Thursday, October 29, 2009

a good start is important

"Doktor, you pun boleh sakit ka?"
"I pun manusia juga"

When concerning meals, a good breakfast (or really, just any breakfast) would do you good to survive the day.

Friday mornings means Internal Medicine. There was much standing as we interviewed patients and was shown how to perform aspection/percussion and palpation on patients.

I failed to have a proper breakfast last Friday and that morning, after some standing, I started to feel cold and weak. I knew they were signs of fainting so I asked to be seated, which didn't work so I dragged myself to a nearby bench to lie down.

The good thing was, we had blood pressure measurement on the last lesson and so, our doctor was well informed about my hypotension. He assured me that I wasn't dead; "don't worry, you still have pulse. " and later, I was led to the room where patients would first enter when admitted. (It was an ICU; JIP in czech, jednotka intenzivni pece, but I wasn't an ICU patient of course.)

The nurse measured my blood pressure. First measurement was a failure, so the machine was set up another time. Guess what came out...

75/44

Yup, that number and the machine beeping away. (If you've had your medical practice, machines usually beeps away when there's abnormality with the patient or in some rare cases, malfunction of the machine).

What happened next was a series of procedures to elevate my blood pressure.

Remaining in a lying position, lift legs above heart level with the help of pillow etc. (Promote return of blood to the heart, hence increasing preload, cardiac output and blood pressure)

Drinking lotsa fluid. (Directly increasing fluid volume, and so, blood pressure).

I felt a lot better when the blood pressure was to my normal range. Guess what was my normal range...

95/66

I missed about quarter of class but Alhamdulillah for the experience and the recovery :)

-----

Time to build some knowledge! While we're at it, here are some things about blood pressure:

Blood pressure refers to the force exerted by circulating blood on the walls of blood vessels, and constitutes one of the principal vital signs.

The pressure of the circulating blood decreases as blood moves through arteries, arterioles, capillaries, and veins; the term blood pressure generally refers to arterial pressure, i.e., the pressure in the larger arteries, arteries being the blood vessels which take blood away from the heart.

Blood pressure is always given as two numbers - systolic pressure (when the heart beats) and diastolic pressure (when the heart relaxes). When the measurements are written down, both are written one above or before the other with the systolic being the first number.

Normal Blood Pressure - Blood pressure reading below 120/80 is considered normal.

High Blood Pressure - Blood pressure of 140/90 or higher is considered high blood pressure. If one or both numbers are usually high, you have high blood pressure.

Low Blood Pressure - Blood pressure that is too low is known as hypotension.

High Blood Pressure Range

Systolic pressure (mm Hg)Diastolic pressure (mm Hg)Stages of High Blood Pressure
210 120 Stage 4
180 110 Stage 3
160 100 Stage 2
140 90 Stage 1
Normal Blood Pressure Range
Systolic pressure (mm Hg)Diastolic pressure (mm Hg)Pressure Range
130 85 High Normal Blood Pressure
120 80 Normal Blood Pressure
110 75 Low Normal Blood Pressure
Low Blood Pressure Range (me!)
Systolic pressure (mm Hg)Diastolic pressure (mm Hg)Pressure Range
90 60 Borderline Low blood Pressure
60 40 Too Low Blood Pressure
50 33 Dangerously Low Blood Pressure

Yipes. The layout seems to cut off most of the table but no worries,you can read more on this article here. :)

Till next time, eat adequately, be healthy and peace be upon dear readers!

Friday, October 23, 2009

shoot for the stars and the likes

Alhamdulillah.

Being thankful would help us in many ways.

Well, it certainly help keeps the heart warm :).

-----
And out of the many aims this year, one is to stop and listen. And not argue.

Being mostly patient. :) Aja!

-----
And as Kak Alia put it, lakukan dengan bersungguh-sungguh i.e. when doing something, give it your all!

1. Anis Zara bersungguh-sungguh bermain kucing

2. Adil Taufiq bersungguh-sungguh makan

And now, lets give our all to Microbiology~ Woot~

Yang bersungguh-sungguh untuk belajar,
Nora

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

mee rebus

My taste buds has very little recollection of how Mee Rebus Ramli taste like. This is probably cause I didn't like mee rebus the first time I tried it and ended up not ordering mee rebus at Mee Rebus Ramli.

Had an unnecessary craving for it on Saturday. Alhamdulillah there was sweet potato, so, the mee rebus mission begin. (Stepanska vegetable store.. they usually have everything we need, vegetables that is).

For 1 pot of gravy:

3 large onions
10 garlics
1 inch ginger
1 lemon grass
(blend all of above ingredients, then saute)

250gm sauted and blended fresh shrimp
500gm diced beef (or chicken, whichever preferable)
(cook them with the onions bla bla bla, then add below ingredients)

750gm of boiled, mashed sweet potatoes and potatoes
1 table spoon dried shrimp

Add as much water as to fill 7/8 of your pot, finally, add sugar and salt to taste. :)
Voila~ Mee rebus perantau :P

Good thing it's only mee rebus.
Imagine craving pucuk ubi masak tempoyak cili api. Menangis tak berlagu I kat sini~

Saturday, October 17, 2009

euthanasia

Euthanasia (definition from Oxford Concise Medical Dictionary)
n. the act of taking life to relieve suffering.
In voluntary euthanasia the sufferer asks for measures to be taken to end his or her life. This may be accomplished by active steps, usually the administration of a drug, or more passively, for example, by deliberately withholding treatment.
In compulsory euthanasia society or those acting on authority give instructions to terminate the lives of individuals, such as infants, who cannot express their wishes.
In no country is compulsory euthanasia legal, but many societies exist to promote the cause of voluntary euthanasia.

-----
Simran (high school friend, partner in stand-up-comedy) unexpectedly reminded me of my duty as a medical student. That is to never stop learning. Alhamdulillah that she tagged me on her note about euthanasia or the medical dictionary on my shelf would be a tool none other then to collect dust.

And I read that a tool is only capable as its owner, and I can't be collecting nothingness in my brain. Gaaa~

So people, read up~ If you're sick of reading what we have in classes (you should at least read in twice though, before and after class), I'm sure there's no harm in reading other materials! :) Here's to every student and employers and the non-employed alikes -> READ! -benificial things that is-

Books are fun~
Books are great~

Lets sit down with a book today~
Books are fun~
Books are great~
Is it book time yet?
Or I just can't wait?
To read a book~ book~ book~ book~

Don't forget to keep the body healthy too though :P
Exercise!


Thursday, October 15, 2009

tell me your wish

I wish to find the copy of the signed promise made with the University in my first year of study.

I'm pretty sure I've kept it somewhere safe but yeah, too safe by the looks of it :P BUT...

It goes somewhere along the line of doing the right thing for the benefit of all.

InsyaAllah. :)

-----

I wish too, that I could easily say what I would regret not saying to the ones I love.

I wish I could understand you, and then, be able to say it right.

I'm sorry for being so selfish and not take account of what you must have felt.

As much as you detest change, I wish this flicker of hope I have won't die away.

If its best for you, I wouldn't wish for anything but, for you to be well.

-----

And I once again learn that forgiveness requires strength.

Especially if during the process, trust was breached upon.

Nyaaa~ Why so seriousss~

-----
Lets try living by this 8 words:

I AM ALWAYS TRUTHFUL, POSITIVE AND HELPING OTHERS

Yuroshiku oneigashimasu!

but of course

Bismillah So, it has been done. A visit to the mental health practitioner. Starting therapy and new medications. Perhaps a flaw in the pl...