| Thursday, January 12, 2012 |
| s pinal c ord injury placement |
just saw a friend's status on facebook mulling over why she has a sporting talent instead of a more artsy one. and to have just come home from seeing spinal injury patients, there's just a sense of unease with that status. if i knew her better, i'd sneak in a comment disguised as a tongue-in-cheek remark. but well, on second thoughts, i have a feeling it's me, not having many tongue-in-cheek ideas at the moment.
was my first time spending a full day with sci patients. i've seen 1/2 on random outpatient sessions before. first patient i met, i met while asking for directions. he's super determined, 6 years since his injury, super buff. he was just being admitted for increasing spasms over the trunk, lower limbs...prolly just needs his medication adjusted for, and slightly more resolve with stretching - something that's usually perceived as 'too mild' for guys his shape/ personality. he's really motivated with his gym sessions though, and my, when i saw how he smiled at his wheelchair-bound partner...it was rather interesting. i) that very...smitten smile just didn't fit his face, piercings and tattoos. and of course ii) it was terribly sweet.
met another lady who was getting checklisted for discharge on friday. one thing she had to do was to get in and out of the car. she was functionally fit - just psychologically up to it. she was injured in a car accident, that killed her son as well. a bit of tears and hugging. and convincing that this car in the clinic (without its 2 front wheels, engine, etc) can never do anything like it did to her. her gait pattern, was highly psychological as well. but she prolly copes by having this pattern. on a plinth, she would be a full score. well maybe proprioception is altered...(she can balance eyes closed 2 feet on a wobbledisc.)
then there was her friend, a wee girl with a strikingly similar gait pattern. learnt a bit about how their relationship weighs in on their rehabilitation progress. and some reports on the girl's functional ability - in terms of gait at christmas.
then the guy with what he called a 'full blubber' tummy, it was getting really hard to do transfers cos of his increasing weight. back to diet examination. couldn't do w/c to plinth transfer cos bowels were irritable and that landed us with a little accident that aborted the session.
ward patients - spinal abscess and infection patient t5 which left him on CRIB. did FES and stretching/ assisted ROM. another with a probably...c4/5 injury with a trachy. did suctioning with a exsufflator. this thing seems pretty useful. wonder what's the evidence for it. and speaking of evidence, prolly worthwhile looking up some papers for rehab.
lunch. i was so bored i went out for a walk in the cold.
back to gym. followed david around. saw a there-about central cord syndrome patient. just battling the high tone right quads with a weak hamstring on the same side. what claire mentioned about gait training progression particular to a central cord vs a non was interesting. patient was extremely positive and well-mannered.
did a pulpit walker/sit to stand hoist case. 2 physios crawling on the floor along with a leg each, one pulling the frame forward cueing posture. was good. they've so much time...i love it. not that they spend loads of time with one patient...sessions aren't long at all even if they've time, but the sense of rush/agenda's just not that outstanding i guess. you can answer questions with actual thought behind them - not just mentally digging out a template and making a customisation statement somewhere.
saw a pakistani case. lower lumbar injury. ambulated with crutches. not bad at all but i wonder how his life's gonna be. the line from a song came to mind "not a shirt on my back..not a penny to my name...Lord I can't go home, this away.." David commented on his 'new shirt' - which really looked nothing like new. Apparently this shirt's finally his, the previous ones have been just taken from hospital somewhere. what's he going to work as for the years to come?
saw a slight self-stretching + shoe removal, shoe putting on case. positive +.
other gym people who caught my eye: this non-native caucasian who was training like crazy. his height and build and mischievous smile were noted. i think this guy has a very charismatic kind of humour. but i wonder what's beneath it.
this lady with a poor fitting w/c. she was crying like a kindy kid ): they were all lined up after lunch for 2pm gym.. |
posted by kmli @ 3:57 AM  |
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| Thursday, December 15, 2011 |
| Lord if you mark our transgressions, who would stand |
As psalm 130 says.
And as the last bit in Revelation 6 says.
Yet, just before that, the slain souls cry out to God, asking He, who is holy and true, how long it will be before He avenges their blood by judging the inhabitants of the earth.
On the other hand, those hiding in the caves and mountains, rich or poor, slave or free, they wish that the rocks will fall on them to hide them from God's wrath.
For the former situation, it is easy to see God's grace shining through, enabling the faithful to be faithful.
And yet, yes, there is grace in the latter situation. There is.... |
| posted by kmli @ 6:00 PM |
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| Thursday, December 08, 2011 |
| 3 John 1 |
13 I have much to write you, but I do not want to do so with pen and ink. 14 I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.
Sometimes I forget that God doesn't speak with me through pen and ink. And though it's not for me to behold His glory by 'meeting Him', surely I've seen His hand at work, and surely the Kingdom of God has come, and the blind has seen..
And I want to remember the oldpeople Christmas party we had. I thought it was an extra-long full dress rehearsal. (Dissertation has done me good. I'm typing in full. Subconsciously!) But when the old ladies and gentlemen started pouring in, the smell of oldies came in through the chilly night as well. Some with smiles, some with not much expression...It always touches me each time...seeing how God has preserved them physically, mentally, emotionally and...spiritually. One of them turned 90 that day! I think...perhaps, as young people, loads of things distract us from God...downplays the centrality of God in our lives. Perhaps, if I get to live to an old age, different things will create the same effect/danger.. maybe I get so good and doing something, supposedly for God and His people and I've forgotten that we're saved by grace. Maybe my joints will all be hurting so much that I feel miserable. Maybe ... ): and I don't see the point anymore.
But I was really glad, from deep down, about the manner in which we were gathering. It was just special.
The MC was charming and witty with his lines. I wonder if he was a lot 'worse' as a lad (: The soprano soloist reached notes a piano can reach. God, what a mix of anatomy and skill. I wonder how she feels singing. The oboe? was just creating such a beautiful and deep sound, at both ends of the register. The violin duet was just seamless, shrill in a clear and gentle way?! And the piano solo...was just mindblowing. I havnt seen something like that in a long time. And I was sitting in front of the piano, which meant being able to see the full expressions of the player. It was quite cool how he always glanced upward towards the right when he was nearing an emotion change. Maybe he has a ... database of emotions in his brain. It was a really aggressive, intense and strong piece. Even in volume and technique.
I loved the french horn song solo. His voice is...sound-of-music-worthy. And the recitations were refreshing though I totally did not get the accent from the first one, and the second one was...alright. The dinner was simple and good! No mess. I also sat beside a professional piano player for the first time and discovered many common interests. The piano duet was just really cute, how these 2 oldies played with such zeal. Super precious. Then there were 2 octet items and the quintet item I was part of. Gd experience and loads of laughter during the quintet item. I hope all the melodies resonate within the old peoples' hearts for many days.
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| posted by kmli @ 4:25 PM |
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| Monday, November 28, 2011 |
| note |
| http://www.hymnary.org/hymn/TWC/page/277 |
| posted by kmli @ 5:05 AM |
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| Monday, November 21, 2011 |
| subway |
saw a family with two lovely girls. one in daddy's arms. another holding mummy's hand. the elder one was just learning to speak. about two years old i'd say. And she was listening hard for the train approaching. and her daddy kept asking her to look out for the train that's comin' thru the tunnel on our side. so happens at buchanan street station, the 2 platforms are next to each other, just separated by a glass divider.
the train on the next platform was approaching. there was the unmistakable sound of rumbling tracks and that gust of wind coming thru...lights beaming out of 'the hole'. the girl was really excited. i think she's called sophie. i think i remember it means wisdom? (: she was really excited about that train. everything about it just...engaged her senses. she was clearly enthralled (: i love the sense of wonderment and awe kids have...
thing is...she was gna miss what was coming thru on her/our side. her daddy had to keep turning her to keep an eye on our 'hole'. 'anytime now'. and yea, with a lot of discipline to keep her eyes off the actual Real train across the platform, she tried her best to focus on 'her train'.
it just spoke to me. i wasn't sure how. but i kinda knew there was such a rich message behind it, there and then. i wanted to be in the same train cabin as them (we were headed for the same one anyway)...plus all the cuteness and...ah. but i walked to another cabin..so i could keep this short snippet fresh in my mind. and just pray before i reach my stop. that snippet just...touched me so much. from so many angles.
i was late for church. i love the children's sermon at the start. it's so crystal clear and jeff has got such a passion for speaking to them and those lil gems are so attentive as they just actively process whatever they hear..ah.. we're still on genesis. and he was talking about abram..sacrificing his son. same old story. but, sometimes..it's hard to not go with what you experience in your heart..what you perceive.. There are many things I know in my heart...I treat them as though they are far too difficult for God. Even if they aren't it's too difficult for me to wait for things to click. How can you 'just have faith'? I want something seen. Something real. Something I can hear and touch. Especially with the precious things. I'll file this snippet away. I know there's something in there.. can my heavenly father please keep turning me towards the tunnel on my side...Lord if a train is really coming thru like it says on the display? Cos it's so boring just looking this way...thank You for sophie. |
| posted by kmli @ 8:33 AM |
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| Wednesday, October 12, 2011 |
| When it's all been said and done |
| to think how time and experiences mould people like each of us to be who we have been, who we are, who we will always be... and to think how God's hand can extend beyond that while he allows and permits that to still hold true. |
| posted by kmli @ 5:55 PM |
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| Tuesday, August 16, 2011 |
| tuesday off! |
Went back to rgs. it felt really nice and familiar. and cosy. i was a little surprised.
met ms lim for breakfast. the canteen lady claims to remember me. claims. tea was bahh. cheecheongfun was bleah. but conversation was really nice.
Updated each other about lives, and one thing i appreciated was how much the same God had a part in our plans and experiences. i used to just feel relatively lucky that ms lim and i get along so well when i was schooling. i also didn't quite know what she saw in me. about 6 years down the road, the way we spoke to each other and interacted is so different, and expectedly so, I guess. It really made me appreciate teachers who mean to teach and nurture, teachers who want to pass on values more than being populists. I strongly believe that not everything in life that is beneficial has to be made fun. Whatever is that based upon?
I popped by General Office and chatted with Ms Christina. It was really funny. I also sat at Ms Veronica's desk. Then spoke to a couple more people. I loved how everyone was so pleasant. I think, I like institutions. And a school is not just made up of students and teachers. It's made up of the green men, the canteen people, admin... and on hindsight, I enjoyed the friendship of so many of them. I feel blessed.
Working part-time seems like a luxury I shall miss. treasuring both work hours and free hours. i hope i conquer the piano piece. and the run in the evening was really nice. wind, radio..little human traffic...may this continue to be. |
| posted by kmli @ 8:27 PM |
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| Tuesday, August 02, 2011 |
| a job i love. |
had our farewell party. buffet. for sarah and i.
i will always remember this lil stint i did. i thank God for the break I had in between.
I am so thankful that I've landed up here, made the mistakes i made, and got the care and protection and support from bs and j. i've learnt so much just watching them/ listening to them talk to patients.
i think they're truly the coolest physio couple i've known. and they're the ones i've spent the most time with, besides my teachers at school. i think by the end of this, i'll have enjoyed myself so much that i'll dread public hospital work. but that too shall be neccessary and it shall be, a joy, by conscious choice.
we had such a good time talking. i like. i really like this.
if i've met with a great disappointment this week, this is also one of the greatest blessing God has given to me this year, or in a wider perspective - in these inital steps on my path as a physio. |
| posted by kmli @ 11:39 PM |
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| collecting dust |
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