I babble, I ramble, and I rattle

Woke up late for the 6.30am class with Mr M so went back to sleep.

Skipped the multidisciplinary seminar at 11.30am due to extreme laziness.

But had to go to the hospital in the afternoon to find Ms L to confirm our case presentation session tomorrow and to find a case to be clerked and presented during the session.

Went to to PMC after I’ve done clerking the patient because I promised Chem to share the case with her. Two 4th meds called out my name. I’ve known them since Dublin so I thought they just wanted a chat with me.

Turned out they were writing an article for the Debate Society newsletter on the 5th med vs 3rd med uproar and they wanted to interview me (and a few other 3rd meds and 5th meds). They said I could be anonymous in the article but I told them there’s no need for anonymity. Those who have read my blog (which I estimate would be at least half of PMC students) would already know my view on these things. No point hiding.

I’m bored of that topic. After all, the last time I wrote anything about the juniors (before this whole thing started) was more than 2 weeks ago. I lost interest soon after that. There has been no more talks among us about them since then. But since the 3rd meds started retaliating (which many of the 5th meds find to be an unnecessarily overcharged defense mechanism due to oversensitivity), everyone in PMC, including the 4th meds (who before this were not in the picture at all) began to talk about my blog and the issues that have been raised. The way I see it, I might have started the whole thing but I didn’t do anything to make the issue explode to the extent that almost everyone in PMC became aware of it.

Like I said… I’m bored of the topic. It holds no interest to me anymore. If previously I thought that the juniors are an over-kiasu, over-hardworking (seriously, nothing wrong with that so why should you take offence? Don’t you guys have the sense of humour to just laugh it off?), over-serious and non-patient-friendly bunch of newcomers… Now I’d like to add a few more words to the list and they are over-sensitive, over-defensive and over-reacting. It might not apply to every single student from that year (if they don’t apply to you then they don’t. There’s no need to start a war) but if I were to describe the batch in GENERAL, those are the words that I would use.

Please note that what I wrote above is just a personal opinion. Other PMC students may disagree but this is MY BLOG and therefore I write what I think. I’m not a hypocrite… Unlike some fully clad demure looking Malay Muslim girls who behind our backs when they think no one is listening, utter profanities without inhibition. I never liked that kind of people.

Did I mention that I’m bored with this topic? Yeah, I did.

I stayed at the PMC library because I had to brief Chem on my patient.That took no more than half an hour. That was followed by a discussion with a few others on orthopaedics; particularly on Trendelenburg gait and Trendelenburg sign. I demonstrated both and just for fun, I did an exaggerated bilateral Trendelenburg gait and accidently added in some belly-dancing moves that I’ve learnt. One of my friends exclaimed, “You, bitch!”

Then “Fei Hong” came to give me my autographed copy of The Twisted Stethoscope which was written by a PMC 4th med, Jason Leong.

*** You have to read the book to know who “Fei Hong” is.

.

Sani wondered aloud how it would be like to photocopy the entire book and read it in front of Jason. Better still… Ask Jason for his autograph. Then he came up with the idea of taking orders from others who also want copies of the book and send it for photocopying. Extra charge for those who wants colour cover.

My friends discussed topics pertaining to medicine and surgery while I remained engrossed in this little book which reminded me much of my years in Dublin. Hey, people! Don’t you want to sue Jason? He wrote about what we did in Dublin. Though I find his writing hilarious, you might find them offensive (he called Malaysians MAGGOTS!!! ). Go analyse the book to find the chapters that you find offensive and pass it to your lawyer NOW to stop its distribution before more Malaysians could read it.

Occasionally I would butt into my friends’ academic discussions. But my focus on that book never wavered except when the tiny little bird flew past us.

Yes. There was a bird in the library, desperately trying to find its way out. It was a swift (the one with red throat… can’t remember the species name) which I’m sure was the one that resides in the cracks on the pillar in front of the library. I remember once I stood in front of the library looking like a retarded person, staring up the pillar, observing three newly-hatched swifts being fed by their mother.

Updated on 15/5/08, 12.30am: The bird was a swallow… A Pacific Swallow. Not a swift. My apologies for the mistake in identification.

In attempts to go out, it hit the glass window just beside our table twice. Many times it flew to the “Keluar” (exit) sign which actually leads to the library office and probably realising that it was NOT actually the exit, made a U-turn.

By then we have already opened 3 windows. The bird was clearly exhausted, frequently taking short rests on the framed pictures on the library upper floor. Mie came up with the idea of us working together to chase it out because whenever we did it alone, it would escape to the ground floor and disappear from us for a while.

1st attempt…

Mie was at one end of the library… Sani stationed himself in front of the stairs and I stood guard near the computer room. Mie chased the bird away from him and it flew towards Sani… Sani tried to lead it towards the door but it turned to me… I chased it towards Sani… Sani tried again to show the bird the door but it flew past me and I shouted, “GOAL!!!” I turned to Mie and Sani and said, “Sorry guys… for letting you down.”

Mind you… all this happened in the library.

2nd attempt…

Similar thing happened but this time it was Sani who was unable to stop the bird from going downstairs.

Several minutes later, a few other friends arrived to the scene. And we playfully briefed them on what to do if and when the bird reappears.

It wasn’t long before the bird reentered the “zone”. We took our places… arms high in the air, ready for action. Once the bird entered our invisible circle, we started “jumping around and waving our arms like epileptic monkeys” (quoted from The Twisted Stethoscope, page 79).

A few 3rd meds who were there muttered, “Can’t believe these are the 5th meds.” One said he wanted to record the scene. I would too if I had my camcorder with me. It’s just priceless to have a solid proof that the 5th meds in PMC DO act like monkeys in the library. Not sure if the 3rd med did record the scene but I think he did.

Yeah, people!!! That’s us.

Oi, 5th meds! I just humiliated us in my blog and the entire world can read this!!! Wanna start an intra-batch war?

Anyway, our 3rd attempt was another failure. Then Sani started making jokes about capturing “birds” and “birds” in captivity.

At 8.55pm… I put down The Twisted Stethoscope and told my friends, “That’s it. I can’t take it anymore. I’m so sleepy. I need sleep” and left PMC, intent on going to bed as soon as possible.

The bird was still somewhere in the library when I left and here I am hooked on my computer.