Well, I don't have much of substance to say, but it has been a while so I thought I'd say hello.
Life in Australia is getting cooler! We are currently sitting in our apartment with a space heater going and I'm under an electric blanket. Our apartment can certainly get chilly!
Paul is pressing away at the trading dream. It seems to be tough slugging in the current economic climate, but he is still determined.
Life at the Royal Children's Hospital is busy and can be exhausting. This was a rough week. It was one of those weeks where I feel like I'm breaking all of my patients. We have had a lot of patients who have been in the ICU for longish periods and who are quite sick. When you are in ICU for long periods, it does not bode well for your outcome. Two nights ago one of the little boys died after having a massive bleed into his brain. It was a very stressful and sad night. One of the little girls who has been very, very sick deteriorated two days ago and is now on the limits of support that we can provide. We all struggle everyday with questions of whether the treatments we are giving are actually in the best interest of the child. Every time I stick a needle into one of the children who I feel have a higher chance of dying than living, I feel guilty. I can not even begin to imagine the struggle that the parents go through. No one should have to ask themselves whether death is actually a better option for their child.
However, I am learning more every day, and enjoy the work and feel that it will definitely make me a better physician when I return to Canada to work. Along those lines, I got a job! When we return to Canada it will be to live in London, Ontario where I have a job at a pediatric intensivist at the Children's Hospital of Western Ontario. We are excited that I have a job to go back to and are looking forward to living in London, which seems like a nice sized community and the people there have been super-friendly. It isn't, unfortunately, closer to the Maritimes, but it isn't all the way out in Alberta!
We joined a gym here. We've decided that we need to get more active, though I think I'm up on the activity score with all of my 12-hour shifts spent completely on my feet, and my biking. Paul is sitting here and says, "whatever". We are starting to feel more Australian, with living normal lives, watching Aussie TV, living through the ups and downs of the country. Since I interact with lots of people, I've even started picking up the phrases, and catch myself asking "How you going?" and describing anditbiotics as "antis" and residents as "resies". Last weekend was ANZAC (Australia New Zealand Army Corps) day, which is the equivalent of Remembrance day. They have biscuits (cookies) for the day. Apparently moms and wives would make them for their overseas boys. The ingredients kept well over long voyages to Europe and had some nutritious elements, and have become a standard part of the day. So I looked up the recipe and made them...easiest recipe ever, and VERY tasty.
Preheat oven to 160 degrees celcius
1 cup flour
1 cup rolled oats (quick oats work)
1 cup dessicated coconut
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 tbsp corn syrup or honey
1 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp boiling water
Mix dry ingredients together
Melt butter and syrup/honey over medium heat
In a cup, add boiling water to baking soda, mix well, add to butter mixture, stir
Add wet to dry, mix well.
Roll a teaspoon-full of mixture and place on cookie sheet, well spaced. Cook for 15 minutes - more if you want them crunchy. Enjoy!
Even with feeling Australian, though, we are still in awe of being here. I was riding my bike home the other night, and enjoying the smell of the trees with a warm breeze. How lucky we are.
