Sickness...

I've caught the bug that's going around, so it seems. Fevers, sweats, cough and yucky mouth, muscle aches and pains, lethargy and weakness. It really only set in today, but I'm feeling a fair bit better through taking some rest and paracetamol. At the moment I'm taking a break from sleeping. ;p

Yay, Sally's back in Melbourne, since about a week and a half ago! It's been a while since last blog. I wonder why my motivation for blogging has dried up over time? I don't seem to be blogging anywhere near as frequently as I used to. But then again, I didn't always use to have such early starts, and I didn't use to have my timesink online game (utopia), so I probably used to have much more time to write!

Anyhow, utopia-wise, the current age is ending, so not spending as much time on it as I did a few weeks ago. We've just come out of hostile relations with another kingdom, and our province was absolutely shafted! We were being singled out as a target, and I made some silly errors of judgment that didn't help. I suppose, given the new ceasefire, we can now concentrate our efforts on destroying the dragon that ravages our kingdom. But for how long? I suppose it'll be over soon. And then we can begin a fresh start. Hopefully next age, we'll be controlling separate provinces within the same kingdom, which will be good for cooperation!

Real-life-wise, am doing my final week of surgical block! I'm with the trauma team, which means I see patients all the time who are not that different to myself (young, fit, healthy, no medical issues), and they come in with some horrific injuries from car and motorcycle accidents. It's a stark reminder just how vulnerable we are, and that anything can happen at any time! People mostly think of broken bones with trauma, but blunt injury to the abdomen caused by deceleration against an improperly worn seatbelt was what led to probably the most striking images I saw in operating theatre. The patient had been complaining of increasing abdominal pain, about a day after the accident. The day before, he'd had an arm fracture reduced and fixed, but the doctors became concerned about peritonitis with the abdominal x-ray showing subdiaphragmatic free gas. So he was taken to theatre for an exploratory laparotomy, and as soon as they opened the belly, there was the most dramatic rush of fluid and bubbles spilling out of the incision, and the nasogastric tube drew back a flood of foul black fluid, decompressing the stomach. Food seems to be a favourite for medical analogies - it was like a boiling pot under high pressure, and suddenly removing the lid, sending bubbles and liquid all over the kitchen floor. Today though, I arranged this guy's discharge from hospital, and he's probably now at home back to most of his daily routine, apart from just a bit of abdominal and arm soreness!

Anyhow, I'll probably be off now. Should get back to sleeping - I hope to be back to full functioning myself quickly. ;p Well, I'll sleep soonish. And sleep in tomorrow. Hopefully, armed with paracetamol, will be back to normal within a few days! Will leave with this passage from Philippians 4, on which we had a sermon on Sunday. When we feel snowed under with many tasks and worries, whether they be within or out of our control, and our troubles seem insurmountable, remember to cast all your anxieties upon Jesus Christ our Saviour, in whom we trust. God bless!

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

"I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." - Philippians 4:4-13