{Underneath the Stars.

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

3:57 AM

I just have to write about this stuff.
This is after all a blog owned by a medical student.

you know, medics are just such weird people. Really really weird. Well at least the classical sorts.
The most sadistically grusome and life endangering conditions just seem to be the best way to get that all time high probably 2nd to some crack overdose.

Why do I say this...well read on to find out more about the most exciting events in my life this past week.

On monday we were in the vasucular surgery ward. Must say it was some awesome teaching we had there. In fact probably one of the most interesting teaching since our surgical rotation started. Why? because there were really some awesome cases to see.

1st was this 65 year old guy who developed shingles just before his second fempop bypass. Ok...so I've never seen shingles before, but this whole unilateral, dermatomal thing was just fascinating to me.

But the real prize of the day was this guy with this massive 7cm abdominal aorta aneurysm. IT was so huge that u could actually see it pulsating whilst standing at the end end of the bed. And when u just lightly place ur hand on his epigastrium u can just feel that monster heaving under ur palm, in fact it was powerful u could actually see ur hand pulsating together with it. Ok jokes aside, it's a bloody life threatening emergency, because if that baby ruptures, well.....probably not much can be done if he bleeds out. But he had a fascinating 6month history from detection of the aneurysm by his GP who told him it was '' Nothing to worry about'' till he complained of abdominal pains a couple of days ago. Thankfully he was sent to hospital and amazingly he was still considered to be in a stable condition and just required urgent surgery which was to be carried out on monday. Ok, since we are all part of a team....in defence for the GP, the aneurysm was probably less than 5.5cm, (operatable size where risk of rupture exceeds risks of the surgery) so he probably thought otherwise.

the only thing that's comparable to this aneurysm case would be the guy in general surgery who came in with an incarcerated hernia. MAssive painful thing in his groin. The real fun of it was that we were able to talk to him as he came in for preop for emergency surgery. haha....we are sadistic creatures.

oh yah and gossip time.
Apparently one of the consultant vascular surgeons who's been our tutor for the past two weeks i s married to the Princess of Malta. And frankly speaking looking at this slight little man, u would never guess. He goes around, tie eschew, cotton trousers and well worn leather boots but frankly speaking he is a very very good teacher. Knows how to include both ethics, knowledge and inspiration all in oneduring his lectures. He deserves to be royal consort.

Sunday, November 19, 2006

2:31 AM

In the past 48 hours I have been to 2 girlie nights in.
One on Friday night and the other just last night.
One at Noura's one at mines.

One filled with bimbos. The other with geeks and an alcoholic.

Guess which one I enjoyed more?

Wat can I say...at the end of the day I'm a geek. I'd actually appreciate that title more than that of a bimbos. Not to say that I find geeks attractive or anything. At least their less tiring to talk to.

Why? Because at least the stuff they talk about is more realistic, has to a certain extent some factual backing and the crazy stuff they talk about is actually quite entertaining. As compared to the whole lot of nonsensical, ridiculous " Oh and u noe this guy...oh u've slept with him before haven't u? Yeah....he just lacks.....what's the word.... coordination. he's bad. I actually laughed at his face whilst we were doing it. * girlish laugher all around*"

Seriously..... Keep ur sordid past to yourself. No one wants to know. And these bimbos had brains that appeared to be clogged with nothing but well...the typical bimbo stuff. Shoes, handbags, clubs, guys, penises, presents the whole lot. ARGH!!!

Thankfully they were playing DVDs that night and I was actually having a happy time watching these CHICK FLICKS until they started to talk about the sexual intonations in Aladdin whilst we were watching it. " And look at that he absolutely looked down at her chest." "Look at his smile, he just got some." " OMG, she's giving him her apple."

Yup...by the end of it I felt that this classic disney film had just been turned into some orgasmic bonanza. Geeeeeez........

Well, to be fair I suppose a Girl's night in is supposed to be all that idle chit chat and pizza and ice cream and all, but nah....once a term is bad enough for me.

I just believe that stupidity is a very dangerous illness that can spread and devour brain cells at the rate of the black death.

The girl's night in I had last night was to a certain extent more intersting. There was still bitching about boys and weirdos and a whole lot of scottish patriotism goin on.

there was a particularly interesting bitch slapping session on americans. That was interesting.
Some facts I drew from that.

1> Americans are dumb
2> Americans still think that we have a problem with the vikings just like they have a problem with african americans.
3> American are stupid
4> They think that scotland is some place in England. ( ye bastards!)
5>......I think u know what's goin to come into this space.

Yah....so that was quite fun. And it was kinda fascinatin to see such wee lassies have such pride for ol' scotland. Impressive.

In this famous edict on Freedom by some scottish diplomat...

" For, as long as but a hundred of us remain alive,
Never will we on any condition be
brought under English rule.

It is in truth not for glory,
nor riches, nor honours that we
are fighting, but for Freedom.

For that alone,which no honest man
gives up but with life itself. "

Cheers!

Saturday, November 11, 2006

4:18 PM

Finally managed to escape the grey confines of the Granite City today!
Whoohoo!
Went hill walking at Glen Muick which is near the quaint picturesque town of Ballater which frens from the chinese church in aberdeen.

So our entourage met outside the church at 9 am on Saturday morning. A total of around 12 people in 4 cars. the morning was a bit of a shock to begin with as it was absolutely pouring when I met vivian and anthony at the Tesco outside my home. Thank goodness the rain didn't keep up though the severely cold weather did. But it was all good, at least the excessive warm clothing we draped on was put to good use and we didn't look like fools wearing them.

Ready, steady? Go!

So we set off at around 9.30 and reached Glen Muick at 11.30 after a very nice scenic drive through Aberdeen shire and several little isolated villages. Really harry potterish. There was even a broken down old train on some old tracks. Rural scotland is a true treasure in itself.

It wasn't exactly a steep hike on the first route we took. Basically, went around mid hill level and strolled along, making our way up the way and then down the way towards the spectacular Loch Muick. A truly geographical trip as we say tributaries, erosional horseshoe lakes, and mini waterfalls along the way. Subarashi! Although we're truly into autumn and through to scottish nature it did hail at certain bits of the way and there were gales at 29 knots throughout the trip, the hills and fields were still a bonnie shade of green and gold.

Trek towards the heavens ...

Where the river flows...

Mount fuji has taken up residence on Royal Deeside

Loch Muick

Yup so we had a lovely 2 hour trek around the glen and Loch, battling the gale force winds and bone numbing chill but we didn't seem to bear a grudge being surrounded by such natural beauty. It felt good just walking and breathing in the cold but refreshing highland air and forgetting the 'sad turmoils of the world' as Queen Victoria would have said. Looking at the snow capped hills and feel the spray from the Loch against ur face is enough to make u feel at one with nature.

After we made it to base point we had a fantastic picnic out in the cold. Amazing experience! If it weren't for the cha ye dan and chicken drumsticks still hot in their pots kindly donated by Kit and Theresa, our guides for today, we would probably have our fingers frozen off their stems by the frostbite. Of course there was also the usual spread of sandwiches, hot drinks, fruits, chocolates and crisps. It's just great when chinese hold some cook out, we basically prepare a whole lot of food of a huge variety and so no one needs to feel paiseh of eating too much! Whoohoo!

After lunch some of us had to return to Aberdeen because of previous engagements, but the rest of us decided to take a trek up the hills instead as the sun was setting. Really spectacular. If u thought Glen Muick was beautiful as it is in the day, as the sun sets on this eden, the Loch sprays, and mountain mists give it an even more ethreal feel. U feel just that much closer to heaven. Halfway up it started to hail and rain and since it was getting really dark, we decided to head down again. I'm just so thankful that the weather held up all the time we were there during the day. Thank you God.

Slice of heaven in the Scottish highlands

Well, just before heading back to Aberdeen, we stopped by the Old Railway Station in Ballater which was converted to a museum to show tourists of times gone by when Queen Victoria used to make annual trips to Balmoral Castle just up the way and to Glen Muick to relax and basically do what we did today. Maybe with more fanfare and style I suppose. haha!

And so that was an educational end to our wonderful trip and we made our way back to Aberdeen. Relaxed but maybe not too ready to face the grind and toil of the week to come. Not especially since we now know of a little paradise tucked away just around the corner.