Blogrounds IX
posted in - Blog rounds, - Dobbs |Palmdoc is still busy (this time with work) so he has asked me to continue with the Blogrounds this week. First of all, heartiest congratulations to two of our Doctor Bloggers, Bernard and George for getting nominated for Medgadget’s Best New Medical Weblog for 2006.
George has an eye-opening blogpost this week about patients who delay seeking medical treatment until a very late stage, when sadly it is sometimes too late. Bernard shows us an interesting umbilicus in his Quiz for the week.
HOTM posts an interesting article on the Rising Care of Healthcare, written by Dr. Steven Chow and Dr. Ng Swee Choon of the Federation of Private Medical Practitioner’s Associations Malaysia. Vagus shares with us some thoughts about thyroid cancer.
In a lighter vein, Jimbo gives us a hilarious account of exam bloopers that came from Sem 5 (preclinical) students when asked about the possible complications of acute appendicitis. Not as funny though as the pan-ejaculation murmur IMO 
On a more serious note, Jimbo also took part in a Community Flood Relief Project jointly organised by IMU Clinical School in Batu Pahat and the Health Ministry.
A week into the new year and we have more bloggers sharing about new changes and new experiences. Sbanboy talks about what it feels like when the doctor becomes the patient. I guess it is an important reminder to us that doctors are not invincible, and that we need to take good care of our own health and not just that of our patients.
Shah started the new year getting acclimatized to his new workplace, which brought with it a whole host of other new and different things to get used to. Cytusm shares photos of the brand new auditorium of the Ambulatory Care Centre in Hospital Pulau Pinang.
For pilocarpine, moving hospital took on a new meaning when the whole of Hospital Sungai Petani shifted to a brand new premises 3 Km away. The hospital even got renamed to Hospital Sultan Abdul Halim. The move was not without problems though, as some new facilities like the phone and operator system are apparently not working well 
Saw Ling (in Glasgow) shares with us the joy of her first successful lumbar puncture examination. From the other corner of the globe in Texas, Letti bravely took to the ice and managed to skate all on her own. Way to go Letti!
While going through our Student Blogs I came across this interesting account of venesection by a self-styled Noob-pricker.
Taking blood is like getting a girlfriend ie. u have to try 6 times before u get 1 success. I poked, manhandled and initiated screams from 5 ladies b4 i managed to hit a vein in one woman (that oso after pulling out the needle and re-inserting it for a 2nd try).
There was one young lady who presented to AnE late at night for suspected dengue. AnE doc told me to take her blood, so i volunteered with all bravery and confidence. I smoothly whipped out the needle from its sheath and handled her arm gently like a gentleman, with all the skill of a cool warrior pricker.
In the end, i poked the dorsal aspect of both hand (doc oso couldnt find her median cubittal veins) a total of 4 painful and frustrating times (2 jabs each hands), and drew only empty air. A medical attendant came over, looked at her wrist, looked at my perplexed face dripping in sweat, sliced the needle in, and drew blood in 10 smooth seconds.
He then gave me a look that said it all, “Noob pricker”.
Cheer up Johan, this is one instance when practice makes perfect and hopefully you will soon get the hang of it. And as you pointed out, it sure is better calm-and-collected noob than a stressed-out expert — although your patients might not agree with that!
Well that wraps it up for this week. The offer is still open for any of our doctor bloggers to take over the Blogrounds for the week. Just drop us a line and we’ll be happy to let you share your thoughts. As palmdoc pointed out earlier, summaries from different people may be more interesting as it will be blogs as seen from different angles. You can do a Bloground from your own blog and we can just link it or point it out from here.
Last 5 posts by dobbs
- Seminar & Workshop on Immunohistochemistry - August 2nd, 2010
- Insider’s Guide to Passing MRCP(UK) PACES - June 11th, 2010
- A Seminar on Soft Tissue Tumours - May 16th, 2010
- 2010 MSQH International Conference and Exhibition - February 25th, 2010
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January 10th, 2007 at 3:59 pm
I nominate that George write the next blogrounds. What say u?
January 11th, 2007 at 3:02 am
I second the motion
January 11th, 2007 at 7:28 am
He sure has got a superb blog! I second.. no, third… the motion.
January 12th, 2007 at 6:34 pm
Wei Hands what is this huh! First kena tagged for a meme then now this task! Thanks for the strong support! Well okay, I will try! What should I do, is this considered informed!Palmdoc??
January 12th, 2007 at 6:46 pm
Hey! I’m not the only one… got a seconder and “third”er. It’s a democratic process.
January 12th, 2007 at 6:57 pm
Good for you George! But take your time ….
January 13th, 2007 at 12:38 am
This looks harder than what it seems! Any tips! It is a challenge
January 13th, 2007 at 7:34 am
Use Bloglines. Add feeds. Scan posts. C&P.