Category Archives: Medicine/Health

Leak and Seal

Posted in Everyday Life, Medicine/Health by

My thoughts resonated with the words by my physician today.

Of how in the medical line, it is very important to not take things too personal. In short, we should have no hard feelings towards another individual.

I gathered that there will be times when we kena marah for our shortcomings or for no reason at all. If we allow the negative thoughts to linger on to ourselves for too long – we would feel burdened. We’d feel hatred. Dendam, maybe? SoĀ if say, a colleague or supporting staff is not performing to our expectations. Or patients refusing to take their meds and yet have to nerve to defend bogus alternative therapy. Inevitably, although one has all the intentions to shove death statistics and what not to the person in mind, I tend to now take a step back, inhale, jaga emosi and say all the nice things I could think of. And put on rewind in my head, “maybe she had a bad day” “she’s just being difficult today. she will be fine tomorrow” and let the matter slide today so we could achieve more the day after.

Furthermore, if we were to take an eye for an eye – wouldn’t the whole world would go blind? sikit2 nak balas balik. nak bambu balik.Ā 

Like it or not, I have learnt to lower my ego and work with people in a personalized manner. It is not perfect but it’s a lifetime learning process. My expectations remain the same lah tapi– thou shalt not compromise with quality.

So for instance if I want a patients blood pressure to be monitored on regular intervals, after documenting it on the patients card – I may need to approach my assistants to further explain and reinforce my plan. This is because some may not take the time to read on the card and just go about their ‘usual’ way of doing things. Sebab dah biasa <– a very dangerous idea to harbour in ones mind for life.

Afterwards, I may or may not need to put on the chart the scheduled times for these blood pressure to be taken. I don’t like having to do you know tulis time satu2 of when you should measure these vital signs when some individuals on the other hand could easily understand what every 30 mins mean. But I have to and despite after reprimanding these people, I still need to be on the same page with them the next day. Or the next hour.

Because if you keep hoarding these hard feelings within yourself – it will be an obstacle to effective team work. And when people cannot work together, patients suffer. So sometimes I feel like a leaking aneurysm. I ‘leak and seal’. Leak and seal. Multiple times. Selagi I can keep my shit together, it should be ok.

 

Doing medicine : Intentions and challenges

Posted in Medicine/Health, Ponderings & Personal Development by

Prior to entering Medical school – we had to write a 100 word essay on why we want to become a doctor. We even had some sort of ‘coaching session’ just so we could convey our message in the essay appropriately since English was not our first language. After all we are applying for a place in an oversea medical school.

The coach was giving us tips and hints and when he randomly asked the group “anybody want to share why they want to be a doc?”

A young man proudly put up his hands and shouted ” I want to win the Nobel prize!!”Ā It was innocent and well meaning.

The answer probably caught the coach by surprise. He let out a gentle smile and I remembered him vaguelyĀ saying…

… that while he respects individual motivation to pursue medicine – be it sole altruism, money, ranking up the social status etc… he feels that medicine should also be done with the spirit of serving humanity , to treat the ill and make them better so they could go back to the society and serve them back…. we are dealing with human lives you know ..

He went on to describe how Einstein and Marie Curie did not do what they did just to get the nobel prize. In fact he thought they were just doing what they were passionate about in the best way that they can – all so the community could benefit from it. Because their effort changed so many lives on a huge scale in a very positive way – that’s why they were awarded the Nobel prize. It’s a form of recognition for something so noble and selfless. Ā 

Of course practising medicine nowadays has its own sets of challenges. In the olden times, science was witchcraft or an act against the will of God. We are still seeing that today only that now we are described locally by a minority of the religion-driven group as ‘konco2 Yahudi’.

Yes, I had someone mention that to my face in a so called ‘joking manner’ saying that medicine is ‘ilmu yahudi’ just because I cannot translate pancreas into Malay language as opposed to heart into ‘jantung’ or spleen into ‘limpa’. I did not proceed to give him a speech because I was pressed for time but if I did.. I would say that…

Muslims were once pioneers of the science and medicine. Most prominent figures I remember are like Ibn Sina & Al Razi. If we were so called the Zionist secret armies – AllahĀ wouldn’t have bestowed upon us the knowledge of science. That particular era would not have been known as the golden age. Where people are enlightened. And know more. Sad enough, these figures were also called apostates by other muslims during that time.

Salah ke nak jadi orang berilmu? And when we try to give you simple health education – patients maki. When we try to tackle obesity – we were labelled insensitive and argue back regarding every body is beautiful regardless beso ke kecik. Ada aku kata ko tak lawa? I just want you to be healthy. Im just giving ideas so you wouldn’t get another asthma attack and brings up a panic in everyone when we have to intubate!

I even had a patient who does not believe he has a problem with gallstones because the man he went to see for his ‘berubat kampung’ said that he doesn’t have it. Only renal stones – and a procedure has been done to remove it. Pffftt..

Sometimes I wonder why am I still here despite these incidents. Because among them empty vessels and difficult patients – there are still those who are seeking for help and needs a helping hand. Who needs a voice to guide them. Who believes that Allah’s Help comes in the form of proper medical practice. And I still believe that medicine is the best ladang pahala one could ever wish for.

InsyaAllah..

The best freebie drug-reps could ever give is a pen

Posted in Everyday Life, Medicine/Health by

In fact, most of the time the main objectiveĀ of going to a drug talk apart from the Continuous Medical Education (CME) points and the food – is for the pen. The greedy lot would even shamelessly ask for more pen or a stack of notepads.

I, on the other hand, is happy with one pen. Happier with two. Most happy if I could nick the pens from other peoples goody bags who couldn’t attend the CME in the first place. Ā ha ha ha.

I understand that most MDs need a pen but sometimes this need escalates into obsession. The euphoric feeling evolvesĀ into a cheap thrill when one gets their hands on these precious pens. And these are ordinary ballpoint pens, mind you. With half-lives of less than a trimester. Some surviving in Ā less than 2 weeks. Yet we all love it. Especially when they come in black ink.

I just got back from an update session regarding a hormonal drug at Holiday Inn hotelĀ today. It was a surprisingly good turn up with female practitioners filling up half of the audience. In the goody bag I got a pen, a notebook and a few brochures regarding the company’s products. I’m already a happy woman with that pen.

Smartlife : Week 5 already?

Posted in Medicine/Health, Mini Project by

Eat your food while staring into a mirrorā€¦. totally naked! – Larry Wentz

I am into my 5th week of the Smartlife programme. An 8 week programme designed by the hospital committee with the aim of encouraging its participants to eat,live right and as a bonus, lose weight!Ā  I am trying my best to stay on track. It has not been easy and involved a few tweaks and there to my daily habits. Especially my fridge contents. Now that we are entering the 5th week, I have sat down andĀ revised on a few things and reinforcing certain key points on the matter.

ON MOTIVATION

Its not Mommjjang Ahjumma per se.

I plan to get to a pre-pregnancy baseline weight before I start conceiving again. Id prefer putting on kilos on say, a 50KG than a staggering 57KG. At least it’ll make me feel happier knowing that I dont have too muchĀ baby fat to burn.

On top of that, my anniversary is coming soon. Lets have a greater figure for the picture shall we?

ON BURNING CALORIES

Credit: Google Image

Credit: Google Image

My calorie requirement per day is technically 1400 KCAL. This either means I maintain a Very Low Calorie Diet (VLCD) everyday without exercise OR eat whatever I choose to eat andĀ focus more on how I chooseĀ to exercise and burn the adipose tissues. more time? a different circuit/regime? Take up Yoga like one of my inspirors, Ninie Ahmad?

So far, I have been putting the extra effort to do a minimum 10 Mins on the bike/treadmill. I should consider escalating it to 20 mins. Yup, baby steps.

ON DETOX

Lets face it.Ā A women has got to detox whether she likes it or not. It’ll help to kind of get you on a fresh start. Since Im a hater for traditional products, I chose a mainstream detox product. Inner Dtox. Enough for only 7 days.

ON KEEPING A FOOD DIARY

Lets not belittle this powerful tool. Whila I have been able to stay off most Fast Food chains to its most minimum consumption rate, I have yet to conquer the timing of when I choose to have my meals or snacks. I still have trouble refraining myself from the ‘No after 8 Munching Rule’.

So thats a few things to get straight.
Week 5, here I go!