The Beers I Drank In Belgium

Belgian beer comprises the most varied and numerous collection of beers in the world (per capita) and varies from the popular pale lager to the esoteric appeal of lambic beer and Flemish red. And okay...a few beers that I am posting up here are not all made in Belgium...so I cheated...but hey...I drank them in Belgium...and hence the tile of this post.

I am not a beer drinker. I hate the beer brewed in Malaysia. The best beers I have ever drank were the ones I had in Germany (a lifetime ago), a particular brewery in Perth and now Belgium (though I have to say that I quite enjoyed the Kingfisher in India). Also, I never knew how ignorant I was about the ways of the beer maker. All my entire life...I thought that beer was classified in two groups: dark and white. Boy oh boy oh boy oh boy was I wrong. Terms like blonde, double blonde, lunch beer (a really low alcohol percentage beer), spiced, chocolate were thrown at me and I was rather taken a back.

But I enjoyed the different beers that I had in my stint in Ghent and Brussels. Especially the pear cider and the strawberry (at least it tasted like strawberries) flavoured Hoegaarden one which of course, owing to my spectacular memory, I can't recall the name of. But it's a light one that was made especially for the ladies.

Hhhhmmm, work aside (and there was a lot of it), I would say go to Belgium because the place is beautifully old and cultured. The waffles rock and the beers are just a delight. The roman-ish slash gothic architecture gives one the feeling of stepping into a magical world of romance and charm.

So here ends my 'alcoholic' chronicle. Ha ha. I can see all of you shaking your heads and muttering certain somethings to yourself. You are lucky I can't hear you. Also, as a disclaimer, I do not advocate drunkenness. Not at all and especially not at wedding dinners. Sigh...sorry, that was a cheap shot...but never-the-less...

Blood Suckers

Wonder what these critters are? Well...if the title of this post was not a dead give away, then the next picture should help. Buggeroo! Can't seem to get blogger to upload my pics...so no other pictures, I'm afraid...for now that is.

Anyhow, you all know that I was recently in Belgium visiting the University Hospital Ghent. Well, yours truly found out about their lovely little 'pets' and just had had had to pay them (the leeches) a visit before leaving the place. I find leeches so fascinating though am rather afraid of them at the same time. For instance...did you guys know that you would hardly notice a leech 'leeching' on to your skin...unless of course you are so damn perasan that you just have to gaze at single inch of you once every ten minutes. Their saliva contains substances that anaesthetise (numb) the wound area, dilate the blood vessels to increase blood flow and prevent the blood from clotting.

How does this translate to a medical benefit?

During operations, micro surgeons usually have little trouble attaching the two ends of the arteries, because arteries are thick-walled and relatively easy to suture. Veins, however, are thin-walled and especially difficult to suture, particularly if the tissue is badly damaged. All too often the surgeon can get blood to flow in the reattached arteries but not veins. With the venous circulation severely compromised, the blood going to the reattached finger (or any other limb) becomes congested, or stagnant; the reattached portion turns blue and lifeless and is at serious risk of being lost. It is in these cases that leeches are summoned to do all that cool stuff I mentioned above.

And this has been an educational service provided by the great Leech herself.

Clueless In UH

For fear of the authorities reading this and the repercusions that may occur please read between the lines. The reason why I was sent to Sweden & Belgium and the reason why I am attending WEEKLY meetings for a particular project that I will not mention here relates greatly to this Dilbert cartoon. The phrase 'prevention is better than cure' apparently is...well...not such a popular idea around this parts of the world.

When I was younger and much much greener, I would normally be found in a secluded corner of pharmacy yanking at my hair and asking, "WHY?!!!". This happens at least b.d (that's twice daily for you non-medical folks). I have since given up asking questions that quite clearly has answers that no one will openly utter.

Being now wiser (don't know by how much though...ha ha...such humility) and plus the secluded corners that I used to patronage have since started to leak, I now carefully pick my battles. Things that use to bother me are now like 'water over the proverbial duck's back'. Hey, really...if you can't beat 'em...join 'em. The clueless wonders. Ha ha...my hair is growing back...finally.

Just Another Entry

Wow…last week was an extremely crazy week. Worked 14 hour shifts FOUR days in a row…due to a mixture of exchanging night duties with those who are fasting and helping out a sick colleague. Note to self: Lisha…never again…no matter how kind (or invincible) your heart feels at that moment…DO NOT agree to work more than two nights in a row. But the bright side of it is that I will not have many nights once the puasa month is over. Plus, I still have ELEVEN days of hazard leave which if not cleared by the end of the year will sprout wings and fly off to a place I cannot follow.

And also…I don’t believe that Chew Cheong Tat is using my blog entry (refer to the 18th of September) as an EXCUSE to cop out of the trip. Tsk…tsk. Scared say la scared!

Okay…more work to do though have officially timed off. It’s never ending I tell ya. And plus…I have no desires to join the ‘buka puasa’ rush. I will blog more when my head doesn’t feel like bursting and there’s more sugar coursing through my veins. Lunch today was appalling. On normal days…the pickings are already slim. Now with puasa in the air…well…you can just imagine…I am rather desperate. So of you dear friends out there…if you are on leave or in the neighbourhood…come pick me up for lunch. There’s good Indian food all around…and the Ipoh chicken rice down the road. I would drive…but getting a car space in my car park after lunch is really like looking for a bar of chocolate on Chew Cheong Tat’s table…nearly impossible.

White Water Rafting, Abseiling & Caving

My Hari Raya plans...tentatively...leaning towards a definite maybe. Ha ha! How vague can one be. My apologies. It's late and feeling very 'sian' now. Also very low on sugar. But still...after having my initial post raya plans scrambled into nothing-ness by minute minds...and then being approached by Lionel to join in his weekend of craziness...I sort of jumped at the idea of 'crazy' (what can I say, crazy people devise crazy plans). And if I so happen to twist a pinky or two and somehow was awarded a mc or two...then that's what I would call poetic justice. But that's the 'sian' part of me still yapping away.

THE PLAN

Okay. So here's the plan. It's white water rafting...something I ALWAYS wanted to do...so no worries there. However, Mr Loke of course had to include abseiling and caving. And the challenge here is...my two fears (I have counted...there are three things that I am kind of phobic about) involve heights and tight spaces (not telling you what the third is). I am not joking. I think that the heights part...the thrill seeking part of me can overcome...but the claustrophobia...hhhmmm...I need a game plan here.

HOW BAD IT CAN BE

An example, when I was in Turkey (Cappadocia if I am not mistaken) and a bunch of us went into the underground cave dwellings...I was fine until the tunnels started to narrow and I became accutely aware of the rapid decline of oxygen per square centimeter and the equally rapid increase of carbon dioxide into the environment. Then I started thinking...oh %$^&...I am breathing in everyone's exhaled toxic air...and I am going to pass out from all that carbon dioxide...&^**...it's kind of gross breathing in all these recycled stale air...everyone's inhaling each other's exhaled air...in and out...in and out...no fresh air...why?...I NEED TO GET OUT!

THE SWEET ESCAPE

Thank God for these thoughts because by the time my brains got to the 'I NEED TO GET OUT!' phase...the whole group had indeed just made it out into the open air and was spared of the dramatics that threatened to escape from my delirious mind.

LISHA PSYCHO-ING HERSELF

Well, we are all overcomers. That I believe. If I can get over needles and blood by donating blood (no, that's not the third thing) regularly every three months (plus it saves lives...so people...mari-lah kita beramai-ramai menderma darah...in UMMC...very comfortable chairs and convenient parking outside...call me...I am due to be sucked dry in a month's time), then I can do this. I can. I definitely can (cold beads of sweat appearing on forehead now). Bah! Good night then. Will continue this self psycho-ing tomorrow.

Sunday

Did not attend church this morning. Was on call and had to come into the hospital. So literally worked 7 days this week. Planning to catch some sleep in the afternoon in order to wake up fresh, alert and energetic for tennis with Christie later. Trying to get my stroke back...oh why have you left me? But have kidnapped Chi Meng's racquet and will see whether that helps. Still not sure on which racquet to buy. Also not sure on what budget to set. End of the year...ALL my annual insurance (life, car, endownment) fees due...don't pay monthly and as such will suffer a huge shock when October's credit card bill appears in the post box.

Speaking of tennis...yay! Roger 'suave' Federer has clinched the U.S Open title for the fourth year running. The match started at 5 am (Monday) local time. I did not stay up for it la. Just managed to squash the jet lag I was having...so decided not to chance it. But as I was leaving the house (at around 7:10 am) I turned on the telly and only just managed to watch FedEx cruise his way home. As a consequence of that detour, I had to run all the way to my evil punch clock. Clocked in at 7:58 am...hah...thought you could get me this time, din't cha? Alright, going for lunch. Starving. Only had a salad last night. Was too unmotivated to go out and eat. Did not even have any decent flavoured maggi mee in the kitchen...bah! Time to hit Tesco.

Ha Ha Ha Ha...Droopy?

Don't know whether the words are large enough to read. But...erm...and I have no XXX intentions here (my blog rating may just change because of this one solitary entry...but..)...try repeating the baby's name over and over and over again. If you don't get it...give me a holler.

Belgium Waffles

Ghent

Welcome to the land of beer and waffles. Below are two pictures...a pre and a post (too much therapeutic drug monitoring!). Pre yummy chocolate sauce and post happily pouring the hot sauce in the most creative circles I was capable of. It was a big waffle. I could not finish the whole thing. Of course, the whip cream stayed untouched (evil form of milk).

Brussels

Walking the streets of Brussels proved to be a battle of wills. My will to eat versus my will to stop putting on weight. Road side cafes, chocolate shops and as evident by the pics below...scrumpelicious waffle shops emitting fragrant aromas of their FRESHLY baked wares.

But I am proud to say...I merely looked and drooled (not on the waffles...please...am more hygienic than that) but made no purchases. Dang...even now, as I look at the pictures...I am drooling...better go wipe up this puddle.

For Goodness Sakes!

Just finished my PRIVATE clinic and am fuming over a conversation that I just had with a patient whom I am sure I will feel pretty sorry for when I calm down later. This patient was started on a really expensive drug and after the first cycle (that she had been administered at the end of August) started complaining about the cost of the drug. She came to see me because apparently the consultant told her that I was able to strike a deal with her. What I found incredulous was that she did not know how much the entire chemotherapy was going to cost her. After explaining the function of each drug that she had been prescribed and telling her that we were not the right people to request for a discount (pointed her towards the management...but somehow her compass kept coming back to me), she still hung around...unhappy that I had not reduced the price of her chemotherapy this time around. I finally politely smiled at her and told her that pharmacy's charge was not the only 'big' amount on her bill and how about going back to her consultant and asking for a discount? She smiled sheepishly.

I guess that I am fuming because I have so many poor patients in the government sector scrapping together everything that they have for a shot at sometimes not a cure but a better quality of life. The cost of chemotherapy drugs are already sky high. Imagine adding on percentages so that an acceptable profit can be made. Anyone who can afford to pay for that extra comfy bed, more personal attention, ala carte food and a better air-con unit...by all means...I don't have any bones to pick with you. But for those who can't afford and still want those extras...then I have only one thing to say: there are more important things here to consider. But most of the time, the patients are not at fault...they simply don't know their 'alternatives'. And why don't they know these 'alternatives'? Well...I am just a lowly pharmacist...but I can very well venture a guess. Good night, I am heading back to sleep this off. I no longer feel angry...sadness and disappointment have taken over.

On Being Tired

I want to close my eyes

And drift into the sea of oblivion

A land beyond reality

Little elfings hop and skip in glee

Soar above the clouded sky

I listen to the singing stars

Their lullaby that soothe and heal

But slumber keeps away

It hides yonder

I cannot find

So wait I must till night is here

Till the day is done

Sorry for that bit of rambling. My brains are fried. I am tired. Just finished with the day's work. The new batch of PRPs (provisionally registered pharmacist) are here...or rather, a new batch of empty slates, eager (well, most) and willing (they don't have a choice really) to work. Experience dictates that 70% (or maybe even lesser) will belong to the initiative group while the balance will test our patience to no end. This is the group I dread...the group that expects to be spoon fed and pampered with information...the group that's lazy...the group that will potentially make mistakes. I just pray not fatal ones. So if you (the latter group) are reading this know that I may appear to be harder on you...but that's because a patient's life is at stake. Welcome to the real world!

Who Kidnapped Martha Stewart's Dog?

I am not a dog person...more of a cat one. But this cutie pie that I met while sitting by the pier in Goteborg very nearly tipped me over to the other side.

I have not seen Martha Stewart's show before (and not about to start either...her version of The Apprentice was more than enough for me) but watched the advertisements of her show and had always drooled over her extremely cute and fluffy dog. And so, there we were...lounging by the pier while waiting for our boat and up comes 'Chew Chew'...I kid you not. That's the dog's name. I could not control myself...just had to go over to the owners and asked permission for the pics (a polite thing to do else they might sic him on me).

He had the cutest ears and the cutest nose and he just stood there oh-so patiently while we gushed and hugged and patted him. My Teddy Bear dog. How I wished I could bring him home. I don't think that I have ever felt this way about a dog before.

Fogal Meat Market At Plaza Damas

Still not in the mood to paste my 'ang moh' pictures. So instead, allow me to introduce Fogal Meat Market located somewhere in Plaza Damas. It's not situated in the shopping complex so please do not wander around aimlessly in there for twenty minutes before calling for assistance. It's okay Wen Fen, nothing to be embarassed about...really! This place was introduced by Soo Mei Yoke and she does have good taste in food. There are some people that I just won't trust for food recommendation. Anywhoooo...the place is not huge and I would suggest sitting outside to avoid sneezing to death. The ventilation is not that great and the kitchen follows an open concept. You get my drift.

Our poor (defined not by monetary means but rather by the cruel twist in events that brought him to our table) waiter. I just could not keep a straight face while ordering the sausages...what with all the loin jokes flying around and the dares and challenges made. Here's what our order looked like:

• Bacon & cheese salad (they did not just have bacon & cheese minus the salad...alas)
• A mixed platter (2 steaks, 4 sausages, 4 kebabs and more salad)
• Lamb roast of the day

Suffice to say, the bacon & cheese disappeared faster than the salad. Green is normally perceived as a soothing colour to the eye, but when you are in the company of a certain someone called Chong Wen Fen...the opposite holds true. So Alvin (The Boy a.k.a The Other Carnivore) and yours truly had to graze on all that veggie (plus the one from our mix platter) to appease the girl.

Time for the verdict: steaks - yummy, lamb roast - yummy, kebabs - yummy, sausages - disappointingly NOT yummy. I would give it THE LEECHES SEAL OF APPROVAL but with reservations when it comes to the sausages. Oh, the wedges were good...the mash potatoes...well, after having eaten Aunty Kim's mash tatters...every other sort pales in comparison. Don't believe me? Be nice to her and you may be invited to their annual Christmas BBQ (ha ha...now it's out there in the open...ooops). It is superb! I kid you not. As sooth as a baby's *ahem* and cheesy.

And what about the coleslaw? Yummy too. I, at this juncture am very much obligated to point out that with regards to this veggie, The Girl dug in. Why? Cause it ain't green and healthy. How does she stay that thin? One of those questions that one is not meant to ever understand in this lifetime. But I digress. It was a good experience despite the initial difficulty in figuring out where to park and where the place was (had to bother Soo for that...thanks woman for the directions). The company was even better. I however feel bad for the table next to us. They certainly had to endure the cheeky giggles and outbursts of laughter. Endorphines definitely ran high at our table. So till the next meat outing...salute!

A Cheaper Alternative Coffee Joint

Hello there again you old faithful blog. How have you been doing with the neglect that this author has so cruelly shown you? Well, she (the author) has stated right at the beginning (as a disclosure and will reiterate so again) that her posts are sporadic at best and therefore offers neither apologies nor excuses.

Now down to business, before I post up my ‘ang-moh’ pictures (as Aaah-Chew so succinctly puts it), I just had to post this hilarious (those who DON’T get it…well…erm…nevermind then) picture that my ‘cuzzy’ Jess (the super cool architect/interior designer…free advertisements for family members and close buds in this blog of course) provided.

Oh boy, it’s 1:30 am and my eyes are still wide open. An anti-coffee drink is something that would be much appreciated right about now. Jet lag! Last night while attempting to fall asleep, I watched the US tennis open for a bit, read for like an hour, turned off the lights, said my prayers and then proceeded to toss and turn until 3:30 am before knocking off. Then of course the alarm (a jazzy Pink Panther tune) rang at 6:15 am. Oh, boy indeed. So will turn off the computer now and will lie really still while counting sheep and pigs and all other animals capable of jumping (which will exclude elephants…a good thing since the thundering footsteps would only serve to keep me awake) over fences. Hey, if pigs can jump over the moon (I have a nursery rhyme that proves this fact) then what is a fence, eh? Good night!