Saturday 27 July 2013

Only people who went through CPR training will understand.

"Chong Beng, a man fainted on the walkway. All yours."

"Observe for danger."

"No danger."

"Hello, hello! Are you ok!?"

"No response."

"1 a thousand, 2 a thousand, 3 a thousand, ... ... ... 10 a thousand."

"No breathing."

"1 and, 2 and, 3 and, 4 and, 5 and,
1 and, 2 and, 3 and, 4 and, 10 and,
1 and, 2 and, 3 and, 4 and, 15 and,
1 and, 2 and, 3 and, 4 and, 20 and,
1 and, 2 and, 3 and, 4 and, 25 and,
1 and, 2 and, 3 and, 4 and, 30."

(Head tilt chin life, 1st ventilation)

"Chest does not rise."

(Head tilt chin life, 1st ventilation)

"Chest still does not rise."

"1 and, 2 and, 3 and, 4 and, 5 and,
1 and, 2 and, 3 and, 4 and, 10 and,
1 and, 2 and, 3 and, 4 and, 15 and,,
1 and, 2 and, 3 and, 4 and, 20 and,
1 and, 2 and, 3 and, 4 and, 25 and,
1 and, 2 and, 3 and, 4 and, 30."

(Head tilt chin life, open mouth and check for airway obstruction.)

"1 fishball found!"

(Head tilt chin life, 1st ventilation)

"Chest rise."

(2nd ventilation)

"Chest rise."

"1 and, 2 and, 3 and, 4 and, 5 and,
1 and, 2 and, 3 and, 4 and, 10 and,
1 and, 2 and, 3 and, 4"

"The man started coughing."

"Sir, I am Chong Beng, a First Aider. You fainted just now, we have called the ambulance. Can I check your body for other injury?"

This is what had been going through physically and in my mind from 22 to 24 July 2013. One cycle of CPR has 30 chest thrust and 2 ventilation  Have you tried? Very tiring you know. Luckily we practice in air conditioned room with carpeted floor. During the test, I had to complete more than 3 cycles before the examiner says "man started coughing"!

Ouch! My knees!!!

Well, I got rewarded for his sufferings. See! The card that certified I am trained to save life. Hee...

Actually, not that great la, it's just a certification that I am a First Aider equipped with skills to help sustain life, whenever possible till professional help is available. Have an expiry date ok. Not valid after 22 Jul 2016.

Will I be using it? This is my 3rd certification as a First Aider, you say leh? I am grateful to have the opportunity to be equipped with the skills and knowledge to help sustain life. No doubt about how useful the skills are to me at work and in my personal life.

If you had received training in CPR, you will understand that it is demanding on the person giving it. There is always the physical strain on the arms and knee, plus the fear of not doing it correctly and breaking the person’s bones. So if you happened to see someone helping another person on the street, move forward and be prepare to continue administering the CPR when the person is exhausted, call 995 for ambulance, direct the paramedics to the scene, go look for an AED and first aid box, and/or ensure both the person performing and receiving CPR have adequate space. Crowding around the person, watching and taking photographs doesn’t help. That, I am very, VERY sure.

Since I started nagging, must as well add another one. Hee…

There are just too many misconceptions towards supporting a person who is having fit/seizure. Restraining the person having fits and putting objects into the person’s mouth will not in any way, helps the person to stop the seizure or quicken the process. Yes, they may hurt their tongue during their seizure, although highly unlikely. There are no way that they will bite their tongue in the process which warrant your intervention to put objects such as towel, spoon and even shoes into their mouth. Don’t trust me, but trust medical science,  many researches and sharing from people who have many years of experience in supporting person who frequent seizure.

Don’t believe?

Then I take this opportunity to congratulate you for increasing the possibility of taking away the person’s life.

Putting objects into the person’s mouth will not only result in hurting the person, it may cause them to have breathing difficulties resulting from your induced airway obstruction. Unless its breakthrough seizure that last more than 4 minutes, the person will unlikely die from seizure. By you putting that object into their mouth, you just increased their chance of death.

What about after they recovered from their seizure and found a shoe in their mouth? Or what if their mouth were bleeding resulted from that object, such as porcelain spoon that you had putted into their mouth? Do you know how humiliating that is?

Ok, nagging ended and… … Yippee!!! See! I am certified to save life. 

:-D


Thursday 25 July 2013

安了, 安了, 安了 心!


It was hell for yt and I for about a week, waiting for this letter to inform us on tz’s primary school registration result. Aiyo… worst off than me waiting for my “PSLE”, “O” level, Diploma, Graduate Diploma and Master results added up. Lucky there is no trigger for heart attack.

Found her a good school and hope she put in effort thereafter.

Monday 22 July 2013

"Hello, good morning. Can I help you?"

"Hello, good morning. Can I help you?"

Met an elderly lady manning the counter at Plaza Singapura McDonald's, friendly and familiar with the products. Bought a sausage muffin with tea from her. Didn't know this promotion is still on till she recommended.

A great way to start my 3 days break from work.

Oh, will there be a certification test at the end of the First Aid course? Told 小tz I am attending this course to learn how to save people during emergency. Must be a good role model, so must pass the test right?
;D

Friday 19 July 2013

Everything. Everything, except studying.

小tz cycling progress checklist as at 14 July 2013:
- Balancing and stopping - Achieved.
- Handling turns - Achieved.
- Able start cycling on her own - Achieved. NEW!
- Handling sharp turns - Pending.

Oh, one more item on the checklist:
Daddy's energy level - d e p l e t i n g ... HELP!

Cycling is something new. However, she still loves cooking. The other day, I saw her reading a book with great interest. Looking at it closer, I discovered that it was the recipe book mummy passed her. If, if only it is her school workbook.

Her interest so far includes art, cooking, dancing, cycling, swimming and it may still be adding. Recently, she has been asking me to teach her Taiji. You know, her interest is so wide and they cover almost everything. Everything, except studying. Well,  at least she is much more active than her daddy.

I am hoping that those activities will build up her body, broaden her interest and expose her to the outside world so that she is better equipped to handle her life in future. 

Study is important, but study alone can't provide a person with a strong body, right attitude, good character, the social and leadership skills needed to face the real and demanding world out there.

Need to arrange to bring her to my workplace soon. Need her to know how fortunate she is and to cultivate the compassion in her.

"小tz! Please go through your homework!!! "
-_-

Wednesday 17 July 2013

Daddy, I handsome?

What you guys think? Is this little Michael Jackson aka. 小tz handsome?

She was performing for her kindergarten's charity concert, and fortunate to be performing along with Media Corp Artist Zoe Tay on Saturday, 13 July 2013.

Much much lucky than her crazy daddy. Haha... Same stage with Zoe Tay wor.

The cRaZy dADdY



Friday 12 July 2013

remembering you...

Hi father,

On our way home from her art class, 小tz pointed to the bright star above us and shouted:

"Daddy look, that's ah gong's star! Know what daddy, ah gong is following us to look after us. Hee…”

That's how we tried to explain to 小tz about her gong gong's death. Telling her gong gong left us to be among the stars, so that he can continue to look after his favourite grand daughter. What else can we do to explain to our 5 years old about death? Fortunately, we chose not to shield her from the processes and it must have helped her to have a good closure.

Recalling my relationship with you, 小tz's gong gong aka. my father-in-law, it didn't start off well with a good footing. When I was courting yt, I was then still a workshop instructor running social enterprise project for crafts and performing arts in a voluntary welfare organization. That translate to working in the evenings and over the weekends, with lots of free time during the weekdays clearing my off-in-lieu hours. Imagine drinking tea in a quiet Starbucks and having the best seats while watching movies. Hee... ... Great right?

Well...

All this seems great till I discovered the wield looks from you when I fetch yt at 2pm on a weekday afternoon. Ha ha...

"Why is this lazy fellow not working at this hours?! Why is he always not around during weekends? Is he partying over the weekends? Hmm... That explains why he is here at 2pm!"

Those were your exact thoughts then and I wasn't at all surprise to hear it from you, when I visited you at the hospital. This will be my exact thoughts if 小tz dated a guy like me later in her life. I would have continue that lifestyle if not for my desire to spend my life with yt, to gain your trust and blessing and to be able to earn enough to provide for my family. It's a great change for someone like me who gave up seeking for money and just wanted to earn enough to support myself, and pursue my passion in supporting life of others who are less fortunate than me.

Fortunately, I still managed to gain your trusts in getting your blessing to be with yt. Oh, and that resulted in many small talks we have thereafter while we are out with the ladies. They, my mother-in-law, my wife and my daughter, were always ahead shopping while we catch up with our small talks walking behind them.

Similar to my late father, I have the opportunity to know you better towards the end of your life journey. Both of you shared very similar characters, the way you chose to face life and communicate with those you so dearly protect.

During those moments, we spoke about the joy and disappointment in life. There were stuff we saw coming and scenarios we predicted correctly. Some were positive, some were negative, and some you will never ever going to believe that it happened.

Father, I will always remember you and yes, to fulfill the promise you keep wanting me to assure you during our talks. Thanks for giving me such a lovely wife and your unreserved love for 小tz.

On behalf of yt and 小tz, 我们爱您, 好走.

Monday 8 July 2013

Can we go back now?

Weeks ago, I brought 小tz to our void deck for her first cycling practice and we have this funny conversation.

At the begining of our practice... .., 

小tz: "Can we go back now?"
Me: "No, we just came down. It is still early. Let's practice some more. "

One hour later... ...

Me: "Can we go back now?"
小tz : "No, we just came down. It is still early. Let's practice some more. "

Well, at least she enjoyed cycling on 2 wheels. Haha...