Month: October 2007

Prison Break

Just imagine how boring it is to stay in hospital for not 48 hours … but 48 days.

But finally, today I was discharged from the hospital …. not because I am fully recovered, but the doctor and specialists just think I can rest at home. For example, my second operation did not solve the problem it intended to solve … so, keep observing and have check-up regularly. And the medicine I took in the past weeks created some problems in my other part of my body (!), so again, keep observing.

Still, I am now free …

Book worm

Fashion Babylon A cook's tour.jpg The Starbucks Experience

So I just finished the 8th books in the hospital, and would like to recommend 3 of them. The first one is “Fashion Babylon”, from the same author of “Hotel Babylon” and “Air Babylon”. Thru this book, you will have a peek into the ins and outs of the fashion industry like how to copy ideas from previous designers, how to run a show and how the beautiful models live thru the days with drugs. A very interesting read.

The second one is “A Cook’s Tour” by Anthony Bourdain (who runs the show No Reservations in Discovery channel). Unlike other cooks who only enjoy good food and wine in luxury restaurants, Tony went to some very odd places to find some exotic cuisines and recorded those experience like a journalist. A very different tour book.

Lastly, the “Starbucks Experience” … I recommend the short stories or customers’ comments in the book about how Starbucks run their business – some are really touching. But I really hate that book as it really believes Starbucks is the best company in the world. A shoe-shining book.

Lying there …

… and doing nothing.

  • no reading, just finished the 8th book … (don’t wanna start a new read)
  • no radio, boring programmes … (why can’t we have a radio station with no DJ bullshitting but only good easy-listening music ?)
  • no browsing, tied of the phone’s tiny screen … (I miss my Sony notebook)
  • …

Instead, I am waiting for the next tasteless meal, next doctor visit to inform me any good / bad news, next blood test, next CT Scan, next X-Ray, next dose of medicine …

May be it is what a typical patient’s life all about … Pointless anticipation.

Making friends

One of the skills you need to master to survive in a hospital ward is about “Making friends” (the others are “Swallowing junk food”, and “Be extremely positive” etc.).

For example, be a friend to the doctors, nurses and ward assistants will make your life a bit easier – i.e. they will spend more time to take care of you and you have someone to chit chat when they are not that busy.

And of course you need to make friends with other patients, those just sleep next to you. The only trouble for me is I have to make new friends every few days, since othe patients will be transferred or discharged – while I am still staying …

So what’s the usual ice-breaker ? “Why are you here ?”, “How long you will stay ?” and “You look terrific !” are the usual ones.

I have repeated the same three questions a dozen times in the past 7 weeks !! How boring ?!

Second inning

Just when I thought things are almost over, I was told by the heart specialists that my heart has a minor problem needs to be resolved. After a week’s observation, they decided another (smaller) operation was needed – the second operation with full-body anesthetized in three weeks…

So once again, I restarted my recovery cycle all over again … how silly …

I hope I don’t need a full 9 innings to finish this wicked game …