Monday, June 30, 2014

sisters on the run ! (not really)

'So I took the metro and went alone to Dubai Mall..going with le parents to their business thingy didn't sound like a very attractive option' said sister no.1(I have more than one!)  over the phone


'Fair enough ' she's always thought  I can be abit  too brief when gossiping and I was certainly not working on brushing up my image that day  !
'You know I thought about you ..I mean I was there shopping in DUBAI but  being alone it felt abit ...I don't know how you do it .. I just didn't like being on my own even in Dubai'


she has certainly picked the wrong day to tell me this ....To tell you the truth , it is not nonsense but I'm usually genuinely quite alright  with it... not that day though ...

Earlier that evening ;
'Sorry I missed your call ' sister no.2 (this number refers to the order of their appearance in this entry nothing more 'or less' ;)) over the phone 
'I know we keep missing each other ..how are you ? And how is the little one ?'
'All ok ..We are moving to a 2 bedroom flat this August '
I was uber excited to hear that .. I find her current flat quite cosy but its bit small ..
'It's about time ..listen I m really depressed I can't stand London these days'
'You know I feel quite down myself  that's why I was calling you  '
'Okay... hmmm...I don't think that's helping ' We both laughed ! 
'So what's we gonna do? Are you coming to my aunts' this weekend ?' She asked
'Nope ..'
'Why? you know I think its gonna be great and Jess is coming from Canada ..I don't think she is staying for long..you might not get the chance to see her again'
'I know ,I am planning to see her in London before she flies to Europe'
'But you told auntie that you are coming '
'I did ...I thought I will ,to be honest I am not quite sure now I think I need to work this weekend..But maybe I ll come over to you sometime this week'
'Brilliant , I can book extra sessions for little Ali in the nursery so we can study quietly in the university library '
'Sounds like a plan .. I'll let you know' 
'You know you always say that then don't actually come '
'I'll let you know with plenty of notice this time .... I promise'
 It turned out she knew me too well... I didn't actually go !
lots of love to you sis and Ramadan Kareem :) xx

Friday, June 27, 2014

Get on TV ..maybe not



'Get on TV and ?'   A hundred thoughts spiralled in my head .To start with.. why me ? This person is not even a friend and he's got a wide network of connections.... what value I can possibly add to whatever he's asking for...

'Talk about Health issues facing our community'

'Great '  was all I managed to say ...

So let's pause for a second and think about it ; a TV program promoting British Muslims healthy way of living to be Co hosted by (a Muslim looking)(female) doctor.....Hmmm ...Sounds like an interesting idea but do Muslims in this country have health issues that are so different from those in general public necessitating a separate program ?....Probably not to be honest  ...maybe labelling it this way would attract the most conservative in the community; whom their families might have been denied access to more liberal programs ...

Wait wouldn't that mean that if I agree to do it my material will be censored ?...hmm most  probably yeah...with some topics being off limit others probably have to approached smartly if the message behind them is to be delivered ...

I think it goes both ways 

Ok back to the phone with this guy doctor ...

'Hello ..you still there ?..Can you please send me your CV asap?'
Silence (this time I wasn't thinking !)
'Hello .....you know you're going to be provided with a certificate that would count towards your specialty training application .Ms.K has told me about that'

'Okay'

'Fantastic Salam alakum '

You know what else is fantastic .. how he hung up after saying Salam Alakum which is so like saying 'Hello' then hanging  up back home .. In English it's used as 'bye' as well which isn't wrong but it's not something I would  normally say.

It would be interesting to know how many other bits and bobs of spoken English l still have  to familiarise myself with ..and what about the funny accent I have and the countless grammar glitches I made on a daily basis ...

That's on top of my current funny mood , my visa and many other things that keep me busy nowadays.I don't think I need to embarrass myself on a national British TV at this moment in time ...Thank you very much.


Thursday, June 26, 2014

Late for my own funeral !

Not quite late ...I was sharp on time but considering the fact that I was giving the presentation myself probably I should have been slightly earlier .
So here is what happened the other day and you be the judge of it .
I spotted a local market on my way to the hospital.
It sells fragrant soaps and bubble baths ..need I say more ! I had to stop... 
To tell you the truth it wasn't even remotely as fancy as my favourite LUSH shops...
(probably that's why I wasn't actually late :p) and they didn't have water bowl to try the soaps out and stuff but it was still fun...

Now who's fault was that ? You are absolutely right .... it was  'Winnie the pooh and friends' soaps 

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Found Things

Out of curiosity sometimes , necessity most the time here are some of the things I found / found out about last week :

1- My visa card .. lost and found last week

2- It took me 2 years before I realised that my mid day Costa tea has got espresso,  black pepper , orange peels , cloves , cream and cardamon .. I have never liked it and now I know why !

3- I resigned myself to the fact that the rest of this year is not going to be easy to say the least and no its not  England in the world cup I'm talking about  ..

4- There's nothing wrong with my memory .. There are actually 2 other people living  in my flat (not one who likes to change hair colour) ... That's a relief as I was truly confused !

5- London is not an awful place to live in after all

6 - I like coconut

7- Seeing a Panda has officially made it to my wish list...

8- Starbucks is overrated .. I never thought I'd say that ! Probably all caffeine I m getting is causing me abit of trouble...

9- If you are a student in the UK , you can easily get away with something like 'I feel home sick ' to get a sick leave ! Try also "emotionally unstable"/"mentally tired" /"heartaches "and "worry about some issues" (no need to specify)... They all work I think !

10- If Passenger  can succeed , so can I..seriously if you were to make it in entertainment business you have to have the voice and the looks or one of them at least ! ..no offence to fans . I like this one though :p




Monday, June 23, 2014

Accident and Emergency Resus

'So this is where all the nasty things happen ' Announced a patient with a shoulder dislocation as she was wheeled down Resus for reduction under anaesthesia ..
'Don't you worry lovely, nothing nasty will happen to you ' said the health care assistant as she was handing the patient over to the resus staff ..

It was around 5 PM ; I have been in resus with a patient with a bad chest for abit more than an hour now ..at that point I was left only with the tedious documentation stuff and in all honesty I couldn't wait for my shift to be over ... Partly 'cos up until the surgeons brought in their patient ; the resus was completely empty ...it was only me and my patient with the staff (2 nurses and one a health care assistant ). I think I prefer to work around others !.

I was having a discussion with the patient's family when one of them nurses asked me to come over to the nurses' station.
'Okay ... what is that ? ' I was mentally saying to myself "be nice,be nice to them ...I need those bloods taken for my patient"
'I don't know '
'How do you wear it ?'
'I think it's one piece '
'OMG it's £75 '
'I know.. the bra is separate '
'Click on it '
'How much?'
' another £75 '
'It's so....brief '
'It's quite sexy though'
'You know this is probably the most expensive underwear brand in the UK'
'It's a promotion doc ..and I think it's worth it '
'So how much was it before the promotion ? '
'I'm not too sure but you get a discount for a double room in the hotel I told you bout '
'Is that the one ...oh so its included '

God I couldn't help but thinking ; are those women serious ! Why checking Agent Provocateur  promotion in Resus! .. its past 5 PM I still have to hand over few things to the Registrar.But I need those tests first..

'So is a man included  in the promotion ?'
'You want men to wear this '
'Why not ?'
Ok now it's officially weird
'I meant AP is going to take care of what you wear , and where , maybe you getta a guy with this promotion '
They laughed OUT LOUD ..really loud .. I was slightly annoyed ..its resus after all .. I was officially fed up
'Ladies ..'  I was quite assertive and  they understood .. 'theophylline level for my patient please '
'On it doc '
wait ....this is magic! I can't remember the last time a nurse has done what I said before arguing with me and everything else.. I guess making them laugh wasn't a bad idea after all....




Friday, June 20, 2014

Racing heart

Ok I am genuinely not stressed , no caffeine since morning ,fever went away but my heart is still racing PHEW! and I am dizzy now #@$% , time to go to bed... actually I think I might need to see a doctor soon :P!

Google drive camera update

Back to London ..I am staying in a somewhat noisy neighborhood ..it can be unbearable sometimes hence the ear plugs

Make happiness a habit they say ...we were a proper joke to other tourists  'parents in harem hats' a difficult time with a brief holiday spirit before going back to reality..Turkey 2014



first steps ; baby Ali ;Nephew..Sheffield 2014

'Have you ever biked with this before? ' hmmm why didnt he just shut up and fix it! London to Brighton bike ride 2014

London to Brighton bike ride 2014

'why am I here again ?' I almost gave up on this evil hill (6 miles away from Brighton) but luckily or not ! I didn't :) London to Brighton bike ride 2014


I need a car !



Empty your mind (and pockets) with Rush hair !


'Can I get a lady to do it for me ?'
'Sure , would you like a private space?'
'yes please , thanks '
'I am afraid , our female stylists are fully booked this afternoon,would you like to book an appointment on another date ?'
'if I book tomorrow will I still get the discount ?'
'its only on Wednesdays I am afraid'
'next Wednesday then ?'
'All booked in for you '
happy happy happy :)

What a perfect mood lifting experience it would be I thought ...And I was right :) I think Rush is a exquisitely elegant hair salon with a very inviting staff. I had a quick chat with one of the girls and I felt everything was  tailored to me.To be honest ,a trip to the hair salon has always been my ultimate way to relax and I usually think its one of them things that was always been there for me.You know what hairdressers say' a great hair day is a great you day' :)..

That being said I was never charged for a lady stylist and having some privacy before .. I got the card with the details of payment and  it was all there ... laughable to say the least... I left ..went to another Rush hair salon  on my way back home ..got my hair done the same day with no extra charge for the privacy ! shouldn't it be the same everywhere  ?! its the same company I mean.. Anyways I am happy !

I still need to cancel my appointment with the first Rush ...


Tips to increase blog traffic

I remember reading about 'how to blog' when I first started 'A random Iraqi diary' and what stuck in my mind till now was to blog at a regular, predicted intervals is  one of the key things to increase the popularity of your page ... interesting yeah ?! its amazing how we often choose to ignore what we know too well !

To be honest , I don't think it matters very much . After all, this is not a commercial blog so if you are the only one reading my entries ..it makes them all the more special , don't you think ;) ?!

I feel exceptionally proliferative tonight ...that's my third blog in one day :P

oceans of love to you loyal reader
sincerely x



I had the blues but I shook them loose !

my lovely Italian colleagues, they here in this particular blog because they are doctors from ITALY and yeah that's all !
A doctor can not treat him/herself in Britain..it seems pretty natural to everyone , everyone except me ! ..So basically, you can not prescribe to your friends and family...and you certainly can not prescribe to yourself ..not very handy innit ?

I am not  too keen on going to the doctors' especially when I know what's going on with me ..it just doesn't seem fair..I know its not very logical but between home remedies and medication from overseas, ever since I've come to the UK I seem to get away with that ..not this time though :P

I am having a chest infection and because I didn't want to go to my GP 'n   can't prescribe antibiotics to myself , I didn't take anything for it .Now , its not only getting worse , but my heart is fluttering - not uncommon with chest infections - and I am telling you this racing heart business is not very pleasant ..

The trouble is I'm too sick to do anything useful but still don't  want to go to the GP... I wont work this weekend and it doesn't seem that I can study either...

On a separate note , I thought I share this video with you .I have actually shared it before...its a motivational video for athletes , not that I am one :P but I've listened to it quite few times before my charity bike ride (will blog about that at some point inshalla) its truly uplifting ..enjoy!

Proper Randomness


'Of course you can not focus on your upcoming exams , you're too busy MI5ing who is going to kill me ' she blurted

'Well sorry about that'....''I don't have a spare mom woman''  is the only thing that came up my head , I didn't say it though  'So what's the plan ? when are you going to leave Baghdad ?..I think...'

'I tell you what I think ' interrupting me in her usual sarcastic , serene , caring and assertive voice '' all the same time'' your next exam is your passport to success ..you wasted enough time bloody cycling from London to Brighton and ...'

(Note to reader ; it was a fundraising event for research ; didn't exactly train for it but it went as well as well can go without proper training !) 

'It wasn't a waste of time and can we please try not to change the subject, the threat is genuine ..it is eminent this time and it is personal as well ..make the leap mom and I am sure dad will follow ..shut down your businesses,leave Baghdad and go somewhere safer '

'It's been a week since the bike ride ' she said ' You're still not feeling ok all because of 100 km cycling ' was her reply ..not quite relevant I must say but I know she genuinely listened this time ....plus it was 113 km and cycling wasn't the only reason why I don't feel 'okay' but didn't volunteer that information...we were already talking about too many things all at the same time that throwing yet another potentially controversial debate didn't seem very tempting to me.

'it is the weather ' I reiterate 

'if you say so , I need to go back to work now , you take care .. pray on time '

'think about it lovely '

We hardly ever end our conversations by a civilized 'good-bye '  she normally just hang up! simple ! the disturbing thing is I think I m the same !