Comments on: Surviving (suspected) H1N1

By: anxietyboy

anxietyboy — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:23:42 +0000

H1N1 or Swine Flu is a bit scary but it a good thing to note that this virus is not that very deadly. .

By: Gerald Giam

Gerald Giam — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:25:37 +0000

The usual way, from the vein on my forearm. But the nasal swab was more uncomfortable than the needle.

By: Needlephobic

Needlephobic — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 07:44:24 +0000

how did they draw blood? prick on the finger or from the vein!?

By: Gerald

Gerald — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 01:29:15 +0000

“There appeared to be only one doctor attending to all the patients. Perhaps the others were in the backroom doing the tests. But this one attending doctor was literally running from point-to-point. I was amazed that she was able to keep up that pace for the full 8 hours I was there. Are we really so short on doctors, or is this a baptism of fire that all young doctors are expected to go through?”
—————
As I write this (Sunday 9am) I am preparing to start my shift which will end at 1pm… TOMORROW…. yes, 28 hours. And I do this about once a week.

And yes, all young doctors will undergo this baptism of fire, and yes, mainly because we are short of doctors.

Why? IMHO, because of economic reasons – the powers-that-be have decided it is cheaper to overwork young doctors who are bonded to MOH(5 years post-graduation) and/or trapped in the ‘training’ system(also 5 years), than to hire more doctors.

Why don’t they hire more doctors? Money of course. The going rate for part-time doctor is $80 an hour, whereas I get paid $330 for this ENTIRE shift – go do the math.

But hey! I should be glad! They could pay me $0 and I would still have to do the shift, since I can’t quit anyway. Not until my bond is over at least *lol*. So I’m glad that you appreciate the underpaid, overworked doctor who attended to you (no, it’s not me ;-).

By: The Singapore Daily » Blog Archive » Weekly Roundup: Week 26

The Singapore Daily » Blog Archive » Weekly Roundup: Week 26 — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 03:44:22 +0000

[...] Hills: Aspiring for the Swine Flu Pandemic Gold Medal? [Thanks WY Whoo] – Gerald Giam’s Blog: Surviving (suspected) H1N1 – TOC: Let the Games continue! – My Little Corner: High Risk Group for H1N1 – The boy who knew too [...]

By: The Khaw Strategy – myth or fact? : The Online Citizen - a community of singaporeans

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:53:08 +0000

[...] And also: Gerald Giam’s account of his experience at the CDC. [...]

By: Fluish

Fluish — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 04:08:58 +0000

it is unfortunate a variant of the common flu got a name, H1N1.

We all have been having nameless flu all our lives – the last one I just recovered days ago, where I have intermittent fever, cough, diarrhoea, etc and lasted almost 3 weeks – and these flu mutate all the time.

If H1N1 have not been named, it would have just been one of those things in life.

By: Gerald Giam

Gerald Giam — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:18:16 +0000

Well Sydney to Perth is a little bit further than Sembawang to Orchard Road. ;)

By: James Byles

James Byles — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 13:56:56 +0000

You came to Australia and didn’t call??? ;) OK no problem – I will call you when I come for Gary’s wedding.

By: Surviving (suspected) H1N1 « Swine Flu

Surviving (suspected) H1N1 « Swine Flu — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 05:05:53 +0000

[...] Read the rest here: Surviving (suspected) H1N1 [...]