What to do in a Medical Emergency by LJB

The Blogger’s note: It is reported that on May 23, 2011 at Kampung Morak, Tumpat, Kelantan, a man rushed to attend a cousin's funeral and forgot about his three-year-old daughter who was sleeping in the car under the blazing sun. By the time he remembered about her more than an hour later, the girl had already suffered serious heat stroke. The girl died of severe heat stroke while being rushed to a nearby clinic. This is a bitter lesson to all parents not to leave their child unattended in a vehicle. Dr JB Lim comments with the emphasis on learning first aid as follows:

Thursday, 26 May, 2011 10:52 PM
From: lim juboo

Yes, I read of this in yesterday’s newspapers. It is such a pitiful tragic and an unnecessary loss of life.

I read she was still conscious, but very pale, and her dress was completely drenched as seen from outside the car window.

I read some of the villagers wanted to break open the car window, but some idiotic ones wanted to wait for the car keys first. That was a medical emergency, and they should instantly break open the window and bring her out immediately, and transfer her to another car with the air-conditioner turned on at the lowest temperature at full blast over her head where the brain is.

Meantime someone should bring buckets of water and pour the water over her head and entire body while keeping her in the air-conditioner on – provided she is still conscious.

Another villager should have immediately prepared

1-2 glasses of water with 2 teaspoonful of salt dissolved in it and let her drink. Alternatively, since the incident was in a village where coconuts trees most likely are available, coconut water from old coconuts which is rich in potassium should be given by mouth with 1-2 teaspoonful of common salt (Sodium chloride) added to the coconut water. This should have been given to her instantly to correct dehydration and electrolyte imbalance that can affect the heart rhythm. They should check her pulse rate and its rhythm.

These are first-aid measures that could have been instituted instantly.

If she is unconscious open up her Airways (head tilt, chin lift position) and ensure Breathing and Circulation (ABC). If no pulse is felt over the carotid arteries (side of the neck), apply CPR (Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation) instantly. In the event she is unconscious, NOTHING should be given orally.

Meantime as CPR is applied, another helper should continue to sponge her head and entire body with cold water to bring her body temperature down. This procedure will also channel her peripheral blood circulation over the skin, back into her vital organs (brain, heart, kidneys).

In a heat stroke the body is overheated, and the body goes into an overdrive to channel the blood to the skin surface to dissipate heat directly or indirectly through sweat over the skin surface. The procedure is to instantly cool down the body. If this is not done, she might go into a hypovolemic shock where insufficient blood remains for the heart to pump efficiently (low cardiac output) while most of the blood remains in the vast network of sub-cutaneous capillaries. There will be a serious drop in blood pressures, and she can go into a cardiogenic shock.

But if she is breathing and has a pulse, but just fainted, then tilt her legs and body towards her head (Trendelenburg position) while still sponging her head and bathing her body in cold water. The lowering of skin temperature will drive back the blood to her vital organs where it is critically needed. When she recovers, and is conscious, only then give her a drink of coconut water with some salt in it. Do NOT give an unconscious person anything by mouth.

When this critical event is over, only then sends her to hospital where an intravenous drip with dextrose-saline to further correct dehydration may be administered. It is as simple as that.

This is pre-hospital care which every person should know. The administration of first-aid is the practice of emergency medicine at level 1 in a pre-hospital situation, and anyone trained in first-aid can administer. Untrained personnel are protected by the Good Samaritan Law.

This simple procedure could have saved her life – if only those villagers know first-aid, and the importance of it in a medical emergency.

It was so sad and unfortunate a life has been lost because of lack of knowledge of first-aid.

Learn First Aid!Jb lim

BSc (Physiol), PG Dip Nutr, MSc, MD, PhD (Medicine), FRSPH, FRSM
Regional Staff Officer for First Respondent Life Support Training
Advanced Cardiac Life Support
St John Ambulance Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur

Medicine for Quick Cure?

The Blogger’s note: In response to an email circulated among the e-buddies inviting attendance to a health talk on “Healthy Vegetarian”, the good-hearted Dr JB Lim offers his professional advice as follows:

Friday, 27 May, 2011 7:55 PM
From: lim juboo

Dear Buddies,

This was sent to me. Thank you. I am passing it round.

I think it is worth while attending this talk as I am all for the importance of nutrition especially the daily consumption of fruits and vegetables as strongly advocated as part of the teaching of preventive medicine for doctors and nutritionists.

There is no use adopting a dietary lifestyle that damages your health and trying to find a 'quick cure' for it with all sorts of quackery drugs prescribed by your equally quackery money-making doctor. There is absolutely no ‘quick cure’ or ‘fixed it up medicine’ for anyone as long as you wish to remain on this planet. I do not know if there is any after you leave this world? You may like to ask Osama bin Laden how he is doing over there in the Hell of Fire with his 74 virgins there. I do not know.

There is absolutely a no 'cure', and a big no 'cure' for all chronic and degenerative diseases of lifestyles and nutrition-related disorders. Do not be deceived by members of the health-care professions that by taking the medicine eternally as prescribed by your doctor you will be ‘alright’. You will not be alright.

You will poison yourself eternally with all those drugs, and your problems shall remain forever with you together with even more other diseases of similar dietary lifestyles. More and more drugs you will be taking until your premature departure from this world.

‘Satu biji, 3 kali sebelum / selapas makan’ and all those rubbish drugs is not going to help you or ‘put right’ your messy health problems over again.

This reminds me of the nursery rhyme I used to sing as a child. ‘Humpty Dumpty Sat on a Wall’ and ‘Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. And all the king’s horses, and All the King’s men, Could not put Humpty together again’.

So beautiful and meaningful that nursery lyric is to me now. I wish to echo that seemingly ‘very childish’ song I learnt as a child, but now seemingly very, very meaningful to me and to everyone else seeking for the maintenance of good physical, mental, social and spiritual well-being and religious health. Once your health falls, you just fall - you can never get it back again.

Once you fall (in health) you will spiral one after another in a vicious circle. I am telling you this like gospel truth and with authority. Don’t think or ever hope your doctor or all those quackery medicine he gave you 'satu biji lima kali sebelum belum or selapas makan' is going to put you - the ‘Humpty Dumpty’ together again.

You are a ‘Dump(ty)’ if you believe this? Are you an idiot to believe that just by taking medicine ‘satu biji tiga kali, bebelum or selapas makan’ and ignore everything else that concerns your nutrition, behavioral, attitude, occupational, exposure, social and environmental, spiritual, and all other causative factors, you will be in ‘perfect’ health? Take this question very, very seriously.

All health-care professionals (including myself) who advise you to continue to take medicine regularly, and come back for more after you have finished, are all professional and business quackery to the highest degree to empty all your bank accounts. I am telling you and all of them this - straight in the face.

I am telling you this truthfully with professional authority and integrity. Listen, or just leave it.

So if you like come and listen to a talk on lifestyle, health and disease. But always ask for his academic credentials first. There are also a lot of bogus ‘nutritionists’ around these days selling ‘food supplements’ That is another problem we also have to face.

Research Nutritionist lim ju boo
BSc (Physiology. & Pharmacology)
Post-grad Dip Nutrition, MSc, MD, PhD (Med), FRSPH, FRSM

Formerly:
Clinical Research Nutritionist & Medical Toxicologist
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA
Senior Medical Researcher &
Head of Community & Behavioural Medicine
Institute for Medical Research
Ministry of Health, Malaysia

Currently:
Special Medical Adviser & Chief Science Adviser
Head of Technical Advisory Board
The Dyna Pharmaceutical Group

One Moment, Listen Please

FROM ONE OF THE WORLD'S RICHEST MEN

The Moment you are in Tension
You will lose your Attention
Then you are in total Confusion
And you will feel Irritation
Then you will spoil personal Relation
Ultimately, you won't get Cooperation
Then things will be full of Complication
Then your blood pressure may raise Caution
And you may have to take Medication
Instead, understand the Situation
And try to think about the Solution
Many problems will be solved by Discussion
This will work out better in your Profession
Don't think it's my free Suggestion
It's only for your Prevention
If you understand my Intention
You will never come again to Tension

- Bill Gates

(Courtesy of forwarded mail from Yong Yew Khoon)

銅鑼聲

有二位年輕人從鄉下來到城市，歷經奮鬥，終於賺了很多錢，
後來年紀大了，就決定回鄉下安享晚年，
在他們回鄉的小徑上，碰到了一位白衣老者，
這位老者手上拿著一面銅鑼，在那裡等他們。
他們問老先生：「你在這做什麼?」
老先生說：
「我是專門幫人敲最後一聲銅鑼的人，
你們兩個都只剩下三天的生命，到第三天黃昏的時候，
我會拿著銅鑼到你家的門外敲，
你們一聽到鑼聲，生命就結束了。」
講完後，這個老人就消失不見了。
這兩人聽完後就楞住了，
好不容易在城市輕辛苦了那麼多年，賺了這麼多錢，
要回來享福，
結果卻只剩下三天好活。

兩人各自回家後，第一個有錢人從此不吃不喝，
每天都愁眉不展，細數他的財產。
心想：「怎麼辦？只剩三天可活!」
他就這樣垂頭喪氣，面如死灰，什麼事也不做，
只記得那個老人要來敲銅鑼。
他一直等，一直等到第三天的黃昏，整個人已如洩了 氣的皮球。
終於那個老人來了，拿著銅鑼站在他的門外，〔鏘〕的敲了一聲。
他一聽到鑼聲，就立刻倒了下去，死了。
為什麼呢? 因為，他一直在等這一聲，等到了，也就死了!

另外一個有錢人心想：「太可惜了，賺那麼多錢，
只剩下三天可活，我從小就離家，從沒為家鄉做過什麼，
我應該把這些錢拿出來，分給家鄉所有苦難和需要幫助的人。」
於是，他把所有的錢分給窮苦的人，又鋪路又造橋，
光是處理這些就讓他忙得不得了， 根本忘記三天以後的銅鑼聲。
好不容易到了第三天，才把所有的財產都散光了，
村民們非常感謝他，於是就請了鑼鼓陣，
歌仔戲，布袋戲到他家門口來慶祝，
場面非常熱鬧，舞龍舞獅，又放鞭炮，又放煙火．
到了第三天黃昏，老人依約出現，在他家門外敲銅鑼．
老人〔鏘!鏘!鏘〕地敲了好幾聲銅鑼，
可是大夥全都沒聽到，老人再怎麼敲也沒用，只好走了。
這個有錢人過了好多天才想起老人要來敲鑼的事，還正納悶：
「怎麼老人失約了?」

當一個人處於絕望的時候，若能展現積極樂觀的一面，
承擔眼前的一刻，不必擔心以後的事情，就不必怕哪一天銅鑼會響，
也不必特別去聽那一聲銅鑼的聲音。
絕望將不再是絕望，卻反而可能是另一個轉機呢!
當手中只一顆酸檸檬時，你也要設法將它做成一杯可口的檸檬汁。

生命不是用來尋找答案
也不是用來解決問題的
它是用來愉快的過生活

希望各位在繁忙之餘∼∼∼
快樂過生活∼∼∼

「能解決的事，不必去擔心； 不能解決的事，擔心也沒用。」

這句話真的值得我們細細的咀嚼
所謂天下本無事，庸人自擾之。
把握當下才是最重要的

∼∼共勉之∼∼
(Courtesy of forwarded mail from Chan Chun Mun)

家有喜事七秘訣(7-UP)

給尚未升格, 將要升格或已升格的公公,婆婆們:

[家有喜事七秘訣 7-UP]

首先，是當孩子談婚論嫁的時候，只要是孩子自己看中的，我們就欣然接受吧！這是Cheer-Up.

第二：是Listen-Up: 如果子女還願意將戀情上報，你我就該受寵若驚; 上帝給我們兩個耳朵，從前聽父母的，現在聽子女的，不要晚節不保！

第三是要Shut-Up: 此乃針對第二個Up, 當孩子上報狀況，你我別往臉上貼金，把他們的照會誤判為請示，所以Listen-Up 完了，就要懂得 Shut-Up。

第四是Dress-Up: 看在兒女份上，入境問俗，衣著倒要得體。

第五是Show-Up: 在有關的場合，是要出席的。

第六是Give-Up: 父母對子女的大愛，就是要讓他們展翅高飛，不要強留他們在身邊。婚後也不要打擾他們的新生活。

第七是Pay-Up: 就是付錢的意思，不必另加敘述。

以上秘訣，牢記在心，以免出紕漏 (Screw-Up)!
-------------------------------------
Feedback from Director, Information Division, Taipei Economic & Cultural Office in Malaysia:

Thursday, 26 May, 2011 3:23 PM
From: chou peggy

泰安兄

您說的對極了
這是我最近的心靈寫照
有您一番話
頓時心胸開闊起來
感謝
祝好

蓓姬 敬上

Red Indian Management Lesson

A Red Indian walks into a cafe with a shotgun in one hand and a bucket of buffalo manure in the other. He says to the waiter, 'Me want coffee.'

The waiter says, 'Sure chief, coming right up...'

He gets the Red Indian a tall mug of coffee, and the Indian drinks it down in one gulp, picks up the bucket of manure, throws it into the air, blasts it with the shotgun, then just walks out.

The next morning the Indian returns. He has his shotgun in one hand and a bucket of buffalo manure in the other. He walks up to the counter and says to the waiter, 'Me want coffee.'

The waiter says, 'Whoa, Tonto! We're still cleaning up your mess from yesterday. What the heck was all that about, anyway?'

The Indian smiles and proudly says, 'Me training for top management position: Come in, drink coffee, shoot some crap, leave mess for others to clean up, disappear for rest of the day'.

(Courtesy of forwarded mail from Leo Nathan)

A Little Poem For You

Another year has passed
and we're all a little older.
Last summer felt hotter
and winter seems much colder.
There was a time not long ago
when life was quite a blast.
Now I fully understand
about 'Living in the Past'
We used to go to weddings,
football games and lunches.
Now we go to funeral homes,
and after-funeral brunches.
We used to have hangovers,
from parties that were gay.
Now we suffer body aches
and wile the night away.
We used to go out dining,
and couldn't get our fill.
Now we ask for doggie bags,
come home and take a pill.

We used to often travel
to places near and far.
Now we get sore asses
from riding in the car.
We used to go to nightclubs
and drink a little booze.
Now we stay home at night
and watch the evening news.
That, my friend is how life is,
and now my tale is told.
So, enjoy each day and live it up...
before you're too damned old!

(Courtesy of forwarded mail from Pastor David Chen)

Fine Art Photos

(Courtesy of forwarded mail from Yong Yew Khooon)

盲人和导盲犬的感人故事

一天,一个盲人带着他的导盲犬过街时,一辆大卡车失去控制,直冲过来,盲人当场被撞死,他的导盲犬为了守卫主人,也一起惨死在车轮底下。

主人和狗一起到了天堂门前。

一个天使拦住他俩,为难地说:“对不起,现在天堂只剩下一个名额,你们两个中必须有一个去地狱。”

主人一听,连忙问:“我的狗又不知道什么是天堂,什么是地狱,能不能让我来决定谁去天堂呢？”

天使鄙视地看了这个主人一样,皱起了眉头,她想了想,说:“很抱歉,先生,每一个灵魂都是平等的,你们要通过比赛决定由谁上天堂。”

主人失望地问:“哦,什么比赛呢？”

天使说:“这个比赛很简单,就是赛跑,从这里跑到天堂的大门,谁先到达目的地,谁就可以上天堂。不过,你也别担心,因为你已经死了,所以不再是瞎子,而且灵魂的速度跟肉体无关,越单纯善良的人速度越快。”

主人想了想,同意了。

天使让主人和狗准备好,就宣布赛跑开始。她满心以为主人为了进天堂,会拼命往前奔,谁知道主人一点也不忙,慢吞吞地往前走着。更令天使吃惊的是,那条导盲犬也没有奔跑,它配合着主人的步调在旁边慢慢跟着,一步都不肯离开主人。天使恍然大悟:原来,多年来这条导盲犬已经养成了习惯,永远跟着主人行动,在主人的前方守护着他。可恶的主人,正是利用了这一点,才胸有成竹,稳操胜券,他只要在天堂门口叫他的狗停下就可以了。

天使看着这条忠心耿耿的狗,心里很难过,她大声对狗说:“你已经为主人献出了生命,现在,你这个主人不再是瞎子,你也不用领着他走路了,你快跑进天堂吧!”

可是,无论是主人还是他的狗,都像是没有听到天使的话一样,仍然慢吞吞地地往前走,好像在街上散步似的。

果然,离终点还有几步的时候,主人发出一声口令,狗听话地坐下了,天使用鄙视的眼神看着主人。

这时,主人笑了,他扭过头对天使说:“我终于把我的狗送到天堂了,我最担心的就是它根本不想上天堂,只想跟我在一起……所以我才想帮它决定,请你照顾好它。”

天使愣住了。

主人留恋地看着自己的狗,又说:“能够用比赛的方式决定真是太好了,只要我再让它往前走几步,它就可以上天堂了。不过它陪伴了我那么多年,这是我第一次可以用自己的眼睛看着它,所以我忍不住想要慢慢地走,多看它一会儿。如果可以的话,我真希望永远看着它走下去。不过天堂到了,那才是它该去的地方,请你照顾好它。”

说完这些话,主人向狗发出了前进的命令,就在狗到达终点的一刹那,主人像一片羽毛似的落向了地狱的方向。他的狗见了,急忙掉转头,追着主人狂奔。满心懊悔的天使张开翅膀追过去,想要抓住导盲犬,不过那是世界上最纯洁善良的灵魂,速度远比天堂所有的天使都快。

所以导盲犬又跟主人在一起了,即使是在地狱,导盲犬也永远守护着它的主人。

天使久久地站在那里,喃喃说道:“我一开始就错了,这两个灵魂是一体的,他们不能分开……”
　　
最后，我要说：这个世界上,真相只有一个,可是在不同人眼中,却会看出不同的是非曲直。这是为什么呢？其实,道理很简单,因为每个人看待事物,都不可能站在绝对客观公正的立场上,而是或多或少地戴上有色眼镜,用自己的经验、好恶和道德标准来进行评判,结果就是——我们看到了假象。
　　
"友谊的幸福之一，是知道了可以向谁倾吐秘密。"如果你收到了这封信，是因为有人在默默的祝福你，因为你也爱你身边的一些人。如果你总说太忙，不能将这封信转寄出去，老是说："改天再寄。"你将永远都不会去做这件事的。所以，不要找借口，静心的看看这篇古老印度来的故事，然后决定为你的朋友们作一些事，从传寄这封信开始。当你说："你是我的好朋友"时，请认真的说出来。当你道歉时请看着对方的眼睛。

永远不要嘲笑别人的梦想。不要随便给一个人定性。说话时要慢，思想时要快。打电话的时候请你微笑，对方一定感觉得到。

(Courtesy of forwarded mail from Cheong Siew Chyuan)