BEING AN ACCIDENTAL TOURIST IN MALACCA

having our morning tea

I was in Malacca recently but not as a tourist but to see an alternative medical practitioner. As I had a lot of time to spend, so Mr. Solleh (an ex-student who is now studying in Canada and on holiday) and I contacted Mr. Sharudin (from SPM batch 2006 and of the same batch of Mr. Soleh)  who is currently studying in UiTM Melaka to get around the historical city.

So we went to a few historical sites as quickly as possible because Mr. Sharudin would a have a class at 2:30 p.m. By the way, Malacca has been declared as a UNESCO world heritage site because of the old builidngs and relics left by the Portuguese and Dutch when Malacca was colonized in the 16th and 17th century.

We walked up the St. Paul's Hill where there is a church on top of the Hill, then walked down to A-Famosa fort, stopped at the museum which is a replica of a Malay palace and lastly went to see the Stadhyus (I will check the spelling for this later).

We lastly took a ride up (and down) the Taming Sari tower, a rotating cabin that enabled us to get a bird-eye view of Malacca and the whole tour took seven minutes only and cost RM10 for MyKad holders

an accidental fire truck

So the short tour ended with a lunch at McD because Mr. Sharudin refused to skip class while Mr. Solleh and I continued spending our time at Pahlawan Mall before checking in at Sri Malaysia Hotel.

at the lobby of Sri Malaysia Hotel

So thank you to both my ex-students for the company. There are definitely more things to do and see in Malacca but time just did not permit. I will be posting more pictures and stories (and video too) of the historical sites of Malacca later.

HAPPY 5TH BIRTHDAY AIMAN

This was a belated birthday celebration for Aiman. He is the son of my niece. So, in a hierachy, he is my grandson in a way. How this makes me feel very old.

It was not really a party but the family members were there to cherish the moment. As usual, there was a birthday cake, followed by the singing of the birthday song, blowing the candles and cutting the cake, and more food was served.

It was a short event but we had a blast of a time. So happy birthday Aiman, and hope you will enjoy your childhood days ahead without any worries in life.

THE VIEW FROM MY HOSPITAL WARD - PART 2

As all the patients were resting on their beds, suddenly there were loud explosions that made us run to the windows to see what was happening. And this was what we saw:

There must be an important event taking place either at Dataran Bandaraya or Danga Bay. That was not important though and we were all entertained for a short while. I didn't think that they simply had the firework display just for my surgery the next day.

THE VIEW FROM MY HOSPITAL WARD - PART 1

Time is gold. One of the things that I did was to try to snap photographs with my compact Olympus camera, the old one. I should have read about the history of this hospital but I believe it has a strong influence of British architechture.

There is no more Lido Beach to be seen. A new stretch of highway project has taken over the beach which always reminds me of my late father and the time we spent there when I was a small kid.

The red coloured building reminds me so much of York.

The same view from the window but this time at night.

I have actually another video recording of something that the patients saw outside our windows at night, something that happened unexpectedly. However, I think you need to come back again tomorrow to see what it is all about. I just love holding the suspense for you.

NOTE: I have tried to upload the video many times at home and at school but failed. I will try again some other time.

HOSPITALIZED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE

[WARNING: Some of the contents of the writing might not be suitable for those weak-hearted people. Children should get guidance from their parents when reading this posting]

THURSDAY, 22nd JULY 2010

I was officially hospitalized for the first time in my life. As I arrived at the Eurology Ward of the East 5 section of Sultanah Aminah Hospital, blood and urine samples were taken and then I went to get another x-ray taken. I was not sick on that day so not much was done except interviews with the doctors and nurses and blood pressures taken in the morning, afternoon and in the evening. They even woke you at 5:00 in the morning to take the blood pressure regularly but I was told by the nurse, by right that should be done at 4:00 a.m. but as everyone would still be in deep slumber, they still had the mercy of not disturbing the patients.

My first visitors already came on the first day - my sisters and brother-in-law, my nieces and nephew, accompanied by their husband, wife and children. What they could see was someone healthy lying happily on the hospital bed - it was some sort of an unplanned holiday.

The doctor still suggested the surgery to be done and I had to agree with him for my own good. I thought of going home first and coming back to the ward the next morning but that idea was definitely a big "NO". So I just mingled around with other patients, got to know each other better, visited all the occupied beds and the theme of the conversation would revolved around the same thing: stones.

my first meals at the hospital

Everybody having the same problem was put together in this section of the hospital, unlike other wards where patients were put according to the different classes - the first class will be the most expensive ward to stay in. The situation was lively and as many of the people staying here were the elderly, they tend to speak loudly which I found amusing because you would never feel alone. The place was not scary at all as many people think that hospital should be haunted for many people die there. For someone who is not fussy about the food, the meals served were fine except they lack variety and quantity for some. I slept quite as early as 11:00 p.m. because there was nothing else I could do.



FRIDAY, 23rd JULY 2010

The ward started to come alive very early in the morning. At 6:00 a.m. people woke up and used the bathroom. Then the morning shift nurses came in and we got our new supply of oversized green hospital uniforms and dirty bedsheets and blankets changed. After that, breakfast started to come in. The same routine was repeated - there were more interviews with the doctors as they made their regular rounds in the ward and more blood pressures were taken.

This morning I started to get my antibiotics injection through the tube pierced on the back of my palm. The first time was okay but it was somewhat painful after that, and I was given three times of injection in one day.



Today, some patients were already allowed to go back home so there were quite a number of empty beds. After my sister had gone home, when I felt bored, I would walk down to the hospital foyer to watch the people there or just to see the items on sale at the kiosks. I read a bit, snapped some photographs and watched some television programmes before drifted off for the D-day. And I was supposed to fast starting from 12:00 a.m.

tea served on the second day

SATURDAY, 24th JULY 2010

Today was the day but I was mentally prepared, it was now or never. I would rather go through the short pain than suffer in a longer period of time later. Furthermore, you have to wait for a long queue to get this done in a government hospital unless you are wealthy enough to do it at a private hospital.

No breakfast for me this time but I started to receive saline water (if I am not mistaken) in drips so moving around was a bit uncomfortable. I slept a bit and at 9:15 a.m. I was called for the surgery. I had to change into a white gown which according to the nurse was too short (read: SEXY) or I was too tall. I was given half a blue pill that should make me drowsy and was pushed on a trolley to the operation theatre. (SCARY!)

Out of the blue, I met someone whom I knew, my ex-student who would also be the doctor who was going to anaesthetize me. Of all the place in this whole wide world, why must I see someone I knew at this place? And luckily he is a male doctor so I guess it was alright as I would be half-naked throughout the procedure but even if the doctor was a female, did I have any choice. After a short interview and a short chat with my ex-student, anaesthetic was jabbed into my back and then it happened. There was just no pain, there was no feeling at all. I was conscious and I could hear the music playing from the speakers overhead but was not sure what songs were on air, or at times there were the faint voices of the surgeons or the soft sounds produced by the machine. This was a minor surgery, so there was no cut at all and if you wonder how it was done then, go figure. And then, everything was over and I was pushed back to my ward. Thank God for that.

I was back on my bed by 11:30 a.m. and then a few visitors started arriving and going. When the anaesthetic started to lose its power, the pain could be felt so a painkiller jab was given. I had to stay in bed as my feet were still "not functioning" and a tube was attached to my urinary tract with a bag (filled with urine and blood) at the end of it. I just experienced a short effect of anaesthetic when I vomitted a bit then I could already eat and drink normally so the water drip was taken off. As I was confident enough to get back on my feet again at about 6:oo p.m. the nurse pulled the tube out (OUCH!) and I practised walking slowly.

Then only the worst nightmare began. When I urinated, it was blood that oozed out and it was VERY painful. I was told to drink more water but that would mean more visits to the bathroom and there would be more excruciating pain. It was bad because there would be blood stains on your pants which was beyond control. But for once, I had got it done and over with and I just could not wait for tomorrow to come.

SUNDAY, 25th JULY 2010

The last lunch

Up to this day, the urinating pain was still there but the doctor said that was normal and I was healthy and could be discharged very soon. Right after lunch, I was given the papers so I could go back home and the doctor said there was no need for me to come back for any check-up anymore but I did ask for an appointment with the hospital's dietitian so as to make sure the formation of stones could be prevented. According to the specialist, the probability of getting stones again is 50% within 5 years. Oh please, let this be the first and the last.

If you look at this picture carefully, the tiny two pieces of stone (compared to the size of a 5 sen coin) were the culprit that had caused the pain and misery in my life. But wait, I have something more interesting to show.

These are the stones extracted from other people's bodies on the same day of my surgery. So, just imagine their pain and suffering, if compared to mine.

All in all, my four days stay at the hospital was an eye opener. People in the ward were kind to each other regardless of the race and religion, and I was welcomed into our own group on the first day I arrived. I really admire the doctors, nurses and the medical staff at the ward because I wonder whether I would be able to perform as well as what they had done throughout my stay.

So I was given a few days medical leave to rest at home. When was the last time I took leave from school? But just pray that I will get well soon.

SPOT THE ERROR 1

To all the Malay Language speakers/learners, try to spot the error in this picture. Just to warm you up after the long silence.

I have abandoned the blog for a week already. One main reason, my PC at home is not working and I am waiting for a friend to come and help. Luckily, I still have my broadband and I am operating from the school's notebook but unluckily, this machine is also problematic in its own way. I had to go to a nearby cybercafe and post the pictures to my email for the fear of virus infection to my cameras' memory cards. It happened once, when I copied pictures direct from the camera and then transferred them into the hardisk, my camera went capoot and I had to get it fixed at a camera shop. Then only, from this notebook, I would get all the pictures from the email and upload them in the blog. But as I will be returning back to school really soon after one week of sick leave, things will be less complicated. Not to worry, once a blogger, always a blogger.

SUNDAY WAS SPELL-IT-RIGHT DAY

Last Sunday, I met four students of my school who were participating in the NST's Spell-It-Right Competition. We were there as early as 8:30 a.m. but the real thing started only at about 10:00. Actually, the students took their own initiative to find and complete the registration forms on their own. So what I did was to fax the letter to the organizer and accompany them througout the competition.

waiting for the registration

There were about 32 schools taking part which comprised of 128 students from the state of Johor. Spell-It-Right was actually a spelling bee competition and it was held annually. The winner of this level would represent the state at the national stage later in August.

lunch time

As our school was put in Group 7, our turn would be only after lunch. After observing the other contestants were being tested on stage, we happily gulped down the sponsored McDonald's meal.

the crossword and the food coupons I got as rewards

At the same time, we were lucky because we were seated next to the McDonald's booth which gave away handouts which contained short quiz, crossword puzzle and word maze. So the boys (and I) completed quite a few while waiting and watching the competition and we were rewarded with free McD's food coupons. We did use our time wisely.

waiting in agony?

they looked too happy to be on stage

Finally the boys were called up on stage. Unfortunately, the whole ended as early as it started. Only one of them managed to go to the second round of the competition but it was worth trying. Mind you, some of the words given to the students were quite difficult and honestly I myself would not be able to spell them correctly.

not winning but still making it on the front page of the newsaper

So the whle thing ended at about 5:00 p.m. The waiting was longer than the main thing but there were just too many schools taking part.

receiving the goodie bags and cetificates

It was really a long day indeed, the longest period of time I had ever spent in City Square. We felt tired but happy, especially the students with their certificates, goodie bags, McD food coupons, the experience and the opportunity to see other (beautiful) students from other schools.

LOOKING FOR AN ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT

A drowning man will clutch at a straw. The same goes with me. I was trying for an alternative treatment to my stone problem. This was the last resort with the hope that there would be no need for me to go through the minor surgery.

So I went off to Melaka, accompanied by Mr. Masrizal, to see this traditional practitioner that was discovered by words of mouth. We started our journey on Saturday morning, as early as 4:00 a.m. and arrived at our destination by 7:00 a.m. I took my number for my turn and surprisingly, despite arriving at that early hour in the morning, I got number 53.

There were many people waiting patiently outside the house. At the same time, you should not worry about getting hungry or thirsty because there are food stalls around. Patients should come with their water containers but there are people selling different sizes of plastic containers which makes things more convenient. There was even a stall set up which promoted eye drop products (or eyes' health related medication) for people to try while waiting.

My turn finally came and everything was over in less than 5 minutes. As for the payment, it was up to you how much you wanted to contribute. If you just wonder, how the stones looked like, compare the stones with 5 sen coin in the picture above. Hopefully those were the exact stones that were causing the pain and misery. And I need to go there again soon. Just wish me luck, lots of it!

PMR SEMINAR - SMK DATO' PENGGAWA BARAT

Another regular school visited for PMR seminar was SMK Dato' Penggawa Barat in Pontian. This school is recognized as the best school in Pontian district as the students are selected ones.

The school has a big hall. Desks and chairs were prepared and the sound system was good so the seminar could be conducted in a conducive manner. With that kind of facilities and audience, I could deliver longer speeches.

At times, after everything was over, the hosting school would present me with door gifts or souvenirs to take back home.

Thanks for the invitation (and the gifts too). I am yet to conduct another one at the same school for SPM soon.