DONATING BLOOD FOR THE SECOND TIME THIS YEAR

After 90 days, it was time to carry out my social responsibility i.e. donating blood. I decided to go to the Hospital Sultanah Aminah Blood Bank this time.

GOOD NEWS: Instead of giving the snacks pack which contained biscuits, peanuts, mineral water and boxed drinks, donors are now given frozen food [either fried rice or spaghetti], a bun and a boxed drinks. One can heat up the frozen food in the microwave in the dining area and enjoy your food right after the donation session is completed. One can also make his/her own hot drinks. However, the donor is also allowed to take the tree items home.

AN EVENING AT THE HOSPITAL

21ST JUNE 2024 ~ I got to know Puan Sri Wahyuni was warded in Hospital Sultanah Aminah from someone's post on Facebook. I decided to pay her a visit after my lunch date with an ex-schoolmate at Plaza Angsana. Puan Sri was the lady cleaner who was in charge of cleaning my office in school regularly when I was in SMK Dato' Jaafar. I actually just met her and her husband at Giant Hypermarket on Sunday and I was shocked to know she was hospitalized. Let's pray Puan Sri would get well real soon.

While walking to the parking lot, I met two friends who are also retired husband-and-wife teachers, Mr. Nor Hashim Bahrin and Puan Zaini Md. Rais. They were on their way to visit someone too.

Then, two more people who were about to visit someone sick stopped me. They were Puan Aliah Hussein and Miss Rabiah, an ex-colleague and ex-student of SMK Taman Universiti, respectively.

I should be meeting only one person at the hospital but I was seeing more. It sure is a small world after all.

DONATING BLOOD AT THE HOSPITAL

31st JANUARY 2024 ~ I received a letter back in November 2023 from the Blood Donation Centre of Hospital Sultanah Aminah [HSA], informing me that they had sent my blood for random sampling and found that I belonged to Phenotype rare type group. Prior to that, I was asked to attend a counseling session at the hospital in January. That worried me a lot so I did some research on the Internet and asked two of my doctor friends what it was actually about.

When I went to the hospital for the supposedly counseling session, I was asked first to fill in blood donation form and the officer at the counter told me then only the doctor would explain about the condition I was having. 😉

It was not a counseling session after all but more of a consultation meeting. And I went to donate my blood after that.

I have O group blood but then could be the rare type. The doctor told me the hospital might contact me just in case they need me to donate some more for any emergency cases. I felt like I am a member of the X-Men already.

FOOTNOTE: if you donate blood during a campaign organized by NGO, you could get better goodie bags with more contents inside. 😀

CELEBRATING A FRIEND'S BIRTHDAY AT THE HOSPITAL

We were at the hospital today to celebrate a friend's birthday. We actually wanted to visit his mother who has been warded for 6 weeks and coincidentally, it was his birthday today so we might as well sing him the birthday song - in very low voices, but someone else was singing at a high pitch. He looked like he wanted to run away at that time from Sultanah Aminah Hospital.

Happy birthday Mr. Saravanan Palanisamy, many happy returns. And we wish his mother a speedy recovery at the same time.

THE VERY LAST VISIT TO THE HOSPITAL

It was time to visit Sultanah Aminah Hospital again for the regular check up. And the good news is that, it was my last trip to the clinic.

After taking the x-ray then I had to walk to the Chest Clinic to see doctor. The whole process took about 3 hours.

The day admitted into the ward: 13th November 2017.

The last appointment with the doctor: 12th March 2018.

After 5 long months, I am finally declared a healthy person (and ready to travel the world again).

Do I have anything to complain? NONE.

As a government servant, I did not have to pay a single cent and I am really grateful for that.

If you want to get the treatment and service from a government clinic or hospital, the most important things would be: do not be fussy and be patient, VERY patient, and everything would be alright.

Praying hard that I will not have to stay in the hospital again.

SULTANAH AMINAH HOSPITAL REVISITED

WARNING: Photography is prohibited within the hospital compound.

Today was the second medical check up I had to do at Sultanah Aminah Hospital after being released on 27th November. I was there as early as 8:10 a.m. and went to do the chest straightaway. There were not many people around so I did have to wait for long.

Once I got my x-ray film, I went to see the Chest Specialist at the other building. However this time, the queue was quite long and I only managed to see the doctor by 10.30 a.m.

I was ready to go back to school by 11:00 a.m. The doctor offered me a medical leave but I opted for a time slip for the excuse to get out of school for a few hours. The good news: my left lung was much healthier by comparing the first x-ray image taken in November and there was no more antibiotics to be taken *a big sigh of relief for no more (bitter) pills*. The bad news: I will have to come back here in 2 months for another x-ray and meet-the-doctor session. But I am not complaining.

A PHOTO ALBUM FROM THE WARD

A collection of photos taken during my stay at Sultanah Aminah Hospital from 13th - 27th November 2017.

Not everyone took photos when they came visiting though.

Thanks a lot for the time taken to be with me during my long stay in the ward. Your presence is very much appreciated.

"The greatest medicine is a true friend."

~ WILLIAM TEMPLE ~

"To be human is to have a collection of memories that tells you

who you are and how you get there"

~ ROSECRANS BALDWIN ~

[NOTE: Photography is prohibited within the hospital compound. However, I was staying in a single room which was in a good condition and there was nothing to criticize so I guess it is alright.]