tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22157477869901146792026-07-06T17:53:41.087-04:00A splutter of emotions, a journal of happenings, a channel for feelings, a place for complains, as well as a personal space for thoughtsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger579125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215747786990114679.post-75098871487322338782024-02-14T00:29:00.002-05:002024-02-14T00:29:37.218-05:00

 I happen to stumbled upon this blog again. Wow. It has been years. The last entry was 2015, and it is now 2024.  NINE YEARS. I am sitting here on my kitchen island typing away in our new house in Phoenix. And my oh my how time flies. I now have 2 boys. Aged 3 and 5 years old. Between surgical residency, being a mom, being a surgeon, being an adult ...... time has just flown

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215747786990114679.post-55248813587513348802015-08-13T09:08:00.001-04:002015-08-13T09:08:24.528-04:00

The longer you spend your time overseas, the harder it is to make the move home. This saying is so true. The day I set foot on the jet plane, I left with a heavy heart. I made countless promises that I will be back, I swore that no matter how long I've been away, I will return. Fast forward 2 years from then, I landed a job, I was promised a bright future in a country that is merit-based and

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215747786990114679.post-83537195091078912322015-02-03T20:50:00.000-05:002015-02-03T20:50:32.983-05:00

I get asked if I would like to go home to work after I'm done with training. A lot. And my answer always sounds like "yes of course, but . . . . . ." Everyone tries to flock away from Malaysia. For better job opportunities and better technological advancements. But I noticed a trend of my school mates recently returning home, for good. I can't help but feel the same. Home is home. And no where

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215747786990114679.post-9488068174477655482015-01-06T15:57:00.000-05:002015-01-06T15:57:09.766-05:00

First of all, happy 2015. I am really not into penning down thoughts and experiences through blogs anymore, simply because my job is sucking out all the time and life from me, but then I realize that if I stop writing, there will come a point in my life where I may actually forget. So one post a year is a must, and since it is a new year, lets start with things I am thankful for in 2014. 1)

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215747786990114679.post-1401354757605390602014-07-10T21:31:00.002-04:002014-07-10T21:31:34.055-04:00

There are many levels of inconsideration when it comes to driving. 1) Slow-Mo's in the fast lane. These are the ones I despite the most. They are the ones who has all the leisure in the world to drive at 40mph in a 65mph highway. Sure, you want to be safe. and sure, you are not in a hurry. This is why roads are built with several lanes, and your job is to move to the slow lane if you do not

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215747786990114679.post-44736711682539151432014-05-27T06:20:00.000-04:002014-05-27T06:20:34.956-04:00

Time flies. Can't believe I'm already 27 years old. 3 more years from the big three-O. Birthday these days are not really about celebrating anymore. It always fall on a working day, and my birthday this year, I'm working on nights, and was gifted with 8 consults from the ED on top of 5-6 trauma's running at the same time. But I did get the weekend before my birthday off, and I decided to use it

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215747786990114679.post-20147503499908740952014-05-23T01:42:00.003-04:002014-05-23T01:42:37.841-04:00

I have a sin I need to confess. Instead of buying yet another dozen dresses, this year's memorial day I decided to splurge on something that cannot be itemized. Yes. I paid a hefty amount (equivalent to 8 dresses) to pick up an old hobby. Now. Earlier this year, I thought I could go into zumba. Paid 50 bucks for 15 lessons and ended up only attended 2. What a waste. I wonder if this will be

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215747786990114679.post-40385013570315906202014-02-05T21:59:00.001-05:002014-02-05T22:01:44.590-05:00

It has been 3 years since I last celebrated chinese new year. To be honest, since my grandmothers passed away, CNY has never been much of a celebratory event. My aunts and cousins all have their own celebration, and my poor parents just have a simple dinner with my mom's brother, and call it a day. CNY is suppose to be the festival where families reunite, very much like Thanksgiving and

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215747786990114679.post-66832838491837280672014-01-21T12:53:00.003-05:002014-01-21T12:59:20.182-05:00

It has been a while since I pen thoughts down in this page. Many a times I browse through it, often reading the good times I had back in the old days, but when it comes to actually sitting down to write, I simply do not have the time. The small light bulb that popped up in the middle of work simply disappears by the time I get home. Today, a small gnawing thought popped up at the back of my head

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215747786990114679.post-62369717166178944022013-03-20T04:02:00.003-04:002013-03-20T04:02:26.324-04:00

I can't believe it has been almost close to 9 months since I embarked on this century long journey. Being a general surgery resident definitely requires a lot of prioritizing and sacrifices. Close to 90 hours a week is being drained into sustaining this job, leaving very little left for everything else. Time is gold, time is also priceless. I've cut back 2 hours of sleep each day to

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215747786990114679.post-30414671734806043592013-02-10T21:41:00.003-05:002013-02-10T21:41:55.556-05:00

One thing I take pride of in myself : Keeping in touch with many old good friends, and being able to adapt to disasters. Why such a random statement with a huge CNY picture on top? It is because my CNY turned out to be pretty okay after all. Sure, I missed having my "tuan yuan fan" dinner with my close buddies in Philly. And sure there was that annoying so called blizzard of the century. And

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215747786990114679.post-81326133283706467532013-02-08T17:34:00.000-05:002013-02-08T17:37:53.379-05:00

Blizzard of the century huh? And it has to happen the year I move here, on CNY weekend, after my BF have left for Philly, leaving me stranded in a Blizzard celebrating CNY alone.  My life couldn't get any better this time.  It has been a bad week. Work isn't going too great. Taxes are pilling up. Another speeding ticket. Visa application. And now stuck in a

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215747786990114679.post-91328471451188122372013-01-01T15:19:00.002-05:002013-01-01T15:28:17.057-05:00

The year 2012 was definitely a turmoil of emotions, experiences and discoveries. It was a year that propelled me into being an adult, both with its ups and downs of being a grown independent women. Lets take a look back into the past. - Started the year with family on their first visit to the States. - Watched my first NBA game. - Watched Wicked for the first time. -

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215747786990114679.post-20373004085188065872012-12-24T07:20:00.001-05:002012-12-24T07:20:37.995-05:00

With the holiday season round the corner you would think people will try to stay away from the hospital as much as possible. Wrong. In fact for some reason more people are being admitted, so much so that my hospital had to go on "beds overflow" status for 2 days and urge all teams to discharge as many patients as possible. Perhaps it's the over-eating causing more gall bladders and appendix to

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215747786990114679.post-33233180753993102282012-10-14T21:50:00.001-04:002012-10-14T21:50:18.178-04:00

I often wonder many times during the day or nights throughout this 4 mths of residency if it is even possible to be so exhausted and survive for 5 years like this. I guess I'll just have to try it out and see the end point for myself. On a brighter note, a timely start to a week of vacation.

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215747786990114679.post-47683069224796429702012-08-28T19:17:00.000-04:002012-08-28T19:17:35.985-04:00

Do I miss home? . . . . . . Every single day. In Med school I count down to the days I will be graduating, or going home. Vacays are still a possibility. Now I count down to . . . . God knows when my next trip home will be. It is really a sad reality. But I do miss home very much. Very very much.

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215747786990114679.post-43620779694457772632012-08-20T22:10:00.000-04:002012-08-20T22:10:01.436-04:00

Managed to lay my hand on one of these a couple days ago and played with it for a bit. Pretty impressive feel and visualization. It definitely my first time seeing a lobectomy done by this spider-looking machine. Throughout the case, I had to be next to the Da Vinci arms adjusting ports and stuff, and was whack by the arms several times. Painful I have to say. The scrub nurses kept laughing

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215747786990114679.post-49146123674615826452012-08-16T21:53:00.001-04:002012-08-16T21:54:57.346-04:00

Residency is like . . . . . I can't really think of anything sophisticated to describe it, and my brain is also too fried to think of anything. But I have to say it is awesome. Much better than being a medical student. It was nerve wrecking and terrifying at the start, and at times it still is, but there is a tiny satisfaction that comes with each discharged patient, or when the pager doesn't

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215747786990114679.post-45812366632904068142012-06-22T17:06:00.000-04:002012-06-22T17:06:10.059-04:00

I don't really know how I got here, but somehow I did. It is a miracle. Made my parents proud, made my sister motivated. Yay I did it!! I have to say, match day was more nerve wrecking and exciting. But it is a nice touch to finishing. Pictures or it didn't happened right? I know. Get ready to be bombarded! At Kimmel Center We're a proud power couple. (Still can't believe we did it!

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215747786990114679.post-26792748061357149532012-05-12T03:29:00.000-04:002012-05-12T03:29:00.133-04:00

What happened to pictures of the famous Paris-ish landmarks? Well, I thought them too overrated and un-interesting to be posted, simply because everyone who visits Paris should and must take pictures of them. But nonetheless, I will combine a obligatory picture. Notre Dame Cathedral, The Louvre Museum, Eiffel Tower. Now lets divert our attention to a little french town near

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215747786990114679.post-47627051420084975772012-05-10T03:11:00.001-04:002012-05-10T03:11:42.956-04:00

I have been a lazy blogger despite the abundance of time in my hand. Better upload these pictures here as memoir's sake before spare time becomes a luxury once intern year starts. I love vacations. I mean, who doesn't. I like looking forward to a nice holiday seeing a foreign land and absorbing the culture. And trying new food. Although my Asian taste buds do occasionally betray the will to

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215747786990114679.post-80918592540171240432012-04-19T06:17:00.000-04:002012-04-19T06:17:23.046-04:00

It suddenly dawned upon me today that I am stepping into a working adults life pretty soon. Felt pretty emotional to me. Perhaps it was the sms Hotlink sent me to remind me to renew my blackberry BIS 3G plan that pointed out to me that I only have 3 weeks left in my comfortable home, or the gentle reminder by my BF to book my flight to Boston that made me realise I am moving to a whole new town,

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215747786990114679.post-49165645835447190542012-04-18T08:33:00.003-04:002012-04-18T08:33:12.462-04:00

Came across this on jokediary.com - Better save that. We’ll need it for the autopsy.- Someone call the janitor – we’re going to need a mop.- Accept this sacrifice, O Great Lord of Darkness!- Spot! Spot! Come back with that! Bad Dog!- Wait a minute, if this is his spleen, then what’s that?- Hand me that…uh…that…uh…..thingie.- Oh no! I just lost my Rolex.- Oops! Hey, has anyone ever survived

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215747786990114679.post-76751527558161101892012-03-23T03:28:00.000-04:002012-03-23T03:28:26.179-04:00

Had a couple of "first"s in the past month, and both were pretty awesome experience. This is very corny, but Wicked was WICKED. I was officially addicted to their songs for about a week till the people around me got sick of the songs and vow not to watch the show even before they saw how awesome the play was.  Picture taking was not allowed during the play. I had pretty sweet orchestra

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215747786990114679.post-36732913947612886402012-03-18T20:09:00.002-04:002012-04-01T00:16:30.848-04:00

What a whirlwind of a week this week has been! Just last Sunday morning I was in London having brunch and walking around in Harrods with 2 old high school friends, reminiscing the good old days of the past, bringing back childhood jokes, silly moments and old sayings. Owh how time flies and how some things never change. Monday came all too soon and I was already in New York stuck in an

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1