Two total strangers had inspired me yesterday. Their words just made me think. Their stories just made me ponder.
I met them at the Short Stay Unit at Weston Park Hospital yesterday (Fyi, Weston Park Hosp is a hospital for cancer patients). Yes, it was Eid yesterday. And yes, I had to spend my day in the hospital on Eid. But, it was not so bad. At all. In fact, I was glad that I decided to turn up yesterday morning to the Short Stay Unit. You see, I had been contemplating if I should go yesterday since it is Eid. But, realizing that it was my last day in Oncology placement, I decided to give it a go. When I first got there, I initially regretted going because there was nothing for me to do at all. All of the nurses were busy (it is a nurse-led unit), hence I was left all alone, sitting at the corner pretending to look busy flipping through patients' notes. I silently cursed myself, thinking that I will be better off at home doing revision!
After a while, I got restless and asked one of the nurses if there is anything for me to do at all. Without looking at me, she said, NO. Haha. Ok. Thanks. You are helpful, love.
That's it, I think. I have to do something. I had already wasted my 15 minutes pretending to be busy, now I have to actually go and do something useful. I walked into one of the treatment room and spotted my target. An elderly woman who was busy filling her time with solving puzzles in the magazine. Trying my luck, I went in and approached her, and alhamdulillah, she agreed to have a chat with me.
She was the Stranger Number 1. Even after talking to her only for a few minutes, anyone can tell that she is one jovial lady! You wouldn't have guessed that she had 2 different types of cancer and a list of other medical problems. Nobody would have guessed that she just had the unpleasant stereotactic radiotherapy yesterday. She went on and on sharing the story of her life to me. And her story amazed me. Our conversation was interrupted by a nurse, who told her that her MediCar was ready to go now.
I went on for another hunt, and found myself a nice gentleman sitting on the chemo-couch with a bored look on his face. Splendid. He was Stranger Number 2. We chatted for almost an hour and he was one pleasant man. He was just recently diagnosed with mesothelioma and is now on his fifth course of chemotherapy.
These two strangers inspired me. Despite all of their problems, they hold on strong. Despite of all their worries, they never fail to plaster a lovely smile on their face.
Both of them has lost their loved ones, and are fighting a battle with their own body and yet they appear to be even more positive then me!
Stranger Number 1 said to me " As long as I am able to lift my legs off the bed in the morning and put my legs on the ground, I am OK"
" Now you made me feel bad. I whine over the smallest thing in the world" I joked.
Which is true. I do whine over the minute things.
I whine when the weather is too cold.
I whine when the weather is too hot.
I whine when it rains.
I whine when I have to leave home at 7 in the morning to leave for the hospital.
I whine when I missed the train by a few minutes.
I whine and whine and whine.
My problems are not as big as theirs (if anything, it is nothing compared to theirs), and yet, I whine more than them.
Lets learn to be positive.
Lets learn to appreciate what we have in front of us, instead of whining over things that we don't have.
Lets learn to be a grateful servant to Him.
And lets learn to smile no matter how dark the cloud hanging over you is.
I am sure, if they are Muslims, they will be able to sail through this even stronger.
And I guess that is a brownie point for us as Muslims. We have Him to turn to to seek for strength especially when we need it the most. Cause He is always there for us. Always. It is entirely up to us to seek for Him or not.
I met them at the Short Stay Unit at Weston Park Hospital yesterday (Fyi, Weston Park Hosp is a hospital for cancer patients). Yes, it was Eid yesterday. And yes, I had to spend my day in the hospital on Eid. But, it was not so bad. At all. In fact, I was glad that I decided to turn up yesterday morning to the Short Stay Unit. You see, I had been contemplating if I should go yesterday since it is Eid. But, realizing that it was my last day in Oncology placement, I decided to give it a go. When I first got there, I initially regretted going because there was nothing for me to do at all. All of the nurses were busy (it is a nurse-led unit), hence I was left all alone, sitting at the corner pretending to look busy flipping through patients' notes. I silently cursed myself, thinking that I will be better off at home doing revision!
After a while, I got restless and asked one of the nurses if there is anything for me to do at all. Without looking at me, she said, NO. Haha. Ok. Thanks. You are helpful, love.
That's it, I think. I have to do something. I had already wasted my 15 minutes pretending to be busy, now I have to actually go and do something useful. I walked into one of the treatment room and spotted my target. An elderly woman who was busy filling her time with solving puzzles in the magazine. Trying my luck, I went in and approached her, and alhamdulillah, she agreed to have a chat with me.
She was the Stranger Number 1. Even after talking to her only for a few minutes, anyone can tell that she is one jovial lady! You wouldn't have guessed that she had 2 different types of cancer and a list of other medical problems. Nobody would have guessed that she just had the unpleasant stereotactic radiotherapy yesterday. She went on and on sharing the story of her life to me. And her story amazed me. Our conversation was interrupted by a nurse, who told her that her MediCar was ready to go now.
I went on for another hunt, and found myself a nice gentleman sitting on the chemo-couch with a bored look on his face. Splendid. He was Stranger Number 2. We chatted for almost an hour and he was one pleasant man. He was just recently diagnosed with mesothelioma and is now on his fifth course of chemotherapy.
These two strangers inspired me. Despite all of their problems, they hold on strong. Despite of all their worries, they never fail to plaster a lovely smile on their face.
Both of them has lost their loved ones, and are fighting a battle with their own body and yet they appear to be even more positive then me!
Stranger Number 1 said to me " As long as I am able to lift my legs off the bed in the morning and put my legs on the ground, I am OK"
" Now you made me feel bad. I whine over the smallest thing in the world" I joked.
Which is true. I do whine over the minute things.
I whine when the weather is too cold.
I whine when the weather is too hot.
I whine when it rains.
I whine when I have to leave home at 7 in the morning to leave for the hospital.
I whine when I missed the train by a few minutes.
I whine and whine and whine.
My problems are not as big as theirs (if anything, it is nothing compared to theirs), and yet, I whine more than them.
Lets learn to be positive.
Lets learn to appreciate what we have in front of us, instead of whining over things that we don't have.
Lets learn to be a grateful servant to Him.
And lets learn to smile no matter how dark the cloud hanging over you is.
I am sure, if they are Muslims, they will be able to sail through this even stronger.
And I guess that is a brownie point for us as Muslims. We have Him to turn to to seek for strength especially when we need it the most. Cause He is always there for us. Always. It is entirely up to us to seek for Him or not.
5 comments:
bese la manusia.
mane pernah rase cukup
to experience contact with wider community of great britain, i have to do volunteering, which incurs time (but loving it ofcoz). but you are experiencing it through as part of your education and syllabus, which is brilliant! perks of being a medical student :D
ouch,so true.gotta quit whining!! same goes to me.how come its been AGES since u last called home? or i wasnt home when u called.haha.if ur out of skype credit, u cud use mine. i pon tk tau nk wat apa dgn credit tu.
btw selamat hari raya aidil adha to u sis! ;)
p/s - nur kasih dah abis..finally!hehehe
ihsan: yes, that's my point.
nurinkhairi: hehe. yeah, i guess it is one of the adv of being a medical student. but sometimes i do wish i can join some volunteering activities! how many times have i promised myself to get involve with at least one of the volunteering work, but failed!
eza: hey tolong sket. i call rumah every weekend ok. u je yg takde. hahahah. sibok prepare for big day ke mek? bes nyeeeeee. baju kala apa ni? excited ok. hahah. slamat ari raya aidiladha to u too. and yeah, nur kasih dah abis. i miss adam! hahahhaha.
my color dah decide, but for the family mom blom decide.not sure mom nk pegi jakarta to beli kain or not.make sure u balik msya awal sket tolong i cos ur the one gonna stand beside me!!
adam.....heeeeeee :D
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