Nothing ignites the passion more than a discussion of...yes, religion.
Today a senior pastor in church confirmed that the reports on 2 pastors whom the church had invited for sermons earlier have been "exposed". One was Pastor Michael Guglielmucci in Australia and the other was Todd Bentley in Florida. Check out here and here. Apparently Michael Guglielmucci faked his terminal cancer story to help spur sales of his hit song "Healed". Some people may be more forgiving saying at least he confessed but I think he had no choice! How can a terminal cancer patient live on indefinitely? Unless of course some "miracle" happens lah...And of course I think Todd's "faith healing" is fake. None of his numerous " faith healing" could be independently verified, according to the ABC report.
I'm not judging them as we are all only humans. We all have sinned, we all have made mistakes. Any of us could be seduced by the devil. We are not god. But it just reminds us that sometimes we must take the preaching of these "preachers" with a pinch of salt. Not wholesale...they are only humans after all. And the notion that millions of people just cannot be fooled has just been busted.
I'm also a little troubled by how freely some people use the name of God. For example, "God says we must do this and that...". "This is the Lord's way of doing this and that..." "This is what the Lord wants...". " The Lord never said we cannot do this and that..." "This is a test from God..." etc etc.
I'm not well versed with the Bible but I just wonder are these what the Lord really said or is it your interpretation of what the Lord said or is this what you say? How would I know unless I'm a Bible scholar? I would much appreciate it if they can take the original quote from the Bible and let me interpret what the Lord said as well. Not just using the name of God to back what they said! And of course when someone says "God says..." that is the end of any fruitful discussion as the next sentence would invariably be "You must have faith...".
Dang...can never win this also.
Anyway just wanna share the most wonderful song here which never fails to soothe my darkest days. Feeling a little down these few days..
Day by day, I think my enthusiasm for this profession is fading away little by little. I think it's because of the way our health system has turned out. Not only in M'sia I guess but around the world too. Darn...I could have taken any course...I mean any course in university.
You can't blame some doctors for a little nonchalant about their patients, a little cold hearted at seeing death or a little non-committal to treatment decisions. Today there is a paradigm shift in patients' thinking. Today's patients do not put priority on "tender, loving, care". They want guarantees they get their diagnosis STAT, they want to be cured STAT and they expect state of the art treatment FOC if possible. As soon as something adverse happens, they are quick to point fingers. Somebody must be responsible for that. After all the government keeps on harping that we have "World class infrastructure, world class facilities and world class expertise" so nothing should go wrong. (Btw, I thought it is mainly medical personnel that is migrating south in droves but a recent article in the newspapers, lawyers, architects etc etc are also leaving M'sia in droves)
Well, so today's doctors also have a paradigm shift. Avoid being blamed at all costs. Despite knowing the futility of treating an extremely poor prognosis patient who will obviously die (some people may argue that a miracle can happen), doctors offer all kinds of "possible" investigations and treatments. Never mind that we do not have access to the treatment, never mind that we do not have enough beds for treatment, never mind that patient obviously cannot afford it and never mind that it is unlikely to be of any benefit (but still "possible", yeah anything is possible). But if the patient gets worse or dies, the doctor is absolved of any "negligence". "Hey, I told you so you need this and that but you couldn't get it/it's not available so it's not my fault"
I just wonder if it is ethical to offer a treatment which we obviously have no access to. Patients will feel shortchanged and distressed that he is not getting that "elusive state of the art treatment" and lose hope. But hey, that's not the doctors' problem. Doctors are just adapting to the demands of todays' healthcare and society's expectations. Defensive medicine. Avoid being blamed at all costs. Perhaps later must refer the patient to psychiatry for depression as well...how ironic!
Patients also are are quick to demand anything in the public sector, but if it is the private sector I guess you'll have to talk till your jaw ache to justify a RM100K medication which is no miracle cure either - but patients expect a miracle cure because they are paying so much !! On the other hand, once you mention the costs of treatment to the public patients, they shut up very quickly, just for a brief moment...before they open up again and say why can't they get it free from the government !!! Dang...can never win one.
Anyway defensive medicine is here to stay whether anyone likes it or not.
I remembered the advertisement phrase of "Gaya, Mutu, Keunggulan" or "Style, Quality, Excellence" by a famous cigarette brand many years back when it was on TV. An ex-lecturer borrowed the term and subsequently I plagiarized the term also during my teaching session. What to do...it's a catchy term ;)
Anyway this was to emphasize to students that style matters as well during viva exams. Of course one must not leave out the Quality and Excellence part as well.
Recently recently someone good naturedly blurted out that umm a friend commented that my "gaya" sense wasn't all that great. Hehe...can't deny that but I'm comfortable with my attire. However some of my friends dresses up to kill to go to work in the hospital. Super cool shimmering shirt with a shiny tie and multiple accessories that will put a party guy to shame. I was thinking hey, you're wearing a lab coat over it, seeing patients with blood, vomitus, urine, faecal material on a daily basis...why on earth would you wanna up dress like that? Anyway to each his own hehe...
I've gotta walk up 8 flight of stairs, walk up a hill up and down to wards daily without much air-conditioning so my basic cotton shirts/pants will suffice for me. My good old "no gaya, half broken" Nokia handphone accompanied me daily for rounds...and I used it because it has a fantastic LED flashlight for me to use during examination of patients. Sometimes when I whipped out my handphone/flashlight to use, patients will look at me in amazement. I'm not sure if they are shock seeing me with that worn out handphone or is it something else...umm most of the 7 year old kids even have better handphones than me.
Anyway I think using my old handphone does not invoke much confidence especially when dealing with the more affluent patients. So I finally changed my handphone. Hah...the new one looks expensive but it's cheaper than my old handphone! Less than RM180 hahaha...and it comes with a LED flashlight as well!
So is "gaya" an important recipe for success in one's career? Well I know sometimes "gaya" alone works well (as exemplified by some people who can really talk their way into anything with "gaya" but no "quality"), sometimes "quality and excellent work" alone works well too, but the best bet is still "Gaya, Mutu dan Keunggulan" hahahaha....
Just a random silly rambling to keep myself from being pushed towards the "dark side" due to the nature of my work ;)
There is a new circular going around to all the department heads. Apparently the matter was agreed upon by the state health director and some heads. Guess what was this circular about?
The circular states that specialists MUST teach house officers in their department. If not....brace for this...they must be reported to the State Health Director. Wah lau...whose bright idea was this?
Firstly I think this is a feeble attempt to rectify the increasingly poor quality housemans. Yes, now they are pushing the responsibility of training doctors to the extremely busy government specialists rather than addressing the underlying issue of poor quality students being admitted to the mushrooming medical schools to the various "dubious quality" medical schools. It's like blaming the examiner if a student cannot pass an exam. Yeah, blame the piano teacher if the child doesn't have any musical acumen.
Secondly, how do you enforce such a directive? How do you "force" someone to impart their knowledge? Can you? How do you prove that teaching did or did not take place? Especially in a field where learning takes the form of an apprenticeship. What action can be taken if a specialist did not teach his housemans? Sack him? Is it in his job description to teach housemans?
Thirdly, what is the ratio of government specialists to housemans? Considering the large number of graduating medical students nowadays.
Fourthly, what about Medical Officers? They do not need to teach housemans??!!
The specialist may be obligated to teach his housemans but is he legally compelled to? Teaching an apprentice is the perogative of the teacher. What is taught and how it is taught is the perogative of the teacher. And it depends on the apprentice's capability. Can you throw a monkey to a kung fu master and expect him to turn the monkey into Jet Li?
I think a better method is giving some incentive eg paying overtime after office hours for the specialists to teach housemans, as teaching housemans can be very time consuming. For example a senior doctor can insert a chest tube in 10 minutes but teaching a houseman to do it can take hours. After all if you have 40 patients in the ward plus some on the floor and another 40 waiting for you in the clinic, your priority is how to finish seeing all the patients in time for clinics...and how to find more beds for new admissions. If one were to spend teaching housemans at the same time, one might as well forget about going home that day.
Hmm...I wonder is this the result of some complaints by HOs?
What kind of grey matter does this Professor and Vice chancellor possess? Check out here. I'm not an expert on law but is there a provision to allow suing of a person for making a suggestion to open 10% of a university's place to non-Bumis ?
Is this how they are teaching law in this university? Just sue it ! Hahahaha. Thank you very much, not very interested to study in this university even if it is FOC...
The turn-over rate for my sports shoes are legendary. Recently my rather new shoes gave way again, not because the sole gave way but because the stitching gave way a little and became loose. And the result...my toe nail became loose and bled inside. The importance of getting a well fitting sports shoe cannot be over-emphasized. Anyway I got a new pair asap and well, it is much more comfortable than the old one albeit at a higher price coz I really don't fancy getting another toe black in colour.
Anyway soon after that I decided to buy another squash racquet to replace my Titanium one which was broken (temporarily I was using my beloved 12 year old graphite racquet ) and got a new one, lighter and supposedly better racquet. German product wor...I had high expectations. Alas, after 2 sessions of the game, look at what happened...just after a few really mild accidental hits on the wall, the racquet cracked! Just 2 days of using my new racquet. My 12 year old graphite racquet has taken many many harder hits on the wall without any problems (designed in Austria, made in China). So much for German technology.
Anyway if not for the "imperfections" of the shoes and racquet I wouldn't have the pleasure of buying a new racquet hahahaha...although it is going to be painful for the wallet. I just hope it's not going to break too often!
I used to be a perfectionist. Every base must be covered. Any possibility must be considered. Things must be done perfectly. There is no room for error. That has served be quite well...but then as I move along in life perspective change.
I think perfection is an over-rated virtue. Yes, aiming for perfection achieves many things. Aiming for perfection is a virtue sought after by some employers. Who wouldn't want their organization to function smoothly, efficiently without any problems ? ie perfectly. Who wouldn't want to score a perfect 100 marks in their exams ? Who wouldn't want to have perfect physical attributes?
However I think perfection is an imperfection in itself. Aiming for perfection shackles the imagination, it does not allow mistakes to be made, it does not allow room for much innovation and lateral thinking. Nothing goes wrong = nothing learnt. Perfection is like sterility.
And imperfection defines an entity as uniquely as their DNA. It makes a person who he is. Frequently imperfection strengthens the other virtues of the person. Being perfect is imperfect.
And I'm sure this "imperfect" one eyed cat is able to catch a mouse better than a "perfect" domesticated cat.
I'm really fed up with the political situation in our country...coupled with the obsession with race and religious matters. I think it's about dominance really...
And the fact that 5,000 students in a university protested at the suggestion of allowing 10% of other races to be enrolled just exemplifies how bad polarization has creeped into our education system. Check out here and here. So will we be seeing more race based universities? So much for national integration. I'm a little worried at how things are turning out these days. Maybe I should start having a back-up plan...
Anyway I decided to take my mind away from all these depressing political stuffs. Came across this fantastic video of Michael Jackson's Beat It song by Fall Out Boy. When the mood is right I just love rock songs!!! Wish I could be at a rock concert singing my lungs out right now. Oh and I just bought these 2 new music CDs (can't remember the last time I actually bought music CDs). Ok...maybe I'm a little out of fashion hehe
Just a ranting after a long day.
Have you wondered how much you knew about a person? Friends, colleagues, subordinates, superiors etc...
I've seen instances where "meek" House Officers turn into "monsters" once they complete their housemanship. I've seen House Officers who are "careless" became extremely conscientious Medical Officers. I've seen "famous consultants" who graced the cover of newspapers acting like a jerk towards his subordinates. I've seen quiet patients whom I rushed through consultation, who are the most appreciative later on. I've seen VIPs who acted as though the world owes them something and VVIPs who are extremely gracious and even willing to stay in 3rd class wards. I've seen people who are friends during times of need only.
In short, we can never tell a person by his looks, upbringing, religion, education, status or profession.
I wonder why some people chose to remain friends with jerks who are obviously in for his/her own benefit only? Why some people just cannot see through a person? I just wonder...Is it because the "friend" can crack a joke or two? Is it because he/she is good looking? Is it because it is entertaining to be around him/her? Is it because he/she is famous? Is it because he/she is rich? Is it because he/she is clever? Is this reason enough to remain as friends? I don't know but certainly I would think twice.
"We make them cry who care for us, we cry for those who never care for us, And we care for those who never cry for us" I find these words ring so true.
Maybe nobody is perfect. Maybe I'm too critical. But perhaps tonight I've seen another facet of human behaviour.
In the mist of the anticipated massive crackdown of illegal immigrants as highlighted in The Star, I hope the authorities will handle the children with due care and compassion. I hope they are not abused or left with the more criminal adults.
The kids I met played dangerously near the sea waters, without supervision. Their parents are not to be seen anywhere at all. They are not afraid of strangers, in fact they embraced me without fear or apphrehension at all. They are not violent. They did not attempt to steal my things. They did not beg. In fact, they look at me with curiosity and perhaps with a longing for love and opportunity. They smiled, they laughed and above all they wanted someone to talk to and perhaps pay them some attention !!!!
The people who should be penalized are the ones selling identification cards and those entrusted to guard our nation's sovereignty but chose to "close one eye".
Can we set up a protection center for the "parent-less" kids instead of deporting them? I would rather have my income tax be used for this purpose than to sponsor some person to space or to buy some Mercedes Benz to ferry some politicians...
I have a soft spot for kids.
