I Am Occupied

In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful and the Most Beneficent.

It has been quite long since I last updated my entry. Not that I did not have stories to share, nor I was out in some rural isolated area. But because of the chance and free time are no longer on my side...they are gradually swerving away.

My last week in Sungai Buloh Hospital was great. Besides nice doctors, the procedures and ambulance ride were awesome. My colleague said, the riding was a ‘halal’ way to speed...and race! And we enjoyed it so much (sounds bad, huh? Haha).

My foster family. From left: Wan Farah, Baba and baby Aidil, Mak Cik Jah, Tok, and me.

Then the IMAM’s UK Eire’s Baling Relief Mission (BRM) from 22-26 July 2000 in the week after. After much of toil and turmoil on planning this project since last March, it turned up to be a very successful and a memorable one. Praises be to God, the crew was so dedicated, the villagers were so co-operative, and the event went smooth. For a close up, you can visit our website here:

http://balingmission09.wordpress.com/

After I left Baling, I went to Kulim for 3 days and 3 nights. My annual visit to Kulim was as fantastic as always. My Pak Ngah from Baling served me with lots of ‘dokong’ fruit...and oh I love it soo much! As a true fruit eater, I can go on savouring fruits the whole day...for few days haha. Not to forget, my cool Mak Ngah baked ‘Hari Raya’ cookies for me, so I can bring them back to Dublin for the upcoming Raya...even though I refused because I was afraid of the excess ‘kilos’ for my luggage later on huhu. The three kids- Ana, Anis and Amy were funny and naughty as always. I intrinsically do feel so blessed for having lovely extended families...thank you Allah.

My second cousins. From left: Ana, Amy, Anis

The return journey, from Kedah-KL was great. Even though it rained in some places and there were traffic jams due to check points handled by the police to arrest drivers who got caught with speed traps.

As for now, I just left with my other few stuff, my swimming lesson and my preparation to go back to college again. I am also happy for Kak Asriah as she just got her housemanship in Sungai Buloh Hospital...which I hope I could join her in the future...which I don’t know.

Two weeks left before I leave this land.

Oh God, I don't want this summer to end...

Elective: O&G

Hari Pertama:

'Lelaki ni ego sikit...suami akak ada kat luar, dia tak nak masuk teman akak jumpa doktor sebab takut kalau keputusan dia yang tak normal. Akak cakap kat dia, kalau dia yang tak normal tak apa, akak redha...ye lah sebab dia suami kita kan...' keluh seorang pesakit dengan suara yang sayu.

Perbualan yang sekejap bersama seorang pesakit di klinik obstetrik & ginekologi (O&G) Hospital Sungai Buloh ini terhenti di situ apabila seorang doktor lelaki melangkah masuk ke dalam bilik konsultasi itu.

Proses konsultasi antara doktor dan pesakit pun berlangsung seperti biasa, dan saya hanya duduk memerhati di suatu sudut. Perlahan-lahan cuba menangkap bahasa tempatan atau 'layman terms' sambil cuba memahami masalah pesakit tersebut.

Dan pelbagai lagi kisah yang seumpamanya pada hari yang sama. Rupanya-rupanya, ramai juga pasangan berkahwin yang diuji Tuhan dengan kesukaran untuk mendapatkan zuriat.

Hari Kedua:

'Aaa...sakit...sakit ni...' jeritan manja seorang pesakit muda masih terngiang-terngiang di telinga saya. Berulang-ulang kali. Ya, memang lagaknya manja. Masakan tidak, dia baru berusia 15 tahun. Terlalu muda untuk memahami rasa sakit bersalin. Terlalu muda untuk menjadi pesakit di wad bersalin!

Setelah mendengar perbualan antara doktor, jururawat, dan bakal ibu muda itu, baru lah saya mengerti hal yang sebenar. Pesakit merupakan seorang mangsa rogol- tetapi dengan rela. Dia sedang mabuk ketika kejadiaan berlaku, dan sepanjang kehamilan, dia tinggal serumah bersama teman lelakinya, setelah dibuang keluarganya. Ah...panjang lagi kisahnya. Complicated.

Kaku dan terkesima. Pertama kali saya berhadapan dengan kisah masyarakat seumpama itu. Cukup sayu apabila melihat bayi gadis itu yang lahir tidak berapa lama kemudian. Bayi comel yang tidak berdosa itu bakal diserahkan kepada orang yang tidak dikenali pula selepas ini.

Bukan tujuan saya untuk mendedahkan kisah-kisah aib pesakit. Tetapi cukup untuk dijadikan renungan dan pengajaran. Tatkala ada yang susah untuk mengandung, ada pula yang begitu mudah untuk mengandung...

_______________________________________________________

'Keseronokan' saya dan Ika membuat elektif di klinik dan wad bersalin terbatas dengan jumlah pelajar-pelajar UiTM dan pelajar-pelajar elektif wajib dari Rusia yang ramai. Namun ini bukan alasan untuk kami tidak bersaing 'berebut patient' dengan mereka. Terpaksa. Jika tidak, sia-sia sahajalah buat elektif di Malaysia kalau tidak turut 'hands-on', bukan? Assist labour, conduct labour...semua ini tidak mustahil untuk dilakukan oleh seorang medical student di Malaysia, kerana menurut kawan-kawan senior, mereka hanya mampu 'ushar' labour sahaja jika di Dublin. Alhamdulillah atas peluang yang ada, memang tidak saya lepaskan.

Kami juga sempat melihat bayi (neonate) anencephaly yang hanya menunggu masa dijemput Tuhan, dan bayi Down Syndrome yang selama ini hanya tergambar di dalam buku.

Pertambahan doktor-doktor pelatih bermula tahun ini di samping akak-akak jururawat yang ramah juga memudahkan proses pembelajaran kami. Seminggu bersama Jabatan O&G ini banyak memberi peluang untuk kami belajar, dari segi akademik mahupun sebaliknya. Alhamdulillah.

My 4th Home Come Back

After a 28 hours journey from Dublin, I am finally home! Today is my day 10 in Malaysia after I reached KLIA last Sunday night. The feeling is always good to be at home, even though I sometimes feel 'drowned', shifting from very busy exam weeks when I was in Dublin, to days of a 'school-holidayer'...where you have ample time to do ample things. I guess I just need to do something extra, I need to activate my self again, and I look forward to do my elective in Sungai Buloh Hospital next week.

Within these 10 days, many things happened. The government does away with 30% bumi equity requirement, the Iraqi celebrates the fall back of the US troop, and all the news rolling in, but nothing can challenge the big news that stuns the world on last Friday- the death of the world's greatest entertainer, Michael Jackson. I myself am a fan, but not a fanatic one. His appearance on stage never failed to catch people's eyes, and his personal story was always interesting.

Mr. MJ, for me, you are a true entertainer.

I Have A Dream

I HAVE A DREAM

I have a dream, a song to sing
To help me cope with anything
If you see the wonder of a fairy tale
You can take the future even if you fail
I believe in angels
Something good in everything I see
I believe in angels
When I know the time is right for me
I'll cross the stream - I have a dream

I have a dream, a fantasy
To help me through reality
And my destination makes it worth the while
Pushing through the darkness still another mile
I believe in angels
Something good in everything I see
I believe in angels
When I know the time is right for me
I'll cross the stream - I have a dream
I'll cross the stream - I have a dream

I have a dream, a song to sing
To help me cope with anything
If you see the wonder of a fairy tale
You can take the future even if you fail
I believe in angels
Something good in everything I see
I believe in angels
When I know the time is right for me
I'll cross the stream - I have a dream
I'll cross the stream - I have a dream

______________________________________________________


Mom loves this song. It was ABBA who sang the song during her time. I love it too and it was the famous Irish chaps- The Westlife during my generation. I remember my friends and I, when we young in Asrama Toh Puan Norashikin (ATPN), used to sing this song together (and many other songs too!) as if it was show time. Sometimes even in the bus, while Pak Cik Din 'tinggi' or Pak Cik Zul was driving the Assunta-Sri Aman PJ bus in the afternoon, cruising along the Jalan Istana-Federal Highway from Kg. Pandan...it was so fun.

That was ten years ago, long time it has passed, wasn't it? Most of them are already working and have stable life. And I am still here- in college, with books as my loyal company, with exams that seem like never end...

And my next exam is scheduled from the 15th-19th June, the end of term (summer) exam. Please make dua' for us.

Howth: Sunbathing!

'Sunbathing, a.k.a. menduyung merupakan antara aktiviti-aktiviti menarik yang boleh anda lakukan di musim panas. Aktiviti menduyung ini lebih menyeronokkan jika dilakukan bersama-sama teman-teman anda di kawasan yang mempunyai panaroma alam semulajadi yang indah dan mempersonakan di hujung minggu. Jika ingin merasai keseronokannya, cubalah sendiri! :)'

Macam skrip iklan lah pulak.

Alhamdulillah musim panas sudah tiba. Kesempatan hujung minggu kali ini saya manfaatkan bersama sahabat-sahabat sekelas-seperjuangan-sepermainan dengan rasa gembira (kerana dapat berkelah bersama-sama setelah dua bulan kami tidak berjumpa lantaran rotation di hospital-hospital yang berbeza) dan syukur kerana nikmat musim panas yang tiba.

Mudah-mudahan, picnic di Howth ini akan saling menguatkan semangat kami untuk sama-sama menghadapi peperiksaan yang bakal tiba dua minggu lagi, dan mengeratkan lagi ukhuwwah yang sedia ada.

Thanks korang! Good friends..good food..good wheather we had!...Thank you Allah.

End of The Mater's Rotation

Our last day with the Surgery-Urology team was...delicious! We were served with beautiful breakfast at the teaching room at Floor 6 (where we climbed all the way up from the far away ward) by Professor Fitzpatrick. As if a farewell party!

I am grateful that the last week was better, and more interactive than before. We ended our rotation happier now. I think it is just the nature of surgeons, that they do not talk as much as the medicals do, instead you need to initiate the conversation (most of the time). Oh, and I found them...cute and fun too, in their own sweet way :)

Dinner Last Night

From left: Ezzah, Sis Lorraine, Sofia, Intan, Layla, Naeema, Nafisah, Khairiah, and me.
(Picture of April '08, at Sis Lorraine's house)

I had a dinner invitation at Sis Lorraine's house last night. There were Khairiah, the Scuffin twin sisters- Fiona (Aisya) and Caron (Amna), Sis Lorraine and myself. The gathering was meaningful to me. Each of them has their own stories. Discussion of motherhood, children, future, hope, marriage, and da'wah filled our night.

Sis Lorraine, Fiona, and Caron are Irish who just reverted into Islam. Yet they always amaze me with the iman they have, in facing all trials and tribulation in life. I totally agree with Fiona when she said, 'Chatting with Sis Lorraine will increase your iman'. And so do I feel with both of the Scuffin sisters. Caron is already married and has her cute little Ahmad, and Fiona is getting married next week in London. While Sis Lorraine raises her four daughters as Muslims since Layla was born twenty years ago, and had braught them all to the mosque ever since they were young, even though she only embraced Islam about six years ago. As for Khairiah, she has her own story too that we shared last night. After all, I am not intending to share them here.


'Do men imagine that they will be left (at ease), because they say, We believe, and not will be tested with affliction? Lo, We tested those who were before you, thus Allah knoweth those who are sincere, and knoweth those who feign.'

[Al-Ankabut: 2-3]


I take this as a tazkirah for my self, and for my beloved sisters. Amidst all things that come in as tribulation in our life, we as Muslim must never forget that we have Allah as our rabb, to whom we only ask, and seek help and guidance from. And only in His rememberance, we will find sakinah.

May Allah sends His endless blessings to my sisters, Amen.