Feeling inspired by this little video!

Getting grown up, we are more and more conformed to the culture of the society and the society has certainly shaped our values towards beauty.

Just feel amazed by what the children can answer. Their creativity knows no limit. :)

星期五感悟

嗯，有一段时间没写了。

有时候回来看看，想构思些什么，记录些什么，却由于时间的关系，最终还是轻轻一个click离开了部落格。

工作了以后，感觉时间过得好快好快，一个接一个的星期就仿佛在指尖下划过了。星期一的开始，真的像搭上长途的火车，呼噜呼噜地一路走到“星期五"站才下车歇息。所以呀，一到星期五，感觉就特别轻松和快乐，因为至少有两天的时间，让自己好好地休息。而且一些需要高度思维的报告和学习，也只有在周末的时候比较能把它整理出来，平日回家后晚上的时间较短，而且精力也耗尽了，实在不容易赶出好的报告来。

虽然这段期间除了工作外，还有需要大量的私人时间去学习，做很多的报告和功课，但是却很感恩，自己是忙在有意义的事情上。至少逝去的光阴，是为了累积更多资粮，以便去更好地帮助别人，这也是我的专业的份内事。如果说，十之八九的行业都是忙碌的，那么我该庆幸，自己是忙在对的事情，有意义的事情，以及自己想要做的事情上。

而且，总是会过去的。实习年就是要挑战自己，累积资粮，以后的路才会更好走啊！

学生的时候，总是有愧于自己只是在为自己的前途而努力，贪婪地享受着社会源源不绝的恩惠；现在，走出象牙塔了，能够以一技之长去为国家尽一份绵力，也算是无愧于心，无愧于父母多年的栽培吧！

啊，又到星期五了！哈哈！

星期五，可以是开心和轻松的；星期一，却未必是蓝色低沉的。
希望我们都能够开开心心地过周末，也能够轻轻松松地踏上星期一的列车！

能够在忙碌的生活中，训练一颗放松集中的心，一颗临危不乱的心，是我要继续学习的目标！加油！

懒洋洋的周末

好喜欢周六周日！

因为这两天我难得可以比太阳公公更迟起床。

望出家门，进入眼帘的尽是美景美色。

葱绿的树，蓝蓝的天，

偶尔在清澈的蓝中漂浮着看似酥绵的白云；

还有黄金铺地，整个生机勃勃的画面，

让人感觉就是要卸下心中的琐事，

只身投入于这片大自然的美景中！

工作了，让我懂得欣赏周末的美丽。

#懒洋洋的周末

#等一个人茶

每个人，都在等一杯合适自己的茶。

在等着的当儿，口渴了，也许就会随手拿了一杯茶来解渴。

虽然他，不是你心中的那杯茶，但是在对的时候出现了，好比你空等待一杯未知的饮料好。

然而，当你心里清楚知道，你要的不是他，喝了这一口，非但不合自己的口味，而且糟蹋了它- 它也许就是别人的朝思暮想的茶呀！

但是，话说回头，不去品茶，又怎么能知道哪一个是好茶，哪一个是自己喜欢的茶呢？

#等一个人茶 

呼吁写部落

今天，写着写着，发现身边比较亲的朋友，怎么都没有在写部落格了。

是因为，生活太累太忙碌，忙到没有整理思绪和分享的时间吗？

还是因为，部落格是中学和大学生的玩意儿，所以兴趣缺缺了？

又或者是，没有了写的习惯，有种提不起笔的劲儿？

还是，面子书的盛行，资讯的爆炸让我们看得目不转睛，已无暇再回顾生活的点滴啦？


无论是什么稀奇古怪或是平淡无奇的原因，我希望大家能腾出一点点地时间，写一写，好让我刷新时有内容看嘛！也让我知道你们的近况。

是的，就是在说你你你你和你，赶快打扫你们部落格的蜘蛛网好吗？


写文章，也是一种整理思绪的治疗噢！
而且只需要一点点时间。
一点点。

就像这片“呼吁写部落”文，用不上五分钟。
哈哈！

Social support

During my university year of studying MPharm, one of my most favourite subjects appears to be my fourth year option: Health psychology. It has given me many insights of the different psychological aspects of patients' behaviour,and to me, it is like a journey of understanding human behaviours.

One of the topic that was covered during the course is social support. I found it particularly relevant to the phenomenon we come across today.

Social support can come in many forms and it can provide different functions. One of the important function of  social support is to reduce stress in people. People will feel less stress when they know there are people to help. How does it work? It can work through a few mechanisms, while what I learned there are three: 1) Direct effects: Where in reality a person in need get actual help from his social network; 2) Matched hypothesis: people will always find someone that they think could help solving their problem to confide their secrets; and what amazes me is 3) Buffer effect: one doesnt have to be there to help but as long as the person knows he will be there if needed, it does reduces the stress of a person who perceived the help offered.



To me, the  buffer effect is how the social support makes up the most of our relationships nowadays, especially when social media is becoming the main way of communication. Although we do need people around when we are in trouble, but most of the time we are NOT really in trouble. In daily life what we need more is a sense of security and assurance, that someone will always and is going to be there, to provide help when they are needed. The frequent contacts on whatsapp and the people in facebook that we always interact with, somehow provide us this kind of social support, giving us some mental reassurance through buffer effects. Although we don't really need them to be in presence with us all the time. We do feel a little safer when we know in mind who's there.

The concept can be applied in real life too. Imagine that we are at home. It's easy to feel lonely when we know there is nobody else at home. It seems the world has forgotten us and everyone has moved on without the presence of "me". However, when we are at home together with our housemates or parents, it might be a different story. Although u are not talking to them and were doing your own stuffs at different rooms, their presence surprisingly keep u safe, secure and warm, mentally and psychologically.




So, lonely or not? It depends on both physical and psychological aspects. Many people are physically alone but mentally or psychological they are not. However, psychological side of social support can never replace the physical support, don't u think so? We can never laugh together or watch movie together on whatsapp or facebook. It still makes a great difference to have a friend in real life and a virtual friend. Deep in our heart, we know that some kind of social support is like a bubble - it gives us temporary comfort but we knew we could never rely on that for help when we really need it. A social support that provides only buffer effect will easily bring in frustration and disappointment when it cannot fulfill our wish.

We are now living in an era where people are relying more and more heavily on the social support to give them a sense of self-existence or self security. This could lead to obsessive behaviours in playing online social media until it affects every day's life. Eventually we have to learn how to build our sense of security - not relying on other aspects, but on self-confidence and wisdom.

一天的婚礼

这是一个感人又特别的婚礼。
虽然尝试以平静的心去看，还是不禁落下了两滴泪~

而且，看了在面子书一些人的留言，才发现原来有那么多人，曾经有如此的经历：亲人被诊断癌症后，在短短的一个月内失去亲人。许多人是在突然和措手不及的情况下失去挚爱，然后内心就永远有了一个不可磨灭的遗憾。。。。

虽然这个婚礼，有人笑了，但是有更多人伤心地哭了，但是我想，这还是个对生命美好的交代啊！大家至少有机会表达对对方的爱，让说不出口的遗憾减少了，不是吗？

打从出生以来，我从未经历过，害怕这一天的到来，却也知道这一天一定会来。

如果身边的人，甚至我们自己，可能只有一个月的时间，我们会改变我们今天对待他们的态度吗？

会，我会更珍惜和他们相处的时光。我会给他们更多耐心，会更包容他们。

啊，但愿我如此提醒自己。

感人的故事

感恩，上个星期四的副刊，又捎来了一个令人钦佩的美丽的故事。
廖智，故事的女主角，是一位四川地震的生还者。她描述了地震发生的经过，读着她的文字，我也忍不住摒住气息，仿佛那血淋淋的倒塌画面正栩栩如生地发生在我脑海里。来得突然的灾难，真的不由得人去思考对策，只能下意识地发挥求生的本能。

对着她所经历的，从房屋倒塌，被压在废墟下26个小时，在黑暗中感受家婆的逝世，孩子的失去，丈夫的抛弃，甚至到面对截肢。。这一切生命不可承受的重，都在大地震动的那一刻起，接二连三地发生了。面对这么突然的一切，她除了面对与接受，还能作什么呢？

由于父亲于废墟中不断地呐喊她的名字，不放弃她，她重新燃起求生的意志。一开始，她也像普通人一样，哭过，崩溃过，想轻生过；然而重拾生命后，面对失去双腿的事实，她没有继续埋怨命运；面对抛弃她的丈夫，她希望父母亲不在别人面前说前夫的不是。在医院时，她就开始在想，怎样能帮助其他像她一样因此而残疾的人走出阴影。

之后，她敢于追求自己的梦想，即使这表示她必须付出更多的努力，更多的汗与泪。难道她不怕别人的异样眼光吗？不怕，是因为她接受了这样的自己。

是父母的爱，让她有力量从谷底走出来。除了震撼于在她身上所发生的一切，还更钦佩和感动于她的坚强和斗志。

看着她的文章，我不时回头望她那坚强的笑容。真不敢相信，有一个人从灾难中走出来了，而且没有了双腿，但是，她是微笑的，流露出她内心的那分从容和坚强，仿佛告诉大家，生命，虽然不是我们能够主宰的；但是，生命是拿来珍惜和奉献的，而不是用来蹉跎和虚度的。

一个没脚的人，可以跑步，去灾区当义工，跳舞；一个身体健全的人，有为自己的生命而跑？有为他人而付出过吗？我惭愧着，我深思着。

“只要还活着，就要感谢。” -- 廖智

Dispensing separation

http://www.fz.com/content/dispensing-doctors-patient%E2%80%99s-interest

Perhaps it's quite a good link to tell the public what the pharmacist actually does. XD

Imagine

John Lennon 曾经唱过举世闻名的 Imagine：

"..and no religion too..
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace.."

可我想，更高的境界是...

"Imagine all the people
with different religions
Embrace the freedom to believe and practice..
and respect each other and live life in peace.."

大部分从古代流传下来的宗教，都是教人向上向善，虽然信仰的目标和宗教的义理有所不同。宗教信仰，无非是为了得到心灵的安顿，生活的寄托，乃至心灵的提升及探索生命的真相。

但是，当占有欲驱使我们去介入别人的生活方式，或者硬性逼迫别人来信仰自己的宗教，那不久是在剥夺人们宗教信仰自由的权利吗？
毕竟，每个人的修行体验和心灵程度都不一样，即使是信仰同一宗教的，也有不同根性而选择不同的修持方法的，更何况是有宗教差异的人们。

或许，一个有宗教信仰的人，更应该学习如何尊敬别人，认识自己，并且扩大自己的胸襟，去包容去其他的宗教，让大家以不破坏别人生活的方式各自去为这个世界作出美好的贡献。这正是这个世界所需要的。

Those little happiness from being a pharmacist

When a patient whom I counselled knows how to use the device or medicines correctly



When a few particular patients can finally discharge from the hospital


When patients show much appreciation when we helped them to settle their medication issues


When the kids are running around happily in the paeds ward


When these little babies are no longer crying

When I saw a dad playing with his child for an hour in the garden


When there is any good looking doctor passing by....


Because of you my job as a pharmacist has become so worthy and gives me the motivation to keep going. Thank you~

终于将我人生的第一份月薪，分配给父母。
鼓起勇气，拿着红包，跪在父母亲的面前，战战兢兢地把一点心意奉上。
这一跪下，是为了表达对父母的感恩。我以为，感动的会是父母；
可是在那一刹那，我竟然也激动得眼泪打滚了！
不知道是什么原因，也许是深深的感恩，也许是十分的感激；
就是言语无法形容。
啊，希望这一点心意，让他们感到欣慰：他们的女儿终于长大了。

傅钟

喜欢在台湾大学里，在傅钟下的一个石碑，刻着傅斯年校长的名言：

“一天只有二十一小时，剩下三小时是用来沉思的。”

台湾大学，一个充满人文气息的象牙塔。

幸福就是
贴近自己的心
轻轻地安抚它，放下挂碍
祝福自己
幸福，快乐，安详
然后享受那一种宁静的喜悦
^_^

Taking keys and syrup week

Many people are always curious about what pharmacist’s job is all about. But I can never explain that with a sentence or two, simply because our roles in a hospital are a little diverse. We are often doing our job behind the counter, involving thousands of processes the public or doctors can’t really see through. For example, while the patients are waiting for half an hour out there to take their medicines, we are at the inside verifying doctor’s prescriptions (including making interventions by calling back the doctor which takes up more time), allocating the right type, formulation and amount of drugs, physically filling in the drugs, counter checking by pharmacist and finally dispensed to the patient. These whole process involves at least 10 to 15 minutes on its own, depending on the length of the prescriptions, not to mention that we normally deal with tens and hundreds of patients’ medicines at one time.

So in the light of fortunate, I was given the task of taking keys to open the outpatient department (OPD) and to prepare syrups for patients in OPD. Taking keys is never my favourite as it means I need to be there at 7am when everyone starts working earliest at 7.30am, because I need to get the keys from ED and rush back to OPD to open all the lights and computers to get the OPD going. But more often that not, some patients are even more hardworking than me. They are already sitting there waiting for the counter to open to get their medicines. I can understand them: who doesn’t want to avoid the queue later and quickly get away with their medicines first?

The syrup making work was a challenging work for me. First of all, please allow me to lament a bit. No one (like pegawai) was at there to brief me practically how should I prepare the bulk syrups and to assess my skills while I am first time doing it; all they do is to ask another senior prp like me who was in charge of the syrups last week to “pass” their knowledge and skills to me. Well..all this just seems a bit risky. Who could be sure that the information passed on would be still accurate and up to standard? PRPs are all still-learning pharmacists. Phewwww…second, there is not a clear standard operating procedure as in what should be done by steps, in which part of the table, etc. At least I was not brief on that, not even about what to wear while doing syrups. I only know what to wear by looking at the notice board in front of me telling me to dress like a lab person. I have my ugliest time at the back of the pharmacy huhu…luckily it was not in front of the patient, otherwise they will be dread to see how I pour and play with their syrups..haha..i am just joking kay. Third, there were definitely not enough measuring cylinders and bigger bottles to prepare bulk syrups. Why no one has ever feedback on that! Well, I am in Malaysia. I must have forgotten! In here everyone just do what they have been ordered to, feedback was not necessary.

complaints/feedback:

no one actually briefed the new prps on making the syrup in practical and checked the syrups made.

incomplete instructions on manufacturing sheet  (sildenafil) leading to avoidable error

not enough measuring cylinder 

lack of robust SOP for extemp preparations

unorganised bottles and caps

So throughout this week, my task is to prepare three bulk syrups which many cardiology paeds patients will need to take. And to prepare other individual syrups as the Rx comes. I could proudly said that in this week I have done much more syrups than the total extemporaneous that I did during my university years and I could honestly said I try my best to keep to the high standard of a extemporaneous preparation - no pouring or contamination here and there, no miscounting tablets or quantities of syrups. So they are safely to be drink. However, there is still no guarantee from me - who tells my skills were not assessed. I couldn’t be hundred present sure what I did was right. Here is the list of syrup I have done so far:

Frusemide 5mg/ml susp

Spironolactone 5mg/ml susp

Captopril 1mg/ml susp

TB syrup - Rifampicin 25mg/ml

Propanolol syrup

Baclofen syrup

Sildenafil syrup

And ya I have made sooooo many sildenafil syrups and TB syrups this week!! Don't like the bloody red rifampicin, powders flying everywhere while I attempted to open the capsules.. on the other hand, the sildenafil syrup is a nice sky blue syrup, and each tablet cost the government around rm 100 plus! However sildenafil syrup is always tricking the newcomers - why? Because it actually needs to add a little bit water to let the content of the tablet bursts out, and this step is not stated in the manufacturing sheet. 

And lucky enough I was able to see and involved into making omeprazole syrup. This is one of the tricky syrups to do as it involves withdrawing sodium bicarb from the ampoules using syringe. 

Pity the patients. Most of them are paeds who need to take medicines in the form of syrup. Thus I always need to be extra careful when making syrups as they are indicated for the kids. While I was making the syrups, I pray in my heart hoping that the patients would feel better after drinking the medicines.

After a week's training, I can regard myself as a syrup queen now muahaha..imagine myself working in a traditional pharmacy shop full of syrups. Woah that would be fun.

Overview of Malaysia pharmacy application process

Since I have stepped into the career world of Pharmacy, I thought it would be beneficial if I can share some of my knowledge and experiences to those who might walk the same path as me.

In Malaysia, upon graduation of Pharmacy courses, we have to serve the government for at least 1 year (2013), which is also the so-called provisionally-registered pharmacist (PRP) year. After that year only we can be FRP (fully-registered pharmacist).

So what did I go through in order to get a place of work in government hospital? First of all, I need to apply through spa.gov.my for applying a government job. At the same time, I need to register myself to Lembaga Farmasi Malaysia (LFM). There will be some form to be filled in and posted to LFM, along with some documents showing that u graduated from whichever university. For the SPA cases, after applying online, we need to call to the SPA centre itself in order to ask them to book an interview date for us (otherwise it might take ages for them to get back to you). They will normally call u back to inform u the fixed interview date in Putrajaya SPA building.

To prepare for the interview, you need to study a bit about the general overview of SPA, the organisation (carta organisasi), bahagian and fungsi of KKM and lembaga farmasi as well as some knowledge about pharmacy of course. They might ask about your interest and your future directions, and if you are interested to go to outskirts like Sabah so be prepared to answer these as well.

After the interview, all you have to do is to wait, wait and wait for the letters to come. I highly encourage people to get a part time job or to go travel whilst waiting - it could be months before the letter arrived. Meanwhile, keep calling the KKM to check when is the next posting letter arriving. They will normally send the letters in one batch by pos laju so everyone got their letters pretty much on the same day. Keep in touch with your friends of the same batch so that u don’t need to call or check mailboxes every day, because you guys can take turns to do that :D

There will be two letters to be received; one is from SPA which states that a gov offer is given to you, while the later one is the posting letter stating which place you will be going. The latter will normally just tell u the state you are assigned to, while the specific hospital that you are going will be revealed when u lapor diri in the jabatan kesihatan negeri. You will be given one month’s time to lapor diri to JKN upon receiving the letter, upon which u may (by the slightest chance) appeal to KKM if you are dissatisfied with the results.

Hope it helps! ;)