Blogrounds XI: a week in Malaysian medical blogosphere
George passed me the baton for the 11th edition of the Malaysian medical blog rounds. I’d been to most of the medical blogs before, particularly if they were highlighted on the blogrounds but this task had me running around today looking through the blogs for the highlights of the week (or so). And what a hectic week it has been in medical blogosphere. Let’s take a look at the “classical” week of a “typical” doctor and the doctor-to-be….
Mondays - urgent patient matters
Don’t we all love swinging into action the moment the week starts, as George did. He started with a rectal cancer and it gets even more adrenaline pumping as he finds a patient with an abdomen as high as a mountain due to a ruptured AAA.
George shows the distended abdomen
It wasn’t all rough and tough as greenpasture talks about more delicate surgery, involving glands and nerves. The physicians had something to think about as well, as Dr Ng talks about the use of drug-eluting stents.
Smoking can be hazardous to your health; and not your own only… as pilocarpine’s patient had her caesarean section delayed because of a smoker. So don’t blame a doctor for asking whether the patient smokes or not, as Saw Ling exposes the smoking patient.
Sometimes, the doctor is at the receiving end of the heathcare, as eskay finds her tooth in trouble.
Tuesday - patient care matters still prevail
Dobbs highlighted the Health Minister’s remarks about the quality of housemen and medical training which sparked a discussion on private medical schools. Fang tells us about the elective students coming to his department. “I seems start to understand why generally house officer every year getting more and more lousy(excluding some of the good one),” he laments. Doc managed to put in a word about the quality of nursing graduates from nursing schools. “So, as for medical courses, in our hurry to fill in the missing numbers, have we compromised on the quality of students?”, he asks.
Florence Nightingale, picture “borrowed” from Doc’s blog
Fibrate’s hospital has started something new to bring some cheer to the patients. BTW, happy birthday! Patients surely need comforting but perhaps laugh therapy of Patch Adams fame might actually be helpful too? In the meantime, SweeKheng tells of Kak Faridah who stayed in hospital for weeks attending to her sick mother. I suppose the patient’s own family needs to chip in to provide the necessary care.
But some patients get on your nerve don’t they? As cytusm narrates the story of kiasu Penangite patients.
Wednesday - wider issues in Malaysian medicine.
Palmdoc highlighted the issues raised in the local blogosphere surrounding funding for heathcare. Dr. Cheah calls for continued freedom to blog in the Malaysian blogosphere:
For now, bloggers, like me, will have to stand behind fellow bloggers who all firmly believe in the freedom of speech and independence of the press. So bloggers, unite and stay united. It may affect us more than we think it will.
Yenjai witnesses the apathetic attitude of Malaysians in public. But kudos to the boy whose shoe-laces was caught at the end of an escalator in a shopping complex.
Thursday - time for the techie toys
Jimbo recently got offered to freelance as a medical writer; and to aid him in his task, he has acquired a new toy, a “generic” mp3 player which doubles as a recording device. Hope to see your write-ups soon, Jimbo. Doc Chan also has some ideas… he is thinking of a wireless stethescopes, using bluetooth technology, perhaps something prometheus might be able to help with? Doc Chan also highlights the use of e-prescribing which might replace the infamous doctors’ handwriting on paper. Palmdoc brings us up-to-date on what new medical stuff’s available for palm.
Prometheus‘ toys
Friday - medical students’ field day.
Our medical students had some lessons to share with us:
izahAhmad relates what Banting posting is all about: “You will treat cough and cold, avulse in-grown toe nail, drain the abcesses and nurse the sick. In short you will participate in care of patient.”
Kenster had the experience of the first time being on call… ever. She had the “pleasure” of having a “pseudo-homey” call room.
Plus I should mention that the call room is located in the abandoned part of the hospital…just empty hallways and even emptier rooms. Major spook factor lor…
She had an interesting array of patients that she saw with the resident.
Chia Huan reports about the valuable experience with the flood relief team from Hospital Permai. She reports… “I felt so lost and helpless when i saw the whole primary school filled with 360+ families and 1700+ victims in total.” In the end, she learns something from the people she intended to help… “When we give to others, we actually gain something from them without knowing”.
… and last but not least, Chang Yang shares with us the intricacies of restroom etiquette:
..unless the urine in my bladder has reached the critical mass, I wouldn’t think about breaking the tension in the toilet. It’s too dangerous. Why is it dangerous? Haha, I just learnt that urinals can be a potential trigger of a toilet war…
Saturday!! - relaxlah!
Chen has a blog full of “jalan-jalan” and “makan-makan” stories. This time she tells us where to go in Klang, Ipoh and Kampar. Shah goes to Kuala Selangor for some great shots of nature in Taman Alam. Sbanboy goes even further and takes us to Bangkok for a visit to the Floating Market of Damnoen Saduak.
Vagus tells us he is coming home for a couple of weeks and will be sharing on postgrad medical training in the US. So watch his space for the date and time.
It looks like the medical students travel even more:
- Smilyn goes to the Zoo
- Ying Ci in Rome
- Sam Leong in Scotland
- GRChew in Finland
- Sarah in Moscow
- Ken in Odessa
- Sheena in Prague
Sunday - new in the family
We want to welcome Cayden, Eve’s baby boy. She had to undergo a Caesearean section but she’s back in action already. *respect* Dr Yap also has a recent addition, Ethan, after a wise man, an Ezrahite, in Solomon’s time. He talks about naming a child:
Something deep within tells us that the child has such intrinsic traits and in some way the name spells out his destiny. It also defines our aspirations, and the way we hope to bring him up - with a sense of grit and readiness to face life head on; knowing the God who calls him, and what he is called to.
Soon they’ll be talking, and the source of clever remarks as BuffaFly has the pleasure of finding out.
Finally, senaiboy has got baby photos to show too. Hop over and take a look! 
… any volunteer to do the rollcall of honour for next week? Let me know by Saturday… otherwise I shall wield the finger…an tag someone. Muahaha. I have a good idea who to tag already.
Update (31-1-2007): Bloground 12 by Jimbo.
Hi Bernard, thanks for linking to my urinal post…
Haha I was so surprised when I saw the link to my urinal post, because among all other better posts you chose to link to a lamest one… 
Anyway I’m quite new in this bloground thing, would you be kind to tell me more about it? Is this some kind of “introduction to everyone’s blog” where everyone takes their turns as the author?
Oops sorry, should have called you Dr Bernard.
Wah, life of a doctor so busy one ah? I read until kepala pusing but after going to Chen’s blog about Klang, I woke up again lah.
Bernard, (hands up), one question please. That photo of the body, where the hair is hor, is that top or bottom of the body huh?
Thank you Bernard! I have asked for a volunteer, but if none, feel free to tag someone
Changyang, the Blogrounds started as a roundup of Doctors’ blogs, originally done by Palmdoc. As no one else volunteered, we have decided to tag a doctor each week to do one. Of course, the medical students are most welcome to join in the fun as well!
http://medicine.com.my/wp/?cat=29
Chang Yang, haha, you can call me Bernard anytime. I was looking for recent posts, in the past week or so, not old ones… even though they are good. I found this post interesting and I thought it would pique the interest of other readers as well… so I included it.
So readers, remember to read Chang Yang’s other posts as well ;-).
and dobbs has kindly answered your other question… thanks. Look out the the next
victimcommentator.Judy, of course busy lah…don’t you watch any medical dramas? Hahaha.
I just picked out some of the interesting posts from the past couple of weeks… so do go and read the other posts from the more “interesting” bloggers.
Regarding the hair… perhaps you’d like to ask George… just to make it more interactive
Wah liao. No wonder so busy la. Working as an investigator cum undercover. I’m clicking all the links now.
Bernard, I become giddy even when reading this article.
You must have spent hours going to all the blogs!
Good work.
p/s thanks for including mine
wah…i oso kepala pusing la..didn’t know there are so many of us dr bloggers…no wonder bernard was MIA yday..he was doing this ler..*tabik
Queen, ya lorr.. busy the whole afternoon… click, click, click.
yenjai, getting giddy ah? give you something to munch on for an hour or so… hehe.
eve, there are sooooo many, i couldn’t include all. And even more MS bloggers…. anything for your reading pleasure… have fun.
An excellent work. I wonder who would it be next. I don’t think there will be any volunteers do just go ahead and tag - it is makes it easy for the person to prepare - again not that anyone prepares early!
Judy, that picture of the abdomen with hair actually was taken upto the thigh. So that hair you see is the “bottom of the body”.
Wah.. how long u take to scroll through all those blogs & do this write up? Please please pleaseee don’t tag me… thanks
George, many thanks for your answer. Mind boggling. Eeew, I just realised that there’s some blood on his right side of the thigh. Feeling nausea alledi.
Actually the original bloground focus was on Doctors’ blogs, but feel free to add any interesting MS blogposts you come across. Thought I’d clarify this point so as not to scare the next commentator away!
My pleasure Judy. Wow very good observation, the blood there at the right side of the thigh is from setting an access into his veins using a large branula to allow more fluids to enter into his body.
Chen, I spent an afternoon reading blogs… 2 very useful resources in the MMR:
1. the MMR blogroll.
2. and the MMR aggregator.
Do go by and take a look.
thanks, i know about the MMR blogrolls
my link was listed there previously but I requested my link to be removed from there a year ago
cos mine is more of a personal blog mah..
Wow! That was a great compilation Doc! You sure spent alotta time on it! I will take the time to read your hard work now…!!!
WAH! *impressed* That’s quite a number of blogs you’ve covered in one bloground!!!
Chen, ya i guess so.. but a lot of the others are personal blogs too
mott, finished reading anot? george’s posts should keep you busy.
YP, welcome!! Ya.. cos it was difficult to choose… so I include everything that I would’ve wanted to read in a week of blogging.
Oh my…so damn busy…don’t you have a thing called life?
Chelsea, got!! Refer to “Saturday” and “Sunday”.
Walau!! Din know there r so many blogger docs around. Y u so free ah to compile the list? Mmm sai chou ah..;p?
BTW, thanks for including mine.
SK, ya lorr… there are lots… achelli is not becos i free… i kena “volunteered” by George liao. But then, I had fun doing it lah.
How’s the tooth?
the tooth ar.. it’s asymptomatic at the moment. I’m like, sitting on this until it starts to bug me again..which I know I shouldn’t at all;;;P Gonna get it examined one of these days lar..
SK, okie dokie.. dentist knows best!
p.s. looks like my wish-item is in grave prognosis liao.
Wow..WOw…WOW….!!! so keng one ar u. *tabik*
u read read thru all the blogs and can remember so much one ah. this will take me days….errr…or a week to do it la. i baca a bit pun sudah chuan la.
thanks, dr bernard for including my entry and blog.. your blog is definitely an interesting read right from the start… busy week for me..
CSH, you must go read Jimbo’s blogrounds this week liao.
pilocarpine, no problem.. your write good stuff too. Have a good week ahead.