too much studying does this to you

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...

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....

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!

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

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!!

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

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)

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

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....

...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!!!

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.

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...

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! :(

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

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 :)