Scrambled Eggs, Scrambled Lunch

Please click the photo above to play the daily videoSome days announce their intentions early, and this was one of them. Barely through the door and already behind, the sort of hectic that doesn't build so much as arrive fully formed, like weather. There wasn't much to do but fall in step with it and hope the pace eased somewhere before evening.

It didn't, particularly — not straight away. Rounds ran long enough that they practically introduced themselves to the double clinic waiting on the other side, the two sessions stacking up back to back with none of the usual breathing room in between. By the time there was a gap to speak of, lunch had gone from "at some point" to "immediately or not at all," and it landed somewhere closer to the latter — a scramble in the truest sense, eaten standing up, remembered more than tasted. The kind of meal that counts purely on a technicality.

And yet, for all that early sprint, the day had no intention of wrapping up early to compensate. It simply kept going, stretching out well past where a day that starts that briskly has any right to. There's a particular tiredness that comes from a day like that — not the dragging kind, but the kind that sneaks up once you finally sit still, as though your body had been too busy to notice how long it had been on its feet.

The evening, at least, came with proper reward. Dinner next door at Dorsett turned into one of those conversations that outlasts the meal itself — unhurried, the kind where the plates get cleared and nobody quite notices because the talking's still going. A welcome contrast to a day that had spent most of its hours refusing to slow down for anyone.

Threaded through it all was an update from Timothy William on antibiotics — the sort of exchange that's easy to underrate in the moment but useful precisely because someone bothered to walk it through properly rather than leaving it for later. Colleagues who take the time to actually explain something, rather than simply flag it and move on, are worth more than they're usually given credit for, and today was a reminder of that.

So: hectic in, contemplative out, with a scrambled lunch somewhere in the middle standing in for the whole day's rhythm — start fast, catch up when you can, and let the evening do the smoothing over. Not every day balances itself out quite so neatly, but this one, eventually, did.

Finished the Course

Since returning from Bangkok, I had been carrying this niggling cough. With the couple of calls last week and the phlegm turning green, I decided to put myself on antibiotics - because I could!

Fast forward 5 days later, the course was done. Cough was still there but much better. I went through the calls without a problem although it threatened to lose my voice last Sunday. And no fever.

The antibiotics course was completed, and I must confess that this was the first time I actually finished the pack. Now I could understand why my patients sometimes stopped half way. Taking medicine, especially antibiotics when they felt well took some doing! And it would be best to go for a single daily dose regimen rather than 3 times.

Will be traveling to Hong Kong on Friday. Hopefully there would be no more cough then, and I could do a bit of chilling out!

Admitting Defeat

My cough turned green this morning and the fever returned. Had to get some proper antibiotics, and close the clinic for tomorrow. I waited until after the morning rush was over before setting off for my ward round. And even then, I was coughing away.

Saw our family Doctor, who started me on antibiotics. Returned for the afternoon clinic and sorted out my paper works. Decided just to come in for wars rounds. Clinic ha been cancelled. I wouldn't be driving in early. And would be taking some time off in the afternoon.

So, hopefully this antibiotics would work wonders. I have to bounce back before my on call on Thursday.

Heading to Kuala Kangsar for the Weekend

Since my father-in-law cannot make it for the recent doa selamat in Kuala Kangsar, he decided to spend the coming weekend over there. Personally speaking I was quite keen to go as well. Puan Anita was game with the idea but unfortunately Irfan was down with fever today with runny nose.

Anita sneakily took Irfan to see our family Doctor - who my boys refer to as Uncle Lim - to get him on antibiotics. After he was all drugged up, Irfan was running around. Now I am worried about Idlan, but fear not. Anita got the doses of antibiotics for Idlan as well on stand by! I am sure all doctors have their own opinion when it comes to antibiotics news. Some avoid them at all cost considering the potential harm they may cause. Me, I am never very keen. I tend to leave the fever on for at least 48 hours, or the colour of their sputum changes. Put it another way, I will let Anita ask me about antibiotics three times before I agree with her .... Yes! I am cruel at that!

So, we got ourselves all packed up tonight. I have a full day ahead tomorrow with the clinic in the morning, followed by a session with the Oncology Trainees right after Friday prayers. I might be too tired to drive alone tomorrow, therefore one of the driver will do it for us. I'll be tweeting all the way there.