Thaipusam 2009

I ventured to Penang last weekend to partake in the Hindu Festival that is Thaipusam. If you are not familiar with Thaipusam, then you and I are at the same level, but wikipedia, the bearer of all knowledge, revealed this: "The festival commemorates both the birthday of Murugan (also Subramaniam), the youngest son of Shiva and Parvati, and the occasion when Parvati gave Murugan a vel (spear) so he could vanquish the evil demon Soorapadman."

my very first experience of thaipusam was not great. I didnt sleep for days after. My fondest memory is having the misfortune of the lady infront of me trancing out and speak in what sounded like tongues while seizing around me. this broke my very tenuous seven year old grip on composure and my eternal hero, daddykins had to carry me screaming and flailing from the crowd. but this time it would be different, for several reasons.. im older, wiser and i've witnessed the atrocity that is childbirth so now nothing can phase me ever again. but mostly daddy isnt around to hold my hand this time so im forced to be a big girl. its ok though, for med school has armed me with a new found sensitivity for all cultures. oh wait. no they havent.

Regardless, I figure its time to get down with my own culture. And there to help me were two of my home boys, referred to as cousins by the more mature members of our family. these dudes know everything there is to know about everything malaysia. From the local political climate to where to find the best chicken rice. Also significant is that cousin numero duo has carried kavadi which I find both insane and impressive.

what is Kavadi you ask? well i asked that too and here to tell you is wiki..
"Kavadi Attam is a dance performed by the devotees during the ceremonial worship of Murugan, the Tamil God of War. The Kavadi itself is a physical burden through which the devotees implore for help from the God Murugan.Generally, Hindus take a vow to offer a kavadi for purpose of tiding over or averting a great calamity. For instance, if the devotee's son is laid up with a fatal disease, he would pray to grant the boy a lease of life in return for which the devotee would take a vow to dedicate a kavadi to Him."
its also worth noting that one cant simply carry kavadi.. theres a whole lengthy preparation process that goes into it.. designed to purge themselves of all mental and physical impurities

Behold photos:

dude carrying Kavadi

More Kavadi.. all colours, shapes sizes

the little silverware containers are individually hooked into their skin and each are filled with milk or sacred ash.. so as one can imagine, it gets heavy.

Rambo

Speared, hooked and valiantly pulling a chariot from the skin on their backs.

So all in all my Thaipusam was a success. I discovered what it really means to be hot and sweaty, wading through a traffic jam of human and mountains of coconut; there was singing and dancing the streets; and I didnt run screaming from the crowd which makes me feel like i've redeemed seven year old me. She can once more hold her head high and wander the playground shame free.

Meanwhile in emergency and trauma, patients have been dying and its all very depressing so I dont want to write about it. All I can say is.. enjoy your now.

Peace people.

Exterminator

saw a 30 something guy who ate half a box of rat poison today because he was lonely and people talk to him at the hospital. sad stuff. then he threw up and his vomit was a frothy bright pink as per colour of rat killer. was the prettiest chunder i've seen.

The Motherland

Herrow, apologies and thank you for your emails. You re all beautiful, give your selves a cuddle from me..

Im alive but being in Malaysia made me loose my blog mojo. something about being in familiar territory and comfortable.. figured you didnt want to hear about how fast my cousins are growing or the addictive food my talented aunts can cook.. secret ingredient: cocaine. ..though they wont admit to it.

aaanyhow.

im in Kuala Lumpur, living with my gorgeous cousin. ive adopted her as my big sister.
the vibe here is much much different from japan. theres less raw fish, chopsticks and crazy vending machines for one thing.. i guess the main thing i miss is the beautiful Japanese culture of respect and politeness. also Japanese service is second to none. i cant explain the feeling of getting bowed out of a simple coffee house.. you just have to experience it.

but enough nostalgia.. im back in a hospital so i now have tales of interest to tell...

still early days as i happened to join in the time of public holidays - from chinese new year to fed territory day to thaipusam - but its shaping up to be sweet.. see alot of MVAs which is elitist speak for motor vehicle accidents.. until i know what im doing, have taken a back seat on them.. but im already gaining some decent trauma experience.. yay.

some of the students here are surprisingly stupid... (i feel a rant coming on.. must restrain, im sure they're watching for they are everywhere) ..... to illustrate said stupidity:
an elderly gentleman arrived this morning in a pulseless Ventricular Tachycardia.
myself and malay student #1 are on the receiving team .. ive been assigned the task of IV access.. she is excess and has been assigned the vague task of assisting when required.. we, the team of 6 plus axillary malay student #1, are fluidly (if i do say so myself) proceeding through the advanced cardiac life support protocol and defib dr is about to administer shock when MS#1 yells out that the monitor is still on!
..she rushes to switch it off.
..everyone rushes to stop her.
the monitor she refers to is that which displays the patients ECG rhythm and also happens to be a part of and connected to the charger for the defib machine.
why she thought it appropriate to turn off the monitor and therefore the defibrillator, is beyond me.. truly truly bizarre.

this is of course an extreme example of idiocy and many other students here are bright little buttons and shiny gold stars but she in particular makes me feel like im gonna be okay in this crazy world of medicine.