My Undesirable Experience with BP Lab Damansara Utama

Since everyone said that performing regular blood test is one of the ways to monitor our health, I decided to perform one as the most recent blood test I did was 3 years ago in Damansara Specialist Centre.

I ended up performing my blood test at BP Lab in Damansara Utama branch 4 days ago. The only reason I picked this branch was because it is the nearest diagnostic centre from my house. I discovered later that when it comes to picking a good diagnostic centre, proximity should not become the main consideration. Instead, the quality of the service rendered should be the priority.

I arrived at the diagnostic centre at 8:30am. There were already 8 or 9 people in front of me. By the time my blood specimen was taken, it was already 10:30 am. I was strongly recommended to consider a RM 1300 health screen package but I declined politely and opted for a RM400 package instead. I noticed the lab officers seems cold and uncoordinated. However, I just shrugged it off as I believed the year end crowd was the cause of their sluggishness. (Malaysia are known to rush for their blood test during this time of the year in order for them to fully utilize their company yearly health welfare, and also to enjoy income tax rebate).

4 days passed and it was new year's eve. Bernard and I went to pick up the result. We arrived at 12pm and were delighted that there was no customer around. The 3 staffs on duty were the same people I met during my blood test. This was when my horror experience began:

Firstly, it took them quite a while to go through their files to locate my report.

Secondly, when they finally passed me my report, I was told if I wanted to meet a doctor for explanation of my result, I have to come back at 3pm or make another appointment on some other days. Since we already have plan for that afternoon, I decided to schedule the appointment on the following week. To my surprise, I was told that the doctor was already fully booked for the whole of January. I then requested to set the appointment on the earliest available date in February. I was then told that they could not arrange that and wanted me to called again end of January ( What is there to prevent the same thing from occuring again in end of January? i.e the whole February is again already fully booked ). Bernard asked this, but their response was a plain " I can't do anything about it". Another staff suggested us to go to Kepong branch for a doctor's consultation. I asked will the same thing happen in Kepong's branch? They said they don't know and I have to call to make my own arrangement.  All right, to make thing easy, we changed our plan and decided to 'catch' the doctor at 3pm. To me, it did not make sense to wait for more than a month to get a doctor to explain to me the results.

Thirdly, when I went back to the lab sharp on the dot at 3pm, there were again no customer. I told the same officer I wanted to see the doctor for result explanation. She asked me to press a number and wait. Why should I press for number when there was no one at the waiting hall? I asked in my heart curiuosly but obeyed her instruction. My number was 4003. The electronic board displaying the number of queue was showing 0000.

I waited and waited as I thought the doctor has not arrived yet.  By 3:40 pm, another couple came in. They waited for about 10 mins before another officer (which we have not met before) appeared and informed them that they can see the doctor at 4pm. Bernard who was all the while waiting patiently with me quickly stood up and asked the new officer if the doctor was in, and if he was in why hasn't he attended to us?

The officer looked puzzle and asked her colleague (the officer who attended to us earlier, who was sitting in front of us all the while). She took a peep at us and her jaw dropped. OH MY GOD, we were invisible for the past 50 minutes, even though we were the only customer and we were sitting right in front of her big round face! In addition, we even made 2 trips, passing by the 3 officers to go to the toilet during our long wait.

My blood instantly boiled and asked her :"So you did not inform the doctor earlier?"

With no expression, she said: " Sorry loh." and continue to do her 'CEO paper work'.

I became puzzled thinking what was the number for? At that moment I looked up at the electronic board, it was already switched off. So, they were already prepared to go home and maybe would have locked us in for the New Year Holiday had we not opened our mouth. Bernard and I pinched each other to check if we were dreaming.

We went in to see the doctor and the session was over in less than 2 minutes. Both of us thank the doctor and walked straight out from the lab without even looking at the staffs, as I feared I might do something extreme to harm her, if I looked at her face one more time.

So, if you want a decent service, go somewhere else. There are better diagnostic centres, be it some other BP branches or another service providers.

BP Lab Damansara Utama, Petaling Jaya

Big round face looking very busy

Big round face, still so busy ......

My 4-day-old bruise. I would not have noticed it so much if I did not have so much time waiting.

Giuliana and Bill

昨晚是Giuliana and Bill 真人秀第二季的最后一集了。
我和面包超人在每个星期三的10:20 pm 一定守着Diva Channel。
我们喜欢看他们从头到尾的自然坦荡，
丝毫没有像其他真人秀般总是要刻意制造效果的感觉。

昨天Giuliana进行第二次的试管婴儿。
他们聘用了全美数一数二的不孕专科医生，
花了很多钱, 也经历了一连串生理和精神上的折磨。

不是说先苦后甜吗？
一切看似理所当然会怀上的时候，
结果还是失败。

Giuliana 说她曾经后悔过把自己求孕的过程赤裸裸地呈现在电视上，
不过也庆幸自己的决定让更多人知道不孕是可以公开谈论的，
也让更多不孕者知道他们不是被社会孤立的族群。

结束之前，这两夫妇说：“这是人生，不是电视剧或电影，它未必是大团圆结局。在属于我们的人生里，我们只能确保，我们已经尽力地过得很好。”

节目完毕后我忽然觉得头很痛，
也很想呕。

面包超人问我是不是感冒了？
我不知道。

我的猜想是自己脆弱的潜意识被触动了。
明明以为自己已经调好了的心态和情绪，
不小心地起了一些涟漪。

在太阳穴涂了点万京油，带着头痛入睡。
今早醒来，头还是痛的。

本来无一物，
何处惹尘埃。

边缘人

后天是圣诞节。
明天会回面包超人的家乡，双溪大年,
与他的家人一起过节。

像往常一样，
圣诞夜我们会到天主教堂做礼拜。
圣诞节当天则会陪家人吃饭和交换礼物。

也藉此机会相约了另一位已有两个孩子的好朋友，
一起前往探望刚在几个月前生了宝宝的另一位好朋友。

约会还未来临，
我已经有先入为主的想象（我知道这是不对的），
知道大家又会带着自己的孩子，
然后问我几时要生孩子，
或者安慰我一定会有自己的孩子的。

身体的状况我已经交待了很多次，
对于生孩子的意愿也说了好几回。
不过大家每次都好像没有其他的话题，
除了讲孩子经，
就好像没有其他东西讲了。

你们对我的关心和鼓励，
我非常感谢。
也请你们相信，
当我说没有小孩并不影响我生命的完美的时候，
我是真的这么想的。

最怕那种同情的眼神，
好像如果没有小孩，
女人就不能在家庭和社会立足。

也怕那种不讲孩子经就没有话讲的冷场，
彼此尴尬相对的感觉。

最最怕孩子在你我的身边钻进钻出，
把我们谈话的节奏不断打断，
害我们一直必须重复：“刚才讲到哪里了？”

有时，
我会暗暗地同情你，
帮你带孩子，
让你可以安心把食物好好吃完。

偷偷告诉你，
无论我多么希望有自己的小孩，
每次帮你们带孩子后，
我都会暗地里叫自己要好好珍惜没有孩子的自我和自由。

站在有小孩的朋友堆里，
坚固的友情虽然没有改变，
但是我已经不知不觉成为一名边缘人，
不知如何脱围。

如果有一天，
我有幸升格为人母，
我希望我会记得今天自己的感受，
不要让没有小孩的朋友变成边缘人。

那时，你们的孩子可能已经长大了。
如果我的举动让你们感觉到自己像边缘人，
你们一定要提醒我说过这句话喔！

Letter to Myself

Dear myself of 2011,

Perhaps it is too early to write a new year resolution since 1 Jan is still more than 2 weeks away. However, when you feel like writing something down, you better do so, otherwise the idea will just vanish into thin air, and it will be gone forever.

I have been doing a lot of thinking this year as I have more time to myself ever since I decided to give up a demanding full time job. By choosing suitable jobs on project basis, my financial growth has been a slower one (but this does not mean that I was making a lot of money before this!). I would like to express my gratitude to my beloved husband, who has supported me all this while, without grievances, not even once. Although to him, taking care of his wife is the natural duty of a husband, it is still not a common scene in today's society, especially when in most of the family, both husband and wife need to work just to maintain the basic expenses of the family.   Here, I wish that his generousity and compassion will bring him more prosperity in the coming years.

In terms of physical health, I feel heathier and fitter. Hiking up a hill or jogging for 4-5 km is no longer something difficult. For this, I thank myself for committing diligently to the frequent cardio and yoga practice. This year, home cook food has been a routine. Although not yet a full time vegetarian, I have managed to cut down the intake of meat tremendously. A fact worth celebrating is I have also not layed a finger on any fast food (McD, KFC, Burger King ......) for one whole year.  Even though it is still a long way for me to recover from hormonal imbalance, but I have managed to shed off a few kilos compared to those days when I constantly put on at least 1 kg on monthly basis, despite eating very small portion of meal and regular exercise.

All this while, I have been telling people that I am a Buddhist and I share buddha's teaching verbally whenever there is a discussion about religion. However, Buddha's teaching remains superficial when it comes to daily application in my life. This year, I have been analysing and exploring. Finally I realize that my life would have been easier especially in handling the ups and downs of emotion and stress if I had complained less and sincerely practise Buddha's teaching in life. 

So, I would like to make a wish here to practise Buddha's wisdom in my daily life from now onwards. Buddha is not God. His duty is not to create or to watch your actions and punish you when you did something wrong. What is right or wrong would be simply guarded by the universal law of karma. So, you are the person who are responsible to watch over your own actions. It is not Buddha's duty to watch, to punish or to compliment you. Buddha only passed down his everlasting wisdom that help you to mitigate your sufferings in life. 

To feel happiness and content, there is no other way than practicing random acts of kindness. When you give, you get; when you demand, you destroy.

Don't look back or look forward, live life at the moment.

Life is what's happening when we are busy making other plans.

Spiritual health and physical health are interrelated. Thus, your mind affects your body.

This year is about recuperating, thinking and clarifying thoughts. The brand new year will be about execution.

But remember, you can create but you cannot control. Do your best and accept the outcomes.

Ready? Just go!

Happy New Year.

Yours sincerely,

Myself of 2010

  

献给为人父母的朋友们

昨天跟几位大学朋友相聚。

大朋友生了小朋友，
所以同桌的还有5位年龄介于2-5岁的小孩子。

人一到齐，
我就知道这一场老友相聚
会在小朋友的喧闹声渡过。

现代的孩子们非常好动，
小小的影子窜满整个餐厅。
你追我，我追你，
好不开心。

当然，更多的时候是我捶你，你捶我，
高贝分的哭啼声
犹如通过扩音器般地传满整个餐厅。

端盘子的侍应更得小心翼翼施展十八般武艺
以避免与窜跑的小客人发生碰撞。
如果不小心撞到这些王子和公主们，
即使跳进恒河一百次，
罪名也洗不掉。

父母们虽然一心一意地想跟朋友叙旧，
可是眼睛却得无时无刻地盯住好动的心肝宝贝。
“不要跑，不要这样，不可以那样，要让弟弟，听到没有。。。。。。”
喊话无效，干脆离开座位跟着小孩跑，捉小孩。。。。。。

下订单叫的食物都是小孩子爱吃的。
不赏脸的孩子们尝了几口后，
就开始玩起食物来。
A掺B，C混D，
试图混出本世纪最有创意的食谱。
父母们一边喊骂，一边把创意食谱吞咽掉。

孩子们爱吃的就是父母们必需吃的，
对于父母自己真正爱吃的是什么，
已经不再重要。

整个饭局磨掉了3个多小时。
当小孩们累得睡着时，
父母也已经精疲力尽。
过程中，
大人们之间的真正互动又到底有多少？

对于没有小孩的我，
他们的心情，
我没有办法体会。
可是他们的累，
我全都看在眼里。

他们对家庭的付出和牺牲，
我五体投地地佩服。

他们‘无我’的精神
更是我没有办法做到的。

当然他们的喜悦和满足感
也是我没有福分感受到的。

当我愉快地跟我的‘宁静’与‘自由’一起过日子的同时，
希望他们的王子公主们快点长大，
然后把‘自在’和‘洒脱’还给父母。

借此机会，
我在此向全天下的父母致敬。

牛顿的能量守恒定律

鼻窦炎又来访了。这顽固的病魔最近的一次来访是半年前，在我出发去纽西兰背包旅行的前三天。当时抱病去旅游，飞到墨尔本的时候已经近乎一条死鱼，头昏脑涨，只差没有语无伦次。好玩和不认命的心态是我唯一的赌注。还好，飞到纽西兰后，在那片人间天堂纯净空气的庇护下，我赌赢了。

这次我没有机会飞到纽西兰感受奇迹的洗涤，只好选择窝在家里休息养病。在家休养的两天期间，我对什么食物都没有胃口，只想吃Canton-i 的艇仔粥。面包超人二话不说把我带到Sunway Pyramid 的分行，以满足我的心愿。我慢慢地吃完那碗可口的粥，心里的幸福感悠然升起，病情也好像比较缓和了。

吃完后，走出餐厅，就被一位推广服务的男生截住。本来以为又是什么信用卡，投资基金或是什么神奇产品的推销活动。谁知那是一项购物广场为灵市某孤儿院和残障中心所推广的慈善活动, 取名为Love is a Verb。好一项有意义的‘化爱为行动’的活动。
柜台旁的圣诞树挂满了五颜六色的彩球，每个彩球上都写了孤儿和残障人士的愿望。有心人士可以依个人的能力来兑现彩球上的各种愿望。

人家给你机会做慈善，我们应该心存感恩。我随手选了一粒彩球。那是Gabriel Samuel ，一名六岁孤儿的愿望彩球。他想要得到Chelsea足球队的手表或钥匙圈。这个愿望对我们来讲是能力上办得到的事情。在柜台登记‘领养’了这个愿望后，我们就去寻找适合的礼物。

本来以为这是一项容易的差事，但是我们走了好久都没有看到相关的产品。我的鼻子也开始因为人潮熙攘的浊气而感到不适，不断地流鼻水和打喷嚏。喉咙的疼痛开始加剧；头痛和发烧也一拼而来的。面包超人看到我的双眼敏感得‘热泪’满眶，建议我们先回家，礼物下次再找。可是做事一向喜欢一气呵成的我却觉得应该再找下去。

结果皇天不负有心人，我们终于在一个卖足球联赛纪念品的摊子找到了一枚适合小孩穿戴的手表。过后又到礼品店买了个银色铁盒和彩色袋子，才告任务完成。

这时，我的身体状况已经不行了，只好找了一家咖啡馆歇一歇，顺便包礼物（其实，柜台人员说过礼物可以不用包，可是我们觉得小孩收到有包装的礼物会比较开心）。喝下了一杯加了柠檬片的热水，我的心也因为可以为一位没有父母的小孩圆梦而温暖了起来。

（当时头昏脑涨，照片都拍得不是很好）

虽然找礼物的过程把我身体的能量降到最低，但是如果根据牛顿的能量守恒定律（Sistem Keabadian Tenaga) 来说，我失去的能量其实已经转换了给Gabriel。虽然与他素面未谋，我们还是希望他会喜欢这份礼物，当个开心又守时的好孩子！

十二月

踏入十二月份了，
佳节气氛渐渐浓郁。
大人的工作慢慢放松了下来，
小孩欢愉地渡过漫长的学校假期。

好几个星期了，自己的心情一直处在谷底。
平常跟我讲话的人不会察觉到；
跟我住在一起的那个人知道，
但是不知道怎样面对，所以装作不知道。
也好，人家知道了也帮不了你。

身体的问题，事业的问题，种种的问题。。。。。。
其实，
如果心情好，
什么问题都不是问题。
心情不好，
不是问题的都变成问题。

幸好，坏心情就如乌云，
一定会有被驱散的一天。

我在观察自己的起心动念，
不要被乌云带着飘。

它今天不散，不代表明天也不散，
它明天不散，也不代表它永远不散。

我，信任生命，
所以，乌云一定会散开。

为了应节，我昨天在大门挂了小小的圣诞花圈。
今天，我会把圣诞树搬出来。
如果乌云还不能散开，
它也会暂时被我的圣诞树档住。

祝大家
十二月快乐！！！