I'm home :)

Have I done anything that I said I would yet?

No BBQ yet! Though people were over today for lunch :) Thanks Linda and Sha for coming over! Sorry you guys got lost on the way :( And that you had to leave early :P Have an awesome time in JB my friend :) Sha! Tell your mum thanks again for the Bario rice and also the Ipoh white coffee (I love that stuff!)

Guitar lessons? Not gonna happen - but I do have an alternative plan! I'm gonna find me some guitar books! I can teach myself when I get back to Galway :) Need to work on scales and plucking :)

I'm in love with Andy McKee's music.. Don't know why but I can't put the video up :( Go on YouTube and search his name and these songs:
- Drifting
- For my Father
- Shanghai
- Rylynn
- Africa
Great schtuff I tell you!

I've spent time with my family :) But haven't helped out around the house! Haha, its one of the things about being home - I get soooooo pampered! I don't have to make my own bed, I don't have to do any dishes, laundry is taken care of, I can play with my dogs and not have to worry about feeding them or taking them for walks, quoting Linda - www.camp5.com :) First session was 3 and a half hours! Next 2 days were spent in agony trying to lift my left arm :P My deltoid was sore from belaying my brother hehe...

Ok! Time for bed! G'nite :D

So naive..

Someone said something to me today...

That I didn't know what "it" was about. It being relationships. And that I'm trying to live in an ideal world (that doesn't exist).

What a reality check! But I think that person was right. And it made me think. And I came to realise that I am naive. And I am trying to live in an ideal world - waiting for Mr. Perfect to come along and sweep me off my feet and carry me off into the sunset and we'll live happily ever after. But apparently (and obviously) that's not the way it works in this world we live in. Don't know why I never realised it before.

But I like what a good friend of mine said about his status: Single but not available.

That's a label I've been carrying around lately. I'm single but I'm not looking to be with someone.

My reasons are that I'm too busy with university, and I'm enjoying my life as a single person - I have the rest of my life to be attached, so what's the hurry?

My fears are that I don't know how to love someone that way, and that relationships can be very superficial when both parties don't have the time or energy to put into it, and also if its goal is not something for the long term. There's also a fear of putting myself out there - making myself vulnerable to another person, consciously choosing to let someone really know me, weaknesses and quirks and all, risking the chance that they may not like what they see.

I guess that leads to another reason why I'm single but not available. I'm choosy, I don't see anything wrong with knowing what you want, but at the same time keeping things within reasonable limits. Which also means that I mostly only let my heart into anything after I've thought things through (not saying things never happened the other way around or that I always think things through... but I'm working on it, I don't want to end up hurting anyone by deciding later on that I've made the wrong decision!).

Anyway just some thoughts, time to get back to the books! I have a medical ethics, medical law and human rights paper on Wednesday! Then it's Surgery on Friday and then Medicine on Monday, and I go home Tuesday! Yayyyy :)

I'll leave you with some pictures from Esther's 21st on Friday :)

The birthday girl and her adoring fans ;)

This is Angela :) And myself :)

:) Housemates!

How fast can time fly?

Very.

The semester is a week from ending - exams have started, and I'm going home in a week (and a day..)!!

Sorry for the lack of posts (sometimes I wonder if people ever read my blog - but then again it may be down to people not liking to say that they've been here hehe)

Can't wait to get home :) Now that Bacteriology is out of the way.. I can start dreaming about what I'm gonna do at home :)

1. BBQ at my house :) Everyone's invited!

2. Try and see if I can start up guitar lessons again.. I wanna get a pickup for my guitar and a guitar tuner :)

3. Hang out with my family :) Help my mum out around the house and with errands :)

4. EAT! Shop :) Watch movies :)

5. Of course, go to the gym..

(6. Gonna try and study.. Try..)

You know what?

[Post deleted]

I got over it.. Well, I got over it ages ago.. So :)

I broke my phone :(

Stacey wakes up bright and early - refreshed from the 10 hours of sleep she got - ready for the day ahead. Walks down the stairs, happily, thinking of which shoes to wear - and what to do with her no longer white sneakers, when suddenly..

CRASH!
BOOM-BOOM-BOOM!!
THUMP..

*silence*

She slipped down 6 steps down, down, down, til she reached the floor.

Rewind to just a minute earlier to when she was in her room.. She takes her phone out of her very safe bag - and puts it into her very unsafe back pocket. The biggest no-no.

"Sumiiiiiiieeeeee!!! I fell down!!"
"Are youuu okayyyy??" *giggle giggle* Stacey slipped down the stairs!
"My phone broke!!!!!!!!" *sniffles*
"Are YOU okay?" *suppressing giggles* "The phone doesn't matter.."
"What do you mean?? My brand new phone....... broke." *starts weeping*
"Awww, as long as you're ok?"
"I'm not okay! My phone broke.." *very very sad face*

It was a sad sad day.. Before Jesus turned my frown upside down!

Brian arrives 2 minutes after the incident and asks 'How are you?' I proceed then to tell him the story as I start tearing..

If only I had put my phone back into my bag ;( Ah well..

Yeah, church as usual was great :) It was Ashley's first week singing - she has such a beautiful voice - I can't even describe it.. And Paul preached on betrayal.. And it was just so timely - this entire week I'd been reading about betrayal - not because I looked for articles or material about it but just that it kept coming up.. And yeah - I did feel like I was betrayed the other day? Yeah..

Anywho! Met up with Dilan for lunch :) Was really great just to catch up - we hadn't hung out properly since before the Christmas holidays last year! Took a walk down to the docks - was a beautiful day :) Had a steak sandwich at the Spanish Arch Hotel.. They had a jazz band playing and they were really, really, really REALLY good!


So that was my Sunday :)

My Saturday was a whole different story :) PPIMG organised a sort of sports day for the Malaysians - and the girls ended up playing futsal in the tennis courts in uni.. It was so much fun! Especially cos my team won! We had the best goal scorer and best goalie ;) Great teamwork as well.. 6 goals in 2 games and only one goal conceded :D

My Friday was another happy happy day :D Got to wake up anytime I wanted which turned out to be 10am. And just hung out at home - did my laundry, vaccuumed my room, washed my sheets..

Angela picked me up at 3. The boys rang my doorbell :) They just warm my heart those boys do.. They came in "Staycee, Staycee, wouldja like to come to the toyshop with us? Mummy says we can get a new toy!" I run up to get my keys and bag. I come downstairs and they're both looking at my toy - one of those magnetic writing boards? You know the ones that kids play with? Yeah.. I ask them if they want ice cream and they run to ask their Mummy if they can have some - and they run back inside to say "Mummy said yes!!" with the most excited looks on their faces :) I had 2 ice creams in the freezer - a red and yellow Solero :) Luca's favourite colour is yellow - so he takes the yellow one and Ben the red one.. Why I'm going into so much detail I don't know.. But those boys :) They melt my heart.. They don't know how much I love them!

We go to the toy shop and while the boys are picking their toys, I get Ang a little present :)

Went to McD's after that to feed the boys.. Then made our way back home :)

We caught up with Ashley when we got closer to the house - and we decided to honk her and flash our headlights.. Scare her a wee bit ;) But Ang ended up washing her windsheild! Hee hee..
We watched 'High School Musical' :) Which was fun - I love the songs!
"I'm breaking freeee! Soaringgg.. Flyinggg!!"

Had a lasagne dinner with garlic dough and caesar's salad :) Yum yum yum!

Got home after that n went out to Bar903 - then to Cuba* after..


And that was my weekend :)

I get so emotional..

John 15:31 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.

Why do I put myself out there so much.. Who would have thought that someone I would give my life for - couldn't and wouldn't care less..

I'm no perfect friend, I try to be there for everyone as much as I can. I try to keep in touch with friends, I try to be understanding. But I'm only human. I have my bad days, I get my moods. I don't make enough of an effort to keep in touch at times - but I'm working on it. Other times, I just can't understand certain things. But I think I'm an okay friend?


Just hurts to see the way things have ended up, but as much as I didn't want this to be true, it's looking to be what people have been saying.. Some friends are just in our lives for a season.

I really am hoping that I'm not jumping to conclusions and that this is all just in my head..

Then again, it may just be time to let go.

Missing Caherlistrane..

Been home alone now for 5 hours..

Had an amazing time with Angela and her family, almost wanted to cry when I said slan to Carole before heading off - even though I'll be seeing them all tomorrow morning in church :P The words I put together just won't do justice to the times we shared :)

2 Sundays ago, going home with them after an afternoon at Frances' house, bouncy castles, cakes, chocolate fountain: "Babyyy! Waaaaake uuuup!! Babyyy! Stayy awake for Mommy!! Luuuuucaaaaaa!! Luuuuucaaaaaa!!" Hee hee.. Didn't know what to expect then, just looking forward to spending some time with them all..

The boys were apprehensive at first, but by today they didn't want me to go home :P Awww, kids.. I love them to bits! Few awful moments when while we were playing one would fall and cry.. And one of the worst moments in my life - for sure.. When Carole asked Ben, 'Who's in our family?' and he pointed at me with his thumb.. He left his little hand in my face for quite a little while.. And I pretended to bite him :P And he moved his hand away, so I bit down - but ended up catching a teeny bit of his skin between my teeth.. And he started BAWLING his eyes out.. Awww, that was the worst feeling I've ever felt - ever.


These I'll miss hearing.. "Nnnnnn-O!" "Why are we going this way?" "But why?" "What??" "What??" "Mommy, I'm hungry.." "Mommy, Mommy, I want to go to.." "But I don't want to go!" I'll miss their little sneezes and yawns, and their running up and down..

"We'll go 'Abram? Abram?' and then he can say 'Here I am!'" Hehe, it was quiet for a few seconds before everyone burst out laughing uncontrollably..

Banged up shins from getting into and out of the car with a child seat in the way :P

Went to watch 2 movies with Angela.. 'John Tucker must die', and what was the other one? Oh yes 'You, Me and Dupree'.. I love hanging out with Ange.. We just end up laughing so much.. And its pretty amazing that after 2 weeks with her, I feel like I haven't had enough :P May be a different story on her end! Hehe..

All in all, it was just an awesome time :)

Helloooooo!!

I finally got to log on to Blogger and yeah.. Not like I haven't been trying - don't know what the deal is with the whole Blogger Beta thing.. Keeps signing me in automatically via my Google account and then not letting me sign into this account and yeah :P

Well, I've missed blogging!

Nothing much has happened.. Except now the summer holidays at home has come and gone, and the summer holidays here are coming to a close, and a new school year is just coming round the corner..

Been living with Angela and her parents (Carole n Brian) for the past week, and it's been fun :) Lotsa funny funny times, and yeah :) General happy silly moments :) I'm well fed hehe, and just having a great time :)

Missing everyone at home, miss my parents, my brothers, my friends..

But will be home again before I know it! Yayyy.. A whole month in December at home!

Methinks I got to be going.. Got to reply some emails and yeah, get some chatting done :) Will post again soon :D

Take care and God bless!!

I'm leaving tomorrow..

Mixed feelings whenever I go either way.. Stronger feelings for home of course..

So..

I'm going home tomorrow :D :D :D

Isn't it just the irony of life - that when you have a blog and you have exams you blog a lot, but when you have a blog and you don't have exams you don't blog :P

I'm hungrayyy..

It's been a while :)

I'm going home on S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y !!


Gonna miss these guys so much :(
Check out our resident cookie monster on the far right ;)

By the way..

WHO WANTS TO GO SKIING WITH ME IN DECEMBER?

What?!

13 more days?!

How did time go by so fast?

I want to go home, but I'm gonna really miss this place.. And the people I've grown to love here.

Life Should Taste As Good As Stacey.

The Advertising Slogan Generator

Leave me alone..

"I don't care what the scoresheet says, they're champions in my eyes."

"Henry - please don't leave?"

Looky what I found :D

I'd like to introduce you to..
My parents :D

3 photos! Food-sky-sky :D

Not as nice as kuey teow.. But it'll do :D

Steamed cod with ginger and scallions,
fine beans and rice :)

Anyway, is it just me, or does it seem like it's mid-winter again - minus the howling winds and shivering?

Oh Sunny Days, where have you gone?

Thanks Mel for the wishes :D Have fun in Paris ma amie!!

Well, back to the books! But maybe some breakfast first :P

sevenTEEN more daysss :D
I'll see my Mummy and brothers at the airport..
Then go see Rita before she goes back to Alor Star :(
A couple days after - will go see my Daddy in Vietnam with my Mummy :)
Yayyy-yayyy :D

Sunny Day at home :D

18 days and counting!!

Went into OT the other day, Thursday it was.. Yes..

At one point, the surgeon turned to me and said "Get some gloves.." So I rush over to the box of gloves - pull a pair out and pass it to Najwa.. And take a pair for myself.. I turn around to see both her and the nurse looking at me puzzled. I just put them on, and went back to the table, and it took a few seconds before I realized that.. HE DIDN'T ASK ME TO PUT GLOVES ON! I then proceed to fold my arms and hide my gloved hands.. 2 seconds later, I take them off - and sit down feeling the most embarrassed I've felt in a long while.. Good thing Mr. Surgeon didn't see me ;P

Got myself embarrassed again at church..

Was hanging around with Angela, Caroline and her baby - Jessica, before church started. And, I was talking to Jessica when Angela says "Pull her hair.." SO I thought she was talking to me, and I go to pull Jessica's hair - and say "Pull her hair?" Hrmmm. Guess what? Angela was telling Jessica to pull my hair. What was I doing trying to pull a 3 month old baby girl's hair? What was I doing?!

Had a laugh after that anyway ;P So its all good..

Been a little while since I last blogged - but I've been good ;) Been trying to sit down and study..

18th - CVS Pathology MCQ
This Thursday :D

26th - OSCE
Next Friday :D

29th - Respiratory Pathology MCQ
The Monday after!!

?? - Surgery MCQ

:) Then I get to go home!!! 18 days to go :)

Went over to Gary and Sandra's for dinner after church - we had beef stew, and apple crumble with ice cream for dessert! Yum yum :) Then watched Shrek 2 with the kids :D I love their kids!! And just hung out a bit before coming back home :) Ah, the 6 Bennetts :D

Saturday was fun too! Went over to Gary and Sandra's for music practice for Sunday, then over to Angela's before lunch and MI:3.. I love this family!! Carole, Brian, Angela, and her 2 boys - Ben and Luca :)

MI:3 was really action packed! We got into the cinema just on time - and I was just glued to my seat - didn't matter how much I needed to go to the bathroom.. Haha.. Yeah, but felt they could have added more depth to some of the characters ;P But I guess they just didn't have the time! And where would they squeeze that in between the action?

(Sorry KJ I didn't get to go with you.. )

So Monday came and went :P I cooked dinner wayyy too early and ended up being hungry before going to bed :( Oh well..

So yeah, that was my weekend and a few embarrassing moments for ya ;)

Will post again soon :D

Happy mother's day!!

It's Mother's Day :)

"A mother is the only person on earth who can divide her love among ten children, and each child still have all her love."

Aren't mums the best?? Well, mine is :D

I love my Mummy :)

The princess and the good guy..

Sounds like a fairy tale maybe? But no..

Yesterday's 5-hour-long afternoon nap brought me to a place where I was a princess, and had two children. In the land there was an evil man who wanted to become king, so he plotted to make me say he could become king by tricking me. And he succeeded :( Then I woke up.

Now I know why I dreamt about a princess :P Someone asked me a riddle which was derived from a joke that's circulating online.. So this princess is cursed - and everything she touches melts, and a prince from a faraway land asked her to put her hand in his pocket and what she held didn't melt. What was she holding? M&Ms :) They melt in your mouth and not in your hand. (cue: laughter)

Last night's 5-hour-long sleep brought me to another place where some really, really bad guys were to be executioned. And some really clever guards who left some really cool guns (all with unlimited shots) in a box very near them unrestrained bad guys. So havoc ensued - bad guys taking over Galway with their guns - and us good people had to go into hiding. I had a gun myself - why didn't I keep it? I didn't want people thinking I was a baddie too - I was the good guy ;)

6 hours of interrupted sleep..

That's what you get I suppose? After 11 hours of solid sleep one night, I get a night of restless liquid sleep.. Maybe I should have slept earlier or maybe not looked at those pictures of skin tumours and what-nots..

This morning we had a surgical case conference.. And you know those horror stories you hear about a girl with long hair going on the Solero-shot ride in Genting? Bout her hair getting caught in the machinery? And how her scalp "came off"? Yeah, we were presented a case bout someone who had that happen to them as in their scalp came off (scalp avulsion) and they did reconstructive surgery to replant the scalp onto the patients head. They reconnected the major arteries but not the nerves. Who knew he'd look brand-new a couple of weeks post-op :) And who knew I'd be so weirded out at the sight of a scalp with hair and tips of ears sitting on a table..

11 hours of sleep!

Makes Stacey a very-well-rested girl, ready to take on the world!

..... or maybe not :P

Its been a lazy Monday :) Getting laundry done.. Scones for lunch.. Sipping tea with friends :)

30 missed called from someone who's very naughty ;)

Penangties v. Penangites v. Penangnians

What do you call people who are from Penang?

The MCQ went ok - and I say that because pretty much everyone thought it was hard - and so did I? Obviously, you know you could have done that much better with a little more time spent studying - but what can you do after the exam? Learn from your mistakes - but its true what they say about history repeating itself.. Lets talk about something else?

Went over to Gary and Sandra's on Thursday night to practice the music for Sunday morning :)

And what adventures did I have today?

1. Chasing Prof O'Brien
cue: the Batman series theme song
"Dadadadadadadadadadadadada...Batman!"
3 third med students running down the corridor between the hospital and the CSI after Prof.. We were actually wondering if ward rounds were on today.. And wey-heyyy guess what? They were over.. So.. And guess what? Our tutorial with Dr. Dineen was cancelled as well.. So.. Pretty much NOTHING on today - shouldn't have come in.. We did get to practice taking blood pressures, and played around with Adam,Rouilly before getting tea and scones :)

2. Running away from Prof O'Brien
We were actually on our way to the Dept. of Medicine office to ask about whether we could go into the CSL and practice stuff - but we wondered if we would seem too eager (Prof went back to his office) and.. Hrmmm I don't want to continue my story - too stupid a story haha..

3. Erm.. Is that all?

4. Photo taking session in town ;)
Took lots and lots and lots of pictures in town today :) It's for the "shopping" section in the fresher's booklet we're preparing for the new Malaysian students that are coming in in September :D

Oh and I forgot to write my syok sendiri story from Sunday ;) Now feeling a little shy to share that story.. Anyway - went to the gym today for the first time in 2 weeks? Feels great ;D

Anyone want to cycle to Sligo? The class is doing that on the 19th of May :D It's gonna be really cool! Let's go!

The weather's been so beautiful these past few days - and it makes such a difference! Doesn't feel at all like we're still in Galway!

"Now, this is what Galway is really like.."


Anyway, that's it for today.. Going to nap before going out tonight :D Yayyy..

"It'll be a lot of fun..!"

I should be studying..

And I will be.. After this post :)

People around me are studying - and here I am..

And there I go..

I sleepwalk!

"Stacey, did you know you sleepwalk?"

No I didn't know :( Apparently I suddenly got up and said "Wait ah! Wait ah!" in a panick and then bumbled around my room before I went back to bed..

My witness? Esther's ears - she heard me through the thin wall separating our rooms..

I don't want to sleepwalk :( Something bout not being in control and literally, not knowing what you're doing.. I don't want to wake up one day outside my room - outside the house and left wondering what I was doing out there..

My mummy suggested I locked my room door, so that - in theory - I would wake up before I ended up outside my room..

"Maybe you were dreaming?"
"Erm yeah, dreaming (in your sleep) and walking = sleep walking?"

Maybe it happened because I was really tired? Haven't been getting enough sleep lately..

Lets look for a scientific reason..

Sleepwalking (a.k.a. Somnambulism)

It can occur during REM sleep near morning.

The cause of sleep walking in children is usually unknown but may be related to fatigue, prior sleep loss, or anxiety.

Sleep walking in adults can be associated with mental disorders, reactions to drugs and alcohol, or medical conditions such as partial complex seizures.

In the elderly, sleep walking may be a symptom of an organic brain syndrome or REM behavior disorders.

Prevention:
- Avoid fatigue or insomnia, because this can instigate an episode of sleep walking.
- Avoid or minimize stress, anxiety, and conflict, which can worsen the condition.

Cool :)

That's the name of the game baby..

ARSENAL ARE IN THE FINALS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Because of this...
Kolo Toure's goal in the first leg of the semi finals :)

And this...
Gilberto Silva "expertly patrolling his defence"

"Jens Lehmann wrote himself into the Arsenal history books with a last-minute penalty save to the put the Gunners in their first European Cup final."
Article on soccernet.com: Lehmann sends Arsenal to Paris

I'm baaaack ;)

Hehe, well I wasn't really gone so.. Hrmmm.. Anyway! Afza I was kidding yeah :) Never ever think that I'm too busy for you! And Mel, I'm flattered! Hee hee :)

"Who on the sejukkk?"

"Who off my apiii?!"

"Harro? I'm Chinese!"

"So, how come you suddenly decided to cry?"
"Erm, I didn't?"
"Oh, so it came naturally.."
"Err, yeah.. I think so.."

So its our last week of Endocrinology :( Kinda sad - but really glad to have gotten to do this attachment first ;) Really got to learn a lot and my interest in Endocrinology just sky-rocketed :) Next week we start up on Dermatology - wonder what that's going to be like :P 2 weeks of that, and another 2 weeks of something-else-I-can't-recall and then a week of exams? And then its time to go home!! Gonna be a busy,busy month - 3 more MCQs and a project to do as well..

Plans for the summer? None yet :) Not missing the food as much as I was my first year here.. Haha, learned my lesson bout eating haphazardly last summer - 6kgs worth of a lesson ;) Hehe.. Anyway.. Yeah, just going to relax (and study) get into a daily routine - wake up early, exercise, breakfast, study, lunch, go out, dinner, study, sleep ;) Prepare myself for 42-hour weeks when we get back for 4th year.. It's gonna be a productive summer :) Going to spend time with my family and friends - of course! And yeah - learn how to cook :P I'm going to ace biochemistry (this time!).. And pathology.. And bacteriology.. Let's see what I can do when I really set my mind to it..

Friends!

"Friendship is like a prism through which the many variations of beauty are revealed in our lives."

All of you make my life beautiful :) Whether you realise it or not..

I've been blessed with the best friends that anyone could ever ask for! I'm just surrounded by loving and caring people.. So thankful for all you guys :) I could not ask for more :)

I've got the sweetest friends ever :D 2 weeks after my birthday I get called downstairs to help with a washing machine "problem" only to find people standing in the dark with a surprise birthday cake :D Told my mum bout it - and she asked me to take you guys out for dinner ;) Hehe.. Where to eat, where to eat?

If there were anything for me to boast about - it'd be to boast about my friends :) I have shoulders to cry on - whose owners know exactly what to say and do. I have friends who have strong arms that support me when I can't stand on my own. I have friends who always remember me in prayer. I have friends who have such giant hearts, that I just don't see how its possible. I have friends that keep forgiving me for the wrongs I've done, and keep loving me for who I am. This is straight from my heart - I would do anything for my friends, I may not always know what they need or want - but all they have to do is pick up the phone, drop me a line, tag-me even and just ask :) I'll always be right here..

"Who knew, that to the love between friends - age is not an issue?"

Had a great time Easter Sunday :) Went over to Carole and Brian's for a turkey dinner and a great time just being together; preparing dinner, sitting down to dinner, video collection discussions, and all that laughter filling the air..

Plus I got to drive a little bit - backing out the driveway, waiting to let another car out, 3 point turn before going back up the driveway :) I didn't know I could still drive a stick shift!

After that wonderful afternoon, went to watch "Inside Man" with Esther and Angela :) Had a good few laughs with the girls while waiting for the movie to start.. It was really good show - do try catch it!

Overall a good weekend :) Sad bits here and there - but we'll just keep this post a happy one ey?

Near or far. In touch or out. Old or new. Close or distant. Naughty or nice.

I love my friends :)

Feels like..

© Olivier Mériel

Easter: Celebrating what we don't deserve..

Went to crosswalk.com and read this article by Lori Borgman, this is just an excerpt. Click HERE for the full article.

"Recently, 12 American tourists on a B'nai B'rith trip to South America were killed when their bus fell down a mountainside. A reporter asked a rabbi if he questioned why God allowed such a bad thing to happen. The rabbi answered, I do not question God for the bad things that happen, just as I do not question God for the joyful things that happen. What a rare breed. A man who did not believe he deserved an answer.

It is no small irony that though we often live life pursuing what we may falsely or rightly believe we deserve, the holiest holiday on the Christian calendar celebrates not getting what we deserved.

We deserved something all right. Wrath. We richly deserved the penalty for sin, self-centeredness, arrogance, pride, greed, gluttony, hard hearts, mean spiritedness and all the rest. But, the thing is, we didn’t get it.

Christ did.

He took what I deserved, every lash, every hit, every piercing. He took what I had coming. He paid the price I deserved to pay, was crucified, dead and buried, and on the third day rose again.

They say a good way to distinguish between grace and mercy is to remember that grace is getting what you didn't have coming, and mercy is not getting what you did have coming.

Easter is the celebration of mercy.

The next time I open my mouth about something I deserve, may God freeze my speech mid-air and bring to mind the joy and thanksgiving of not getting that which I deserved the most of all."

How could I forget the meaning of Easter, how could I have taken that for granted?

Thank you Lord for Your forgiveness, and for giving me what I don't deserve, and for holding back what I do deserve.

Let that truth sink in.

Inspired and particularly poetic today..

Inspired to be a great doctor by Prof. O'Brien.. He is incredible! I believe he genuinely does care bout his patients - he may not be able to remember all their names but the empathy and compassion is just so evident.

"Its our privilege to be able to treat these patients, not our right.."

"..And we always put our patient's safety first."
Sounds obvious - but its just something we really got to take and internalize. I can't think of any scenarios off the top of my head (because of the lack of knowledge thus far) but hopefully will be able to soon enough :)

"Don't come back over the weekend, we can handle it ourselves.."
Hehe, Prof. O'Brien was pulling the mick cos we came in today even though we're officially off for our Easter break ;) All Dee's fault! But really glad we went in today..

We were walking with Prof. O'Brien in the CSI looking for a room to have our tutorial in, and some final meds saw us with him and said, "Look! Look! Third meds! Let's follow them!" For wanting to join our tutorial, I'd say they must be stressed, either that or they were just having fun ;) All the best to all you who are sitting the exams this week :) Mel, Annie and Murni :D God bless!

Walked home alone today - a rarity these days.. Just watched the birds fly.. Ever seen one fly in place? The just look like they're hovering 20 feet off the ground :P Happens when they're trying to fly into the wind.. And I just felt poetic, without having any words.

Bad mood..

I don't think I've been in a bad mood for a while? I think. But last night was just bad. Just so many things running through my head. And I just want it all to end - and I don't mean that in a /SUICIDAL/ way. Why can't life just be simple? Just want to live a somewhat scheduled and planned out life with some room for deviation - but yeah I want my life to be structured. I say that now - but when it happens, I wonder if I'll be happy.

"Who knew you had such audacity?"
But its okay, I'm okay, we're all okay..
Everyone's entitled to be who they want to be..
You can't please everyone, no matter how hard you try.

Anyway, on a lighter note :) The weekend is coming a day early this week :D We get Friday off - its Good Friday! Of course we're getting it off! And we're off til Tuesday - yayyyy! Plans for the long weekend? Going to stay over at my little snail bro's house - we're going to watch episodes of One Tree Hill, Desperate Housewives.. We're going to eat bak kut teh and fajitas! And Doritos with dips :D And we're going to be online all day and night. And we're going to.. Talk talk talk :D Hee hee.. Can't wait! Will remember to include some plans to study and go to the gym as well :D

I think shorter posts are better than longer ones - what do you think? Bite sized pieces rather than beefy chunks?

I'm in such a weird mood; moody, sleepy, tired, bored and HYPER..

A&E

Hung out at A&E with Ailbhe today :P Didn't really get to see or do much there - other than get in the way of the doctors and nurses there.. Got to take a history - had a bit more confidence which was cool :) Got a lift home from Ailbhe's mum.. So sweet of them to drop me off :)

So results came out today - congrats to you guys who are happy with your results :P To the rest (like me) we're gonna come back with a bang! Don't get discouraged - we all know ourselves if we did our best (or not even close to our best) and we've got so much time - we'll definitely do better :) Don't get discouraged. We learn from our mistakes, yeah? There's always that regret and the beating ourselves up about it after but - things do work out for good :)

And..

"If only you wanted me to, and if you'd let me, I could be there for you.. "

Oh yeah, *with my head hung low* Arsenal lost to Man United :( 2-0..

Get yourself together..

You got stuck in a moment, and you can't get out of it..

This is just too too TOO cool - www.myheritage.com

Check out which celeb you look like :) Haha, it's just a feel-good thing.. Feels good doesn't it, when people tell you that you look like a famous beautiful person?

P/S.. It's not that accurate :)

The best sleep :)

Got me a good 8 hours of sleep last night - so fresh! But had to take a cab into the hospital today - kinda overslept ;P Forgot to bring my jacket :( Have to act macho today - walk home without a jacket.. We'll see how that goes..

Anyway - the weekend is ALMOST here!!

Oh yes.. As I'm all for embarrasing myself.. Check this out :)

I like Sha's caption: "What do you get when 4 best friends try to harmonize to a t.A.t.U song?"

PS. We were not drunk. I repeat we were NOT, I repeat NOT drunk. Those glasses on the table contain ICE LEMON TEA. Hee hee hee..

Enjoy!

Nasi goreng, yakitori and fine beans :)

Yo wazzaP!

Was supposed to write this post last night - hence the time and date of this post being wrong.. I ended up going to sleep instead :) Got myself a good 7 hours of sleep :D Was so so tired yesterday - just couldn't concentrate.. We were shown a video on chronic inflammation and.. I.. For the first time.. Slept in class.. For the FIRST TIME.. Had a good 20 minute nap before KJ stuck his hand in front of my face and started waving it ;P I think that's what he did anyway.. I'm not sure.. Woke up only to find Dr. G already starting his lecture.. Ohhh well :P

Had a tutorial with Prof O Brien yesterday, gonna have one today with Dr. Dunne.. He is really nice - why I'm still scared of him, I do not know.. There's just an aura of greatness about him.. He took us to see a patient yesterday with a gangrenous little toe.. Not as gruesome as I had thought it would be but.. Yeah, the guy was really nice and very accomodating :) Went to another patient with a Charcot joint as a complication of diabetes. I do not enjoy taking histories.. It just seems so easy when you're thinking about what to ask and all that, but when it comes to DOING it.. I think I need a lot more practice and more confidence. And I need to know what I'm doing - haha.

This week has gone by pretty fast - it's already Thursday, the weekend's just around the corner :) So how did the first week of clinical attachments go? Pretty cool :) Opening my eyes a little more, testing how well my body can work with less sleep.. Bacteriology and pathology.. Hrmmm, interesting but at the same time - boring - mostly because by the time we have those lectures we're too tired to be paying full attention.. Medicine and surgery lectures are really cool though..

Oh yeah!! Arsenal are in the semi-finals OF THE UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE :D

Oh yes, the title of the blog is what I had for dinner last night, and what I'm having for lunch today :) Wheeeeeeee :D Oh and I forgot to put in Japanese fish cakes as well :) Yum-yum :P

Speaking of food..

My current obsession: ICEBERGERs
I have to have one at least once a day.. Was looking for a picture of it earlier, no luck :( Will take a picture myself and show youuuu :D YUMMY YUMMY..

Another new-found friend said "'Stacey' and 'food' are synonyms."

Morning at the Diabetic Day Clinic

Spent a couple of hours this morning at the Diabetic Day Clinic.. Started off hanging out Dr. Mongan and Ailbhe in an empty consultation room discussing diabetes.. Then moved on to observing what nurses at the clinic did and do ;P They're responsible mainly for patient education, and other things like measuring patients' weights and such.. But yeah, the relationship they have with patients is really cool, patients are way more comfortable around nurses than they are with doctors..

Then sat in with Dr. Dinneen.. He's great :) Real nice guy - took time to explain the reports to me, and asked what I thought and listened to what I had to say :) Saw a couple of patients that got me thinking? Something I don't really do often ;P

First patient was someone with Down's syndrome.. I've never actually met a person with Down's, and that just raised my awareness a bit more.. But what struck me most, was the love that just shone through her father's eyes.. "Sometimes after her bath, while I'm drying her feet, I tickle them.." To make sure she's still got sensation in them.. She was doing really well in managing her diabetes, and I believe its because she's got two parents who love her so much.

Saw a few other patients with different levels of management - some had their condition well under control, others - especially the ones who were recently diagnosed - didn't understand their condition well which lead to poor management..

Another patient that opened my eyes a bit, was one who had to be admitted to hospital.. Wonder what it'd be like - coming in for a routine check, only to be told you would have to stay in the hospital for a couple of days - especially when you felt completely fine.. I've got this mindset that only people with more serious cases would be admitted into hospital - maybe I've got the bar for 'serious' set too high.. But it's all about management of a disease as well, if the best way to treat a patient is by having them close by, then so be it.. Especially when you don't know when the patient will be back, and when know the patient isn't caring for themselves right.

Think the topic of this blog is soon going to be 'A day in the life of.. another medical student' hahaha ;) Now I have something to say :) Tee hEE hEE :D


L-R: Sumi, Steph, me, Ish, Shu and Cha Len :) Chinese New Year dinner 4th of February.. 2 months ago seems like such a long time ago.... Good times :)

This is..

The start of the 2nd quarter..

"First of all, I'd like to thank You, Jesus.."

The big 2-0..

TWENTY..

No longer in my 'teens'

"Well actually, I just turned TWENTEEN.."

Been a long weekend..

Thanks you guys for making such an effort to celebrate with me - I promise I won't be so depressed next year ;) Just jumped the 2nd hurdle.. First one was easy - just couldn't wait to turn 10, and then 11, and then 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, then uh-oh I see the next one coming up.. Have to start preparing to jump, 19.. And ker-PLOP.. Hehe, 20 - I have arrived..

"Mayyybe, I should have got the return ticket instead of one-way.."

Steph, Hema, Thava, Julian, Shu, James, JiZhang n Ish - thanks for taking me to Eastern Tandoori for lunch :) Won't ever be going there ever again - but that's a story for another day..

136 GD - The house that feeeeeds me :) Thanks so much for being so thoughtful :D Wish we'd had more time though - if only it wasn't Monday today.. But hey! Weather forecasts look good ;D The cakes you guys baked were SOOOOOO good!! Not only are they a household full of FUN, laughter, brains and last but not least LOVE.. But they're all BAKERS too!! Hehe, love you guys! Have a great week ahead :D

Afza - So sweet of you to dedicate a whole post on your blog to wishing me happy birthday :D Great job on the photo slideshow :D So sweet :D And sorry didn't get to spend time with you yesterday.. Tonight ok??

Steph - Thanks so much for having me over and just for being such a gracious host and yeah, for just being there to listen, and not to judge, and also for distracting me for a while.. Love you loads :)

To my beloved housies - house outing tonight!! Yayyyy ;) Love you guys, and missed you the past couple of days.. But I'm baaaack! Mwahahahaha..

Scones..

Raisin v. Plain..
1. Raisin scones have raisins in them :P Plain scones do not.
2. You have to put butter and/or jam on your plain scone :P You only have to put butter on your raisin scone.

See? I do have something to say..

100/60 mmHg

"Low blood pressure can be a sign of good health in some people with no symptoms (e.g., athletes), indicating that their hearts, lungs and blood vessels are well conditioned and in good working order." Cool, so let's just assume the that's where I'm at :)

Yeah, scratch that :P Normal range for blood pressures is 90/60 mmHg to 130/80 mmHg.. I'm starting to doubt how dependable my web resources are.. Athletes have a higher blood pressure than normal - says who? Says SUPER-GER!!!

ARSENAL BEAT JUVENTUS 2-0!! Fabregas and Henry scored :D

This is Princess :D Miss my doggies.. There's also Fiona ;) Put up a picture of her another day :)

Do I really have nothing to say?

..other than what I did today, yesterday, what happened to me whenever it happened?

Oh.. I just remembered a phone call I got yesterday.. Forgot to tell the housemates :P Our refuse charges for this year and what we didn't pay for last year amounts to a grand total of €435.. That's so crazy..

Yeah I don't think I really have much to say, other that what goes on :P Anyway this blog is supposed to be sort of a way to keep in touch? Yeah, just to let people at home and around know what's going on with me :) Is that acceptable? Hehe..

Can't believe its already Saturday.. Tomorrow's Sunday, and then its gonna be another long but quick week.. Lots and lots to do.. Hehe, just realised I already mentioned that in my previous post..

Yeah, let's talk about this whole clinical skills course :) Something other than my day to talk about.. Its gone by incredibly fast.. Feels like we just started, who knew 3 weeks had gone by..

3 weeks.. Had to say goodbye.. Alan and Kelly have left for good :( Its so much easier to leave t han it is to be left behind, the ones left behind have to carry on without you, but the ones who leave have a whole new life to start. Miss them both so much, I think I'm still in denial that they've really gone.. Maybe they're just on a trip back.. But I know deep down they're not..

3 weeks.. Got myself a boyfriend :P Things are going good :) But yeah.. Still getting used to this whole relationship thing.. Still not comfortable with expressing affection.. Still getting used to hanging out with friends together :P But it's all good..

3 weeks with an awesome tutor - Dr. McEnroy :) She takes us to the most relevant patients and its just been great learning from her.. Although we end late most days, I'd say the tutorials are the best part of the day :)

3 weeks.. Went to Dublin :)

3 weeks.. Lost a little weight because I was sick the first week :P

3 weeks.. No studying done whatsoever.. A lot of hands-on work which is great - I learn so much better that way :)

3 weeks.. Of getting to know my lovely group mates :) 5 Irish (James, John, Alva, Dierdre & Sine) and 5 Malaysians (Alia, Aimi, Pulut, Nadiya & myself) Yeah, hope we get to be in the same group for attachments too :)

Hee hee, still going around shaking people up asking if they're OK.. Hope it gets old soon :P

Off to Tesco I go :)

Are you OK? ARE YOU OK??

Just had a BLS (Basic Life Support) session ;) Ask me if I know how to do CPR bebehhh.. Hehe..

Gym then Ju-on and dinner tonight.. Cracking down on research for our group presentation, start studying for the MCQ on Friday, laundry, grocery shopping, catching up on sleep.. Church Sunday morning - the weeks are seriously FLYING by.. Think it all comes back to being tired at the end of the day, having dinner and showering, preparing for the next day, usual pre-going-to-bed routine and then the grand finale, sleeeeeeeep :D Of course that doesn't include all the SMS's that have to be sent and replied and so on.. Anywho, I'm off to an ECG tutorial :P Whoop-de-doooo.. A little hyper today.. Hope it lasts :)

Buh-byeee :)

I wanna go.. somewhere :)

Wanna go on another holiday :P Just found out today that our Easter holidays run from the 13th to the 18th of April.. Right now I just find myself being so tired (cf. Afza) You're not the only one :P Yeah so a typical day's routine would be, get up at 7am, lie in bed til 8am, get ready and eat, start walking to the CSI at half 8.. Lecture at 9, breakfast with KJ at 10, clinical examination at 11, break from 12 - 3, practical skills at 3, tutorial at 4, start walking home at 6 plus.. Get home, cook, eat, shower and before I know it, it'll be 12 and I'd be regretting not going to sleep earlier.. Tonight am going to sleep early though :P So exhausted - my fault for staying online til half 1 last night.. And didn't really get to rest well since Monday - went to the gym and still not recovered yet.. The aching only started this morning!

Today we had a thing on suturing :) Pretty cool stuff.. But didn't get to practice :( One day, one day..

Going to sleep now, but will leave you with a picture :D My little snail brother and myself :) We just click and its so awesome :) Couldn't have asked for a better friend :) 5th med we'll be housemates ok? Remember you promised meeee :D

This picture was taken at our usual hangout bar - 'The Living Room' this time without the glasses of vomit courtesy of a member of the 136GD household ;)

Without crazy guys trying to tackle Thava for having 5 hot chicas dancing around him :P What other adventures did we have I wonder :) That's it for now :D Will try to remember some more for your entertainment..

Tune in again during the day for more up to date news in the life of a tired and greedy (the kind related to food) percussion-extraordinaire (as in respiratory examination-yeah bebehhh..)

Goodnight all :)

Schistomiasis

Why did I volunteer to present?

To Dublin and back, and to the hospital and back..

Went to Dublin :) Wasn't a very fruitful shopping trip, but had sOOOO much fun with my little 5-year old little tì tì :)

We went to 'sleep' at quarter past 2, and ended up talking and talking and talking til, "Oh shit, it's 5 o'clock" then talked some more before deciding to finally sleep :P An hour later, KJ woke up and started getting ready - leaving me in bed til quarter to 7.. Taxi arrived at 7 and we embarked on our day trip :) Talked some more on the bus, good thing we decided to sleep or things would have ended up something like, "Oh shit, we're in Dublin already?"

Had breakfast at Burger King and then started shopping.. Shopping wise - I came back with a new pair of pants (trousers) and a new pair of shoes :P Pretty unfruitful - imagined myself coming home, up to my elbows with bags and bags of stuff.. But no.. Whenever you set out with the purpose of buying something, you end up finding nothing.. And when window shopping, you end up finding everything you've ever wanted :P Haha, I exaggerate but that's the irony of it..

Food wise - nothing could go wrong - other than ordering too, too much.. Dim sum for lunch! (an hour or so after 'breakfast') Hmmm, what did we have.. We had.. Siew mai, ha kaw, char siew, siew yuk, jellyfish, beancurd rolls, lo mai kai, prawn dumplings, char siew pau, egg tarts.. Can't remember what else.. But for 2 not-so-hungry friends, it was a lot.. Ended up playing a game, just so we'd be able to finish everything.. We asked each other questions, and if someone didn't get the answer right, or didn't have the answer to their own question - they'd have to eat up :) Good game, haha, cos I won! Mwahahaha.. Still ended up having to take food away :P So, maybe now you have an idea of how much we ordered.. Pudged around Grafton and Henry Street with full bellies after that.. I gave up on shopping after the abovementioned bought items, and we went to look for the 'Oriental Emporium' instead.. Bought some Asian food to bring back and then went to Haagen Dazs.. And we ate the fondue for 2 :) Aaaaaah.. SOOOO yum-yum ;) Went back to Burger King again after that - to buy food to take on the bus..

Saw a lady at the ATMs begging for money, and saw a man on the street playing the accordion and entertaining a group of people for money.. Which one would you rather be?

Today went to church as usual :) Message today was really good.. Bout temptation.. You think you've heard it all but.. Yeah, you haven't really :P Temptation isn't sin, they're not interchangeable words. God can use your temptations to reveal what's in your heart - what you're hungry for.. Those are the main things I got out of the sermon today :P The excitement of the day must have kicked them out my brain..

After church, Steph, Ji, Esther and I went over to Hema's place to hang out before we all went to McD's for lunch.. KJ and Thava only arrived later.. But yeah, I felt a little awkward cos it was sorta the first time we all hung out after Thava and I got together.. I do not enjoy being teased. Just get a little annoyed and yeah.. So uncomfortable.. Anyway.. Yeah, got a couple of things from Dunnes after that and came home..

Boring afternoon, tidying up and ironing and folding some laundry.. Until I got a phone call from Zool, "Afza can't wake up! Can you call an ambulance?" Ran downstairs and picked up the phone book to look for an emergency number.. Didn't find one so looked for hospitals and called UCHG.. After calling, went to tell Sheila and Imran who were in the kitchen.. Raced to Afza's house to find the paramedics standing over an unconscious Afza, taking her blood pressure and checking her blood glucose.. Blood pressure was raised and blood glucose was normal.. They tried to wake her up as well, and it didn't work. Zool tested her pupillary reflex earlier (shone a light into her eyes to see if her pupils contracted) and they were absent. Ambulance took her to the hospital where she was taken to the 'Resuscitation room' to be resuscitated obviously.. Zool was with her then, Sheila, Zaidan and I were sitting outside just waiting.. Finally got to get inside and the nurse told us she'd be OK.. No sigh of relief yet though, she was still unconscious.. Blood pressure was low and heart rate was much lower than normal.. And her arms just felt so cold.. And she looked so tired.. The nurse then gave her an IV drip of a sodium solution, and wheeled her into the next room.. After a couple minutes, Afza came to and I called Sheila and Zaidan in.. Then the sigh of relief :) Apparently she fainted because of an overreactive vaso-vagal reflex.. It's happened before but they didn't diagnose her condition. She's fine and well now, sleeping off her tiredness :)

And its the beginning of another week, wonder what happened to the last one and why it went by so fast..


My lover-ly pancake from 2 weeks ago.. Picture taken.. 2 weeks ago :D Mwahahaha..

Happy St. Patrick's Dayyy :D

For once my day began at half 1, rolling out of bed into a cold and messy room.. Spent a couple of hours tidying and organising before making myself some lunch - black pepper beef and fried rice :) Took me 10 minutes to make and cooking made me happy :)

Oh yes, hello there :) Welcome to what's probably my 7th or 8th blog in 5 years? Hehe.. Yeah.. Another blog just for fun - not like I maintained the others.. I say this at the beginning of most of my blogs - that I'm going to make an effort to keep it alive.. I think I mean it this time :) I've got some friends who've started blogs too, and others who've started updating again so.. Hopefully will be motivated to keep on updating :)

Went to watch 'The Pink Panther' just now with Thava, was a pretty silly movie at the beginning but ended up being a fun movie :) Went into 'The Hills have Eyes' for the craic.. 2nd movie that I've walked out of in my life.. It was just getting too twisted for me, so let my guard down and let myself be seen as a scared, little girl :P Wonder when I started becoming such a chicken..

Going to Dublin in the morning with KJ for a shopping spreeeeee :) Just started our clinical skills course 2 weeks ago? And am already running out of formal clothes to wear :P Shops in Galway are limited and have very little variety.. Hence the day trip to Dublin :) We're getting a half 7 bus in the morning and an 8pm bus back.. Exciting schtuff :D Staying over at KJ's tonight - my very gracious host :) I get to sleep on the bed, while he has to sleep on the floor..

Will post some more when I get back :) Take care and have a good weekend people :D Leave you with a picture..

Hello :)

YO!