My LiFe

It’s simply awesome going for salsa classes cause it’s when i really get to let down my hair and DANCE!! It’s kinda hard to describe the adrenaline rush that comes with it but when you meet a good partner, it’s like non stop spinning. My fave move is doing the double and triple turns…. shiok!! It’s esp fun if the guy is quick and can think up all sorts of variations, then your feet just seem to go out of control.

But really, partner dancing is not without it’s embarrassing and hazardous moments. I’ve stomped on quite a few people’s toes and when i was just a beginner, i was totally lost. I was like turning in all the wrong directions and i could tell from the look on the guy’s face that he’d rather be hung upside down by his toenails

The coolest thing about it is the number of new friends i’ve made during my 4 months at jitterbugs. I’ve met people from all walks of life, with such colourful personalities. From drummers to lawyers, to NS boys, to fellow medical professionals. Some of these people are about as hard core as I am. We’ll stay back after class just to practice our moves… it seems to be the only way to improve!

And really, it’s amazing how small our world, or at least singapore is. I’ve managed to meet quite a few old classmates/ schoolmates/ friend’s friends at the dance school, it’s crazy! To think I havent met some of these people for donkey years and to finally meet them on the dance floor. But I guess there cannot possibly be a better way to break the ice!

The cute thing about partner dancing is that there’ll always be quite a few real couples in class. It always makes me wonder if someone had to have their ears tweaked before they were coerced into it
Anyhow, I’ve got a secret… well, maybe not so secret desire to do salsa professionally some day. Wonder if I’ll ever have the time for that… it’s addictive i tell you, like some cocaine high. Wish there was some better way for me to share this hobby with all those around me. Sometimes I think I sound like some maniac, the way i run around selling salsa. You’d think i made a living on the dance floor rather than in a hospital!

But I guess we all have something in us that makes us tick - may all around find that rhythm within too!

Never quite realised the importance of health till today. It’s an awful feeling being down and out and insipid… cant think of a better word to describe my current state!

Had a really bad sore throat brewing since thurs last week, then went on call on fri. Calls are absolutely hazardous to one’s health. Woke up with a craoky voice on sat then started dying on sun! I totally lost my voice… laryngitis and pharyngitis. It hurts just to swallow but it’s an amazing way to lose weight. Mus have lost at least 1 kg so far from lack of food :p

Tried going back to work on monday and gee… got myself into a totally embarrassing situation. I had a really bad bout of gastritis which made me really nauseous and dizzy. Had to excuse myself from ward round to drape myself over the toilet bowl- never been drunk enough to puke my guts out before but the nausea must have been comparable. Felt like a complete idiot for even trying to go to work. When my reg saw how green i was she told me to go off and rest. Thank goodness for understanding bosses like her.

Totally concussed after getting home and i mus say, i’m eternally grateful to my ward colleagues cynthia and jason, for covering me. When i messaged them to thank them for covering, they even told me to just rest and get well soon! Gosh… talk about angels

Anyhow, yeah, 7 am in the morning on a tues and i’m still blogging. That’s cause i’m still down and out. The URTI has evolved into a bronchitis. No wheezing but the phlegm’s yellow green now with SOB and coughing fits. Doesn’t help that i’ve got a conjunctivitis on board. If someone were to clerk me like a paeds patient, my history would read

Feeding ~ 50% usual
Activity level ~ 30% usual
Pharynx: injected ++
Right eye conjunctivitis and chemosis

Cant help thinking about all my patients and how frustrated they must be feeling when they’re ill too. Especially those with chronic diseases. It’s very annoying knowing that you have the potential to do so much more when you’re well. It really sucks when your mind is functioning at 100% but your body just wont let you get up and go. It’s easy for me to say “I understand” to my patients when they try to voice their frustrations to me. But do i really understand? Frankly, i dont think I really do. The most i can do is offer them a shoulder to cry on/ send them a smile to try and make their day a little more cheery.

Anyhow, here’s wishing all sickies out there a speedy recovery and a return to 101% functioning levels!!!

10.30am in the morning and my G4 is playing soothing jazz music. Really love this feeling of complete calm and peace.

Almost at the end of my housemanship year and I’ve really changed this year. So many things happened that altered my ideals, perceptions and beliefs. And it crosses all avenues of my life, from work to realtionships to religion. It’s related to the people I’ve met, fellow colleagues, people I’ve dated and my patients. Just saw a nice quote in a mag i was reading ” the world is your classroom”. Just couldn’t agree more with this.

I’ve to confess that some days i can get pretty selfish, forget my lessons and return to my old ways. After the moment passes, I always have to catch myself and sit down to reflect. We are all intelligent people, capable of thinking and analysing. I used to let the days go by and let whatever happens happen. Nowadays, I actually enjoy sitting down and thinking through what is it I want out of life. It’s just too easy to say I dont know because too many people will end up getting hurt. We do have a certain degree of control over life. And that’s what matters, so those around me dont have to suffer repercussions of my actions.

But of course, life is never black and white and not everyone will share my sentiments. There’ll always be broken hearts to mend, arguments to settle, not to mention the unforeseen situations life will throw at us. I’ve been a fortunate child, brought up in a loving family with what some may perceive as an ideal environment. But I’ve come to realise tt life’s not perfect, no one’s perfect, it’s only our ideals that are.

I’m still learning, I’ll probably still be learning when I hit 100 yrs but I’m sure we’ll all be =) So here’s to many more years of loving life and living it.

With LOve *HugZ*