Mobilisation

Dear Diary,

It was an incredible Saturday today. I received a phone call from an army friend who told me that we had been mobilised by the military! An army recall? Quite shocking to me even though there were already some creeping rumours of such a possibility on this fateful day. I did not pay much attention then. So when I heard it this time, I was visibly shocked. I called up a couple more army friends and they told me that the mobilisation was imminent but not yet. I hastily rang up to ensure coverage at my own pharmacy as I prepared to take “flight” when the mobilisation was confirmed. It came slightly over an hour later at 2.15pm… how did those guys know before hand? Geesshhh… it is supposed to be secretive, right? I smiled at the elderly man who was asking me about his IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and told him just after my counselling to him, “Guess what… they just activated me to go back to camp!” Placed a scribbled note “Pharmacist is not in because he has been activated for reservist recall. Sorry.” I rushed home, threw open the store door, ransacked for my equipments and concurrently cooking instant noodles… Eating, packing and changing into my military greens… Calling friends and arranging the precise timing for the taxi to pick us all up at various locations for that long journey to camp… Incredibly, in about 2 hours, I reached the army camp after vacating my pharmacy counter. I promised my replacement that I would try my very best to be back by 6pm.

The entire process of taking attendance was quite fast but we had to wait for the talk by some top officer. Oh whatever… then, it was back to the pharmacy as I took the cab, dropped those two friends off and hit straight to my pharmacy. I made it on time to relieve him of the duty as promised. It was quite incredible when I lumbered into the shop with my military uniform, carrying full-pack, SBO and helmet. Chucked them all at a corner, I draped my white coat over my uniform and started my work to the amazement to all my colleagues in the shop. It was probably the first time I ever did that but then again, I had worn a traditional mandarin attire to work on a particular day during the Chinese New Year season in 2007… so it really wasn’t that radical to me. Got a couple of stares, puzzled faces and blank looks from customers but they still continued to seek my advice. One Caucasian asked me if I were a pharmacist… Oh yes, I am, haha… Quite interesting to see question marks floating all over their heads… metaphorically of course, haha… When work ended, I lugged my stuff home. That’s today. One tiring but exciting incident in what is a fast-becoming-boring phase in my work life.

I guess I miss having a student over at my pharmacy. Was even contemplating asking a pharmacist to “loan” a particular student over, haha… but decided I would drop the idea and only entertain such thoughts if other preceptors genuinely need help. With the absence of a student, life in the pharmacy literally has its highs and lows. You either get tonnes of customers clamouring for attention all at the same time or you get a dead silence at the pharmacy because there is not a soul around, haha… Students are “mood-stabilisers” if you get what I mean! ;-) There was this female pharmacist who paid a visit to me to pass me some souvenirs on Friday. She asked me if I would miss working as a pharmacist in this company. I told her I am really looking forward to my new job! Then she complained why I was so direct, hahaha… Well, that’s life… we just don’t want candid replies, don’t we? ;-P One of the things that I am so looking forward to is an untouched weekend. Off on Saturday and Sunday! At last, I get more family, church and friend time. How wonderful! Isn’t it so strange that I am only getting that after 2 years while so many others have taken that privilege for granted? However, I really wonder if I can stay awake from 8.30am to 5pm on a deskbound job. Looking forward to having my own desk and cubicle though. Yay! =D

Of course, I will miss working as a patient care pharmacist. In just these two days, I wrote a note for a Taiwanese lady who experienced serious muscular aches on administration of atorvastatin. I really hope her consultant doctor will review her case again after dismissing that symptom. Rare it may be, I wouldn’t want to risk a rhabdomyolysis on a patient. Then there was this Caucasian doctor who works in a large government hospital. He came for Cephalexin which I did not keep. He wanted to treat his kid for respiratory tract infection. He was unsure of alternative antibiotics but I told him maybe another cephalosporin like Cefuroxime? He was agreeable and wanted to dose at 250mg qds (4 times per day) which was obviously wrong… Cephalexin is dosed at qds but not Cefuroxime! I told him “bd” (twice a day). He playfully challenged me and the reference book told us I was right, haha… I guess I am gonna miss this kind of fun as a pharmacist! Doctors from the Western countries and India are always a pleasure to interact with.

Then again, we retail pharmacists do have frustrating moments. In fact, this early morning, a lady barged in and wanted to buy the Regaine 5% with an additional 10% discount because she was a clinic assistant buying for her doctor nearby who would sell the medication at a higher price to that unsuspecting customer. I asked her for proof that she was buying on behalf of a doctor. She threatened to buy from a rival pharmacy. I bid her farewell. We need to stop portraying ourselves as “desperate for sales” and that will probably advance our standing in society.

Okay, that’s about all… I could go on and on and on… but it is kinda late anyway. If you haven’t read this book “Life of the Beloved” by Henri Nouwen, I would urge you to. It is a very nice book where the author gives us ample reasons to be optimistic even in the face of an unknown future, and also to enjoy the beauty of the world without becoming a slave to it. An incredibly inspiring read! =) Frankly, I am starting to wonder if I will ever find a girl I love and marry her… Yup, self-doubt is creeping in. After reading that book, I think it should sustain my morale for a couple more months, hahaha… How I wish I were still in my early twenties. In less than 3 years and I will hit the big “30”. Aaarrgghhh… I hope resignation doesn’t set in too quickly. I know I need to be patient… I am waiting, haha… tap, tap goes my toes! Goodnight. =)

God Bless,

Andrew