Down There..Again!

While everybody else in the university had end of semester exams and holidays for some..we have SSC (student selected components) for 3 weeks & for the 1st time ever my faith was NOT challenged on the stupid computer matching system..I got my 2nd choice! Whew! General Urology! Yeap it's about the "down there" again.

Gimme whatever that will be held in BCH (Belfast City Hospital) cos I ain't wanna travel to somewhere FAR..i.e. anything requiring me to walk more than 15minutes or take a bus or move to somewhere for 3 weeks. (Yes the diva and lazy side of me is talking)

Little that I know that General Urology is a surgical related posting = "lenggang lengguk" time in the O.T. something that didnt require my brain to think/crack.
But I enjoyed it as long as the consultants or the registrars explain during surgery on whatever that they are doing! Or else it's spacing out time unless the occasional
"Tell me what's the length of the vas deferens?" (%#%! huh?)
"Where are the 3 constrictions of ureters?"
"What structure to avoid damaging while approaching/dissecting the bladder & prostate?"
or
"This is (name of structure) here & (name of structure there. Can u c it?"
(Me: "ahh yes." Actually all I can see is your back/dorsum of your hand blocking the structures 0_0)
That's the funny bit!


But of course we have fun moments when:

- The registrar told me that I can scrub in for an 'Ureterolysis + Ileal interposition' for this patient with retroperitoneal fibrosis post chemotherapy. "You've got to see this. We havent done this in years!" & I was quite shocked to find out that this surgery will be conducted by the consultant that I most fear which I nicknamed --> Mr "White Htin Aung". He is actually very friendly & kind. He was so different when he gave us a lecture last year!
Some of the registrars told me to read up on my anatomy the day before the surgery (& I fcuking did.) because Mr "White Htin Aung" is very devoted to his anatomy & likes to ask questions like "Give me the branches of internal iliac artery".
& LUCKY he didnt asked me any.
Well if I can answer, it's a "bragging-and-pat-myself-on-the-back" point for me.
If I can't, it always make me feels like burying my head in the sand like an ostrich! Why cant I stay awake during anatomy lectures last time..Grrr.

- I get to do 4 I.V. cannulas! (Yippee! Something we will eventually get tired of doing when we are working next time~)

- 3 digital rectal examinations (Thank u to the patients who gave me consent to do the PR!)

- 1 male catheterisation (on a real patient ..at last! I dont want any plastic models anymore.)

- Observe cystoscopy for the 1st time. & many other surgeries that I was keen to observe because our urology posting during our surgery attachment wasn't very organised.

- & many other little interesting things here & there~ & of course the friendly registrars(Alex and Mr Sam Gray), consultants (Mr Rajan, Mr Keane) & the junior house officers and friendly staff nurses! & knowing a new classmate called Naomi who texted me just to make sure I woke up in time in the morning for class! Hehe. And (i know ppl always ask) nope there's no hansome/cute guy classmates/doctors (there is one lah but I think he's taken. Biasalah. -_-").

- & not to forget about the Results Clinic a.k.a. Bad News Clinic
It is absolutely admiring to see how calm & composed ppl are when they know they have cancers. Of course they breakdown inside at some point but u know it, they are trying to be strong at least & brave against all odds.
& that reminds me that I shouldnt be sulking/whining so much about trivial things that happen sometimes.

This SSC definitely in my opinion better than the previous SSC of "Testicular Germ Cells Tumors" in August/Sept 2007 when I 1st arrived in Belfast. Not that it is a difficult topic to understand but assignments are harder to execute & abrupt.

Oh it has definitely been a relaxing last weekend. Tasting yummy food & having the company of my Belfast buddies (Be it at Yeepei's or at Magi's!)!
Oops promised to cook some barley drink for the girls in the flat and also for the ground floor IMU gang! Will do it this weekend..Sunday maybe.
Cant wait for Han ni to finish her exams. for Yeepei to be back from Omagh. & for ShieLing to cook for me during weekend (her Diet-Off days).
Michalina told me something interesting ^_* yesterday which I think it's a novelty cos it rarely happens to me lah. But this usually does not progress as far as my experience goes. Oh well!