Thanks 2010, it has been great and hello 2011!

2010 is coming to an end. In just 8 minutes, 2011 will say hi to all of us. So does this exact timing matters? Why must it be hallmark for change? Why do we have to wait for certain time to make resolution?
Hmm.. I guess this specific time help us to set our turning point. Without it some of us may not have any vision or will be lost.. Where is the end of my journey?
For me, i cherish two new years.. 1st muharram and 1st jan.. Both serve as a cornerstone for me to stop.. Look back what i have gone through past 12 months.. What I did and what I didn't do, what I should do and should not do...
Then, sit down and think how I want my life in the new year be..
But i don't quite see the point counting down the new year, watching fire crackers and partying.. What happens after that? Hangover? Tired and sleepy on the first day of a new year? Thought it should be THE day for us to start working for a new start?!
Oh, well.. It's one minute past midnight.. Happy new year all.. Hope you all had a great time in 2010 like I did and 2011 will be even greater..
Back to my comfortable warm blanket and pillow.. Hoping for a good start at work tmrw!

Pleasure of doing nothing...

Oh.. This has been the most awaiting week before the new year begins... Breakaway week.. The most interesting part is, this breakaway week has 2 parts. Part 1 is ending soon.. Tomorrow that is..

So this first part of breakaway is kewl.. Really enjoying the pleasure of doing nothing. All I did was relaxing, siting by the beach and reading story books... All the stress totally gone. Could feel the energy coming back and I think I am ready to go back to work! Oops.. Not so soon! Second part will follow soon and can't wait for that too!

Oh, yeah... The new year in the Islamic calendar begins tomorrow.. Anything should have done but didn't do? Well, I suppose worth carrying forward.. Ready with new year resolution? Anyway, I wish everyone Salam ma'al hijrah and inshaAllah we will have a better and blessed year ahead.

Letting go..

Half of my patients in the female ward are in the geriatric group (age more than 65). Some are good old people - a term we use describing the functional status - independent, mobile and lucid. Some are the opposite..

So I had a patient.. 95 year-old lady... with some underlying medical problems. She was admitted to a different hospital before this. She told her children she wanted to die at home.. so they brought her home. However, the children noted their mother was very breathless that they could not bare looking at her mother like that.. she brought her to my hospital...

In the ward, she was not doing well and she knew her time is coming.. she wants to leave in peace. Some culture believe the best to die is to die at home, not the hospital. So, both the team and family decided to let her go if she deteriorate further. A mutual understanding that can sometimes be difficult to achieve between healthcare and family members.. May she rests in peace..

Loving someone is not only by keeping them with you, but sometimes letting them go. Letting them go in a dignified way.. in peace. I am sure she has had a wonderful 90 years of life. As for the children.. I am sure they were good children to her that they do not have guilt and regrets if she goes. Some people, at the very last minute of someone's life.. tend to decide to keep them. Not for the best interest of that someone.. But for their own best interest.. due to guilt etc... 

The thing is, cherish whatever we have, whoever that person is.. more so if they are our parents. Treat them well. Think as if either one of us can go at anytime and we do not want regrets and guilt. Keeping is not always a sign of love but letting go can be a sign of love.. a TRUE and SACRED love.. A sacrifice.. 

Losing another friend to the neighbour..

Past 5 years in my career, met a lot of friends.. Good ones mostly. Went through thick and thin, ups and downs together... 2 have left.. But with the current technology, we are still in touch!

And tomorrow, losing another friend. T.R.Y. in short, will be going to Lion City to pursue her dreams to be a nephrologist.. To get into fellowship programme in Malaysia is taking too long until the country lost a lot of good doctors. Maybe we need to do something about it?

Anyway, T.R.Y., it's been a great pleasure to know you. Thanks for being there for me through thick and thin, from the first time we took our first part together to Singapore until now. I am sure supernova will agree with me on this!

Hard to say goodbye..

With supernova and ward sisters

Farewell present

Lastly, T.R.Y. all the best and do come back after your training.. 

So blessed...

Every Monday, I will go to work with the feeling of... I guess what they call as Monday blues.. Sad, unmotivated, tired, (especially after a good doing nothing weekend).. But, I still drag my feet, take a deep breath, walk pass the corridor of the fifth floor, glancing at the white board of ward 22 (looking for space for potential transfer), ward 24 (looking for how many patients I need to see) and ward 23 (comparing how many patients they have in that ward).. That's my routine before I start my day..

So today, I am glad to see there are enough space for potential transfer, and empty spaces in my ward.. No offense, not that I do not like to see patients.. That's my job and I love it! The thing is.. It's good for the staff as well as the patients when the ward is less full.. More air to breathe in...

Back to my routine.. Rush down to the clinic after my rounds, and as usual, clinic will finish around at the end of lunch time.. Quickly had a quick lunch and there you go another clinic in the afternoon. So today, my clinic ended 4 something.. So again, walked back to the ward and 2 new cases to be seen! Phewwww!!! I am very glad and happy. Despite the tiring, busy and a bit chaotic Mondays, I am always blessed because at the end of the day, it isn't as bad as I thought it would be and manageable! Alhamdulillah.. Thank you Allah.

Care for a walk?

 I was very happy to take off from work last week. Not that I don't like my work but, sometimes you need to be away from work.. to rejuvenate yourself, and kind of recharge yourself. It was a last minute thing, so didn't go outstation. But I decided to take a walk at the nearby lake garden.. TAMAN TASIK TITIWANGSA, and took some photos.. gave me some kind of satisfaction.. here were some of the photos taken..

The entrance of the lake garden

Hello, little ants!

Beautiful trees.. Subhanallah

Pokok semalu, right?

Ongoing construction

Hardworking man, keeping the area clean...

That's the spirit!

I was approached by my dedicated, wonderful houseman yesterday.. she likes paediatrics and plan to take exams ie. MRCPCh. So, she asked me if it's a good idea to take exams early.. I wanted to say... "Yes, of course, especially before you start having a family." Luckily I changed the question to, "Do you have a family on your own?" and she replied,  "Oh, yes. I have 2 kids." My jaw almost dropped.. I am so amazed with the spirit and motivation some people have. She's married with two kids, went through housemanship in one of the busiest hospital with no negative issues.. Way to go, girl!

So, my advise to her.. "Well, you have gone through housemanship with two kids, taking exams won't be a very big deal. Yeah.. do take exams early.. you never know whether you can make it in first, second or third attempts. So, need to be prepared early. The later you take, the lazier you will get and you will lose the momentum to study." - that's my view on postgraduate exam because that's how I am. Other people might look at it differently.

Still remember when we were in medical school, some lecturers were complaining about students getting married to early etc.. Well, let them be! As long as you know your limitation and your spouse's, you will be fine, I think. The thing is.. whatever you do in whatever circumstances, be sincere, be honest and always do the best for Allah. InshaAllah everything will be fine and in place.

So, you go, girl! You will be a good paediatrician!