New and re-found interests

Jogging whenever I can.

Taking the chance even if it looks like it’s going to rain. There were a few times I was caught in a drizzle. Extremely good motivation to run! Now I can jog the whole Taiping Lake without any problem. And it helps me to release my stress!

Cooking for my on-call housemates.

It’s nice doing something nice for your good friends. And seeing their smiles when you send food to ward. Extremely therapeutic. And at least for an hour, I don’t think about work!

And the drive to do all these – work stress!

Flash flood in clinic

I remember that when I was between 4-5 years old, flash flood happened in Batu Gajah. I was staying in my uncle’s shop. I remember vividly the scene. I was sitting on a chair with my legs swinging, barely above the water as my mother’s sweeping away the water.

Fast forward to more than 20 years later, I was again sitting on a chair, swinging my bare feet on the water, that has flooded my clinic in Taiping Hospital. My clinic is situated on the ground floor and on low ground.

There was a heavy downpour yesterday, and suddenly, we saw water streaming into the clinic. Water was coming in from all directions. There was simply no time to think, and no way to stop the water!  My assistant and I quickly moved all our toys and anything of valuable high up. I had to cancel my patients for that afternoon as it was impossible to carry out therapy session with the water ankle deep. My autistic child would have a field day!

And so I waited for the water to recede, and reliving my childhood, walking in the water among dried leaves and flowers. Or swinging my legs and splashing the water.

By 5pm, the water has receded. My clinic is all muddy. Most cleaners had to work extra time to clean the mess.

Thanks to them, my clinic is all clean again, when I went to work this morning.

Hugs and kisses

I haven’t seen HT for 3 weeks. He’s a 6-year-old boy with autism. He started developing speech (still unintelligible) after using PECS. And he’s a fast learner.

HT’s my last patient for last Friday’s sessions. After the patient before him left my room, he dashed into the room, put his arms around my me, looked toward me, and started making kissing sounds.

I was so shocked that I didn’t know how to react. HT had never done this before. His mother was surprised as well. I jokingly told her that her son was trying to ‘harrass’ me.

However, it was nice to be ‘loved’ by one who supposedly desired little communication or interaction with others.

I hope I will never stop being surprised, and amazed!

The live of YP

YP is an 11-year-old boy with autism. I met him in May last year. He screamed, snatched, hit and shout. He always wanted his own way and refused to accept ‘no’. His parents are at loss as to what to do with him. He’s a tall boy, so it’s not easy to control him.

Initially, we tried using schedule and social stories to help him control his behaviour. However, that didn’t quite work out.

I contemplated discharging YP, not knowing what else I could do for him. However, I did wonder if his behavioural problem could possibly stemmed from communication breakdown. So I had a few discussion sessions with YP’s parents, and we started him on Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS). Basically, we work on his communication skills first. And coupled it with visual strategies to help him understand what is acceptable behaviour.

After about 2 months of his mother’s diligence in working at it, YP is now able to wait, listen, and accepts ‘no’. He no longer scream, snatch, hit and shout.

Knowing how to and being able to communicate is such a powerful tool. Especially when I see it in YP. His mother now is very happy. How, she can reason with him.

I’m glad I didn’t discharge YP without trying more. If not, YP’s, as well as his family’s lives would not have taken a better turn.

The fighter baby

This baby in Special Care Nursery, has got  the Paediatric Department buzzing for a while. He was born in September last year. He’s been admitted since November.

Since then, he has had

1. multiple sepsis

2. 4 times colostomy

3. multiple intubation and ventilation

4. pneumonia

And he’s still surviving.

He’s called baby Yang. And he’s also known as the fighter baby. He has now been sent to Ipoh Hospital. And I hope he’ll continue to sojourn on for his life.

I’ve been busy…..

planning the expansion of the speech therapy clinic, which has recently been approved by the hospital director.

chasing toy suppliers for catalogues and planning how to spend my clinic budget.

meeting some Head of Departments (HOD), and planning how to run dysphagia clinic.

managing patients in clinic and running around wards in between clinics.

travelling  anywhere between KL and north Perak, for meetings and monthly clinic visitation.

slotting in patients in my already packed schedule cos got so many meetings!

sitting in front of the computer, preparing therapy materials in between my patients’ therapy sessions.

seeing children and having parents’ meeting every Saturday

trying not to get burnout and stressed…..and failing miserably!

Toys “R” Us, here I come!

One of the perks of my job is that, I get to do toy shopping. It’s like fulfilling all my childhood fantasy…only 20 years later.

I pride myself as a good QC. My criteria of choosing toys? Besides appropriateness of age and suitability for my children here, the most important factor will be……I enjoy playing with them! Haha! (Evil laughter)

Well, not just me but you as well. But since it’s my clinic, I’ll have to be the ONE enjoy playing with the toys. There is a rationale for this – if an adult enjoy playing with a particular toy, then the child, being more easily fascinated, will definitely enjoy it as well! Simple.

I’m going to Subang Parade this Sunday to relive my childhood fantasy. Ah….I love my job!

Back in Taiping….at last!

Finally, am back in Taiping after missing for the whole month of February. I had mixed feelings coming back. While I’m glad to be away from the hustle and bustle of KL life, especially the traffic madness, I’m also very aware that I will be jumping into the hustle and bustle of my work in the hospital.

There will be two main agendas: starting dysphagia services and expanding the speech therapy unit in the hospital. More planning, scheduling, executing, and begging (for money).

As I’m writing this, the rain suddenly came full blown….my windows  were shaking so much that I had to close them.

Taiping, the raintown.

It’s good to be back!

Helpless again

The feeling of helplessness will come again and again. Even more so as I’m currently in dysphagia clinic when I see quite a number or people whom I know will have little chance of enjoying the pleasure of food again.

This feeling of helplessness was most felt when I met T, a 14-year-old Indian, diagnosed with Wilson’s disease. He can barely walk, and is mostly wheelchair-bound. He has tracheostomy to aid breathing and has been on nasogastric (NG) tube feeding for more than half a year. And yet, he is the most cheerful and amiable patient with swallowing problem I’ve met.

To assess T’s swallowing function, we have to perform Flexible Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES). This procedure involves inserting a scope with camera at the end, through his nose till somewhere above his vocal folds. It’s a most uncomfortable procedure. In addition to that, he was fed a most distasteful ‘food’, whereby some patients have been induced to vomit. However, he did not even complain. When he showed to much difficulty to handle the swallowing after a few spoonfuls, we decided to stop. And he still requested for another spoonful, because he hoped to be able to swallow better so that he could take out the NG tube. After that, he had to do suction to remove secretions from his trachy. It’s a most painful procedure, clearly seen from the grimaces on his face. He has to perform suction 4-6 times a day.

He kept requesting to have his trachy and NG tube removed. He wants to be able to breathe and eat like any other person. Unfortunately, we can’t do that as this would endanger him. We suggested doing swallowing exercises to help strengthen muscles for swallowing. One of the exercises involved lying on a bed. As a student nurse demonstrated, he stood up and walked closer to observe better, even though he had great difficulty in balancing. I was very moved by his motivation.

As T moved out of the room, he gave a smile and saluted to all the staff in the room. Meanwhile, my colleague and I were washed over the feeling of helplessness as we couldn’t do more for him. I was very humbled by T, that despite his young age, he showed so much bravery in enduring pain and suffering each day. And that he continues to hold on the every thread of optimism there is.

A letter to our Sultan

To our benevolent Sultan Azlan Shah,

I am a born-bred Perakian. Batu Gajah was my home for the first four years of my life before my family shifted to Ipoh where we still stay in.

I have always loved Ipoh as a hometown, although I am now working in KL. This is the city where I meet my best friends, receive the finest education and lessons about life. I am also most proud of the Perak royal household that has always said the very things true to the rakyat’s heart.

I remembered that you once spoke to my brother who was only 7-years- old then.Though it was only a short conversation, nevertheless, the memory of you as a people’s ruler etched in our hearts. Hence, I plea to you, my dear Ruler, that you will exercise your excellent judgment and discernment to hear the hearts of Perakians, your people.

Today is indeed a dark day for Perak, where we see power struggle being on centrestage instead of nation-building. We have hopes of a better Perak, one that is growing economically and stability. And I believe Perakians have seen glimpses of development since Pakatan Rakyat governed the state.

Verily, the state government is far from perfect, far from ideal, but I believe this government ought to be given a more significant chance to serve the people of Perak. I am not a lawyer, hence, I do not know how to speak the lingua franca of law and legalities.

But, I do know that the Perakians have spoken on March 8, 2008 and we have chosen the government to represent us. At least, let us decide once again whom we believe can govern this state well. Let us have the government we voted for, not one that barges in through crossovers.

The time has come for nation-building to be the country’s and the state’s highest priority. The responsibility and privilege has become even more significant under such trying economic times, where the man on the street is hard hit and the poor becomes even poorer.

Yours sincerely,
Perakian

The Writing Life

Fooji

The Lunatic’s Sophistry