Yulan 于蓝

Semi-honeymoon in Levander cottage

2008-08-26T11:24:00.004+09:30

Eveything we saw was so much like an oil painting which makes us so hard to come back to reality.....
Being away from TV and Internet made life so nature, we even thought it was very late when the time was only 19:45!
P.S. Strongly recommend friends to go there have a weekend there to enjoy so called life.
Location: Adelaide Hills

Lamby Blackboard

2008-06-02T20:07:00.001+09:30

I found this lovely Lamby blackboard for my sheep mathematician Matthew, coz he loves writing equations on blackboard.

And that is a cute little lamb from Newzealand.

P.S. Matthew wrote the chinese on the blackboard.

Beautiful Wenchuan before the Earthquake

2008-05-20T16:26:00.001+09:30

These are the pictures of Wenchuan, the center of Sichuan Earthquake, taken in 2005.

Our Love, Our Rainbow Sky

2008-05-20T15:51:00.001+09:30

all channals have been changed, lots of entertainment places shut the doors, online game service turned off etc. in China for mourning over the victims in Sichuan earthquake for 3 days (19~21 of May, 2008).....

Cocoafarm——got to tell all chocolate lovers :D

2008-05-11T15:57:00.000+09:30

"Love chocolate, especially good ones, rather spend 10 times money to buy a good piece of chocolate than a tasteless cheap one" --Yulan :P

I finally find a favorate one, Shiraz Dark Chocolate Drops, from Cocoa farm (deadly fell in love with it :P ). It is not, as you think, filled with some wine in, in stead Muscats bathed with Shiraz are enrobed in smooth silky dark chocolate, and also has fragrant Cocoa coat—hmmmmmmmm

If you dont like Shiraz or Dark chocolate, you can also find Pinot Nior and milk chocolate. I am having Merlot Wine Chocolate now. This is also a gorgous one.
Have to buy a lot to take to my sister in Shanghai ^_^ (ahah Happy, very Happy now :D)

A visit to an owner of painting

2008-04-13T22:46:00.001+09:30

She is a traditional owner of Uluru - Kata Tjuta National Park. And, these are her painting of 7-sisters story.

One of my aboriginal haemodialysis patient has a painter daughter. She sometimes brings her daughter's painting to sale for life living. One day, she brought two small paintings (we all thought those are her daughter's). When I first looked at one of the paintings, I really liked it. And, I was going to buy one directly, of course, the price was affordable. When I was going to ask her to take paintings home to ask her daughter to sign on the back for me, she told me those painting are her mothers. I then was told this patient's mother is the traditional owner of Uluru, and she is an active culture teller, always trying to tell the other societies about their aboriginal culture. So, I thought that will be good to meet this older and have a good talk about her painting.

Here I was, in the picture--I went to meet her and I got her happy face taken with me.

Although her painting is not as fancy as those in Sydney art gallery house, but I like it, especially the left one in the picture. And, thinking of their poor financial condition, I thought I might have helped a bit in some way. Of course, she tried to charge me a lot at the beginning.Well, to listen to her unique aboriginal laugh and talk is the amazing thing during the bargain.

The interesting thing is that the paintings were just being kicked around in their dirty messy house which made the painting so valueless, but when I just put against the clean wall, they are absolutely something there!

VRE v.s. Yogurt, Complication v.s. Easy

2008-03-25T21:00:00.000+10:30

VRE(Vancomycin Resistant enterococci) is the evil of the bacteria, because there is no antibiotics for it. And when pt has been on vancomycin for a while, the risk is very high. We usually screen it. Especially, for renal impaired pt, inflammation just doesn't do any good to them. As also, pt is usually be isolated, which makes them too special to feel normal in the group.

While, the only way to get clear of it is a kind Yogurt, which contains Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) bacteria! What a surprising answer to it! Feel so amazed by the nature ^_^

WOMADelaide 08' is not just "Warm"

2008-03-14T22:25:00.000+10:30

WOMADelaide stands for World of Music, Arts and Dance in Adelaide, WOMAD festival. I love music, specially those are original and nature, like folk etc. So, I went there this year for the first time that I had free time to go there :) .

Bush Walking: Black Hill

2008-02-10T22:37:00.001+10:30

You sometimes have to spend days to make decision, while sometimes you make such a good decision without even thinking. I did last night about going out for a bush walking (American say "Hiking").

Matthew was extremely happy about my good suggestion. And, he was so excited after we found where we got to start walking.

I didn't... Matthew was teaching me how to deal with snake if we saw them, while a snake appeared in front of us---such a good lesson that made me so worried the whole trip. Although I was born in countryside, and had been played in Chinese hills or field for lots of times, I haven't really come across to a snake like that. So, I was so scared by the snakes through the whole trip.

And, I was also worried about the road while we were walking down. I didnt have any problem to climb up while Matthew was saying "dear, I think I am not fit enough to climb this...", and Matthew was keeping asking me to stop for rest. But, I had so much trouble to walk on such slippery road. I have lots experience of Chinese road, which is either made of steps by ancient people, or mud, or big rock. Not this kind of small rocky road!

What really made we too embarrassed is that we were beaten twice by an 50ish man, who told us had broken leg 4 years ago and now he does this twice a week!

These two young are very energetic now.....

Watch out for snakes！

Amber=sap+million years。

the bush fire formed the shape of this tree。

4 pix of view on the top of the hill。

this road made Yulan feel so slippery and worried :(

Valentines Gift

2008-02-09T20:39:00.000+10:30

Yulan has to work on Valentines Day this year.

We decided to have a early valentines gift swap, because we both can not wait :P

McLaren Vale Drive

2008-02-02T19:10:00.001+10:30

McLaren Vale has lots and lost of wineries.

They are....

quiet, comfy, great view of hills and vineyard, good food etc.

Matthew and I drove to McLaren Vale for my driving experience and wedding party picking. We went to Coriole and Hoffmann. Coriole is a very popular and big winery, while Hoffmann is small. They are different.

Coriole is on top of the hill, which makes it have great view of hills. However, it doesn't have air-conditioner and only plate of cold food as shows in the pictures.

Hoffmann is in the valley, but has air-conditioner and variety of food(not available in the pictures).

Dear friends, please tell me which one is better for me to have wedding party in December (summer) in Australia.

Coriole's pix:

Hoffmann's Pix:

A drive to "North Heaven"

2008-01-30T22:11:00.001+10:30

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阿德来德的一些Beach已经变得人生嘈杂的游乐场，没了那份海的宁静。直到我和Val去了这个Outer Harbor的Beach才找到了那份广阔而安静的美，或许更应该说是舒适。去的时候只有三三俩俩的几个人，悠闲的散着步，海鸥也是很自由的漫步在沙滩上。

这种出奇的舒适，让我们怀疑这是不是在一个人的城市。这里附近有很多的游艇和领海住宅。漫步在几乎没人的街道，看到的确实各家的车辆安静的停在车库前。为什么这里的人这么悠闲；难道他们不工作；如果是，为什么他们能够买得起这里得房...太多的问题没人给我答复.....

Hunter Beppi's home

2008-01-29T15:56:00.001+10:30

Beppi is one of my Transplant Patient, and he is, I think, the best patient I had ever had. Physically, he got up very early post-transplantation operation; mentally, he was always positive; and he always tried to do everything right that we told him.

The chatting with him, when he was under 1:1 special post-operation period, I was his nurse, was very interesting. He told me his hunting stories, friends stories, family stories, his belief etc. All those made me feel he has so much interesting experience that I can learn, and in some way, I feel he and his family are like my family.

That's why I didn't refuse when he invited me to visit his home after his discharge.

January 27th, Sunday, Matthew and I drove my little Black Holden Brina to Beppi's farm home in Mallala -- a country little town.

Beppi's home is so outstanding, because the gate was decorated with some horns of deer, the big garden(farm) is divided into few little farm for deer, geese, sheep, pigeons, hens, rabbits, some fruit trees, and wheat. Yeah, it does make me feel like it is my parent's home where I grew up. Everything we ate that day is almost from his farm, lamp, tomatoes, beans etc. When Beppi's children and grandchildren came, they just rushed into the field to do what they like. It is such a nature life style. I strongly agree that people, specially, mid-age people who still can do physical work but not busy in job, should go back to this kind of life to enjoy the true feeling of life.

Although we, Beppi's children and grandchildren, are the first time to meet, I felt so relaxed, which is the first time since I came to Australia. In some way, Italian family--Beppi was born in Italy, is very similar to Chinese family, which makes me feel very comfortable and happy.

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Circumnavigation Plan

2008-01-19T21:40:00.000+10:30

Have been feeling bored for 2 weeks, because I have been thinking of the trip Matthew and I will do later in this year.

We finally went a the travel agency today, and made a plan. As the map shows, the blue tags are the places where we want to go.

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A Test, can save lives

2007-12-17T11:21:00.001+10:30

I wish there is a Test that can quickly diagnose the disease when patient come to hospital or go to see doctor.

Maybe it is a dream. But I think it may come true. Because more and more diseases are found to be related to gene mutation. A gene test might be the solution, and it is usually quick and not invasive.

These days, I can always see or hear the stories people's disease being diagnosed however it is too late to operate or treat.

I had a patient who came to hospital because of diarrhea and vomiting, which might be life-threatening for this kidney transplant patient. He had all sorts of test, blood tests, CT, ultrasound etc. However, no diagnosis can be clarified. We just felt he is a odd sick man. One day morning, he said to us he felt numb from his chest to his legs. He, then again, had MRI of bone.

What they found in this result is he has tumor in spinal, and it is un-operative now. When they review all the previous imagines, they found a sign of this tumor which is operative. However, it was too hard to figure at that time......

I saw another story, which is similar to this. A little boy had been waiting 11 days for all the tests to exclude all the possible cause, and finally find a rare cancer. By that time, this little boy was already very sick.

We, in medical society, have been seen many people have been waiting for the results of all sorts of the tests. Because there is no A Test can diagnose all the diseases. What all the tests do are to give information to let medical stuff to exclude some possible disease, so the last one is the diagnosis. Because lots of disease has similar signs and symptoms, it is very hard to diagnose the primary disease depending on these.

However, gene technic has been developed very well. There are lots of disease has been clarified that are related to gene mutation. A simple blood sample might tell the truth of the disease by the gene technic one day .....

Aussie likes being drunk rather than dancing.

2007-12-10T11:07:00.001+10:30

December 8, 2007.

This is Christmas Dinner for Matthew's working place. Of course, there are some other young people.

After a long waiting dinner, we were thinking of doing something else. Some people said to go to Karaoke, which is more interesting for Matthew and I. And we know, there is a Nightclub, called Buddha Bar, has Karaoke, cocktail bar and dancing poor. So, Matthew and I suggested to go there, and it is only 3mins to walk.

Well, I knew it is a very popular place for Karaoke, so booking ahead was required. Matthew and I therefore went there to ask. 40mins to wait the earliest room. We called Alex, and told him, people can drink cocktail or dance there while waiting. However, they, over the other end of the phone, decided to go to another bar, which was fine, as long as they made decision.

We walk back to the restaurant, and walked about 15mins to the bar. I was hoping there would be dancing poor, so that I still could have fun. Oh well, it is a lounge bar, only for drinking, yes music, but no one dance!!!!!!!!!

Matthew and I decided to leave.......

Why? Just drinking and talking to each partner. I do respect people enjoy drinking cocktail, but not in those kind of music environment--dancing music? Come on!!!!!

Yulan in Colors

2007-12-10T00:00:00.001+10:30

I don't usually make up or dress up.

I usually just use some moisture cream, but I tend to chose very good and suitable for me. Clinique is now my favorite now. Weeks ago I bought some products again as usual. The shop assistant then ask me whether I am interested in free making up. For sure, and there would be a Christmas dinner of Matthew's working place, why not just give it a try.

I went there, last Saturday, and had a adventure of dark color for my eyes...... I still feel that is not very suitable for me. Or, I believe she should have done a bit more skilful.

Well, it is free. What can you say.....

Stay and wait, or go home

2007-11-13T09:13:00.000+10:30

I had a patient, a haemodialysis patient.
I like to call him Mr. Ice-coffee, because he likes it.
Sometimes he can only be waken up by being called Ice-coffee.

He, I think, is a cute poor country man.
He lives alone, no families that we can contact because he said they never care about him.
But he has funny sense of humor.
He always laughs and talks very loud because of deafness.
He only gets grumpy when no one listens to him.

He recently got diagnosis of prostate cancer and bone mets.
They found accidentally his NOF is fractured, but he has been walking on it for long time.
Because X-ray show it is not a new one. And he has been walking finely.
The renal team referred to Orthopedic for some intervention.
He, then, waited a week for some test--not cleared.
He got upset, and wanted to go home because of sleepless in hospital.
We tried and tried, but he one day took taxi and got home.

The renal team doctor called him from home to ask him to come.
Because he is a haemodialysis patient, it is very easy to chase up their address.
And renal team always has strong sense of responsibility of dialysis patient's health status.

He came by flight doctor.
Unfortunately he lost his mobile on the way to hospital.
And then, he started to wait again.
Sunday night he was fasted for "just in case".
Because orthopedic team want to do some procedure (uncleared) on monday.
Although, he usually like to use swear words when he gets anoyed but he never means so.
Because he is always very good to those very gentle and patient nurse, and like to joke with those words, such as "bloody good you are" etc.
He, we believe, has brain cancer now also because he's mood is very unstable recently.
What made him worse is, another patient in his room is an alcoholic withdraw man.
We can imagine what happened that night.

Monday, he finally decided to go home again.
I tried almost whole morning to keep him down and stay.
But, he still choose to go.
Orthopedic team sent a junior doctor after I called them.
And, the Dr let him go after Mr Ice-coffee sighed the risk form.
When finally renal team doctor came, she was very unhappy.
I, then, went down with security guard to look for him as renal doctor asked.
We didnt find him.
We guessed he has already Taxi to the city and took bus to his country home.

What's the problem?
What we can do better for him?

Cant Doctors take time to chat with patient, siting down with them, especially for people who recently diagnosed cancer?

I remember a week before, he was upset already and wanted to go home in the evening. We called the one of the residence doctor of renal team who was the renal cover that evening. She sat with him, and asked for a period of private time for chatting with him. And, he did come down. And, he spoke out he has been painful for weeks all over his body which he never told anyone. And that night, he had pain relieve and he had sleeping tablet. And he said, next day, that was the best night he never had in the hospital. He was very happy.

Whose choice, health care provider's or patient?

We cant say people is dying soon because he/she has cancer. But, what we, as a health care provider, should really respect is people's own choice. Mr. Ice-coffee is 0ver 80, has bad heart problem, DM, and has been passing blood urine since diagnosed. And now, bone mets etc. He is those country man, like freedom. And he still can walk around by himself independently. What he wants? If I were him, I will to go home and enjoy my rest of life as like nothing happened. We have good palliative care for hospital patient. What can we do for those who is still ambulant? Also, comfort care. SO, going home, to my perspective, is the best way.

What is the nurse the role in this case, helping Doctors or helping patient?

We nurse always act between every one. We cant make finally decision that patient should have what or what because of our limitation of authority. What we can do is to organize any people who involve in this case to talk to each other and make a good plan. It is not easy job, because all the doctors are busy, while patients are sometimes too sick or unstable to chat with. But it is very important.

P.S.
I believe Mr. Ice-coffee is very happy now.

Sometimes you over-feel somebody's LOVE

2007-10-16T19:03:00.000+09:30

Recently, I am feeling "Human Life" is meaningless--

Struggle to get up early for working, try hard to think what to cook after work, struggle to fall asleep after finishing all the washings, dreaming about works and books, and then waken up be the alarm for work.....full time working plus doing Nephrology Nursing Course by using my days off is very stressful. The course is interesting, which make my life occupied. Thinking of life behind the work and course make me really feel boring....

I am trying hard to do my course so that I can stay in this ares, hopefully get a better position. But, by that time, I will be 30 years old. Then, have a baby, bring up the baby.... by the time the baby become an adult, able to live by itself, I am close to 60, when people waiting to die or dying......

when I talk about this feeling with Matthew, he said to me, "My life is meaningful because of you!" How romantic words are they! But I didnt feel it, until I talk about this with my friend.
I think I was too tired to feel it, maybe also because Matthew always says this kind of words to me.... I have been totally soaked with his 24hrs love.

"You feel bored when your life a peaceful, and sometimes you wish something happens or changes (honestly, I dont think I want anything changes). But when your life is eventful and dramatic, you wish you can settle down somewhere nice and peaceful....", my friend says that.

I dont agree her idea of my current feeling now, because I am very happy about my current peaceful life with Matthew. I am just physically too tired, and thinking of Nature Human Life Circle. Why there is death and live.

Feeling LOST post-exam

2007-09-28T10:52:00.000+09:30

26th September is the mid-semester examination day.

Spent 2 days to review and prepare this exam, I even forgot the mid-autumn festival and missed lots of photo calls on that day(25th September).

2hrs writing answer and thinking, I suddenly felt lost after I handed in my paper. I dont know what exactly I have lost. Just felt suddenly empty in body. I called my Matthew. He asked me how would he feel when he finished his PhD thesis. That is a very good answer.

Whatever the result is, I think, it is that I got to know and cleared lots of things in my brain is the most important, after all these days and tiredness.

I didnt feel excited until Matthew said to me "89% is High Distinction already". Because of being trained in Chinese culture, being best is such a nature expectation for me even I wasnt a good student.

Some people said to me "Dont push yourself too hard, you are working full time! And, whatever score you get, you just a nurse. Who cares!" Well, that is the truth. But I still believe, since I am doing it and I am enjoying it. Why not make everything as clear as possible, maybe as good as possible. If I dont try 100% hard, I wont get 80% good.

I should still hold on the passion of studying until I totally lose my ability to think. And, a nurse is a kind of professional, not a servant of some people. If we dont treat ourself as a professional, who will?!

Hypotension -- a Post-AVG-Revision (to be continued)

2007-09-24T13:46:00.000+09:30

This lady has a Left Arm AVG.
22/09/2007:
AVG blocked on the normal haemodialysis day, came to ward through ED, had anti-hyperkalemia therapy(resonium 30g, IV 50% Dextrose 50mls and IV Actrapid insulin 10units) and fasted overnight.
23/09/2007:
AVG revision in the morning, finished at 12pm. Then, start to dialysis. in the end of the dialysis, graft started to bleed a huge amount, spent 30mins pressure, bleeding stopped, but AVG stopped working.
1730, pt went to OT for urgent AVG revision again.
1930, back from recovery, had N/S 600mls in recovery. AVG bruit but frank thrill. BP(110/50mmHg, pt asymptomatic) low range, pt's normal BP around 120~130/60~70mmHg, MO ordered to recheck in 1/2hr.
2000, BP still low (104/50mmHg). MO ordered Gelofusine 500mls over 2hrs.
2030, Recheck BP, still low, AVG bruit but still frank trilll. Increase rate to 500mls over 1 hrs as MO ordered.
2100, 300mls Jelofusion infused. BP even lower (90/40mmHg, still asymptomatic), AVG bruit but very frank thrill....MO, close monitor AVG and BP, review again when Jelofusion finishing. No bleeding since back from recovery.

?Problem: Vascular Colloid Pressure decreased due to blood loss from 2*OT and post dialysis even N/S 600mls. But why Gelofusine as a IV colloids didnt build up BP after infusion?
?Solution:

BREAKOUT acted by National Treasure, taped by Human Beings

2007-09-24T11:02:00.000+09:30

Real escaping from prison by our lovely national treasure--Panda
See more click this

I thought it is just an accident. But... after seeing few BREAKOUT by our panda in the zoo, I am wondering they are quite clever and they have been trying to go back to nature for a looooong time.

"Dont you people stop laughing at me? "
"But, my dear panda, you cant survive in current nature environment without the help of human, as your gene is not strong enough, according to the research by Professor Somebody."
"I dont care, I want to go back to the baboon forest--my hometown!"

Changing to a new start of blog

2007-09-19T20:41:00.000+09:30

Some people like to write blog to themselves, but I dont....
When I was writing my thoughts in my chinese MSN space, I wish some one would read my blog and share feeling of my, and waiting for people's comment -- to talk to me the stuff that I write. Unfortunately, no one leave me a comment for a long time. One day, when I was chatting to my best friend in shanghai. I was brave enough to ask her whether she ever read my MSN space. She answered to me "No" without doubt. Honestly, I was upset. Which made me feel more lonely deep inside. Because I wrote in Chinese, hoping those chinese friends would read them and talk to me. Because my being oversea alone without any real friend that I can talk to, that was my last hope....

Well, that answer made me finial decide to create this blog to talk to myself and my beloved Australian future hubby -- Matthew.

p.s. attach something I wrote about the complex system conference in Gold Coast.

simple touch to the complex system conference... 5th July, 2007

I went to the conference of complex system in the Gold Coast as an "accompany person" :P.

Well, I just joined one of them about Complex system of health care system. Basically, it is of a general hospital.

It is a wonderful ideal of analyzing how the hospital runs on a macroscopic view.

I specially like the ideal of "lack teamwork kills patient", because the relationship between the doctors and the nurses in Australian is very poor. How come a good teamwork can be managed with current relationship between Drs & Ns. Well, I dont think the researchers realized this problem indeed, because they are Drs, they are up class people, while, other hospital stuff are not up....

And I like the mathematic way of explaining the issues, that is very cool-- I think that's why Matthew like maths so much. I like it too, but I can not be mathematician :P

At the conference dinner, which is my first time to dressed up very fancily for a dinner(well, this is not the important part), I saw the ordinary side of those top smart scientists in the world @_@, and even the crazy side. That was fun, although I didnt fully understand all of them. And, I feel so good, when the speaker mentioned about John Nash, a crazy mathematician.

Simple Touch to the Complex System Conference...

2007-07-05T20:54:00.000+09:30

5th July, 2007, I went to the conference of complex system in the Gold Coast as an "accompany person" :P.

Well, I just joined one of them about Complex system of health care system. Basically, it is of a general hospital.

It is a wonderful ideal of analyzing how the hospital runs on a macroscopic view.
I specially like the ideal of "lack teamwork kills patient", because the relationship between the doctors and the nurses in Australian is very poor. How come a good teamwork can be managed with current relationship between Drs & Ns. Well, I dont think the researchers realized this problem indeed, because they are Drs, they are up class people, while, other hospital stuff are not up....

And I like the mathematic way of explaining the issues, that is very cool-- I think that's why Matthew like maths so much. I like it too, but I can not be mathematician :P

At the conference dinner, which is my first time to dressed up very fancily for a dinner(well, this is not the important part), I saw the ordinary side of those top smart scientists in the world @_@, and even the crazy side. That was fun, although I didnt fully understand all of them. And, I feel so good, when the speaker mentioned about John Nash, a crazy mathematician.