Basic essentials

Empathy....being sensitive or being able to understand the condition of another person from their perspective
Conscience....the inner sense of right and wrong that controls or guides the conducts of a individual
Compassion....the sympathy and concern towards misfortunes of others

The basic essentials for any individual to live a meaningful life which eventually may lead to a healthier and happier society.

Etiquette of professionals in the medical field

I suddenly recalled the enduring times of hospital visits, diagnosis and treatments during my chronic kidney disease for the past 11 years. I recalled a particular incident that wounded me emotionally that saddens me to this day. When I was first diagnosed with chronic kidney disease at a blossoming age of 27 and lacking information about the incurable disease, I was shattered with the news. I visited the hospitals frequently, hoping to hear positive news from the physicians that this disease is interim and I could live a normal life like any other girls my age thinking about work, marriage, family and bliss.
But on a particular visit to a reputable private hospital in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia; after waiting for a long time, I was called in by the physician and after looking at my medical report he turned to me and asked, "Do you pray? I don't think that you do and even if you do, it is not enough because this disease that you have at this age...only one in a million have it!" I was dumbfounded, devastated and shocked to hear those words from a professional physician whom is supposed to soothe me and suggest the possible treatment to help treat my condition. I kept silent, heart palpitating, and rushed out to the toilet but halted by Satya. I couldn't hold it and cried, feeling embarrassed, unable to contain myself and feeling hopeless.
Now that I am more knowledgeable about my disease and more mature, I often ponder how vulnerable patients are. Everyone will be in denial at the beginning stage and being hopeful for a cure hoping to live a normal life. To achieve this, we are very dependable on the opinions of the medical professionals. They are our hope to keep us calm to strive on. But when our trust is tarnished with such insensitive comments from a medical professional, what could a patient do? I did not visit a medical facility to get their opinion on the religious practices or how it can guarantee the longevity and well being of my life. I visited a medical facility to get help from the professional to interpret the results of my medical tests and to suggest the most appropriate treatment.
At this moment, I can't help to think the professionalism of medical practitioner here in Japan. All the nurses, doctors, pharmacists and technicians perform their duties with high regard and they take pride in what they do and yet so humble to their patients. I always feel at ease whenever I am at hospitals in Japan. I am not saying that I have been treated badly elsewhere. The majority of the practitioners that I have encountered are amazing and kind, but all I am saying is some practitioners can avoid such insensitive comments onto people that come over to them for help. Patients are already dejected with their diseases, and unkind comments will only make them more miserable.

Thanks to Suguhara Sensei and team

This post is dedicated to the magnificent child care services provided by the Montessori based daycare named Yamadanomori kids school at Yamada, Osaka Japan. Our son Aritya spent 2 years in this daycare learning some skills for a healthy well being.  They performed activities to sharpen both his fine and gross motor skills from making crafts to doing chores and even mild gardening. Many a times he had returned home with eggplants, sweet potato and cucumber harvested by the kids. They encouraged kids to independently do their chores from brushing their teeth, to washing hands, dressing up and even putting on shoes. They had plenty of fun time playing in the mud and sand under the exposure of healthy sunshine, to challenging themselves to climbing up slopes. I am thankful to the dedication and the professionalism portrayed by the teachers and caretakers of the Montessori based small school in Yamada, Osaka Japan. The teachers went all out to translate his activities in the notebook to explain his daily activity (so that I can know what he has been doing for the day at the school). Without this wonderful ladies lead by the majestic Suguhara Sensei, I would not be at ease to be working while my son is in their care. Now that he is moving on into a new school to explore the more challenging world, I am forever indebted to this ladies whom acted as mothers to look after my son and teaching the necessary skills to help him move forward to explore the upcoming challenges.
Thank you for your dedication...
Thank you for your professionalism...
Thank you for your patience...
Thank you for your endurance (language challenge)...
Thank you for your humour...
and most importantly,
Thank you for your love.

Thank you for keeping our kids safe while we work and shaping them to be excellent, capable and useful individual.

English preschool - the next phase

It is April 2018 and it means a new school year in Japan. Kids with working parents are often sent to daycare (hoikuen) or voluntary preschool (yochien) before they start the mandatory elementary education at the age of 6 in April. Aritya was born in May 2015, therefore although he will be 3 years old this year, as of April 2018 he is considered 2. Admission to preschool or even daycare is very competitive because the application goes through the city hall. Quite often, most parents opted for private daycare to have their kids looked after when they go to work. Similarly, when I was applying for admission to daycare for my son, the application was not successful partially because I was a student and priority was given to working mothers. Now that I have graduated, and have moved to another city, we tried our luck to apply for a daycare in the new city. Unfortunately, it was unsuccessful. But based on some information from a elderly friend, we found out that a new daycare is bound to be opened near our residence and we appealed to the city hall to try to get admission to the new school. To our dismay, we got accepted! Interestingly, the new daycare had also facility to open up a preschool and it is conducted mostly in English. We explained our situation and surveyed if bubu could be admitted to the new English preschool and he got accepted! It is a fun daycare where kids gets to play and do some activities where the instructors spoke in English. Although, bubu is happy in the current daycare, the activities are mostly for smaller kids and there are no progression for kids at his age. Also communication is a problem and we think that we often miss out on some information on his progress and activities. He can converse in an acceptable English and we would like if he could be understood by his teachers. So we decided to start him in the new daycare from April 2018. On April 2, we were invited to join the opening ceremony of the school. We were delighted to see the new facility and all the educational and fun material prepared for the kids. Bubbly boo was very excited about the school and was very eager to meet the teachers again (he had the opportunity to meet up the teachers before hand and witnessed the progression of the new building being built for the past weeks prior to the opening ceremony). The opening ceremony was very well conducted and I was surprised how the Japanese parents celebrates the opening ceremony. The dressed up very formally! The fathers spotted the black suit and the mothers wore formal dresses or suits and ALL of them wore pearl necklaces! Upon research on the internet, I found that it is customary to dress formally with the addition of the necklace to celebrate the opening ceremony of their child education. This made me ponder, how much you can learn from a developed nation. Although all parents strive to educate their children, very often you see the whole society celebrating the education of their children. Opening ceremony of children's education is celebrated upon in Japan with parents respecting the event with formal wear- how can you not adore their culture and sense of society?
Anyways, since it is a new daycare/school, the number of students enrolled in the preschool was only 3 inclusive of bubu. That means that the 3 of them have the attention of English speaking teachers and they get to officiate all the new toys all by themselves. This is paradise for bubu - he was jumping and enthusiast about the whole situation and of course, eager about the new school. The first week was atrial period where the kids only spent a few hours in the school to get used to the facility and the teachers. Bubu seemed to be coping well so far. Next week, the kitchen will be opened in the new school which means that lunch will be prepared in the school and given to the kids. I am most excited about this because I was hoping that he will continue eating healthily for a positive weight gain just as in our house.
I am most happy to see him happy and to communicate with the teachers and be able to be understood by the teachers about his needs (his English is better than his Japanese). I hope he continues to enjoy the school as well as continues to learn some vital social skills such as sharing and caring.

Rewrite the stars

Accustomed to obstacles in our lives, currently we are amidst a health related anxiety that keeps us gloom and pondering of what is going to happen next. Then I came across the lyrics of the song rewrite the stars from 'The Greatest Showman' (which I have been listening to, for a while now). The verse at the end described exactly how I felt at the moment and being overly optimistic, it cheered me up instantly to vanquish whatever trouble we have at the moment. So, all I can to Satya after recollecting on all the obstacles that we have fought together is....

How do we rewrite the stars?
Say you were made to be mine?
Nothing can keep us apart, cause you are the one I was meant to find
It is up to you and it is up to me
No one can say what we get to be
And why don't we rewrite the stars?
Changing the world to be ours
(Adapted from 'rewrite the stars' - The greatest showman)

As we have always been since we have first met till today....