The White Doves

Many white 'doves', which are quails, actually...

Proposal... checked
Tell the parents... checked
Choosing the pre-wedding photographer... checked
Choosing the white dress... checked
Date and time... checked
Venue... checked
Registration... pending
Wedding band... unable to decide

Chinese style wedding is a very taxing, time-consuming, pocket-emptying exercise. I think that is why Chinese practice monogamy... You simply declare bankruptcy after the event, which last less than 24 hours, by the way. Afterwards you will get explosive migraines looking at the aftermath.

The most important thing (highlight) is not the wedding itself, but is to decide on the venue, and checked with their schedule. Booking must be done real early, if not a year ahead, or you will get some crap dates which everyone will not come because it clashed with the lunar calendar. Speaking of the lunar calendar, it is one of the oddest thing, to start with. There are certain dates that looks just fine, but looking at the lunar calendar, the only thing you are allowed to do is to be buried or move into new house. Chinese have been believing in this things, since ancient times. Seldom people dare to break the believe, nor choose the date that doesn't favors both parties (i.e July in lunar month).

Next thing is to 'tackle' the parents. They said a match made in heaven, I refused to believe it! How can two person on this Earth can come together just like that, a live happily ever after? The habits, cultures, do's and dont's, fixed-false believes cannot just go away. Expectations may not met with reality; spending that doesn't match the earnings. There is a lot of arguments, discussion, despair, tears and finally change and tolerance. Then there comes the true love, that is everlasting, time-tested.

To live together with another person is really a challenging feat. You have to get over her lip-smacking habits, her smell, her messy hair, which is hard at first, but in the end, it is the things you can't live without.

Wishing all my friends who are doing the same at this moment, to enjoy every second of it, and smooth sails ahead.

Suffering of a Soul

What is this?

Ask yourself, if you met a beggar coming to you, will you spare some sympathy or some loose coins? Or you just turn away and ignore his agony, whatever his suffering is all his wrong-doing and bad luck, nothing of your concern. Or you will kick him squarely on his butt, chasing him out of your sight and solve the problems once and for all? What about this is a stray dogs?

I saw a viral video on Facebook about how people tortured their pets, and this feeling came to me. Human has both good and evil side, just like the face of a coin. It is up to our control that which sides prevails. The choice is ours, to choose the dark path or walk the path of light. Seeing the animal cries in pain simply heart-breaking, needless to say it is much more worse for the accomplice.

The situation took a twist in the hospital settings. Often, we gets patients from the prison. They come in bright and colourful clothes, and for a peculiar reasons, their clothes stinks, sour and hard. Some are not well, but truth be told, they are less of a person when they are being admitted. They came in chains, and with a bodyguard. But doctors (generally) thinks they are nuisance, self inflicted illness, or worse still, want to be admitted because wanted to take a 'prison break' and occupy a softy hospital bed instead of a hard cells. Their IV's are difficult to established. Their complaints, no less than a handful, and their stay usually prolonged.

Yet, they are human too. They have names, they have stories, and they have their family who waits for their release one day and pray for their well-being, just like us. Whatever done in the past is NOYB. We can't segregates them just because they are convicts. They are our guest, too. Treatments and care should be given same, if not more for these people. Just offer your service with a sincere heart.

The picture above is the hangman's rope. One day when our life come to end, wouldn't it be nice to know that someone cared for you, too?


NOYB = none of your business!

Lost, and Found Again

Gelora Beach, which means 'Waves' in Malay

Recently, I watched a movie of Shrek. He made a promise with Rumpelstiltskin, in exchange for a day of being an ogre, he gave up one day. And that one day was the day he was born. So he loss everything that he had, including his lovely wife Fiona and three cute ogress. And he was deeply regretted that only when he loss everything, then he only noticed what was gone. Aren't we the same in real life?

I took a walk to the beach one day, only to be amazed by the beauty of the sky and water. It was there all the time, but I never took notice. One day if I left this place, I will surely missed the waves, and the gentle breeze, an awful lot.

The MMA Pahang Second Annual Scientific Meeting: Handout

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Handouts

Negative Psychology

Human... A very difficult subject to study. Half the time, I do not know what I am dealing with.

Having busy myself to prepare the upcoming scientific meeting in my area, makes me realized one thing. You need a lot of negative psychology to deal with people. The program was heavily sponsored, safe to say, participants pay only a quarter of the actual amount. Yet, the respond for the participation had been underwhelmed, with only a handful of early adopters, the rest were 'dragged' into the program. I spent 1 whole evening calling every possible places, all the nearby health clinics and hospital, even rang up the health centres in nearby university, just to plea for participants. However, the past conferences that I attended to, which we have to fork out between RM 400 to RM 800 each, it was a full house, and I was actually being rejected for admission to one of the conference held in Penang! Probably, when people pay, they will actually feels the pinch and think it is a very important thing instead!

Same with patients that I see day in and out. The healthcare cost is pretty much covered by taxpayers' money when one admitted to the ward or visits the clinics. However, a person I knew was diagnosed with lung malignancy. He refused treatment in general hospital for the sake that it is free and free means it is no good or second class. He rather fork out hard earned money to get chemotherapy in Singapore instead. Currently, he is in Beijing getting some novel 'cold' therapy for his cancer. Same as generic versus labeled medicine. I have a colleague who encountered this type of patient that we labelled as 'fussy'(not uncommon, certainly seen in daily practice). She was seen by other doctors for her diabetes and hypertension. First line medications were given to her and explanations made. However, she wasn't satisfied because she received the generic medications and made a big fuss to complaint if we do not change her medications to the box type that has fancy colours. Probably its a good idea that the generic pharmaceutical company made their medication in better packaging and interesting colours instead!

Human... When can I finish learning this subject? Probably never.

Sakit Jantung Is Not Heart Ache

Malaysia is a multiracial and diverse culture nation. So the language evolve considerably between ethnic. Explanation for medical jargon can be a very confusing business. For once I cannot understand what my specialist explanation to his patient while doing his round. Below are the examples:



English: Sir, you had a heart attack. Coronary angiogram showed 3 vessels block and you need coronary bypass operation done early.
Malay: Pakcik, kamu kena serangan jantung. Angiogram menunjukkan 3 salur darah sumbat. Pakcik perlu buat operation untuk bypass pada masa yang terdekat.
Chinese: Pakcik, lu punya paip dalam jantung ada sikit masalah. 3 paip sudah sumbat. Lu kena kasi operate itu jantung kasi buat itu bypass cepat-cepat.
Indian: Ane itu jam hati manyak mati. 3 itu jalan darah sudah block. Manyak susah. Kena bukak itu jantung kasi baiki itu jalan.
Aborigine: Pakcik jantung ada masalah. Kena potong, tau?



English: The risk for angiogram is contrast related renal impairment, risk of stroke and myocardial infarction
Malay: Risiko untuk buat angiogram termasuk masalah buah pinggang, strok, dan serangan jantung.
Chinese: Itu angiogram boleh buat lu punya pinggang losak, otak jam dan itu jantung losak juga
Indian: Itu jam u buat angiogram, boleh bikin itu buah pinggang ada masalah, itu otak boleh strok, dan itu jantung boleh block.
Aborigine: Pakcik jantung ada masalah. Kena angiogram, tau?



English: Sir, your heart function is worsening, please mind your fluid intake and take your medication regularly.
Malay: Pakcik, jantung pakcik sudah lemah, kena jaga-jaga minuman dan ingat makan ubat.
Chinese: Lu punya jantung sudah lemah. Itu air kena control betul-betul, ubat kena makan betul-betul
Indian: aiyo, itu hati manyak lemah. Itu air jangan kasi minum manyak-manyak. Itu ubat makan ikut itu jam. Jangan lupa-lupa
Aborigine: pakcik, jantung ada masalah. Kena makan ubat. Air ikut ini (hand pointing to the mineral water bottle)



There is more to learn in this life than medicine itself. Don't you agree?

Happy Valentine

  

Sorry sweetheart, 

I may not be the BEST person in your life, 

but I will be the ONLY person you need in this life.

Happy Valentine's.