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Notes -
Geriatric psychiatry sounds like a truly miserable way to spend your time. I'm no doctor, but it seems like there's little improvement you can provide for most people like that.
Curious to know if you've met any other Indians about the place? And what are you missing the most from home? I recall when I did my year in Asia, my parents sent me a box full of American candy; little knowing that I could buy basically the same things at the corner store. But the sentiment was nice. (They also sent me a lot of underarm deodorant at my explicit request, and that was a lifesaver.)
I appreciate the update. We do miss you. Hang in there and try and make the most of it. If nothing else, as you continue to suffer various indignities, bear in mind that these will be great sources of stories you can tell in the future. "I'm telling you, it was 2024, and I had to try and use a bloody digital camera. What's that? You don't even remember what that is?"
You're right, in the majority of cases they're really far gone, especially the ones who are in-patients, and care is mostly palliative.
I do know another Indian doctor in the same program, but he's at a different hospital. There are far fewer of us than further south in England, but I'm not particularly fussed either way, I'm not particularly clannish! It's more that I don't have too many peers where I work, albeit the ones there are nice enough.
The things I miss from home, well, my parents can't send them to me short of flying over to visit themselves, and that's not happening this year. I'll go visit them instead which is nice!
My older dog is doing poorly, and I miss them both, so a trip home to be bowled over and licked senseless would do wonders haha.
Thank you. I mean it sincerely.
You're very spot on about the NHS having endless potential for shitshows that can, in retrospect, be very funny. Especially in psych where the patients can do the darnedest things haha. If you want to read a very good book about, check out This is going to hurt by Adam Kay, though the poor bastard made the mistake of taking up gynecology and I was never fooled into that!
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