I don't know how many times the issue of sex education has been brought up and been discussed in Malaysia. But then that is typical of how things are done here, isn't it? Discuss and discuss and discuss and end up with no conclusion?
I don't understand what's the big deal anyway.
Are you afraid that if have this subject, kids will be exposed to sex too early on?
If you are, then you must be living under a coconut shell.
All one needs to do is watch the TV, read the newspaper - the word sex is everywhere..if a parent doesn't explain it to their children, then their friends will.
Primary school children know what is sex.
What they don't know is STDs and unwanted pregnancies.
So many teenagers life has been spoiled by them getting 'knocked up'.
Yes, you can point a finger at them - it is their fault.
But who doens't make mistakes?
Why is it that they have to pay so dearly?
Even worse - sometimes, the baby is just abandoned, left to die..
All this could have been prevented, if only they knew how.
Yes, premarital sex is bad, is evil bla, bla, bla.
But so is lying. Are you telling me that you have never told a lie?
What I'm trying to say is this - people make choices.
They decide how to lead their life.
If they choose to take drugs, to drink alcohol, to have sex..there is nothing much you can do to stop them. But one should know the consequence of the choices that they make.
Telling someone "No, you shouldn't do that because I said no" is not a good way to do things.
I read a story once where the girl (Katy) wanted to play on the swing, but her Aunt told her not to. Katy was not told why she couldn't do it because the Aunt thinks that a child should listen to whatever an older person says. Katy decided to ignore what her Aunt said and played on the swing. Unfortunately, the swing had not been fixed properly yet and it snapped, and Katy feel and became paralyzed. If only her Aunt had told her why she shouldn't play with the swing, do you think Katy would have done it? Unlikely.
It is the same in reality. Why is it so hard for us to tell people why they should or shouldn't do something? If someone told you to not do something, wouldn't you want to know why?
I read this article earlier today, quite an interesting read, but I found this paragraph quite funny/illogical:
In Islam, there are guidelines why boys and girls need to be separated as they grow older – from separate blankets, beds, bedrooms and schools. I think it is in the best interest of the students that we should look into separate girls and boys secondary schools.
Obviously, the western concept of co-education and the freedom of modern lifestyles have contributed to the moral decay in some of our children.
Will this really solve the problem? So, how long should you separate boys and girls? Until they get married? And after that? Are they allowed to meet anyone else of a different gender?
How about outside of school? Do we segregate them as well? Tuitions, shopping complexes, parties?
Separating boys and girls is not going to give you any results, trust me.
I honestly don't think it would make any difference at all.
All one can do is give them the choices and let them decide.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Surgery
It's my 2nd week in Surgery.
So far, I would say that it is going on OK - not great, not wonderful, but not bad either.
What makes Surgery more bearable than Medical?
My ward mates.
Now, I don't dread going to work anymore.
I don't feel depressed anymore.
See, colleagues are really important in determining how hateful or enjoyable your job is.
It is weird how each department functions differently.
The way they manage patients is different.
Are we supposed to ask the MOs why it is different? Or are we just supposed to continue with their plan?
Sometimes, we are even afraid to ask the questions that we want to ask, what if we sound too stupid?
Well, anyway, so far surgery has been OK..lesser people dying compared to Medical...
Hopefully the next 4 months will pass by without any problems..
Here is something I got over the mail..
The following 3 examples of TURTLES, FROGS and THE PRETTY LADY will teach us some lessons. Enjoy reading the same and do ponder over them. We learn a lot through our experiences in life
The Turtles
A turtle family decided to go on a picnic. The turtles, being naturally slow about things, took seven years to prepare for their outing.
Finally the turtle family left home looking for a suitable place. During the second year of their journey they found a place ideal for them at last! For about six months they cleaned the area, unpacked the picnic basket, and completed the arrangements. Then they discovered they had forgotten the salt. A picnic without salt would be a disaster, they all agreed.
After a lengthy discussion, the youngest turtle was chosen to retrieve the salt from home. Although he was the fastest of the slow moving turtles, thelittle turtle whined, cried, and wobbled in his shell. He agreed to go on one condition: that no one would eat until he returned. The family consented and the little turtle left.
Three years passed and the little turtle had not returned. Five years...six years... then on the seventh year of his absence, the oldest turtle could nolonger contain his hunger. He announced that he was going to eat and begun to unwrap a sandwich. At that point the little turtle suddenly popped out from behind a tree shouting, 'See! I knew you wouldn't wait. Now I am not going to go get the salt.'
[Some of us waste our time waiting for people to live up to our expectations. We are so concerned about what others are doing that we do not do anythingourselves.]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Frogs
A farmer came into town and asked the owner of a restaurant if he could use a million frog legs.
The restaurant owner was shocked and asked the man where he could get so many frog legs!
The farmer replied, 'There is a pond near my house that is full of frogs - millions of them. They all croak all night long and they are about to make me crazy!' So the restaurant owner and the farmer made an agreement that the farmer would deliver frogs to the restaurant, five hundred at a time for the nextseveral weeks.
The first week, the farmer returned to the restaurant looking rather sheepish, with two scrawny little frogs. The restaurant owner said, 'Well.... where areall the frogs?' The farmer said, 'I was mistaken. There were only these two frogs in the pond. But they sure were making a lot of noise!'
[ Next time you hear somebody criticizing or making fun of you, remember, it's probably just a couple of noisy frogs. Also remember that problems always seem bigger in the dark. Have you ever laid in your bed at night worrying about things which seem almost overwhelming like a million frogs croaking? Chances are pretty good that when the morning comes, and you take a closer look, you'll wonder what all the fuss was about.]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Pretty Lady
Once upon a time a big monk and a little monk were traveling together. They came to the bank of a river and found the bridge was damaged. They had to wade across the river. There was a pretty lady who was stuck at the damaged bridge and couldn't cross the river.
The big monk offered to carry her across the river on his back. The lady accepted. The little monk was shocked by the move of the big monk. ' How can big brother carry a lady when we are supposed to avoid all intimacy with females?' thought the little monk.
But he kept quiet... The big monkcarried the lady across the river and the small monk followed unhappily. When they crossed the river, the big monk let the lady down and they parted ways with her.
All along the way for several miles, the little monk was very unhappy with the act of the big monk. He was making up all kinds of accusations about big monk in his head. This got him madder and madder. But he still kept quiet.. And the big monk had no inclination to explain his situation.
Finally, at a rest point many hours later, the little monk could not stand it any further, he burst out angrily at the big monk. 'How can you claim yourself adevout monk, when you seize the first opportunity to touch a female, especially when she is very pretty? All your teachings to me make you a big hypocrite.
The big monk looked surprised and said, 'I put down the pretty lady at the river bank many hours ago, how come you are still carrying her along?'
[This very old Chinese Zen story reflects the thinking of many people today. We encounter many unpleasant things in our life, they irritate us and they make us angry. Sometimes, they cause us a lot of hurt, sometimes they cause us to be bitter or jealous ..
But like the little monk, we are not willing to let them go away. We keep on carrying the baggage of the 'pretty lady' with us. We let them keep on coming back to hurt us, make us angry, make us bitter and cause us a lot of agony.
Why? Simply because we are not willing to put down or let go of the baggage of the 'pretty lady'. We should let go of the pretty lady immediately after crossing the river. This will immediately remove all our agonies. There is no need to be further hurt by the unpleasant event after it is over.]
So far, I would say that it is going on OK - not great, not wonderful, but not bad either.
What makes Surgery more bearable than Medical?
My ward mates.
Now, I don't dread going to work anymore.
I don't feel depressed anymore.
See, colleagues are really important in determining how hateful or enjoyable your job is.
It is weird how each department functions differently.
The way they manage patients is different.
Are we supposed to ask the MOs why it is different? Or are we just supposed to continue with their plan?
Sometimes, we are even afraid to ask the questions that we want to ask, what if we sound too stupid?
Well, anyway, so far surgery has been OK..lesser people dying compared to Medical...
Hopefully the next 4 months will pass by without any problems..
Here is something I got over the mail..
The following 3 examples of TURTLES, FROGS and THE PRETTY LADY will teach us some lessons. Enjoy reading the same and do ponder over them. We learn a lot through our experiences in life
The Turtles
A turtle family decided to go on a picnic. The turtles, being naturally slow about things, took seven years to prepare for their outing.
Finally the turtle family left home looking for a suitable place. During the second year of their journey they found a place ideal for them at last! For about six months they cleaned the area, unpacked the picnic basket, and completed the arrangements. Then they discovered they had forgotten the salt. A picnic without salt would be a disaster, they all agreed.
After a lengthy discussion, the youngest turtle was chosen to retrieve the salt from home. Although he was the fastest of the slow moving turtles, thelittle turtle whined, cried, and wobbled in his shell. He agreed to go on one condition: that no one would eat until he returned. The family consented and the little turtle left.
Three years passed and the little turtle had not returned. Five years...six years... then on the seventh year of his absence, the oldest turtle could nolonger contain his hunger. He announced that he was going to eat and begun to unwrap a sandwich. At that point the little turtle suddenly popped out from behind a tree shouting, 'See! I knew you wouldn't wait. Now I am not going to go get the salt.'
[Some of us waste our time waiting for people to live up to our expectations. We are so concerned about what others are doing that we do not do anythingourselves.]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Frogs
A farmer came into town and asked the owner of a restaurant if he could use a million frog legs.
The restaurant owner was shocked and asked the man where he could get so many frog legs!
The farmer replied, 'There is a pond near my house that is full of frogs - millions of them. They all croak all night long and they are about to make me crazy!' So the restaurant owner and the farmer made an agreement that the farmer would deliver frogs to the restaurant, five hundred at a time for the nextseveral weeks.
The first week, the farmer returned to the restaurant looking rather sheepish, with two scrawny little frogs. The restaurant owner said, 'Well.... where areall the frogs?' The farmer said, 'I was mistaken. There were only these two frogs in the pond. But they sure were making a lot of noise!'
[ Next time you hear somebody criticizing or making fun of you, remember, it's probably just a couple of noisy frogs. Also remember that problems always seem bigger in the dark. Have you ever laid in your bed at night worrying about things which seem almost overwhelming like a million frogs croaking? Chances are pretty good that when the morning comes, and you take a closer look, you'll wonder what all the fuss was about.]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Pretty Lady
Once upon a time a big monk and a little monk were traveling together. They came to the bank of a river and found the bridge was damaged. They had to wade across the river. There was a pretty lady who was stuck at the damaged bridge and couldn't cross the river.
The big monk offered to carry her across the river on his back. The lady accepted. The little monk was shocked by the move of the big monk. ' How can big brother carry a lady when we are supposed to avoid all intimacy with females?' thought the little monk.
But he kept quiet... The big monkcarried the lady across the river and the small monk followed unhappily. When they crossed the river, the big monk let the lady down and they parted ways with her.
All along the way for several miles, the little monk was very unhappy with the act of the big monk. He was making up all kinds of accusations about big monk in his head. This got him madder and madder. But he still kept quiet.. And the big monk had no inclination to explain his situation.
Finally, at a rest point many hours later, the little monk could not stand it any further, he burst out angrily at the big monk. 'How can you claim yourself adevout monk, when you seize the first opportunity to touch a female, especially when she is very pretty? All your teachings to me make you a big hypocrite.
The big monk looked surprised and said, 'I put down the pretty lady at the river bank many hours ago, how come you are still carrying her along?'
[This very old Chinese Zen story reflects the thinking of many people today. We encounter many unpleasant things in our life, they irritate us and they make us angry. Sometimes, they cause us a lot of hurt, sometimes they cause us to be bitter or jealous ..
But like the little monk, we are not willing to let them go away. We keep on carrying the baggage of the 'pretty lady' with us. We let them keep on coming back to hurt us, make us angry, make us bitter and cause us a lot of agony.
Why? Simply because we are not willing to put down or let go of the baggage of the 'pretty lady'. We should let go of the pretty lady immediately after crossing the river. This will immediately remove all our agonies. There is no need to be further hurt by the unpleasant event after it is over.]
Sunday, April 4, 2010
6 days
6 days of holidays...6 days of doing nothing but eating and sleeping. 6 days of thinking what the next department is going to be like.
Here are some e mails I received that I hope you will enjoy as much as I did..
___________________________________________________________
LIFESUPPORT
Last night my mom and I were sitting in the living room talking about the many things of life. In-between, we talked about the idea of living or dying.
I said to her, ' Mom, never let me live in a vegetative state, totally dependent on machines and liquids from a bottle. If you see me in that state I want you to disconnect all the contraptions that are keeping me alive, I'd much rather die'.
Then my mom got up from the sofa with this real look of admiration towards me and proceeded to disconnect the TV, the Cable, the Dish, the DVD, the Computer, the Cell Phone, the IPod, and the Xbox, and then went to the fridge and threw away all my beer!
I almost died!
________________________________________________________________
I AM THANKFUL:
-FOR THE WIFE WHO SAYS IT'S HOT DOGS TONIGHT, BECAUSE SHE IS HOME WITH ME, AND NOT OUT WITH SOMEONE ELSE.
-FOR THE HUSBAND WHO IS ON THE SOFA BEING A COUCH POTATO, BECAUSE HE IS HOME WITH ME AND NOT OUT AT THE BARS.
-FOR THE TEENAGER WHO IS COMPLAINING ABOUT DOING DISHES BECAUSE IT MEANS SHE IS AT HOME, NOT ON THE STREETS.
-FOR THE TAXES I PAY BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM EMPLOYED .
-FOR THE MESS TO CLEAN AFTER A PARTY BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN SURROUNDED BY FRIENDS.
-FOR THE CLOTHES THAT FIT A LITTLE TOO SNUG BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT.
-FOR MY SHADOW THAT WATCHES ME WORK BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM OUT IN THE SUNSHINE
-FOR A LAWN THAT NEEDS MOWING, WINDOWS THAT NEED CLEANING, AND GUTTERS THAT NEED FIXING BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE A HOME .
-FOR ALL THE COMPLAINING I HEAR ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT BECAUSE IT MEANS WE HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH. .
-FOR THE PARKING SPOT I FIND AT THE FAR END OF THE PARKING LOT BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM CAPABLE OF WALKING AND I HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH TRANSPORTATION .
-FOR MY HUGE HEATING BILL BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM WARM.
-FOR THE LADY BEHIND ME IN CHURCH WHO SINGS OFF KEY BECAUSE IT MEANS I CAN HEAR.
-FOR THE PILE OF LAUNDRY AND IRONING BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE CLOTHES TO WEAR.
-FOR WEARINESS AND ACHING MUSCLES AT THE END OF THE DAY BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN CAPABLE OF WORKING HARD.
-FOR THE ALARM THAT GOES OFF IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM ALIVE.
AND FINALLY, FOR TOO MUCH E-MAIL BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE FRIENDS WHO ARE THINKING OF ME.
Here are some e mails I received that I hope you will enjoy as much as I did..
___________________________________________________________
LIFESUPPORT
Last night my mom and I were sitting in the living room talking about the many things of life. In-between, we talked about the idea of living or dying.
I said to her, ' Mom, never let me live in a vegetative state, totally dependent on machines and liquids from a bottle. If you see me in that state I want you to disconnect all the contraptions that are keeping me alive, I'd much rather die'.
Then my mom got up from the sofa with this real look of admiration towards me and proceeded to disconnect the TV, the Cable, the Dish, the DVD, the Computer, the Cell Phone, the IPod, and the Xbox, and then went to the fridge and threw away all my beer!
I almost died!
________________________________________________________________
I AM THANKFUL:
-FOR THE WIFE WHO SAYS IT'S HOT DOGS TONIGHT, BECAUSE SHE IS HOME WITH ME, AND NOT OUT WITH SOMEONE ELSE.
-FOR THE HUSBAND WHO IS ON THE SOFA BEING A COUCH POTATO, BECAUSE HE IS HOME WITH ME AND NOT OUT AT THE BARS.
-FOR THE TEENAGER WHO IS COMPLAINING ABOUT DOING DISHES BECAUSE IT MEANS SHE IS AT HOME, NOT ON THE STREETS.
-FOR THE TAXES I PAY BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM EMPLOYED .
-FOR THE MESS TO CLEAN AFTER A PARTY BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN SURROUNDED BY FRIENDS.
-FOR THE CLOTHES THAT FIT A LITTLE TOO SNUG BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT.
-FOR MY SHADOW THAT WATCHES ME WORK BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM OUT IN THE SUNSHINE
-FOR A LAWN THAT NEEDS MOWING, WINDOWS THAT NEED CLEANING, AND GUTTERS THAT NEED FIXING BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE A HOME .
-FOR ALL THE COMPLAINING I HEAR ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT BECAUSE IT MEANS WE HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH. .
-FOR THE PARKING SPOT I FIND AT THE FAR END OF THE PARKING LOT BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM CAPABLE OF WALKING AND I HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH TRANSPORTATION .
-FOR MY HUGE HEATING BILL BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM WARM.
-FOR THE LADY BEHIND ME IN CHURCH WHO SINGS OFF KEY BECAUSE IT MEANS I CAN HEAR.
-FOR THE PILE OF LAUNDRY AND IRONING BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE CLOTHES TO WEAR.
-FOR WEARINESS AND ACHING MUSCLES AT THE END OF THE DAY BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN CAPABLE OF WORKING HARD.
-FOR THE ALARM THAT GOES OFF IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM ALIVE.
AND FINALLY, FOR TOO MUCH E-MAIL BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE FRIENDS WHO ARE THINKING OF ME.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
More Things To Shop For
It's the first day of my end-posting holiday.
And this is what I did today.
And this is what I did today.
I have thought of doing it for quite some time, but then have always been afraid to do it because of my allergic rhinitis - what if it gets worse? But my ENT doctor gave me the thumbs up, and I thought that it's about time I get my nose pierced.
It was more painful than what I expected it to be.
The lady just sprayed on some anaesthetic, used some sharp thingy to pierce through the skin and then pushed the nose-stud in. OUCH!
But I finally did it.
Now I get to buy more jewellery.
Now I get to buy more jewellery.
:)
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Regret
Last week, there were a bunch of JPA scholars going around the hospital. All these kids (yes, kids) want to become doctors.
I wish I could have told them what they were getting into.
I wanted to shout at them and tell then to go find something else to do..anything but become a doctor. (For some reason, I was feeling really, really low that week)
The problem is, they come in the morning when we are busy doing our rounds - time when we rush from one patient to another and have no time to waste. Why can't they come later if they really want to know what it is like? I actually told one of them to come back later around lunch time, but sadly no one turned up.
In between patients, I managed to ask one of the kids - "why do you want to become a doctor?"
His reply (like it was taken straight out of a text book) - "I want to serve the nation".
Then go become a soldier or policeman or fireman la!
Why did I want to become a doctor?
I don't really know.
I thought it would be exciting - something new everyday.
How wrong I was.
The same patients day in and day out. Review and take blood and review and take blood.
Where is the excitement?
Maybe that is why I enjoyed the labor room - it was really a happening place..
Sometimes I really regret the choices that I have made.
But then I can't help but wonder if I would be feeling the same way had I done something else with my life.
If only I could rewind and re-live my life..would I have chosen this profession?
Come to think of it, how many people can actually say that they really enjoy doing what they are doing?
Maybe what I am feeling is a normal thing..maybe it is just a passing feeling...hopefully I can find something that I would like doing, something that will make me feel excited instead of dread..
One thing I am sure about though..don't do medicine. Go do something else.
As it is, there are too many of us around.
If you are going to do medicine and graduate in a few years time, there just might not be any work available for you...then you are stuck because there is nothing else you can do, no where else you can work (private hospitals are not going to take you when you are a fresh grad with no experience..)
Think hard..don't make the same mistake I think I did..
I wish I could have told them what they were getting into.
I wanted to shout at them and tell then to go find something else to do..anything but become a doctor. (For some reason, I was feeling really, really low that week)
The problem is, they come in the morning when we are busy doing our rounds - time when we rush from one patient to another and have no time to waste. Why can't they come later if they really want to know what it is like? I actually told one of them to come back later around lunch time, but sadly no one turned up.
In between patients, I managed to ask one of the kids - "why do you want to become a doctor?"
His reply (like it was taken straight out of a text book) - "I want to serve the nation".
Then go become a soldier or policeman or fireman la!
Why did I want to become a doctor?
I don't really know.
I thought it would be exciting - something new everyday.
How wrong I was.
The same patients day in and day out. Review and take blood and review and take blood.
Where is the excitement?
Maybe that is why I enjoyed the labor room - it was really a happening place..
Sometimes I really regret the choices that I have made.
But then I can't help but wonder if I would be feeling the same way had I done something else with my life.
If only I could rewind and re-live my life..would I have chosen this profession?
Come to think of it, how many people can actually say that they really enjoy doing what they are doing?
Maybe what I am feeling is a normal thing..maybe it is just a passing feeling...hopefully I can find something that I would like doing, something that will make me feel excited instead of dread..
One thing I am sure about though..don't do medicine. Go do something else.
As it is, there are too many of us around.
If you are going to do medicine and graduate in a few years time, there just might not be any work available for you...then you are stuck because there is nothing else you can do, no where else you can work (private hospitals are not going to take you when you are a fresh grad with no experience..)
Think hard..don't make the same mistake I think I did..
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