There is always hope.

Whoever said Year 4 would be a breeze should be shot. I'm in before 8 and rarely back before 6. And then there is still bookwork after that.

Well but I guess all I can do is to hang on tight and have faith. We will get there someday (:

Summer Hols

Not blogging for such a long time is a good thing. Partially because summer has been great to me and also cos the internet connection back at home in singapore is slow(er) and wireless isnt working, so the whole family has to queue for internet.

Now that Im back in London, waiting for school to start in 2 days time, I look back and Im glad to say Im happy with the way I have spent my summer hols. 2 spontaneous hols (I literally booked tickets and flew/ sailed 2 days later) and a relatively good attachment at CGH that gave me a better perspective of what it would be like to practise medicine back home in singapore.

Most importantly, I got to spend time with family and friends. Thats what makes home home aint it? But not enough, as always. It was a pity that I didnt manage to spend any time with SnR (although half of them are here in London anyway) but I did squeeze in a very lovely dinner and late night chat at Merlion Park with yearmates and loads of Losers time. Plus the HK trip to see my ex-flatmates, albeit over a very awkward dinner with archie's parents.

Summer, this year was good to me. It started with a lovely hol and ended with one too, and it makes me feel good to know that it wasnt all play and no work. Now, its time to start school again, which surprisingly, Im actually not dreading that much.

好兴奋！

最近不少歌手开始试着演戏，王力宏也终于被感染了。周董都能打入好莱坞，希望王力宏能超越它，演出佳绩。At least, he wont be speaking Chinglish in Hollywood films.

History for Dummies

WW2 Made Simple for Teens of Today- Facebook style

Love it when people can make history so interesting and accessible.

Singapore = Good Times

Been in Singapore for 3days and totally loving it.
Though Ive pretty much spent my days at home hoovering the house and washing dishes (maid went back to get married, just my luck), going down to Singtel multiple times to get my simcard fixed (couldnt receive any incoming calls and texts previously, so am sorry if i didnt reply you. Its not me being a diva, I am actually very friendly.) and meeting up with people. Which translates to wasting my life away. Which also means Im enjoying life really.

Good times. Only wishing that it could be a tad bit longer (:

I love the smell of Asia Air.

Here I am sitting in KL's airport, feeling so excited i might actually pee in my pants if not for the fact that Im way too dehydrated (blame expensive airport water) and that it might ruin my glamourous image.

Sitting here waiting for my gate to open, I cant help but let my mind drift and it has just occurred to me (albeit for the 1000th time) that another year has passed like this. I mean, I FINISHED ONE YEAR OF CLINICS?!

Two more years (hopefully) of this, and Im going to be a doctor. Like Dr Lee.

Like no more, Hi My Name Is Peishan Lee, I'm a third year medical student. Is it ok if I blah blah blah.

And no more, Im sorry Im not sure/ I dont know, Im a third year medical student.

Im looking way too far ahead, but this year just zoomed past. Its been fresh and exciting and yet challenging and at times draining. Afterall, life is not without its ups and downs. I have met people who made me laugh, made me cry, made me change my outlook and attitude in life. Im less tensed up, but that also means Im less disciplined. Im more open to changes and spontaneity but that equates to being disorganised as well. But I am trying, still, to strike a balance.

I shall breathe in the wet, humid Asia air and look forward to being home. Im glad Im going to be home in time to celebrate my nation's bday! Im starting to sound eerily patriotic. But oh well, A year is really a long time, especially so for "Homecoming Queen".

新加坡我来也。。。

Hi, I am a 3rd Year Medical Student ...

Peishan= Basal Skull Fracture + Diabetic Ketoacidosis + Hepatic Encephalopathy + Hashimoto's Disease

= Battle's Sign + Kaussmaul's Breathing + Korsakoff's Psychosis + Extreme Lassitude

And in non- medical speak= Big eye bags + hyperventilation + inability to make new memories + perpetual tiredness

Diagnosis: Medical Student

And there's always some truth in parodies ...

Orthopods and Anaesthetists (:

1 more reason why its better being a Woman.

Things I should not be remembering from my revision but tend to stick anyway:

"Research has shown that women who have complete transection of the spinal cord can experience orgasms through the vagus nerve, which can go from the uterus, cervix and probably the vagina to the brain."

I wanna be angmoh for a while.

I need a break real bad now, am physically and mentally drained.

Havent been so for a long long time. My ssc just has this effect on me, compounded with the nagging feeling that i have way too much to cover for exams.

And yet, there is so not enough time for me to take one proper.

Plus my mum (who is living with me now), seems to think tt it is only expected for us as students to work like this "because every medical student in the world has to work hard and they are all tired like you too. Plus, we are all also tired too."

But Im not one of those every other medical student in the world. And is it expected for everyone to be go so far as to be tired to be not considered lazy?

Once in a while, I wish Im not asian.

Peish the Physician.

I think the best thing I got out of doing my SSC on Breast surgery and oncology is that I have strengthened my resolve that I dont want to be a surgeon.

And that i hate writing essays alot.

Damn, it would have been interesting reading up on the history if breast cancer treatments if not for the fact that Im absolutely shattered from standing the whole day in theatre, that i havent slept much last night, and that the surgeon who is going to read it might possibly hate my essay and make me redo one.

I want to take a gap year. And my mum doesnt seem amused by it one bit.

Of Breast and Bad Luck.

At free-printing royal free now waiting for a wide local excision for (local) metastatic right breast lump to start in about 1-2hours, and really not looking forward to it.
Firstly because Im not a fan of surgery in general, and secondly because I dont like the idea of women losing boobs.

Spent the whole morning waiting for a ward round that didnt materialise to start, and then more waiting around with the pt to get a sentinel lymph node biopsy. But at least the radiologist was really nice and keen on teaching, which makes the moring pseudo- worthwhile. And my pt was really really nice and positive despite her diagnosis and that she is going to have part of her breast removed.

Breast Cancer is really an awful thing to have, both for men and women alike. Men because of the mockery they might get for having what the public see as a women's disease and women because it might mean losing a great part of their identity.
And its not only the physical changes that these pts have to deal with, but also chemo and radiotherapy after that. Its going to make (some) people lose hair, feel perpetually tired and ill, deal with side effects such as lymphoedema and having to live with the fear that the cancer might always recur. It means a whole lot not only to the pt but also her(/his) family. Daily routines disrupted and possibly life values reevaluated and plans rethought.
All these changes usu in a matter of weeks, if not days, especially with the one stop clinic that sees people getting their diagnosis within the week, surgery within the month and chemo, radio or hormonal therapy after that.

That aside, Im still feeling grouchy for having to come in so damn early to realise things didnt happen, the nurse at the lymphoedema clinic emailing the med sch to tell them i didnt attend the clinic and that squirrelmail is not working so i can email them to explain my innocence.
Why do bad luck come in big bundles?

Too much summer.

Summer is so beautiful, especially in a place whereby its normally cold and wet and gloomy. The beauty of the blooming flowers and the warmth of the sun, and the general joy expressed by the people in the streets just lifts my spirits.

But yesterday was one of those days, I wished the weather wasnt as summery. I was positively sweating like a pig and hyperventilating like a dog and missing my aircon back home in singapore the whole day.

But this weather does make me just not want to work (despite the fact that exams are coming up and no where near half way done) cos its either too beautiful to stay indoors or too hot to stay awake.

I guess thats just one of my 100001 excuses not to work.

And yes, today its the showdown between Spain and Netherlands. ((((: Am looking forward to it!

But Im def looking forward to going back home in 3 weeks time. Have plans to check out universal studios and marina sands with the Losers and possibly visit HK for a couple of days (((:

Inception.

Christopher Nolan makes me incredibly proud to say Im from UCL (yes, he graduated from my awesome school!).

And in about 10 days time, his newest work, starring none other than Leonardo DiCarprio (who might not be as good-looking as he was back when he was in Titanic, but more charming to watch with all the years of experience that has made him a truly awesome actor) and Ellen Page (who has really blossomed since June), comes INCEPTION:

And they are here to mess with your mind!

(Not that exams arent already doing so to mine.)

拳神

I think summer just has this effect on people.

It makes you want to just enjoy life and live the high life, which was exactly what i did- make a salmon pie for dinner, watch football (way to go Spain!) and then HK's (extremely embarrassing) version of The Matrix:

Or: 拳神

I have to admit I got into it 'cos of LeeHom.

Its bad, but hilariously so. A nice break if you need some laughs. And, they do have a nice cast (What i mean is ... yummy to the eyes).

But if you are looking for a show with any decent plot or acting or kungfu or meaning, dont say i didnt warn you first.

I guess we still have a long way before our movies would get anywhere near Hollywood's standards. (This movie came out 2 years after The Matrix.)

End of my World Cup Madness. Hopefully.

England's dismal performance against Germany has definitely motivated me away from watching every single match of world cup. Which is good, since its now officially less than 1mth from exams.

I guess it comes with living here in London, 'cos I have never been so passionate about any football team. Well, I did use to watch world cup and claim that I support Netherlands but never had I got so agitated with an unfair call or bad pass, and never had I known a team so well as this year's England's team. Football had never run my life (now my social appointments are organised around matches) and had never affected my 喜怒哀乐, but its a whole new ball game now (pun intended).

I suppose I never saw the need to be a fan of any team in the past, cos I was so preoccupied with my own school's sports teams. I remember going for almost all of RG's bball, swimming and track matches, and even more for HwaChong's matches and competitions especially since being in Council was an excuse to skip classes to go for them.

This year's world cup has been an interesting (albeit extremely disappointing for me) one.

With the news that Netherlands just won, i suppose it will still be exciting with Argentina, Netherlands and Germany still in the run.

Good friends, good food, good weather, good times.

Had a wonderful start to my lovely weekend with a dinner with Dada and Jamie at Villandry's yesterday. The food there was fab and the ambience real posh. The price was good as well, at 50% off on toptable.

And of course, catching up with old friends is always great. Jamie hasnt changed one bit- looks glam but still behaves in the most hilariously embarrassing way ever. Im totally looking forward to going home in Aug (:

Since my flatmate's off to Paris with her bf this wkend, I get the whole flat to myself. Which means that I get to do embarrassing (and guilty) things which I would normally not do with her about. Like waking up at an embarrassingly late hour, playing torchlight, finishing the whole tub of Haagen Daz, and watching silly commercials for hours on youtube.

Im surprised to find out Messi's not very much older than I am.

And that Kaka is an evangelical devout Christian who married his childhood sweetheart!

Summer makes everything beautiful (:

Once in a while, it really makes my day to know that I have made the right decision in choosing the right course at the right place.

It can really be such a joy to be reading about management of diseases, with my favourite oldies playing in the background, coke in hand and sun in my face in my lovely lovely new room.

Why why why the joy? I dont know either, but Im not complaining (:

Of World Cup and WWII.

Why the World Cup is like World War II?

The French Surrendered early.
US entered late.
The Brits are left to fight the Germans.

Bad luck comes in bundles.

Today is so not my day.

1. On take on a Sat. Only managed to get signed off 1h early.

2. Realised how little I know about medicine. Am def going to be screwed for exams.

3. Broke my toothbrush mug. Cut my finger whilst cleaning up the mess.

4. Spilt my hot choc all over my swanky new study chair.

And i dont want to know what comes next.

1 more day left to the end of my wkend. URGHS.