Should i go for ICT?
Yesterday had a medics gathering at Rendevous Hotel, at Dhoby Ghaut. Was wondering whether to go or not, because surely our MO (Medical Officer) will treat us. One of the purpose, i assume, was to 'foster better relations' with his subordinates so that the coming ICT (In-camp-training) will be smooth. I will not be going for the ICT, as there were some cock ups, and most of us studying in tertiary institutions did not get the recall letter. However, due to MO persuasion, some still volunteered to go back nonetheless. I wasn't one of them. As such i felt quite paiseh to join in the free dinner.
However, i still joined in. Reached there 1.5 hours earlier, to meet up with Ethan (still can't believe he is the senior medic! hahaha). Although i always make fun of him, he is one of those whom i find can brighten up my day with his behavior. =) Went to walk around Plaze Singapura for a while before went to search for the restaurant. Coudn't find it and had to wait for MO to arrive. And he brought us in to the hotel and a quite posh looking restaurant. By this time Ethan was getting more and more uncomfortable coz he was wearing sandals. However no one stop him, so he was quite relieved. The first thing that he did, after he sat down, was to ask MO if he will be paying (he did this throughout). Wah laos, where got people so direct one, haha...
However, as there was no halal food, we switch to another restaurant on the 2nd level. It look familiar! It was that quite ex restaurant that my family had went before with my sis bf family. Oh no... After MO had ordered the food, which was a lot, i quickly told him that this place is quite ex, however he say 'never mind'. Anyway there was wastage and when the bill came, his 'WAH' was really loud, lol. $370++ for the 11 of us, haha... Anyway, throughout the dinner, we all took this chance to complain our body problems to him. I din of course, no point, but the rest quite 开门见山地 state their problems with hands ah, or leg ah, or back ah. MO tried to dutifully, as usual, listen and explained the situation. However he also clarify immediately that he had no power to downgrade people and that if we are really unfit, he will encourage us to go for downgrade too. I dunno how to describe this but i was trying hard to stiffle my laughter at this situation. Really brought back some army memories.
However, me and Dani, both of us companyline medics, can't help but feel out of place. A lot of their memories and situations and all those talk about BCS did not apply to us. They have their memories together. Me and Dani had our own memories with our company and platoon, since we were both platoon medics. In fact, I had used to loathe them, HQ medical side. So much for support and help in fighting rights for us, companyline medics. The truth is they couldn't do anything for us, we had to fend for ourselves in the coyline, and a lot of time we have to chiong suan while they were just covering safety. I also had my first ever quarrel with a superior in the army - the temporary senior medic at that time, over this issue. It is a long story but an infuriating one, i was really angry at that time, but come to think of it now, it doesn't matter now. Whatever it is, they had a job to play, and they had to support the whole batallion. Our safety depends on them a lot. And we should not really complain or compare. Every appointment got their difficulties.
Anyway back to the dinner. The highlight for me was my short conversation with MO. I asked him about IBS related symptoms and whether i should go for the clinical trial or not. Furthermore i consult him about my mum's numbness and after analysing. he told me it's not likely to be stroke related. Might be some injury to the head or neck area though... Today my mum received her test report, and yup, indeed it was not stroke-related problem. He further ask for my plans for the hols and upon knowing that i might not be going to US afterall, he say the door to ICT is always open. Not much time for me now though to reconsider... Should I or should i not? Hmmm......
However, i still joined in. Reached there 1.5 hours earlier, to meet up with Ethan (still can't believe he is the senior medic! hahaha). Although i always make fun of him, he is one of those whom i find can brighten up my day with his behavior. =) Went to walk around Plaze Singapura for a while before went to search for the restaurant. Coudn't find it and had to wait for MO to arrive. And he brought us in to the hotel and a quite posh looking restaurant. By this time Ethan was getting more and more uncomfortable coz he was wearing sandals. However no one stop him, so he was quite relieved. The first thing that he did, after he sat down, was to ask MO if he will be paying (he did this throughout). Wah laos, where got people so direct one, haha...
However, as there was no halal food, we switch to another restaurant on the 2nd level. It look familiar! It was that quite ex restaurant that my family had went before with my sis bf family. Oh no... After MO had ordered the food, which was a lot, i quickly told him that this place is quite ex, however he say 'never mind'. Anyway there was wastage and when the bill came, his 'WAH' was really loud, lol. $370++ for the 11 of us, haha... Anyway, throughout the dinner, we all took this chance to complain our body problems to him. I din of course, no point, but the rest quite 开门见山地 state their problems with hands ah, or leg ah, or back ah. MO tried to dutifully, as usual, listen and explained the situation. However he also clarify immediately that he had no power to downgrade people and that if we are really unfit, he will encourage us to go for downgrade too. I dunno how to describe this but i was trying hard to stiffle my laughter at this situation. Really brought back some army memories.
However, me and Dani, both of us companyline medics, can't help but feel out of place. A lot of their memories and situations and all those talk about BCS did not apply to us. They have their memories together. Me and Dani had our own memories with our company and platoon, since we were both platoon medics. In fact, I had used to loathe them, HQ medical side. So much for support and help in fighting rights for us, companyline medics. The truth is they couldn't do anything for us, we had to fend for ourselves in the coyline, and a lot of time we have to chiong suan while they were just covering safety. I also had my first ever quarrel with a superior in the army - the temporary senior medic at that time, over this issue. It is a long story but an infuriating one, i was really angry at that time, but come to think of it now, it doesn't matter now. Whatever it is, they had a job to play, and they had to support the whole batallion. Our safety depends on them a lot. And we should not really complain or compare. Every appointment got their difficulties.
Anyway back to the dinner. The highlight for me was my short conversation with MO. I asked him about IBS related symptoms and whether i should go for the clinical trial or not. Furthermore i consult him about my mum's numbness and after analysing. he told me it's not likely to be stroke related. Might be some injury to the head or neck area though... Today my mum received her test report, and yup, indeed it was not stroke-related problem. He further ask for my plans for the hols and upon knowing that i might not be going to US afterall, he say the door to ICT is always open. Not much time for me now though to reconsider... Should I or should i not? Hmmm......
