EOD

What is that? Another of Da Vinci's Code?

Na... I would much rather have an EOS than an EOD anytime.

First, you need to know what on-call means. It means, besides doing my day-to-day 8-to-5 job (finish seeing patients in the ward, finish seeing patients in the clinic, finish the surgeries on an operating day), I shall ensure that my handphone is turned on at all times (24 hours and beyond) to receive phone calls for referrals from health clinics, peripheral hospitals, my own hospital, the wards, anywhere. And yes that include meal times, bath and s*it times, sleep times...

Recently a colleague went back to India for one-month's leave, and another colleague took 2 weeks Cuti Raya, we were left with 2 people doing 4 people's job. And helloooo, ladies here do not stop giving birth just because you have 2 people, and they ain't gonna wait till Hari Raya is over. They will give birth, or get into trouble, NOW.

So, EOD becomes the in-thing. It means... (drum roll)... Every Other Day on call.

My schedule is like... seeing all the patients in the ward, sit in the Labour Room and getting referrals for ladies with problems, while keeping a watchful eye on screaming ladies enduring the beranak routine, in case someone needs a cut to speed up the process. And also, anticipating (sic) calls from health clinic or peripheral hospitals saying "hi we wanna send to you so and so, she's having so and so problem, thanks and bye.". Roger and out.

The merciless ladies don't spare you even in the wee hours. Silent Night is truly a luxury to be yearned for, even though Christmas is still a month away. I am quite sure The Beatles sang "It's been a hard... day's... night..., and I've been working... like a doc..."

Enough talk about having interupted sleep and getting up and about (measured in speed of regaining consciousnous and sanity, i.e. 0-100 in x seconds) a few times over the night. And while you give a breath of relieve that dawn has finally arrived (remember the oldie Morning Has Broken...), another day of work begins. Well, it's either seeing patients in the clinic, or doing surgeries in the OT. Things just start to get more interesting... ever seen surgeons operating with blurry eyes and cloudy minds? Hehe, just be glad that he's rightfully cutting the umbilical cord and not the baby boy's ahem... ahem... ahem... pride. They're located quite close together you know.

And the vicious cycle repeats itself the following day.
...
And another cycle the following day.
...
And the following day.

We show off our stamina by boasting to our colleagues... "wa, you EOD only 4 times ah, I kena 5 times in a row leh! Geng or not!".

Did I mention about the guilt of not spending enough time with your loupo or gf, not spending enough time with your parents, not drinking enough teh-tarik with your buddies; the pastor wondering why you are ponteng-ing church, the Boss waiting for you to spend quiet time with Him.

Probably that explains why medical staffs have a shorter life span, besides the higher suicide rate thingy.

I didn't kena too bad la. Only 4 times during Hari Raya, and 3 times this week. Cannot boast yet.

Hmmm... how on earth did I enrol myself into such hard labour in the first place.