On Being Different

As usual, we went to the ward to check on the patients and look out for signs that we're supposed to learn after the long case presentation.

There's this elderly Malay gentleman who is already in his late 60s, who has got a pan-systolic murmur. Very clear one upon auscultation. Apparently, Angel, JH, KW and myself was lucky enough to meet him early enough to be allowed to auscultate his murmurs, because the following day, he didn't allow any of the other coursemates to examine him. But we maintain quite a good relationship. He didn't shout at us and shooe us away when he saw us. Let's call him Murmur patient, won't disclose his name.

Then, there's another Indian gentleman in his mid 40s who was admitted to the ward on the 4th myocardial infarction attack. I clerked him earlier, but didn't do any physical examination as he was sleeping. Okay I know it's not right, but yea, I took the history from his super-friendly wife. His wife claimed to know every single thing. She even remembered that his first attack was on the July 9th. And let's call him MI patient.

Anyways, the interesting part was, MI patient was transfered next to the Murmur patient today. I walked up to the end of the bed of the Murmur patient to check on his echo results. He isn't my patient, but since we have the ward all to ourselves, it's up to us to explore and learn anyways. Amazingly, while we only picked up the systolic murmur, which was loudest on the tricuspid area (I thought it was tricuspid regurgitation), the echo came back with some shocking results. I mean, yea the murmur could be heard all over the chest area, but we didn't expect he would be having mitral regurgitation, mitral stenosis, aortic regurgitation and aortic stenosis all in one go. Some valve thickening apparently.

And suddenly the super friendly wife of MI patient asked from the next bed.

MI's wife: Bong, you're local or are you Japanese?
Me: Huh? Me? I'm local lor.
MI's wife: Really? You don't look local. You look more Japanese or Korean.
Me: Really?
MI's wife: Yea, you do. You don't look like you're from here.

And immediately, I was thinking...

Japanese.

Korean.

Whoa! I'm so hawt! LMAO.

Me: How am I different?
MI's wife: I don't know. You just look different. Right? (asking Murmur patient)
Murmur patient: Yea. You're different.
MI's wife: Like Japanese or Korean right?
Murmur patient: Yes.
MI's wife: Maybe because your face is so round.

=.=" WTF... I was expecting the thick eyebrow...

It was a great laugh no doubt. MI's wife is such a friendly lady...

Hey, I have double-lid. And my eyes are pretty big. Might have round face, I have square jaw. But I definitely love my thick brow. Oooh, I just realize my moustache and beards are visibly dark now. Urgh. Need a shave...


pic: Japanese. Korean.