Penang-H-ite

Testing Windows Live Writer

2008-01-02T19:38:00.001+08:00

This is a test script for Windows Live Writer.

Testing Windows Live Writer

2008-01-02T03:45:00.001+08:00

This is a test entry for Windows Live Writer.

Endo 2007, Toronto

2007-06-09T08:37:00.000+08:00

Yes, this is my first Cross-Atlantic Medical Conference attended. My kind acknowledgements to my sponsors, fellow colleagues, mentors, and supervisors who without their undestanding and help, this trip would not be possible.
The conference was attended by over 7,000 participants, and is well recognised as "the Event" that a Endocrinologist or aspiring Endocrinologist should attend once or more in their careers. I am thoroughly impressed with the organisers for hosting such a huge event without major hiccups. Needless to say, millions of dollars must have been poured into this event.
As for me, I never thought it would be a reality that I would be sponsored to such an event at my stage. My gratitute again to my mentors who introduced me to my sponsors.
The event lasted 5 days, and the programme starts from 6am until 9pm almost everyday. It is almost impossible to attend every session of the Event, hence there's even a computerised event scheduler that you can pre-plan the sessions that you intend to participate. It is all too overwhelming for me at first, but finally manage to accomodate to the event environment by the end of the 2nd day (minus the severe jet-lag).
What I learnt from the Profs that attended this event is to network and get to know fellow researchers in the same interest field for the purpose of enriching our research experience. By the way, a Malaysian Endocrine Fellow from the very prestigious Mayo Clinic made a friendly gesture by approaching us during our poster presentation time. He is Dr Khoo Teck Kim, from Seremban, now almost in his last year of his Endocrine Training. I wish him every success in his career, and really appreciate is gesture of friendliness.
The hard-copy of the handouts, abstracts, etc, amounts to 3 telephone-directory thicked books for the participants. Everyday, 700 different posters are presented, hence at least 3,500 posters have been displayed during the course of the Event! I think just by the sheer numbers alone, this is the most super kiasu event I ever attended!
Anyway, thanks to the 60 hours of travelling time (to-and-fro) I had to endure to attend the event, I am suffering from severe jet-lag. I am glad that I am finally back home and enjoying the local food to alleviate my symptoms of acute withdrawal from Penang food. In addition to that, I am still adjusting to the local time zone, hence more time to blog, given the fact that I woke up today at 4am!
To those who still occasionally view my blog (evidenced by the stat counter), thank you for your participation, and your views are most welcomed.

Impersonal, indifferent, and apathetic, and being happy

2007-04-02T00:20:00.000+08:00

I think these are the qualities that we somehow manage to acquire inevitably as we grow older. Perhaps it is because we feel more comfortable adopting these qualities, so that we are not bothered with unecessary distractions that pulls us away from paying full attention to ourselves. This stems from the fact that we perceive that we are the most important person in the world! You can deny it however you want, and say that you will sacrifice anything for your family and loved ones, but in the end whatever you do, ultimately is for your own happiness, or what you think is good for others, is actually what you think is good for yourself.
There is nothing wrong about loving yourself.
The problem comes when you love yourself too much, so much so that it encroaches onto other people happiness and hence making other people suffer as the consequence your selfishness.
Because we are in pursuit of our own deluded concept of happiness, externally, that we forget that in reality whatever feeling of happiness is generated internally, in our mind. I don't know why I have become so philosophical tonight, perhaps my bedtime beckons, and I am getting hypnagogically philosophical, or I just need to post something in my blog, in order to make myself happy. Good night. May Happiness blossom within you, and not plucked from others.

The White Coat aka Bacteria, Sweat and Gunk Coat

2007-03-06T21:25:00.000+08:00

The all-doctors-must-wear-white-coats policy recently resurfaced its ugly head in my workplace. A special white coat counter is now erected to serve its purpose of perpetuating the white-coat wearing policy. Doctors are to collect their white coats from between 730am and 8am, write down their names, and return it at 5pm again. The White Coats are supposedly recycled and washed everyday, again for the purpose of perpetuating this policy, so that doctors cannot fault the white coats being reservoirs of pestilence. To be frank, I don't mind wearing a white coat if its kept in a hygenic state everyday, and if it can bestow us confidence when treating our patients. BUT, this is the Tropics, where temperature in the day time can go up to a boiling 39 degrees celsius! Imagine in a non-airconditioned ward, wearing a tie, and on top of it, a white coat, definitely a receipe for another Chernobyl meltdown! The working conditions for doctors are already uncomfortable enough, please do not make it unbearable. I urge the administrators who sit comfortably in their climate-controlled offices to be more sensible and apply the wear-white-coat policies in air-conditioned hospitals only. Because, if not, you have violated the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 23(1) Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favourable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment.

Happy Fire Boar Year

2007-02-18T14:42:00.000+08:00

It is that time of the year again, when I am well prepared for the new-year guests' FAQ and their favourite must-ask question: "when-are-you-going-to ... ...?" thank goodness none has asked me so far. I will be even more surprised if the question wasn't even asked for the remaining 14 days of Chinese New Year. Fingers crossed.

I suspect that my faithful readers of my blog have already given up on me since I seldom blog nowadays mainly due to the Taiwan-quake and Blogging Fatigue Syndrome. To those that still read my blog, I wish you all a splendid year ahead of you, and to those who still ask the "when-are-you-going-to" questions, give us a break. Oink!

Mary, Money, ""Car", "Lari", "Rugi"

2007-01-25T19:33:00.000+08:00

Mary borrows Money, and however you cari, she eventually lari with your hard-earned Money, so be this a warning to you all, who are potential Mary's victims, do not lend Mary any Money otherwise you will sendiri Rugi!

Medusa

2007-01-10T19:59:00.000+08:00

In Greek mythology, Medusa is a Gorgon (terrifying woman) who could turn anyone who looked at her to stone.

It became very apparent to me that Medusa does exist in the realms of our working place, when I witness the tremendous orchestrated effort to avoid a certain person today during a celebration for the passing of the Age of the Matriach (see below).

The Matriarch

2007-01-05T23:09:00.000+08:00

The above refers to a senior lady who holds a position of dominance, authority and respect.

Unfortunately, ours flexes her matriarchal muscles, (or shall I say adipocity), too often to the stage of hysteria, culminating to the loss of dignity and respect.

The time of The Matriarch is over, this is after all the 21st Century!

New Year, Old Story

2007-01-03T23:34:00.000+08:00

My 1st day of work in 2007, and I was woken-up by my Nemesis, ironically to tell me that she will be late too, thanks to the jet-lag that I still haven't fully recovered yet. This was followed by an adrenaline surge and the dash to get there first before she does... I succeeded.

I was greeted by a retinue of medical students, and it suddenly strucked me that since my Nemesis is not around, I am expected to do a teaching ward round! Darn, and my mindset hasn't switched from holiday to working-cum-teaching mood yet.

Of course the teaching was post-poned.

Sadly, at my expense, there were more excuses for being late later on the day, and the remark of how I wish I won the lottery for 2 million and I will quit came up again. I couldn't resist but to answer, the 1st step to be a multi-millionaire (nowadays being a millionaire is insufficient), is to actually participate in the lottery!

Post-Term Delivery - New Year Child

2007-01-02T00:12:00.000+08:00

Decided that it is time to reward myself with a New Year pressie. It has passed the 3rd trimester, and considered post-term!

And, yes, I had to deliver it onto my hands without the aid of any external devices.

Nope. It is neither a girl nor a boy... It is a PDA! And that does not mean Public Display of Affection, more like Public Display of Anticipation/Anguish!

Portugal, ABC and Happy New Year

2006-12-29T16:43:00.000+08:00

Arrived in Lisbon last evening. Hard to imagine that they were our conquerors so many centuries ago. No internet outage here, heard from CNN (the only channel in English) that it will take at least 2-3 weeks before connectivity is restored!

ABC stands for Another Bloody Church/Cathedral. This applies when the main highlight of most European tours are visiting places of worship that their own countrymen do not even go nowadays. I must admit the architectural magnificence is awesome, but after a while, they are all the same!

My bought internet time is up. Adios. Happy New Year

Espanol X´mas Trip

2006-12-27T14:42:00.000+08:00

Spanish X´mas. At a Hotel in Granada, figuring out how to use the Spanish orientated keyboard without the "@" key directly in sight! Wasted at least 5 minutes and equivalent of 50 Euro cents worth doing that. It is still pitched-dark outside, with subzero temperatures, althought it is already 745am. Today, another of those sit-in-coach-longer-than-sight-seeing adventure I have in front of me. No wonder my back constantly feels broken. Less than 2 minutes left for my precious Internet time left, and I have to go now. I have prying eyes at the back of me - half the populace of my coach are children. Adios.

Shanty, Shanthi, Shanti

2006-12-21T23:01:00.000+08:00

Apparently, the words above mean Peace in Hindu.

May Peace be with you always.

Happy X'mas & New Year.

Will continue blogging after my vacation.

Headaches and Phaeochromocytoma

2006-12-20T13:49:00.000+08:00

After seeing a patient who had a phaeochromocytoma (a tumour of the adrenal glands that produces hormones for our "fight or flight" response) removed surgically 2 days ago, co-incidentally, it precipitated an acute migrainous attack. It reminded me of the classical triad of symptoms that phaeochromocytoma patients have: headache, sweating and tachycardia.

The triad that I encounter everyday is: contemptuousness, migraines, and sick leave. Maybe it is a tumour after all!

Whipple's Triad

2006-12-18T23:02:00.000+08:00

I am still bewildered with the medical terms that previous doctors coin to describe certain medical conditions!

Whipple's Triad was mentioned this morning, and not even the consultant knew what it meant. I supposed it was too unbelievable, and perhaps the doubt was further confounded by our prejudice.

Putting my prejudice aside for the sake of knowledge, I looked up my reference and low and behold, Whipple's Triad exists!

Whipple's Triad is demonstrated when a patient presents with (1) signs and symptoms of hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) and (2) confirmed with a glucometer reading, and (3) the signs and symptoms is reversed by administrating glucose.

Before this, the Whipple's I ever knew was, (1) Whipple's disease and (2) Whipple's procedure.

Bravo! You never seize to amaze us.

BT

2006-12-18T01:46:00.000+08:00

BT, or Breach of Trust.

The above happens when your superior promises you something that you have to wait for the equivalent of 2 trimesters of pregnancy, and when it finally arrives, you are denied possession of it, without giving any reason, hint of remorse, nor an attempt to be apologetic.

Lampoon

2006-12-18T01:19:00.000+08:00

Lampoon means to satirize somebody or something with ridicule.

Have been getting the above with increasing frequency and intensity lately. It is my nature to adapt to these adverse conditions somehow, by keeping quiet, or relate it to my fellow colleagues. With the advent of Blogging, I feel it is time that I also give myself another conduit to share my thoughts and experiences by publishing it into this Blog.