the clock strikes midnight... as the dream slips through your head... this is no dress rehearsal... there is no second chance...

Tuesday, May 31, 2005

caring for others

The Sister assigned each of us to a cubical ward.. and mine was fr bed 31 to 35.. but because at times, there's nothing much going on at my cubical, i help around in other cubical.

Me, being me.. cannot be still for a sec.. i did a lot of things.. things which i don't even do to my own parents.

The first few days was boring .. don't know the pple around me and not knowing how to care for patient. Simply because, i see most of the staff are not client-friendly.. and there's no smile on their faces. All they do is to take patients' parameters (TPR and bp) hourly, 4 hrly or 6hrly, besides giving medication.. and knowing their diet, diagnosis and what not..Yes.. all these are vital but they all missed out on client-care.

They hardly communicate with the clients (patients). The clients are of diff age range but mostly are old and impaired in physical mobility. They are reluctant to move because of pain. But the staff just don't care. They positioned and move the patient so rough when changing diapers or what not.. it must be very painful cos some of the older ones would yell out " ai si liao" ( want to die already ah). They simply don't feel for these patients. All they care is to get the job done. All these were done behind those screened curtains. The way they handle weak and old, fat or thin patients, was like "elder abuse".

About hygiene.. due to time constraints and lack of manpower, they went bed to bed changing diapers in the morning but did not make an effort to carry out bed bath oral care . Everyday the same thing.. The staff jus carry out their routine chores .. and they are like robots.They got no feelings for their patients . Well maybe, they have other things to do.. with so little time in their hands.

And paper work ..

because of all these...the patients are neglected.

Sunday, May 29, 2005

All by myself ...

Went for walk at MacRitchie this morning. Was there at almost 9am. Decided to walk the 10km route and since there are lots of people, I went the TreeTop Walk. Oh yes it was not fun having to walk alone. And I can't imagine how come I could do 5 rounds last yr. Come to think of it ... I must be Crazy! Don't know if I want to do it again this year.

Ran a bit to test my new NIKE shoe.. shiok! Next week will come again to run instead. Hope to start as early at 7 am so that i can finish before the sun is up.

Left MR at 11am.. go eat and home ... slept the whole afternoon. Didn't do anything much, infact didn't do anything at all. So damn lazy to do the laundry. Should be ironing my uniform right now, see what I'm doing now!

Better sleep... have to leave home at 6am. Finish work at 3pm... after that, don't know what to do... again...

Maybe, I'll sort the bio past year papers for my buddy. She has to retake the paper this Thursday. Intend to accompany her for remedial this Wednesday. Have to complete the case study this week.. *sigh* guessed i have jus planned my week. Doing nothing interesting..... can't wait for sch break. Hopefully, got things to do on that 2weeks of break fr 17th June to 3rd July..

Thursday, May 26, 2005

me young-old


Yep.. I have just turned 34 yesterday but don't feel like one. Thanks to kev, who has been pampering me... i am enjoying it of cos...But why can't I behave like a thirty-something? Be like any other mature women who talk,walk and dress like a woman ,gentle and lady-like... be less childish and think maturely.. Even the 20-something may be more womanly and me...Whatmore, been married for almost 9yrs .. still behaves like... ahhh don't know how to describe.. whatever la... have to make a diff..

Wednesday, May 25, 2005

What a relief!

It's raining heavily.. shiok to go back to sleep but today is a happy day for me... most sent sms greetings a day in advance. So touched...They thought it was 24th. It's today...! Thank you!!

And I got another advance present, a NIKE trail shoe, Air Axis (men's). Were at SportsLink last Sunday. Kevin was browsing at the men's sports shoes. Had no intention to buy , just look-see, look-see..,wanted another trail shoe cos, my NB too tight, and my Reebok worned out. But he grumbled that I got too many already, and what i have can still tahan. But then, it was he who took the shoe out from the rack, it was too small for him so, I tried it on and it looked good on me, really... very good. So I thought, if it's the women's design sure lagi nicer!! So I tried that on too.. but the men's one lagi better sehhh, very comfortable, the women's too narrow and tight, even though it's 1 size bigger... Sooo, we see see, check check.. I test walk, jump, run on the men's shoe.. then, suddenly he said, buy la.... For me, advance b'day present! Eh..really, I asked. Another one after what he already got for me way in advance an O2.. I thought that was it already.. man! Yeah..!!!! Was jumping for joy in my heart. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Have somemore or not ah, sayang.. Must celebrate 7 days 7 nights leh.. it's our very own tradition, ok, start today! Aiyah.. if can.. me finish at 9pm, i tried to swop duty but they don't allow.. b'day not valid reason to give the Director for request to swop. :( That added to my gloomy day, yesterday.

Besides that, been feeling uneasy at heart. Worry about the exam results. Looking glum.. simply no mood for anything..the whole day from morning till Kevin came to join me and my good buddies, Isabel and Shiken, at Delifrance, Novena Sq for supper to celebrate my so-called happy day. A bit cheerful. My face can really tell if i am gloomy, sad or not me,they start to question. But when i am angry and pissed, they stay away..Must smile and be cheerful at all times eventhough I feel otherwise. Tough huh. Maybe what i can do is to display it here using "smiley"... :) :( :'( .... whatever!

This morning at 6:56am, Isabel smsed me to tell me Results out. There was an earlier sms at 5:34am I missed, another classmate smsed the same too. So excited.. I logged in to NYP.. Me only interested in Bio result. Oh please...need to pass, No supp paper please.... i was hoping an praying..

Phew! I managed to pull through. Waah.. this time really jumped for joy! Happy!!!Called Kevin first thing! Thank God. Thanks to my buddies for studying with me, thanks to Kevin for being so understanding. Thanks to all the lecturers and tutors.

Me Very Happy and I luv u too!!! :)

Sunday, May 22, 2005

Star Wars Episode III

Went to watch Star Wars movie yesterday with Kev and friends. The movie started on the dot, we were late, as usual. Well actually we were there earlier than punctual, bought this and that, waited for this and that... cost time..

Of all the Star Wars movies.. i like this one the best! It's about my fav, Lord Vader!

When i was young, my younger brother and I had a collection of StarWars figurines and we used to fight for it. If he chose the good ones like Luke Skywalker, then I'd be Darth Vader.. must be of the opposite. Well of cos' no matter what, I played with Princess Leia.. others which was mine was: Chewbacca, Stormtrooper, Darth Vader, C3P0.. but whatever it was, my bro was on the good side and me, the bad one... simply because in the family, i was the active and rebellious one so .. i was with the dark side ..and my bro, he's the angel. We were totally opposite. But now that we are grown ups, we are ok.. same level..never fight, but active i still am, never change, this i know.

Big Walk 2005

Half hearted to go for this year's Big Walk because I had to walk alone. Kevin not going as he had to finish up with his assignments. Stayed up , on and off, to keep him company thoughout the night. Woke up at 6.15am and found him on the living room floor with his notes on his chest, sleeping. He must have fallen asleep while reading. Didn't want to wake him up, so I went back to bed, thinking whether to go for the Big Walk or not, alone? Took a while for me to decide... i didn't want to go back to sleep, but he's sleeping.. so i guessed he would be awake by noon.. or most likely i'd be home and he would still be sleeping.. ok set! I quickly got ready and went for it. Left at 645am, kevin woke up to shift to the bedroom, said goodbye and off i went...

Flag off at 7.30am. Arrived late at 7.50am. Weather was so hot and i did not apply sun block. Now I'm dark not tanned. I can never get tanned, I get dark .. brown not red and it's going to stay that way for a very long time. Shouldn't have worn my Solomon shoe. It kept slipping off. Saw the first few competitive walkers racing opposite the road. They walked like as if they were jogging.. low impact, with style.. gelek here and gelek there ..amazing! Must learn. But funny seh..


Ok,lah.. enjoyed the walk eventhough I did it alone this time round.. Every year, Kev and me, never failed to go.. we walked for fun one.. cut in somewhere half way.. cos we were always late. Past years, met some old friends, so I hoped today I would bump onto someone i know.. but don't have leh.. oh well, kinda get used to doing things alone these days.



Anyway, I finished at 9.20am.

Collected the goodie bag. The band entertainment was better than last year's but the games play last year was much better, i feel. Waited for the lucky draw.. then home. Like boring like that!

Sunday, May 15, 2005

Last day at CCK Polyclinic


Last Friday was our last day at the polyclinic. These are the wonderful Sisters and CI who make us felt welcome. Next Monday, 3 of us will be at TTSH and Yanna at SGH.

Staff Nurse Monalisa just graduated, Midwife Jumiah.. she's so cute and seated is Staff Nurse Naj... the pretty one. They deal with wound dressing most of the time. I got to chance to open the sterile pack and pour the normal saline... but the rest, that is, cleaning of wound was done by them. Seen all types of wound... and the most unforgetable one was a diabetic patient whose bottom feet had a big wound, size of half of my palm. Red in colour and that's a good sign. He has to come everyday to the polyclinic to have it cleaned.If not treated or cared for, he may lose his feet. Diabetic patients must take care of their feet. Must put on proper foot wear to avoid injury and complications. I was told that there was a case of a patient whose been bitten by a mosquito on the feet and it started to bleed.. maybe it was so serious that the patient ended up with that part of the feet being amputated.

Our clinical instructor, Ms Aw.. thank you for everything.  Posted by Hello

My Popo not well.

Just talked about hypertension or high blood... and Kev's grandma, Popo was hospitalised for that reason last Thursday. My sis-in-law told me that her systolic blood pressure (sBP) was 200 plus, which I thought it was a little bit too ridulous. But then, Popo is very old, abt 80 yrs old.. so it could be right. The older the person gets, the higher the bp gets.

For a healthy adult, it range fr sBP of 90-120 over diastolic blood pressure (dBP) of 60-80. Hypertension is present when we hit 140/90.

For Popo, an elderly, non-smoker and non-diabetic, 140/90 can be considered healthy. If she is diabetic, then it's best to keep around 120/80.

The thing abt high blood pressure is that the reading differs and varies at any time of the day. It varies with one's physical and emotional activities. So it all depends and at times, there's no symptoms, that why it is called : the silent killer.

Popo has been sick the week before she was hospitalised. We did visit her on Mother's Day. But Popo looked ok.. she didn't show any sign that she was sick. She was busy in the kitchen. She looked ok. That's another thing.. u can't tell when u gonna be hit with hypertension. It can come and go, and if it is not diagnosed early and get early treatment, it can lead to other complications,mainly stroke and heart attack.

She was transfered to the ICU on Friday morning for close monitoring. Visited her yesterday. Saw her sBP was 135, can't remember what the dBP was. Got to speak to the DR and said that her BP is good. Popo need to go for MRI to check on her bile duct and her aorta. It was found that her bile duct has dilated and her aorta has slight bleeding. Mum signed the consent form. Recalled that we didn't inform Popo about the MRI but since it was non-invasive so, I guess Popo wouldn't mind.

I think Popo hates all the IV lines on her wrists..and the hospital actually cuffed her wrist to the bedside cord, to limit her movements. She can't keep her hands still whenever she talks, so i guess they have to do that for her safety too.

She will be at normal ward today since her BP has improved. Hopes she gets better.

To read more on hypertension, visit Health Promotion Board

Another interesting website : Seniors Network

Wednesday, May 11, 2005

Silent Killer- Hypertension

Yesterday, I was attached to a singing nurse! She loves to sing.. chinese songs, and she actually asked me if i want to hear her sing.. well, missy.. i cannot say no right. She had her song book with her, believe me.. she can really sing. So she sang.. not one but 3 songs full version! Quite familiar songs, i was able to appreciate her sing. In my heart, it's like.. so this is what nurses do behind closed doors while the clients wait patiently for their number to be called! That explains!!!!

Then she went on telling me of her lifestory.. which actually scares me. I don't want to listen to any of it.. makes me feel so insecure.

Well, not all nurses are like her.

Yesterday was all abt compulsory immunizations for baby. It's called the National Childhood Immunisation Programme. The 2 compulsory immunisations against Diptheria and Measles. These 2 diseases are life threatening. Another immunisation includes against other diseases like Tuberculosis(TB), Mumps, Pertusis , Rubella, Hep B and Polio. Got all these jap throughtout of baby lifespan up to 12 yrs old.

Today, in Indonesia.. 1st outbreak of polio in decades. 4 children confirmed to have polio. Polio is a waterborne disease which usually infects young children by
attacking the nervous system. It causes paralysis and muscular
atrophy, and there is no cure.

This is how a child's limb be, if the child is not immunised against polio.

Attended a Hypertension workshop this morning. There's no cure for hypertension too. Only way is to control it.. Everyone is at risk actually... that's why it is also known as the "silent killer". Very important to watch our weight, diet, lifestyle- to make time to exercise, no stress.. but as we age and if any of our family members have high blood pressure, chances that we may have it too. What can be done is to take care of what we eat, avoid high fat food, reduce salt and sugar intake, try to exercise and reduce stress.

.. I better cut down drinking 3 in 1 coffee- has high sugar content, use less salt and light soya sauce in my dishes... and eat fruits and drink lots of water and go toilet to pee.... i hate going toilet ...

Monday, May 09, 2005

Missy and ....


That's Winston, Vivien and Isabel. We met up at Jurong Centre to share our day's happening... Posted by Hello

Have not started with any practicals or observation, I am already feeling so tired. Started at 8am .. kept looking at my watch ... the time didn't seem to move... i had enough sleep but yet me kept yawning.. really cannot tahan. Took a long break at the pantry to go through the weeks' schdule. Foooh! very tough. The Clinical Instructor, SN Ow kept stressing that nursing is not an easy job but if we have the passion for it, we can go far....  Posted by Hello

SSC 25th Anniversary: Beethoven's 9th Symphony -6th May


Photo taking session.... after the concert. That's Michael, our lecturer. He's with the Singapore Symphony Chorus(SSC). You rock, man!!!

 Posted by Hello

Thursday, May 05, 2005

can't wait any longer....

Ok ... me now want to get over with tomorrow's paper so that i can do what i have not been doing: Run!

I should have more time in the next 4weeks' of clinical attachment. I need to train for any upcoming running events..the ultra again in Dec and most importantly, the Singapore Marathon. Should i do full or just half? Anywayz, training i must..badly but how? Alone? hmmm.. as for now.. yeah .. :(

for the past few days, i feel a bit lonely. feel so left out like that.. something missing.. hopefully things gets better... :(

oh me, now at woodlands library blogging this.. Curious or stupid or got nothing better to do.. so i just signed up.. & top up $10 for multimedia use. Maybe it will come in handy next time.. don't need to look for internet cafe.. quite cheap.

And ....Me have been getting so restless these days too..oh.. i need entertainment!!! lotz of it! i want now!!!

Now back to serious matters..

back to my bio.. so far, as of right now, let see what i have covered:
anatomy of the heart : yes!
function of blood : yes!
factors affecting respiration: yes yes!
maternal changes - reproductive system :oh yes!! The male and female reproductive system... oh yessssss!
Uterine and ovarian cycle : of course!
digestive system and all the gastric activities : nope

What else ah....

Wednesday, May 04, 2005

Together forever..

Can't wait for Friday... last paper ... so excited!

Don't think can do well for this yesterday's 5103 paper.. the paper was quite easy. Sure got a lot score distinction one. But not for me. How to score... me read the course book only.. did not study hard for it. Read so many times also like that... the same.. nothing seemed to register. The subject simply did not move me...no feeling ... it's about family, children, getting old and health care... the family and children part felt quite pressured. And living at old age... wonder who is going to take care of us... & how can we grow old gracefully and successfully?

We ever discussed this before...

When we get old, the young old ( age range 65 to 74), these are some of the silly things we'll most likely do:

1) going to the movies .. best! got concession .. $5 for senior citizen.. every day see movie!
2) play on line gaming (for kev) ... by then got no energy to talk too much..so, we'll communicate online too.. and this one accomplish already.. got our home network set up.. but then, hopefully no hand and eye problems at that age.
3) keep ourselves healthy and active still... go for walks.. theraputic walks...
4) wonder if i'll be running still at at 65... veteran seh.... by the way, next year my category will be veteran liao.. feel old already and out of shape!

what else ah..... oh .. must continue to walk hand in hand , hor sayang...

"together for ever and never to part,
together forever we do
u know i would move the heaven and earth
just to be together forever with u..." ( ...rick ashley)