Personal update

What have i been doing this holidays?

i think when things are coming to an end, you start to reflect on its duration and everything that has transpired in between.

as i look back on 3month long summer break (yea, its summer over the end of the year in Australia), i begin to feel rather fulfilled. i had it rather packed with activities.

Youth Fellowship 

first, i headed down to Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai in Thailand for a Youth Fellowship camp at Bethel Development Center. The individual entry about that can be found here. I still think its a blessed trip and i am glad to get to know the youths in my church better, getting more engaged in friendships.

Psalm 133

 1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

 2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;

 3 As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

Military Roots 

then, i headed back to conscipt time back at 42 SAR, an Armour camp. I had one month of national service remaining in my liability and couldn’t wait to finish it up. when i finished it, it felt great. it signified the real end of my service and part for the country, for now.

My first surgical experiences

then i slacked about for a few weeks, spending much time with my significant other Vanessa, before i felt a little bored and decided to sms my beloved mentor, prof low, and asked if i could do an attachment at TTSH. that i did and the past 2 weeks has been great. i observed surgeries, helped in a few, and it was definitely an eye opening experience. i met a great MO Glenn who was really kind and warm, explaining to me stuff that i didn’t know. we hit it off especially since he was an AI spec previously from 42 SAR. he did his MbChB in glasgow and MRCS that as well. Cool. I observed a few surgeries: removal of piles (hemorrhoidectomy), cyst removal from a knee, and a laparoscopic hernia repair. I assisted in a 3-hr long gastrectomy, (darn the holding of retractors and intestines away to expose the sites), and thyroidectomies (subtotal and total). Learnt a thing or two, like the importance of avoiding the recurrent laryngeal nerve during thyroidectomy to prevent post-op symptoms like hoarseness or coarseness of voice, or the important parathyroid glands to prevent Ca imbalance. And one last important takeaway: SURGERY SIMPLY ROCKS!!! when glenn asked me, albeit admitting himself it was a little early, that if i would be coming back next time, i said hell yea. surgery is so much cooler. i can’t see why anyone is not settled for this exciting discipline. and hey, free lunch at the scrub canteen.

Home 

now that i am to head back to melbourne after chinese new year, i feel a lil sad. i am leaving singapore, the place where my loved one is. i do hope van can come over in july for a holiday. on the other hand, i am quite excited as the new semester is beginninig. i hit it off in a new living environment, a house of our own. i am sharing it with 2 friends, also from singapore, also studying medicine. i do hope mingjian and ethan will be great housemates. they are already great friends and brothers in Christ. i also start off the semester with a bang, being a year 2 guide at our med fac’s transition residential weekend, bringing the yr1s around, orientating them to their new life in medicine.

well thank God from whom all blessings flow.