Today was a “gondol” day. In other words, a food fest, albeit a mini one. I went for a delicious lunch of PRAWN, fish and frog porridge with Erik, Alvin, Bruce, Elaine, Wernz, Gerald and Yew Ming at Sri Petaling. It was the first time after Wernz’s arrival from Melbourne that I saw her – a very welcome sight. J The best thing about the porridge, besides its taste, was its presentation – in quaint clay pots set in woven baskets, which belied the enormous servings they held. Four of us ordered for three people, and the remains of the serving ended up in the three other ever-ready bellies.

Later I received a call from Elena asking me if I wanted to go down to Klang to eat bak-kut-teh. I was flattered that she should ask me out of the blue, until I uncovered the “UDANG di sebalik batu” (hidden motive). The debaters needed to get paper from Klang and I was the driver with an available car. Nevertheless, I made the trip down to Klang and was rewarded with a bak-kut-teh dinner complete with Elena as the hostess serving us countless tiny cups of tea, a tinkle on her canggih electronic piano, and good talk and laughter with Elena, YP and Vasanth. I learnt that I have an eye disorder that causes me to confuse black with white, and that “information” in the minds of the other three can have an altogether different meaning than what you and I are used to. Talk about different perceptions of meaning!

I’ve also started my end-of-semester exam (EoS) revision. Here’s the situation as it is now:

Date of EoS: 3 January 2005
No. of papers: 4 – one structured paper (SAQ), one based on pictures and models (OSPE) and two clinical based papers (OSCE)
Duration for revision: 39 days and counting
No. of systems to cover: 5 – Foundation II, Cardiovascular (CVS), Respiratory (Respi), Haematology (Haemato) and Gastrointestinal (GI)
No. of lecture notes: 240

I looked to determine my study schedule after my GI exam on Monday (which incidentally was quite bad, though it was supposed to be easy, so don’t ask) and I didn’t know where to start – at Foundation II or one of the systems? After several calculations I figured that if I studied 8 hours a day and took 1 hour for each lecture note, I’d be able to finish revising comfortably. Of course, that doesn’t give leeway for slack days like today, traveling to and fro from Kuching, festivals and celebrations like Christmas, house-warming, a wedding, and catching up with friends back from overseas. The bad thing about starting off thinking that one has ample time is that one would tend to procrastinate more.

Talking about going back to Kuching, I’m still not sure when I should go back. On one hand, I’d really love to go back to a new home with home-cooked food and family and friends, but I have to study models for the OSPE paper. Pictures of the models just aren’t the same. And carting my 1 foot + pile of notes (in 3 files) with accompanying stacks of relevant textbooks around will be no mean feat. But I do want to go home, and will probably do so on the 10th or thereabouts. Expect me home, o fellow Kuchingites, and Mi, make sure Serena doesn’t hog the bed. But before that, a jaunt at Kuala Kubu Baru Hospital and lab and clinical teaching sessions.

I look at the teetering pile of notes and books, and I know I can't do it by myself. I can try, but I won't be able to. The drudgery of studying has gotten to me, nudging at the edge of my mind when I was studying for Haemato but fully-fledged during GI. Shall I be able to survive through the 39 days (and counting)? God only knows. I have resolved to trust in God about this and not to worry too much, but owing to my forgetful mind I will probably forget this, so I'm going to record down here for posterity the words that will appease my worries and get me studying again, so that everytime I'm discouraged I can come here and be refreshed by the words of God.

Proverbs 3:5-6 - Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 2:6 - For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

Psalm 55:22 - Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall.

1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

ISA 40:28-31 -

Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

May I remember You God, as I face up to this challenge. May You be my shield and strength, protecting me from trouble and shouldering my burdens with me.

And for my fellow batchmates, I shall be remembering you as we suffer together, "...praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. ... being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience..." (Colossians 1:9-11). Look out for my MSN nicks because they're probably going to reflect my progress, and it'd be great if we could meet online and discuss questions and hard concepts. All the best and happy studying! :>