Frustrating Day

Today was not one of the best.

To begin with, I had severe insomnia last night, due to which I was unable to sleep. I linked it to the late night tea (which was pretty strong) which I had, although this is probably the first time that tea has had any effect on me.

At the hospital, we had a pretty tough topic picked up for the lecture - Epilepsy. It was very hard to concentrate given that my eyes were heavy and burning from lack of sleep. Not only was the topic hard, the doctor was speeding so bad, it sounded like I was listening to an audio clip in fast forward mode.

The clinics were no less of a torture. Me and my partner (clinic partner) reach the pediatrics ward and find out that it wasnt the usual doctor. We were posted with the 'Mean Pediatric Doctor'. He doesnt like both of us. He is nicer to the rest of the group (because they sorta have arabs in those groups). We came back a while later, to find his clinic empty. He had left for his ward rounds. And then we find out he isnt in the Pediatric ward, he was in the neonatal ward. We went upstairs, and asked one of the nurses if we could join our assaigned doctor. She says "Dont come in, stay there and wait." And she disappears. 10 minutes we were standing there before she returned again and said "Dont come in okay? Just wait there." 10 minutes more and we get impatient, and I was tired. We peep inside and found someone there, asked her to find our doctor and inform him that his students were waiting. Inside the ward, we heard a conversation between her, the first nurse and our doctor, in persian, all of them screaming all over the place.

Finally we decided there was no use waiting any longer, so we left. We decided to go to the other pediatric doctor in the meanwhile. We were just in time to see the doctor leave his clinic to tend to an emergency case, and were unable to talk to him. There we were left to ourselves with nothing to do. My clinic partner (also the class Geek) decided to go after him (and demand for her rights?). I was too tired. I told her I'm gonna sit just there. She can do whatever she wants. Her attempt yeilded no result. She lost the doctor and couldnt find him anywhere.

Later she decided to go to the pediatrics ward and have a look at the case files. I decided to pass on that one, because I was too tired. Then I changed my mind and ended up with her because I realized I'd get bored of too much free time with nothing to do and noone to talk to.

So yea basically, no sleep, walked around the hospital in circles at least 5 times, made to stand around for like nearly half an hour. I was tired!

Come to think of it, this might be what I have to put up with when I do become a full-fleged doctor inshaAllah. How can I complain then? Its going to be my job. And whether I am tired or not, I wont be excused.

I think this is turning out into a nightmare even before I'm actually there.

Customizing

Yup, I've been customizing my blog page. :D

The sidebar has most of the changes. Very minute though, but all the same exciting as far as I am concerned.

I'm hoping to come up with nicer/fancier ideas. In the meanwhile your suggestions are always welcome.

Thank You.

Responsibilty - Nerving!

Today our doctor was telling us how, being a doctor is fun and exciting but at the same time, can be very dangerous and hectic.

I am posted in pediatrics currently, and he told us of a case he got at the hospital 3 days back. It was a 5 day old baby. The mother complained that the baby wasnt breathing. And so it was a case of respiratory distress, and the baby wasnt breathing.

The baby was taken into emergency. The doctor asked the nurse to start an IV(intravenous) line. The nurse was unable to do so. A second nurse came and had her go at the baby's veins. She was unable as well. A third nurse also tried but failed. In the end, the baby was presented to the doctor and was told that the nurse was unable to start an IV line. Also, keep in mind the nurses had already punctured all possible venous sites. Crisis situation!

The doctor was simply trying to say, that in the end it all comes down to the doctor. At the end of the day, nobody will question the nurse as to why she was unable to get the IV line. All eyes will be on the doctor. And questions thrown at the doctor as why this life was not saved.

No matter who else is involved, it is always the doctor who is responsible and answerable for the life of this baby. Similarly the case with any other patient.

I guess being a doctor is no small a deal. It is in fact a very big deal. You are taking the life of another human being into your own hands. And the patients put all their hope and trust in you. Its hard with so much burden on your shoulders. Then again, someone has to do it!

Call upon Allah

99 names of Allah with the explanation and meaning of each, all of which can be used to call upon Him and have been used several times in the Quran itself.

99 Names of Allah

Saddam Trial

So today I was listening to BBC on the radio (I never knw they were being broadcasted on the radio here in the UAE 'wow'). The 'Breaking News' for today was of course, Saddam's trial.

Saddam apparently has 2 personal lawyers and is being judged by 5 Judges. The case that was being tried was one that took place in the year 1982 (if I remember correct). It was when some people opened fire at Mr. Saddam himself, the so-called 'failed assassination'. On this account, he ordered around 140 people to be beheaded(?). Several others were imprisoned and tortured related to this same issue.

Why did they choose this case of all the others, for there are more brutal crimes that he has comitted? Because this was one of the cases in which they had more firm evidence against him, like documents signed by him which ordered the executions.

What the Iraqis think of this? Well, there is a very large portion of them who are literally celebrating inside their hearts to finally see some action being taken against him (most of them being people who lost family and loved ones in his hands). Also, there were people who thought that it is unfair and injust. They say that it is Iraq alone which should have the right to try Saddam for his crimes (I completely agree with that). There are still some others who think that none of this matters to them anymore. What is of concern to them is that they can get their family into safety and re-establish themselves, and turn things to make their lives normal again.

The news reporter also added another interesting comment. That the US was taking this step also to prove to Iraqis that they mean only good and to make sure that justice is served. (not those exact wordings, I forgot)

Ah well, we shall see.

Priorities

Scanning through the list of those in need my eyes fall on a couple of them including, the homeless and the injured in Iraq, the Orphans in Palestine, the many who still havent recovered in Afghanistan, those who lost everything they owned in the Huirricane Katrina, starving children in some parts of Africa, those who lost home and family in the Pakistan earthquake and then of course there were those Israelis who were suffering from not having a soccer stadium.

Qatar, growing on as one of the richest due to its gas reserves, knew its priorities very well. Its quite obvious which of these people need aid immediately.

The newspaper headline reassured Qatar's ability in recognising this
Qatar donates $6 million for Israel Stadium

What would become of those poor people if they dont get to play soccer in their very own stadium.

Take a minute to imagine how the world would change if all the other rich countries were to do as Qatar has.

Switching off the sarcastic tone, in conclusion, not only are the rich and powerful becoming richer and more powerful, but all the rich are helping each other achieve the goal of making this happen. So many people (upto 45,000) were killed and several others still missing and many others homeless, so many children left orphaned by the recent, tragic earthquake. And if those who are loaded are unwilling to help their recovery, then I believe that a day will come when a portion of the world will soon get completely wiped out, purely due to our ignorance and carelessness.

Why Gandhi Missed the Nobel Prize?

This happens to be a very interesting question actually, and a related article appeared in the local newspaper here. Hence, I thought it would be interesting to share the clipping.

Why did Mahatma Gandhi never win the Noble Peace Prize?

It is a question people are again asking as the Norwegian committee has just announced the prize winner this year — the International Atomic Energy agency and its chief Mohammed ElBaradei. Gandhi's omission has been widely criticised to the extent that later members of the Nobel committee publicly regretted it.

When the Dalai Lama was awarded the prize in 1989, the chairman of the committee said that this was "in part a tribute to the memory of Mahatma Gandhi". Gandhi, revered as the Father of the nation in India, was nominated for the prize in 1937, 1938, 1939, 1947 and, finally, a few days before he was murdered in January 1948.

On behalf of the Friends of India Association in Norway, Ole Colbjornsen, deputy member of the Norwegian parliament, nominated Gandhi's name thrice — 1937, 1938 and 1939. In 1937, Gandhi was duly selected as one of 13 candidates on the Norwegian committee's short list.

The committee's adviser, Professor Jacob Worm-Müller, who wrote a report on Gandhi, however was very critical of the Mahatma.
"He is undoubtedly a good, noble and ascetic person — a prominent man who is deservedly honoured and loved by the masses of India...(But) sharp turns in his policies, which can hardly be satisfactorily explained by his followers. He is a freedom fighter and a dictator, an idealist and a nationalist. He is frequently a Christ, but then, suddenly, an ordinary politician."

The adviser pointed out that Gandhi was not consistently pacifist and that he should have known that some of his non-violent campaigns towards the British would degenerate into violence and terror.

Moreover, Worm-Müller expressed doubts whether Gandhi's ideals were universal or primarily Indian: "One might say that it is significant that his well-known struggle in South Africa was on behalf of the Indians only, and not of the blacks whose living conditions were even worse."

The argument that went against Gandhi in 1947 was that the Nobel Peace Prize had never been awarded for any struggle for independence.

"Labour politician Martin Tranmوl was very reluctant to award the Prize to Gandhi in the midst of the India-Pakistan conflict, and former foreign minister Birger Braadland agreed with Tranmوl. Gandhi was, they thought, too strongly committed to one of the belligerents."

The Nobel website quotes from Jahn's diary: "While it is true that he (Gandhi) is the greatest personality among the nominees — plenty of good things could be said about him — we should remember that he is not only an apostle for peace; he is first and foremost a patriot... Moreover, we have to bear in mind that Gandhi is not naive. He is an excellent jurist and a lawyer."

Committee adviser Seip commented in his very favourable report that "Gandhi can only be compared to the founders of religions."

The committee decided to make no award that year (the year of his assassination - 1948) on the grounds that "there was no suitable living candidate". The qualifying clause is the closest the committee came to honour the 'great soul'.

Ramadan Special

I wanted to sit down and write a couple of interesting and useful tips that might come in handy during the month of Ramdan. Unfortunately, I havent been able to get down to it. However, here is an article very similar to what I had in mind. Its written by Navaid Aziz.

Ramadan - The Month of Love

I'll come up with something of my own soon InshaAllah.

Why not a coward?

This one goes out to all those people who have been made fun of and told off my family, friends and society for being a coward. Who says being a coward is a bad thing?

You are always on the safer side. (especially in case war)
Even if you did do something, noone would ever suspect you.
Your friends would never dare you to do something weird.
You never get into trouble in school. (you will always be someone in the background)
Your parents will be proud of you because your teacher never complains.

And most importantly, if it werent for you cowards, we would be unable to define the brave.

I had some more in mind. I cant remember right now. Anyways, all I'm trying to say is that it isnt all that bad to be a coward.