Tuesday, January 08, 2008

Public Hospital Sucks, My Back, Still Busy

It's been more than a month since I last updated, but I'm not dead yet. Remember I was having some backaches and I thought I was going to have a relapse? Well, here's what really happened...
I called up in the morning of 26th November to my chemo-oncologist Dr Whang's clinic and asked if she was around. I told the receptionist that I needed to see her because "I'm having some backaches and I'm very scared". I went down to the clinic and saw Dr Whang. She was kinda shocked because she had only seen me about a month back. I told her about the backaches and she said that since the liver ultrasound done a month back was clear, she'll only send me for a bone scan. Since only SGH had a slot for me to do a bone scan, I had no choice but to travel there.
When I when there, the registration was quick and I didn't have to wait long. I never ever liked nor fancied public hospitals but their fast service was kinda like changing my opinion. But, this is when my ordeal started. I was called into the preparation room and they had to inject the isotopes into me. Guess what, injection failed, never inject saline to test first, isotopes cannot enter vein, hand pain, BIG bruise. Then they had to find another "opening", which is at the underside of the elbow. Luckily, it was successful. But this event only made me hate public hospitals more! Out of sooooooo many damn blardi times I went to private medical institutions for during the past 2 years for chemo, isotopes/ contrast/ tracer injections for scans, blood test, etc, I only had the "failed" injection scenario less than 3 times!!! I went to SGH, and the failing rate there was only 50%!!! Faint...
Best part has yet to come. After the scan, I told them that I want to collect the scan myself, so do not despatch the scan to the courier to bring back to the clinic. I said so because "personal" courier is much faster that any batch courier. The radiologist told me ok and will leave a note to the receptionist. The next day, when I went back to SGH, tada, the scan gone and was couriered to the clinic. I told them I needed to see my doctor urgently which is why I want to come down to pick it up personally and not wait for the courier! Blood really boiled lor... I almost blew up when they said the courier will deliver to the clinic "tomorrow". I explained again, I know there will be delays, which is why I want to collect the scan personally! Then they called the courier service and they said despatched already. I called back clinic to check, they say not yet.
So, I decided to try my luck and go back to the clinic first. Luckily the scan was back. Saw Dr Whang.Turned out that the mysterious backache was due to some inflammation due to some "bone flare". To all my dearest friends, I'm so so very sorry if I had scared you. I scared myself too.

The last time I updated, I was so freaked out about the backache I forgot to blog about A*Mei's concert. Damn it, she made me cry again. When she made a tribute to her mentor, Zhang Yu Sheng aka Bao Ge, she was crying, so I shouted, "A*Mei, don't cry." But, I was actually in tears. It was heart wrenching when images of her and others were outside Bao Ge's ward, huddling themselves in a circle, praying for him flooded my memory. It was heart wrenching when images of her in the recording studio, trying to finish up recording a song (which specially written for him days after the accident) but it was so difficult to do so because she kept crying flodded my memory. It was damn heart wrenching. (Now that I'm recalling what happened, I'm crying again) But I really really enjoyed the concert. I had sooooo much fun screaming and shouting that I had a throat infection the next day and couldn't go to work because I have no voice.

November's event for Student Council was finally over and I thought I could have a break. Well, I kinda did. Was with Dear at a chalet with just 2 of us for most of the time. My definition of break is slack, stone, do nothing, watch tv, vcds, movies, shop, and almost anything non-intellectual. But, organising BBQs during 2 nights of the chalet did burn a little brain cells.

After that? Nope. Life's not slowing down. Was working and coordinating timeslots for the Student Council applicants to come for an interview. After that? Nope. Lessons started. Research Methodology this time, textbook was damn freaking dry, and lots of chapters to read. Imagine reading the "technical" aspects of stats! Argh, one of the MAIN freaking reason why I'm a FSV/Mass Comm student is because I buay tahan Maths and Science! Faint lor... But I'm sooo glad lessons are over now. Sigh, time to mug for exams and ASSignments again.

Janice came back the other day for a short holiday. Hmm, being air stewardess a lot of money hor? Can fly back and forth from UAE to Singapore every few months? Too bad, I'm too short. Anyway, went to have steamboat buffet with her and a few other friends. First time in my life I burnt the bottom of the pot while eating steamboat! Apparently the noodles sinked to the bottom, no one cares and thus, instead of boiling the noodles, they "fried" instead. The next thing we knew, the bottom of the pot was charred and soup contaminated.

Just a few days before Xmas, I finally got the grades for the last 2 modules, less than a week apart, but I took the exams for the modules a month apart! Anyway, at least the grades came in a happy-news-sorta-way. I got A's for both! Woooohoooooo! Thankfully for the A's, my GPA is being pulled up.

The last week of December was kinda refreshing for me. I practically did nothing. I was just sleeping, watching vcds, playing boardgames with Dear and his friends. I was just slacking my time away. Recharged? Maybe. New year, new start... But still busy...

Having council interviews again next week... Spring cleaning my room now so that I have time to prepare for my exam on the 16th Feb. Luckily my group had set the dateline for our part in the group project to be finished by next week. That would give us ample time too edit and compile it too! Also, I have an individul project due, all these 2 on the same day as my exam.

Sigh, Whether I'm going for Chinese New Year visitation depends on whether I'm able to squeeze in much work done... But I wana collect ang bow!!! $$$

5 comments:

chillycraps said...

hey paced, long time never hear from you, glad to know that you are alright!

hmmm i never like public hospital. My experience with them is just horrible... but that's another story.

hey when you are free, do come for some gatherings leh~

Jas aka paced said...

CC: Thanks! Will try if schedule allows me to lah... hehehe

Anonymous said...

Take care of your health k. You had so many of us worried.

Jas aka paced said...

Thanks Arzhou!

I really apologise again for making everyone freaking out. Very very sorry...

Agnes said...

Be strong...i know it hard to go thru it...