First deployment to the CCU

This week has been quite good to me despite how I might have perceived it to be. I believe it is important to have regular checks on your mood roller coasters and reflect on your feelings, actions and words, because sometimes what we feel may not be legitimate. Feelings can be real but they might not be appropriate.

Very recently, I had the opportunity to work a day in the Coronary Care Unit. I am still quite a junior nurse so there should be many more "first times" ahead in this career; every day is a time to learn new things. Anyway, the CCU was short on staffing during my shift so I volunteered to help out when my charge nurse was planning the day's staff assignments. I went over, expecting relative easier work; as it is an unspoken common courtesy to assign simpler tasks to deployed staff, after all I do belong to a different unit though still the same department; not to complain but I ended up extubating one of my patients, discharging another to a general ward, and even admitted a man who just had a heart attack and surgical intervention. Honestly, I did have a good time.

Happy to realise how far I have come in intensive care nursing! A few months ago I would not dare work in a less-familiar environment without the assurance of observation and guidance by nurturing seniors, what more volunteer to work in a different ward?
This deployment may not be some great accomplishment but it meant something to me.

Cheers!
 

My few words on GE13

We are living in exciting times as polls are nearing. I have been given hope and I have been disgusted as well; by both sides of the political divide. I believe that it is beneficial to the country and its citizens if the ruling government and its opposition counterpart were to receive near-to-even support from the voters. Therefore neither side would dare to do anything stupid due to the high risk of losing power. The fact is, people should not fear the government but the other way round, because the people who choose a government also possess the power to change it.

I have my own preferences as to which side should form government through this general election, but I would not want the other side to totally collapse. Both coalitions need to do a lot of "spring cleaning" and sort things out among themselves in order to serve the nation better and bring Malaysia to higher heights. In my humble opinion, both sides need to check and critique each other so that nobody becomes too arrogant and everything could be more transparent. It is never healthy for any government to be too strong.

Needless to say, I care about who wins in the 13th General Election but I care more about the winner winning by proper means because a fair electoral system is fundamental to any democratic society. And for a better democratic society, voters ought to stop casting their votes blindly. Time to start giving our support based on good judgment of the candidates' characters and careful review of their parties' plans for the nation.

Again I say, I do not wish to see either side of the political divide lose too badly because the truth is they need each other.

Addicted to worrying

3 years ago, I was constantly worried about my college application being rejected.

Less than 3 years ago, upon having begun my dream course at my desired institution of education, I constantly worried about failing to attain a scholarship.

After being rewarded a scholarship by my preferred hospital, I worried about not saving up enough in order to quickly pay off my study loans upon graduating.

Today, I have the privilege of working in an intensive care unit, which was what I had been praying for since Year 2. However, throughout my posting I had been so worried about not meeting the standards required in order to be recruited by the unit; so preoccupied with such fears that my attention at work became affected.

Mankind, so faithless and forgetful of grace.
We need to learn to relax; or has it been just me?

Foto Friday

Perhaps not every one of us will become nurses, 

but one thing is for sure:

We're all gonna say goodbye soon. 

This is just a 3-year course; 

each came with a reason (I hope) 

and all have various goals. 

To a meaningful future! 

Go create better tomorrows.

Foto Friday

That ring, a simple thing-
it means only death shall make us part.
So small; bearing such significance.

Will I be worthy of putting on that ring for you?
A real man- no less than what it takes.
A lifetime commitment- no more than what you require.

Whoever you may be.

My Bersih 3.0 experience

Across the causeway, I started making my way to Johore Baru alone on the eve of Duduk Bantah Bersih 3.0, on foot, with some help by a printed image from Google Maps. My journey from Singapore began at around 5 o'clock. Why so early? This is because I was unsure of how the situation would be like; people were disallowed from entering Kuala Lumpur on July 9 last year, so... Why walk? From JB Sentral, all the way to Dataran Bandaraya whilst looking at a little map, because I had never been to the place before. With on my back only a pouch, DSLR body and two simple lenses, there I went walking in excitement.

By the time I reached my destination it was already dark, at least I had the pleasure to enjoy an amazing view of the evening sky on the way. Dataran Bandaraya was quiet and empty except for a few local hawkers selling dinner and supper just outside(I assume they do their businesses there every night). Was not interested in their food, I went exploring the area since I had already travelled this far. Sat down in a 24-hour Mamak shop nearby for some dinner and rest, partly because Lee Chong Wei was playing(and he won, by the way) in a badminton match which aired live on Astro. After that I tried entering a hotel just behind Dataran Bandaraya. Managed to wash up and rested on one of their sofas for the night. Please do not ask me how I bathed! In the end I was hinted to leave by a staff at about 4 o'clock in the morning, I then washed up again before going back to the Mamak shop for a drink. Then it was all walking back and forth between the shop and the rally venue for the next few hours- until my uncle, cousin and friends reached Johore Baru. They picked me up to grab some lunch.

Under the scorching heat, we joined with some fellow participants who were at a junction between Jalan Sungai Chat and Jalan Skudai, where we then waited as more gathered. Holding up homemade banners and punching fists into the air, we cheered together and many who drove along the main road honked in support. Everyone was getting warmed up for what was about to take place. The numbers grew, it was time to march to Dataran Bandaraya; and we did so enthusiastically, chanting "Bersih!"

It was when we reached Dataran Bandaraya that I realised we were only probably one-third of the whole crowd, many had already gathered at the rally point. I am incapable of describing with words how it felt to be among so many fellow Malaysians physically present to demand for clean and fair elections. The atmosphere was so delightful that I had long forgotten how exhausted I was from all the walking as well as lack of sleep. The gathering was rather peaceful, thanks to the cooperation between our organisers and police personnel. I am proud and confident in saying this: There was no act of violence or provocation. Well, some sort of football tournament was ongoing at the same venue since morning though. And I must say, seeing a rock band perform at a football or any other sporting event was definitely something new for me. I was amused by how the volume on their public announcement system seemed to increase as our cheering and chanting got louder. Certainly spoilers. Never mind not supporting Bersih, never mind refusing to tune down, heck, never mind singing and screaming to a bunch of football players or else into the air; but I could not tolerate it when they carried on with their music as we sang Negaraku. Any sensible person ought to know to respect a national anthem, no less his or her own country's. Shame on those who disrespected Negaraku. Nevertheless I decided not to take pictures of the band members, for their own sakes.

Duduk Bantah carried on with the sounds of our supporting cheers and disturbing live music in the air. Personally I did not mind the music too much as I could hear the speeches. On a side note, if I were organising such a rally to protest against dirty elections, I would brief my leaders and colleagues to be careful with their words. Not to shout out anything anti-government lest anybody claim the rally to be hijacked by the opposition. This is just my humble opinion: Organisers and participants need to be clearly about what they are rallying for. Ideally, Bersih, just as the Election Commission, is supposed to be apolitical. Anyway I was happy we had a peaceful crowd that made a peaceful rally.

Rubbish bags were distributed at the end of the JB Bersih 3.0 rally. By the way, the live music was still on, the lead singer must have had a very powerful voice; that could make him a potential politician or protest organiser one day. Well, I was more impressed to see both Bersih organisers and supporters alike, picking up trash while taking pictures together before leaving the venue. To clean up the place as we demanded for the EC to clean up the electoral roll, it was that symbolic to me. So we collected rubbish into the black plastic bags provided before adjourning from the area; okay, to be honest I did not pick up much as I was busy taking pictures.

The day ended with some coconut juice before my uncle, cousin and friends headed back to Kluang. I then went to wait for a bus to take me to somewhere near the Johore Baru customs complex; having been told that there were such buses. However, to a pleasant surprise, I bumped into the event organisers. Another round of coconut juice! It was such an honour to be seated at the same table with these people- a group of committed Malaysians doing this for my generation and my children's generation. I was encouraged and blessed. And they were so kind to give me a ride to where I needed to go to.

28 April 2012. The day I stood up straight and sang the National Anthem with utmost pride. The day I sat down in protest against unfair elections. And I was not alone. It was a reminder and encouragement that age and race are not a hindrance towards fighting for a better Malaysia.

What a day!

Joya's photos?

In the middle of the night. Struggling to focus on studying for a little test that is about to take place the next day(today), I find myself browsing through the photographs I have taken. And I find myself asking, "Erm, did I take this? Yeeew, did I take that?"

Looking at mainly the exposures, then cropping, then colours. I wonder if I should take down some of the photos that are currently available at Joya Photography's blog and Facebook page.

Nevertheless all these could mean that I am better at what I do now, maybe. Please feel free to leave comments on some of my photos, would seriously appreciate your feedback.