Upon arrival in the first day at PRTC, I were quite shock to see my coursemates chatting with Drs while looking on horses trained on the tracks, and it’s just 7.20 a.m!!! I joined them; the air and the scenery were cool!!! We started conversation very soon and I realized Drs are great, they speak fluent English and they are experts in this field. I’m so happy to have chance learning from them, but bad news stroked on me soon when I get to know that there are no races and the main surgeon was away for holiday during my practical period (no optional surgery). The placement of my practical was once again inappropriate following the lab practical placement on the year end, when everybody is out of budget or on their holiday spree.
The good things lighten up me then were that I got a comfortable room, equipped with desk, chairs, cabinet, fans, bed and air-cond. The bed is comfortable and the air-cond is freezing cool, wonderfull!!! Another great thing provided is that I can take hot shower in the cold early morning. With all great facilities provided, there is one shortcoming, no internet coverage, OMG!!! The next obsession was I’m going to live in a building that is completely dark at night (unless the corridor’s light is on) and nobody else except me; many things come into my mind, free flow~~~
Second day was great of seeing a minor surgery, instead was just a stitches up of lacerated tongue. First time to see a horse surgery under GA but not much surprise, it went smoothly and took only half an hour. At least I saw a surgery once for the time being.
We went for National Stud Farm on Wednesday in the plan to perform a castration of a colt foal, but it turns out to cancel the on-field surgery as the foal is monochidism. The macho-looking foal was recovered and we returned to turf club with disappointment. The stud farm really stocked a lot of horses, as I saw many mother-offspring pairs before I left. I started to wonder who going to buy those foals.
On the fourth day night, I met up coursemates having practical nearby (VRI), at McD, a regular fast food but full of laughters. Imaging 5 guys and 4 girls sitting around a table; chating, joking, and sharing dreadful experience staying in hostel, no doubt we left with cheek’s fatigue.
The fifth day lunch was a great one, treated by Dr Reza to Tasik Raban, a malay restaurant, serving a wide variety of dishes, made me felt difficult to choose. I made my decision: a curry chicken, with 4 curries on my rice, and lastly a “jantung pisang” topped up with sambal and tempoya (fermented durian). It was my first time to eat “jantung pisang” and I’m pleasing to try it again, but not with too much of sambal like this time.
Weekends morning session were short one and the days afterward proceed with shopings. Quite a few shirts and pants I bought; satisfied!!! It was a great weekends; spending money, had good meals and had long hours sleep. Tasik Raban, Ayam Penyet, Shih Ling Taiwan Street Snack’s Extra Big Chop- I will visit all of them when I’m in Ipoh again.
Here comes the 2nd week~~~
Monday morning, there was no horse of Monday morning sickness, neither do I. I felt excited to see horse training on the field again, remembering on the first day when I stepped here, but this time without my coursemates and Dr Reza (off day), no more laughter and I just enjoyed seeing the horse galloping fast on the field.
The Tuesday came, as usual it’s a busy day and it’s a barrier day, and this time we followed Dr Pratul to the barrier, he talked more while observing 4 trials, almost half of a racing day races. During trials, it’s sad to see a malay guy keep on fooling Dr of not knowing to speak malay. That malay guy keep on saying 1 Malaysia and everyone shall know malay and refused to speak in English even Dr ask him what he had spoken. According to him, English is only the language for Mat Salleh whereby he and his other colleagues not bother to know what Mat Salleh said to them when they met Mat Salleh in the past. Hey, though I don’t know much about 1 Malaysia, but I know it’s a slogan to unite the countrymen, not asking everybody to speak in malay. I really felt ashamed of this fellow to humiliate a foreign Dr who can’t speak malay. I think respect shall come in here especially when Dr had politely asked him to speak in English. It’s not his fault to not knowing to speak malay, but only the naïve people will insisting others to speak his language. Despite of these, Dr still reacted as a gentlemen, responded to him with a smile, THUMB UP!!! After this, I think I will try to speak in English/ malay in front of non-mandarin speaking coursemates.
Wednesday morning was less cheery without Dr Anand, but it’s still a solid day with few horses come in for radiography, ultrasonography and bled out. I saw a very good client education from Dr Reza today and he did what is consistent to my thought; client need to be educated and well entertained. Besides, I did few nasogastric tubing and I did it badly at the beginning, it was lucky to have Dr Pratul’s guidance. Today, I heard a great saying from Dr R, “Discipline is everything, without discipline you’re nothing”, though it’s not directed to me, I felt it’s true. During dinner time, I met Sook Yeng and Michelle, what a coincidence to meet them in a big town of Ipoh and at a food court of around 10 shops long.
Thursday was a little bit quite but the night went joyous by had my dinner at Shih Ling (oyster mee and a bento) while watching dancing performance from kindergarten children. The night doesn’t end that way, I watched Gulliver’s travel, what a short movie I would say. Anyway, it kept my night filled. Gulliver said: “there’s no tiny job, there’s only tiny man”.
Friday’s lunch was at Lou Wong, had Chicken Beansprouts; half a chicken, a big plate of beansprouts, and 2.5 bowls of rice, I felt really full. My abdominal distended Zdeslav, defecated once again since last Sunday, but this time it splash its urine on my palm and 2 big droppings just went down the floor while I played with it. We’re released on Friday for chrismass!!! Great X’mas gift!!! Hurray!!!
