Emedinews:Inspiration:Positive thinking

Jerry was the kind of guy you love to hate. He was always in a good mood and always had something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, “If I were any better, I would be twins!”

He was a unique manager because he had several waiters who had followed him around from restaurant to restaurant. The reason the waiters followed Jerry was because of his attitude. He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Jerry was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.

Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Jerry and asked him, “I don’t get it! You can’t be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?” Jerry replied, “Each morning I wake up and say to myself, Jerry, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or you can choose to be in a bad mood.’ I choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life.” “Yeah, right, it’s not that easy,” I protested.

“Yes it is,” Jerry said. “Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people will affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. The bottom line: It’s your choice how you live life.”

I reflected on what Jerry said. Soon thereafter, I left the restaurant industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it. Several years later, I heard that Jerry did something you are never supposed to do in a restaurant business: he left the back door open one morning and was held up at gunpoint by three armed robbers. While trying to open the safe, his hand, shaking from nervousness, slipped off the combination. The robbers panicked and shot him. Luckily, Jerry was found relatively quickly and rushed to the local trauma center. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Jerry was released from the hospital with fragments of the bullets still in his body. I saw Jerry about six months after the accident. When I asked him how he was, he replied, “If I were any better, I’d be twins. Wanna see my scars?”

I declined to see his wounds, but did ask him what had gone through his mind as the robbery took place. “The first thing that went through my mind was that I should have locked the back door,” Jerry replied. “Then, as I lay on the floor, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live, or I could choose to die. I chose to live.”

“Weren’t you scared? Did you lose consciousness?” I asked. Jerry continued, “The paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the emergency room and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read, ‘He’s a dead man.’ I knew I needed to take action.”

“What did you do?” I asked.

“Well, there was a big, burly nurse shouting questions at me,” said Jerry. “She asked if I was allergic to anything. ‘Yes,’ I replied. The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply… I took a deep breath and yelled, ‘Bullets!’ Over their laughter, I told them, ‘I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead.”

Jerry lived thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully. Attitude, after all, is everything.

Emedinews:Insights on Medicolegal Issues:Immediate first aid may stop serious poisoning and may save life

If breathing and the heart stop, the person will die within a few minutes unless first aid is administered at once. Here is an action list. Start with the first step and follow each step in the order given. Act as quickly as you can, but stay calm.

• Check if the patient is conscious. Try to keep the patient awake. Shout "Are you all right?" and gently shake the shoulders, but take care not to make any injuries worse. Pinch the skin on the neck and watch the face. A patient who is just sleeping will wake up, but an unconscious patient will not.
• Open the airway. The airway is the tube through which air passes from the mouth and nose to the lungs. If it is blocked the patient cannot breathe and air cannot get into or out of the lungs. A patient who cannot breathe will die within 4 minutes. In an unconscious patient, the tongue may block the throat and the airway.
• Make sure the airway is open and air can get down the throat. Place the patient on his/her back. Tilt the head back and lift the chin up with the finger and thumb of one hand on the bony part of the chin, while pressing the forehead back with the other hand. This will open the airway and stop the tongue blocking the throat.
• Check whether the patient is breathing after opening the airway; quickly check whether the patient is breathing. Look for the belly or the chest moving up and down. Feel the chest moving up and down. Feel the patient’s breathe on your cheek. Listen for breath sounds. Put your ear close to the patient’s mouth. Use all four checks. Remember that the chest may move up and down even when the throat is completely blocked and air cannot get to the lungs.

Emedinews:Inspiration:The fat lady

Hi! How are you?” The woman smiled as she took the seat beside me. She had to lower herself slowly, squeezing her ample bottom into the seat, filling all available space. Positioning herself comfortably, she plopped her enormous arm on our common armrest. Her immensity saturated the space around us, shrinking me and my seat into insignificance.

I cringed and reclined towards the window. She leaned towards me and repeated her greeting in an upbeat, friendly voice. Her face towered above my head, forcing me to turn to look at her. “Hi,” I replied with obvious loathing. I turned away to stare out the cabin window, sulking silently about the long hours of discomfort I was going to experience with this monster beside me.

She nudged me with her meaty arm. “My name is Laura. I’m from Britain. How about you? Japan?” “Malaysia,” I barked.

“I’m so sorry! Will you accept my heartfelt apology? Come, shake my hand. If we’re going to spend six hours side-by-side on this flight, we’d better be friends, don’t you think?” A palm waved in front of my face. I shook the hand reluctantly, still silent. Laura started a conversation with me, taking no notice of my unfriendly reactions. She talked excitedly about herself and her trip to Hong Kong to see her friends. She rattled off a list of things she was going to buy for her students in the boarding school where she was teaching.

I gave her one-word answers to her questions about me. Unperturbed by my coldness, she nodded as she made appreciative comments to my answers. Her voice was warm and caring. She was considerate and obliging when we were served drinks and meals, making sure that I had room to maneuver in my seat. “I don’t want to clobber you with my elephant size!” she said with utmost sincerity.

To my surprise, her face which repulsed me hours before now opened into extraordinary smiles, lively and calm at the same time. I couldn’t help but let down my guard slowly.

Laura was an interesting conversationalist. She was well read in many subjects from philosophy to science. She turned a seemingly unimportant subject into something to explore and understand. Her comments were humorous and inspirational. When our topic turned to cultures, I was pleasantly surprised by her intelligent comments and well-thought-out analysis.

During our conversation, Laura managed to make every cabin crew who served us walk away laughing at her jokes. When a flight attendant was clearing our plates, Laura cracked several jokes about her size. The flight attendant roared with laughter as she grabbed Laura’s hand, “You really make my day!”

For the next few minutes, Laura listened attentively and gave pointers to the flight attendant’s weight problem. The grateful attendant said before she rushed off, “I’ve got to work. I’ll come back later and talk to you about it.” I asked Laura, “‘have you ever thought about losing some weight?”

“No. I’ve worked hard to get this way. Why would I want to give it up?” “You aren’t worried about cardiovascular diseases that come with being overweight?”

“Not at all. You only get the diseases if you’re worried about your weight all the time. You see advertisements from slimming centres that say, ‘Liberate yourself from your extra baggage so that you are free to be yourself.’ It’s rubbish! You’re liberated only if you’re comfortable about who you are, and what you look like any time of the day and anytime of the year! Why would I want to waste my time on slimming regimes when I have so many other important things to do and so many people to be friends with? I eat healthily and walk regularly; I’m this size because I am born to be big! There is more to life than worrying about weight all day long.”

She sipped at her wine. “Besides, God gives me so much happiness that I need a bigger body to hold all of it! Why would I lose weight to lose my happiness?” Taken aback by her reasoning, I chuckled.

Laura continued. “Folks often see me as a fat lady with big bosoms, big thighs and a big bottom that no man would even bother to cast a glance at. They see me as a slob. They think I’m lazy and have no willpower. They’re wrong.” She held up her glass to a passing flight attendant. “More of this magnificent wine please.” She smiled sweetly at the attendant. “Great service from your crew. May God bless all of you.”

She turned to me, “I’m actually a slim person inside. I’m so full of energy that people won’t be able to keep up with me. This extra flesh is here to slow me down; otherwise I’ll be running everywhere chasing after men!” “Do men chase after you?” I asked jokingly. “Of course they do. I’m happily married but men still keep proposing to me.

“Most of them have relationship problems and they need someone to confide in. For some reason, they like to talk to me. I think I should have been a counselor instead of a school teacher!”

Laura paused before she said thoughtfully, “You know, the relationship between men and women is so complicated. Women worship men and call them, ‘Honey’ until they find out they have been lied to, and then they turn into bitter gourds! Men love women so much that they see them as their soul mates until they look at their credit card bills, and then women become devils with tridents!”

Laura’s enthralling conversation had turned the flight into something thoroughly enjoyable. I was also fascinated by the way people were drawn to her. By the end of the flight, almost half the cabin crew was standing near the aisle by us, laughing and joking with Laura. The passengers around us joined in the merry-making too. Laura was the centre of attention, filling the cabin with delightful warmth.

When we waved goodbye to each other at the arrival lounge at Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Airport, I watched her walking towards a big group of adoring adults and kids. Cheers sounded as the group hugged and kissed Laura. She turned around and winked at me.

 I was stunned, as the realization set in: Laura was the most beautiful woman I had ever met in my life.

Emedinews:Insights on Medicolegal Issues:Postmortem examination in death due to Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI)

·         It is recommended that an autopsy in a death suspected to be due to an AEFI be performed as soon as possible (within 72 hours) to avoid tissue damage, development of postmortem artifacts and autolysis of the adrenal glands, which can alter diagnosis.

·         Samples for both histopathological and toxicological examination should be sent to approved and accredited government reference laboratories through investigating police agencies. The samples should be collected and transported to forensic laboratories as early as possible to avoid loss of biological samples due to decomposition.

·         All samples should be labeled with the name, number and autopsy report/form number along with the necessary documents requesting the examination and investigation, and the conclusions from the autopsy, which should list the cause of death, utilizing International Classification of Disease (ICD 10) and, if possible, the causative agents/drugs.

·         Sampling for histopathology examination to be sent to pathologist for underlying disease/pathologies in the deceased which may be the cause of death or contributed in the cause of death: The samples should be representative of the suspicious area of disease/pathology; however, in general 80 to 100 gms of liver, 100 gms of brain with meninges, fragments from both adrenal glands, half of transverse section of kidneys, half of Spleen and whole heart should be taken.

·         All the visceral specimens should be collected in separate containers, a wide – mouthed bottle as prescribed and 10% formalin should be added as preservatives. The quantity of the formalin should be sufficient to cover all the pieces of specimen viscera in bottle.

·         The specimens should be sealed, signed, labeled by the doctor/autopsy surgeon and should be handed over to police/investigating officer for further pathological examination.

Emedinews:Inspiration:Military story: True friend

Horror gripped the heart of the World War I soldier as he saw his lifelong friend fall in battle. Caught in a trench with continuous gunfire whizzing over his head, the soldier asked his lieutenant if he might go out into the “no man’s land” between the trenches to bring his fallen comrade back.

“You can go,” said the lieutenant, “but I don’t think it will be worth it. Your friend is probably dead and you may throw your life away.” The lieutenant’s advice didn’t matter, and the soldier went anyway. Miraculously he managed to reach his friend, hoist him onto his shoulder and bring him back to their company’s trench. As the two of them tumbled in together to the bottom of the trench, the officer checked the wounded soldier, and then looked kindly at his friend.

“I told you it wouldn’t be worth it,” he said. “Your friend is dead and you are mortally wounded.” “It was worth it, though, sir,” said the soldier. “What do you mean; worth it?” responded the Lieutenant. “Your friend is dead.” “Yes, Sir” the private answered. “But it was worth it because when I got to him, he was still alive and I had the satisfaction of hearing him saying, “Jim…, I knew you’d come.”

 Many times in life, whether a thing is worth doing or not, really depends on how u looks at it. Take up all your courage and do something your heart tells you to do so that you may not regret not doing it later in your life. May each and every one of you be blessed with the company of true friends.

 A true friend is one who walks in, when the rest of the world walks out. War doesn’t determine who’s right. War only determines who’s left.

Emedinews:Insights on MEdicolegal Issues:Autopsy findings in hanging

·         The mark on the neck in hanging oblique/incomplete placed high up with pattern abrasions.

·         The circumstances will usually indicate the fact of hanging, but sometimes the rope will break or become detached, and the deceased will be found lying with a ligature around his neck.

·         The victim may sit or slump on a chair, bed or floor with the rope attached to a point only slightly above neck level. Very confusing for public perception.

·         Postmortem hypostasis will occur in the legs and hands if the body has been in the vertical position for at least a few hours. When the body is cut down and laid horizontal for a considerable time, some or all of this may flow back into the usual pattern.

·         Petechial hemorrhages are the exception rather than the rule; most series have reported them in about 25% of cases.

·         There are no injuries on the hands and other part of the body of victim in the form resistance

·         Dribbling of saliva is considered to be a sign of antemortem hanging but it is not necessarily seen in all the cases of hanging since the secretion of saliva in hanging is dependent upon, the stimulation of salivary glands by ligature material during the course of hanging.

·         In a case of partial hanging when only partial body weight is working as constricting force on neck, the ligature mark is faint. Hence, in this case or any other case of hanging particularly partial hanging where the salivary glands are not pressurized by the constricting force of ligature, no dribbling of saliva is seen and the same in this case cannot be ruled out.

·         The neck of the deceased will not be stretched and elongated in this case since as it is a case of partial hanging and complete body weight is not working as stretching force.

·         The eyes may remain open in a case of antemortem hanging.

·         As per literature suicide notes are left only in about 25% cases.

Emedinews:Inspiration:A man must constantly exceed his level!

An Inspirational Story

 This inspiring story is about Bruce Lee, a legendary martial art master.

 “Bruce had me up to three miles a day, really at a good pace. We’d run the three miles in twenty-one or twenty-two minutes. Just under eight minutes a mile [Note: when running on his own in 1968, Lee would get his time down to six-and-a half minutes per mile].

 So this morning he said to me “We’re going to go five.” I said, “Bruce, I can’t go five. I’m a helluva lot older than you are, and I can’t do five.” He said, “When we get to three, we’ll shift gears and it’s only two more and you’ll do it.”

 I said “Okay, hell, I’ll go for it.” So we get to three, we go into the fourth mile and I’m okay for three or four minutes, and then I really begin to give out. I’m tired, my heart’s pounding, I can’t go any more and so I say to him, “Bruce if I run anymore,” –and we’re still running-” if I run any more I’m liable to have a heart attack and die.” He said, “Then die.” It made me so mad that I went the full five miles. Afterward I went to the shower and then I wanted to talk to him about it. I said, you know, “Why did you say that?”

 He said, “Because you might as well be dead. Seriously, if you always put limits on what you can do, physical or anything else, it’ll spread over into the rest of your life. It’ll spread into your work, into your morality, into your entire being. There are no limits. There are plateaus, but you must not stay there, you must go beyond them. If it kills you, it kills you. A man must constantly exceed his level.”

 From The Art of Expressing the Human Body

By Bruce Lee, John Little