30 years on...

Happy Birthday to me!

Just realised how long I haven't updated this blog. I have been busy and too lazy to type anything!

It has been 6 months or more into my new job. It's going ok. I am slowly learning, getting more confident in giving advice over the telephone. Hope I continue to grow as the days go on. However, I am still rather intimidated by the weekly Neurology Grand Rounds. It is frightening, and makes one feel very very inadequate. I will share my experience of the grand rounds later in another post.

30 years sound like a loonnng time. I guess to a certain degree it is, but I think these past few years, in particular, is flying by!

Reaching 30 years old is considered a "MILESTONE", however, I think it is not so much the number that is the milestone. All my life experiences and life changing decisions so far have been my milestones.

Think about it.

Going into primary school was a big step.

Passing UPSR and going on to secondary/high school is yet another milestone.

This was subsequently followed by 2 major public examinations; PMR and SPM.

Successfully obtaining certificates for both these exams was a major life achievement.

Then it was decision time.....A-levels? University? What do I want to do?

Dunno if many knew, but I actually wanted to do actuarial science (coz of my love for mathematics), or civil engineering. And of course, there was medicine in the background.

I was fortunate enough to be offered a place in the local university to do civil engineering. However, after much thought, I turned it down. I do not why I turned it down, I think I was still rather unsure, and felt that engineering might be a wee bit boring. I was not successful in applying for actuarial studies which was disappointing, because I really love mathematics. Having said that, I did not try to hard to apply for it. I only send an application to one tertiary centre.

So I decided that I should pursue A-Levels and then apply for med school.

Ever since young, I have told everyone that I wanted to be a doctor. There was no reason given. It was just one of those things when you were in primary school, and asked my your teacher to write an essay about your ambition. I recalled writing about wanting to be a doctor. But when it was decision time, I was unsure about it.... I was scared about the difficulty of it, worried about having to deal with people's lives, and also the need to spend so much time studying like a geek.

I put myself up for the challenge (yet another milestone!)....and here I am now.

I must admit it required a lot of hardwork, dedication and perseverance! But I am loving it!

Well, after graduation, I thought that is me! I'm all sorted...can be a fully fledged doc, and work myself up to a be consultant. However, little did I know that there were more challenges ahead of me!

First it was to decide whether I want to be a medic, surgeon or paediatrician.
Then applying for that particular specialty.

Again, my decision changed...and so did my life. I knew I am not a surgeon in the making, coz I dislike standing long hours in theatre, and I preferred the medical side of things. I was rather interested in paediatrics since uni days...however, doing the job itself, really put me off it.

So being a medic was my choice. Even in medicine, you have to choose whether to be general medic or specialise in a certain field, ie cardiology, respiratory, gastroenterology, diabetology...etc..

You know the rest of the story....I was planning to do endocrine/diabetes...but after another life changing decision....I am now training to be a neurologist!

I sometimes wonder how my life would be if I had taken up the civil engineering course or worked harder to apply for actuarial science.

See? It is interesting isn't thinking/reflecting on all past events?

These are major milestones for me, not so much, turning 16 or 21 or 30.

So happy birthday to me once again!!!! :D
No celebrations planned really. Family and close friends are not nearby. And I am not one to have big parties...just like to keep it quiet.
But, I will bring in some goodies for me colleagues :)

wow...what a rant today! haha.

I have only a few wishes on my bday:
1. to be loved
2. to be blessed with good health
3. and wish that all my loved ones (family and friends) will be blessed with good health, and happiness.

What's coming next??

Well, I hope that I will get married and build a beautiful family in the future.
I hope that I will be able to complete my training, and maybe spend some time to do research or a fellowship...

Watch this space!

xx