay! we managed to complete it!!

the locals there called us 'cina tempatan empat orang'

*faint!*

that's all for now.... going Manukan Island tomorrow~ yuhuu~~

lotsa love from KK,
shinyin =)

humour: my friend is a medical student (1)

disclaimer: cerita in rekaan semata-mata. tiada kiatan sama ada dengan yang hidup ataupun yang mati.
nicknames have been used to protect privacy and identity.
note: MS = med student




Humour #1:

XiaoBaiNian: Eh, you study so hard. ask u something. A person can produce how much sperm ak? will 'use finish' or not one??
MGJ (MS): Ermm... bout the amount of a large pepsi bottle.
XiaoBaiNian: 1.5Liter??
MGJ: Yalar... if not wat u think?
*XiaoBaiNian scared*
*MGJ giggles*

after 1 week... in a reunion, crapping over yam char...

XiaoBaiNian: Eh, you all don't *** so often. A man only have 1.5 litre of sperm to spare.
XiaoBaiNian's friend: Sure bo? (skeptical)
XiaoBaiNian: Sure la!! Medical student say one!!!
XiaoBaiNian's friend: Oh My God!! then i ma sterile liao!!
XiaoBaiNian: So fast??
*MGJ sweats* -.-

Moral of the story: Don't trust your friend.

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Humour #2:
KK examining a patient's right inguinal hernia.
short discussion (whisper) after that...
KK (MS-XY): Eh, i think his left scrotum is also enlarged.
G Cup (MS-XY): It's normal la.
MGJ (MS-XX) : Normal or abnormal?
KK: Eh, like very big leh. i also not sure. what u think?
RJJ (MS-XX) : How i know wor? U should know better what... you guys asking girls pulak...
G Cup : Confirm, that one normal. not very big also.
RJJ : comparing with what? different sizes?
MGJ: indeed, different sizes pun
*giggles*

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Humour #3:
BirdieKingdo : Mint ice-cream? Yeay!! *makan* *makan* *makan*
RJJ: Makan mint again?? u not scared meh?
MGJ: Yalor... so many somemore you makan...
CQ: Habis lar... you'll disappoint your dad & mum....
BirdieKingdo: Oh shit!! how much have i makan?? habislah my quota for the year!!

(note: mint had been significantly related to low sperm count - true story)

the man in the next cubical

I was in the ward the other day, some time ago. After clerking Encik XXX, who had rheumatic heart fever, I was getting ready to leave the ward when I saw an elderly man walking passed. He occupied the empty bed in the next cubical. New admission. I loved new admissions! Well, at least I did as a med student, (on days when I do not have to cover beds, of course) I wonder whether I might still do as a House Officer though, but that’s beside the point.

Anyway, back to the patient at the next bed. He had a grossly distended abdomen.

“Good evening” I greeted him.
“Good evening” he replied with a smile.
The usual handshake and brief introduction took place. Let’s call him Mr YYY.

“I know, I looked like a pregnant lady, right?” he joked. When patients start throwing remarks like that, I tried to be all serious and professional. Holding his wife’s hand, he continued, “After she gave me 2 smart sons and 2 lovely daughters, it is about time I return a favour” he tempted a laugher from me, waited for it. I managed half a giggle. I thought that was a very sweet thing to say to his wife.

From that shiny skin, we could have easily made a safe guess – gross ascites. The differentials start popping out, like pop-corns in the oven. He slowly unfolds his story. He had End Stage Renal Failure. In simple terms, his kidneys could no longer function normally and sustain his body needs. Or in more simple terms, he needed dialysis (or a renal transplant) to prolong life. I offered to explain the nature of his illness to him, but it seemed that he already had a very good insight of it, a very educated person, I supposed.

It is not very often that we see such loving old couples around the hospital. There’s always the husband who complains non-stop, dominating, or otherwise very promiscuous. And the wife who nags, could not be bother, wearing a sulky face all day, otherwise very hot-tempered, peri-menopausal stage, we labeled them. So, it is really nice, seeing old happy couples every once in a while. Further clerking revealed otherwise though.

It seemed that all their four children were very highly educated, overseas education- he said. Lawyer, engineer, successful careers… He must have spent so much on their education. I’m just glad to see him so proud of them.

“Which children are you staying with?” I innocently made an assumption.

“It is just the two of us” He replied, looking back at his wife.

I put down my pen and clerking sheets. The somewhat formal clerking evolved into a casual chit-chat. He started sharing his stories about his life, his opinions. Mrs YYY would continue with their sweet loving stories. They were very friendly people.

I later found out that all his children had migrated to Australia. They meet each other only once a year. Hardly.

“Do you miss them?” I accidentally blurted out. I was not sure whether as a med student, I was actually allowed that question. But I guess, I asked more as a friend.

“Sometimes” he answered “I tried not to miss them too much”. His eyes revealing the sadness in him “Luckily I have this beautiful lady to take care of an old hag like me” he held his tears back and took his wife’s hand again, and she was blushing like a little child. "You are indeed one lucky man" =)

He was a pleasant person, his eyes lighting up when he gets excited, dimmed when otherwise. If you may be wondering, his wife was not one of those drop-dead-gorgeous auntie which one might wonder in awe, - how does she keep it? No. She was somewhat ordinary, perhaps almost too plain. She might even passed as a cosmetic model for a product saying [use this if you do not want to end up like her in 10 years time], no offence. Thick wrinkles formed at the end of her eyes, skin not spared from the harshness of time, body stretched from all those child births. But in the eyes of her husband, she is perhaps the most beautiful women on Earth. And if you attempt to look close enough though, you can see that she must have been a jewel during her younger days.

“Why not follow them to Australia?” I asked another dumb question, almost like a reflex.

“I couldn’t” he gazed downwards.
I paused a while and allowed him to break the silence.
“Well you see, I have End Stage Renal Failure” he answered, which explains everything.
Right – Dialysis 3 times a week = $$$
The painful reality is not very hard to translate.

How can this be affordable in a private hospital overseas?
“I just wished I would not go early. I would not want Mrs YYY to be alone”

My teachers used to say, you learn the most from your patients. I believed that this is very true indeed. We learnt not only about illness, diseases, diagnosis-investigations-managements, we learnt not only what is expected of the medical school syllabus, to pass exams; but we learnt something perhaps of even greater importance; some things that we would never find in our textbooks. We learnt about Life.

Sometimes, in search of a better life, for the sake of our children, our grandchildren, are we forgetting people who matter used to matter to us?

Health is perhaps THE MOST EXPENSIVE commodity in the world!

Behind those smiles, lies a sad story.

hopeless= a tragical vocabulary

'hopeless' he said

i never knew letting go could be this hard.
the feeling was like when the surgeon came out from the operation thether,
still in his surgical scrubs
he removed his mask
gave that solemn look
offered that pat on the shoulder
and then, you know,
you just know...

after those days in ICU.
those failed resuscitation attempts,
i guess, you had finally given up...
i should be grateful, thankful, i know.
to have you holding on longer than your body could sustain,
but i guess,
the day has come...

today, it is the day i shall be grieving...
thank you,
thanks for accompanying me all this 3 and a half years...
on hectic days, when i was rushing assignments, meeting deadlines, you were there for me,
on boring days, you were there to light up my life,
on bad hair days, you were there to cheer, to listen, to make things right...
and after 3.5 years, which probably translate to 70years in your world,
you let go your last beep,
and i didn't even get to day goodbye...



















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footnote: notebook officially died today secondary to multiple organ failure

Sushi Zanmai

i know, my blogs had been very long lately (have been very long since i could remember.. writing is addictive, you know, once you start, you can't stop...)... so, to prevent my dear readers from dozing off, i decided to put some shorter posts in between.. ^^ today, i'll let the pictures do the talking...

Date: 30th March 2009
Place: Sushi Zanmai, The Gardens, Mid Valley
Verdict:
Service - 3.5 Star
Food taste - 3.5 Star
Hygiene - 4 Star
Price - 4 Star
Overall Satisfaction - 4 Star

i went to Sushi Zanmai with Suk Teng
Funny, despite my love for sashimi, this was my first time here...

my artistic work.. nice?

suk teng's artistic work... (wahaha!)

Oh, ooooOOooooo... this is my favourite~

and guess what, at Zanmai Sushi it's only RM3.80,
which is cheaper than Sushi King (RM4.00)
but i think Sakae Sushi is even cheaper (RM1.90, i think) but the salmon is pitifully shorter..
Gengki Sushi is more generous with longer piece of salmon which extends nearly to the edge of the plate
Yo Sushi, on the other hand, was way overpriced!

it melts in your mouth~

soft shell crabs, recommended by suk teng.... really nice and crunchy...
the layout and display is nice too~
i appreciated the effort..

mouth-watering unagi... who can resist them?

RM12.90 for 6 pieces... not too bad, actually..


i shall visit this place again! =)

Confessions of a Shopaholic

Classification: U
Genre: Comedy / Romance
General Release Date: 26 Mar 2009
Running Time: 1 Hour 45 Minutes,
Distributor: Buena Vista
Cast: Isla Fisher, Joan Cusack, Krysten Ritter
Director: P.J. Hogan

Another novel-turned-into-movie… a girlie movie, I would say… if you like something light and easy, funny, relaxed.

I find it easy to relate myself to the movie, as in, at certain times, I had a certain level of shopping addiction. Not all times, just some. Who doesn’t? I mean, there’s nothing wrong with shopping, right? Shopping lifts you up, makes you feel good about yourself again. It’s like floating in cloud 9… and everything is so heavenly beautiful… But when the end of the month comes, the bills, the rejected cards, you fall back to reality. You wished you’ll strike the lottery. You wished that the debts will go away. You wished that overnight, you’re a millionaire, and you can buy anything in the world!

What’s interesting in this movie is that being a shopaholic is not a female problem, there are guys who can’t control their spending too… (Note the sessions at Shopaholic Anonymous)

So, today, I shall offer some tips on how to control your shopping spree:

(Reference: www.medicinenet.com)

First, we need to understand, WHY ONE BECOMES A SHOPAHOLIC?

• Shopping or spending money as a result of feeling angry, depressed, anxious, or lonely
• Feeling lost without credit cards -- actually going into withdrawal without them
• Buying items on credit, rather than with cash
• Describing a rush or a feeling of euphoria with spending
• Feeling guilty, ashamed, or embarrassed after a spending spree
• Lying about how much money was spent. For instance, owning up to buying something, but lying about how much it actually cost
• Thinking obsessively about money
• Spending a lot of time juggling accounts or bills to accommodate spending

Next, deciding whether it is a shopping spree or a something more serious, a hopping addiction :

• Spending over budget. Often times a person will spend over their budget and get into deep financial trouble, spending well above their income. The normal person will say, 'Oops, I can't afford to buy this or that.' But someone who has an addiction will not recognize the boundaries of a budget.
• Compulsive buying. When a person with a shopping addiction goes shopping, they often compulsively buy, meaning they go for one pair of shoes and come out with 10.
• It's a chronic problem. A shopping addiction is a continuous problem
• Hiding the problem. Shopoholics will hide their purchases because they don't want their significant other to know they bought it because they'll be criticized. They may have secret credit card accounts, too.
• A vicious circle. Some people will take their purchases back because they feel guilty. That guilt can trigger another shopping spree, so it's a vicious circle
• Impaired relationships. It is not uncommon for us to see impairments in relationships from excessive spending or shopping. Impairment can occur because the person spends time away from home to shop, covers up debt with deception, and emotionally and physically starts to isolate themselves from others as they become preoccupied with their behavior.
• Clear consequences. The hallmark is loss of control. If they are no longer in control of their shopping but their shopping is in control of them, they've crossed the line.
• 

Lastly, HOW TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM???

• Admit that you are a compulsive spender, which is half the battle
• Get rid of checkbooks and credit cards, which fuel the problem
• Don't shop by yourself because most compulsive shoppers shop alone and if you are with someone you are much less likely to be spend
• Get help.
• Take professional help and speak to wise and empathetic non-shopoholic friends who can offer unbiased moral support and positive encouragement to help you overcome your addiction.
• Chalk out a budget and ascertain a fixed amount, which you can spend on your personal shopping. Categorize items on your shopping list as necessities, comforts and luxuries. Try to minimize expenses on luxuries and judiciously monitor purchases of comforts.
• Identify all the stages in the compulsive buying cycle- the triggers, feelings, dysfunctional thoughts, typical behavior and consequences. Try to break the vicious cycle of shopping sprees.
• Don’t subscribe to shopping catalog's. Don’t even visit sales or discount warehouses as they may make you spend more in the long run. Avoid watching shopping programs on TV and try not to obsess over advertisements in magazines and newspapers. Divert your attention when you come across such advertisements. Also avoid window-shopping as before long you may end up in purchasing what you covet for but can’t really afford.
• Find other meaningful ways to spend time. Keep yourself busy throughout the day in work and various other hobbies. Don’t allow shopping to be your major or only hobby.
• Try to be farsighted. Understand that saving money will help you to buy an asset your family really wants in the future - a house or a car – or be used for emergencies and dry days.

Other recommended good read: Can you keep a Secret? (Sophine Kinselle)