MY 2-WEEK STAY IN THE FIRST CLASS WARD OF SULTANAH AMINAH HOSPITAL

This was the first class ward where I stayed from the 14th to 27th November 2017. I was eligible for the facility most probably because of my present grade as a government servant. At the same time, the first class ward only accommodates patients who are not seriously ill and do not require a doctor's supervision round the clock. For any emergency case, the doctor from the main ward will be summoned and that should take quite some time for the doctor to arrive.

I saw the doctor who supervised me once a day and other doctors would come to change the old drip tube and attach a new one, or to take the blood samples. The nurses were the ones who would regularly come to give medicines and antibiotics, take blood pressure and temperature regularly day and night.

I got a single room all to myself. More privacy and hence, I got all the rest I needed - in fact, I got more than enough, I had already planned to run away from the ward.

Thank god there was a TV set with one channel which could be viewed clearly. I watched all the programmes from morning until night - all the talk shows, cartoons, soaps and dramas.

I even had a balcony overlooking another hospital block.

The food was good, for someone who is not fussy about eating. I would have to remind people not to bring anything before visiting or else I would not be able to eat all the food.

This is the spot I used to carry a chair, sit for long hours and watched the sea (or sometimes read). It was near the lobby near the lift where it was warmer. There was some sort of development project going on on the ocean in front of the hospital, and what a relief, I did not have to stay and see a building being erected on the water.

That should be the longest stay ever in the hospital for me and pray, let that be the last one. The service was excellent and I had nothing to complain at all.

spot the patient

[Read about my first experience staying in a hospital ward HERE]

NOTE: photography is prohibited within the hospital compound. :)

SMKTUN's ANGKLUNG GROUP PERFORMING FOR ISKARNIVAL KOOL 2017

26th NOVEMBER 2017 ~ The Angklung Group of SMK Taman Universiti was invited to perform in Iskarnival Kool 2017 which was held at Puteri Harbour, Kota Iskandar. This should be the biggest event where we had the chance to perform so far and everybody was both excited and nervous.

I was contacted by Mr. Deric via Whatsapp a few months before and he discovered us from the videos I posted on Facebook. He first contacted me via Messenger for last year's event but I had not installed the apps yet. When Messenger was installed, I found his message, which was already too late but I still left my phone number. We were fortunate as Mr. Deric got back to me and we were already in the list of performers for the arts and culture event.

Unfortunately, the least predicted thing happened two weeks before the big day. I was warded as I was down with lung infection. I was quite sure I would be discharged after one week and that did not happen. The boys had to practice on their own for the last four meetings and there was not much I could do except get to know about their progress from my hospital bed. Nevertheless, I knew that they should have no problem performing as practice had been done starting from January this year.

There were many people watching even though we were given a slot from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. To make thing worse, it rained before that time so everything was delayed. They were performing in an open area so there were some issues with the sound system. And the platform/stage was quite small but they adapted well to the situation. 

All in all, they had done a great job and I was there to watch them perform when I "ran away" from the hospital ward during the visiting hours that Sunday evening. That was one moment I became a bad boy but I was truly happy to get to be there with them.

the promo poster

the conspirators

Congratulations to the Angklung Group members for a job well done, but I feel there is still a lot of room for improvement. I hope this should open more doors for better opportunities to perform in other events in the future.

I need also to thank some people for all the help given when I was not around - Pn Intan Badariah, Mr. Masrizal, Mr. Haiqal Johari (the senior ex-angklung group member) and Mr. Aster Smith (the angklung member who could not perform but was there to help until the last day). 

Thanks also to Mr. Rashid Jamaluddin who had gone along with my plan for the short escape from the hospital that evening.

As for Mr. Deric, thank your for giving us the chance to play for this event, and really hope to see you again some other time.

HOME SWEET HOME - AFTER 15 LONG DAYS IN THE HOSPITAL

I am finally home, after being warded for 15 long days in Sultanah Aminah Hospital.

Thanks a lot to every one for the well wishes and prayers, and thanks a lot for those who had spent the time to visit me while I was there.

I also need to thank to all the doctors, nurses and medical staff, as well as the non-medical staff (a.k.a cleaners) for the excellent service given - people at the emergency unit, Dahlia 2 ward, where I spent a night there and First Class Ward for the rest of my stay. I have nothing at all to complain.

Only God may repay all your kind deeds.

As for now, I guess I still need some rest before going back to work. I will have to take things easy at this initial stage, I supposed.

Read HERE if you want to know why I was warded. 

BLOGGING FROM SULTANAH AMINAH HOSPITAL

WARNING: photographing is prohibited in the hospital ward.

In chronological order

MONDAY 13th NOVEMBER:

4:00 p.m. I was referred to Hospital Sultanah Aminah by the doctor at Klinik Kesihatan [Government Health Clinic] Taman Universiti. From my x-ray, they found some/a little liquid in my left lung with white spots, which could be infection.

6.00 p.m. I was already at the Emergency counter at Sultanah Aminah Hospital. Once I surrendered my referral letter from the previous doctor with all other documents, I was immediately put in the Yellow Zone. Drip and oxygen were attached and then waited for the medical doctor to arrive. After the check up was done, I was declared I needed to be warded.

10.00 p.m. I was pushed in a wheelchair to Dahlia 2 Ward, and spent the night there.

TUESDAY 14th NOVEMBER:

7.00 p.m. I was transferred to First Class Ward.

SATURDAY 18th NOVEMBER: 
The doctor was unhappy as I still had fever, on and off. I went for another x-ray session and was given a different antibiotic which should be stronger and higher in quantity, through a drip.

SUNDAY 26th NOVEMBER:
The doctor instructed me to go for CT scan so as to make sure my lung is clean before being discharged.

MONDAY 27th NOVEMBER:

3:00 p.m. The moment I have been waiting for - the doctor told me I was free to go, with more antibiotic to consume for 3 weeks and would have to come back for another check up.

TOTAL DAYS SPENT IN THE WARD: 14 nights.

ALHAMDULILLAH... I am finally discharged from the hospital. And with that came the motivation to blog after being abandoned for two weeks.

VENTURING OUT TO MALINO AND FINDING TAKAPALA WATERFALLS

14th OCTOBER 2017 ~ My trip this time was like the pack-and-go kind of thing. I just read blogs of people who had been to Makassar and I had no specific itinerary, except just a few touristy places and food that I must try. Lucky enough I had booked the hotel earlier but I still had no guide or "supir" [driver]. To make matter worse, I could not see ant walk-in travel agent when I walking on the first day. One tourist guide I met at the museum the day before offered me a price which was definitely too expensive.

I also just found out on the morning of the second day there that Uber service was available in the city. I got an Uber to take me to Port Paotere and so happened he could drive me around anywhere which was three times cheaper than the first guide I met. Mr. Abdul Rahman officially became my driver cum guide during the remaining three days there.

We went to this place called Malino which should be a highland with lower temperature. The main attraction was Takapala Waterfalls.

There were good news and bad news. The good news: to get to the nearest point (without getting wet) one had to trek up and down stony paths. *sigh* The bad news: there was no bikini babe that could be found there as not many people were visiting the waterfalls at that time.

The waterfalls were smaller as it was hot season in Makassar when I was there. There should be more water cascading down the hill, according to the guide.

there were other tourists there too

Perhaps the best day to come is when you could take a dip in the water and enjoy the cool water down there. However, that is something that I will not do. I just hate the hassle of changing and the of carrying around wet attires with me.

[MY MAKASSAR TRIP MAIN PAGE]