Eid Mubarak~!

Slm

Hm. I've just realised that I've actually missed blogging. Was browsing back to old blog entries to find suitable reflective entries to be put into my PDP folder for house job applications. And then realized how lovely it had felt to just pour out my feelings in words and writing whatever comes to the head.

*Sigh.* Let's try to make this consistent again, shall we? But looking at the busy timetable ahead, I don't really know if I'll be able to keep to this promise! OK then I'll have to put in my mutabaa amal to-do-list,so that I'll remember to write an entry a week. Or hm, an entry in 2 weeks, maybe? Hee.

And as I said, I am expecting these coming weeks to be quite hectic. What with quite a heavy block coming my way (Paeds starting next week), and outblocks in 3 weeks time, also with the upcoming application for the job thingy. Oh, and also a very special project on Palestine *hint hint* (this one I'm really looking forward to!), and also the arrival of my brother and his family to UK!! *Can't wait for this one!*

InshaAllah, let's hope I'll be able to handle and multitask and be itqan in everything that I do. Because in the end, these are good deeds that will hopefully bring me closer to Allah inshaAllah..Because all I want is His Redha and for Him to accept them as deeds and points for Jannah.. :)

Anyway, ramadhan is leaving us soon. :( I hope this has been a great ramadhan for everyone (especially myself), and has made us even better 'Abd to Allah the Almighty. May we graduate from this holy month of Ramadhan with flying colours, and be consistent with our amal ibadat even after Ramadhan and through out the whole year inshaAllah...

Salam eid mubarak~!



Take care..salam wbt

Story of Prophet Yahya (Part 1)

I love this story on the life of Prophet Yahya (John). It reflects his strong love towards his Lord, and he would do anything to please Him. May it be an example for us, especially in this Holy month of Ramadhan, may our love to Allah exceeds any other love that ever exist in this world. Because He loves us too much too :)

Source: Stories of The Prophet (Ibn Kathir)

Prophet Yahya (John)

John's Childhood

John (pbuh) was born a stranger to the world of children who used to amuse themselves, as he was serious all the time. Most children took delight in torturing animals whereas, he was merciful to them. He fed the animals from his food until there was nothing left for him, and he just ate fruit or leaves of trees. John loved reading since childhood. When he grew up, Allah the Exalted called upon him:

"O John! Hold fast to the Scripture (The Torah)." And We gave him wisdom while yet a child.
(Ch 19:12 Quran).

John's Qualities

Allah guided him to read the Book of Jurisprudence closely; thus, he became the wisest and most knowledgeable man of that time. Therefore, Allah the Almighty endowed him with the faculties of passing judgments on people's affairs, interpreting the secrets of religion, guiding people to the right path, and warning them against the wrong one.

John reached maturity. His compassion for his parents, as well as for all people and all creatures, increased greatly. He called people to repent their sins.

There are quite a number of traditions told about John. Ibn Asaker related that one time his parents were looking for him and found him at the Jordan River. When they met him, they wept sorely, seeing his great devotion to Allah, Great and Majestic.

Ibn Wahb said that, according to Malik, grass was the food of John Ibn Zakariyah, and he wept sorely in fear of Allah. A chain of narrators reported that Idris Al Khawlawi said: "Shall I not tell
you he who had the best food? It is John Ibn Zakariyah, who joined the beasts at dinner, fearing to mix with men."

Why John Always Wept

Ibn Mubarak stated that Wahb Ibn Al-Ward narrated that Zakariayah did not see his son for three days. He found him weeping inside a grave which he had dug and in which he resided. "My son, I have been searching for you, and you are dwelling in this grave weeping!" "O father, did you not tell me that between Paradise and Hell is only a span, and it will not be crossed except by tears of weepers?" He said to him: "Weep then, my son." Then they wept together.

Other narrations say that John (pbuh) said: "The dwellers of Paradise are sleepless out of the sweetness of Allah's bounty; that is why the faithful must be sleepless because of Allah's love in their hearts. How far between the two luxuries, how far between them?"

They say John wept so much that tears marked his cheeks.

Part 2: coming soon

Neuro- i love it!

So now, it's finally the last few days of Neuro and Elderly Care medicine.

And like always, my clinical partner and I have been sent away again (for what, the fourth time? Not fair! ) and this time to Northampton General Hospital. Nothing much to complain really in here, I actually do like this hospital and the accomodation, what with the duvet provided and the ensuite accomodation, this one is the best accomodation so far!

Neurology was definitely fun, I was actually thinking a few weeks ago that I've found my true call in Medicine. OK, maybe that was NOT the first time I've said that, I think I've been thinking like that every time I've finished a rotation. Like for example, when we were doing Cardio, I could just imagine myself being that top consultant Cardiologist, ordering this and that tests for my Cardio patients. Oh, and doing cool procedures too like TAVI (keyhole valve replacement, for those who doesn't have a clue). And when I was doing the Gastro Rotation, I was thinking, that would be my place one day too.

Haha.

But this one is more for real I guess. I love reading Neuro, as I found it just truly amazing. I really, really do. This is where we learn more about the brain and its function. The higher mental functioning of the brain, the capacity of human to think and rationalise, and the network of nerves connecting the upper part of the human body to the rest of our system are just amazing. Imagine that you are able to read this, without being aware of the millions of tiny little cells called neurons working hard to make sure you can read word by word. And how your hands are able to move when the brain says move, even when you yourself do not even realise that it's the brain that was giving the order.

I could go on and on about all these, but maybe there would not be enough space in here to write. All of these abilities, to see different colours, to hear sounds from different amplitudes and tones, to talk (or sing!) in different pitches- they all need the neurons from the brain to be working fine. All of that and more.

So, isn't it time yet for us to think and reflect?

Of how Great the Creator is for creating us to the finest details. And who have perfection us making us who we are today. To give us so much nikmat that there is no way in the world that we are able to count them... as there are just too many of them!

Yet, we take these blessings for granted, and for some of us, it had never once came across the mind that it is the Mercy of Allah that has allowed us to have all these.

Yet, there are people out there who denies Him as the One true God and instead, take others as Ilah.

How very ungrateful these people are. And how very sorry they will be one day when the Day of Resurrection comes.

Just some reflections for the soul today....Hmm, just love how medicine never failed to remind me of the Greatness of Allah. There are indeed many reminders or tazkirah in this job, popping up here and there, if we are actually aware of it. Hopefully for the following more years to come, it will help me become closer to God, and be His excellent ' Abd insyaAllah.

Just pray to Allah to give me the strength to carry on, as you know.. how very interesting and amazing medicine is, it definitely is very challenging. One more year to go, just one more. Pray that I'll perservere!

Open our eyes

Sometimes, for reasons I don't know myself, I would put my fingers around the neck to feel the carotid pulse, and check if I'm still alive. And at other times, I would try to feel the apex beat (in layterm it is the area where your heart beats strongest on the left side of the chest) to see if my heart is still thumping (and of course it does). Err..Ok probably this is the influence of too much CardioRespi block these past few weeks ;p

Well, try it. When I usually do it, I would then feel a sense of gratefulness to be alive. Because sometimes we take our living in this world for granted, and we forgot to thank Allah for giving us this great nikmat. To still be able to inhale and exhale, to still be able to look around and see the different colours of the world, to still be able to listen to our friends' chattering away and so much more.

But some people are not so fortunate. Not as lucky as us. They wake up to the sound of explosives, of bombs flying away, they may even wake up realizing that their mom/dad is not there anymore by their side. And we're talking small children here, babies even.

That's what happened, and is happening, and will still continue to happen in Palestine at the moment. The civilians are wounded, physically and emotionally and are faced with cruelty and atrocities and other unbelievable inhumane acts.

I went to a talk by Ismail Patel recently (he's the founder of Friends of Al Aqsa, and based in Leicester) and according to him 85% of Palestinians are living in poverty. Hundreds of them are unable to get the proper health service and help and is in danger of dying, and supply of important medications are not enough for these people.

And imagine, when the war hit Palestine, the phosphorus bomb was used, and the doctors didn't know how to treat the wounded ones at first, as never had they encountered those kind of wounds before. And when the Power Plant was destroyed too, schools were not able to function, hospitals with its operating theatres, incubators for babies (just to name a few) can't function too.

This is just a message to everyone- do not ever forget the Palestinians and their immense sufferings- in our prayers, and in everything that we do. They are there fighting in this war against the taghut, it's their jihad, and it is actually ours too. For we are brothers and sisters; their sufferings are ours too.

Let us make people aware of the situation in Palestine/Gaza. Open our eyes and hearts and spread the words~

The Day I first Saw Someone Died in Front Of my Eyes. Part 1

This is just something that I've jotted down a few months ago while I was in A & E in Burton Hospital. Found it, and thought of sharing.

The Day I first Saw Someone Died in Front Of my Eyes.

As I was coming to the A&E department that night, I was not really sure of what to expect, and what I was going to experience tonight. Being in the 3rd block in the Jr Rotation, we have not been actually exposed to A & E before, and probably not until next year in Senior Rotation. ( I was just being a curious cat that night and wanted to know what it's like in A & E). Oh, well, probably there'll be some interesting acute abdomen or musculoskeletal cases tonight that I can see, I thought.

"There's a resuscitation going on in there," a doctor soon told me.

Oh, wow, this would be something interesting, I thought.

"Can I go and see?" Probably a very stupid question from a (then) timid medical student. "Of course you can." Yeay!

I've not seen a resuscitation before, well, maybe I have, but those that are being done on a manequin, a lifeless body who cannot feel the pain- not the real thing. And, so the scene that greeted me as I entered the door was definitely new, and in a way, unexpected.

-to be continued-

End of IPE

I was telling myself a few weeks ago, that I would be actively writing in the blog (again for the upteenth time!) after the exams (IPE) has finished. So, yes, hopefully this new term resolution will stay with me. Well, we'll see.

Alhamdulillah, now I'm a free girl!! IPE has just finished...although I can't say I'm too happy about it. Thought I could have done better. It was quite tough to be honest, with lots of vague questions (or maybe it's just me huhu.) The OSCE especially was totally out of my head,hmm.. the medic school sure knows how to grill and drill us all! And I'm not sure if I'm going to even pass!

I could go on and on about the exams just now, but I don't think I will. It's not good for the future generation,,err I mean, the adik2 who will be sitting for their exams next year. Or, maybe I could do, you know, just to make sure everyone gets prepared mentally even from the beginning.

Oh well, whatever happens, whatever the results may be, as long as I know that I've put my best effort preparing for it, then I'm OK. Leave everything else in Allah's hands, He knows what is best for me, insyaAllah.. So, for now, keep on praying...Tawakal to Allah..

Anyway, a few days before the exams, an ukhti dearest to the heart, surprised us all with a very personalised Good Luck Card, one for each of us, and posted to our homes! It was definitely a pleasant surprise, she had our photos printed in front of the card, and her own (plus her 2 kids) photo inside with some beautiful and inspiring wishes/reminders. Thank u kak!I mean, all the extra effort, to find the words and photos, to print it off in some photo shop etc etc. It's just amazing how thoughtful some people are.

And it's great to have other friends and sisters who were very supportive in this exam period. (Thank u for all the good luck wishes, and oh yeah, to some ppl, thanks for cooking food for us! hehe). I am soooo blessed to be around these great people here in Leicester Alhamdulillah.

OK, enough about the exam.
On a more cheerful note, I'm having days off for the next 5 days. Heehee.. Haven't actually planned anything in particular, but probably would spend it catching up on life (or work! ;p) that I've missed when I was so busy preparing for the exams.

And next week, I need to go outblock again. To Northampton this time round for Elderly Care Block. Heard of many good things about it, so hopefully it will be good. Although can't say that I'm too happy about going out of Leicester again, for the 4th time.

That's all for today..take care!