What hurts most..

My last Penang fieldtrip for this year was the most enlightening one.

It was sort of painful too.

We had visited a hydrocephalic baby. It's the last birth defect case that I had visited for my current job.
I did not capture her photo but I found a substitute from here.



(from http://www.lucinafoundation.org/assets/hydrocephalus.jpg)

The history of this baby is still unknown. It could possibly due to the solvent exposure near her living place released by printing industries. According to my supervisor, her survival rate is low. Her spine was malformed.
She had several diagnoses, including kidney problems.
At such a tender age of six months plus, and she is suffering from all these.
Why????

It really hurts to see such a beautiful and cute baby to be suffering from this.
She is a really cheerful girl.
Though she's suffering in silence.
When we played with her, she would smile gleefully. Her eyes would try to turn left and right to capture our voices.
Innocently, she'd be smiling.
A really smart baby- I would say.

But we could not show our empathy much, not right in front of her mother.
And I really felt helpless.
What hurts most- is when you can't do anything, and anything at all.

Penang 6th trip

Was in the mood of capturing photos.

Penang 5th trip

My 28th-31st October trip..

Second and third picture were taken at Hospital Balik Pulau, Pulau Pinang.
The cactus is nice isn't it? It looked like some plant in a dessert.
But, it was really hot!

They were having a Hari Raya open house and we were invited!
I'm really impressed by their friendliness.
Took rendang ayam (really nice!!) with nasi pulut from lemang. Was eating it with my boss so I did not capture the food that I took:P

Inspiration

I can't believe that this is already another week!
Frankly, I've been anticipating it because I have no laptop with me for my field trip this week.

So bored!! Couldn't access anything after work. All I could do was to watch TV and some movies and read up some journals.

Yesterday I went out with a chemist and his wife. Well, my boss sends samples for testing to his laboratory and both of them treated me for my dinner at New Park World. Thank you Mr and Mrs Teoh!

Nice char koay teow and ice kacang..hehe..with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

But err, I did not capture any pictures. Tell me, how do you want to capture pictures in front of a big boss and his wife?;)

I was pretty pleased to be able to meet them up. It was purely on coincidence. I was supposed to send them samples for water and soil testings so they came to the hotel to pick it up. And, out of their kindness and friendliness, I was treated! Hehe..
But the main story was not on the treats-lah. Coz small matters only. The big news is that they gave me some good tips for my next Singapore stay. Where to stay, where to eat, where can my parents stay and so on.. :D

Their daughters have excellent academics and sports records. I was truly amazed listening to their eldest daughter's story, who went to Singapore (NUS also) for Asean scholarship, offered scholarships and even Harvard university offered her without any application! Then, she got various gold medals in sports and research. Another one is a lawyer. WOW..they had truly inspired me:P

Feel proud for them (though I do not have any linkages to them at all! LOL)

And I was really inspired:)

Thank you!!

Next Penang trip

My next Penang trip is tentatively scheduled on 28th October for the whole particular week. It's to the mainland's hospitals.

Wonder if the hotels would be okay.

Will have to arrange for transportation and letters soon.

Hope it'd be enjoying, because I will be going with my boss only. Yes, only her. The other colleague would busy celebrating her Deepavali celebrations in KL.

The data and results collection would be petty, though. Especially if I can't chat with my another colleague. Haih..

Contradictorily, I am kind of excited with this trip also. It could probably be one of my very last few trips to Penang for this year, and maybe next year's.

My special day in Penang

Today's the day I officially turn one year old older. *sob sob*

Time is flying fast, and I could only stare ahead and struggling to keep up with the time..

I'm currently staying in one of the hotels along Penang road, and these are some of the pictures that I've captured with my phone camera. I love the scene overlooking the sea. It's just so spectacular!

In fact, this is my 4th visit to Penang within 5 months- solely because I'm working and my work is likely to be based here for at least a week every month. During my stay here, I have traveled to many nearby places through my feet (well, Penang island is really small and you can see many interesting places when walking!)

I enjoy the magnificent sceneries!!