The Day That Wouldn't Be Pinned Down

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An early start, with one clear objective in mind: be back by noon. A simple enough ambition, the kind you set yourself with reasonable confidence at six in the morning, before the day has had a chance to make its own plans.

The day, of course, had its own plans.

A few unwell patients delayed things just enough to nudge the schedule sideways. Nothing dramatic — just the gentle reminder that medicine doesn't keep to anyone's diary but its own. By the time I extracted myself, "back by noon" had quietly mutated into "back at some point", which is a downgrade I've learned to accept with reasonable grace.

But lunch made up for it. Rebung — finally. Anita has been harping on about this place for weeks, with the particular persistence of someone who knows she's right and is simply waiting for everyone else to catch up. And she was right. The spread was excellent, the kind of buffet that doesn't feel like a buffet but rather a thoughtful tour of Malay cooking done properly. Generous without being showy. I shall, in due course, admit she was right. Perhaps over coffee. Perhaps never.

The peace was short-lived. Mid-meal, more or less, came the call back to the hospital — one of those summonses you can't really argue with, only attend to. So back I went, the afternoon now firmly in charge rather than the other way round. These are the days that quietly remind you who's really running the schedule.

Somewhere between obligations, I managed a haircut at Lucky Garden. A small, civilian act in the middle of a day pulling me in several directions. There's something steadying about sitting in a barber's chair when the rest of the day has been frantic — the slow, methodical work of someone doing one thing carefully while the world outside continues its noise. I emerged tidier, marginally more composed, and ready for the evening's main event.

Which was the College of Physicians Gala Dinner at Dorsett Putrajaya. And here, in the spirit of honest journalling, I shall record that it was not the greatest. Gala dinners are a curious genre — formal enough to require effort, social enough to demand attention, but rarely exceptional in any single department. Tonight's outing leaned firmly into that pattern. The room looked the part. The company was fine. The food and the flow were... let us say adequate. Sometimes the highlight of a gala is simply having attended.

By the time we made it home, the day had stretched itself into something almost unrecognisable from the one I'd planned at dawn. Early start, late finish, with a half-dozen small detours in between. The kind of day that doesn't follow a clean narrative arc but instead zigzags through obligation, pleasure, duty, and a decent meal.

Bed will be welcome. Tomorrow, hopefully, will keep its own promises. Tonight, I'll settle for having kept most of mine.

Looking Good

No, I was not admiring my looks, but was staring at the new MediPlex being built right next to my ward. SJMC decided to build an annex after all these years. The project was delayed at the basement level for the last few years and the building only started to take shape from last year.

There would be new restaurants and medical-related services being set up. But the most important aspect of the whole project as far as I was concerned was the transfer of the rehab department to the new building. That would create space for the Oncology Unit to expend and in the next couple of years, I would have my clinic transferred across there.

It may cause some issues at the beginning as I might have to see some of my General Medical patients there as well, but hopefully things could be ironed out by then.

Words had it that the building would be transferred to the management as early as next month, and the internal renovation would start to take place after that before the transfer of the Rehab and Laboratory Departments. Expect more commotion in the coming year ....

Sweet Suite

During my ward visit yesterday, I found myself stumbling into one of the VIP room as I was finding the exit. Honestly, the room was more like a hotel suite than a hospital.

Dining area with a pantryYou get your own private balconyMore sofa for your visitorsAnd the hospital bed of courseWell, if I were to be admitted for something routine, I wouldn't mind here. Although it would likely cost more than a hotel suite as well ....

New Name

Yesterday when I was at the hospital to see some admissions - we were talking Sunday afternoons here - I noticed that there was a big crane at the Doctor's car park.

The business end of the crane was reaching the fifth floor of the South Tower building to peel away the old Sime Darby Healthcare sign and presumably install a new one.

The old sign as it wereThe hospital was now being renamed Subang Jaya Medical Center like the good old days. The parent company was now called Ramsay Sime Darby Healthcare Group. A new beginning hopefully. And not new name and new game ....

At UKMSC Last Night

I got the news that my Sister's mother-in-law taken ill last night and after work, I picked up my Mum and went to visit. She was admitted at UKM Specialist Center and would be operated last night.

Alhamdulillah the surgery went well. I got the news that she finally left the operating theatre just after 3 in the morning. Unfortunately at Specialist Centers such as this - UMSC included - some of the surgery could only be scheduled outside office hours due to commitments of the Doctors to their University services.

Added to that, the surgeon was due to fly over to India for a meeting the next day, so the surgery was performed at these odd hours. The main thing was everything went smoothly. Hopefully the recovery would also be just as uneventful.