Ok, so, I know it's high time I wrote a new blog!! I've had so little time, it's crazy!! I always end up writing these after I've been on call, so it's really late at night but for some reason I can't come home and go straight to sleep. I am supposed to be doing some uni work before I go to bed...writing up some cases etc, but oh well. I decided to do this instead.

The last week and a half have been pretty frustrating as far as uni has been concerned. I spent so much time in the labour ward last week trying to deliver babies, only to end up just watching every time!! I was especially frustrated on Friday, because I spent all morning befriending the midwives and the patients, in preparation for being the one to perform the delivery. The first couple of patients went into the second stage of labour (pushing stage, hehe) when I was with a different patient, and so I missed the beginning and couldn't deliver. After that I chose one patient and stuck to her all morning, doing her fetal heart monitoring, keeping the fan on her, everything. However, just when she was ready to push, they had a change of nursing shift, and the new midwife, who hadn't introduced myself to yet, just came in and took over. Then she said I could do the next one, but of course the next one was with a different midwife again, and so once again I was left to watch. It was so frustrating!! This week has been long. I've been based on the ward this week instead of the operating theatre and labour ward, and although I like talking to the patients and examining them, the day just seems to go so slowly when you're confined to the ward. I've also been struggling to find patients that speak english this week too, which has made it twice as hard. I feel bad also, as my group is supposed to 'cover the ward' this week. That basically means that they split the beds up between them (40 beds), and make sure they know everything about their patients. They're all so nervous about not knowing their patients that they stay until 10-11pm every night this week to clerk any new admissions, so they are prepared for the morning ward round. We also have to come in early and do a student round before the consultant round. The other students didn't even include me in sharing out the beds because of the language barrier, and so I feel quite useless. I've managed to pick up a few patients, but it looks like a token effort compared to what they've been doing, and I feel like such a burden. I'm trying to do as much as I can though...I just have to hope that they can see that.

Tonight was better though. Even though it means a late night, being on call is always better. There is more freedom to be where you want, and more exciting things happen at night. Tonight I spent some time chatting with a couple of ladies having their chemotherapy for cervical cancer. They could both speak english, and it was really great to talk to them about their experiences of cancer, what they have gone through and what supports they have, etc. One of them is a training manager for a resort/hotel in Port Dickson (by the beach, about 40min drive from here), and she was trying to convince me to come down there and stay for a bit. She even said she'd have her driver pick me up, hehe!! If there is one thing that I love about Malaysian people, it's their generosity. So many people have been so welcoming and generous with their time, their home, their money...I have really been blessed. After chatting to those lovely ladies I went to theatre to watch an emergency surgery, which is always great.

So, I guess my time here so far has been filled with highs and lows. I'm sad to say that I'm probably not enjoying my time at the hospital as much as I was hoping, but I am continually trying to keep a positive attitude and learn everything I can. On the other hand, I had a fantastic weekend in KL. I love Kuala Lumpur!! I kinda wish I was staying there, but I guess being here makes me appreciate it even more when I get to go. I went with one of my friends from the Uni to KL on Friday night, and stayed over at her house. Her family are absolutely wonderful...they were so generous to me and it was an amazing time. We had chinese for dinner, which was great. On Saturday they took me to see some of the sights in KL; the main square where all of the old buildings are, up the KL tower, and later to KLCC (Big shopping centre beneath the KL twin towers). The view from the KL tower was pretty awesome, and it was quite funny going on the 'formula one simulator' - more like a timezone game, hehe. KLCC is quite a fancy shopping centre, they even have a Cartier and a Harrods!! I had my first laksa in Malaysia there, and really enjoyed spending time with my friend Kim and her family. They have this really cool park outside too, with a water park for kids and even a soft running track. Kinda wish i lived close to there, hehe.

On Saturday evening I met up with a friend of my uncle's, who took me, along with his lovely wife, to the Batu caves. They are limestone caves, and a hindu temple has been built inside. Apparently it's 277 steps up...it didn't really feel like that many. It was pretty interesting though. Then we went to China town and had a look at the markets, had a late dinner (Indian) and headed back to their place. In the morning I went to church with them, and met an Australian man from my Uncle's church, which was pretty funny. We went out to lunch (more Indian food...yum), then went to a couple of other places (Brickfields - 'Little India' and the Grand Palace), before I headed back to my friends. Had another wonderful dinner with them before we headed back to Seremban. It was such a busy weekend and I was exhausted, but it was so much fun!!

I'm actually heading back to KL tomorrow, but only for the night. On Saturday I'm going with a couple of girls to the Genting Highlands - supposed to be pretty and a lot cooler than here!! Hope to come back Saturday night, because I need to be in the hospital on sunday.

I hope that gives everyone a bit of an idea of what I've been doing!! I hope to have some photos up here soon...waiting on my husband to upload them, hehe.

Anyway, goodnight everyone!!

:)