Nurses’ Day

At least in Singapore it’s around this time of the year. International Nurses’ Day is sometime in May. Wonder who else celebrates nurses’ day yesterday.

I wanna say they’re a great bunch of people; taking care of patients day-in day-out. It’s really a tough job you know, especially those who work in the chronic sick homes and the nursing homes. The fact that they have to change them at least 5 times a day, shower them at least once a day, transfer them etc. is back-breaking enough (I know I couldn’t have lasted more than a month doing these); and on top of that they have to feed them, tend to their needs whenever necessary, talk to them cheer them up make them feel loved. Well. Ideally that’s how they’re supposed to be. I often wonder how they do it (then again- there’s the economic incentive, the fact that they have to earn a living and fulfill their Maslow’s basic needs).

Won’t deny there are lots of good nurses out there, but I’m sure that, just as there are some nasty doctors out there who think they’re all that, there are also nurses who can be abusive as well. That Nightingale Nursing Home incident was a good example. From what I gather, at times it can be quite hard to manage them too. They’d do things for their convenience’s sake even though they know it’s wrong. When caught, they’d still try to go about it their own way but improvise such that they won’t get caught. But what I can’t stand are those who’re abusive to patients. For those, I lose all respect for them.

Not that I wanna badmouth nurses on this day, it’s just that while I appreciate the good nurses’ hard work, at the corner of my mind I wonder to myself, what are those ‘bad’ nurses thinking/feeling during this occasion? Are they really proud of their work as a nurse? Are they really compassionate people with just a few terrible episodes that could happen to just about everyone? Really, what are they thinking? If in the future I ever chance upon them, I’d be sure to interview them.

In any case, happy nurses’ day! I hope everyone felt loved and appreciated. 🙂

Woah

saw this video, and i had to share this. being the geek that i am, i always find it fascinating that technology can do so much to enhance our learning experience.

Note on Green Lantern

Most people who have seen Green Lantern (2011) thought it was just ehhhh, if not bland and boring. I guess to them there’s just one too many superhero movies. Personally, I thought it wasn’t all that bad. For one, I like that they portrayed the multiplicity of the universe, and the Earth being one of the youngest ones. The depiction that we humans are mere fledglings, still learning about the world (and the universe, on a bigger scheme of things) in which we inhabit is a humble acknowledgement, and it fits my idea of the universe.

The movie’s theme revolves around the power of will vs. the power of fear – something which I think is quite true. Look around us. Politicians instill fear in the people, and make them do certain things (or not do anything). That’s exploitation of fear, and it’s only when we’re aware of it can we prevent ourselves from being manipulated. Will is also another powerful force that’s been underutilized. Perhaps that’s a good thing in a way… I mean, imagine if there’s someone out there whose will is to destroy the world. That’d be some disaster we’re going to have to endure! 😛

And then of course, there’s Ryan Reynolds! 😀  Nothing compared to the Fassbender guy in X-Men: First Class, but still an eye candy! 🙂  That’s bout it, my dua sen on the last movie I’ve seen. Looking forward to HP! The last one of the entire series! Wish I had the time to reread all the books again. Oh well, some other time perhaps.

Big Family

It’s the family games day for our hospital! Some pictures to share. 🙂
games commitee. 🙂

look at that tee! 😀

colors.

gloomy day.

CEO speaks.

she plays to win!

me in action! 😀

my team. 🙂

The Pricetag of A Human Life

Yesterday afternoon during lunch with colleague, she pointed out there’s been quite a number of bodies found in water (here in Singapore). There’s the maid in the water tank of a HDB flat; there’s the half-body found in Bedok reservoir; and there’s the body floating in Singapore River. Are there any others? I can’t remember.

Unless someone invented an immortal pill, death is something everyone has to go through. It’s nothing new, but there is something about it that bothers me — it’s how the living regards the dead that bemuses me, to a certain extent. I say “to a certain extent” because I can understand the “why”, but I question the validity of it.

That which bemuses me, is this: why do people feel so deeply for a celebrity’s death (like MJ, Princess D, etc. you get the drift) and yet can feel so much lesser, comparatively, if it’s “just” an unknown person that they somewhat knew but weren’t close with? Is this person “just” another person because he or she wasn’t famous enough to be known and remembered by a large enough group? Suppose all things are equal, the difference of reactions towards the two dead due to their status/level of fame (or the lack thereof) is what gets under my skin (albeit just a tiny bit, it’s there nonetheless).

So what? You may ask. Yes, indeed. So what if people react to the two dead people differently? Why did it irk me? They’re dead anyway, it wouldn’t make any difference to them.

Perhaps, you’re right. But I guess, to me, this indirectly reflects how we regard life, how we give different people a label of how much they’re worth – both in general, as in the case of celebrities; and to us, in the case of our daily lives. In fact, how we view the dead is not too far of from how we treat the living.

Observe your surroundings, and you’ll know what I mean. We’re all biased. That’s usually fine, because we’re all imperfect, but that doesn’t give us an excuse to mistreat or disrespect others.

Just something to think about. Maybe, just maybe, it may change how you behave to the stranger next to you.

On My Way Home

Forgot how great it is to have wifi connection, with my laptop on a proper table and chair, (and air-con!! can’t do without in this climate); it makes me appreciate this moment all the more. It’s the afterwork rush. Today is just like any other day, but I decided I should spend some alone time after work. And so, here I am, sitting in the Bishan library enjoying the wifi, surfing, reading emails and news that I have accumulated over the week. Ah, peace and quiet. This is happiness! 🙂

Last weekend was spent at the Mint Museum of Toys, followed by dinner and movie – Green Lantern. Pictures of the Toy Museum will be up as soon as I’m done editing them, and thoughts on the movie will be written separately. So many things to do, never enough time. Ever since I started work, I feel like I’m rushing through everything. I rush to work, I rush to get job done, rush for lunch, rush to gym, rush to go home. I feel like I’m part of the local crowd. And if I slow my tempo down, I feel a little out of place.

Time, is such a precious commodity. Time waits for no one. And as I sit here, wondering about time, catching my breath, and just paying attention to my being here, perhaps I’m missing out on many other things. Perhaps. But I don’t care. They can all wait. Right now I could use some quiet moments.

A Sad Case of Abuse

Last week Mediacorp aired a video they received about 3 months ago, of an elderly lady being mistreated by nurses in Nightingale Nursing Home at Braddell, SG. They stripped her naked and left her under the ceiling fan which was turned on – full-blast no less – for a good 30 minutes. Then they literally swung and threw her on the bed when transferring her from wheelchair to bed, and later on slapped her when the said lady groaned in pain.

I am pissed. I’m seething!! How could anyone treat an old fragile lady like that? How could such an outrageous act be allowed to happen? Where is the nurse manager in charge? Was she the only one being treated like that? Could there have been more cases as such? How long has it been going on? What the f*** is wrong with the nurses??? And hello it’s a private nursing home! People actually pay to have their family member taken care of, not thrown around like a ragged doll! I truly hope that nurse gets deported and her license revoked. She and everyone else who conducted such crime. And I sincerely hope the Ministry of Health really look into this matter and make sure it doesn’t happen in other nursing homes.

Looks like my job just got tougher, more challenging. The repercussion of that incident is sure to be felt by us too.

Anyway- check out the video if you like: click here.

In One’s Dotage

My new job requires me, among other things, to integrate and coordinate the operations and activities in a nursing home, so the first thing I have to do is to get to know this nursing home. And that’s what I’ve been doing for the past two weeks. It’s been great, I’m slowly getting the big picture of how to run a nursing home, but it’s still a long way to go before I fully grasp the in-and-out of the facility.

The learning part aside (which was really exciting), I got to see a lot of the old folks in need of care. Some of them still mentally alert, some physically disabled, some with dementia. Almost half of them are bed-bound; many are abandoned by family members. We have another facility, at a different location, which houses the chronic sick, mostly with congenital diseases; those were even more heartbreaking to witness. Those ah-peks and ah-mahs reminded me of my grandma, though her condition is not anywhere close to theirs. I found myself feeling sorry for them, and at some point I was at the verge of tears. But almost simultaneously I felt ashamed of myself — for someone who wants to serve in healthcare, how can I be so weak? No, emotions should be refrained. These people need care, and I have work to do. I have to remind myself not to get too sentimental. It’s a tough job, taking care of those residents. I salute the nurses, I really do. Note to self though- I’ll never put my folks in a home, no matter how great those homes are. And I won’t want to live anymore, if I can’t be of any use to the society, OR, if I can’t enjoy the simple pleasures of life. 
Aging. Something all of us have to go through. How you want to look at life and how to live the autumn and winter of your life, however, is completely up to you.

Mid-Year Update

Hello hello! Been a long time since I last updated my blog. Half a year passed by, and I barely wrote anything. It’s been an emotionally turbulent ride so far, and I’ve been trying to cope with it. Difficulty in access to internet at where I live now is definitely a factor (to my prolonged absence in the blogosphere), but even when I was at home, I find myself spending only very limited time online. The instability, the disorder in my life made me shrink from the world- both physical and virtual ones. But it’s getting better. I’m getting better.

So here I am, sitting in my room, somewhere in the island known for its cleanliness and kiasu-ness. Just started work two weeks ago; so far I’m enjoying it, though it’s too early to tell- I’m just starting to learn about my job scope and responsibilities. I’m clueless as to where I’d end up a year from now; like a raft in the middle of the ocean, I can only wish for the best, and see where life takes me. The idea of not having a concrete direction is new to me, but it’s something I have to get used to (not like I have a choice!). On the bright side, I get to earn SGD, which means I have 2.4 times more of MYR to spend when I go back home! 😀

I lost myself for the past few months, but thank goodness I found my way back. Though not quite the same person I used to be, I believe I’ve changed for the better. Can’t change the past, but at least I can shape the future. Moving on, I now close that bittersweet chapter of my life, and I look forward to happier tropical moments… with cooler weather hopefully! Cheers. 🙂

The Chicken Residency

Every now and then, I will dream of some bizarre, out-of-the-world stuff. This afternoon nap was one of such occasions.

Plot:
I was in a car with some friends on our little expedition of treasure hunt when the heavens opened up and poured gallons of water like there’s no tomorrow. Reluctant to just stop somewhere and wait it out – God knows how long we had to wait – we kept on driving wherever the road would take us. When we finally came to a stop, the sky was clear, and all of us got out of the car for some breather. To our right was an abandoned construction site, and not too far ahead was a tiny path that seemed used, leading to somewhere obscured by the abandoned building. Out of curiosity, I walked along that path, and it led me to an enchanted world of animated objects, which both befuddled and tickled me at the same time.

A few hundred yards down the path, I began to see signs of liveliness, something completely opposite of what I saw outside. Indeed, more than that, I saw rows of dancing, singing apartment buildings painted in solid vibrant colors. They looked more like town houses, or semi-D’s, actually, but they were all moving and swaying with the background music all the same. Awestricken, I continued walking down the path, not caring if my fellow travelers were with me. Just as I was wondering if I’d bump into anyone, a house full of chickens came out to greet me as if I were an old friend of theirs. I went along with it, careful not to offend them by saying things like “uh do I know you” or “have we met”. Just as I was about to enter the Chicken Residency, there was a poke behind, and I was greeted by an elderly chicken name Doc. Doc came over to me and hugged me, yakking away about things I know as much as I know about the different types of flowers (read: nothing at all, or very little). From the way he walked and talked, Doc seemed to be the head of the household, or someone very important. So when Doc invited me to stay for the night, I accepted. Then came the Butler Chicken, who brought me my meal – oh nice, I get to eat! I opened up my polystyrene box, and guess what was my dinner? Chicken Rice. CHICKEN RICE!!!! Of all things!! The irony of it all.

Here’s the better (more bizarre) part. I proceeded to eat my chicken rice, wondering why, of all things, I was served their own kind. Out popped a tiny man in my chicken rice yelling at me, asking me to rescue him!! This miniature man that smelled like soy sauce popped out of nowhere in my box, flailed his arms to catch my attention and said to me, “help! help!” I couldn’t help but asked him how on earth did he appear in my box of rice. “Well, look, don’t tell anyone, but the cucumber slices are actually my port key. Here, let me show you how it works.” ……

End of dream. I woke up wondering what happened to the mini-soy-sauce-smelling-man. But hey, don’t you think this is a little similar to the Frog and the Princess! Haha this could very well be the Oriental version of it, and maybe, it could even be a potential Disney hit! 😀  Anyway, here’s a sketch of how Doc looked like. (I had no paper so I drew it at the back of an envelope). Enjoy. 🙂

Chant

It’s about the will to live. To live each day better than the day before. When you look at how some people around you going through hardships for decades without even hissing a sigh or whine, it makes you almost guilty for feeling deflated because of whatever obstacles you face. They are peanuts compared to what those people had to go through. It’s high time to put aside all heartaches, roll up your sleeves and get to work. Go gather your spirit of fighting and get ready to set out again, because you still have a long way more to go.