I was at the pharmacy, waiting to take some medicines after my kid went to see the paed for some tummy ache. She was heading back to the emergency room after making a deposit/payment (I presume) at the reception. The heart doctor was coming from the emergency room. They met midway, near to me. Standing at the pharmacy area. I vaguely knew her from way back when she was 18 yrs old, getting married to a guy much older than her, I believe more than 10 years older.
Doctor :Â (in Hokkien)Â Are you XYZ’s cha boh lang (wife)?
She : *nodded*
Doctor :Â Your ta poh lang si kih liau, heart attack. (your husband is dead, heart attack)
She : *looks confused and blankly at the doctor*
Doctor :Â We cannot do anything, we tried but *yadda yadda yadda medical stuffs in Hokkien*.
She : * nodding but expresionless* (normally human has this numbing effect in great tragedy, like an insulation like dat. Only Bollywood and Taiwanese movies got those dramatic scenes.)
Just then, the hospital attendant pushed the patient out. I recognised that face. He has white hair now. He is still on oxygen supply and the machine still went beep-beep-beep. To a normal person, he looks alive. (If you pump in medicine, the heart will continue to thump-thump-thump until the medicine runs out.)
The doctor told the attendant : Perlahan-lahan, tak apa. (slow down, it’s ok)
Doctor to her : Beh hiau kin, lu eh sai kah ee kong wa (never mind, you can still talk to him) We are going to push him upstairs to do some procedures.
And that’s that. The end.  (of course, I did not approach a 20-years long lost acquaintance and talk to her at that moment. Incidentally, I wrote something today related to situations like these.)
So, have you count your blessings lately?
I am thankful for :
….my blessings:
1)Â Good health for everyone
2)Â Food, home and all creature comforts
3)Â Peace in the home
4) Happiness being me
5) Plenty of chocolates when I need (point-point to banners)
6) Wisdom
7) Mental strength
Trusted friends
9) An atm that’s mine, mine and mine alone
10) Being in Christ and a love for God
Thank God.
So, shoo-shoo, go to your corner and count your blessings. Count up to ten, ok? And remember to thank God for all the blessings.
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11:36 pm on June 23rd, 2006 1
thankful for ur kids.. the most important !!!
11:45 pm on June 23rd, 2006 2
abe – Home/everyone means included everyone lah. Siblings too. Relatives too. (including those in-laws urggh
)
11:51 pm on June 23rd, 2006 3
How about thanking God for another extra day?
2:15 am on June 24th, 2006 4
Thank God Almighty for everything, be it good or bad in our eyes as eventually,you see the light and sense in the ‘mishap’.
Reminds me the first time I had to announce someone’s Time-Of-Death and its cause. Sad (and so suey…cos the DMF DUI,wear red shirt somemore!)
I ‘Badi’ like a zombie for a mth afterwards!
8:32 am on June 24th, 2006 5
sadly, i have never counted my blessings.
8:54 am on June 24th, 2006 6
I totally agree with you. My list would be somewhat like yours. Just FYI, I’ve included your site in mine. Hope you don’t mind. I enjoy reading yours!:-)
11:28 am on June 24th, 2006 7
we have always believed in living the best out of our life as life is too short. Kinda scary as my parent / relatives a lot of them lau liao. How to be ready for this type of news…….. boh kohr leng eh sai mar ?
11:29 am on June 24th, 2006 8
“Doctor : Your ta poh lang si kih liau” & “He is still on oxygen supply and the machine still went beep-beep-beep.”
-_-”
3:04 pm on June 24th, 2006 9
Ya lor nor! If si kih liau y still supply oxygen eh? Sumore got heart beat ah? X-Files
3:48 pm on June 24th, 2006 10
Doc – Wei, they tried resuscitating but failed. Like my son? He died but we let the heart medication to continue so that the machine beep-beep-beep until his father who was at Tapah to drive back to University Medical Centre before they take off life support. You gedddit?
5:19 pm on June 24th, 2006 11
sad…sad…sometimes when I take a moment to look at the sky, the little voice in me will remind me how short is our life but when I look back ahead of me, my eyes are clouded with daily problems and work. I guess we all need to take at least a moment everyday to reflect…
9:26 pm on June 24th, 2006 12
My condolence to this lady.
On the other hand, count your blessing if your other half is well insured.
9:41 pm on June 24th, 2006 13
owh really?? haha. my mistake. anyway, ive never counted my blessings. huhu
10:44 pm on June 24th, 2006 14
Thanks for the reminder. I guess my list would be soemthing like yours minus the chocolate-lah.
8:04 pm on June 25th, 2006 15
thank you!
3:41 pm on June 26th, 2006 16
Yes I do count my blessings, not everyday but I try my best. I believe God has given me some miracles in my lifetime