Positive Living

Jimbo encountered a patient with an amazing attitude the other day.

At the end of the consultation, Jimbo asked the man, who has HIV and Hepatitis C who has been started on HAART, when he would like to be seen again:

Jimbo: When can I see you again? It’s a few months to the Chinese New Year and you may want to finish celebrating before you are seen again in the clinic.
Patient: It’s quite ok really, doctor, because everyday when I wake up in the morning, it’s a New Year for me! So it doesn’t matter when my next appointment is.

Amazing huh?

This man, who was brought back from the brink of death, now spends his time doing charity work here and abroad!

Simply amazing.

Friday, 201109 @ 0700

Management of Dengue Infection in Adults 2nd Edition

For those of you who are interested in the latest Clinical Practice Guideline for Management of Dengue Infection in Adults (2nd edition), you can download the Quick Guide here : (pdf format, 1.9 MB)

Thurs, 191109 @ 0700

Blackmail

Jimbo got to know about an incident which occurred a couple of weeks ago.

A 30-something man with HIV, Hepatitis B and C who was a drug addict and is now on Opioid Substitution Therapy with Methadone was attended to by a medical officer in the clinic.

Since he was started on HAART (Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy), he found it difficult to sleep as one of the anti-HIV medicine was interfering with his Methadone dosage making it less effective. The sleeplessness was part of a withdrawal symptom. And since he could not sleep, he became dependent on Valium (a potent anxiolytic which makes a person very sleepy) which he obtained rather freely from clinics outside.

When he was at the clinic with the MO, he requested for Valium to be given to him. The MO being unsure, declined his request and referred the matter to the consultant. The latter, in turn, believe that problem is due to inadequate effect of Methadone and suggested an urgent psychiatry referral to sort out the Methadone dosage.

On learning that he will not be given Valium, the man allegedly got very angry and agitated.

He allegedly threatened to stop taking his HAART if the doctor did not give him Valium!

Jimbo saw the same patient in the clinic recently. He knew about the previous incident but did not mention it. He was cordial and was actually quite overjoyed to see Jimbo as he remembered was one of the very first doctors to see him back when he was in a terrible state.

Jimbo: How are you?
Patient: I am ok, putting on weight.
Jimbo: What about your sleep?
Patient: Not much better. I still can’t sleep (after that he narrated about what happened in clinic the last time; he omitted the part where he threatened to quit his medicine)
Jimbo: The psychiatrist are adjusting your methadone dose right?
Patient: Yes, but it’s not at a good level yet.
Jimbo: It will be, don’t worry.

When it was time to write out his prescription, Jimbo wrote, “T. Valium 10 mg ON/PRN” (10 mg of Valium to be taken at night as and when needed).

Whilst Jimbo felt it was wrong for him to threaten and blackmail his doctor, at the same time, Jimbo felt that his need for Valium at this point of time is very real and not an excuse to get a fix or high.

Wed, 181109 @ 0700

After the rain

Jimbo hasn’t really tested the macro function of his Canon IXUS 80IS which he bought a while ago. Last weekend provided a good opportunity as the rain let up for a couple of hours, allowing Jimbo to venture out with his camera for some quickie shots. Here are some nicer ones:

Tues, 171109 @ 0700

Potong already?

Jimbo heard the other day, from a friend in church, that the Malay word ‘potong’, which means ‘cut’ has become a much vilified word lately, mainly due to an advertising blitz of a local wireless broadband provider.

Apparently now, it’s politically incorrect to use the ‘P’ word as its meaning is now associated with ‘circumcision’!!!

Some people have, apparently taken offense to the advertisement, saying it belittles women. How exactly, one does not quite comprehend. Personally Jimbo thought it was a pretty creative advertisement. It certainly got everybody’s attention!

And so the meaning of the word ‘potong’ has changed, almost overnight! Just like how the meaning for the word ‘gay’ has changed: now people look at you one kind if you should declare, “I am feeling so gay today!”.

Jimbo hopes Dewan Bahasa and Pustaka would come out with new words for these Malay sentences quickly since the meaning of the word ‘potong’ has changed:

1. Dia potong jalan saya. (He circumcised my way)
2. Potong gaji. (Circumcised salary)
3. Saya mahu potong rambut hari ini. (I want to circumcise my hair today)
4. Potong stim. (Circumcised steam)
5. Ais krim potong. (Circumcised ice cream)
6. Sepotong roti. (Circumcised bread)
7. Saya mendapat sepotong baju dari ayah saya. (I got a circumcised clothing from my dad)

By the way, just so you know, circumcision actually PROLONGS the act of coitus rather than hasten it, so Jimbo don’t see how people can misunderstand that advertisement since it says, once you “cut already, it becomes faster”!!

Mon, 161109 @ 0700

Genetics

It’s confirmed.

It runs in the family.

First Darlene, Jimbo’s 10 year old kid, did it 2 years ago.

Now, Ryan, Jimbo’s 5 year old kid has done the same!

When asked by his sister if squirrels lay eggs or have babies, Ryan answered:

“SQUIRRELS LAY EGGS”!!!!

Jimbo and Mrs looked at each other in wide-eyed disbelief at what they had just heard before bursting into uncontrollable laughter!

*Stunned! Speechless! Pengsan! Double-pengsan!!!*

Must be some kind of genetic defect from Mrs Jimbo’s side! LOL!!!!!!

Sat, 141109 @ 0700

Local interest

Jimbo and team’s research project which was published recently has attracted one local interest. Jimbo received the following email yesterday:

(Letter has been edited to erase names and institutions)

Hopefully, he could initiate changes in the medical landscape of this country (our Health Minister is too busy fighting over non-health related things to bother) since he has a title to his name!

Fri, 131109 @ 0700

Ryan’s Zoo

The mind is an amazing thing. It is not limited by physical boundaries. Anything is possible, all you have to do is to imagine it.

Which is why, Jimbo takes delight in watching his son at play. The little fella can make a space ship out of a clothes peg, simply because his mind says it’s possible. And he would spend hours playing with a pair of clothes pegs, one chasing the other. In his little mind, they are 2 space ships hurtling through space, one in pursuit of the other!

The other day, Jimbo watched in fascination as Ryan build his mini ‘zoo’.

In his little head, he could not see why it is impossible to place giraffes and bears side by side on top of the zoo entrance. When told that it is probably not a good idea to place lions so close to the area where zebras are kept (after all, the latter are the former’s lunch and dinner!), he looked at his daddy with the look that says, “My daddy can be so dense sometimes”.

“The lions can’t cross over because there is an invisible electric fence around them!”, he replied flippantly.

Yup, there’s magic in the little fella’s head.

Thurs, 121109 @ 0800

Barred from heaven

Recently Jimbo had a conversation with a Malay patient who is HIV+.

Patient: Err… I was hoping to see a Muslim doctor today.
Jimbo: Why?
Patient: Coz I want to talk about my experience at the Tabung Haji 2 weeks ago.
Jimbo: Why? What happened?
Patient: They told me I cannot go for the Haj!
Jimbo: Why?
Patient: Because of my disease! The officer there told me that HIV people are not allowed to go on the Haj! I have already booked my place, and paid RM 20 K for it.
Jimbo: That is strange because I have other HIV+ Muslim patients who have gone on the Haj without problems. I will check with my boss on this matter and get back to you.
Patient: Looks like the way to heaven is closed for me. Only hell is awaiting me.
Jimbo: Eh! Don’t talk like that…

Jimbo did check with his boss a while later. She wasn’t aware of such a ruling and promised to check with the director of Tabung Haji. She was visibly upset and remarked:

“What are they thinking? They think this guy’s gonna spread HIV all over the Holy Land?!!! Such utter stupidity!”

Ask any Muslims and they will probably tell you that performing the Haj at least once in their life time is probably the ultimate desire of their spiritual journey, so this man’s anguish at being denied this is therefore palpably real.

Wed, 111109 @ 0700; annual leaves starting soon….yeah!

Charity Run

Jimbo’s memo to self: never ever run in any event, not even if it’s for charity! Jimbo was not born to run. He is no Forest Gump! Almost died running.

Which was what happened last Sunday when Jimbo was registered to run in the IJM’s Charity Run for Women Against Violence held in Seremban 2.

The route for men above 16 years old was 10 km* in distance while for the women and those under 16 years old, it was 7 km. Unfortunately there was no ‘veteran’ category like they had in the PD Half Marathon Jimbo ran in last year and so Jimbo had to run with very many younger, stronger and fitter guys (and boys). Sigh….the energy of the young!

The last time IJM had a similar event, it was a Charity Walk and the route was merely 3 km long. The goody bag was a lot better then too. This time round, there was only a sausage roll, a cake and a bottle of mineral water in the red plastic bag. Definitely a severe downgrading from last year. Even the elephant for the petting zoo didn’t show; being allegedly trapped in a Kelantan flash flood! (sure or not?!)

And this time, only one IMU student joined Jimbo. He was pretty light footed too, coming in at spot number 112 and thus winning one of the 200 pendrives up for grabs!

The 10km* run was grueling for Jimbo because he hadn’t trained for it. The recent bout of bad weather did not allow Jimbo to do much outdoor exercise. To make matter worst, Jimbo lost his soul sole, somewhere along the 6 km point! So, Jimbo kinda semi-ran and semi-hobbled from that point on to the finish line – see where the Forest Gump part came in?!!! Anyway, Jimbo is kinda glad because he hated that pair of shoes anyway. Good excuse to buy a new pair.

Well, he wasn’t among the first 200 to arrive at the finish line, and so did not get a pendrive but he did finish the race, in a pretty decent time of about 50 minutes. Not bad for an old guy, don’t you think?

Tues, 101109 @ 0700

Psst…there is the 1Malaysia run this weekend in Seremban town. Only 7 km long. Interested? Come get the forms from Jimbo.

*As it turned out, they LIED! It wasn’t 10 km but was merely 7 km. No wonder Jimbo finished the race so fast!