I wonder what it is that compels us to be reflective at the end of the year. Perhaps it is the increase in the number that shocks us into realising that time has passed by and we haven't done as much good as we possibly can in the past 365 days.
To me, the year has been a pretty good year. I don't remember a lot of downs - but maybe that's just me, despite the grumpy person I am, I tend to forget bad things rather quickly.
Career-wise has been pretty good. Despite still not wanting to pursue a masters programme, I can finally plate a femur bone myself (did one - skin incision to skin closure - within an hour, a personal record which I haven't been able to break since), K-nailed numerous femurs, and can totally be left alone doing carpal tunnel and trigger finger releases.
After about 8 years of working in various specialties, including a stint in a KK, I can safely and surely say that SHOULD I decide to take a Masters programme, it will be something that I enjoy rather than something that I had ended up in just because it was my final posting of my housemanship. Or, even worse, something I am taking up just because the work is easy and allows me to be home when oncall.
I am thankful that I haven't had much trouble financially. Finally got myself to acquire a property, much to Ma's relief. This year, money seems to come in from unexpected sources, Alhamdulillah. I have been able to travel a bit, something that I hope can continue this year.
On a more personal level - there's still only the two of us. I am happy with my uncomplicated life - so far. I hope my relationship with Abg for the past year had been more than simply two adults tolerating each other just because they're married.
Yup, it has been a very good year indeed, and here's to an even better one in 2010!
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Grumpy post
Excuse me, but I am postcall and I am irritable today.
Someone had named their baby ISAAC and I got to thinking if there is anything wrong with ISHAK. Tak cukup glamer kot. Kang dah besar, spoil pulak kalau member dia pakat panggil anak dia SAHAK je. Ah well, your kid, your choice I guess. Iskandar is Alexander. Yusof is Joseph. Whatever.
Anyway, a few weeks ago I was trying to get my ATM card replaced at a Bank Islam in UM when I came across a banner with this word on it: FI. Tiada FI tahunan.
Seriously, FI?
What was wrong with the word YURAN?
I am kicking myself now for not taking a picture of that banner.
Somewhat closer to home, a boarding school near home had an even weirder word: KLUSTER. KLUSTER Sekolah Cemerlang. Hello...? Kelompok not hip enough for you izzit?
Where do you people come up with words like this?
So much for memartabatkan bahasa Melayu.
Told you I was irritable.
Someone had named their baby ISAAC and I got to thinking if there is anything wrong with ISHAK. Tak cukup glamer kot. Kang dah besar, spoil pulak kalau member dia pakat panggil anak dia SAHAK je. Ah well, your kid, your choice I guess. Iskandar is Alexander. Yusof is Joseph. Whatever.
Anyway, a few weeks ago I was trying to get my ATM card replaced at a Bank Islam in UM when I came across a banner with this word on it: FI. Tiada FI tahunan.
Seriously, FI?
What was wrong with the word YURAN?
I am kicking myself now for not taking a picture of that banner.
Somewhat closer to home, a boarding school near home had an even weirder word: KLUSTER. KLUSTER Sekolah Cemerlang. Hello...? Kelompok not hip enough for you izzit?
Where do you people come up with words like this?
So much for memartabatkan bahasa Melayu.
Told you I was irritable.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Where oh where...
...has my Ciku gone?
We went to KL for a weekend break, and to welcome Ma home from her pilgrimage. Arrived at FIL's house late on Monday and according to Abg, Ciku was well and jumping all over the place, as Ciku is known to do.
The next day when I went to let them out, Ciku looked listless and was sitting on the floor. Which, if anyone knew Ciku, would immediately suspect something is wrong.
Anyway, I left him be, hoping some fresh air would do him good. I chatted with Abg and the next minute Ciku was nowhere to be found. I went all around the house and couldn't see him anywhere. Ciku never leaves the compound. There is nothing that Ciku loves best than getting himself all caught up in my clothes, and getting his head in my handbag so if there was anywhere Ciku would go is into the house but nope, he was missing.
and he hasn't returned.
Someone told me once that cats will never die in front of their owners. I'm not sure how true that is but Ibu Kutip whom I brought home with two kittens from work never left the porch. She was old; I can tell by the lack of teeth in her mouth. One day she just disappeared. I know she didn't get hit by a vehicle because Ibu Kutip never goes to the road.
I wish I hadn't let Ciku out of his cage yesterday. Perhaps he would still be with us today. Now, who would I cuddle when things are stressing me out? Ciku is my only cat who seem to recognise his own name, never failing to mew back when I call it out.
Be well, Ciku and come home....
We went to KL for a weekend break, and to welcome Ma home from her pilgrimage. Arrived at FIL's house late on Monday and according to Abg, Ciku was well and jumping all over the place, as Ciku is known to do.
The next day when I went to let them out, Ciku looked listless and was sitting on the floor. Which, if anyone knew Ciku, would immediately suspect something is wrong.
Anyway, I left him be, hoping some fresh air would do him good. I chatted with Abg and the next minute Ciku was nowhere to be found. I went all around the house and couldn't see him anywhere. Ciku never leaves the compound. There is nothing that Ciku loves best than getting himself all caught up in my clothes, and getting his head in my handbag so if there was anywhere Ciku would go is into the house but nope, he was missing.
and he hasn't returned.
Someone told me once that cats will never die in front of their owners. I'm not sure how true that is but Ibu Kutip whom I brought home with two kittens from work never left the porch. She was old; I can tell by the lack of teeth in her mouth. One day she just disappeared. I know she didn't get hit by a vehicle because Ibu Kutip never goes to the road.
I wish I hadn't let Ciku out of his cage yesterday. Perhaps he would still be with us today. Now, who would I cuddle when things are stressing me out? Ciku is my only cat who seem to recognise his own name, never failing to mew back when I call it out.
Be well, Ciku and come home....
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Edisi lepas geram
If it is one thing that I hate, it's confrontation but I think sometimes it is just inevitable.
It is a pity that we live in a society that prefers to talk behind someone's back rather than say it out loud in front of the person we have a problem with. I used to watch MTV's Real World and would be impressed by the way how the Mat Salleh's could lay it all out and settle things once and for all.
A staff at the hospital had been trying to get us to write a memo about her relative's condition. All this while she had been passing the message to us via the staff at the clinic so we told our staff to tell her that we would like to speak with her ourselves and could she please call us?
But no call came and apparently one day Her Royal Highness came huffing and puffing to the clinic and lay her fiery wrath towards my staff and got another MO to write the memo.
Yang aku peliknya, if she was so mad, she had passed my partner on the way into the clinic and she didn't say a word! Kalau nak marah, marah directla weh. Don't let it out on the staff - they were basically following orders.
So I called her the next day. As she wasn't in, I got her staff to pass the message that I was looking for her. Did she have the courtesy to call me back? Nooooo - I had to call her back and this time she was in. Aku tau la kau pakai baju biru and kau rasa kau lagi tua dari aku - memang pun kau lagi tua sebenarnya and sebab kau tua la kau dah hilang pertimbangan kan.
When I told her off (nicely, mind you) she went on to sulk mode and merajuk ngn aku la pulak. Aku nak marah pun tak jadik. Tah pape tah. Nak mintak tolong org tapi nak suruh org pulak cari dia....bengong.
Tu la masalahnya bila kerja district hospital - it is full with old dinosaurs who think just because they have worked there for yonks, that they own the hospital and are exempted from having manners and courtesy. and one more thing, just because kau pakai baju hijau atau baju biru, it doesn't give you the right to be nasty to your lower ranking staff, ok?
It is a pity that we live in a society that prefers to talk behind someone's back rather than say it out loud in front of the person we have a problem with. I used to watch MTV's Real World and would be impressed by the way how the Mat Salleh's could lay it all out and settle things once and for all.
A staff at the hospital had been trying to get us to write a memo about her relative's condition. All this while she had been passing the message to us via the staff at the clinic so we told our staff to tell her that we would like to speak with her ourselves and could she please call us?
But no call came and apparently one day Her Royal Highness came huffing and puffing to the clinic and lay her fiery wrath towards my staff and got another MO to write the memo.
Yang aku peliknya, if she was so mad, she had passed my partner on the way into the clinic and she didn't say a word! Kalau nak marah, marah directla weh. Don't let it out on the staff - they were basically following orders.
So I called her the next day. As she wasn't in, I got her staff to pass the message that I was looking for her. Did she have the courtesy to call me back? Nooooo - I had to call her back and this time she was in. Aku tau la kau pakai baju biru and kau rasa kau lagi tua dari aku - memang pun kau lagi tua sebenarnya and sebab kau tua la kau dah hilang pertimbangan kan.
When I told her off (nicely, mind you) she went on to sulk mode and merajuk ngn aku la pulak. Aku nak marah pun tak jadik. Tah pape tah. Nak mintak tolong org tapi nak suruh org pulak cari dia....bengong.
Tu la masalahnya bila kerja district hospital - it is full with old dinosaurs who think just because they have worked there for yonks, that they own the hospital and are exempted from having manners and courtesy. and one more thing, just because kau pakai baju hijau atau baju biru, it doesn't give you the right to be nasty to your lower ranking staff, ok?
Tuesday, December 01, 2009
Sometimes....
...I wish I can lay caution to the wind and spend all my savings on the things that I WANT rather than the things that I NEED.
LASIK surgery so that I won't bother with glasses anymore.
A holiday to the UK with Abg.
A Prada handbag, much like the one Sandra Bullock was using in The Proposal.
taken from My Women Stuff
A solitaire necklace and a tennis bracelet.
One can dream, yes?
LASIK surgery so that I won't bother with glasses anymore.
A holiday to the UK with Abg.
A Prada handbag, much like the one Sandra Bullock was using in The Proposal.
taken from My Women Stuff
Staying in the most expensive hotel in town whenever I'm on holiday.
A solitaire necklace and a tennis bracelet.
One can dream, yes?
Saturday, November 28, 2009
My post Raya on call rant...
Being on call on a Raya in Kelantan is just an invitation into insanity, but someone has to do it, and I'd rather be on the first Raya than the second.
Kelantan, being the Malay dominated state it is, has absolutely NO clinic open on Raya. It is equally impossible looking for an eating place as looking for a private clinic. Hence, the madness that is the hospital's casualty department.
It was rather quiet during the day - funnily enough on other days when you may have up to ten yellow babies waiting to have their levels of jaundice checked, on Raya there are absolutely none. All we had were people with abdominal pain and headache and giddiness.
The madness started about half eight-nine pm. People popping by would have thought that we were having a year end sale or an open house judging by the number of cars and patients and kids jumping about in our waiting area.
I heard people who registered at 9 were only seen at midnight. and they ALL waited. For mundane trivial things like a runny nose and an itchy foot and an upset stomach. My poor MAs finished seeing them all at about 4 am.
This has become the norm that no one complains anymore. Of course we still do see a few unreasonable idiots who insist that their relatives are more ill than the kid who ended up being intubated but making a fuss WILL NOT make us see you any faster, so unless the patient is blue in the face, that kid will be our priority and not you and your three week cough and not taking your heart medication for the past 5 years. If you cannot be bothered to care about your health, tell me if other people should?
On an even more depressing note, Ibu Milo's litter has now been reduced to only three. The three smaller kittens have died, for seemingly no apparent reason. I have seen watery stool with worms in the cage so maybe that is the cause. Six was too many for poor Ibu anyway.
Kelantan, being the Malay dominated state it is, has absolutely NO clinic open on Raya. It is equally impossible looking for an eating place as looking for a private clinic. Hence, the madness that is the hospital's casualty department.
It was rather quiet during the day - funnily enough on other days when you may have up to ten yellow babies waiting to have their levels of jaundice checked, on Raya there are absolutely none. All we had were people with abdominal pain and headache and giddiness.
The madness started about half eight-nine pm. People popping by would have thought that we were having a year end sale or an open house judging by the number of cars and patients and kids jumping about in our waiting area.
I heard people who registered at 9 were only seen at midnight. and they ALL waited. For mundane trivial things like a runny nose and an itchy foot and an upset stomach. My poor MAs finished seeing them all at about 4 am.
This has become the norm that no one complains anymore. Of course we still do see a few unreasonable idiots who insist that their relatives are more ill than the kid who ended up being intubated but making a fuss WILL NOT make us see you any faster, so unless the patient is blue in the face, that kid will be our priority and not you and your three week cough and not taking your heart medication for the past 5 years. If you cannot be bothered to care about your health, tell me if other people should?
On an even more depressing note, Ibu Milo's litter has now been reduced to only three. The three smaller kittens have died, for seemingly no apparent reason. I have seen watery stool with worms in the cage so maybe that is the cause. Six was too many for poor Ibu anyway.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Just passing time...
Of all the names you can come up with for a supplement....
By the by, I was doing wound debridement and insertion of a Steinman pin on a 16 year old who was carrying a friend on a bike and ended up breaking a femur each, when Abg called to tell me that Ibu Milo's smallest kitten has died.
I sort of expected it - it has been having a wet bottom the past few days and Abg said it vomited this morning - but it still doesn't make it less painful. Having 5 other bigger siblings and being the smallest of the bunch doesn't help with your survival chances, I guess. But life sure is simple in the animal world. Being strong and big and healthy means you live and vice versa. There are no sly tricks or cheats to help you along.
It certainly makes it hard when you are always rooting for the underdog.....or in this case, undercat?
By the by, I was doing wound debridement and insertion of a Steinman pin on a 16 year old who was carrying a friend on a bike and ended up breaking a femur each, when Abg called to tell me that Ibu Milo's smallest kitten has died.
I sort of expected it - it has been having a wet bottom the past few days and Abg said it vomited this morning - but it still doesn't make it less painful. Having 5 other bigger siblings and being the smallest of the bunch doesn't help with your survival chances, I guess. But life sure is simple in the animal world. Being strong and big and healthy means you live and vice versa. There are no sly tricks or cheats to help you along.
It certainly makes it hard when you are always rooting for the underdog.....or in this case, undercat?
Musim banjir sudah tiba wehhh....
This was the view that greeted me yesterday morning as I opened my bedroom window. and It is even worse today. I wonder if that small road overlying the small calvert that passes water from one paddy field to another has collapsed yet? Then I might have to abandon my partner and let him plate that femur by himself.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Ibu Milo
I am postcall, though by right, I don't think what I had last night should be considered being oncall. All I did was insert a peritoneal dialysis and escort a 28 weeker to NICU and after lounging in the oncall room for about 20 mins, went to see what my oncall partner is up to.
Turns out he was just lounging around in the drivers' room and we spent the following hour yakking about nurses and student nurses and such.
The baby's bilirubin which had been 430 previously came down to 379 and I went to bed a happy cat and woke up with the Azan before freshening up and doing rounds for the Ortho cases.
It is the monsoon season again. Sometimes, when I am in my car, with the airconditioning on, I look at the grey skies and feel the chill on my skin and it's almost as if I am back in dreary Belfast.
View from the 2nd floor in HTM.
The holes which turned up during the last monsoon which was resurfaced has turned up again - with even more vengeance than the last, I seriously think - and because of the rain water covering the said holes, one has to be even more careful when driving; I had a headache focusing on holes and avoiding pools of water on the road.
I brought back a family of cats about two weeks ago.
I was in a course when my nurse called me up and mentioned kittens. When I went to look, they were in fact mummy cat with 5 newborns, looking much like giant baby rats. The box they were in was already soggy from the rain. I left them be, only periodically coming by to feed mummy cat with the kibbles I keep in my car for purposes like these.
A few days later, staff at the A&E Department called me and told me about 'the most beautiful bunch of kittens ever' - maybe if they stressed on the word beautiful, that I would immediately take the cats home. Turns out it was mummy cat relocating, sans one kitten. We searched high and low for it - luckily a Radicare worker found it in the bin. Talk about having nine lives.
Incidentally, another staff mentioned that she saw kids playing with kitten in a box in front of the Peads ward. Out of curiousity, I went to look.
It was a tiny kitten, about the size of my palm and it was just sleeping in the box. I didn't see any mummy cat around. So I brought it home and now mummy cat has 6 kittens.
They have opened their eyes and just discovering that they have legs. Occasionally I see them playing with each other, unaware of the fact that mummy cat is still restless surrounded by my other cats that she still snarls when one of them comes over to say hello.
I've called the mummy cat Ibu Milo - she is white with splodges of chocolate. I don't really know why I name my cats - they don't respond to their names anyway.
Happy Aidil Adha everyone.
Turns out he was just lounging around in the drivers' room and we spent the following hour yakking about nurses and student nurses and such.
The baby's bilirubin which had been 430 previously came down to 379 and I went to bed a happy cat and woke up with the Azan before freshening up and doing rounds for the Ortho cases.
It is the monsoon season again. Sometimes, when I am in my car, with the airconditioning on, I look at the grey skies and feel the chill on my skin and it's almost as if I am back in dreary Belfast.
View from the 2nd floor in HTM.
The holes which turned up during the last monsoon which was resurfaced has turned up again - with even more vengeance than the last, I seriously think - and because of the rain water covering the said holes, one has to be even more careful when driving; I had a headache focusing on holes and avoiding pools of water on the road.
I brought back a family of cats about two weeks ago.
I was in a course when my nurse called me up and mentioned kittens. When I went to look, they were in fact mummy cat with 5 newborns, looking much like giant baby rats. The box they were in was already soggy from the rain. I left them be, only periodically coming by to feed mummy cat with the kibbles I keep in my car for purposes like these.
A few days later, staff at the A&E Department called me and told me about 'the most beautiful bunch of kittens ever' - maybe if they stressed on the word beautiful, that I would immediately take the cats home. Turns out it was mummy cat relocating, sans one kitten. We searched high and low for it - luckily a Radicare worker found it in the bin. Talk about having nine lives.
Incidentally, another staff mentioned that she saw kids playing with kitten in a box in front of the Peads ward. Out of curiousity, I went to look.
It was a tiny kitten, about the size of my palm and it was just sleeping in the box. I didn't see any mummy cat around. So I brought it home and now mummy cat has 6 kittens.
They have opened their eyes and just discovering that they have legs. Occasionally I see them playing with each other, unaware of the fact that mummy cat is still restless surrounded by my other cats that she still snarls when one of them comes over to say hello.
I've called the mummy cat Ibu Milo - she is white with splodges of chocolate. I don't really know why I name my cats - they don't respond to their names anyway.
Happy Aidil Adha everyone.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Post call rambling
Nothing is as satisfying as seeing the two bits of bone clicking into place as you manipulate a limb.
Seriously.
My partner in Ortho and my boss went off for a symposium in KB today and the boss had posted a case of fracture femur on the elective list. Now, I had done plating of a femur before but always with my partner and in all the previous times, he had done the reduction.
One never realises how difficult it is to reduce a fracture site until one does it him/herself. My partner makes it look so easy. I am starting to feel the dull ache in my biceps and triceps after pulling on the two parts of the broken bone. Thank goodness I had my two trusty MAs who, unlike me, were not postcall and were in a better shape to do all the traction and countering.
However, nothing is as irritating as having your patient sent back to ward because a caesarian section trumps everything else in OT land, and then having to wait 30 minutes before that patient finally arrives and having to listen to her scream for 10 mins because she wanted to pee in a toilet instead of into a bag.
And also, having to wait 2 hours for an appendectomy to finish because your makcik had been fasting since 4 am and it was already 6 pm and you just didn't have the heart to cancel her case. So, there I was suturing a piece of skin graft on a diabetic foot at 7pm on a postcall day.
You just have to love your work, I say.
Seriously.
My partner in Ortho and my boss went off for a symposium in KB today and the boss had posted a case of fracture femur on the elective list. Now, I had done plating of a femur before but always with my partner and in all the previous times, he had done the reduction.
One never realises how difficult it is to reduce a fracture site until one does it him/herself. My partner makes it look so easy. I am starting to feel the dull ache in my biceps and triceps after pulling on the two parts of the broken bone. Thank goodness I had my two trusty MAs who, unlike me, were not postcall and were in a better shape to do all the traction and countering.
However, nothing is as irritating as having your patient sent back to ward because a caesarian section trumps everything else in OT land, and then having to wait 30 minutes before that patient finally arrives and having to listen to her scream for 10 mins because she wanted to pee in a toilet instead of into a bag.
And also, having to wait 2 hours for an appendectomy to finish because your makcik had been fasting since 4 am and it was already 6 pm and you just didn't have the heart to cancel her case. So, there I was suturing a piece of skin graft on a diabetic foot at 7pm on a postcall day.
You just have to love your work, I say.
Monday, November 02, 2009
A holiday story
I was in Indonesia recently, for my final holiday of the year, and on my last day, I managed to watch something on their local TV.
Basically, they had this actor going around asking passers by for a cloth in exchange of a bundle of old newspapers that she had.
Apparently she has a child at home and she needs it to protect her child from the cold of the night. They recorded her approaching these people and they all gave an excuse or another; one just simply changed the topic completely and totally ignored her request.
The actor was never pushy, and always said, "It's okay if you can't help me." and none of them did. Until the last person she came to.
This lady was carrying her child in a 'sarung' wrapped around her body, like you may see some Indonesian bibiks do with children under their care.
When the actor asked to 'borrow' her sarung, in exchange for the newspapers, she hesitated for just one moment before saying yes. When the actor asked her, "But won't your child cry?", she shook her head and proceeded to untie the cloth from around her body and gave it to the actor.
These two chatted and we discovered that the lady is a single mother (Don't know where my husband went, she said) and she makes a living by selling rice in her kampung. It is obvious that she was also poor and did not have much.
Her child did cry and so this pretender wanted to give it back but this lady said "Ngga apa, ambil lah" [It's okay, just take it] and turned her child and distracted him with something from her basket and passed the sarung from behind her back.
Seriously, here my eyes started to well up. I had a microwaved instant meal in front of me and immediately lost my appetite.
The actor then left the scene and the generous lady walked home. The camera crew followed her home and then showed a staff from the TV show knock on her door.
When she came out, he asked her if she had indeed given away her sarung to a stranger? When she said yes, the guy asked her, "Did you just lend it to her or simply gave it to her" and she replied "She told me that she wanted to borrow it, but if I don't get it back, it's ok".
Then the TV staff took out a bunch of bank notes and just pushed them into her hands and said, "Because you are so generous and helped a total stranger, this is some money for you" and quickly walked away.
and Do you know what this lady did? She actually ran down the lane, chased after the guy and wanted to return the money!
"Apakah maknanya ini Pak?" [What is the meaning of this?] - She kept repeating as she tried to return the cash.
"It's a little token of appreciation for your kindness and generosity" the guy said before leaving.
As the TV programme ended, it showed how she used the money to buy 'keropok' to sell around her neighbourhood and some rice and treats for her child.
Basically, I was in tears, and Abg was speechless.
In a world where people die after wanting to help people after they're mugged, where politicians only care for the size of their pockets and you think everyone is out to cheat you (or maybe that's just me, hahaha) - this really gave me a wake up call.
One, I am really lucky. I am lucky that I have great parents who gave me all the comfort of life and guidance so I may make the right decisions in life. I had great teachers who inspired me to do well and taught me how to. I have friends who made the journey so much more enjoyable. I found my soul mate (who may be suffering quietly and I know is reading this - despite all that, I love you Abg!) and I have a job that I (most of the time) love.
Really, if I think about it, there is nothing else that I need!
(Well, a smaller number on the weighing scale wouldn't hurt, hehe)
Secondly, poverty is some thing that people tend to take for granted, especially when you don't come across it on a day to day basis. While I was there, they even had reality TV shows where they feature three people and showed the state of their homes, and let the public vote via SMS on who should receive a new house!
Kids, as young as my niece were hanging about factory outlets, selling newspapers - and on rainy days, held out umbrellas to shield you from the rain as you walked from one store to the other for the smallest amount of money.
People were so happy to receive a 37sen tip that I was ashamed that that was all we gave them.
I kept thinking of the green-shirted Ibu, and remain touched by her kindness. I wonder, if I were in her shoes, would I have done the same?
and I become hopeful, despite my jadedness of what the world has become, knowing that there still exists kind people who are willing to help other people for nothing in return, in the world.
Basically, they had this actor going around asking passers by for a cloth in exchange of a bundle of old newspapers that she had.
Apparently she has a child at home and she needs it to protect her child from the cold of the night. They recorded her approaching these people and they all gave an excuse or another; one just simply changed the topic completely and totally ignored her request.
The actor was never pushy, and always said, "It's okay if you can't help me." and none of them did. Until the last person she came to.
This lady was carrying her child in a 'sarung' wrapped around her body, like you may see some Indonesian bibiks do with children under their care.
When the actor asked to 'borrow' her sarung, in exchange for the newspapers, she hesitated for just one moment before saying yes. When the actor asked her, "But won't your child cry?", she shook her head and proceeded to untie the cloth from around her body and gave it to the actor.
These two chatted and we discovered that the lady is a single mother (Don't know where my husband went, she said) and she makes a living by selling rice in her kampung. It is obvious that she was also poor and did not have much.
Her child did cry and so this pretender wanted to give it back but this lady said "Ngga apa, ambil lah" [It's okay, just take it] and turned her child and distracted him with something from her basket and passed the sarung from behind her back.
Seriously, here my eyes started to well up. I had a microwaved instant meal in front of me and immediately lost my appetite.
The actor then left the scene and the generous lady walked home. The camera crew followed her home and then showed a staff from the TV show knock on her door.
When she came out, he asked her if she had indeed given away her sarung to a stranger? When she said yes, the guy asked her, "Did you just lend it to her or simply gave it to her" and she replied "She told me that she wanted to borrow it, but if I don't get it back, it's ok".
Then the TV staff took out a bunch of bank notes and just pushed them into her hands and said, "Because you are so generous and helped a total stranger, this is some money for you" and quickly walked away.
and Do you know what this lady did? She actually ran down the lane, chased after the guy and wanted to return the money!
"Apakah maknanya ini Pak?" [What is the meaning of this?] - She kept repeating as she tried to return the cash.
"It's a little token of appreciation for your kindness and generosity" the guy said before leaving.
As the TV programme ended, it showed how she used the money to buy 'keropok' to sell around her neighbourhood and some rice and treats for her child.
Basically, I was in tears, and Abg was speechless.
In a world where people die after wanting to help people after they're mugged, where politicians only care for the size of their pockets and you think everyone is out to cheat you (or maybe that's just me, hahaha) - this really gave me a wake up call.
One, I am really lucky. I am lucky that I have great parents who gave me all the comfort of life and guidance so I may make the right decisions in life. I had great teachers who inspired me to do well and taught me how to. I have friends who made the journey so much more enjoyable. I found my soul mate (who may be suffering quietly and I know is reading this - despite all that, I love you Abg!) and I have a job that I (most of the time) love.
Really, if I think about it, there is nothing else that I need!
(Well, a smaller number on the weighing scale wouldn't hurt, hehe)
Secondly, poverty is some thing that people tend to take for granted, especially when you don't come across it on a day to day basis. While I was there, they even had reality TV shows where they feature three people and showed the state of their homes, and let the public vote via SMS on who should receive a new house!
Kids, as young as my niece were hanging about factory outlets, selling newspapers - and on rainy days, held out umbrellas to shield you from the rain as you walked from one store to the other for the smallest amount of money.
People were so happy to receive a 37sen tip that I was ashamed that that was all we gave them.
I kept thinking of the green-shirted Ibu, and remain touched by her kindness. I wonder, if I were in her shoes, would I have done the same?
and I become hopeful, despite my jadedness of what the world has become, knowing that there still exists kind people who are willing to help other people for nothing in return, in the world.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Sucker for a lost cause
Another of my little strays died today.
Hmm.
As bitter and jaded as I can be, I'm just a sucker for abandoned cats. Everytime they die due to some illness, I tell Abg that that will be the last time. Abg will just look at me with a little twinkle in his eye for he knows that the next time I come across a mange covered scruffy little thing at the hospital's walkway or at the canteen, it will be riding in my silver Kenari home.
Two weeks ago I came across a small kitty near the lab. It was about half six and I had just finished operating on some limb. She came running to me as I called to her. She was as ugly as anything - thin, bloated worm-infested tummy and covered in scabs of mange. I put her on the front passenger seat and there she sat quietly as I drove home.
I applied the mange medication that I always have ready at home, gave her a bowl of kibbles and placed a hot water bottle to keep her warm in the cage.
In the course of the next few days, most of her scabs fell off and she looked much much better. Once I let her play in the house and she spent an hour pawing at a piece of string hanging from the ironing board.
As we were leaving for a holiday, I left her for boarding at the clinic nearby.
When I went to get her, she just looked ill. Foam was dripping from her lips and she resembled nothing like the kitten I left a week before. The vet assistant actually had the nerve to reassure me, saying it was a natural reaction to a deworming medication.
She died the next morning.
So I cried a few tears and apologised, as I always do with all the kittens I couldn't save. and I vowed to never take in another stray for it to break my heart again.
Hmm.
As bitter and jaded as I can be, I'm just a sucker for abandoned cats. Everytime they die due to some illness, I tell Abg that that will be the last time. Abg will just look at me with a little twinkle in his eye for he knows that the next time I come across a mange covered scruffy little thing at the hospital's walkway or at the canteen, it will be riding in my silver Kenari home.
Two weeks ago I came across a small kitty near the lab. It was about half six and I had just finished operating on some limb. She came running to me as I called to her. She was as ugly as anything - thin, bloated worm-infested tummy and covered in scabs of mange. I put her on the front passenger seat and there she sat quietly as I drove home.
I applied the mange medication that I always have ready at home, gave her a bowl of kibbles and placed a hot water bottle to keep her warm in the cage.
In the course of the next few days, most of her scabs fell off and she looked much much better. Once I let her play in the house and she spent an hour pawing at a piece of string hanging from the ironing board.
As we were leaving for a holiday, I left her for boarding at the clinic nearby.
When I went to get her, she just looked ill. Foam was dripping from her lips and she resembled nothing like the kitten I left a week before. The vet assistant actually had the nerve to reassure me, saying it was a natural reaction to a deworming medication.
She died the next morning.
So I cried a few tears and apologised, as I always do with all the kittens I couldn't save. and I vowed to never take in another stray for it to break my heart again.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Aksi kucing terlampau
I always tell Fizzy (yes, I talk to my cats) that he is one of the luckiest cats around. To think if we hadn't stopped at the Pasar Ramadhan three Rayas ago - it was drizzling and usually we'd avoid places like that during bad weather - we wouldn't have found him huddled up under a car which had just driven away from a parking space we were eyeing.
Now he is an extremely fat cat who likes to sleep in between our legs. Anytime he catches us sleeping in the prone position, he would immediately plop himself there and make himself comfy till we push him away.
All he does is eat, sleep, walk around the house like he's the boss and then eat and sleep some more. He sleeps on our bed at night, unless Abg's sister is back for the holidays and then she drags him to sleep with her instead.
With our other sweetheart, Bubu who is no longer with us.
Tidur lagi.
Tidur jugak, tapi posisi tutup muka.
Nie tak tau posisi apa - posisi peluk kaki kot.
Fizzy accompanying me FaceBooking.
Did I not tell you he loves to sleep?
Now he is an extremely fat cat who likes to sleep in between our legs. Anytime he catches us sleeping in the prone position, he would immediately plop himself there and make himself comfy till we push him away.
All he does is eat, sleep, walk around the house like he's the boss and then eat and sleep some more. He sleeps on our bed at night, unless Abg's sister is back for the holidays and then she drags him to sleep with her instead.
With our other sweetheart, Bubu who is no longer with us.
Tidur lagi.
Tidur jugak, tapi posisi tutup muka.
Nie tak tau posisi apa - posisi peluk kaki kot.
Fizzy accompanying me FaceBooking.
Did I not tell you he loves to sleep?
Saturday, October 03, 2009
Kitty update
It's been a while since I last wrote about my furkids. Sometimes work can be overwhelming that I start to neglect everything. I can't remember the last time I ironed Abg's shirts, in fact sometimes, he does the ironing for me. I am spoilt.
Seriously.
Anyway, a staff nurse at the labour room offered two of her kittens to me about 2 weeks before Ramadhan. I was hesitant at first. I've always made it a point to not take in kittens who already have homes, but on the other hand, I was pretty chuffed that she would consider giving her kittens to me. I know I wouldn't be able to give away any of my cats - regardless of how anti social, or untoilet trained they are and even if I had to, I would ensure their future owners would adore and love my cats as much if not more than I do.
So, Qisty and Betty joined our already mad household.
Qisty - the tortie
Betty - the black spot is not a grease stain by the way.
Betty fell very ill during the week after Raya. She was moping and refusing to eat, and whenever she was resting, her third eyelid would cover almost half of her eyes. We took her to the vet and I made sure she was drinking and kept feeding her high calorie gels. I put her indoors, in a box with hot water bottles to keep her warm. Every night I would say to Abg, "I don't think Betty will make it to the next morning" and every morning she would still be alive.
Muka budak sakit.
Tak larat sangat dah nie.
After the 4th day, I opened my bedroom door and Betty just ran right in! and now, about a week after, she's been running all over the place. Still a bit thin but at least she's eating. She is now very attached to us and would never leave our sides for long.
Qisty on the other hand, runs away like lightning when we approach her. We have to resort to bribing her with freshly boiled fish in order to get her into her cage.
Anyway, apparently my 'anak-anak dara' - Nafas, Malisa, Mini Me and Cinta - has been seen socialising with the stray tomcat. Me thinks its time for a visit to the vet soon.
Seriously.
Anyway, a staff nurse at the labour room offered two of her kittens to me about 2 weeks before Ramadhan. I was hesitant at first. I've always made it a point to not take in kittens who already have homes, but on the other hand, I was pretty chuffed that she would consider giving her kittens to me. I know I wouldn't be able to give away any of my cats - regardless of how anti social, or untoilet trained they are and even if I had to, I would ensure their future owners would adore and love my cats as much if not more than I do.
So, Qisty and Betty joined our already mad household.
Qisty - the tortie
Betty - the black spot is not a grease stain by the way.
Betty fell very ill during the week after Raya. She was moping and refusing to eat, and whenever she was resting, her third eyelid would cover almost half of her eyes. We took her to the vet and I made sure she was drinking and kept feeding her high calorie gels. I put her indoors, in a box with hot water bottles to keep her warm. Every night I would say to Abg, "I don't think Betty will make it to the next morning" and every morning she would still be alive.
Muka budak sakit.
Tak larat sangat dah nie.
After the 4th day, I opened my bedroom door and Betty just ran right in! and now, about a week after, she's been running all over the place. Still a bit thin but at least she's eating. She is now very attached to us and would never leave our sides for long.
Qisty on the other hand, runs away like lightning when we approach her. We have to resort to bribing her with freshly boiled fish in order to get her into her cage.
Anyway, apparently my 'anak-anak dara' - Nafas, Malisa, Mini Me and Cinta - has been seen socialising with the stray tomcat. Me thinks its time for a visit to the vet soon.
Of being non-judgemental....
I haven't forgotten to blog, really. It's just that the hospital has blocked certain sites on the server including the blogspots.
Thoughts usually come to me during the lull in between dawn and the end of the oncall period. I like to ponder upon the patients I saw and how I was with them. Not having an internet connection for me to put my thoughts in cyberspace has been such a damper.
I have to admit, I am not the friendliest doctor. I used to be, when I just joined the hoolabaloo about 7 years ago, all naive and innocent; sometimes I wonder whether it was really that bad that I have become so jaded and disillusioned by it all.
I had a patient last week, who had a history of heart problem. She had been followed up at the Physician's Clinic and had been advised for bypass grafting but she had refused.
She was brought into our casualty at 5 am severely distraught, literally screaming for every breath. Apparently she had had two days of on and off chest pains and had persevered at home. Fifteen minutes later she flatlined. Her son adamantly ordered us to stop our resuscitation efforts.
Later, her daughter approached us and told us that they had gone to the KK and no one responded. I wasn't really sure what she wanted to tell us actually. Was she implying that if someone at the KK had seen and attended to her, that maybe her mother could be saved? I told her I couldn't comment but she has to understand, by refusing the operation, her mother was simply a walking time bomb. The daughter did not look appeased, I have to say. I never had the magic way with words.
When I was working in the OPD, I met many patients who had been admitted time and time again for chest pains and was advised for angios and further work up of their heart problem. They would smile at me and say, "Takpe la doktor, berasa segar lagi nie.." and I would say, "No, it is when you are well that you should get everything checked out. When you are grabbing your chest and could not even lie still for an ECG, you are basically leaving your life to chance."
Yet, they would smile again and say thank you after I have written their monthly medications. Thank you for what I wonder. For letting you leave my room and wait for the next attack of chest pains?
In a way, I have a lot of respect for MOs who are in charge of OPDs - those who are really committed towards making sure that their patients are thoroughly educated and making an informed choice. How do you cope with stressing the same thing over and over again and still have your patients come in with hay wire blood pressures and blood sugars? At least when I plate a femur, I can see the proof in the check x-ray post operatively.
HTM's Ortho team have been pretty washed out the past week. We expected it to be bad, but not this bad. Broken femurs (thigh bones) have been wheeled in almost daily and my boss have resorted to doing them 2-3 days post trauma rather than have the patients on traction as we normally would. I can still feel the ache in my arms after reducing the fracture of this 80+kg man a few days ago.
Yesterday, a scrawny kid of 12 was riding his motorbike and collided with a jeep. He broke his femur rather badly and sustained a HUGE wound over his shin with his broken shin bone peeping nicely under all that mess. He was whining as I was changing his blood-soaked bandages; saying how I was rough and pulled his leg too hard. You can safely assume that I had many things to say at the tip of my tongue, all with complaint-letter-to-Pengarah inducing potential. I was rather proud when I left his bedside in silence. I honestly think one of the hardest things about being a doctor is to not be judgemental.
Never mind that another kid who broke his wrist last week was riding a motorbike and ran through a red light. I bluntly told him to run though another red light and get hit by a trailer next time; I attempted to soften my sentence with my sarcastic smile but it was lost on both kid and his mother.
Ho hum.
I'm sure there was a point of this blog entry but it seems to have gotten lost somewhere. Perhaps I will make better sense in my next entry, whenever that will be.
Thoughts usually come to me during the lull in between dawn and the end of the oncall period. I like to ponder upon the patients I saw and how I was with them. Not having an internet connection for me to put my thoughts in cyberspace has been such a damper.
I have to admit, I am not the friendliest doctor. I used to be, when I just joined the hoolabaloo about 7 years ago, all naive and innocent; sometimes I wonder whether it was really that bad that I have become so jaded and disillusioned by it all.
I had a patient last week, who had a history of heart problem. She had been followed up at the Physician's Clinic and had been advised for bypass grafting but she had refused.
She was brought into our casualty at 5 am severely distraught, literally screaming for every breath. Apparently she had had two days of on and off chest pains and had persevered at home. Fifteen minutes later she flatlined. Her son adamantly ordered us to stop our resuscitation efforts.
Later, her daughter approached us and told us that they had gone to the KK and no one responded. I wasn't really sure what she wanted to tell us actually. Was she implying that if someone at the KK had seen and attended to her, that maybe her mother could be saved? I told her I couldn't comment but she has to understand, by refusing the operation, her mother was simply a walking time bomb. The daughter did not look appeased, I have to say. I never had the magic way with words.
When I was working in the OPD, I met many patients who had been admitted time and time again for chest pains and was advised for angios and further work up of their heart problem. They would smile at me and say, "Takpe la doktor, berasa segar lagi nie.." and I would say, "No, it is when you are well that you should get everything checked out. When you are grabbing your chest and could not even lie still for an ECG, you are basically leaving your life to chance."
Yet, they would smile again and say thank you after I have written their monthly medications. Thank you for what I wonder. For letting you leave my room and wait for the next attack of chest pains?
In a way, I have a lot of respect for MOs who are in charge of OPDs - those who are really committed towards making sure that their patients are thoroughly educated and making an informed choice. How do you cope with stressing the same thing over and over again and still have your patients come in with hay wire blood pressures and blood sugars? At least when I plate a femur, I can see the proof in the check x-ray post operatively.
HTM's Ortho team have been pretty washed out the past week. We expected it to be bad, but not this bad. Broken femurs (thigh bones) have been wheeled in almost daily and my boss have resorted to doing them 2-3 days post trauma rather than have the patients on traction as we normally would. I can still feel the ache in my arms after reducing the fracture of this 80+kg man a few days ago.
Yesterday, a scrawny kid of 12 was riding his motorbike and collided with a jeep. He broke his femur rather badly and sustained a HUGE wound over his shin with his broken shin bone peeping nicely under all that mess. He was whining as I was changing his blood-soaked bandages; saying how I was rough and pulled his leg too hard. You can safely assume that I had many things to say at the tip of my tongue, all with complaint-letter-to-Pengarah inducing potential. I was rather proud when I left his bedside in silence. I honestly think one of the hardest things about being a doctor is to not be judgemental.
Never mind that another kid who broke his wrist last week was riding a motorbike and ran through a red light. I bluntly told him to run though another red light and get hit by a trailer next time; I attempted to soften my sentence with my sarcastic smile but it was lost on both kid and his mother.
Ho hum.
I'm sure there was a point of this blog entry but it seems to have gotten lost somewhere. Perhaps I will make better sense in my next entry, whenever that will be.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
You never know.....
how useful your side mirror is until you break it.
Driving back from work has been absolute hell. Now that you stupid inconsiderate drivers have clogged up the roads by forming two lanes on a one laned road, there are even more stupid drivers who think they can be clever by overtaking using other people's lane! Kau ingat kau sorang ke nak cepat?
It's safe to say that I made full use of my horn for those stupid drivers yang dgn muka tak malunya amik lane aku nak potong an already jammed, almost unmoving traffic.
Bodoh.
Driving back from work has been absolute hell. Now that you stupid inconsiderate drivers have clogged up the roads by forming two lanes on a one laned road, there are even more stupid drivers who think they can be clever by overtaking using other people's lane! Kau ingat kau sorang ke nak cepat?
It's safe to say that I made full use of my horn for those stupid drivers yang dgn muka tak malunya amik lane aku nak potong an already jammed, almost unmoving traffic.
Bodoh.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
7 hours and 2 cakes later.....
...and I think I am feeling better.
Out of the seven deadly sins, which one do you think is the deadliest? Is there such a thing as a deadly sin being deadlier than the other?
There is WRATH, ENVY, LUST, GLUTTONY, PRIDE, ANGER, GREED and SLOTH. I was chatting to a friend and I remarked that I personally think ENVY is the worst of them all. Without envy, you will not get greedy about accumulating wealth, or be angry that someone is richer than you and be proud when you are richer than the person living next to you.
Perhaps I've got the concept wrong, but I think it all starts with being envious. I was trawling through FB (something that I really should stop wasting my time on, since there isn't much on it apart from looking at other people's VIRTUAL farms) and people are driving beemers, and having gorgeous houses that should belong in between the pages of Impiana and flying off to exotic countries for the sake of their careers. For a second, I felt envious.
Well, to be honest, it lasted more than a second and I wasted a few hours of my life being up there on my angry cloud, lamenting on how my life should be more exciting. That I should be driving a bigger car, or have a nicer house or own a Prada handbag or two.
and then I thudded to the ground - reality check. I thought about that Thalassemia patient, whose Hari Raya clothes were bought by her teacher and who could barely scrape enough money just to get her blood levels checked at the hospital. I remember a child who was admitted for pneumonia who was wearing clothes that looked worse than my dishrags. I remember that pakcik whose knees hurt so much that he could barely walk, yet despite us insisting that we could get him financial help on the prosthesis, is still thinking twice about it because he couldn't afford to pay for the hospital admission.
I remember a particular kakak who lived deep in the kampung that she has to pay a 'kereta sapu' RM50 just to get the family screened for TB at the hospital after her husband died from it - an RM50 that a lot of us take for granted yet this woman can barely pay.
So I will drive my battered Kenari because it still serves its function as a vehicle carrying me from point A to point B. So I don't own an Aryani or a Ratu or Fareeda or whatever-the-current-trend is tudung because I still own a drawerfull of plain bawal headscarfs because it still covers my aurat no matter how cheap or out of date they are.
I will think of these people that I have met and I will remind myself to stop being envious of things that I don't have but to be thankful for the things that I do have.
and with that, a more cheerful Selamat Hari Raya everyone.
Out of the seven deadly sins, which one do you think is the deadliest? Is there such a thing as a deadly sin being deadlier than the other?
There is WRATH, ENVY, LUST, GLUTTONY, PRIDE, ANGER, GREED and SLOTH. I was chatting to a friend and I remarked that I personally think ENVY is the worst of them all. Without envy, you will not get greedy about accumulating wealth, or be angry that someone is richer than you and be proud when you are richer than the person living next to you.
Perhaps I've got the concept wrong, but I think it all starts with being envious. I was trawling through FB (something that I really should stop wasting my time on, since there isn't much on it apart from looking at other people's VIRTUAL farms) and people are driving beemers, and having gorgeous houses that should belong in between the pages of Impiana and flying off to exotic countries for the sake of their careers. For a second, I felt envious.
Well, to be honest, it lasted more than a second and I wasted a few hours of my life being up there on my angry cloud, lamenting on how my life should be more exciting. That I should be driving a bigger car, or have a nicer house or own a Prada handbag or two.
and then I thudded to the ground - reality check. I thought about that Thalassemia patient, whose Hari Raya clothes were bought by her teacher and who could barely scrape enough money just to get her blood levels checked at the hospital. I remember a child who was admitted for pneumonia who was wearing clothes that looked worse than my dishrags. I remember that pakcik whose knees hurt so much that he could barely walk, yet despite us insisting that we could get him financial help on the prosthesis, is still thinking twice about it because he couldn't afford to pay for the hospital admission.
I remember a particular kakak who lived deep in the kampung that she has to pay a 'kereta sapu' RM50 just to get the family screened for TB at the hospital after her husband died from it - an RM50 that a lot of us take for granted yet this woman can barely pay.
So I will drive my battered Kenari because it still serves its function as a vehicle carrying me from point A to point B. So I don't own an Aryani or a Ratu or Fareeda or whatever-the-current-trend is tudung because I still own a drawerfull of plain bawal headscarfs because it still covers my aurat no matter how cheap or out of date they are.
I will think of these people that I have met and I will remind myself to stop being envious of things that I don't have but to be thankful for the things that I do have.
and with that, a more cheerful Selamat Hari Raya everyone.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Of exhaustion and a blocked nose...
The Facebook is akin to witnessing a horrifying accident, complete with torn up limbs and severed heads. You don't really want to watch but you look anyway. It's just the voyeur in all of us. You know you will probably hate what you see but you just HAVE TO.
I do find it 'amusing' reading status updates saying so and so is going to bed now, or that he/she will be going shopping. Perhaps some people find that interesting, I don't know.
Apart from being exhausted, I've also got a cold. My throat is dry as I am breathing through my mouth. I have barely spoken 10 words to my husband, an indication that my call has gone really badly and I know I am in a bad mood because I am on leave tomorrow and that doesn't cheer me up.
Perhaps it is the coming festivities. I've long learnt that festive occasions are more appreciated by people with kids, not for a jaded auntie with 13 cats. If not for Abg, I would be celebrating it by sitting in front of my Wii, surrounded by my furkids.
I started this post with a long rant in my head but I guess it's not worth it. I figure I am just feeling sorry for myself after that particularly bad call.
Selamat Hari Raya everyone.
I do find it 'amusing' reading status updates saying so and so is going to bed now, or that he/she will be going shopping. Perhaps some people find that interesting, I don't know.
Apart from being exhausted, I've also got a cold. My throat is dry as I am breathing through my mouth. I have barely spoken 10 words to my husband, an indication that my call has gone really badly and I know I am in a bad mood because I am on leave tomorrow and that doesn't cheer me up.
Perhaps it is the coming festivities. I've long learnt that festive occasions are more appreciated by people with kids, not for a jaded auntie with 13 cats. If not for Abg, I would be celebrating it by sitting in front of my Wii, surrounded by my furkids.
I started this post with a long rant in my head but I guess it's not worth it. I figure I am just feeling sorry for myself after that particularly bad call.
Selamat Hari Raya everyone.
Post call blues
There are calls that when I am off home, I feel satisfied, knowing that my patients are okay and are getting the treatment that they should.
and There are calls that I've left feeling exhausted and depressed.
Yesterday's was one of those.
The 60 plus pakcik had been unstable since the night before and he was already very ill by the time I reviewed him yesterday morning.
Unsurprisingly his condition deteriorated. Nothing I did appeared to help and the worst thing was I didn't really know what was wrong with him.
Finally I told his wife that there was nothing much that I can offer. He passed away at about half eight this morning and I'm left feeling dejected - was it my ignorance or lack of knowledge that contributed towards his demise? I hope not, but I am feeling pretty down nevertheless.
and There are calls that I've left feeling exhausted and depressed.
Yesterday's was one of those.
The 60 plus pakcik had been unstable since the night before and he was already very ill by the time I reviewed him yesterday morning.
Unsurprisingly his condition deteriorated. Nothing I did appeared to help and the worst thing was I didn't really know what was wrong with him.
Finally I told his wife that there was nothing much that I can offer. He passed away at about half eight this morning and I'm left feeling dejected - was it my ignorance or lack of knowledge that contributed towards his demise? I hope not, but I am feeling pretty down nevertheless.
Friday, September 04, 2009
An oncall story
I was oncall last night. My partner had a horrendous one where he couldn't sleep much due to the trickling in of cases all throughout the night. Hence I was not in the best of moods when I started to be on call.
During the early evening, it was pretty quiet. There was a patient waiting to be wheeled into the ward, an elderly pakcik who was being nebulised, and an anime character look-a-like who looked like he was about to collapse from exhaustion and fever.
I was told pakcik requested to be admitted. Apparently he was fit to be allowed home. The male ward was already one bed short of being full and I wanted to save the bed for someone who really needed it, rather than someone who thinks he needed it.
Despite being told that he could go home, pakcik threw a fit and sulked. Apparently he sat on the floor and dragged himself all over the place and finally went outside at the waiting area. One of the security guards then actually wheeled him in again later that night, put him on stretcher number three and there he stayed for the rest of the night.
Needless to say, pakcik had a better sleep than me despite having construction work going on merely a few feet away.
The next morning after sahur, I went to clerk a case of abdominal mass (since when abdominal mass of 8 months is an emergency, seriously lah) and pakcik was still there.
and I wondered, how bad can it be that this pakcik would rather sleep on a stretcher in an emergency department, rather than go home?
During the early evening, it was pretty quiet. There was a patient waiting to be wheeled into the ward, an elderly pakcik who was being nebulised, and an anime character look-a-like who looked like he was about to collapse from exhaustion and fever.
I was told pakcik requested to be admitted. Apparently he was fit to be allowed home. The male ward was already one bed short of being full and I wanted to save the bed for someone who really needed it, rather than someone who thinks he needed it.
Despite being told that he could go home, pakcik threw a fit and sulked. Apparently he sat on the floor and dragged himself all over the place and finally went outside at the waiting area. One of the security guards then actually wheeled him in again later that night, put him on stretcher number three and there he stayed for the rest of the night.
Needless to say, pakcik had a better sleep than me despite having construction work going on merely a few feet away.
The next morning after sahur, I went to clerk a case of abdominal mass (since when abdominal mass of 8 months is an emergency, seriously lah) and pakcik was still there.
and I wondered, how bad can it be that this pakcik would rather sleep on a stretcher in an emergency department, rather than go home?
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