Is there a Medical Career left for me?

Lately, I've been inundated with quite a few medical questions. I found myself stumped, unable to answer these simple questions. It's like, my mind just goes blank. And I don't know where to start.

What antibiotic should I use for a minor skin infection? What are the symptoms of Listeriosis in pregnancy? And what are the outcomes? Please review my blood pressure medications. And do you think this medication interacts with this? Or what's the newest drug for cholesterol? Gawd...

Please don't ask me anything "latest" because just in case you haven't noticed, the "latest" news is that I have been OUT OF PRACTICE for way too long, not to mention preggo brains that automatically converts to mummy brains in motherhood, ya'know the ones like baby food consistency. Gaaaahhhhh!! I stumble, I stutter a semi coherent answer, then later google the question on the Internet for an answer! Let's just say, if you were a family or a friend and wanting to ring me for a medically related advice, you'd better think twice about it! Also, my medical indemnity expired 2 years ago, and I wouldn't be able to afford a lawsuit. Tee hee!

I went to medical school for 6 years. Did my intern year in 2004, and then residency in 2005. In 2006, I had Lachlan and took a year off. I did a few locum shifts every now and then in various fields. In 2007-2008, I was on the priority locum list for Peter James Centre, an age care and rehabilitation facility. I also did skin checks and executive health checks through a locum agency. The last I worked was when I was 7 months pregnant with Lucas, where I did 2 weeks in age care and rehab. I still knew enough to eloquently form answers for patients and their families then. No doubt, the patients loved me. Little old ladies in their four wheel frames, and wobbly war veterans with their sticks and thick bifocals. They have a thing for a friendly pregnant woman tittering on 1 inch heel, their medical records piled up high on my forearm. Sometimes they call out to me "sister", to bring them a bedpan! There was a war veteran, so confused he thought he was still in Vietnam when I was his treating doctor. Good old memories.

I miss those days miserably. In between making lunches and folding away clothes, I secretly wished to be a doctor again. To know my stuff. And to be able to talk like an adult! Will it all come back to me?

On the flipside, I find myself becoming really good at little kid's issues. Like how to remove a foreign body from an orifice (we shall not mention which one), the never-ending coughs and colds, how to pretend that the snot coming out of your child's nostril is "really nothing to worry about", red rash and all skin things. I think if I have to work in the ED again, I would be really confident to treat a child. As oppose to my childless days where I pretended to be busy whenever a child comes through. And hence, I apologise to all mothers out there who waited 4 hours to see a doctor at the emergency department! It's different now, I promise.

I love working with the oldies. In many ways, they are similar to little children. One day soon, I will be. I don't know how or when. But right now, there are other stuff more important in my life. Like reading Charlie & Lola mini library for my three year old and wiping snot for my 1 year old.

Oh, I'm just kidding about the "don't ask me medical questions" thing... I would love to be challenged every now and then with a question. Besides, it's my dad who asks me the most and I think he would demand for his entire life savings spent on my medical school fees back if I can't answer his simple questions!