Odysseys of George

Ah! I love the weeks prior to Christmas. Everything so jolly and the decorations oh! so wonderful. The spirit of Christmas can be felt in the air and the Christmas songs continuously rings in my mind.

The churches and other Christian groups begin their preparations for Christmas and as such is the Christmas Cantata organized by the Trinity Methodist Church, Petaling Jaya. It was held on the 15th and 16th of December and was presented by their choir called The Sanctuary Choir. I was invited to this by a patient of mine and since I had a special someone to follow me, I attended the Cantata. We, both, enjoyed the Cantata very much.

This years shopping deco perhaps for me goes to Mid Valley, Megamall.

This year due to the events occurring in my life, I spent very little time with my niece and nephew. However, I was glad that I was able to bring them here to show them the decorations and thus putting them into the Christmas spirit too.

Before getting infused with the Christmas spirit

After getting infused with the Christmas spirit, so fast? - that is my secret!

I hope you feel it as much as I do!

Prior to hosting the Grand Rounds last week, I was interviewed by Nicholas Genes, for the Pre-Rounds Medscape Med Students.

The interview article was actually posted on the 12th November. Please feel free to check it out.

Surgeon Dives Deep to Display Photos of the OR and the Ocean Floor

Posted 12/11/2007

Nicholas Genes, MD, PhD

What does a starfish have in common with a gallbladder? They both possess a fascinating beauty, at least when photographed by Dr. Geeverughese C. George. A surgeon and frequent traveler, Dr. George shares his photos and thoughts online at The Odysseys of George. In our recent correspondence, Dr. George discussed his background, photography, and some of the differences in Malaysian medicine.

Dr. Genes: For a surgeon, you sure seem to live life to the fullest! Is that your interpretation of your site’s motto, “Vita non est vivere sed valere”?

Dr. George: Well, living life to the fullest is something I aim for everyday. There is more to life than just work and career achievements. I enjoy travelling and thus I try to take some time away to do this. Diving was always something that interested me, but due to some reasons, I only managed to do it a few years ago — and since then I’ve never regretted it and never looked back. It has also made me indulge in photography more, as the beauty beneath the seas is awesome.

The Odysseys of George hosts Grand Rounds
December 11, 2007

Dr. Genes: What camera do you use underwater? Is it the same as what you use for your pathology and OR photography?

Dr. George: I am using a “point and shoot” camera, and have yet to invest in a dSLR. I am using a Canon G7 with Ikelite casing and a strobe for underwater lighting. I use the same camera for my land and OR shots.

Dr. Genes: Because of your travels, you may have a better idea of what medical careers are like in other lands. How is Malaysia different? You’ve mentioned that half of Malaysian men smoke, that you see a lot of complications from uncontrolled diabetes; how does that affect your practice or your work schedule?

Dr. George: Malaysia is a developing country, and therefore there aren’t as many specialists or subspecialists as in the Western community. The health awareness here is just coming around, but we are still very far from reaching good or excellent healthcare service and goals.

Dr. Genes: How long have you been a surgeon? Are you specializing?

Dr. George: I am a general surgeon with interest in upper gastrointestinal surgery. I have been a surgeon for 3 years now.

Dr. Genes: How did you discover blogging? Do your colleagues know about your online activities?

Dr. George: Blogging came as an “incidental finding” while trying to find a mode of communication with my sister, who migrated to Australia. Then, my friends helped me get the hang of it, and the rest is history. Many here know of my blog, and I am not anonymous. Blogging is common, but whether it is accepted by my hospital is yet unknown. I suppose if I breach rules, then they wouldn’t be too happy.

Dr. Genes: What are some of your favorite posts? What do your readers seem to like on your site?

Dr. George: My favorite posts are actually my medical and diving ones. I notice that most readers are not too interested in political topics — they tend to respond more to my photography, which is very encouraging.

Dr. Genes: Readers will have an opportunity to see more of the world through Dr. George’s eyes when he hosts Grand Rounds on December 11, 2007. Visit his site to see the best in online medical writing from doctors, nurses, researchers, students, and healthcare professionals, all arranged and organized by Dr. George.

Thank you!

So here I am, back from a long hiatus after getting drawn deep into facebook and also into a personal and emotional roller coaster.

So the theme for the week is Small and in keeping with diving as my sub theme, I present to you the Nudibranch collections.

Phylum Mollusca
Class Gastropoda
Order Nudibranchia

Nudibranchs belong to sea slugs. They are slow moving bottom dwellers.They have soft bodies and most of them lack an external protective shell. Their secondary gills are exposed outside, as reflected by their name “nudibranch” meaning “nude/naked gills”. Some nudibranchs have numerous body projections (called “cerata”) increasing the overall body surface and enhancing breathing. Nudibranchs carry a pair of horn-like cephalic tentacles or “rhinophores” at the front, that are used primarily as chemosensory organs (sensing chemicals). To protect themselves from predators many developed toxic or bad tasting glands in the skin, and their bright colors warn predators of their horrible taste. Nudibranchs possess fantastic coloration and color patterns. Nudibranchs cannot be taken away or preserved - they loose their shape and colors.

Pteraeolidia ianthina

Nembrotha spp.

Chelidonura spp

Chromodoris spp

Phyllidia spp

Chromodoris magnifica

Hypselodoris bullocki

There is more but I will probably bore you guys. Enjoy!

PhotoHunt

This came up yesterday, and I was somehow disturbed by it. It is not easy to trust somebody. So what is trust? Trust to me is both physical and emotional. Emotional because it is where you expose your vulnerabilities to someone, but believing they will not take advantage of you. Physical, because it will come a time where one may need to exercise this emotional trust that is to rely upon or have confidence on that person. But is this all? In my research, trust means being able to predict what other people will do and what situations will occur. Trust means making an exchange with someone when you do not have full knowledge about them, their intent and the things they are offering to you. Trust is an integral part in a relationship. Without trust, there is no future. Lies kills trust, that I learnt from my experience.

So, when we worry does it mean you lack the trust? Maybe, but not always. Depends on what the issue is the cause of worry. Worry is usually about the possibility of something that could happen to somebody you love or care for. So if something happens, how does it effect trust? Or rather should it ever shake the trust?

Related articles:
The Variables of Love - Part 1

I had to write this as it was bugging me somehow - maybe because I am an Indian too. This is about the famous HINDRAF movement. The issue that was brought up as to what I understand,”A group of lawyers are accusing the British government, which was then managing British Malaya of “abandoning minority Indians to the mercy of majoritarian Malay rule while granting independence on August 31, 1957″. There are suing for the British Government to pay £1,000,000 to each Malaysian Indian for the “pain, suffering, humiliation, discrimination and continuous colonisation”. This extraordinary lawsuit is being backed by HINDRAF or Hindu rights action force. ”

Now, as I have mentioned in my article on 50th independence, the non Malays have always been treated as second class citizens as long as the Article 153 of the Malaysian Constitution is still a practice. This also goes for not just Chinese and Indians but also the local natives who are the real Bumiputeras!

Now, what I don’t understand - why blame the British Government when the fault lies squarely on our Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) which has been doing very little in the 50 years of independence compared to the MCA(Malaysian Chinese Associatian). Then again, if the idea is to get the British strong force to back up and anull the Article 153 of the Malaysian Constitution, then again I think this is not an excellent approach. Yes I agree, the government has not been fair and has always been biased to a certain race but fighting against the system is only going to make one famous and popular but make the whole issue a lot more worse to settle in the long run. So, maybe some will get name while the community in general will suffer! Samy Vellu on the other hand sat on his laurels and refused to get his chair shaken! And that is obnoxious example of power play!

I might be wrong but I really don’t get it?!

Give it your best shot!

An elderly lady claimed to have fell off a chair hitting the back of her head on the floor. She was seen in Emergency Department and was told to be well. 2 weeks later, she was having difficulty in breathing and also had episodes of vomiting which did not allow her to eat. Everytime she eats she vomits. These were her Xrays and Ct scans.

Any takers?