I walked up to the uniformed lady and told her the patient has been admitted to Ward 58 for 10 minutes already and yet, no one was attending to her.
The lady hurried to the ward with me and that's when we saw the patient being surrounded by three student nurses.
Oh. They are here at last, I see. And I thanked the lady for coming along with me, but it seems that her assistance is no longer necessary.
The lady approached the patient and the nurses for a closer inspection, before turning to me and said.
Hi. I'm Sister Joycelyn. And how do I address you? Dr?
For one insane second, I was petrified that I looked old enough to be a Professor...ie Dr Ang. Then it ocurred that she thinks I'm a doctor.
You can call me Angeline. And I smiled.
Now, I have always known I'll be a great lawyer and people have expressed surprise that I don't actually possess a law degree, but it had never crossed my mind that I can project image of a competent doctor to people very well (mind you, and she's a Sister, in charge of the ward!)too, at my most casual. Which is something rather cool. Now I can start thinking I'll make a great doctor, at least much better than those I've come across, they, who lack initiative and they, cursed with the inability to explain medical issues succinctly and clearly and attempt to things gloss over.
*
The above can only mean one thing: My mum is back is hospital, again! And yes, she's the patient whom I was narrating about. Obviously. I only care that my mum is well attended to; who cares about the other patients? Get their own children to demand for better treatment on their behalf.
My mum, resisting to go to hospital, finally relented when we brought her for the checkup, and agreed to be warded. Not that she's in life-threatening (choi choi) danger at the moment. Just severely weak and dehydrated (but it's still quite horrid enough). She's currently on the drip but also taking food orally, with the doctor (same person who operated on her) monitoring her condition.
My sis noted too, that this time round, the doctor definitely took improved efforts to explain and clarify, and was rather forthcoming. I felt so too. I'm not sure if it was the result was the forum letter news that had travelled all the way to the SGH corridors to all parties involved, or simply because yours truly was a lot more firm and aggressive this time round. At any rate, this is not a bad thing, but the earlier damage can not be undone in spite of it.
I was just as firm to the nurses who had missed a feeding time (every two hr feed with Ensure) yesterday. Another senior nurses explained they had to sponge/bathe my mum and take her blood pressure and all first, and hence was delayed by an hr. And hence, her Ensure was served concurrently with breakfast.
I retorted that my mum has no stomach and it's ridiculous for her to down Ensure (which can be substituted for meals) with another meal. She will definitely suffer from indigestion. And that they need to get their priorities right. My mum is warded due to her poor appetite, so her dietary needs ought and must supersede all other things like bathing, changing bed linen. Just feed her at the instructed time, okay. We have to be punctual for her condition to improve.
Well, she's my mum. And it's common sense. They need to know that this patient has to be especially tended to (as in, they must always check her needs are met), else her daughter will march straight up and demand why, why, why. It's sad, but sometimes, that's the only way to get things done. When you keep approaching people to make sure they are doing their work, they will be kept on their toes. I was a bit naive to believe in professionalism, for it's tiring to be professional all the time!!! I grant that. So some patients will reap the professionalism, if they are lucky. But I'm fronting the persona of a no-nonsense someone now who knows her stuff, so that all the professionalism have to be directed to my mum. They can be shoddy to others. But, not to this particular patient.
As I do my rounds in the hospital, checking that things are in order, I realise that some nurses whom I've not interacted with knows my name and how I'm related to that patient, ie my mum. So I suppose it is working. People are paying attention. I don't care, so long as you fuss properly over my mum, else you die.
*
Another Malay patient commenting I looked like my mum. Your daughter very beautiful, she cooed. And your mum looked very young, you two very alike. That was another very cheap thrill. My mum always felt I resemble her in looks and temperament (and temper). It's a slight consolation that she'll live in me (choi choi choi).
*
Last night, Ruth remarked that if she din know me and just read my blog, she'll think i'm quite mad at the way I wrote (her terms were rave and rant), and that He is a figment of my just as mad imagination because she can't believe a person like that truly exist.
*
Speaking of madness, I must concede somewhat affectionately, but exasperatingly that indeed, he is rather mad. At 01:20:36, 26-06-2004, my mobile rattled again.
Details will be forthcoming later in the morning today. Prepare to wear shoes for walking...
I can't believe this! Well Ruthie, looks like that pretty thing I bought last night with you can't be worn today.
It's quite sad that he has to see me all the time in my most unglam, since the stuff we do don't warrant dressing up (berms and tank tops, urgh). But I reckon if he don't mind me at my worst, and I can stand him, this can't be too bad.
He is mad. It is 11:02:06am and I have no idea where and what.
I hope he remembers we actually have an agenda, at least I do. And not just walk walk walk till I collapse from fatigue. I also want dinner.
*Ring*
Okay, he just called. We are just walking normally, like what other people consider normal. So I can wear anything I like. We are going to Northeast. I'm supposed to take 168 from my place and once the bus get on to the highway, to get off the first bus-stop after it (and where the hell is that, where will I be).
And he informed I have a reply from SGH in the forum. I din even notice it, and I already read today's papers!!!! Well, the reply is so grossly stupid and deceitful and wrong that I wouldn't even bother to put a link up. But I'll save it and add it on to my heap of evidence of lousy services.
He's really great.
*
I'll be totally happy if my mum gets much better and the relevant SGH higher management gets fired. We'll take one step at a step, babe.
The lady hurried to the ward with me and that's when we saw the patient being surrounded by three student nurses.
Oh. They are here at last, I see. And I thanked the lady for coming along with me, but it seems that her assistance is no longer necessary.
The lady approached the patient and the nurses for a closer inspection, before turning to me and said.
Hi. I'm Sister Joycelyn. And how do I address you? Dr?
For one insane second, I was petrified that I looked old enough to be a Professor...ie Dr Ang. Then it ocurred that she thinks I'm a doctor.
You can call me Angeline. And I smiled.
Now, I have always known I'll be a great lawyer and people have expressed surprise that I don't actually possess a law degree, but it had never crossed my mind that I can project image of a competent doctor to people very well (mind you, and she's a Sister, in charge of the ward!)too, at my most casual. Which is something rather cool. Now I can start thinking I'll make a great doctor, at least much better than those I've come across, they, who lack initiative and they, cursed with the inability to explain medical issues succinctly and clearly and attempt to things gloss over.
*
The above can only mean one thing: My mum is back is hospital, again! And yes, she's the patient whom I was narrating about. Obviously. I only care that my mum is well attended to; who cares about the other patients? Get their own children to demand for better treatment on their behalf.
My mum, resisting to go to hospital, finally relented when we brought her for the checkup, and agreed to be warded. Not that she's in life-threatening (choi choi) danger at the moment. Just severely weak and dehydrated (but it's still quite horrid enough). She's currently on the drip but also taking food orally, with the doctor (same person who operated on her) monitoring her condition.
My sis noted too, that this time round, the doctor definitely took improved efforts to explain and clarify, and was rather forthcoming. I felt so too. I'm not sure if it was the result was the forum letter news that had travelled all the way to the SGH corridors to all parties involved, or simply because yours truly was a lot more firm and aggressive this time round. At any rate, this is not a bad thing, but the earlier damage can not be undone in spite of it.
I was just as firm to the nurses who had missed a feeding time (every two hr feed with Ensure) yesterday. Another senior nurses explained they had to sponge/bathe my mum and take her blood pressure and all first, and hence was delayed by an hr. And hence, her Ensure was served concurrently with breakfast.
I retorted that my mum has no stomach and it's ridiculous for her to down Ensure (which can be substituted for meals) with another meal. She will definitely suffer from indigestion. And that they need to get their priorities right. My mum is warded due to her poor appetite, so her dietary needs ought and must supersede all other things like bathing, changing bed linen. Just feed her at the instructed time, okay. We have to be punctual for her condition to improve.
Well, she's my mum. And it's common sense. They need to know that this patient has to be especially tended to (as in, they must always check her needs are met), else her daughter will march straight up and demand why, why, why. It's sad, but sometimes, that's the only way to get things done. When you keep approaching people to make sure they are doing their work, they will be kept on their toes. I was a bit naive to believe in professionalism, for it's tiring to be professional all the time!!! I grant that. So some patients will reap the professionalism, if they are lucky. But I'm fronting the persona of a no-nonsense someone now who knows her stuff, so that all the professionalism have to be directed to my mum. They can be shoddy to others. But, not to this particular patient.
As I do my rounds in the hospital, checking that things are in order, I realise that some nurses whom I've not interacted with knows my name and how I'm related to that patient, ie my mum. So I suppose it is working. People are paying attention. I don't care, so long as you fuss properly over my mum, else you die.
*
Another Malay patient commenting I looked like my mum. Your daughter very beautiful, she cooed. And your mum looked very young, you two very alike. That was another very cheap thrill. My mum always felt I resemble her in looks and temperament (and temper). It's a slight consolation that she'll live in me (choi choi choi).
*
Last night, Ruth remarked that if she din know me and just read my blog, she'll think i'm quite mad at the way I wrote (her terms were rave and rant), and that He is a figment of my just as mad imagination because she can't believe a person like that truly exist.
*
Speaking of madness, I must concede somewhat affectionately, but exasperatingly that indeed, he is rather mad. At 01:20:36, 26-06-2004, my mobile rattled again.
Details will be forthcoming later in the morning today. Prepare to wear shoes for walking...
I can't believe this! Well Ruthie, looks like that pretty thing I bought last night with you can't be worn today.
It's quite sad that he has to see me all the time in my most unglam, since the stuff we do don't warrant dressing up (berms and tank tops, urgh). But I reckon if he don't mind me at my worst, and I can stand him, this can't be too bad.
He is mad. It is 11:02:06am and I have no idea where and what.
I hope he remembers we actually have an agenda, at least I do. And not just walk walk walk till I collapse from fatigue. I also want dinner.
*Ring*
Okay, he just called. We are just walking normally, like what other people consider normal. So I can wear anything I like. We are going to Northeast. I'm supposed to take 168 from my place and once the bus get on to the highway, to get off the first bus-stop after it (and where the hell is that, where will I be).
And he informed I have a reply from SGH in the forum. I din even notice it, and I already read today's papers!!!! Well, the reply is so grossly stupid and deceitful and wrong that I wouldn't even bother to put a link up. But I'll save it and add it on to my heap of evidence of lousy services.
He's really great.
*
I'll be totally happy if my mum gets much better and the relevant SGH higher management gets fired. We'll take one step at a step, babe.
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