It's Back: the Norovirus, I'm Back in Gastroenterology

Been a while huh. Yesterday was a Bank Holiday Monday, and I took a day off on Friday that would sum up to my 4 days of holidays for the weekend. Yippie, yip! I spent the whole 4 days going to bed again after subuh till I couldn't sleep anymore (err maybe until about 11am or so). And that was to cover up the insufficient sleep I had for the whole week Monday till Thursday when I woke up at half-four in the morning everyday. Even today I was still in the mood of sleeping but thinking that I have to get my OSLER done, I half-heartedly unroll the comfortable duvet, took a bath and ready for the suhoor.

Speaking of which, I was in the wards early today to look for a patient for OSLER, I mean earlier than Julie my Norwegian partner. Walking in St Teresa ward I saw posters hanging at the doors saying that the 'Winter Vomiting Virus' has infected the wards and telling visitors and health workers to take extra precautions for that. Actually it was around in Beaumont Hosp since few weeks back but only today or maybe over the weekend it has gotten into this ward and St Lawrence, the one just across. I asked Niamh my new, kind intern about this and she said few patients have been experiencing severe symptoms from the infection. So I was a bit intimidated by the fact that currently I'm not the most immunocompetent person to be in the wards and I am the type that's easily to get infected by bugs (always sneezing from the cold and bundle of tissue papers for extra care). But then I have to get a patient for my OSLER and also for a case presentation in front of the class this Thursday. Putting my health at a stake, I cursed myself for doing everything at the very last minutes (OSLER due Friday, Case Presentation due Thursday, on Tuesday I still have no patients). Big time procrastinator. Serve me right.

Luckily I managed to get a patient, take a history and do some physical examinations. The patient presented with few episodes of altered bowel habit. So it went fine, she was an easy patient. I asked about the alcohol history and she said she doesn't drink. So I said, cool. Later on I went to check on her chart. Guess what I found, she's a recovered alcoholic with a significant history of alcohol abuse. With that, she presented with a full-list of problems since about 10 years ago, manic depression, heart failure, etc. God, why on earth would these people ruin their body by drinking that forbidden liquid? Being in the Gastroenterology wards, I realized that most patients would be presenting with different types of problem and looking retrospectively, they'd all have a history of alcohol abuse. Seeing one, sometimes I felt like saying it to their faces, U know what, this is why Islam made it clear that we cannot drink alcohol, not because Islam is strict and injustice, (or Islam is a terrorist religion like they used to say) but it's the consequences that one could get from it, be it instantaneously or on a long term basis. But then I know I couldn't. That's not the right way to do so. What more could I do, pray may Allah opens their heart for the truth.

Oh yes, it’s my second week now in the new team and I’m already loving it. It’s like a new spirit for a new team. I have a very enthusiastic partner, Julie from Norway who’d always be in the wards as early as 8 am everyday. Now U know why I wake up at half-four everyday, don’t U? Apparently she lives just few minutes from the hospital, unlike me who has to take 2 busses to go there. Guess who’s suffering now. But it doesn’t matter, it’s for my own good anyway.

End now.