Worth waiting for

It took well over a year, but I guess it's worth the wait. After submitting the application last year, I finally got a letter of offer to do PhD at Universiti Malaya a couple of days ago. I have since accepted the offer, and will be doing the obligatory health check next week, before registering before Hari Raya Aidiladha.

So after much delay, I will finally embark on the next level of education. As I will be doing this while I'm working (along with the other stuff I do), I pray that I be given the strength and good health to continue my studies.

The university gives each candidate a minimum of 2 years and a maximum of 8 years to complete the doctorate. As I am self-financed, I aim to complete the thesis within 2 years. That is a challenge that I put before myself.

Of sadness and hope

I was saddened upon hearing the news that 18-year old Siti Salmah Jasni had passed away due to severe septicaemia. Siti Salmah underwent the country's first simultaneous heart and lungs transplant on 2nd November at the National Heart Institute. My deepest condolences to her family. May her soul be blessed by Allah SWT.

Meanwhile, it is heartening to learn that Tee Hui Yi who made history by becoming the country's first double heart transplant patient is recovering well. The 14-year old girl is expected to start schooling again next year. My best wishes to Hui Yi on her full and fast recovery.

I text-messaged 17-year old Muhammad Fikri a couple of days ago. Fikri, dubbed "the Tin Man" by the media when he was fitted with a mechanical heart in 2005, had just finished his SPM examination. Fikri was the first patient in the East Asian region to be fitted with the mechanical heart internally. And subsequently, he received a new heart in December 2005. I asked him how he felt now that the exam is over, and he said he felt great and relieved that he was able to sit for the exam. I pray that Fikri has done well for his SPM.

Now that Fikri's exam is out of the way, I will be assisting him with his memoir entitled Echoes of My Heart. We hope that by sharing his experience, more Malaysians would understand of the great importance of organ donation in saving lives. Organ donation allows for organ transplantation to take place. While transplant may not be 100% successful, it has been proven to have given a new lease of life to a great number of patients like Fikri, Hui Yi and many others. Stories like those of Fikri's and Hui Yi's certainly have touched the hearts of many of us. Let's hope more people will be moved to pledge their organs.

Smoked

What a smoking start to the morning.

Someone thought it must have been a good idea to burn rubbish not far from where I live. While it drizzled this morning, one could actually see black smoke coming up from the burning rubbish. The otherwise fresh morning air was tainted with black fumes.

Then when I got to the office, I could smell something burning. Apparently one of the shops at the back of my office block was on fire, and a fire engine was already there when I arrived.

And now suddenly, I have a craving for smoked salmon.

How will this story end?

Every story has an ending. And every year has an end as well.

We are now coming towards the end of 2007. Perhaps it is timely to evaluate how 2007 has been. Has it been good? Has it been bad? Has it been so-so?

What does 2008 have in store for us?

A new beginning? A continuation of the same old routine? New excitement? Or nothing new?

For me, the end of 2007 sees me at a crossroad of sorts. Which route will I take? The road less travelled perhaps?

Alas, this story is far from over.

Long overdue

I know I've promised to post my newborn son's pictures some time back. He is now two and a half months old. And since a promise is a promise, I am making good of it. So here goes.

Above: A few hours after birth

Above: After shaving the hair (about 3 weeks old)

Guess who just found his way back?

Okay, I admit.

I was gone longer than I should have. And for that, I beg for your forgiveness. My deepest appreciation to those who have dropped by this blog, in spite of the lack of activity here for the past three weeks or so.

My absence has been due to a number of reasons. Chief among these is my health. I have been unwell ever since the end of Aidilfitri. The high fever that hit me a couple of weeks ago was perhaps the worst in my life. That, and a few anxiety attacks, really put me out of commission for quite some time.

In any case, I am back alhamdulillah. Let's hope that I'm back for the long haul although I cannot promise a daily update.

It's good to be back though!

Missing

I have been pretty quiet lately that I seem to be missing from the blogosphere. While I do check in on my friends' blogs on almost a daily basis, I wasn't in the mood to do much blogging myself. Not that there's nothing to blog. It's just that I have not been well for the past couple of weeks. It has been one thing after another. Two weeks ago, it was gastritis. Last week it was the combo of cold and cough.

This week, it's high fever. I went to give a lecture on organ donation at Hospital Ampang yesterday afternoon. Things went pretty well until I got home. I noticed my temperature went up at around 9.30 pm. This morning when I went to see the doctor, my temperature stood at 38.8 degrees Celcius and my blood pressure was pretty low - 85/60.

So I guess these are just some signs telling me to take things easy. I will return when things improve healthwise.