RATE YOUR PAIN ON A SCALE OF 1 - 10

Hospitals: they can be fearful places or they can be places which give health care professionals an adrenaline rush every day they come into work.

My little sister has been through a lot over the past year.

A whole year of unimaginable physical pain.

A whole year of walking in and out of hospitals.

A whole year of having her body throw one obstacle after another at her.

This year has gone so quick for me. I’ve achieved a lot and kept myself busy every day so it feels like time has flown past. But I can’t even begin to imagine the year my sister has had.

I wish I could talk more about what she’s been/going through but I have to respect her privacy and I doubt she’d want me to plaster her personal life across the internet! But for all of those who read my blog, if any, I beg of you to pray for her health; both physical and emotional.

I have always admired doctors. The way they remain professional at tough times, the way they know exactly what to say to put your mind at ease, the way they can recall the heap of information that they learnt all those years ago at university. It wasn’t until I became a medical student that I began to gain a new found awe for doctors and other health care professionals.

Being in the hospital to visit my sister has shown me the responsibility and power that a doctor may knowingly or unknowingly hold. The sense of ease that washes over you when a doctor comes into to see you is something which is indescribable. Especially when you know that someone you love is in a vulnerable state and there’s nothing in your power that you can do to change that.

In the midst of it all, there’s one person that I admire the most (directly after my sister); and that is my mum. How a mother can watch her child go through all the things my sister is going through and still remain as strong as she is, is beyond me.

“How would you rate your pain today, A”

“Probably around 3 or 4…”

It wasn’t until I heard this conversation between the nurse and my sister that I began to appreciate the good health that I have been blessed with.  Imagine having to suffer the pain that is constantly there; regardless of whether it’s a 3 or a 4. It’s strange, even as I write this post on the train; I can feel a lump rising to my throat. But I know that won’t change a thing. All I can do now is pray and hope that one day; I will have the same strength that my 16 year old baby sister has.

FROM 45 DEGREES TO 18 DEGREES

Well I'm finally back! The Morocco page has been updated so feel free to have a snoop around and ask me any questions about my trip.

Unfortunately, I have a feeling that I have missed a few things out but I'll be sure to update the page as soon as my brain decides to work in my favour.

I have pieced together a 10 minute video of some of the highlights of my two weeks so do have a look at that.

Next on my list is a thorough tour of Italy! 

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA, SOUKS AND SERVING OTHERS

Two weeks of cuddling orphans and exploring Morocco. These are the type of holidays that I actually enjoy. I've never been a fan of going abroad to relax in the sun or get immersed in the lifestyle of countries such as Ibiza or Magaluf. You can call me old-fashioned but I believe that when you're in another country, you should spend your time there as though you are her citizen...

You should eat all the authentic food she offers you, wear her traditional clothes, live like her people and get totally engrossed in her culture. The few days that you spend in another country should make you forget about all your preconceived thoughts about your experiences of the world and it should add to the vast ocean of memories that you are beginning to collect over the course of your life.

As a medical student and a future doctor, one of the hardest things you can do is travel whilst studying/working. That's why I believe that any spare time that I have should be used to explore the world. I guess in a sense what's driving me to this is my fear of growing old and being filled with regrets.

"I wish I did that..."

"I wish I hadn't said no..."

"If only..."

These are phrases that will haunt me until God shows mercy on me and calls me up to (hopefully) spend eternity enclosed in my Creator's grace.

And the only way to stop these nightmares would be to grab each opportunity that comes my way and by always saying yes!

Anyway, I won't be posting a lot over the next few weeks. Unless I have Wifi, in which case I may pop up and say hello. But let's be honest, the chances of me wanting to be glued onto my laptop in another country where I'm going to be looking after adorable children will be very slim. Therefore, I bid you all farewell. I can't wait to get back and talk about my experiences so watch this space!

ADVENTURES IN EAST LONDON

MEMORIES OF A FRESHER

Alex put together a collection of the best memories of our past year at medical school and it's the most adorable thing you'll ever see.

It's amazing how close some of us have become over the past few months. Knowing people who share the same love of medicine, is something which can't be explained adequately in words.

Memories like these are so precious and what makes it even more special is that these experiences will stay with us (even if it is in the back of conscious mind). Only to resurface when you sit in front of the fireplace, wrapped up in blankets, surrounded by your children and grandchildren and relive them as though they happened just the day before...

LIKE A GIRL

"You...like a girl."

This phrase has always frustrated me. 

What does it mean to be a girl?

As an Indian girl, this question has always been brought up in conversation when surrounded by other Indians. 

I grew up thinking that a woman's place is in the kitchen. She should only speak when spoken to. She will never achieve great things if in competition with a man. God forbid, she should never speak up for what she believes in. 

Watching my mother break all these stereotypes has taught me that being a woman is more than what the Indian tradition and culture teaches its children.In a land where women are treated like dirt, where rape is seen as something which is "sometimes right and sometimes wrong"; it is important for females to break these stereotypes and take control of their own future. It's the only way that sexism will be driven out of society and women are treated with respect.