We Almost Lost Him

Assalammualaikum.

Last weekend, as the month of May commences, my youngest brother had mild fever.

He had been having intermittent fever for the past one week, almost the same time I fell sick. However, his condition worsens on Sunday. He was very weak, but can still walk around the house, and even switched the computer on to play online game!

Then, he started sleeping from evening till night. Earlier in the morning, my mum brought him to the Emergency Department in Hosp Kajang because all other government clinics were closed (remember, it's Sunday). The doctor gave him a dengue surveillance card, pointing out that his platelet count was still within the normal range and so it was not dengue, just yet. The same day, at night, he was still very weak and so my mother decided to bring him back to the Emergency Department, and I encouraged it. Everybody will be sleeping at night, no one will realise if anything bad happen to my brother.

At around 11.30pm, my mother went out to the hospital with him.
I stayed back at home, sleeping.
Later, my mum called to inform me that my brother had a very low blood pressure but with a very high pulse rate.

One of the doctor "teased" my mum for bringing him back to the hospital too early, usually patients should only come back 24 hrs after the first visit.

Apparently (this is the story I got from my brother, parents and the history written on his medical report), my brother came in as a grade 2 green case emergency. Usually, emergency case is graded green, yellow and red. And he was in Green II. 1 hour later, he had a supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) or basically, it means his heart went haywire, contracting out of the normal rhythm due to abnormal electric conduction in his heart. His case went from Green II to Yellow then to Red.

My parents left him in the emergency room earlier, before he was attacked by an SVT, after which, my parents received a call from the hospital asking them to come. The attending doctor gave him a lot of anti-arrhythmic drugs (amiodarone, digoxin and adenosine) within the one hour. Basically, he had a cocktail of strong anti-arrhythmic drugs pumped into his 14 year old thin body in just one hour. According to him, he had 3 attacks that night. And when the drug was pumped into him, he felt his heart stopped for a while, he went unconscious for a second and then came back to life (this was his description).

When my parents arrived the A&;E dept the second time, after receiving a call from the hospital, he was already on ECG, with nasal oxygen tube and IV drip on him. I think that panicked my father off. He was then admitted to the Coronary Care Unit (CCU).

The next morning, I woke up like normal, to hear my father telling me that my brother was admitted and he had wires on his chest. And my mother was still in the hospital taking care of him. I was shocked and worried and thus drove to the hospital to see him and at the same time send the car to my mum. My brother looked very okay when I met him that morning, he was talking and moving like normal, despite the cardiac monitor attached to his chest, IV drip, dextrose and nasal oxygen tube attached all over him. Really, the sight terrified me.

The doctors did not know what happened to him that night, why did his heart went out of control.

And according to the doctor, had he not been brought to the emergency that night, and if he had those attacks at home, while of us were sleeping soundly, not realising anything happening to him, his heart could have failed. His heart may not be able to meet his body demand. And, it might had been too late once we discover him the next morning, Naudzubillah...

And now, I really feel like teasing back the doctor who teased my mum earlier for bringing my brother to the hospital "too early".

I thank God very very much for saving my brother's life

We almost lose him.
Thank you God.
Alhamdulillah.

As for now, he had been discharged after 5 days in the hospital.

I'm pretty sure as a boy he was very very bored in the hospital.
I went to the hospital everyday to visit and talk to him. Each time I had to leave him to go back home, my heart aches because he'll be left alone in the ward, knowing nobody there.

But thank God again, he's at home now. =)

-AkMaR-

http://ineffabledivineserenity.blogspot.com/

Friday
7th May 2010
11.57pm

Shocked

I looked at my time table this morning.
Then, I realised.
Oh! Exam is in 2 weeks time!!!
What more can I ask for?

He is Enough for Me

In MUET (Malaysian University English Test) speaking component, examinees will be given a topic and they're supposed to discuss on the topic, in a group.

For my exam, my topic was something like, where should we go to when we're in trouble. And I was supposed to answer "parents" (yeah, the question will give you the answer, you should just construct your own words and play along. Other examinees will get different answers, that was how the exam goes) 

The reason I gave was parents are definitely older than us and so, they know more things than we know, most of the time more than what we think they know. And so, going to them for moral support is very recommended because chances are, they went through this problem we're having in early 20s. 

I also said that going to peers are not well recommended, for the fact that peers are as inexperienced as we are. Peers might be having just the same problem we are having. In Malay language, there's a proverb, "bagai ketam mengajar anaknya berjalan lurus". Literally translated, it means "like a crab teaching it's kids(?) to walk straight". My own created English proverb: "A monkey teaching another monkey how to cook using a microwave oven".

That is precisely the reason why I am very grateful for my family. A very supportive parents, whom I know I can always fall back on when anything goes wrong. My mum said that's one of the reason I always do things blatantly, because I know I can fall back on them, morally. And I am pretty sure some if not many of us have a supportive family, I hope so.

But, what if the problem does not only inflict us as an individual?
What if it inflicted the whole family?
Say, the sickness of a family member, or worse, the death of a family member.

At that point, every member of that family has their own grief to attend to, despite having to be supportive to each other.
At this point, family members cannot afford to fall back onto their family for moral support, each and every one of them needs something to fall back on, no energy to support someone else.

Wanna hope for non family members?
Slim chance there will be anyone, unless you're blessed with caring, patient friends.  =)

"HasbiAllahu laa ilaaha illaa Huwa 'alayhi tawakkaltu wa Huwa Rabbul Arshil Adheem"

please please please read all the meanings in this post. they are very beautiful. I know some readers will tend to scroll down but, believe me, these meanings are worth reading, and knowing. And they really are not many of them. =)

Allah is sufficient for me. 

There is none worthy of worship but Him. I have placed my trust in Him. He is Lord of the Majestic Throne
And so, feel free to fall back on Him.
For He is always near to us. What we need to do is just pray to Him. Just pray to Him.

He promised, he'll be there for us.

"When My servant ask you concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them): I listen to the prayer of every supplicant when he calls on Me; let them also, with a will, listen to My call, and believe in Me: that they may walk in the right way" [2;186]"
He promised! Yes, He promised!
=)

And there's another promise, we will not be burdened more than what we can bear.
We will only be tested with bearable tests, those within our capabilities.

"Allah does not impose upon any soul a duty but to the extent of its ability" [2;286]

****A strong reminder to myself, and to friends out there. He promised, He'll be there for us. Any other being in this world can promise that? To be there whenever you need them? To be ready to listen to any of your cries? And to really really be there when you need them? ****

Sincerely from, 
-AkMaR-
http://nur-akmar.blogspot.com

Monday 3rd May 2010
10.25pm

New URL

Yeah, sorry...
I know this is kinda troubling but, I don't think I should stick with the url akmarr90.
It's too personal.

So, remember to change my url in your link list, if you have one.

Again, sorry for any inconvenience caused.
=)

-AkMaR-
http://ineffabledivineserenity.blogspot.com

Sunday 2nd May 2010
2.22pm

The Power of Love

A conversation between 2 little girls:

"What do you want to be when you grow big?"
"I want to be a nurse...."
"Ooohh, I want to be a doctor.."

At this point, the adults stopped listening,

"No, you cant. You have to become a nurse before you can be a doctor...."
"Really?"

And today (1st May 2010), is the wedding day of one of the girls.

I met her more than 10 years ago, when my first uncle received his first daughter.
She's my auntie's (my uncle's wife) niece.
At that time, I did not know how old was she, but I was about 6 or 7 years old.
I think she was of the same size with me, perhaps same age, or maybe a year or two older, or younger. I really can't remember.
And I've never seen her after that.
There was never an occasion where these our families met again. Maybe I did meet her, I just did not know that it was her.

And tonight, I attended her wedding.

And as all of you might be thinking, which of the girls was me.

I was the one who said I wanted to be a nurse, because a nurse will be promoted to become a doctor. 

I don't mind people laughing at me, I was in my pre-school! At least I know that doctors and nurses work together, and there is such a thing called promotion. =)

Mum told me last week that my "old friend" is getting married.
I was shocked, she couldn't be much older than me.
If she's not my age, she might just be a year or two older.
And she's getting married?
That's good news!
I remembered mum told me that her father is a doctor.
*I don't know why but I felt very acquainted as soon as I hear that her father is a doctor. Silly of me..*

And so tonight, I attended my "old friend"'s wedding, a very old friend that I don't even remember her name neither her face.

The wedding was not a huge one, only close friends and family were invited.
Nevertheless, it was grand.
The bride's house was a big bungalow.
One do not have to be smart to know that this doctor is not just any doctor, to own a house like this.
And I would say the family was a wealthy one.
The menu was mutton and fish. And the rice was served in a goat's abdomen.
Urrgh, I don't know how to describe it, it sounded gross now.
It wasn't gross, it was unique instead.


And then, I got to know that the bride is 23 years old, she IS a bit older than me.
But it is still considerably an early age to get married, relative to the culture now. We got to know that the bride had just graduated this year while the groom has started working. Perhaps he is a year or two older than his wife.
My mum praises the marriage however.
She IS into early marriages, or at least she does not oppose it.
According to her, it's the society that made it hard for a couple to get married.
The society made it in such a way that the couple must have a steady career, steady background, steady finance etc etc before getting married.
But, it is human nature that they want companionship.
Hence, young couples will get together, and some of them might just go the wrong way, to get companionship, without marriage.

"Why can't a couple go through their life together, getting stable together and achieving success together, married?" -quoted from, my mum.

Frankly, looking at the bride and groom, I felt a sudden rush of jealousy.
But jealousy, is not at all time bad, isn't it?
Just like fear can be a good motivation, *quoted* jealousy can also be a good motivation.
And don't ask me what kind of drive did it give me, I'd like to keep it to myself. =)
A jealousy without hoping the other party being inflicted with something bad, is a good jealousy.

Then there was a surprise performance.
The bride's elder brother sang for his newly-wed younger sister.
For me, that was a very sweet and pleasant gift from an elder brother.
Dush! Another rush of jealousy in me... *evil Akmar*

Mum said to me while looking at the newly-weds, "They have the whole life ahead of them, they have to go through everything that comes their way from now on, together". A wise saying from an experienced tough woman.

Going to a wedding of someone not so much older than me got me thinking.
Got me thinking a LOT.
And then, seeing my parents in the car, made me think even MORE.
What did I think about?
Again, I'd prefer keeping it to myself.
=)

What's the point of this post?
: To tell the whole world that I have just came back from a beautiful wedding.

I sincerely wish the new young married couple a happy, blissful and adventurous life ahead. Amin... =)

Why the title "The Power of Love"?
:The song was played in the wedding just now. And somehow I can't stop humming the chorus, it's stucked in my head. Might as well put it as the title. =)


-AkMaR-
http://akmarr90.blogspot.com


Saturday, 2nd May 2010.
12.30am

Viva Palestina Malaysia Charity Bazaar

Viva Palestina Malaysia is organising a charity bazaar in Bangsar Shopping Centre on the 8th and 9th May.
There will be clothes, handbags and household items for sale.
Food (nasi beriyani, nasi turki, nasi dagang, quiche and cakes) and also drinks to fulfil your appetite!
There will also be lots other activities eg face-painting, art competition, quiz and performances by artists.


Do come and visit the bazaar!
Have fun! =)


-AkMaR-
 http://akmarr90.blogspot.com

Saturday, 1st May 2010
12.34am