~JcZw

So, night cycling. One night when I was back to the days of doing Public Duty at sports days, Chingay, Christimas Carnival, even an NUS Open House in SRC (though then I didn't know my NUS landmarks well).

The first aid team was pretty competent, consisting of ChiaHui, ThengWai, McVin and I. The former 3 were all in the safety vehicle while I was cycling ("I want to be in the car too!" said I. "No, we need people on the ground", insisted ChiaHui). Kokpun also learnt first aid, which was just as well since he would be far away from me during cycling as it happened.

As ChiaHui said, I had the familiar "I want people to have fun but I don't want people to get hurt" feeling as they were setting off, though admittedly, first aiders have a morbid thrill when things actually do occur since it means they didn't turn up for nothing. In fact, KEWOC had done a good job of packing little portable first aid kits which were ideal to carry around.

As it was, and as I kinda expected, all the casualties occurred during the first part of the cycling. What I didn't expect to happen was that they would occur within ONE HOUR of each other, and in groups at extreme ends of the pack. It meant I did a lot of extra (and stressful!) cycling in the first hour and was very tired cos of that. Also a little annoyed cos the FAider distribution wasn't very good and meant that I didn't get much of a break at AHS' famous Blk 85 bak chor mee stall heheh...

But nevertheless, as always, I have to remember that it was little incidents occuring in first aid duties like these which inspired me to take up medicine in the first place. To have the confidence to carry out treatment for cuts big or small, burned into one's hippocampus by the tekans, pumpings and stuff is something I value very much =)

May I also say that the quick-response team of my two fellow M2s and 1 NSF medic spec, together with the KIA car was also very efficient and invaluable at providing the odd rush to CGH A&E when circumstances called for it.

So it was a darn tiring night, the first time I stayed awake from sundown to sun up (even in SJ camp usually I sleep about 1/2 an hour). In the morning my brain felt rather numb so I guess its a good thing no one got injured then. Had my first MacDonald's breakfast in a pretty long time, though I must say the Big Breakfasts are not as Big as they used to be....

Then it was back to KE by 8.45 am to sleep till 3 pm =D my sleep cycle got fouled up for the rest of the weekend and hasn't been restored till today haha..

Night cycling was certainly a rather novel experience!