11/11/11 in my life...

      11/11/11...such a beautiful date. It also marked the last day I'm in Anaesthesiology Department, HSM. Finally, my request to transfer to Outpatient Department since a couple of months ago has been approved. What do I feel? Happy...relieved...sad to leave my wonderful colleagues for the past 2 years+....a bit scared also.....a mixed feelings I felt..

      That day also was my last day to induce anaesthesia to patients....intubation and giving spinal anaesthesia. I'm very happy to work in this department as I acquired skills that not many people can do..it's very interesting... Many would think it's a blissful to be in anaesth. After patient is asleep, many thinks we just sit, chit chat, playing games on handphone, or reading books....but actually, there's more to it. We're the one who have to make sure the patients's vital signs are stable throughout the operation, the muscles are relaxed so that the surgeon can do their job and of course, patient felt no pain intra-op or post-operatively. It's OK in stable cases, but in unstable cases like intraabdominal injury with massive bleeding, sepsis patients, patients with multiple comorbids...we're the one that are fidgeting in our seat and have palpitations.

      I love the coolness and the adrenaline rush in this field...it's different than in other departments...because you are managing a person's vital organ..for example you have to intubate or ventilate patients succesfully, if you fail in more than 3 minutes, hypoxia can happen and your patient can have brain death...scary, huh?

      I've made the decision to change to OPD because of family factor. My husband as a pharmacist in the military frequently has to go outstation..usually it's very sudden and you don't have time to tell the babysitter beforehand that your daughter has to sleep over at the babysitter house especially if it happens to be on the day you are oncall. I pity my small daughter. It's tiring for me to be left alone often, but I have to bear it since he's my husband :) Moreover, I don't have to do oncall anymore and can surely spend more time with my family on weekends and public holidays...yippiee!! : )

      This Monday I'll start my new chapter in Out Patient Department. I'll have to do some readings since I can hardly remember antihypertensive drugs, diabetes mellitus drugs...bla...bla..bla... I hope I 'll be happy in my new department...looking forward to entertain variety of patients attitude in OPD :P Wish me luck!!!