Selamat Hari Raya

Dah sampai masanya untuk Raya .... terkenang zaman sekolah dulu, beraya sakan, dari pagi sampai ke senja. Ke hulu ke hilir naik bas dan berjalan kaki visit semua classmate. I learnt a lot regarding Malay customs from these visits. Enabled me to see up close (and feel) the true spirit of Raya.

Selamat Hari Raya to all my friends, colleagues, ex students, ex teachers and patients. I would also like to dedicate this post to all healthcare workers out there who have to sacrifice their Raya, providing service to the sick and needy. You, are the true heroes of Raya!

Thank me ... ?

My patients and their spouses are probably trying to be nice but God ... I feel so small when they thank me after giving birth.

I mean, here is a woman who goes through the whole pregnancy, sometimes understood, sometimes not (by her husband and colleagues) .... goes through the pain of labour ... summons up all her energy and brings out a beautiful baby..... and she thanks me for everything.

I feel that the mother deserves a whole lot more than the doctor!

Taking Vitamins during pregnancy DOES NOT make your unborn baby large

Vitamins and supplements are essential for the pregnant mother. The World Health Organization recommends routine iron supplementation in pregnant mothers. Vitamins belong to a DIFFERENT CLASS of food altogether. There are carbohydrates, fat, protein, fibre, water and there are vitamins. Vitamins do not have CALORIES!

So, the common notion that 'taking vitamins during pregnancy makes my baby large' is illogical and not supported by evidence.

You may get a large baby if its in your genes, you develop diabetes in pregnancy, develop excessive weight gain due to excessive carbohydrate intake or the baby itself is abnormal. Your baby also tends to be larger due to sedentary lifestyle during pregnancy, higher social class and increasing parity (i.e. 2nd babies are larger than 1st ones, 3rd babies larger than the 2nd and so on).

Hati Hati bila dengar Nasihat Kawan

Sila amati senario ini:

Pn M, seorang wanita berumur 48 tahun, mengadu perut semakin buncit, haid makin lewat dan sering tidur tidak lena. Setelah pemeriksaan dan kaunseling menyeluruh pada bulan Mei 2010, Pn M telah diberi Hormone Therapy (HT). Ini mengambil kira aspek-aspek seperti:
a) Dia masih aktif bekerja dan memerlukan tenaga
b) HT dapat memelihara keutuhan alat kelamin dan membantu dalam hubungan kelamin
c) Dia tiada sejarah kanser payudara
d) Dia tidak menghidap penyakit jantung, darah tinggi atau diabetes
e) Dia tidak pernah mengalami masalah hati (liver disease) atau darah tersumbat (DVT)
f) Pengambilan HT dapat memulihkan edaran haid
g) Pengambilan HT juga dapat mengelakkan masalah perut kembung yang biasanya disebabkan migrasi (pemindahan) lemak dari anggota badan ke kawasan abdomen yang disebabkan oleh kekurangan hormon
h) Puan M sangat kurus dan berisiko tinggi untuk mengalami osteoporosis

Pn M kembali berjumpa saya hari ini. Keluhannya masih sama. Darah haid tidak datang-datang .... anda tahu kenapa? Kerana ada seorang kenalan beliau yang telah menasihatkan bahawa pengambilan HT boleh menyebabkan 'pelbagai masalah' (tapi si kawan tu pun tak sure amende 'masalah' yang dimaksudkan tu) di masa hadapan. Dan si kawan yang amat prihatin ni pun tak pernah mencuba HT sebelum ini.

Ha, akhirnya siapa yang rugi? Inilah akibatnya bila meminta nasihat orang yang tidak bertauliah. Saya pun kurang faham mengapa di dunia ini ada manusia yang suka memberi nasihat di luar bidangnya. Saya yang bertaraf doktor ni pun kadang-kadang enggan memberi pendapat apabila perkara yang diajukan itu di luar bidang saya (masalah tulang, mata dsbnya).

Dan sekarang bila Pn M datang dengan masalahnya yang masih tak selesai, si kawan yang memberi nasihat itu:
a) Tidak menanggung / menderita seperti Pn M
b) Tidak memberi sebarang pertolongan dari segi emosi mahupun kewangan
c) Langsung tidak sedar / insaf atas kesan/akibat nasihatnya itu

Harap dapat renungkan bersama.

Selamat Hari Raya

My sincere Hari Raya Aidilfitri wishes to all my Muslim brothers, sisters and friends.

It is truly a time for reflection, forgiveness and celebration. On the topic of reflection, I cant help but compare the death toll from Ops Sikap XX versus H1N1. There was so much hoo ha regarding the latter. Everyone (almost) was scared for a moment. Sadly, the public does not exercise the same level of alertness and diligence in combating road traffic accident related deaths.

On the topic of forgiveness, allow me to use this opportunity to seek forgiveness for all those unpleasant things I may have done over the past one year.

The celebration? Well, here's one story worth celebrating .....

A 48 year old lady conceives her first child spontaneously after 8 years of marriage. She is due only in mid-October. She came to the hospital just before midnight yesterday. Examination revealed that she was in labour but the fetus was underweight (<2.5kg) and slightly premature. The conditions were favourable for a normal delivery. My midwife was not too amused. " 48 years old, got pregnant after 8 years, better C-Section", she mumbled as I left the labour room. I didn't want to hear that negative remark anymore....

I took a walk outside the hospital, reflecting on all those evidence that says 'being mature' is not an indication for a C-Section. And deep in my heart, I wanted to give her the chance to deliver vaginally.

Half an hour later, the phone rang. "Dr! You kat mana?!", the voice cracked. I rushed back in and reached just in time as she began to bear down. Alas, the first "Raya" baby was born soon after. As I reviewed the mother this morning, I realized she had been cool and composed all along. A new meaning to the word 'mature' perhaps? He He

Waktu Rawatan Pakar Wanita Suria (Consultation Hours)

Here we go again .... need to change my consultation hours again!

Effective October 1st, for SURIA, its 2pm-10pm Sunday to friday. Closed on Saturday.

For Mawar, its 9am to 1pm, Monday to Friday.

I shall be available 24hours thru Salam & Mawar.

Prefer appointments because sometimes .... I do close the clinic when there are no appointments :-)

Adoption

I received a phone call recently:

Caller: "Dr! I'm Mrs X's niece! Remember? You helped her deliver?"

Me: "Yes, go on."

Caller: "Well, we've given away the child for adoption. And the adoptive parents would like to meet you to make sure the child is completely ok"

Me: "What?!" (Not believing such people exist)

Caller: (Repeats the request)

Me: "Well, I suggest that they go see a Paediatrician"

Caller: "What?!" (Perhaps not believing that I would actually refuse)

Me: "Yes, you heard me right. Go see a paediatrician"

Well, there you are.... This is how some people view adoption - as if the baby is some 'commodity' that has to be checked for defects. Forgive me for lashing out but I suppose this is what happens when the biological parents and adoptive parents refuse to meet in person. And I sometimes doubt the sincerity of those who wish to take a child for adoption.

I have heard of couples paying thousands of ringgit to 'agents' to get a baby for adoption. And some have related how they got conned and returned home empty handed.

Hey!

You can't buy babies! You are BLESSED with them.

Even if they are not your own. Even if you pay.

Get it? Don't? I rest my case....