Things not to do in a viva #2

I was so silly today for Batnah viva I have to document it. Apart from that, today's achievements include greeting Dr. Raafat at the car park on my way out of campus. He was walking and talking with this one man and I just stopped in my track and turned to him expectantly waiting to greet him. He was kind enough to turn around for a hello. It was amusing, really.

Second was two legends actually liked a post I shared on FB. This is the legendary Akr*m and Ha*izi we're talking about! I should ask for an autograph. 

Okay, on with the viva.

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First viva was with Dr. Heba our mother. Her first question was emergency causes of chest pain, which was the lecture she taught when we were fifth years, so I answered fluently as per she taught.

She gave me a smile and she fired another question, and we kept at that rapid pace until she came to this question.

"What is the normal serum level of creatinine?"

"Erk," no no I forgot this one. "Sorry, I don't know the normal."

"It's okay, take time to think. I have been asking too rapidly anyway."

She tried potassium and I answered correctly. She asked me what was the indications for dialysis.

"Serum creat," I grinned in revelation. "Serum creat more than 9 mg/dL..."

"Good. So the normal value is?"

"Less than 9?"

She laughed. I laughed with her because I know I was not wrong but not exactly right either.

"The answer is less than 1. Okay, what else in the body we need it less than 1?"

Oh oh. Did I mention I hate numbers? I mumbled and crossed out substances but she still waited for me. Dr. Heba helpfully supplied "Something in the liver."

"-transaminase, no? Ah, INR."

She laughed again. I laughed too. Cmon, I wasn't wrong :p

"Yes we need it not more than 1," she shook her head, at my silliness perhaps. "But something else."

"Bilirubin," I answered.

"Yes, correct."

So cheeky this girl. Reckless tahap ape main2 MBBCh. Go die la.

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I was probably high from all the silliness when I vivaed with Dr. Mohamed El Khattib. He taught us in Dept 31 during our fifth year and this year he lectured us Glomerular Diseases. I know he's a merry man.

And his opening question was treatment of status epilepticus. When I realised I forgot about epilepticus but I damn well remember down to the dose for status asthmaticus (old name for severe acute asthma), I shook my head and chuckled.

"Why isn't it asthmaticus?"

It was station Neurology silly. Sir asked Dr. Heba didn't the kids studied epilepticus in the course because no one seemed to be able to answer him. I would have liked to assure him we didn't. I attend my lectures, this wasn't in!

Or did it?

Dr. Heba assured him it was taught. She turned to me and said "Take a breath and answer."

Thank you for the confidence in me, doctor. Dr. Mohamed turned to me and rested his elbows on the table, a pose I took as he was giving me chance to redeem myself. "Patient is convulsing non-stop. What are you going to do?"

I looked up to him with confidence. "General measures. First I will make sure..."

The thing I saw as I answered was my eclampsia note. That was O&G.

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"Okay now, treatment of bilharziasis."

I stared off for a while, scrolling through my mind. Where is this bilharziasis? Liver? Periportal fibrosis.. They used to use glass syringe to administer the drugs and infect people with HCV instead.

Eh where's the name of the drug? It's not metronidazole, I know. Haru was doing "Aaaaaaaaaaaa" in my head until the doctor cut her short.

"Come on, bilharziasis." The merry sir grinned.

I grinned back helplessly. "The name is not coming out. Ask me something else please." Like typhoid maybe.

"Okay. Fasciola."

We burst out laughing at the same time. Because I was totally screwed hahahahaha.

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As always, post viva the AJK Akademik will make these forms. I like the template this time, catso catso! Those folks really are racking in pahalas, Allah bless them and their backbones.