Christine Tattles

ok! time for another update!!

2009-02-25T23:32:00.004-11:00

haha. the title's so tacky -_-"

anyways, i've been contemplating if i shld just close down this blog and concentrate on my wordpress blog.. although technically they both serve different purposes, but yeah.. it's taking too much effort to maintain & keep both active!! what do you think readers? :)

can't believe i'm at the end of my 3rd week of 6th year. gosh, time FLIES!!!! without me even realizing it. it's been a busy busy busy 3 weeks. who says 6th year is free huh?! i've been coming bck past 6pm everyday (and that's considered early).. i'm not exactly complaining, because i am doing the elective of my choice - ENT! *woot* and it has been really good - in terms of experience and exposure.. not to mention daunting, because it is such a diverse specialty, and when i think my anatomy's pretty fair - well, think again christine. reading anatomy in books, and seeing it LIFE (3D) is so so so different. so vast. so much knowledge out there waiting for me to acquire. but it's a good kind of daunting - not i NEED to study because i want to pass my exams kind, but i want to study because i want to know. so it's cool that way!

like i mentioned in my previous post, chris has moved out. *sobs* no more walking 2 doors away to see him, no more dinners together, no more free room-to-room calls.. and although we're in the same hospital, we haven't even had chance to have lunch together cos i'm always in theatre :( before those in LDRs stone me, i know i shldn't complaint) it's just that, i guess it takes some getting used to la.. right? but am glad that he & rahul has found a place to stay, and are settling in nicely now. his place is just opposite CIBO's ok (btw, Cibo's serves only the BEST mochaccino & iced coffee imho). how unfair is that??!! haha.. and he's a stone's throw away from the shopping street. how unfair is that??!! (oh have i said that already??) :P

have started bible college!! :) the best part is, chris & i are doing together.. and our first module is Old Testament Survey which has been AWESOME! ps Greg rocks. haha.. the bible rocks! God rocks!! all these misconceptions abt the OT being impossible to understand is being proved wrong one by one.. interesting!! nothing close to being boring.

despite our busy schedule, we somehow managed to fit in a valentine's day celebration & catch a movie together. teehee.. in fact, we watched 2 movies since we got bck! Revolutionary Road & Slumdog Millionaire. *contented smile*

here's one of my favourite picture to end this post :D

random thoughts

2009-02-03T06:01:00.002-11:00

"kind words, at the right time is far more valuable and uplifting than a thousand upsetting words."

"trust is something that is gained. not assumed."

these are the thoughts that were running through my mind today. and these thoughts were birthed out of personal experience.

Today...

2009-01-28T21:43:00.005-11:00

I feel confused. I feel suffocated. I feel trapped.

Psalm 56:8, “You know how troubled I am; you have kept a record of my tears” (GNT).

Sometimes ashamed, wishing that I could be more "big-hearted". More "open minded". But it's just not that easy.

Yet, the Bible says nothing in creation is hidden from God (Psalm 147:5). And that it doesn't surprise him. His love for me does not change.

Because He knows, and He understands, I “Give all my worries and cares to God, for he cares about what happens to me” (1 Peter 5:7 NLT).

Amen.

(God knows what I'm going through, and He has prepared this devotional by Rick Warren for me to read.. Rick Warren is the author of Purpose Driven Life and also the one who prayed during President Obama's inauguration ceremony)

still having writer's block..

2009-01-11T06:25:00.005-11:00

but decided to write something anyway, just because i feel like it! teehee...

i finally bought something!!! yes. what an achievement. haih, for the past one month that i've been home, i haven't done any shopping, AT ALL. well, minus the shoes that i bought for the 2 weddings in KL (well, i can't be wearing flip flops/sneakers with my dress can i? :P). and yesterday, everything went bck to normalcy. *phew* i was starting to get worried. like, it's in RM and i'm not buying anything??!! so i started off with a few printed tees (i'm doing this for you baby!!) from factory outlet and brands outlet. in case you think i'm cheapskate, they're actually nice ok! and cheap too. i like cheap. *beams*

and today, i bought a black pants from MNG *joy to the world plays in the background*. and it's the kind that i've been looking for. *happy sigh* best of all.. it's cheap too! hahaha..

went for service at new creation church, and am so blessed by the worship and the preaching. i'm glad to be fed this trip bck, especially with grace & revelation. so i'm officially physically and spiritually fat now. hahaha..

looking forward to my upcoming trip to SABAH & HONG KONG.. omigosh omigosh omigosh. can't wait :D

i'm gonna end this super random post with one of my favourite pictures...

writer's block

2009-01-07T06:44:00.001-11:00

i've actually got lots to say! but i just don't know where to start... maybe i'll let pictures do the talking... soon. stay tuned :)

goodbye 2008, hello 2009!

2008-12-30T16:58:00.003-11:00

2008 passed so quickly! but it has been nothing less than AMAZING! and i believe 2009 will be even better.. :) i'm so excited. chris & i spent the first few hours of the new year talking and praying and committing the year ahead into God's hands :) last year, God gave us the word PROPEL, and indeed, in every area of our lives, He has propelled us to places we never thought possible. this year it's gotta be FAITH! with important decisions and changes in hand, we just want to trust and put our faith in the One who knows best, whose thoughts are higher than ours, whose plans are good and of peace :)

some of the decisions/changes in 2009:

1) deciding where to work.. to stay in adelaide? if so, which hospital? or to move interstate..

2) to actively consider the area of specialty that i want to go into, and work towards it..

3) starting part time bible school next yr! woohoO! i've been thinking about it all year..

4) would like to seriously take my baking to another level, and hopefully have more business eh? :) so if you have any parties, events and you need cakes/fingerfood.. look for me k? :)

5) chris will be moving out of the village *sobs* that's one thing that i'll have to get used to.

will add to the list as we go along :)

blessed new year everyone. praying that you'll have a fantastic God-filled, God-favoured year ahead :) *hugs*

Merry Christmas!!

2008-12-24T04:20:00.000-11:00

wee :)

2008-12-23T04:39:00.004-11:00

no, not wii. haha although the idea of getting one is tempting.

since i've been bck, i've......

2008-12-16T17:27:00.003-11:00

1) been eating non-stop.. not funny.

2) been gaining heaps of weight (of which i've vowed to start swimming daily, and eat 1/4 of my usual portion from now until christmas)

3) been the mosquitoes dream come true.. (*sigh* i'm spotty all over now. grrr.. i hate mozzies)

4) done NOTHING study related (woohOo that feels good to say)

5) done NO shopping (now this is PROBLEMATIC with a capital P! :( why laaaaaaaa....? i've been into MNG like in 3 different places and couldn't find anything although everything was so attractively cheap. i suspect it's because of reason 2. meh~)

6) experienced some massive "culture shock". i wonder whether it's always been like that, or it's only evident to me now because i've been away for a whole year? reading newspaper articles, encountering ppl, and looking at situations arnd me.. all this while, i've been adamant abt returning home to serve; i still am, except, to be realistic, it's going to be quite a challenge. so i've told my parents & chris that no matter what, even when i start working nxt time.. i will definitely come bck to malaysia at least once a year, in order to be regularly sensitized to the environment. heh.

7) seen my youngest niece for the first time, baby Elina. she is the sweetest thing ever.. :)

8) experienced God's grace, faithfulness and revelation in such an amazing way.. His planted some exciting desires and plans for the coming year for me, for us! :)

all in all, there's no place like home :)

verdict

2008-12-11T04:07:00.003-11:00

i'm unofficially a DR now!!!!!!!!! Praise the Lord!!!!!!!!!! My heart was beating irregularly irregular at a rate of approximately 150bpm all the way bck home from lunch, the moment i found out the results were released. hahahaha... YAYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

it seems so surreal. i suppose i need a few days to digest the 3 letters - NGP... after all these years, just for this 3 precious letters. what do they mean????? non-graded pass. just that. whatever it is.. i PASSED!!!!!! God's grace indeed. thank You Jesus!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

can't express how thankful i am to Him who has made all things possible. this year, as i have been telling everyone, has been such an eventful year. so saturated (in terms of commitment, and events, and experiences). but still, such an amazing year, filled with grace. without which, going through life (especially so this year) would not have been humanly possible. and i mean really, impossible. thank God for swot vac, although having been a gruelling 4 wks, has been an amazing time for me & chris to grow deeper in God, and a miraculously peaceful time (no stress, nothing). not because i was super confident in myself, but knowing that He's got my back.. and that I just have to do my best!

final exam as a medical student. i can't believe it! the journey has come this far. an amazing journey it has been, and will continue to be in the future :)

so 6th year, here i come :D

it's over!!!!!!!

2008-12-02T19:32:00.003-11:00

yahoO!!! exams are over.. overall, it's been quite a challenging week. but i thank God for seeing me through it :) and before i knew it, we were in melbourne! (remind me not to buy 6 am flights anymore... they are insane!) so the first 2 days were pretty much spent resting because of our lack of rest and chris falling sick. but we made up on the last day.. covered as much territory as we could, and filled our tummies with melbourne goodies until we're satisfied to the brim. funny how we only had effectively a day to spend in melbourne, but it turned out to be one of our best trips ever! :)

this deserves a whole new paragraph altogether... wait for it. wait for it.............

WICKED WAS SOOOOOO AWESOME!!!!!! omigosh, who hasn't watched it??!! what are you waiting for? GO WATCH NOW!!!! it's extended till the 8th of feb 2009 :D

anyways, in 2 days time.. i'll be touching malaysian soil! well, technically, singapore soil first than malaysia. but haha.. who cares. you get my point!!! and i have to PACK PACK PACK!!! last year, i went bck the day after exams, and i was just frantically throwing random stuffs into my luggage, hoping i don't miss out on anything. now, a year later, not much has changed (despite leaving a week later!!!). don't understand. probably never will. hahaha..

this year has passed by so quickly it's unbelievable!!!!!!!!! all i can say to sum up the year is: grace. so busy. but grace has seen me through.

as for now, just have to wait till next week when i collect my results, then the real holiday starts~!!! bring it oN!!!!!!!!!!!!

the time has come...

2008-11-23T01:26:00.002-11:00

finally, our 4 wks of swot vac has come to an end (and of taking deep breaths and giving standard replies of "nope, my exams are not over yet, because it hasn't even started!"). haha.. not that i'm complaining.. 4 wks is just nice. much needed. although, haha.. if it was any longer, i may go berserk :P

and this is it. i can almost see the finish line. all 5 yrs of medical studies, with this BIG exam being the last lap. i'm going to sprint. no looking to the left or right. only focusing on the prize, thoughts on how God has brought me through time and again, lap after lap.

this year especially has been such an eventful year. you must be thinking, why am i writing this on the day before my exams??!! go study la!! but yeah, this will serve as a mark. that when i look back a few years down the road. i'll remember. remember His faithfulness. remember how far He has brought me. and that i commit this exam, into His hands, once again.

well. keep me in your prayers! and to all my fellow batchmates. all the best!

Lifted Me High Again

2008-11-19T19:34:00.006-11:00

Listening to Lifted Me High Again, from the album For This Cause by Hillsong (yes, ancient) brings me bck to my JC days, when I used to attend City Harvest. Can vividly remember the atmosphere, the trumpet players (distinctly!), and of course, am then reminded of how God brought me through my 'A' Level days. It was a true demonstration of "impossible is nothing". Exactly what I need to know, cos at this very moment, I'm not as productive as I would've liked myself to be.. Cos for the past 4 hours, I've only covered Asthma. The good thing is. I'm still not stressed :P because He has just lifted me high again :)

more cupcake pictures

2008-11-15T17:12:00.003-11:00

sweet & rosy was what i had in mind while making this batch :) and i think they turned out picture perfect!!

[vanilla cupcakes with buttercream frosting; banana cupcakes with chocolate fudge frosting]

2 wks into swot vac

2008-11-09T04:44:00.003-11:00

my titles are getting a bit boring, even i had to stiffle a yawn as i wrote it :P

but haiyah, my brain juice (creative or not) is all recruited to absorb any form of medical knowledge i can lah. so if i forget names, birthdays & other things, forgive me k? i'll bounce bck to normal memory on Nov 29th :P hehe..

should be sleeping now, but just had a bowl of maggi (my comfort food!!!) because my empty stomach was complaining aloud - like seriously aLOUD. and also partly because, i needed a break from all the studying.

really wanna thank God for the past 2 weeks, although it's been wake-eat-devotion-study-sleep cycle throughout, there wasn't a single moment where i felt stressed, (bored maybe, but not stressed) at all. and i pray it will stay this way for the next 2 weeks - especially as i start paying more attention to practicing & brushing up on my clinical skills.

God I want to pass.... and like Joshua, i'm gonna hold my spear up until the battle is won! :D

ok, goodnight peeps~!

too much studying does this to you

2008-11-04T20:02:00.002-11:00

i was reading about oesophageal cancers - and i came to this part about the complications.

sometimes, it involves other mediastinal organs as well eg. recurrent laryngeal nerve invasion...

i interpret it as, the laryngeal nerve being constantly poked and prod!! isn't that annoying?! invade already, still want to invade somemore -_-"

anyways, i read on further, and it goes on to say...

there may be signs of hoarseness as a result of recurrent laryngeal nerve involvement.

haiyoh~!! then only i realized why it sounded so funny before, i took the word recurrent LITERALLY, when the recurrent laryngeal nerve is a structure of its own!

i knew that!!! i really did!!(in case you have already made a mental note not to come & see me nxt time) it just didn't occur to me at first. to redeem myself, the words 'recurrent' & 'laryngeal' were in separate lines that's why all these confusion took place! grr..

i may not be...

2008-11-04T18:28:00.003-11:00

1) an american

...neither am i

2) into politics

but i'm glad obama won :) when i first saw him giving a speech (on tv la of course!) i thought to myself, wow, a man with charisma, heaps of it! - i wouldn't be surprised if he became president.

let's hope the US will see a brighter future under his leadership. winning is only one part. executing it would be a story he has to tell in the next 2 terms.

p/s: his speech was pretty awesome! considering i only watched the end bit, but still feel like i was actually there, having that patriotic and hopeful moment. haha.. 'yes we can!' (echoes that for the exams..)

After a whole day of studying....

2008-11-03T20:14:00.003-11:00

i'm kinda saturated. scratch that. i am VERY saturated. you have to agree with me, rheumatology is NOT the most exciting subject on earth. but i'm pleased to announce that, i manage to cover 3/4 of it in a day :D anyways, past few days i've been studying orthopaedics, now rheumatology.. so it's all about bones and joints (and sometimes extra-articular features - non joints eg. heart, lungs), and i found some "abnormalities" in myself. i know they're benign one la. but i just thought i'd tell you :P

1) i've got clicking on my L hip when i walk
2) i've got crepitus on both shoulders & both knees
3) my R knee tends to give way when i walk
4) i have a 3rd heart sound!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! sounds like a horse gallop. lub dup dup. actually i know this a long time ago already. when i went for my checkup for visa approval 2 yrs ago, when the dr placed the stetoscope on my chest, she looked a tad bit worried - i nonchalantly told her, yeah, i've got 3 heart sounds! :P

the first 3 is probably due to my more "active" self last time. which essentially revolved around dancing. the 4th one.. not sure? physiological splitting kua..

and since yesterday, i've been having indigestion. threw up my non-digested dinner. and started burping non-stop, until NOW!!!! eww gross. any remedies???

i can't waittttttttttttttttt to go home!

cupcake photos!

2008-10-31T17:10:00.007-11:00

classy is what i had in mind working with these.
they are my "best sellers".

[chocolate cheese cupcakes with whipped chocolate fudge frosting with chocolate drizzled shapes]

Centrestage 2008

2008-10-29T00:55:00.007-11:00

some weeks ago, OxyGen (the International Students Ministry of Paradise Community Church) held an event at PCOM, where every lifegroup had to come up with a performance and we would be judged.. being so close to exams, we thought we didn't have the time to put everything together, practice and all. but thanks to our directors, sumi, yong ling & shee laine.......... & the rest of my beloved, awesome possum Village Lifegroup members. we did it! :) :) :) Chris & I couldn't have been prouder 'parents' to this wonderful bunch. we did have a lot of fun, despite the powerpoint not working (weifen did an amazing job on the animation & graphics), and we only had 2 practices.. but on that day itself, everything ran so smoothly. we've been praying about it the whole week leading to the event!! and once again, as always, God came through for us. and He spoke volumes of where there's unity, there He commands a blessing.

so here are some pictures of the wonderful people that were involved in making this possible :)

some funny behind the scenes, preliminary shots!

on the day itself

action!! but unfortunately not many photographs of the skit itself cos too much movements.

group picture. we won!!!!!

and this is us, the following week during our last official LG. sobs.

Stitch: This is my family. I found it. Is little, and broken, but still good. Yeah, still good.

Lilo: Ohana means family, family means nobody gets left behind. Or forgotten.

You guys have been awesome! :) We're all different. But we're same in that we share one faith. one love. one God. we're all broken in our own ways. but still good. still good. because God says so! :D

Parting at the end of this year doesn't mean, leaving things where they were. it means, taking it to another level!

Deut 10:21 He is your praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes. 22 Your forefathers who went down into Egypt were seventy in all, and now the LORD your God has made you as numerous as the stars in the sky.

swot vac!!

2008-10-26T22:55:00.006-11:00

first day of swot vac. woot~! had an amazing weekend of doing everything BUT studying. goodbye perinatal guidelines & ten teachers (for now).. hee..

i really thank God for a smooth sailing osce on friday. i was truly experiencing phil 4:6-7 - Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. my heart wasn't pounding, i wasn't shaking. all (but one) the stations went well.. will only know my results in 2 weeks, but they don't matter.. because what was more impt was knowing the Holy Spirit was with me through out! :D

after that, fuh~ big sigh of relief, celebrated by having a late lunch at kfc(to satisfy my cravings) and headed to friday night church soon after. i've posted a clip (in my other blog) we saw in church that truly moved me to tears. click here to watch it. highly highly recommended! :)

the next day, chris and i had a photoshoot to go to! haha.. long story. will tell you the details later (another post) once we get a hold of the products of the shoot :D we went to hog's breath for dinner (finally!!!!!!) and that was awesome. yum!!

on sunday i went shopping. wooHOO! bought a skirt. the picture doesn't do it justice. hmmphf!

and had dinner at gusto (linguine granchio's - awesome blue swimmers crab pasta) with the rest. ahh.. that marks the end of my wonderful weekend.

cos i promised to study starting today! :D started the day with ramen & veg & egg -> made by dear -> did our devotions -> study!!!!! -> dinner @ kopitim. yums! :D see how my life revolves on food??!! no wonder my arms so flabby now :(

wonka nerds is gonna be my companion to help me stay awake, and NERD of course ;)

more pictures up on facebook! so go check now!! :D

O&G

2008-10-21T01:21:00.004-11:00

what's that??!! the usual response i get. then i say, obs & gyn. i answer with another abbreviation. i guess, i tend to forget that as med students we have a lot of abbreviations that we think other ppl would understand. i wonder why the word abbreviation is so long? -_-"

obstetrics & gynaecology.. in short. women's health/medicine. see women are such complex beings that we have a whole 9 weeks rotation dedicated to our health. hah!

just got bck from prof dekker's place. long case + viva tmr. i'm first up! i hope i wake up and the bus doesn't leave me behind. osces on friday. keep me in prayer yeah! :)

i'm at peace (mentally, emotionally), but my body's fighting it. pls pray that my symptoms will resolve - they include tummy aches, bloating, irritable bowel, headaches (thks or no thks to having the XX chromosome).

i can't wait for swot vac!! :)

deut 10:21
He is your praise, and He is your God, who has done for you these great and awesome things which your eyes have seen.

yes! i've seen the great & awesome things He has done for me. and He will do it again. Amen.

why i love my boyfriend (part 1)

2008-10-18T23:58:00.003-11:00

because...
1) he sneaks into my room while i'm in the hospital and surprises me with this as my desktop wallpaper :)
2) he calls me girlfriend christine. hahahahaha.. who else on earth calls their girlfriend - girlfriend???!!!

almost there, but not yet

2008-10-12T12:50:00.008-11:00

5th year. 5th year. 5th year. 5th year. 5th year. 5th year. 5th year.

what a mind blowing thought. can't believe it's been 4.5 years since i stepped into medical school. wow. time flies!!! at the same time, it does seem i've been studying for a long time.. a very long time. for something that i never thought of doing in the first place, i think i've had a pretty good journey so far. i enjoy studying medicine (well, as a whole; can't say the same for O&G but haha yeah..), not the exams! *grins* and for me to come this far, it's all by the grace of God. from my "surprise" 'A' Level results (everyone thought i was going to fail, even I thought i was going to fail), to the day i stepped into IMU (and was so sure i wanted to leave - yes, orientation left THAT much of an impact on me), making lasting friendships in IMU (you know who you are), growing roots in CF (my greatest spiritual growth spurt), to coming to Adelaide with Chris (that was a miracle in itself), to God's providence throughout - money that always came on time, to passing 4th year, and now here i am. 2 more weeks to my O&G exams, and 6 weeks to the BIG BARRIER EXAM. it almost seems surreal how quickly this year has gone by.

why this sudden emo/nostalgic post. over the past week, many people have been asking me, so final year already?? and i have to go through the standard answer of, this is my final exam year, but i have a whole year of pre-internship before i graduate, and have the DR title in front of me. or some even asking what do i plan to do? i have many plans! some pretty ambitious ones too. but i guess before i start daydreaming about how my name tag will look - Dr Chow, i really should concentrate on how i can pass 5th year. sometimes it's scary. sometimes i feel a bit worried (ok A LOT)- looking at how hard everyone around me is studying. sometimes i scream to myself (in my head), "christine chow en li! can you please be a bit more hardworking??!!" other times, just numb and oblivious and don't really wanna care anymore. sometimes i get responses like "aiyahh.. you so smart, don't worry la" but the truth is, for every exam i pass, for every time i am relaxed and at peace before exams, it's solely because of God's grace. and when i do go off the rails, and become the worrywart that i truly am, God just reminds me of how he brought me through it all. worrying is not going to do any good eh?

so the reason for this post is, i am getting a bit worried now. but philippians 4:6-7 (The Message) says,

"Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life."

wow, i love this version of the verse. and for all those having exams out there. this is for you too! :)

while browsing for some vegetarian recipes....

2008-10-11T21:11:00.004-11:00

...i found this, and burst out laughing. [please click to enlarge]

wahaha!! ketjap??!! what's that? so funny right. ok la, maybe it's just me being easily amused. so.. as a break from all that studying (which only started yesterday. yes, i know. not cool. exams nxt week!!!!!), i decided to post some of my recent bakes - of which, the results i'm very pleased with (this sentence sounds grammatically wrong, but anyway). feast your eyes! ;)

chocolate cheese cupcakes with chocolate fudge frosting

cornflake cookies with chocolate drizzle

banana cake (yummy) with chocolate swirls.

everything's chocolatey!!!!

Highly Recommended!!!

2008-10-09T13:38:00.003-11:00

Type www.paradisecommunitychurch.com.

Click on the PODCAST.

You will need to download iTunes as well to be able to access the Podcasts. It's FREE!

You'll be blessed!

p/s: Look at what's in my iPod (on my sidebar) for other recommended Podcasts..

the weekend that was.

2008-09-29T15:54:00.003-11:00

thks for your concern peeps :) i am now well, & very much healthy. it's been a long battle with the BUG :P

here are some pictures from our recent LG bonding/fun session @ GLENELG!!!!! Good weather, good company.. what more can you ask for? ;)

The Village LG then... (Sem 1)

The Village LG now... (Sem 2)

More pictures on facebook :) So get a facebook account today!

determined...

2008-09-17T22:12:00.002-11:00

as a continuation from my previous 2 posts, yup i'm still sick. but that's not the point of this post. haha.. wait for it..

it has been abt 4 weeks now, and it was also 4 weeks ago i started o&g. while paeds kept me really busy, and the amount of things to study overwhelming, i didn't dread it. o&g on the other hand, haish~ the travel.. 8 am starts.. is getting to me. doesn't make it easier that i'm sick. yesterday i was so tired (cos i had to go to gawler [85 bus stops from the city, go figure!] as well), i came back & cook cos it was my turn, and went straight to bed at 730pm! i wasn't intending to sleep until the next morning but i did.. i woke up at 4 am, startled, distress & crying because i had so many things to do but i SLEPT! i don't know why i was so distressed! i didn't know what to do.. i settled a bit and read the bible, and then rolled around for a little while and drifted off to sleep again..

woke up again, and got ready.. left the house and walked to the bus stop. waited for a bit, the bus didn't turn up (panicking!! it left without me??!!). anyway, cut the long story short i had to wait another half hour for the next one to come, and i was late, again. because i had to depend on the bus! these are days when i pray to God that i had a car.. you have no idea how much i want it.

it's not that i hate taking the bus. i actually enjoy the rides. cos during these long rides, i take time to admire the scenery, reflect & spend time talking to God, and read. today was one of those days when i had a good chat with God. nevermind the fact i had to wait an extra 30 mins, and that i was late for a tutorial. why get worked up over circumstances you can't change huh? i guess i wasn't worked up, but i did complain to God la - why am i sick for so long la, why i don't have a car like other people la, or why put me in this hospital when i don't have a car, why do i always feel tired? why this, why that.. haha, i'm not always like that la..

after i had complained non-stop, i looked up towards the sky, and there i saw sun shining through the clouds and i felt God say, "You are my beloved, in whom I am well pleased" just like what He said to Jesus when he was baptized.

i sat there stunned for a moment. in the end, all my complaints didn't seem to matter anymore. because God had just told me, again, He loves me. and that He was pleased with me. eventhough i complained. eventhough i was imperfect. because He saw Jesus in me. grace. amazing grace. i don't deserve it, at all. my strength, my faith, my fighting spirit has been at an all time low these past weeks, but God has not forgotten me, neither has He left me to fend for myself. and He did not let me go through what i cannot bear. He knew i was near collapsing point, and His gentle reminder of love picked me up again.

i was wondering why the word 'freedom' has been repeating in my mind all this while.. i didn't think i needed it. i thought i was ok.. but i guess now i know. in His presence there is liberty, fullness of JOY. i should not be feeling tired all the time. i should not be dreading my rotation all the time. i should not be dreading waking up in the mornings. i should be looking forward to each day! thanking Him for the opportunity i have to study.. the opportunity to meet people!

hence, i am determined.. to get well, and seize the day! by God's grace of course ;)

addit: oh!! and, and!! i just saw my paeds results on the board. an A!!! *beams* thank You Jesus!

relapse! :(

2008-09-14T22:30:00.002-11:00

ahh, i'm sick again.... *cough cough* everything was going well, finished my course of antibiotics, and the very next day my sore throat and cough came bck again! *sobs* sigh.. halfway through the amc exam (which i signed up for as a simualted patient), the examiner jokingly said, you sound more like a TB patient than a paranoid schizophrenic! (oh yeah, i was acting as a schizophrenic. haha.. it was heaps fun!)

please pray along that i get well soon. i have a very busy week ahead. FOUR PBLs back to back. not funny at all..

will blog about my amc experience when i get better :) until then, have a good week people!

I will guide you along the BEST pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.. Psalm 32:8

My first "official" encounter with the Australian health system

2008-09-05T03:38:00.003-11:00

as a patient, as an international student.

to describe it in one sentence. "it burns a whole in my pocket (well my dad's pocket technically)".
i woke this morning feeling really lousy. had been coughing throughout the night, and my throat was really sore - couldn't sleep very well at all. went to see the gp who prescribed me the above. ahh, AUD 57 poorer :( and my card got rejected, somehow my money transfer didn't go through this morning. thank God for credit cards :)

you see, the system here is, you see the gp. your insurance covers 75% of the consult, so we usually end up having to pay a "gap" which ranges from AUD10-30 (depending on the nature, and length of your consult). after that, the dr usually writes you a script, which you have to go to your local chemist to get your medications. and for overseas students, our insurance only covers medications costing AUD31 and above for EACH medication. hence, the hole in the pocket :)

i guess for the sake of getting better, it's worth paying? hope i get over this soon. being sick is no fun at all...

pray along with me :)

the blogger's back :P

2008-09-02T18:54:00.000-11:00

i've now found a good time to blog. that's when stuffs get CANCELLED (omigoodness-how-annoying-is-that). i DO NOT wake up at 5.30-6 am in the morning to travel all the way up north to this hospital called LMHS to attend clinics in which:

1) is cancelled
2) is not cancelled but 70% of the patients fail to attend
3) is not cancelled but starts late
4) is not cancelled but hm, let's just put it this way, i don't get any/much teaching.

ahh.. i could've been at home studying right. or at least sleeping. haha.

anyways, it took me a long time to consider before i decided to blog about this because it's controversial lah.. but here goes...

sex.

ok guys, calm down. and before all ye people who has already picked up a stone and is ready to throw it at me. wait! and also it's not X-rated la. so don't have to close eyes/ears etc.

aih~ i just wanted to say la, in this o&g rotation is my first sort of formal sex education. we had a contraception and std tute recently, and i was like.. omigosh.. how can i confidently talk to my patients about these things when i don't even know all of it myself. i'm 24, and most of the people who would come for counselling would be in their teens or around my age.. i guess on one hand, i'm glad i'm so protected. but on the other hand. how naive can one be? it would be most embarassing to blush/feel awkward while taking a sexual history eh? it would also be difficult not to be judgmental as well.. ahh.. coming from an asian background and all..

and yeah, so while i was quite apathetic to the hype of early sex education in the past.. now i think, it's actually not a bad idea at all. i think kids should learn it the right way, rather than find out for themselves - of which i've heard some funny theories before in the past. i myself was just told, children come from God. and i remember asking my parents, err.. then how come Mrs A has a baby, but she's not a Christian also? not that i think other religions have no gods la. i was young at that time ok!! anyway, i don't think i ever got my answer until i was in form4 or something. heh.

so there.

next topic (also because i'm doing o&g now) is pregnancy.

haha.. i think those in imu knows all my "crazy" ideas of initially: NO BABY POLICY ie. adopt or nothing because SVD/LSCS is just UNTHINKABLE! stretch marks, weight gain aren't all that appealing as well.

then it progressed to.. ok fine. i'll have babies. but they must be delivered by LSCS. and also after i'm all qualified and accomplished, of course.

to now. actually, nothing much has changed since then. c-sect is still the way to go. haha.. except.. maybe, having a baby sooner than later is not such a bad idea after all. as in after getting married la of course, but not in the order of career first, family 2nd anymore.

and i guess also, i've come to this stage of life (mid twenties, quarter life "crisis") where one by one my friends are starting to get married +/- have kids, it kinda makes you think about stuffs like this too. and i know what you're thinking... NO, i am not desperate to get married. right chris? :P hahaha..

anyway, back to the topic. omigosh, after you've seen a delivery, you would so appreciate your mother/wife so much more for the pain YOU put them through, goodness gracious me. it's terrible................. *sigh* why did eve eat the forbidden fruit?? haha kidding. so human am i, pushing the blame around. but i thank God He is gracious eh? :)

ok. i'm going for a tute on vaginal examination and PAP smear now. it's going on till 8pm. wish me luck :S

p/s: and again, i'm sorry for the explicit details. i'm going through medical student diarrhoea syndrome now.

sorry...

2008-09-01T13:58:00.003-11:00

*runs for cover*

i know i've slacked with my blog updates. it's been a crazy busy month. now that i have 1/2 hr to spare before i go for my urea breath test, i thought, why not update it.. because silly me woke up with a dry and sore throat and took a quick swig from my water tumbler (without thinking obviously) which contained barley water and i was like oh noooo!!!!!!!!!!! i'm supposed to FAST since midnight and only take water -_-"

oh wells, if it weren't for the wait, i guess the spider webs in my blog wouldn't have been cleared eh? haha..

so why has it been a crazy month? studying for paeds exam was not funny. not funny at all. there were so many things to cover!!!!!!! i guess i spent too much time playing with kids instead of actually studying them, heh. so after paeds it was bang bang bang bang, every minute of my weekend was filled, and then came O&G (at LYELL MC!!! ahh pls let me complaint. it's soooo far!!!).

anyway i fell sick on the first week of O&G. epigastric pains, dyspepsia on monday and tuesday. fever, sore throat and body aches on wednesday (i was supposed to do a 24 hr shift here but i left early cos i couldn't take it anymore). dysmenorrhoea on thursday +++. (not that the other symptoms resolved, they were all just overlapping) haha.. went to see the dr, who thinks it might be h.pylori??!! no harm ruling out i guess. what's odd is.. chris has the same tummy ache too! so we both had to do a urea breah test, just in case. hopefully it's nothing. put both of us sickies together and you get 2 very tired ppl. also, august seems to be a happening month! it was like i had something on every single day.

come sunday, i was pooped. i thought i was strong you see.. it never occured to me how tired i was. until, i just broke down and cried. like a baby. haha.. not that i didn't enjoy what i was doing. or that i felt like giving up. i was just tired and overwhelmed. and all i asked was for a touch. just a refresher and i knew i'd be able to carry on. a touch was what i got. and i thank God He loves me so much! it feels good to cry - in the loving arms of God.

woohoO! so yeah. that's pretty much how my life has been since i disappeared from the blogosphere.. had a good chat with my dear great granddaughter eels last night. it's been a long time since i had one of these therapeutic chats. i miss you darl :)

ok time for my breath test. pray that it's NOT h.pylori otherwise triple therapy awaits.

p/s: sorry for the jargonic explicit description of my sickness.

Something worth sharing!

2008-08-19T22:51:00.002-11:00

Then your will show discernment, and your lips will express what you've learned. Proverbs 5:2.

Oh how I love the BIBLE - speaks to me in different seasons and situations!! How timely is this verse in the midst of my exams??!! and how I love sharing life with my stake - Chris, who encourages me with reminders like these :)

Surg exam today - totally unexpected questions, but it went ok :) i was more relieved than anything else. 1 down, 2 more to go :) can't wait till the weekend's here!!!!!

Physician Know Thyself!

2008-08-17T14:12:00.003-11:00

to all those medical students out there who are stumped (like me) and don't know what to do for their specialty in the future, try the algorithm below. most of you would have seen it anyway. hahaha.. it actually made it to the bmj :) according to this, i should be a dermatologist/opthalmologist cos I'm lazy. boo. haha.. i want to do surgery, but i'm not mean i don't think??!! but i guess if i "make belief" that I'm hardworking, and I AM nice.. I can do paeds too/physicians training :)

Veysman B. BMJ 2005; 331:1529

Joy to the World!!!

2008-08-04T02:51:00.002-11:00

yes i know it's august, and i also know it's not christmas yet. but this is indeed BIG news!! *drum roll*

because my baby has decided to revive his blog (the other one anyway :P). whoopeee!!!

go ahead, click on it. not catch, i promise. haha..

http://chriskia.wordpress.com

Jumbled up thoughts becoming concrete.....

2008-08-02T21:44:00.007-11:00

PROMISES...

Emotion → DEVOTION
Ruth to Boaz, as we are to Christ

FREEDOM in His presence

2 Cor 3:17

VICTORY
1 Cor 15:57

His POWER is made perfect in my WEAKNESS

2 Cor 12:9

Stop trying to get it RIGHT!

I have redeemed you, FULL PRICE!
1 Chronicles 21:24

oh how i love...

2008-07-31T16:05:00.002-11:00

1) The Dark Knight

i declare it the best movie of the year (last year was transformers, haha..). i'm surprised myself. both are such "guy" movies. but i must say.. this movie kept my eyes glued to the screen from the very beginning to the end. i even stayed to watch the credits, hoping there would be some "surprise" twist at the end. although i knew there would be none la. hahaha.. it was sooooo good that i feel like watching it again!! both chris & i were like, whoa. it was so good! we have to watch it again! and kudos to our new favourite cinema Palace Nova East End Cinema on Rundle St which happens to be the awesomest i-will-never-go-anywhere-else-to-watch-movies-because-i-have-forever-pledged-my-allegiance-to-it theatre experience!!!

i think christian bale is hot la. so so hot. rich too. hahahaha.. the best batman so far :) but i can't believe he smashed his lamborghini -_-" (it was like a knife piercing through our hearts when we watched it)

also, heath ledger is so psychotic! he really played the role well.. but at the bck of my head, i just can't help but think his role in this movie had something to do with his death. i mean, to be a good actor is one thing, but.. to be it.. is another. but he really does deserve an oscar! "why so serious..?"

michael caine was the perfect alfred, and this time around he had more character to his role. full of wisdom :) wouldn't mind having a butler like him any day..

Maggie Gyllenhaal... 'nuff said.

2) Dr T Kimber

haha this is super random. but getting him for common programme for the past 2 weeks just showed that common programme still has a "chance". i don't usually like neurology very much, but when he lectures, hmm.. i actually pay attention! (no not because he's good looking or hot okay) he just lectures very well :)

come to think of it. my recent lecture experiences has been pretty good. i don't sleep so much anymore :)

Easy Peasy Smarties® Cookies

2008-07-27T19:53:00.003-11:00

I guess it's about time I did something about my abandoned blog.. What better way than to post a RECIPE?? :) :) :)

So I've been on Child & Youth Health (CYH) for the past 2 weeks, this being my last week. Although it's supposed to be a "slack" rotation (says who? boo..), it ended up with a lot of travelling, and waiting around. One day, I'll be north. The other day south. In between, central (+ lots of waiting, I repeat). I guess it's understandable especially for youths (whose issues are mainly sex, drugs & alcohol) that they wouldn't want us medical students to sit in. I guess I wouldn't too if I was in their shoes. But the doctors could have let us go off early huh? So as a result from all my waiting, I saw this recipe in one of the magazines.... All's not lost I guess :) Here you go...

Preheat oven to 180 deg C.
Ingredients (modified):

A
125g butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
beat until light & fluffy

B
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla essence
add into A, mix well

C
1.25 cups plain flour
0.25 cups self raising flour
1/2 tsp bicarb of soda
sift and fold into the above mixture

place a spoonfuls of batter on to baking paper. flatten slightly with floured fingertips. place random coloured smarties on to cookie dough. bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

Summer Movies!!!!

2008-07-11T04:12:00.002-11:00

Geez.. so many movies to watch. so little money so little time. not to mention, i've been DEPRIVED of movies since coming back to Adelaide!

I've been wanting to watch Narnia since FOREVER! I love CS Lewis! Now it's not even showing in the cinemas anymore :( *sigh*

KungFu Panda! from the moment i watched the trailer, i knew i would like it... unfortunately, no i have not. *double sigh*

ok, my last hope! Any musical-cum-movie type thingy should be good.. i bet it's gonna be good. next week with the girls perhaps? :) *fingers crossed*

Done with Paeds ED :) woohoO! and on my last day, i actually felt like i was gonna miss that place. i saw a resus case, it really made me feel like.. wow. yeah, that's what being a doctor is all about. the relief on the parents face when the team of doctors brought their child out from a status epilepticus - so surely, and so in control.

Ahhh!!!

2008-07-10T01:10:00.003-11:00

Wicked is HERE!! As in the BROADWAY Wicked!! But too bad here actually means Melbourne!!! *sobs* why can't they come to Adelaide??? huh??? why?? why?? *wails* i want to watch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh yes, iPhone 3G launching tomorrow. TOMORROW people!!!!! I wonder what kinda CAP plans will they offer?? Too bad my phone is working too well now. Hahahahaha...

exhausted!

2008-07-06T23:28:00.002-11:00

...exhaustion is a pre-terminal sign... "PICU lecture notes".

ahh... had a yuck day today. feeling kinda exhausted. i think i've had enough of ED for now... so glad it's my last week there...

Reason for absence from the WWW...

2008-06-22T19:03:00.000-11:00

I was in Sydney!!!! When you see these pictures, you know it's Sydney.

The Rocks (with Sydney Opera House in the background).. i know i know, i take excellent pictures! muahaha..

Harbour Bridge up-close

Sydney CBD from Pylon Look-out

This was where we stayed (edited to protect privacy). We were blessed to have Sarah and YonXian as our hosts despite their very busy schedule. thanks!!! We really appreciate you opening your house to us...... :)

Me & Sarah, the host :)

Sydney = food haven to me (after Malaysia of course!!!).. So I (we) ate..

and ate..

and ate..

and ate..

ate somemore!!!

wahh.. ate even moree!!!

yeah ok, you get my idea..
i bet you're hating me now...

max brenner. yumz!

actually, i'm hating myself too! why am i putting myself through all these torture??!! *distracted* oh yeah, and Lindt~!

Shopping in Sydney is heaps better too! and stocktake sale was ON! Everything I got was below AUD10. well, except for my the black hoodie I am wearing. it was raining everyday ok!!! i had to get one. and it served me well. money worth spent, me thinks :)

and of course, we did what tourists do. we go places and take heaps of pictures!!!

Hillsong City Church!

Cremonde Point Look-out

Oxford St

Blue Mountains

Me & Jebbs

Wentworth Falls

Sydney Olympic Park

This is for you FUR!! :)

Sydney Opera House

The magnificent QVB

from the outside...

Sydney Fish Market

Paddington's Market

Town Hall

Chris & myself..
Me standing long Pitt St.

Sydney CBD by night, from Mrs Macquarie's Chair...

Darling Harbour by day!!!

by night... i prefer the night view :)

Manly Beach (Chris says, after going there all the guys become more manly! ahhh.. so lame right!)

Bondi Beach!

And of course, catching up with people :)

Wilson & Lok-Ing who are getting married end of this year!!!

My lovely great grand daughter Ee Leen @ Mc D's.

IMU peeps @ Hurricane's.....

Spanish meal with our wonderful hosts :)

All in all, besides the wet weather.. Sydney was AWESOME! such a good break from the busy 6 months I've had this year.. thank You GOD, papa & mummy and Chris for your generosity to make this trip possible :)

So back in Adelaide... Gosh, 2 weeks! you must be thinking what on earth have I been doing??!!

Shannon came to visit!! It was good to meet you although only for a short while :)

Me, Shee Laine, Roshanthi & Ally-K after OxyGen!

Capri Theatre!!! where we watch Indiana Jones in support of Belle's Podiatry Clinic Night. This is one super cool theatre ok!!! where to find an organists playing for you??? the super old-church type somemore..

Watched NBA finals with Chris. I'm a good girlfriend right?? :P

Cooked a fair bit...

Presenting my not-so-famous chicken stew! I kinda randomly threw stuffs into the pot. and it came out pretty good ;)

roti prata! (obviously buy one laaa.. how to make ohh??)

but i made the chicken curry from scratch *beams*

my own version of a Big BrekkY!

Coffee + Devotion time @ Cibo's with my baby. I will miss this part of the holiday the most!!!!!!!!

Celebrated Gracie's birthday :)

We had steamboat-cum-Disney-monopoly night @ Quinnie's :) I, uhh.. obviously did not take pictures of the steamboat because i was too busy eating. hahaha!!! thks quinnie :) it was super yummy!!!

Went to Hahndorf :) finally, on a good weather day!

This is the famous pie shop which opens @ 10am, and sold-out by 1pm on a weekday!!! *sobs* we didn't get to try....

hoping the wishing well can help us???

New cheese shop that opened in Hahndorf. Free tries!!! :)

this quaint little chocolate shop is too cool.. :P

Then there's this other chocolate dessert shop called No5! i like the ambience, so homely :) the drinks were so-so.. but presentation is GREAT!

On the way back.. the "tired" look :P

Went to UNI!!! :) hehehe... I realise I haven't taken much pictures of my uni. MY OWN UNI!!! well i guess that's because we hardly go there.. but hm, i loveee it :) seeee... so nice right!

We even went to the library! gosh!! nerd!!! ahhh.. but wait let me explain...... i went to change my id, so since we're there.. just go & see la if there were any books we could borrow..

Managed to catch up with Jenna over the weekend for brunch at this new yummy noodle bar *slurp* :)

fuh~ that is ONE LONG POST. i deserve a pat on the back.. *pat* :)

this 3 weeks has been so good. i really thank God for such good rest. my first semester has been so tiring, it vexes my soul!!! haha.. i haven't felt so recharged and rejuvenated before :) next up... PAEDS! bring it on!

iPhone3G

2008-06-15T18:36:00.000-11:00

Why is Apple so amazing??

i think Steve Jobs is brilliant! simply brilliant!! which makes God simply awesome!! after all, it is HE who gives us the creative mind. *sigh* my God is so awesome. can i have an iPhone now? pls...? hehe.. kidding la. i don't need it. but i feel compelled to advertise it although i'm not getting paid cos it's so cooL!

i'm just thinking, if only practically we as Christians can do this just as effectively with the greatest gift that we have - Jesus! i'll do it. i'll do it. such good news! why should i keep it to myself??

2nd week of my hols!! so many things happened. i've got so many things to tell, but it's all a jumble in my head. but God is good. so good. I LOVE HIM!!!! :) will be bck with a decent post sooN! :)

x

Teg dalam Bahasa Melayu

2008-06-15T14:30:00.003-11:00

Saya buat ini khas untuk Datin Christina Ng.

Agak pelik saya 'blog' dalam bahasa Melayu. Tapi tak kisahlah. Jelaslah, tatabahasa saya teruk giler. Jangan ketawa ya!!!

7 fakta tentang saya

Saya rasa kalau saya bertutur dalam BM lebih baik daripada tulis dalam BM. Walaupun dapat A1 untuk SPM, tidak bermakna apa-apa.
Saya tengah bercuti sekarang! Gembira saya... Tak pernah rasa begitu relaks sekali.
Saya sebenarnya dari KUALA LUMPUR. Tak tahu lah kenapa orang lain suka sangat kata saya dari JOHOR BAHRU. Walaupun saya berpindah ke JB sejak Tingkatan 1, hati saya sememangnya orang KL.
Nama saya, adik saya, dan teman lelaki saya ialah CHRIS.
Saya suka memasak dan membuat kek.
Saya selalu berdalih (procrastinate).
Saya akan guna kamus untuk membantu saya menyempurnakan teg ini.

7 perkara yang menakutkan saya

Filem seram.
Semua jenis serangga.
Orang yang tidak jati! Selalu berpura-pura. ish tak boleh tahan.
Berita yang tidak baik, terutamanya kalau berkenaan keluarga/orang yang disayangi.
Berpindah.
Tidak lulus peperiksaan akhir tahun ini.
Pemeriksa (examiner).

7 lagu buat sekarang

Indescribable, Chris Tomlin
Nothing but the Blood, Hillsong
On my knees, Jaci Velasquez
You in me, Juwita Suwito
Only in the dark, Juwita Suwito
Always be my baby, David Cook
Destiny, Jim Brickman

7 perkara yang saya selalu sebut

omigosh!
cool beans!
haaaa???
shucks!
hi, how are you? (ini sememangnya sangat 'aussie')
good thanks! (ini jawapan yang biasa untuk ucapan di atas)
dodgy!!!!

7 perkara yang amat bernilai

Tuhan
Keluarga
Chris
Kawan-kawan
Kesihatan
Masa rehat
Duit

7 pertama kali dalam hidup saya

Pertama kali saya menulis blog dalam Bahasa Melayu (ini saya tiru!).
Pertama kali masak nasi lemak sendiri Jumaat yang lepas.
Pertama kali saya tak balik rumah/jumpa keluarga untuk satu tahun!
Pertama kali makan habis 3 peket ubat tahan sakit untuk sakit perut.
Pertama kali saya gagal dalam ujian di Tingkatan 4 (kimia, dapat 38 markah, sedih giler).
Pertama kali menjadi "LifeGroup Leader" setelah datang ke Adelaide.
Pertama kali membuat kek cawan sebagai "bisnes" untuk Sheena. Sangat gembira dengan hasilnya, sebab mereka sangat berpuas hati.

7 orang bertuah yang ingin mencuba nasib mecabar melayu aku

Tak nak teg siape-siape lah. kalau nak buat, buat lah :)

Sekian sahaja teg ini. Harap kamu semua dapat belajar sedikit Bahasa Melayu dari "blog" ini. haha..

Now I know!!!

2008-05-28T13:12:00.006-11:00

it always puzzled me how pathologist could name all their specimens after food?? (bread and butter appearance la, strawberry lips la, fish mouth valve la, banana shaped cavity la, and the list goes on...) how to eat after that???? that was until........ yesterday! i realize that it just can't be helped!!!

what led to my profound enlightenment?? as you would have already realized, i had an abundance of marshmallows at my disposal. that calls for a mega baking session hey?

ok la. it wasn't that mega. i just made cookies. not just any cookies... cookies whose name could potentially make their way to pathology textbooks. presenting....

CHOC FUDGE MARSHMALLOW COOKIES...

they ALL look like their half bitten. makes me think of macrophages??!!
on the other hand, they look a bit like brain tumor-ish too. well, i'm not giving you that view in case you may decide to stay off choc fudge cookies (with marshmallows) for good!!!

now this one, looks like an ulcer crater!!!
description: an ulcer with a depressed crater + granulation tissue??? (cos it's a pink marshmallow muahahaha), with uneven raised borders.

NERD!!!

ok in case you're thinking that i purposely made it look like that for educational purposes... you're wrong!!! well, all i can say it's a failed experiment with the marshmallows. cos of it's sticky nature and my unthinking mind, i mixed them all into the dough, resulting in pathological specimens. this is the proof that it was indeed a very sticky dough :P

well, just like thomas edison says... "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work."! so i now know how NOT to make choc fudge marshmallow cookies. NEVER EVER PUT YOUR MARSHMALLOWS INTO THE DOUGH! thankyouverymuch :)

if you fail (miserably), try, try again! so there you have it (look below la), the lovely looking choc fudge marshmallow cookies :) looks pretty good eh? at least when i look at these, i don't think of tumours/or ulcers/or cells -_-"

oh but i "COP" those names already. don't you dare think of copyrighting them :P

choc fudge marshmallow ulcer.

how abt that! :P

p/s: i used 15 marshmallows this time around, i still have 78 left!!!! ideas??!!

on a sidenote, chris bought me truffles from the lovely chocolate bean!!! my fave :) woohoo!! oh how i love him! (and the truffles) hehe...

marshmallows in abundance!

2008-05-26T00:34:00.002-11:00

so i have a lot of marshmallows left over from last saturday. jenn yong wanted to throw it away, i forbid! saying i would figure something out (when i really have no idea!!!) haha.. so i did what everyone would, GOOGLE!!!!! guess what i found from Zoobey's blog??

Top ten things to do with marshmallows:

1. Invent a new marshmallow airbag for your car. That way, after your accident, you can still enjoy the great taste of marshmallows while you wait for the tow truck to arrive.

2. Use colored miniature marshmallows to create a marshmallow mosaic of the Mona Lisa.

3. Make them into a sculpted likeness of your mom. She'll be grateful forever.

4. Fill someone's school locker with 927 1/2 of them. When they stop to pick up some books--avalanche! How embarrassing!

5. Use pretzel sticks and chocolate chips to create marshmallow snowmen. Then, pretend you are a giant Albino Sasquach and chomp their heads off.

6. For a month, start off and end your day with a fresh marshmallow and watch for health improvements. ("...part of this complete breakfast.")

7. Marshmallow fight! A good way to wake up a close friend.

8. Watch them puss, shrivel, warp, and char in the campfire.

9. Fill your driveway 2-feet high with miniature marshmallows and hold a neighborhood shovel-off contest in July (notify Z and your local news if you venture to try this one)

10. Use duct tape and a literal ton of marshmallows to create a padded room for your slightly insane sweet-tooth sibling.

so funnY right!! but i don't think i'm going to try any of those.

we already creatively used up SEVEN for yongling's birthday where we each have the honour of stuffing a marshmallow into his mouth while he sings himself a happy birthday song. by the time the 7th one was stuffed, we were quite concerned he might asphyxiate, so we graciously allowed him to spit them out... not without making him say I LOVE YOU ALL in his marshmallow filled mouth. hehe :)

so i had some 100 marshmallows. 93 more to go :P jenn yong suggested i made hot choc everyday. goodness. i don't think the marshmallows will last 3 mths!!! :P hehehe..

ok now for some serious recipe googling. rocky road anyone? ;)

unbelievable!!!

2008-05-25T05:13:00.002-11:00

how sexy can THIS (look below) get??!!

click here and here to read all abt it...

the Malaysian school uniform sexy?? you've gotta be kidding me. it does not even flatter the body!!! *sigh* what has the world become?? if you say you wanna change it because it's ugly, i believe it's a more valid reason than it being sexy! goodness me. what would people think of Malaysia????

thank goodness, the Education Minister has some sense and did not heed the ridiculous comments of the girl's uniform being the reason for increasing pre-marital sex and rape cases. -_-"

Fishing My Way to Made of Honor

2008-05-17T02:51:00.003-11:00

Play the FlipFlopFlippy game at hongleong online :) i think i did reasonably well! hehe.. it's soo much fun because it's a no-brainer! and you get to win an invitation to JW Mariott for a wedding-themed event and the movie premier thereafter. What are you waiting for? Fish away.......... (of yeah, only for nuffnangers :P)

after such a hectic week, and popping 100000 painkillers (i'm exaggerating, not trying to kill myself :P) over 2 days. i think i really needed the saturday off. to just do nothing, and rest. pain week is over. indeed it was as painful as its name suggests. i want nothing to do with it ever again! 2 more weeks to winter. can't wait!!!! sydney here i comee :) which my baby so kindly sponsored my tickets as our 3rd anniversary gift. hehehe..

random photos

2008-05-13T00:19:00.002-11:00

heh, i am supposed to be working on my "Pain Presentation" which is very painful!!! cos i can't find anything relevant to it!!! *roar* hopefully this picture posting attempt will remove that writer's block, somehow...

OxyGen Camp 2008 - Tatachilla :P

i hold my pen in an awkward position 8-)

dinner at wah hing! only the duck was satisfactory, the rest of the meal including the service was pretty disappointing.

hsien fei's back!!!! :) picture timeeee..

haih~ supposed to help us take picture, they SS pulak -_-"

sugar cookies with coloured frosting and sprinkles :) nice?? nice?? started on my baking spree again! but i'm not sure if i'll make these again, too much work -_-" it makes me more stressed, instead of helping me de-stress!

pampered :)

2008-05-12T19:03:00.003-11:00

2 weekends ago, chris pampered me by giving me the weekend off! he made all of my favourite dishes: chicken caesar, bruschetta, tomyam fried rice and creamy pasta :) i know it's way overdue but thks babe! :) your cooking skills have improved thanks to *ahem* me :P ahahaha.. kidding. he did it all by himself! so proud of him! hehe..

Essential Guidelines to ICU for Dummies (ie. medical students)

2008-05-05T03:16:00.003-11:00

You're not expected to be ICU specialists. At least, you don't have to know how the ventilator works and the funny numbers that are associated with it. Ha!
When in doubt, wash your hands.
The tea room is the most important place (quite paradoxical really, because after all.. it's the coffee that matters!) -_-"

So that's what we learn on our first day in ICU. hehehe.. of course, they were just being nice (and cheeky). Intensivists are the nicest kinda doctors. I would say, they are the "Gold Standard". *happy sigh* i'm starting to like the RAH. i really am :)

Busy week ahead. but in for a good start :)

Pengumuman Penting!

2008-04-29T22:13:00.002-11:00

translated as.. important announcement!

i just started a new blog. nothing fancy because i'm obviously a html noob. and wordpress is not as easy to use as i thought it would be. nevertheless, that's not the important thing. i will still keep this blog, mainly for rojak-typed posts.

my new blog is going to be more focused, thoughtful and my journey as a Christian ie. child of King Jesus. as some of you may have guessed, hence the name ;)

http://princesschristine.wordpress.com

drop by, and don't hesitate to tell me what you think.

:)

OxyGen Camp 2008!

2008-04-28T02:03:00.005-11:00

after a fairly long hiatus, i am back. i sincerely apologize. am in the midst of starting another blog.. inspired during prayer meet last Sunday :) hehe.. so what has been happening lately? since i came bck from the great outback, my 2 weeks has just flown by!

the moment i got bck, my loan was approved :) yippee!! then there was the IMU BBQ (which i only took one picture off because i'm just too lazy :P)

this is not even a full picture! just a fraction of the IMU peeps in Adelaide!!! :D i love IMU. i love how we can all gel together, thanks to that old shopping complex in Bukit Jalil :)

and then...

came OxyGen CAMP! our first ever.. a BIG milestone! for this 2 year old ministry that was birthed out of a God-vision that was given to Ps Ashley and headed by Ps Mike :) 110 international students showed up for camp!!! and everyone had such a fantastic time and encounter with God.

Village LG - thank God for the opportunity to serve and lead alongside Chris and this wonderful bunch of individuals so on fire for God. thanks Unc Mike & Aunty Chiew Har for your vision for the Village and for believing in us.

our extended UV family!! oh how i miss those times. Thanks Jia Ching & Ernestine for being such good examples of leadership that Chris & myself can look to :) love you heaps!!! and i love all you UV people lots and lots and lots!

my roomies from Dorm 1, Room 1 with shaleeeniiii as our dearest dorm leader!!! we rock!!

all the camp participants!!! charged up and on fire for God!!!
happy group picture!!!!

and cynthia's sooooo sweet.. she thought of me and bought me lindt dark chocolate cos she knows i loveee dark chocolate. love you cynth!! *hugs*

camp was soooo soooo good. well initially, i was half excited. because i was going for half camp. and i kinda thought i'd miss out on the full experience.. but God had so much more in mind. during the first night itself, the atmosphere was sooo amazing! God's presence was so tangible and when Unc Mike called the altar call, i felt a tug. Almost as if i should go for it, but something held me back. it seemed almost to familiar. i've always been responding. God whispered, "how many times do you want to respond to the altar call when i've already answered you? it's just that you don't 'feel' it" it was then that i realize, that tug, was for me to go and pray for other people. what really humbled me was, as i prayed, and God met their needs through me, i realize each word that i uttered, was given by the Spirit, not only for the person i was praying for but ministered to me as well. it was such an overwhelming experience. it was oh-so-good.

the next day. it got even better! just at the start of pre service prayer.. i felt God say, don't stay in the "new year" anymore. because all this while i felt like although it's April already, i kept thinking of new year. it's just the start! i still have a lot of time.. but in fact, 1/3 of the year has passed by!! God's saying, MOVE ON! change your mindset. fuh~ blown away.

the finale was my breaking point. Unc Mike did vision casting. and what he said had always been my vision and mission, that is to reach my generation. but it somehow got lost this year, with so many things happening. but God didnt' forget. and He wouldn't allow me to forget either. haha.. cos He knows i'm absent minded. but yeah, suddenly a wave of emotion hit me, as i recollected my imu days. of how we all took ownership of the campus for Him. the drive! the spirit! the commitment! and on top of it all, God even confirmed that our works were not in vain, when sarah msged all of us to tell us the great things that are happening in IMU CF right now. God is so so so so good! i really miss my imu days. but what i missed most was the friendships made, and the experiences and privilege God has given for me to encounter and serve Him. so i'm holding on to that vision and passion again, now in adelaide!

great job camp committeee!! lead by ben & meiyun :)

hellooo civilisation :)

2008-04-16T00:00:00.002-11:00

as of tmr morning.. i'm bck to the comforts of my room, my baby, my church, my central market, my pho.. hahaha.. it's been a wonderful 3 weeks and i thank God for that. the last week was a bit of a drag because after chris, chuen, ken & lenghui spent the weekend here, i realize i missed adelaide so much more! and also because my faourite gp went on leave.. so yeah. haha.. nevertheless, my last day was spent taking bloods, giving jabs, catheter insertion and also removal of sutures. i reckon i could give you a flu jab blindfolded and take your bloods with my arms tied around my back *beams*

enjoyable things about this 3 week stint:

-i get to do it with jebbs :)

-we get to live in such a niceeee house!

-country people are happy people..

-a good insight on what general practice is all about: the trust that's built between patient & doctor, the variety of clinical presentations that you see in one day, plenty of hands-on clinical experience, continuity of care.

-head start/preview to paediatrics (child development) and O&G (antenatal check-up).

-the opportunity to understand the aboriginal community's predicaments better, and also the importance of aged care. even had the chance to experience "chiropractic" manouver first hand!

-my friends came to visit! and we had the awesomest time spent touring the yorke peninsula.. i *heart* moonta bay & port hughes.. and also mr rod gregory for the excellent "beginner's" lesson on wine tasting and for being such a good host :)

-just the whole setting.. of being able to do what i want to do, study when i feel like it, go online, cook, bake, sleep and still have so much time in hand!

-last but not least, bask in His presence, being mesmerized by the work of His hands.

tmr, i head bck to Adelaide. back to the "grind". start ACC2 nxt week :) ready, set, GO!

The Biggest Loser

2008-04-10T19:10:00.004-11:00

i used to think this show was disgusting. like seriously, how does anyone allow themselves to reach THAT size/shape??!! (although i think if i DON'T stop controlling what i eat, i may very well end up like one of them, one day)

anyway, in the past (before i ended up in the the big woop woop), i never really watched a full episode of the biggest loser. but since we got here.. we've been religiously glued to tv, and my goodness, the number (and type!) of reality shows that are on right now is mind-boggling!

so yeah.. giving u a quick run through, the recent episode showed all 6 contestants now in Hawaii for their final go.. it's been 60 episodes and they've all lost A LOT of weight. the guy who lost the most weight.. abt 50 kgs (that's more than ONE jebbrine btw) actually looks good now! in fact all of them look pretty good i must say..

but in this particular episode.. they did something really special, different. each of them were to do something "symbolic", that represented them leaving their old life and stepping into the new one. some had to do rock climbing without pads.. some had to jump from the cliff into the ocean, another went swimming with the sharks, flying a glider solo.. all facing their fears. doing things they would never have imagined themselves doing. but guess what? each of them successfully completed their tasks, determined to leave the old self behind.. and they felt liberated. all of them were thinking twice, scared, hesitant initially..

life's like that too.. decisions that we have to make.. experiences that we've encountered.. makes us a bit too cautious. and afraid. sometimes it really does take a step of faith just to change things. you'd be surprise at what that one step can do.. it propels you forward to do things beyond what you can imagine.

being a christian is the same thing too, before you cross that line.. u think, u wonder, u're scared.. lots of what ifs running through your mind. but taking that step of faith. leaving your old self behind. becoming a new creation. it is a liberating experience. saying the sinner's prayer is that "symbolism". although u may think, i believe in God.. but it truly does make a difference if you say it.

willpower & self esteem, can only bring you so far. in one of the episodes.. cosi has consistently lose the most weight each week. they had a make over session. he looks good, feels good abt himself, he was able to see his wife, after 2 months! he had everything going for him. and then, he settled for a chocolate cookie - that set off his binging episode. he really ate like there was no tmr. and ended up feeling really bad abt himself.. this is after a consistent 60 days of disciplined diet and work out. you would've thought he already got the hang of it.

the chocolate cookie is like the devil. it tempts you, "you know you want it.. one won't hurt you.. come on.. just have it." doesn't that sound familiar? sounds like something that took place at the garden of Eden. but God has a way out. He always has.. because He loves you and I so much.

even the world recognises that you have to act on it.. leave the old destructive self behind. and head towards your new life.

Phil. 3:13 Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.

what are your fears? are you ready to face them?

just remember, you are not alone.

on a completely random note.. i still crack up each time during the show's elimination round where the host would go "I'm sorry (insert contestant's name), but you are not the biggest loser." hahahahahahahahahaha.. wouldn't u be happy not being the "biggest loser"??

and on another random note, i don't think the show is disgusting anymore.. cos it kept me & jebbs company while we had dinner. and of course, God can speak through reality shows like The Biggest Loser too ;)

Happy Anniversary Baby...

2008-04-09T04:40:00.002-11:00

Fuh~ didn't know putting together a video is such hard work! but it's worth it baby.. cos it's for you! :)

i want to thank you for such a wonderful 3 years.. i truly cherish the journey that we've shared so far and look forward to an exciting journey ahead as we walk with Him.. i'm really grateful that God allowed us to pursue our dreams together.. also, what a privilege to be able to serve alongside you!

I LOVE YOU! and here's to many more years ahead :) *cheers*

hope you like my noobie attempt at videomaking.

xoxoxo

Mini Mamak Night is BACK!

2008-04-08T21:11:00.004-11:00

yes yes.. it's on again!! this Saturday, 7.30pm!! unless you have a good (or bad) reason like me who's away in the 'woop woop' (ie country/rural), you cannot, i repeat.. CANNOT miss this!!! it's going to be awe-ee-awe-ee-awe-someee!!

why?? because you'll have a chance to satisfy your cravings for roti canai, satay and teh tarik!! *drools* do yourself a favour, do ME a favour and eat my share!! hehehe..

for more information, please visit OxyGen's website.. just so you know, it's FREE ENTRY (yes, food included)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

More of the "ruraL" life :P

2008-04-05T19:47:00.008-11:00

I know I've done a slip shot job on the previous picture post. I am sorry. slide.com does my pictures injustice.. This is to make up for it. Enjoy :)

my bedroom! yes i actually brought my teddy, my own pillow and duvet :P

the living room, where me & jebbs have our meals, in front of the tv. ahh, sweet life! :) lately the light went bonkers, so we've been having pretty 'romantic' meals in the dark! haha..

we made scones!!! yum!!! after alpha course that day, i could not stop thinking about scones and jam and fresh cream. ooh yum!

me eating scones!! yer, so greedy looking right?

it's the weekend!! we decided to make each of us a BIG and SCRUMPTIOUS BREKKY!

next up, road trip to the Copper Triangle (Moonta, Wallaroo & Kadina). Dr Duah (one of our GPs), offered to bring us around (so nice of him) the Yorke Peninsula on Saturday. I don't think I take the best pictures but I think you should give me some credit cos most of these pictures were taken from a moving car!

Moonta Bay. If you were actually there, you would faint. The water.. is so amazingly blue and sparkly and invite-y.

This is a lovely beach house. I want it!

Port Wallaroo. God is such an amazing artist! Picture perfect! *heart*

This is a factory that handles all the farm products - wheat, lentil, barley etc. Yorke Peninsula prides its farming/agriculture industry, with very good harvest each year despite the draught because of its location that's close to the coastline.

Cooper Marina Residences. WAH! So nice lah. I want to live here.

The other side of the beach @ Port Wallaroo

Wallaroo Hospital! The specialist hospital for the Northern Yorke Peninsula. That's where all our patients get their CT Scans and Ultrasounds done because Maitland don't have :(

WOOLY'S @ Kadina. Boy were we glad! Hehehe..

Farmlands. All the way. Wherever you go, travelling from one town to another. FARMS everywhere!

Family Christian Church AOG, Minlaton. Sheena introduced me to the Whittaker family and Kelly, one of their daughters brought me & Jebbs to church today. It was so homely and cosy and everyone was just so nice and warm. It really lived up to its name - familY! That elderly couple on the right? They are so sweet. Holding hands, and giving each other pecks on the cheek, calling each other dear. aww...

Bluff Beach

where they conducted their Water Baptism :)

Taking their step of faith.. Welcome to the family :)

Kelly, me & Jebbs :)

the adorable little kids...

i am contemplating... whether or not i should shift my blog to wordpress.com hum dee dum... yes? no? what are your thoughts?

Photos as promised :)

2008-04-03T18:58:00.001-11:00

Tagged again!

2008-04-02T23:35:00.002-11:00

erm, i know i should be posting pictures.. but lazy lah.. bear with me ok :P

Instructions:
Remove 1 question from below and add in your personal question, make it a total of 20 questions, then tag 8 people in your list, list them out at the end of this post.

1. At what age do you wish to marry?
before 30! haha.. i'm realistic (not the marry immediately in las vegas kind) and idealistic (i want a mega grand wedding, haha kidding, but it has to be decent). so that's why have to compromise :P

2. What will you do when you feel really emo?
iPod.. music music music. and also blog. then get all philosophical.

3. What do you have in your mind now?
grandma, finance, job and what am i going to do this weekend?

4. Where is the place that you want to go most?
hong kong!!!!!

5. What song is playing in your mind right now?
makes me wonder - Maroon 5!

6.Do you believe in seeing the rainbow after the rain?
if there's sun too! that's what i always think of..

7. What are you afraid to lose the most right now?
relationships

8. What cheers you up for the rest of the day?
good news! cuddles! cibo's coffee!!

9.If you meet someone you love, would you confess to him/her?
that's my ?weakness. i always do! so easy to get. geez. haha.. i realized that it is a social etiquette to play hard to get. it increases your value as a lady. so there! a tip for the singles out there. let the guys make the first move.

10. List out three good things of the person who tagged you.
- he's lame
- good to work with
- loves eating & baking too!!

11. What are the requirements that you wish from your other half?
sensitive, thoughtful...

12.What type of person do you hate the most?
can't stand gossipers, back stabbers, and fakers. but like jay said.. we have to love everyone otherwise we're no different from everyone else..

13.What would you do if you won a million dollars?
put it in ANZ to collect interest, pay off my fees! and buy a car.. :) and go shopping in HK! woohooo.

14.What is your ambition?
devote 10% of my time to missions. sponsor needy medical students.. adopt a child. be a life changer.. partner in a medical centre. open a cafe (with fantastic desserts, good aromatic coffee and books! lotsa books! and pretty things everywhere).

15.Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
hopefully back in malaysia, married, with 2 kids. hahaha.. by then, gotten my specialist degree (paeds? ENT?). and back serving my country and making a difference in the healthcare system, somehow.

16. If you have a chance, which part of your character would you like to change?
emotional part of me. it annoys me greatly sometimes. i know it's my greatest strength, but also my greatest weakness.

17. What is your favourite colour?
white, basically pastel colours.

18.What do you think is the most important thing in your life?
God.

19. If there’s one thing in your life you want to do but yet unable to, what would it be?
i want to take the year off!! or 2 years even to travel. ideally be a stewardess so i earn money and travel for free! hahaha, and learn how to be more "si man" and cultured also :P (if i didn't do A levels, and rested for almost a year before entering IMU i would've made it; not that i regret la cos these two places are where i encountered God the most and served as a pivotal point in my life)

20. What would you do if tomorrow was the last day of the world?
wah question 20 ady. this is much easier than the previous one. i would definitely leave maitland right now and get married. hahahaha.. since i'll see my loved ones in heaven. but i can't get married in heaven! sorry that was lame.

i think i won't tag anyone la. you're welcome to do the tag if you want to :)

really?

2008-04-02T03:40:00.002-11:00

“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.” -Dr Seuss.

really?

how true is that, do you think?

hard to say, hard to say..

Christine (and Jebbrine) goes Rural!

2008-03-31T15:54:00.003-11:00

you must be thinking. gone case! 2 blur girls.. or blur and blurrer girls (haha you know which is which) actually decided last year.. that they want to embrace the whole "rural" experience. and specifically changed their MSAs so that they can do it.

Thank God we're doing it together.

The day we left, both of us were like.. uh-oh! have we made the right decision?? 3 weeks away from the comforts of your own home is.. unthinkable!!! well, almost.

much to our pleasant surprise.. and just so you all know we're keeping well..

The experience has been great so far!!

the place we're living in is so HUGE! and COSY! and WELL-EQUIPPED! (cf. KKB houses that IMU provides)

by well equipped i mean, there's wireless internet, TV, washing machine + dryer, baking utensils (yippeeee) and queen sized bed for each of us. every room is fitted with a heater. actually it sounds more like a holiday villa than anything else. hahaha..

the town IS quite small. the people here are at an average age of 80+. there's only ONE IGA supermarket which i foresee becoming our favourite hang-out for the nxt 3 weeks.

but the best part is not about the place, or the environment. it's the people!!! they are so super duper nice and friendly.. everyone!!! it's like a happyland. and in clinics, we get to do everything!!

thank You God! for such a wonderful experience.. although it meant missing all-girls breakfast, mini mamak night, getting set for SET, being AMC's surrogate patient.. i know it's worth it!!

such a place of rest. and of spending time with You.

pictures to follow soon.

p/s: i do miss my baby though!!

Once again...

2008-03-25T16:13:00.003-11:00

i am at this crossroad of my life... where i'm writing a literature review (yes again)! and each time i'm stuck, i MUST blog. haha.. of course, that's after praying ady, doing some self motivating speech to myself, and settling down, feeling good that i start to think... hey! i feel like blogging :P

if only i wasn't so easily distractable, i would've completed my write-up since... Easter weekend? but. it's not that i was lazy, or procrastinating or anything like that. i was just very, distractable. i would cook, i would bake, i would go out and meet people, even read all my journal articles, but when i actually sit down to do it. *blank mind* *blink blink* can't consolidate all that information into 2 pages. so i decide to play games la, listen to music la, go kacau chris la... ok fine. that's a form of procrastination.

but even when i actually sit down and force myself to write something.. i can't! it's different this time around. maybe cos it's for prof R and we all know how high his expectations are.

after my embarassing time at the x-ray room (mistaking a pleural effusion for a pneumonectomy, and i've seen the x-ray before. pls swallow me up big black hole), and forgetting his very important "cardiac dullness" which i have crossed my heart to always remember since MHU days, except that i was too preoccupied remembering all my other lung segments while i percuss and auscultate..

so obviously i need to hand in a super keng chau, bombastic write up la.. maybe i'm thinking too much, because he's actually been very nice, did not penalized me, even said that i did a great job during my observed case. and i have learnt quite a bit from this rotation and find myself liking respiratory a lot more (i used to think it was the boringest subject after haematology and endocrinology). maybe it's just me being to conscious because it IS prof R after all.

oh well, one more page to go..

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HAMMY KHOO! may you stay a cute hamster always ;) haha..

updates - my literature review is finally done!! wooHoo~

Recipe try-outs over the weekend :)

2008-03-23T00:55:00.005-11:00

Cheesecake Brownies - SUCCESS!!
this was baked to commemorate the last time i'll be manually using my hands to whisk up something to bake. very important day. let's have a moment to remember this significant day.

ta-daa.. impressive ler :P
(for recipe go to taste.com.au)

after much trouble.. (thks baby for teman-ing me to the deserted area of mile end south) i got my mixer!!! weee :) they didn't have the 3-in-1 that i wanted though. but anything free is good :) so no complaints ;)

see.. see.. nice anot??? :P

next up...

Spaghetti with Meatballs - SUCCESS!!

presenting meatballs...

presenting spaghetti with meatballs :)
looks yummy right????

eating this kinda reminded me of the scene in "Lady and the Tramp". omigosh.. so long ago. but i *heart* the cartoon so much!!!

recipes can be found @ makanclub.blogspot.com

SO... what are you thinking about this long weekend?

2008-03-20T04:48:00.006-11:00

chocolate eggs? easter rabbits?
(don't get me wrong, these are great...)

the reason why we have this long weekend?
(sleeping in is great too, but so much more than that...)

The Power of the Cross.

What is so significant about the cross?

- it's not just some necklace that Christians wear-
-a cross in itself has no power, it's not protective wear-
-it's about what was done 2000 years ago on the cross that changes everything-
-Christ came to save, to give us life, so that we can live life abundantly-
-His perfect work = gave us the right to be greatly blessed, highly favored and deeply loved-

"You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”

-CS Lewis, author of The Chronicles of Narnia-

To find out more about the Easter story, pop by Paradise Community Church, 57 Darley Road for the Australian Premiere of the US Smash Hit, !HERO The Rock Opera on (you might have seen the ad on TV too):

Saturday, 7.00pm
Sunday, 5.30pm

Let me know if you need transport. It's gonna be awesome!!

Test God??

2008-03-17T01:18:00.004-11:00

wahh! stress right. who so dai dam (big courage) to test God?? but there is but ONE verse in the bible that actually asks us to test God...

Malachi 3:10

Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,
That there may be food in My house,
And try Me now in this,
Says the Lord of hosts,
If I will not open for you the windows of heaven
And pour out to you such blessing
That there will not be room enough to receive it.

wow. so i decided to "test God" as His word says,

"i've always been faithful with my tithes God... i've also taken up the Land Redemption Pledge in obedience to Your voice..."

and almost immediately after i said that prayer..

i received a note to collect a registered mail from the post office. but due to the horrendous, heat wave that bombarded poor Adelaide, i was quite reluctant to go collect it (although i was quite curious to find out what it was), to the extent that i was given a final warning to collect it otherwise it'll be sent back to the sender. so i dragged my feet to the post office this afternoon in the 38 deg sun *sweat*. got the envelope, opened it and guess what???

i won a AUD 50 cash voucher from jetstar!!! initially i thought it was for flights, but i don't really need it, but God knows better!!! it's a voucher that can be used at The Good Guys (an electrical appliances shop). you must be wondering why am i so excited over an electrical shop gift voucher??!! because.. my poor hands can now have a rest! i can now afford an electric mixer!!!!! :) yayayayayaya!!!!! but the question still lies in.. how did this all happen???

then i remember!! some time ago, i submitted my details through sms to jetstar after my flight to melbourne. but that was 6 months ago!!!! my name has been drawn in a 2nd Chance Prize Draw. c'mon tell me.. is that God or what?? He's the God of a 2nd chance! He came through for me. i know this is only the beginning of greater miracles ahead.

so put in your tithes and offerings, and see.. if He will open the windows of heaven for you! :)

have a window-opening-heaven-week!

Tag and Pictures!!

2008-03-15T20:46:00.005-11:00

The Rules

1. Link to your tagger and post these rules.
2. List eight (8) random facts about yourself.
3. Tag eight people at the end of this post and list their names.
4. Let them know they’ve been tagged by leaving them a comment on their blogs.

Jay, Jay, Jay... What can I say? Random facts?? I'm quite random, so here goes... :P

Number 1
I eat ALL the time. not kidding. not funny. and when I'm stressed, I binge! :-o no good for the waistline (or the hips, or the arms)... *sigh*

Number 2
I am a 5th year medical student. surprise surprise! hahaha.. that's quite random right??!!

Number 3
I loveeeeee Me To You bears. *heart heart heart*

Number 4
I'm no good with pets, my puppy ran away (i was really young then, can't blame me ok!), my fishes (all 12!!) died in like 3 days... and my dear Rabbi (so holy right the name. hahahaha) the rabbit died in 2 weeks after chocolate overload, courtesy of Neuman... The only surviving one is Crush (i think he still is??!!) - my dear tortoise who has been released into Lake Titiwangsa already.

Number 5
I bake at the randomest time of the day. it can be right after i reach home, or even in the wee hours of the morning.

Number 6
I've always wanted to try out modelling, be an air stewardess, do something out of the norm, like take time off to travel (not as a long term thing), but just for the experience of it :)

Number 7
All throughout my education life, there has been no continuity. as in, I always enter halfway. For eg. I've been to 2 primary schools, 2 secondary schools (one co-ed, the other single sex). I started SAM in Taylor's 3 weeks later then the rest, only to stop 3 months later to join A levels in Singapore as a 2nd intake-r (5 months after everyone started college). My first phase in IMU was the only "complete" programme that I did (that explains why I'm so attached to IMU and the wonderful people that is in it), and now!! again, I enter halfway as a 4th year medical student in the University of Adelaide. talk abt a nomadic lifestyle. you'd think i'd be used to it by now, but i guess the truth is, no matter how many times you move, you'll never get used to it. it's just like taking your piano exam. you still shiver and shake outside the hotel room. even when you're in your 8th grade. well, i do anyway. hahaha.

Number 8
Not only do I eat all the time, I sleep all the time too!! (So, when I'm not sleeping....) yup! you guessed it right, I'll be eating!!! hahahaha :D

Phew! That was a difficult one! But still I managed to finish it. Now, for me to become evil, I'll tag:
1) Chris
2) Jenna
3) Leng Hui
4) Chuen
5) Jee Ken
6) Li Yeen
7) Se Yin
8) Sze Liang

actually, you don't have to do it la if you don't want to. haha.. it's a tag! so it's my "responsibility" to pass it on. hahahaha :P

anyway... over the weekend, we went to watch the northern lights! (nope we didn't go all the way to the north pole to watch the aurora, kian - although in this scorching heat i would've loved to!)

adelaide bank featuring northern lights :)

so so so amazing!! 6 buildings, 6 displays each. what a work of art. just with lights. so precise. so pretty! so proud of adelaide ;)

can you believe those "statues" are a product of light?!! God, you really gave human beings such amazing creativity!!!

doesn't it look like it's painted on??

Elder Hall - the best of them all!!!

this is bonython hall - where we will be graduating end of next year!! weee :)

oh yeah. don't complain abt the quality of the pictures ok! it's from my precious sony ericsson z610i. it's pretty good quality for that little thing already :P

disclaimer: i do admit that my picture angles are a bit off! i'm not responsible for any dizziness caused from viewing the above photos :)

The Wilderness Way

2008-03-13T00:52:00.003-11:00

although i have a case write up due tmr! which i shld get started on now.... i just felt like i HAD to write about this..

Exodus 13:17-22

Background - after the 10 plagues, and Pharoah finally relents and let the Israelites go...

3 things I've learnt from this passage:

1) God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines although it was nearer. Instead they were led around by way of the wilderness of the Red Sea (lest they change their minds and return to Egypt). They went in orderly ranks out of the land of Egypt.
- this shows, how God knows His people so well. He knows that we're weak in spirit, easily tempted. He is faithful in His word that He will never let us go through what we cannot bear. He also provides a system that we can follow. Step by step, He leads us to the promise land.
2) Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, remembering also the solemn oath that was placed on the children of Israel (Jacob).
- carry with you, meditate on it.. the promises that God has given to you. that keeps you going as you journey on with life, going through the wilderness into the promise land.
3) The Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, and by night a pillar of fire. He did not take it away from before the people.
- God will constantly be your guide. He will never leave you nor forsake you. His lamp does not flicker, it is a constant glow that lights up your path.
with that in mind.. have a blessed weekend!! :)

and yes.. happy birthday jay!!!! continue to touch lives, dance and bake for Christ :) i will get arnd doing that tag thingy soon :P have a great one captain!

long weekend :)

2008-03-09T04:36:00.002-11:00

tmr's a public holiday.. weee..

my nxt msa consists of 4-day/week :) so happy..

it's been a pretty full-on weekend, started off with combined youth svc on friday night - also in honour of ps cameron and renee bennett's farewell.

and on saturday, we planned a steamboat for the juniors.. so me, jebbs and chuen had brunch and did all the grocery shopping. a trolley full of stuffs! haha.. seriously! can feed a whole army. then we came bck to prepare and in between played wii :P i want a nintendo wii too~!!! pls...?? steamboat was good! esp jebb's awesome possum tom yam! i think we all ate until we're quite full with lots of leftovers to spare. too bad i don't have any pictures on me. will wait for rahul to upload them on facebook or something :P after cleaning up, i slept like a baby that night. one of the bestest sleep i've had in awhile.

it happened to be malaysia's election day on saturday too! don't know why but i felt anxious abt it. now that the results are out, i pray that the leaders that God have placed in position will use their platform wisely for the betterment of the nation. prior to that, reading all the news online kinda showed the "ugly" side of politicians calling people names and all that, quite disappointing. actually, anyone who calls people names or bad-mouth others ought to be ashamed of themselves. it only reflects immaturity and desperation. i'm glad that BN won overall. at the same time, also glad the opposition won more seats this time around. that should make the govt less complacent, hopefully. and things will get better :)

and sunday's church day! we happened to have apostle wilson from uganda as our guest speaker. his preaching reminds me of ps ong :) i do miss metro.. also, we had some new ppl today plus a whole convoy fr the village.. God really pushed me beyond what i dreamt or imagined! indeed, no matter where you are, He puts you there for a reason.

and now, we just got bck from kianny's birthday dinner. omigosh, we had the biggest schnitzel ever. it's so huge even the guys struggle to finish one~! but i made sure i had space for desserts though. i had sticky date pudding! yummy!!! 3rd best dessert after tiramisu and banoffee. hehe..

came bck and met up with jiaching, yongling and sheelaine. we watched some really funny videos on youtube and on www.comedycourt.com.my!! laugh non-stop!!

tmr's declared a day-off at home. i shld study. anyway the weather lately has been CRAZY! hot hot hot!!! -_-" every time i'm out in the sun, i can just feel my skin cells mutating. no kidding! be sun smart people!

Slip on sun protective clothings
Slop on heaps on sunblock
Slap on a hat
Seek shade!!
Slide on sunglasses

i'm looking for a job!

2008-03-05T23:52:00.002-11:00

*alarmed looks from everyone*

no, i'm not crazy. just thought it'd be good if i gave it a try. since i'm considerably "free-er" (not very, but i imagine being a LOT busier after this, looking at how chris' timetable has been in paeds and lenghui in o&g) this semester than i would be next. just submitted my resume for odd jobs during public holidays and weekends. one for functions/events, another at boostjuice and gonna try out a babysitting stint too ;) any time spent is better than time spent sleeping.

**oh yeah! if you need pastries/cakes for birthdays or small parties (catering for <30 pax), i'd love to do it :) only available in adelaide!! :P drop me an email in advance - eldances[at]yahoo.co.uk

p/s: elections coming!! anyone voting?? i forgot to register myself when i was back home lah :( *smacks forehead*

being a medical student...

2008-03-05T10:49:00.003-11:00

i slept for 10 hrs!!! ahh!!! i'm soo not medical student material. sigh.

i remember the old days when htin aung would drum into my mind - "you shld only sleep 4-5 hrs a day. 2 hrs for eating/basic hygiene. the rest shld be used to study! and then he continues with the i've read gray's anatomy 42 times etc etc."

i took the day off today :) cos it's memory unit clinic today and the consultant isn't arnd so clinic's cancelled. while i'm happy that i got the day off (finally!), when i woke up this morning, i found myself missing being in the wards. i miss my patients! especially the old ones. they are sooo cute!

there's one that keeps falling asleep while you talk to him. he's always wrapped up in a blankie cos he's cold. and there's another old man who's a little deaf in his ears but always so obliging, keeps nodding his head and smiling although (i bet) he can't hear a thing we're saying! haha.. and when we ask him a question he'd just smile :) now i speak loudly into his left ear! that makes a huge difference! and there this little italian lady, who keeps asking me to stay with her.. cos she can't cope at home and doesn't want to live in a nursing home.. she even claims to have a bedroom prepared for me. aww..

tmr's gonna be my last day at neuro. while i felt i didn't learn much in theory (i still find neuro too complicated a topic, since imu days), i'm beginning to love old people more (not that i didn't before, the keyword here is MORE). maybe it's a transference thingy, cos i can't be close to my grandma while she's in hospital. but yeah..

i've also come to appreciate the extent of the healthcare system here in aust. respite care, ACAT, meals on wheels, nursing services, hospital at home etc. the list goes on and on and on. even if you do have a very sick family member, they've got all these lined up for you, the support given by the govt is tremendous.

tmr! i'm giving 2 presentations and that will end my stint @ the neurology unit. i'll do some brushing up today and hopefully give a good one tmr!

just want some of your thoughts, if you had a family member, close to 90, suffered a major stroke, drowsy, confused, demented, immobile.. but alive. very much alive. would you:
a) nurse him back to his premorbid state
b) give him comfort care (only pain relief, and tranquilizers)

and if you decide on b) and in a few days, he actually becomes more alert because all the medication is withdrawn, food and water is held -> less drowsy, dries up his effusion and stuff.. what would you do now? you'd wonder whether u've done the right thing? would you reverse it?

i think it really makes a difference what your belief system is. although it's logical that, he's not having a good quality of life, he can't move, can't talk, can't recognise anyone. there's no point in living. but at the same time, this life belongs to God. who are we to determine if he lives or he dies?

i would go for a). how abt you?

Research

2008-03-04T04:59:00.002-11:00

my current relationship status with the abovementioned is: LOVE-HATE.

it's interesting that so many new studies are taking place. it's intriguing in fact! especially when you get cool topics like mine - patent foramen ovale and cryptogenic stroke. but then it's sooooo tedious to collate data, do referencing, and write a literature review *sigh*

this is just one component of it. last yr i experienced the formulating part. hard work. but essential. essential for the future.

Faith!

2008-03-03T20:50:00.003-11:00

[faith heroes of hebrews 11]

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1

that's all the substance and evidence i need - FAITH! yes! i'm beginning to see that it just might be! that confirmation of the word You gave. yes! yes! yes!

praying hard. praying real hard..

have you ever wondered why?

2008-03-02T23:45:00.005-11:00

Since Oxygen last Saturday, this verse kept repeating in my head (which is by the way from Paradise's latest worship album):

Your Kingdom come
Your will be done
Now and forever.

this is why. this is what i live for. i'm not perfect. but i'm willing to do Your will. what i heard today is very true: to do anything... you need people. you may have the vision and dream, but you need people to realize it with you. to do great things, you have to be a people person. there are changes that has to be made. no excuses. God did not create us to be an island. He placed us in a community for a reason. can't say i'm the quiet type! can't say i'm only good in written words! can't say cannot!! i'm learning. it's a steep learning curve i must say, but i will not give up! and God will not let me fail!

Pictures with a wealth of memories (Part 2)

2008-02-29T18:23:00.001-11:00

Pictures with a wealth of memories (Part 1)

2008-02-29T15:40:00.001-11:00

i have come up with a new diagnosis...

2008-02-26T22:56:00.005-11:00

tripolar mood disorder! ta-daaa.. never heard of it hey? cos i created it minutes ago :P

have you ever met.. a person, who can be so mean one minute, apologizes+buy/make you coffee the next and then acts really goofy/cute after that? it's quite amusing really. haha..

ahh.. let me know when you have. i might do a case series on this. get my name published on a paper, and wa-laa.. it might even help me secure a place in surg too. wooHoo!

kidding.

i'm just quite annoyed that my whole day was kinda wasted.

the only substantial thing i did was pick up the reading materials for my next msa. looks full on! but yeah looking forward to respi under prof R. he's the best (trademark eyebrow raising)!

neuro ward has been extremely busy and it's hard to learn when there's only a reg and an intern taking care of 30+ patients.. i like to follow the stroke team though (although dr JJ makes me do a lot of reading, but i learn heaps! interesting stuffs at that too!). had this patient who came in with a large left mca cva (stroke). he has been very drowsy and non-rousable since the incident took place. the wife told me i could call him "chuk". he responds better that way. true enough.. i called "chuk" he opened his eyes, blinked when i asked him if he understands-he blinked, squeeze my fingers-he squeezed, move his legs if he could-he moved. ahh, the little joys in life.. a tear almost escaped my eyes. a few days later, he spiked a temp. things started going downhill from there :(

how fragile life can be.

and you wonder why people get caught up with the material things of this world. when all that matters is your relationship with God and people.

p/s: pictures coming up! slide.com takes forever to upload laahh...

something to chew on...

2008-02-26T00:57:00.006-11:00

"when change is neccesary, not changing is destructive." - A.R. Bernard.

this man of God speaks with so much wisdom and experience. i've always been blessed by his preaching.. i really encourage everyone to get a hold of his podcasts.

Propel!

2008-02-20T14:39:00.003-11:00

"a dream is great. a cause is even greater. it is the driving force that pushes you to do the things you do." -Ps Ashley Evans

if you have a cause, you need to surround yourself with people who have the same cause. people that will run towards the goal with you. no cynics, no pessismists, no critical spectators. but team players!

don't limit what God can do through you. God is infinite. omnipotent. if you run 100m, He will run 1000m. if you run 1000m, He will run 10,000m. and even if you decide to become tired, He'll bend down and let you ride on His shoulders. You'll not only ride 100,000,000m and beyond, you will also get to see what He sees. you will realize that, God has so much more in store for us, more than we think we know. but in fact, we don't have the slightest idea of the great plans and purpose He has for our lives (Jer 29:11)

guess what? we can never outgive God. and for whatever we give, God will never shortchange us.. "His streets are paved with gold. not plated hor.." - Ps Joseph Prince.

1 Cor 15:58
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

and remember the verse i mentioned in my previous post? God will make us an eternal excellence!

PROPEL 2008!

i believe is the word Chris & myself got this year. for everything that we do, in every area of our lives. move forward. forgetting what lies behind. press oN! this is for everyone!

everyone will be faced with life's challenges, but this is what Paul says,

1 Cor 16:9
For a great and effective door has been opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

challenges we will definitely face, more importantly is recognising that God has opened a door for you, raised a platform for you to stand on!

Too good to be true!

2008-02-20T02:20:00.004-11:00

Now the iPod Shuffle is so affordable, anyone can own it! It is the perfect size for a lady (with small handbags), for those who are always on the go (exercising, running errands - you don't need a pocket cos it comes with a clip). It's so pretty it comes in 5 different colours!

I personally think an iPod is essential. Good for long bus rides, bus waits, and long walks too (especially when you stay away from home and don't have a car! like me. hahaha). I also like the fact that I can get Podcasts for free (the best part is you don't have to illegally download them) and that they have really good and inspiring sermons from Dr AR Bernard, Max Lucado, Phil Pringle, Brian Houston and much much more.

Oh yeah, so get an iPod, but don't support piracy ok? ;) hehe.. Maybe 1 GB is a bit small, but think about it. It's not like you listen to 1000 songs a day or something.

random updates on a hot day

2008-02-16T21:10:00.008-11:00

a very hot day.. i feel so dehydrated as i speak.. i spent aud7 on 2 different icy cold drinks in a span of 2 hours because i couldn't take it anymore! i was complaining abt the heat to chris all the way from rundle until we arrived @ the village. poor thing. hehe..

*sweats*

anyway, let's start with some pictures ;) they are quite random, i must warn you :P (click on the pictures to enlarge.)

peking duck @ wah hing. it is seriously worth every cent.

the stuffs jebbrine accumulated over 1 year :P

the view from the registrars office, department of otolaryngology, modbury. *sobs* i miss ENT. i miss ENT. i miss ENT. *wails* i heart ENT!!!!

my valentine's day gifts ;) thks sweetie!

celebrating joanne's birthday :) that's my valentine's day present from her!

michelle's birthday on V day :) poor girl thought we didn't plan anything for her. we only surprised her at the 11th hour. literally. hehe.. i made the "cheating" ice cream cake.

victoria square :) at the very centre of adelaide cbd.

we celebrated a belated valentine's @ europa, glenelg. the food was awesome!!! (see makanclub for review)

matt (shiau cern's boyfriend) brought Nintendo Wii from sydney. so guess what everyone does now?? play wii!!! it is so super fun.. even if you don't play, just watch. it's entertaining too! haha..

this is my last day of gluttony where i decided to finish a whole serving (large) of beef vindaloo with briyani rice and vegetables. timothy couldn't even finish his! *immense satisfaction* ok. i can now go on a diet. starting tmr.

this is the picture of my room (i took 3 days to clean, arrange and orientate my room ok! better say it's nice :P)

told you it was random! haha..

anyway, did i mention that friday was my last day in ent?? gosh, i miss it so much. 3 weeks was just not enough.. or maybe it's just modbury hospital that's nice :) anyways.. we had a quiz, a short tute and we had to give a presentation on facial aesthetics on our last day followed by opd. we went to Tea Tree Plaza for the first time in our 3 weeks stint there for lunch with the regs..

i'm moving on to neurology next. hope it's not too complex for my simple mind.. it's 1045 now, and i still have to read up on stroke and epilepsy. gosh!

my weekend was pretty full on.. celebrate valentine's on friday @ glenelg (see above pictures), then headed to kian's place for games and movies. by the time i woke up on saturday.. it was sort of on time for lunch-ner! my phone was ready (yes it broke down again) for collection, to my pleasant surprise, they gave me a new phone! thank God! because i was quite worried that by the nxt time it breaks down, my warranty would've been over and i would have to pay. so i'm happy! we had informal oxygen later that evening, just with games, and catching up with each other, getting to know new ppl :)

i like being a part of OxyGen (international students ministry of Paradise Community Church) existing not as an exclusive club, but it was created FOR people (which is also paradise's theme for the year: Kingdom first, others first). especially for those coming from afar, being homesick, learning how to cope with life in Adelaide etc.. because that's what we've gone through before, and that's what we're there for. to help people settle down, feel comfortable and fit in! we're truly blessed to have uncle Mike and aunty Chiew Har as our leaders, it's almost as if we didn't leave Malaysia.

this week is gonna be full on too! looking at my itinery.. but i believe it'll be a fruitful one as well :)

i leave you with a verse that totally blew me away today...

Isaiah 60:15

I will make you an eternal excellence,
A joy of many generations.

isn't that amazing? God's word is always, I will.. and He doesn't want to give us a little bit, He is a God of abundance - look at the words He use. eternal; many generations!

Quarter Life Crisis??

2008-02-12T03:48:00.001-11:00

lo and behold, one day i wake up and realize, i'm going to be 24 this year! ahh~ where did all my teenage years go?? feel so old.

bleh~

i still have 2 yrs in med school (ok maybe 22 months), will graduate when i'm 25.5 if everything goes well by God's grace.

we just found out today that ENT surgery is one of the most competitive training programmes. the whole process could easily take 10-12 years. easily. and u need to get your name published in a paper at least. (hm, how does my registrars stay so young??)

it got me thinking. so God, where should i go from here? things seem so impossible, but i choose to believe that God will make a way. somehow! He always does :)

as for now, pass 5th year exams. pass 5th year exams. yes i am determined to be super hardworking this year. because i don't want to be a hazard to my patients in a future. no way.

Healer
You hold my every moment
You calm my raging seas
You walk with me through fire
And heal all my disease

I trust in You
I trust in You

I believe You're my Healer
I believe You are all I need
I believe You're my Portion
I believe You're more than enough for me
Jesus You're all I need

My Healer, You're my Healer

Nothing is impossible for You
Nothing is impossible for You
Nothing is impossible for You
You hold my world in Your hands

this song is dedicated to my grandma. she's gonna get her CT scan report tmr. she continues to have pains and cramps and troubles voiding. i pray it's nothing serious. do pray along.. thks!

and another good news! my 5th grand uncle accepted Christ too! talk abt a harvest.. :)

It's gonna be okay.

2008-02-08T05:23:00.000-11:00

reading max lucado's site and devotional always helps me to exercise my faith and open my spiritual eyes because he puts it in such a simple way, connects it with day-to-day life. so when i read the title, i thought:

"i just need someone who'll put their arms around me and say, it's gonna be okay. it's gonna be okay."

God says, "it's gonna be okay, child". that's all i needed to hear.

please pray along for grandma. she's bck in the hospital..

Twas a cold summer's night

2008-02-06T03:28:00.000-11:00

we had our chinese new yr eve dinner @ wah hing!! :) reunion of the super seniors, juniors and contemporaries alike. and we headed bck to play taboo after that - a game of shrieks, squeals and screams. i think we almost tore the whole village down (with the noise)!!

still miss the atmosphere bck home though..

happy CNY everyone!!

In Christ Alone

2008-02-05T03:07:00.001-11:00

triple confirmation!!!

2008-02-04T20:50:00.000-11:00

my grandma has accepted Christ!! when i heard the news, i was literally grinning from ear to ear! imagine how heaven would've sounded??? very noisy i bet :) *grins*

thank You Jesus. for answering my prayers!!! since i was a child.. some things seem impossible, sometimes it even seems like You're not listening. but all it is to me is.. it seems. help me to see through eyes of faith!! that You can do the impossible!!

yay!!!! my grandma is now a child of God..

i miss Him

2008-02-03T01:46:00.000-11:00

it's been a few wks.. of that "distant" feeling. rather, it's just me intentionally choosing to distant myself. yesterday night, after my "wandering mind" episode, i picked up my bible. it's been a long time. i've always had it with me, but i just didn't open it. avoiding it perhaps?

yesterday, i realize just how much i miss Him. how much i miss hearing His voice. the phrase "longing for His presence" was fresh once again.

i decided to give "hope and faith" another go. no more turning bck this time. it's funny how i can draw away so easily, but God readily welcomes me with open arms. what was i thinking? the sermon today was a confirmation. dear thought the same way too. thanks baby! u're my greatest stake.

had a double confirmation, just now. parents called. found out that grandma fell down. the good news is that her hip is spared, she doesn't need surgery!! thank God!! (we all know how bad fractured NOFs can be) the bad news is, she fractured her pelvic bone, will be wheelchair bound for the nxt 8 wks. at least she'll be ok. i truly thank God!! and i believe that it is no coincidence all of these take place at one go.

guess what's the best part?? she thanks God too. my aunty got some church members to pray for her, and she was very receptive about it. i'm claiming her salvation in Your name.. Amen.

random thoughts after awaking from a nap

2008-02-02T03:17:00.000-11:00

finally, we had the chance to meet up with the juniors :) it's been one year already??!! we're seniors already??!! ahh, it seems like just yesterday, when we first set foot in Adelaide.. what an amazing journey (by that, i don't mean easy, it was such a journey of exponential growth). i believe the juniors will feel that way too! welcome to adelaide, guys :)

so it was lunch @ ding hao's.. which seemed to be everyone's favourite place. because, i met jia ching, ernestine & even one of my ENT consultants with his family. adelaide, IS quite small. haha..

after that we helped jebbs pack up, and move her stuffs to the village.. while chris brought the rest to ikea to get some stuffs. thks to uncle mike & aunty chiew har for lending us the "big yellow" church van :) thks sooo much! felt bad cos we took it for such a long time. but anyway, all in all a productive day..

missed dinner with the lifegroup cos by the time we got bck, it was late. supposed to join them and the juniors for symphony under the stars (refer to last Feb's post, lazy to link). but after my quick dinner (cos i was soooo hungry), i felt queasy and felt unwell. so i took a nap.. from 8pm until now. so why did i wake up? ahh, i realize my contacts are still on!!! bleh~

so now that i've removed them.. i'm somewhat awake. haha.. feeling lots better now though :) naps rocK!

hm, at 1 am in the middle of the night/morning.. your mind tends to wander. thinking about stuffs. i find myself flabbergasted at the fact that when you do so much, but yet. the credit goes to other ppl. you go all the way to get something done, but it's often ignored. as if it was something that you should have done anyway. it irks me to the core, when ppl are indifferent, apathetic towards you (me, whatever). ahhh..!!!

but Jon Walker (writer of PDL's devotional and Grace Creates) reminds me through the devotional that we should Cooperate with a Smile. fuh~ that's a tough one. not that i'm nice to get something in return.. i'm what i am because God's grace has given me the choice to be. but i guess it gets tiring sometimes. and you just need some encouragement, to make it all worth it? Jon says, do it as unto God. what you do unto Him never goes unrecognised.

stay focused christine. stay focused!

S.C.R.U.B.S

2008-01-30T23:00:00.000-11:00

Modbury Hospital has the coolest scrubs! there's purple, green, baby blue and yellow!! hehe.. surgery rocks~!

oh yeah, btw this is my new "short bob" hairstyle :)

2 embarassing moments in less than 24 hours!!

2008-01-29T21:31:00.000-11:00

ahh, yesterday night, i was supposed to go to jebb's place to study.. her apartment is just adjacent to mine, but one floor above me (u get what i mean? i don't know how else to describe). haha.. anyway, yeah. but i don't know why, as soon as i climbed up the stairs, i automatically went to the apartment nearest to me -_-"

me: *knock knock*

chinese girl: *opens the door* hi..

me: hi! i'm looking for jebbrine *already half walking into ppl's house!!!!*

chinese girl: but there isn't a jebbrine staying here..

me: *omigosh, what kind of housemate is this? don't even now her new housemate???* she's in room 4, don't worry i'll find her.

chinese girl: *shrugs* oh ok.. *heads back to the kitchen*

so weird.. anyway, i walked to jebb's room and realizes "her room's" light is off! weird!! i just called her!!! it suddenly dawned upon me that indeed i MAY have entered the wrong house! ahhh!!!

me: err.. btw, what apartment number is this?

chinese girl: 68.

me: -_-" *longs for a HOLE to swallow me up* sorrryyyyyyyy.. *runs away, face the colour of a beetroot*

sigh.

then, then, then!!

today i was at the operating theatre's tearoom yeah. and i see this guy who looks like my batchmate. as in, i THOUGHT he WAS my batchmate. so being the friendly person i am, i nodded and smiled. the guy stared at me with this bizarre and weird look!! i was like??!! huH?? only to find out from jebbs later that.. that guy was actually the brother!! the brother??!! how could i make such a mistake? tell me?

malu. malu. malu. i think not having enough sleep for the past few days has its toll.

on another note, today is my second day with the ENT and Facial Plastics people. i must say, i'm thoroughly enjoying this rotation! it's really interesting. the best part of ENT is, you get both adult and children patients! not to mention, we are under a great team, both consultants and regs are so helpful, enthusiastic and they are awesome teachers!!

we spent the whole day in theatre today.. standing 9 hours straight is no joke. with only a 20 minute lunch break. but i do find myself liking surgery a lot.. possible career path? of course paeds and cardio (or both) are still my top priority, but it's always good to keep your options open hey?

tmr's our day off. woohoo.. see, they are nice people :) haha.. i can sleep in. i cannot afford to embarass myself again.

pineapple rolls

2008-01-28T02:15:00.001-11:00

i'm not sure how many people out there are crazy about pineapple tarts/rolls, i for one definitely am!!! so crazy that.. i can eat the entire container on my own (i mean the tarts, of course)!! so so crazy that i made them! hehe.. turned out pretty good hey? so much cheaper than buying too. but it was no easy feat :/ (i've probably built some muscles in the process ;P)

i brought it to adelaide for the villagers to try. unfortunately, the "FRAGILE" sticker was ignored by the cargo crew :( when i opened the box, it looked more like pineapple crumble than anything else!!! grrr..

oh yeah. and yes. i am back in adelaide. sigh.. uni starts tmr. too soon for comfort.

ENT & Facial Plastics (at least the topic is interesting, haha). oh, and did i mention the hospital is just a stone's throw away from Tea Tree Plaza? :P haha..

2 whole days devoted to packing, cleaning, and re-arranging the furnitures in my room. ta-daa.... i'm so proud of myself *pats myself on the back* hmm, let's hope it stays this way for the rest of the year ;)

p/s: erm, i think there's something wrong with blogger. it only allows me to post one picture. bleh~

p.p/s: visit MakanClub's blog for a review on Matcha (Green Tea) Ice Cream

Windows Live Space

2008-01-18T01:03:00.000-11:00

is really cool!

i found out about it while accepting suet may's invitation to her new blog. i mean, i've probably seen it before but never paid much attention to it (because i gave up on hotmail, since like forever, even wanted to close my account due to the overwhelming SPAM!!) until... i found some old friends through this thingy. excellent!

i now love live space so much i might shift my blog there. hahaha.. we'll see.

so while nosing around this new found "distraction", i realized it still has my previous profile details that i added when i was at a tender age of 16. to my surprise, haha, erm, i didn't know i was so profound then! listen to this..

"Your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think of you."

fuwahhhh.. either i've been more matured in the past, or i've become more childish now.

BAPA YANG KEKAL - Franky Sihombing

2008-01-16T04:43:00.001-11:00

This song is dedicated to my great granddaughter Ee Leen, whom God has brought into my life, so that we can encourage each other, because we are so similar. Nek loves you ;) And also to my blog readers, this is dedicated to you too. Everlasting Father.

Franky Sihombing
Bapa Yang Kekal

KASIH YANG SEMPURNA
TELAH KUT'RIMA DARI-MU
BUKAN KAR'NA KEBAIKANKU
HANYA OLEH KASIH KARUNIA-MU
KAU PULIHKAN AKU, LAYAKKANKU
'TUK DAPAT MEMANGGIL-MU, BAPA

REFF:

KAU B'RI YANG KUPINTA
SAAT KUMENCARI, KUMENDAPATKAN
KUKETUK PINTU-MU DAN KAU BUKAKAN
S'BAB KAU BAPAKU, BAPA YANG KEKAL

TAK KAN KAU BIARKAN
AKU MELANGKAH HANYA SENDIRIAN
KAU SELALU ADA BAGIKU
S'BAB KAU BAPAKU, BAPA YANG KEKAL

brownies, my best yet :)

2008-01-16T02:54:00.000-11:00

fresh out of the oven. icing on top (which i spread on prematurely cos i was too excited, instead of letting the brownie cool down).

thks to my aunt's yummy recipe.. i modified it a little cos i didn't want it too sweet (and hard).. it was.. ooh. yummy!

i ate it, even with my golfball cheek which has shrunk to the size of, say, a grape today :) things are getting better. the anti-inflammatory enzyme the dentist gave me works! hehe..

here it is (the recipe i mean :P):

The brownie
1 cup butter
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder
3 large eggs
1 cup plain flour
1.5 tsp baking powder
1.5 tsp vanilla essence
1 cup chopped walnuts

The icing
1/2 cup softened butter
1 cup icing sugar
2/3 cup cocoa
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 tbsp milk
2 tbsp hot black coffee

preheat the oven to 180 deg Celcius. grease/line brownie pan with parchment paper.

ok here's the important tip. don't cream the butter and sugar together, like you would with other cakes. melt the butter (microwave or over fire). remove from heat, add sugars and cocoa poowder until it is well mixed (you will get a chocolate like looking sauce, shiny and glossy). next beat in the eggs one by one.

next mix the flour and baking powder in a separate bowl. sift it little by little into the chocolate mixture. once u're done, you'll have a nice and thick consistency. add in vanilla essence and walnuts and mix until well combined. the raw batter (my weakness) shld taste absolutely heavenly!! pour into pan and bake for 30 minutes or until firm (not hard yeah!!)

learn from my mistake. let it cool down completely before slathering the cake with sinful icing ok? patience is virtue ;)

now for the icing... aha!! the trick for a smooth consistency is, a food blender! who would've thought??? -_-" blend softened butter (not melted yeah!!!!), icing sugar and cocoa for 4 seconds. add the rest of the liquidy stuffs and blend until smooth. u can add more milk if you prefer your icing liquidy. but the real way it's supposed to be is a stiff icing that u can spread on the brownie. u can use a fork to create grooves (just like the ones in secret recipe). otherwise, just smack it on. it shld look fine! put a walnut, serve with ice cream. and u're ready to go.

my finished product is NOT a true reflection of how it will look like. sadly, i was too impatient.

**if you keep it in the refridgerator, make sure u microwave it for 20 seconds before serving. brownies taste best when it's warm ;)

Extra extra!! Read all about it!!!

2008-01-15T22:24:00.001-11:00

that's right.. i'm proud to present to you the world's thinnest notebook MacBook Air! (not that i'm working for them, but being an ardent supporter, i think Apple is simply brilliant, a cut above the rest!!!) initially i wanted to trade in my old iBook to get the MacBook. hoohoo.. not anymore.. i've got my eyes on THIS one :D it's only a matter of time now.. hmm, maybe i should get a part time job this semester?

when i open my big mouth...

2008-01-15T04:12:00.000-11:00

i usually regret. haha.. for eg. i thought i'm going to have a lot of free time this holiday so i decided to take up jazz piano!

mana tahu, every other week i'll be away or have something on until got not much time to practice. although in my 8th grade, i think my piano teacher wants to vomit blood when he listens to me play -_-"

it's been 4 years since i had formal lessons, i've given bck all my knowledge and skills to him. hahaha.. he tested me today on my timing -> to write out the melody in correct time and key signature. omigosh. i myself wanna vomit blood.

ahh.. today my left cheek is swollen to the size of a golf ball. and it's bruised too! i think i shld get my bleeding time checked? since i bruise so easily anyway. haha...

i am no longer wise :(

2008-01-14T05:24:00.001-11:00

as of today, i have officially removed ALL of my wisdom teeth. hence, not so wise anymore. hahaha.. had 2 removed 2 years ago, and the other 2 today.

twas a traumatic experience.. but this time around, i'm "wiser" (despite only having 2 left) because i came equipped with my iPod! to silence the sound of drilling. wooHoo~ i also maximised the use of local anaesthetic. the slightest pressure, i gave a grimace and ouch-ed, and the dentist would give me another shot of LA. hahaha..

dentists are super nice people. maybe it's a good "defense" mechanism that they developed over the years as a result of people detesting and fearing them. i laughed at the thought of it! it's important to have confidence in your treating doctor. it's important for the doctor to convey that very "message" to his/her patients. my dentists were able to give that very confidence. nice and skillful people they are.

being a medical student has its perks ;) i got a 20% discount. yes!~ although the pain still lingers a bit, but it's bearable.

thank You Lord that the whole experience was not painful. and Your guidance on the surgeon's hands :)

just wanna share this beautiful song which speaks of His finished work, with all of you..

I See Grace
New Creation Church 2007

Jesus my help, I call on Your name
I cast my cares on You
Jesus my hope, my tower of strength
My faith is found in You

Bearer of sin, afflicted and tried
You paid redemption's price
Bearing my curse, You've set me on high
Your death has brought me life

I see You pierced, wounded for me
When I look to the cross I see

I see grace, sealed by Your sacrifice
I see love, reaching for me
Precious blood, washes and sanctifies
Healing flows, setting me free
I see grace.

KK Trip :)

2008-01-13T07:28:00.001-11:00

Spanish Balls!

2008-01-13T05:17:00.001-11:00

this is a really simple, delicious snack to make IF you have an electric blender ;)

my youngest brother thought we bought it ok. hey coming from him, the ultimate food critique, that says a lot :P

so here's what you need:

300g fish fillet (hm, i used tenggiri batang but i think most fish shld taste ok kua???)
300g prawns (de-shelled, of course!)
4 slices of bread soaked in milk (without the skin)
1 chilli
1 egg
coriander/kuchai (how much is up to you, you can leave it out if you want to)
a dash of plain flour (you can use self raising if you want it to look bigger)
salt and pepper to taste

BLEND AWAY!!!!

ok these will have to be deep fried.

so, heat the oil until... it's hot. well, not everyone has a kitchen thermometre (i don't!) therefore, the best way to test if the oil is hot enough, you can either dip a bamboo chopstick in and see if it bubbles, or put a piece of bread in, it shld "bubble" and float. errr, i hope that made sense. hahaha...

using 2 spoons, scoop the blended mixture to form a ball and gently drop them into the heated oil. fry until golden brown. and they'll turn out like the picture above :)

Enjoy!!

Destined to Reign

2008-01-12T06:12:00.000-11:00

going through this period of time where everything seems to crumble before my very eyes, this book proved to be a blessing to me. it challenged a paradigm shift in my belief system.. initially, i was cautious, as many people warned that it preached "controversial grace". but guess what? the good news couldn't have been better :) thumbs up to a revelationary book - Destined To Reign. Pastor Joseph Prince writes just as if he is speaking. you'll know what i mean once you've read it.. in fact, he'll be the key speaker at Paradise's Influencers Conference this year. i wish i could be there. it starts tmr!!! 14-17th January. Don't miss it!

despite all, i know this year will be a good year. it'll be a God year :) we are Destined to Reign.

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

James 1:12

wow huh? wow...