Easter Story

Easter symbolizes the resurrection of Christ. It is a day for worship and all that religious stuff. For others it is just another reason for a 4 day weekend. For me, I decided to go in. I know, it's a Sunday... It's also a public holiday... I'm also a student... I'm also just only starting my rotation there... To make my Easter Story short, I was not supposed to be there.

Honestly speaking, I was feeling guilty as I spent the whole of Friday and Saturday LAN gaming, playing Dungeon Siege 2, Evil Genius and the newly released Command & Conquer 3. Reviews later.

So on this holy day, I decided to go on take in Fremantle Hospital. Everyone I met gave me a look and asked different versions of, "What da f*** are you doing here?" Like "Aren't you a med student?", "You, GO HOME." and the best, "Do you get paid?"

I shrugged it off and carried on. I like to mention 2 of my patients, who were really nice people. They were both elderly, and I really felt like I was sitting with my grandparents listening to their life stories. One was a war veteran who served in the navy. He was telling me about his poor wife who has Dementia and how he has to cope while having COPD. Walking around easily tires him, so he loves being in a car and enjoys driving, even at 87 years of age. His son wanted to visit him, but he'd rather have him visit his mother at the nursing home. He said that she needed more care than he did. I was amazed that he was still devoted to his wife.

The other patient was a spouse of a war veteran who served in Indonesia under the Dutch army. He too had Dementia. She takes care of him at home and even drives to see him if he is in hospital. She had not taken care of herself recently because of that and developed pneumonia. After chatting about her life and her husband, she started crying and told me that she has lived her life and had no regrets. She told me, if and when her husband goes, she will go too. I've only heard of such stories, such devotion.

Of course by then, it was already 9.30pm. I was stupid enough to trust the journey planner and thought I could catch a bus home, but the last bus was at 5 pm! So I was stranded alone at night 30km away from home on this Easter Holiday. The end.

The Jelly Fish

Passively floating,
Aimlessly drifting,
Going where the currents flow,
Life's steady and slow,
Without concern or care,
Neither here nor there,
Always alone, ever so cautious,
Stinging those who approaches,
Going through the days,
Being pelted by waves,
The blazing sun scorches,
The icy water freezes,
Battered against the rocks,
Left alone under the docks.

,,|,. (-_-) .,|,,

YO yo yo… waddup waddup?! It’s bin two long, man, too long! Howit doin, mon? You, me, wees gotta ketchup, sorait? Whayou bin up to dis past month?

Me? Me bin seeting them tests. Goddam failed both. Buh zits cool. Gonna makup forit. Gonna get sum private classes one on one. Should be good, ainit? Ah steal dunchno whada ell went wrong. Them pracs we had, ah did well, see? Ah, its juz ma luck.

Coulda been my goin out to parrrrteeeee! Been doin dat ev’ry weekend man, ev’ry weekend! Weekend iz de time to parrrteee, hell yea! Celebrating birsdays, watchin them moveez. Last wun eyes saw was “Thank You For Smoking”. It wuz smokin I’z tell ya. Funnie az ell. Freakin lessons and wud shit too! Tok about winning arguments and what shit. And dun screw wid them reporters. Them reporters may have smokin bods, but they aint for screwin. Ya can touch, hold, even squeeze, buh keep ya li’l fren in ya pants, kay? Smokin good movie.

Nuthin else ah wanna say. Gimme a holla, ya sunova bee-yach.

My Birthday

I don't like celebrating my birthday. Frankly, I don't know what the significance of birthdays is anymore. It's not like I don't want to be reminded that I am old. I grow older every day. I mean I am only one day older than yesterday, not one year. To me, time is a relative thing. It is an arbitrary unit created by quantifying events that happen. Why does an hour have 60 minutes? Why 24 hours in one day? If the people who created the units on Mars, would we get the same results? Mass and length do.

Back to birthdays, I just don't like it because I don't know how to feel on that day. Happy and grateful that I've survived another year? Sad and depressed that I've grown older but not wiser? Angry that no one remembers or cares about it? I sometimes feel alone and I want to be alone. Sometimes I even want to forget that day even. Every year I plan to hide and not be known. But every year I will go through those feelings and I hate that uncomfortable feeling the whole day.

I feel like I want a celebration, but I don’t like telling others my birthday. It is like there isn’t a point in giving out that information because I am not going to get anything. Even with loved ones, good friends, they all don’t remember. I don’t want to be reminding them; that is just blunt.

Others celebrate their birthdays by throwing a party and inviting a lot of people. I don’t do that anymore. I used to give out sweets to everyone in class and close friends on my birthday because that is the thing to do. My last biggest celebration was when I was 10 when even my father’s friends came. I have no idea why. As I grew older, the parties got smaller, even to a point of just a wish from my family. We used to be able to pick our own presents and nothing was ever a big surprise. From the kiddie toys to the story books, everything was what I wanted. In my teenage years, my gifts became more like everything I needed, practical items. This, was always given by my sister. In the end, whenever I get gifts or receive any, I would prefer something more lasting. I don’t like perishable goods, like chocolates or candy.

For the past few years now, I didn’t get any presents for my birthday. I am just getting used to that. Then it hit me as to why… it is just another day.

10 Things Your Computer Hates About You

The headings were taken from PC Powerplay Australia. The article is about the things people do to their computers which shortens the life span of any computer.

1. Your cruel use of sleep deprivation
Guilty! Yep, I tend to leave my computer on for long periods of times. It's not just the endless internet surfing and Warcraft addiction, but also the use of the computer screen as a night light. When your downloads take up so much bandwidth, your house mates complain, so you have no choice but to leave it on overnight. And hence no sleep.

2. Your obsession with "free" online software
Not guilty. I don't really like installing anything into my computer. It's pure. Free might also mean demo versions, spyware or virus. Saves me the hassle of cleaning it up too.

3. Your belief that security updates are for losers
Not guilty. I don't like spyware. Who does?

4. The way you keep poking around in its inards
Guilty! What? I know what I'm doing. My RAM acts up way now and then. I have to poke around. $50 just for a diagnostic checkup isn't worth it. I mean I don't even go to see a doctor when I'm sick.

5. Your failure to afford it fresh, clean air
Not guilty. I used to keep it under the table in a corner. It whimpers now and then, especially when I play games. I take off its covering before. Then dusts get in. Sigh. Now I know it needs air. So it is on top of my desk now, taking in all the air it wants. It doesn't whimper much anymore.

6. Your baffling complacency when it comes to dust
Guilty! It says check every 6 months at least. Mine gets all clogged up within 6 days. I clean it up every 6 months though. Maybe I should clean up every month... Maybe I should clean my room first...

7. How you never buy it the best of anything
Guilty! Who has the money? Dang, that's how I lost my previous girlfriend too...

8. Your belief that antivirus software is all the protection you need
Not guilty. Again. Spyware... I hate you.

9. Your repeated failure to uninstall anything properly
Guilty! Its hard if you don't know how... I mean, there's an associated file named window.exe that might need to be deleted... should I?

10. Your gaming addiction
Guilty! The only two times games screwed up my computer is when SimCity had a virus, and newer games taking up too much space. Apparently, that's not all games can do to your computer.

Death

Death lingered around this week. In clinic, I could also smell Death in the room. The smell wasn't the usual stench of decaying matter or of rotting flesh. This smell is more common, more subtle. The patient entered the room looking pale and slow. She had difficulty walking and had to have 2 people helping her. She was overweight but it wasn't her fault. An assessment showed that her BP was 95/60 and pulse was low. She was still alert and communicative. However, she had the smell of urea in every breath she took... It was the smell of Chronic Renal Failure, the smell of impending death.

It was best that she nor her family members know about the incoming visit from the Angel of Death. It was best she be in her own bed and around familiar faces and places.

Next patient came in with peripheral oedema and shortness of breath. Again, BP was low, pulse was low. He was not active, as he ached everywhere. This time, there was just that warm damp smell. His breath was concentrated with fluids. We called the ambulance.

Third patient came in with constant severe RIF pain. She had a such a high temperature such that we could even feel her presence with the body heat and smell of sweat she was emitting. We did a pregnancy test. Good news is, she was pregnant. Bad news is, it was an ectopic pregnancy. Good news, she was going to survive. Bad news, she has to have a salphingdectomy. The Angel of Death was merciless even to the unborn zygote.

He is cruel. He even came down and took my beloved from me. I was heartbroken, but I strived for the day. I thought I could live without you. But truthfully, I can't. I needed you so much. One week without you was like decades of solitary confinement, like I was wrapped up in a glass sheet and my eyes covered and the only sound I was allowed to hear was the sound of white noise... Every day snailed by and it seemed like the hours become longer and longer as it went by. I thought was going to go crazy.


The Angel of Death always lingers. Always there. You can never escape him.

Valentine's Day

You are always there for me,
You never let me down,
Always keeping me company,
Cheer me up whenever I frown.

Like the stars to the sailors,
You guide me when I'm astray,
Like a conductor to orchestra players,
You keep me on track everyday.

I really wish I could spend,
The rest of my life with you,
Coz you care, you understand,
Make me smile when I am blue.

You are my fix-it guy,
You make everything alright,
I think I would surely die,
If you ever leave my sight.

I love you so much,
I really really do,
I feel safe with your touch,
Whenever I'm with you.

We'll never part, ever,
Coz, we're meant to be,
I will cherish you forever,
My beloved Ken Rhee.


I just wish someone would write that for me. But it wasn't a lonely Valentine's Day and time spent with friends is time worth spent. Of course for some, this would be their last Single's Night Out... All the best to you.

You are my life,
You are my wife,
I'll take care of you,
I'll be there for you,
Have fun playing,
When done working,
Play fun games together,
Call sweet names to each other,
Watch anime,
Everyday,
Watch Movies and TV,
Heroes and House MD,
Whenever you frown,
I'll strip you down,
Clean you up,
Spice you up,
Make sure nothing is wrong,
Perhaps even play you a song,
When everything is well,
When things are swell,
I'll kiss you good night,
I'll miss you... Sleep tight!

Dedicated to my computer, which is currently being repaired.