If my late father is still around, he should be celebrating his 67th birthday today.
I remembered his last birthday 4 years ago. It was a very emotional & unforgettable day. He was in so much pain that I thought he was to die on his birthday. But he lived for another 3 months. We all knew it was his last birthday celebration - all his siblings, children, grandchildren, favourite niece & 2 friends were there. We all managed to make it to a restuarant @ Kitchener Rd.
Thought It has been 4 years, I still missed him.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
What an honour !
I know of this elderly man, R from my work contact.
He will be 80 years-old next month. Over the years, he had shared with me his life story. From which I saw the determination, strenght & resilence of human being.
R used to a top executive from a pharmaceutical company. He retired with a shop @ Alphefi and a private house. But all his money & properties were swindled by his own daughter some 20 years ago. He has 8 children, 4 are not in contact with him due to strained relationship. He now lives with 4 others who are all on psychiatric follow-up. They seems to inherit the poor genes from R's wife.
Now the 4 children (all in their 40's & 50's) & the elderly couple are living in a flat with huge mortgage loan. They are living on the limited allowance from the government.
Three days ago R saw me, he talked about his worry - what will happen to his wife & 2 children when he is unable to look fater them. Presently the man is seeing to all the aspects of the other 5 members - from cooking, washing to accompanying them for their various medical appointments.
He told me that he had left words with his family to come to me in the event he passed on because he is very sure that I would know what to do & would definitely help his family. R has trusted me a great deal, I was very touched & honestly a little overwhelmed by it. He has known the other people who are in the helping profession , who would be willing to help him to sort out the care arrangment of his loved ones when he is not around. Yet he placed his total trust on me - someone whom he sees 3-4 time per years over the past 9 years.
I tried to assured R I would do my best if he would to tell me what kind of care arrangement he wish for his wife & children. He went on to express his gratitude by wanting to repay me in his next life (if there is any) but I stopped him to say anymore of his gratitude. I noted tears in his eyes. I was on the verge of tearing too - overwhelmed by R's trust.
Upon reflection, I think I was fearful of not being able to meet up with R's trust. In the event of R's demise, he has his wife & other 4 children (who are supposedly to be mentally ok) to make decisions. I'm not blood relation, how much power do I have??
At the end of the day, I decided to get R to write down his thoughts & what he has in mind as care arrnagment for his wife & 4 children. Whether I am able to really execute his last wish, I don't know. But what I decided to do is to try. The end result may not be what R or I originally discussed, at least I will try. At least I won't not have any regrets and the elderly man can have peace of mind in his last remaining days in his otherwise 'tough' life.
He will be 80 years-old next month. Over the years, he had shared with me his life story. From which I saw the determination, strenght & resilence of human being.
R used to a top executive from a pharmaceutical company. He retired with a shop @ Alphefi and a private house. But all his money & properties were swindled by his own daughter some 20 years ago. He has 8 children, 4 are not in contact with him due to strained relationship. He now lives with 4 others who are all on psychiatric follow-up. They seems to inherit the poor genes from R's wife.
Now the 4 children (all in their 40's & 50's) & the elderly couple are living in a flat with huge mortgage loan. They are living on the limited allowance from the government.
Three days ago R saw me, he talked about his worry - what will happen to his wife & 2 children when he is unable to look fater them. Presently the man is seeing to all the aspects of the other 5 members - from cooking, washing to accompanying them for their various medical appointments.
He told me that he had left words with his family to come to me in the event he passed on because he is very sure that I would know what to do & would definitely help his family. R has trusted me a great deal, I was very touched & honestly a little overwhelmed by it. He has known the other people who are in the helping profession , who would be willing to help him to sort out the care arrangment of his loved ones when he is not around. Yet he placed his total trust on me - someone whom he sees 3-4 time per years over the past 9 years.
I tried to assured R I would do my best if he would to tell me what kind of care arrangement he wish for his wife & children. He went on to express his gratitude by wanting to repay me in his next life (if there is any) but I stopped him to say anymore of his gratitude. I noted tears in his eyes. I was on the verge of tearing too - overwhelmed by R's trust.
Upon reflection, I think I was fearful of not being able to meet up with R's trust. In the event of R's demise, he has his wife & other 4 children (who are supposedly to be mentally ok) to make decisions. I'm not blood relation, how much power do I have??
At the end of the day, I decided to get R to write down his thoughts & what he has in mind as care arrnagment for his wife & 4 children. Whether I am able to really execute his last wish, I don't know. But what I decided to do is to try. The end result may not be what R or I originally discussed, at least I will try. At least I won't not have any regrets and the elderly man can have peace of mind in his last remaining days in his otherwise 'tough' life.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
What more can be done?
I recieved a SMS' Sorry i fail Chinese' from Bryan on 18/5/09 during luch time.
Chineses has not been the strong subject of Bryan. I noted that he does not put in enough effort in this subject too. He used to get 70+/- marks. His Chinese marks started to decline this year when he is P5.
I was very upset but controlled myself in not reprimanding the boy first without seeing the paper. I wanted to know which area is he weak in . Is the paper generally chanlleging or he is just simply careless.
My husband had agreed to do a 'post-mortem' when he get back all the papers.
I'm at my wits end in trying to help my child with a subject that I used to scored A1 in all my pre-university years.
Apparently I'm not doing enough to help my child in getting interested in Chinese. Telling that he is a Chineses, therefore must learn to be proud of his mother tongue is simply not working. We had tried to read Chinese books & prose daily before bed. We watch programmes on Channle 8 more than Channel 5, but Bryan's interest in Chinese is still minimum.
We went to Shanghai last year, he was impressed by this cosmopolitan city. He saw & heard a few non-Chineses spoke Mandarin. I think this is insufficent, more must be done? The one4 million dollar question is - what more can be done?
Chineses has not been the strong subject of Bryan. I noted that he does not put in enough effort in this subject too. He used to get 70+/- marks. His Chinese marks started to decline this year when he is P5.
I was very upset but controlled myself in not reprimanding the boy first without seeing the paper. I wanted to know which area is he weak in . Is the paper generally chanlleging or he is just simply careless.
My husband had agreed to do a 'post-mortem' when he get back all the papers.
I'm at my wits end in trying to help my child with a subject that I used to scored A1 in all my pre-university years.
Apparently I'm not doing enough to help my child in getting interested in Chinese. Telling that he is a Chineses, therefore must learn to be proud of his mother tongue is simply not working. We had tried to read Chinese books & prose daily before bed. We watch programmes on Channle 8 more than Channel 5, but Bryan's interest in Chinese is still minimum.
We went to Shanghai last year, he was impressed by this cosmopolitan city. He saw & heard a few non-Chineses spoke Mandarin. I think this is insufficent, more must be done? The one4 million dollar question is - what more can be done?
Friday, May 8, 2009
Mother's Day
Last night, Bryan told me he is giving me a book of Mother's Day coupons, which has validity date of 12 months (till next Mother's Day). I could use the 10 coupons & get him to do things of mywish. It's like a cheque book when I write down my request eg. Bryan is to wash dishes for 5 Sundays, he would aceed to my request.
Great ideal. I 'm very excited in receiving my Mother's Day coupons this weekend.
Great ideal. I 'm very excited in receiving my Mother's Day coupons this weekend.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Swine Flu/ Inflenza A
Swine flu is causing alot of panic round the world, including this little red dot.
At my workplace, we started to have daily temperature monitoring & every staff has to don on mask. I was offered surgical mask, but asked for N95 instead. http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2009/04/28/f-flumasks.html Although most of my other colleagues are quite happy to wear a surgical mask. I don't feel safe after my last experience during the SARS in 2003. A colleague actually allowed a fever patient to round the clinic to look for me. Whereas according to SOP, patient with fever is supposed to be restricted to certain part of the clinic. My boss at that time was very furious & felt that our well-being is compromised. I was upset too coz I was into my third trimester with Bernice.
Yesterday I took time to practise the 7-step hand washing with my children.The following link has very clear instructions. http://www.ttsh.com.sg/cleansafeinfectionfree/index2.html.
I hope this swine flu will quickly pass & we won't need to go through the similar experience of SARS (coincidentally was during the April/May 2003)
At my workplace, we started to have daily temperature monitoring & every staff has to don on mask. I was offered surgical mask, but asked for N95 instead. http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2009/04/28/f-flumasks.html Although most of my other colleagues are quite happy to wear a surgical mask. I don't feel safe after my last experience during the SARS in 2003. A colleague actually allowed a fever patient to round the clinic to look for me. Whereas according to SOP, patient with fever is supposed to be restricted to certain part of the clinic. My boss at that time was very furious & felt that our well-being is compromised. I was upset too coz I was into my third trimester with Bernice.
Yesterday I took time to practise the 7-step hand washing with my children.The following link has very clear instructions. http://www.ttsh.com.sg/cleansafeinfectionfree/index2.html.
I maybe kiasu, but feel better that way. Our 2 cleaners (who are quite senior) refused to don on mask. One grambled that old person already short of breath, wearing a mask makes it even more difficult to breath.
I hope this swine flu will quickly pass & we won't need to go through the similar experience of SARS (coincidentally was during the April/May 2003)
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Gotcha! kids 2
Last night, Bernice and her friends were being featured in the program for perhaps 1-2 minutes.
We are all very excited & all thought that she did well - calm & composed in front of the camera. She had spoken to his uncle the night before, asking him to record the program. Part of the conversation being
Uncle : Why you are invited to the TV show?
Bernice: My teacher thinks that I'm very good, so she recommends me to film 2 times.
Bernice surely knows how to use the right word to impress their uncle. Her father & me were equally impressed by her use of 'recommend' afterall she is just a 5-years-old. Today, children are better exposed in all areas & definitely clever. I'm very sure I did not know what is 'recommend' till secondary school.
When the host interviewed why she would share her sweets/ marshmallows with him, Bernice reasoned that 'I am a very kind girl, so I can share'
So much so being on the program, Bernice is shy when people ask her about her appearance on the show.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
The Big FOUR
15 April 09
Just crossed over to the big 4, few days ago.
Children & Ooi were into endless teasing of me being an 'oldies'. Remembered when I was 11, I blurted out ' so old' when I got to know that my form teacher was 28 years-old then. Good grief, now I'm older than my teacher then.
I hope I'm wiser now and more calm. I'm a typical Aries, often act on impluse. This got me into some trouble, stepped on numerous toes & regretted in some of the things I 've done & said . I hope I'm more humble & be appreciative of what I've. Seen enough of how people fell from grace - from riches to rags, from healthy to sickness.
I'm a better person compare to one decade ago, & hope to continue to be better in the next decade.
Just crossed over to the big 4, few days ago.
Children & Ooi were into endless teasing of me being an 'oldies'. Remembered when I was 11, I blurted out ' so old' when I got to know that my form teacher was 28 years-old then. Good grief, now I'm older than my teacher then.
I don't have the habit of celebrating my b'day. Somehow this big FOUR O make me take stock of my life for those past years.
I hope I'm wiser now and more calm. I'm a typical Aries, often act on impluse. This got me into some trouble, stepped on numerous toes & regretted in some of the things I 've done & said . I hope I'm more humble & be appreciative of what I've. Seen enough of how people fell from grace - from riches to rags, from healthy to sickness.
I'm a better person compare to one decade ago, & hope to continue to be better in the next decade.
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