28.2.12

Abuse



There is nothing worse than seeing someone who has been physically assaulted, unless they have been assaulted and they are pregnant. Today I met a patient who is 17, hasn't finished school and is pregnant. She had been abused by her boyfriend, who punched her in the face, leaving her with a blue eye. He had also kicked her in the stomach and now her 30 week fetus was suffering the consequences. We had to admit her as the baby was not getting enough blood through the umbilical cord. She doesn't want to press charges.

A few weeks ago someone close to me was assaulted by her husband. I cannot imagine the absolute horror to have the person you love and share your life with do this to you. Physical violence is not something I think I will ever be able to wrap my head around.

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LMM

xoxo

26.2.12

Laugh for the day



These men are installing and setting solid steel pillars in concrete to stop vehicles from parking on the pavement outside a sports bar in downtown Jozi.


They are now cleaning up at the end of the day.
 
 
 
 
 
How long before they realise where their van is parked?
 
 
 
 
Hope you are all having a great weekend! I have been off........whoop whoop!
 
 
LMM
 
xoxo

22.2.12

King Kong Mommy


Sorry to everyone for being AWOL for the last while, but between trying to keep my head above water with these calls and looking for a place to live, I barely have time pee, let alone blog.

We have this saying in the Obstetric department...

"Nothing brings out the crazy more than a woman in labour."
It is so true and on my first night call I got to see a little bit of that crazy. Women in labour are strange creatures. They will groan, shriek and even sing out in pain. The way they deal with pain, has various spectrums. One particular patient took this to a whole other level. Each time she had a contraction, she would beat her fists against her chest. Just like Tarzan. Or King Kong. It was so funny that I couldn't help from laughing out loud, but she was full on in the throws of her primate rant and did not notice.


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She also then tried to bite my colleague, who is a major BITCH  :)


LMM

xoxo

16.2.12

Parcel Mishap



I received one of those lovely little slips from the Post Office recently, which meant I had something exciting to collect. I had an inkling that it might be the giveaway that I won on Jacci's blog. I collected my parcel and when I was about to open it, I read a note stuck on the front. It was addressed to the local Anglican Church and not Little Miss Medic. It was also an invoice for communion wafers. It must be a sign.............sigh.


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Hopefully I get my package soon!

LMM

xoxo

14.2.12

Berry Diaries



One of my dear friends Lulu has recently started a blog, called the Berry Diaries. She was recently diagnosed with her third malignant melanoma and luckily after surgical removal of the mole and some lymph nodes, she is on the mend. Her blog is based on all the things she has learnt recently and more about superfoods in preventing cancer. I will do an update on what new thing she has discovered each month. This is the first instalment...




do you eat blueberries?

“Do you eat blueberries everyday?” my Surgeon asked me at my first consultation. When I answered with a vague and surprised ‘no’ she shook her head and said “Eat blueberries everyday, they are expensive, but get over it, buy them and they will help you fight against any more cancer.” This was not what I was expecting to hear from the Dr who was about to remove a chunk of my shoulder tissue.  I had recently had a mole removed that turned out to be a malignant melanoma and I needed more tissue removed to ensure all the cancer was gone. “Get rid of stress and baggage in your life. Maybe you should quit your job? Take a look at your life and ‘clear out’ anyone or anything that causes you stress and doesn’t make you happy.” So much for thinking that all my skin cancer troubles stemmed solely from too much South African sunlight on my fair skin whilst growing up.

The day after my surgery I struggled to move my right arm from where the tissue had been removed on my back.  And I ached from where the second surgeon had removed two lymph nodes in my axilla to check that the cancer hadn’t spread any further. Again my surgeon asked me as she came to discharge from me the hospital, “Do you eat blueberries everyday?” This time I could answer yes and she said “Good. Eat broccoli and spinach too. Learn about superfoods, they will save your life.”

A week later after a painful and emotional but very healthy eating week at home, I went to see my Dr for the follow up. Again she asked about the blueberries and again I answered yes and that I was eating far more fruit and vegetables. “Good” she said, “it will save your life. The statistics for you are good, there has been no cancer spread to your lymph nodes and there is a 75% chance you will be alive from this in ten years.” Wow. I hadn’t expected that.

“I was hoping for a 100%” I replied.


“Well of course, YOU have to be healthy and stress free and make it 100%.  Also, your chances of getting breast cancer are higher now too, be aware of this and we will regularly screen you.  And, eat organic.”


And so has begun my dive into the superfood world.  I’ve always considered my self pretty healthy-but from what I have read recently, I have massive room for improvement.  After discussing some my new found knowledge with all my incredible friends and family who have supported me so much over the past few weeks, I’ve tried to summarise and share some of what I have gleaned. Naturally blueberries are where I’ve had to begin.

Blueberries:
  • Small but VERY mighty nutritional force.
  • Combines MORE powerful disease –fighting antioxidants than ANY other fruit or vegetable.
  • ONE serving of blueberries provides as many antioxidants as FIVE servings of carrots, apples, broccoli or squash.
So what are Antioxidants?
Antioxidants are substances that prevent damage to cells caused by free radicals. Free radicals are molecules that have lost an electron, thus are unstable. These free radicals basically steal electrons from other molecules in effort to heal themselves, ultimately creating new free radicals in the process. By stealing electrons, it can cause damage to DNA, leading to the possible development of cancer.

Antioxidants search for these free radicals and lend them an electron. This stabilizes the molecule, thus preventing damage to other cells. Antioxidants also turn free radicals into waste by products, and they eventually get eliminated from the body. They also have the ability to repair previous damage to cells.

Blueberries Health Benefits:
-Antioxidants. 
-Lower risk for heart disease and cancer
-Maintain healthy skin   
-Can prevent diabetes, senility, and degenerative eye diseases.

Fresh or Frozen?
FRESH blueberries provide THE BEST vitamin C and the antioxidant phytochemicals.
FROZEN blueberries are only SLIGHTLY LOWER in vitamin C and have the SAME ANTIOXIDANT properties.

What’s in a cup of blueberries?
Calories: 84 (355 kJ)
Protein: 1.1g
Total Fat: 0.5g
Saturated Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 21.5 g
Fibre: 3.6g

Eat them fresh or frozen, in a smoothie, with yoghurt or porridge or just in your hand, but please-


TRY TO EAT BLUEBERRIES EVERY DAY!





Happy munching!

LMM

xoxo

13.2.12

Things I learnt last week




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  • having 2 x 30th birthday parties is the way to go! Feeling so spoilt.
  • no matter how many times I go to Moyo, I always love it.
  • life is precious! Whether it is a new life or an old one (RIP Whitney)
  • finding a lost kitten and finding it a home, is so rewarding, but sad too.
  • I really am blessed to have such wonderful friends and family :)

LMM

xoxo

6.2.12

First Call



Hello my lovelies. Sorry I have been MIA for the past few days, work has just been so hectic and I am still finding my feet. I did my first call on Friday night. This basically involves starting work on Friday morning at 8am and then working till 12pm the next day. For the last 2 years the longest shift I have done, has been a meager 12 hours, so I was shitting myself. How would I stay awake? I also accidentally left my CROCS in the UK. You can diss them all you want, they are ugly, they are fucking ugly! BUT they are heaven to wear when you have been going for 22 hours straight. I wore my New Balance trainers from 2001. They did not do the job and my poor feet were left feeling very tender when I got home.


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The call went OK. I didn't get any sleep, but was so busy I didn't even feel tired. Everything was going well until 4am. A pregnant lady came in who had been at the clinic for 8 hours. Her baby was in fetal distress (not getting enough oxygen) and she should have been referred HOURS ago. We rushed her to theatre. I did the caesar and pulled out a blue, not breathing baby. The baby was resuscitated for 30 minutes but died a few hours later. It was a horrific event for a first call back and I was an emotional wreck afterwards. As I counselled the mother, she started to cry and I have a strict rule, never to be emotional in front of patients. But I couldn't. I balled like baby and have been carrying this heaviness with me ever since. I know things don't always turn out as expected and there is a lot of loss in the medical field, but it was too much for me to handle. I really don't want a death to be like water off a duck's back, to me it is still huge and if I am not touched by it, I know I have lost my humanity.


RIP


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LMM

xoxo

2.2.12

Quote of the Week



A friend gave me an awesome selection of quotes from The Rat Race for Christmas. Here is my favourite one...

Thanks Amy!



LMM

xoxo

1.2.12

First day of work at my new job...



(This was supposed to be posted this morning, but with my allergic-reaction-to-seafood-fiasco last night - more to come later - I had to rush off to not be late for my first day!)

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Meep! I am scared! Know I shouldn't be but I am. Today I am starting my new job in an O+G (Obstetrics and Gynaecology) post. I love female patients. I love pregnant patients :) BUT the nursing staff are going to eat me ALIVE!

I have not worked in this field in over 2 years and will not know this particular hospital's procedures. They are going to hate me. They are going to eat me ALIVE!

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Wish me luck!.....meep....

LMM

xoxo
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