Long Week

Last week was a looonnnng tiring week....
Meetings after meetings... all my breaks and free periods are packed with project discussions one after another. The worse one was on wednesday I think (See, I'm even disorientated to time now.) I had discussions back to back, one after another, from cognitive dysfunction to work rehabilitation to FYP. Haha... looks like the lunar 7th month singers "rushing for performance at Getai"

Nevertheless, the coming week is gonna be super packed as well.... and I haven't buy my new year clothes yet!!! Was with some of my classmates at bugis.... but I'm like a walking zombie.... my brain was already in standby mode and ready for shut down any time....

Oh.... last thursday, finally I have time for exercise!!! haha... that was during reduced energy lesson. We had captain ball in the swimming pool! =) After so long.... and we just heard from HB that the gym that we thought it was, was actually for the sportsmans..... and the actual gym was in the sports hall..... and we didn't know it and we are now 3 months away from our graduation.

5 Factors Model of Personality Traits

Hey there..... try this test! Not sure if it is accurate for you..... perhaps you tell me whether it is accurate for me! =)


My Personality

Neuroticism	58
Extraversion	83
Openness To Experience	96
Agreeableness	50
Conscientiousness	40

You are sociable, outgoing, energetic, and lively. You prefer to be around people much of the time. Stressful and frustrating situations can often be upsetting to you, but you are sometimes able to get over these feelings and cope with these situations. Novelty, variety, and change spice up your life and make you a curious, imaginative, and creative person. You have some concern with others' needs, and are generally pleasant, sympathetic, and cooperative. You are reasonably reliable, organized, and self-controlled.

Test Yourself Compare Yourself View Full Report Browse 1000s of the most popular myspace layouts or create your own layout.

3 Cheers for the Singapore Lions!

For those who knows me, I was never a die-hard fan of any soccer team. But tonight, I actually watched the whole ASEAN Football Championship of Singapore vs Thailand.

Perhaps it is my patriotic nature.... I always enjoyed participating/watching events that makes me Singaporean. So, even sitting on the stool watching the match telecast live on channel 5 at home, it makes me feel proud being a Singaporean.

I can't imagine myself screaming softly when Singapore scored a goal!!! I'm really proud of how everyone put in their very best performance during the match and never fail to keep their cool. Though Singapore was playing defence most of the time, (correct me if I'm wrong, I alrdy say I'm not a die hard fan), Khairul Amri managed to score a goal in the 80th minute after a solo run. Goalkeeper Lionel Lewis also saved afew balls from scoring. During the last 10-15mins or so, he had some muscle pull at the thigh I think..... and the referee gave him a yellow card when he took slightly longer to kick the ball....

I can't imagine myself having a heart attack when the Lions missed the many few chances of scoring a goal. But the thais are playing very well too.... their attacks were good.... their teamwork and passing were good as well.....

But nevertheless, I was very happy that we won the cup again!!!

(apologies if any soccer terms are used wrongly. I already say I'm not a die-hard fan.)

Valentine's Day Flowers

Since V-day is coming..... anybody wants to buy hand-make roses? hehe..... can email me to order..... lol.... price and colours of flowers is neogiatable. =)

Helping someone with visual impairment

It has been more than 1 year since HB taught us the mobility module. You all must be wondering why I bring this up after so long. Well, as the title of this entry suggest "Helping someone with visual impairment."

I was in the train with SH and Zub and we saw this person at the city hall who are visually impaired. He was waiting for a train, towards the east direction. We didn't pay much attention to him after afew glances at him. We didn't want to have this "staring" thing on him as we know it will be uncomfortable for him, even though he is visually impaired. It was when we alighted at the Tampines MRT station where he, too alighted. We walked past him and he was sort of approaching for help. He was asking if anyone can help him down and out of the MRT station. Well, not sure if it was our instinct or our humanistic nature, we just lend our helping hands. Since I was the nearest to him, I bring out my hands and held onto him.

That was so damn wrong to do that!!!! OT year 3s........ can you all remember that? I was really ashamed of myself during that time when he replied, "Don't hold my hand. Let me hold onto your elbow." Does that strike a bell?

Yes! To assist a person with visual impairment, we are not suppose to hold onto their hands. Instead, let them hold on to our elbows. Okay..... so the journey went on....

As it was abit long waiting for the lift, the man said it was okay to use the escalator too. As it was 7+ in the evening, the station was alittle packed and so was the platform. On the way to the escalator, I had forgotten that there was a person behind me and I tried to move through 2 persons. (opps....)
Then we went down the escalator. Had a little chat along the way to the interchange to take a bus.....

hmm.... this man was on his way to a church in my neighbourhood. He had just finished his work at orchard. Wanted to but didn't ask him what he worked as. Can't remember what we were talking but it leaded us to him telling me how he gotten his visual impairment - he had a brain tumour and he had it remove and it affect his optic nerve.

Then he started asking where I'm studying and what I study. Interestingly, he does not know what is occupational therapy. Perhaps he didn't go through any occupational therapy - he seems cognitively sound and physically abled. Not sure if any help was given to him in terms of modification to the environment at home.

Soon, we reached the bus lane. He had this talking watch that we saw before when the guest speaker came to talk to us about people with visual disability. He opened and it talks. =)
He said that it was okay to leave him there at the lane and that I can go back to meet my friends. BTW I was with SH remember? She helped me to top up my ezlink while I assist him. Hmmm.... I was thinking it won't harm me waiting with him for a few more minutes since I think the bus may come any moment soon.

True enough, the bus came and he boarded the bus. Before he left, he thanked me for the help.

But rather, I think I should thank him for the opportunity for me to have this experience of assisting a person with visual impairment as whatever we did during lesson is just mimic of the experience. Assisting him also helps me to refresh my memory of how to assist a person with visual impairments.

Though today was a long tiring day after 2 project meetings...... it ended with a meaningful activity. =)

Remember,

• Never hold onto the hands of people with visual impairment when assisting them in mobility
• Instead, give them your elbows or shoulders
• Avoid crowded area because people will most probably not give way
• Walk slowly if your walking pace is fast
• Always talk to the person and tell him/she where you are heading

Maid, an Assistive Technology?

Assistive Technology (AT) is a generic term that includes assistive, adaptive, and rehabilitative devices and the process used in selecting, locating, and using them. AT promotes greater independence for people with disabilities by enabling them to perform tasks that they were formerly unable to accomplish, or had great difficulty accomplishing, by providing enhancements to or changed methods of interacting with the technology needed to accomplish such tasks.

(definations extracted from Wikipedia)

As mentioned by H.B, it is commonly seen in Singapore, or Asian countries, how much a person with disability/ies rely on a maid for basic ADLs (Activities of Daily Living) like dressing, bathing, etc and sometimes these people can actually do by themselves.

And more often than not, as I have seen during my clinicals, most of the time is the family members who asked the maids to do all the things for the child/ person with disability. Then, in this case, how can the person be independent? And getting the maid to do the tasks for them, isn't that makes a maid an assistive technology? That was also mentioned by H.B.

Perhaps, we should change the mindsets of the public. And before getting the public change the mindset, I think the media should STOP showing how pity the disabled people are. I think it has been a little mind bogging after we seen videos on how the disable riots for their rights and how people in the asia resign to their fate and fall into self-pity and stuff.....

S.J mentioned that has this course changed us to give empathy selectively now... ... Has our mindset changed from an "empathy for all the less fortunate people" to "Yes, you are disabled, but you can still think and you are still abled in many ways. Why are you crying and think that that is the end of the life?"

Well, I would not dare to say our mindset has changed but rather our OT education has exposed us to see what is beyond the bodily function. A person does not make up just the physical body alone. It has other areas like spiritually, thinking and feelings.....

Perhaps, now the media should focus on how ABLE people with disabilities can be. And they should start not to use all the sad stories as a means to raise funds for the organizations, making use of the public's sympathy. I'm not trying to say that the public should not donate the money but rather, that is not the way to create the awareness of the disabilities. This will be a viscous cycle. This will make the public pity them ---> disabled to self-pity -----> more pity from the public..... and this goes on and on.... there must be a stop somewhere.....

Maybe with the better educated generation things will get better. Or perhaps when we start to work as a full fledged therapists, we can make an impact our clients and as well as the public.

Aging Mother and Aging me!

I realized that my mom is aging!!! Her sense of hearing is declining.

More often than not, sometimes I have to increase my volume to talk to her. And just few days ago, my brother was on the line on her hp..... and she passed the phone over to me..... my godness... I have to put the phone at least 5 cm away from my ears!
Haiz... no wonder sometimes she says she never hear her hp rings when she's at work....

Anyway, she's wearing those long sightedness glasses for the elderly too.....

***************************************

Today is the 2nd time of the week that the photocopy aunty called me "Jie Jie" with respect to the other students in NYP......

I was at the photocopy lady yesterday and there was this guy.... I think should be nursing student yr 1..... he had some problems with printing A4 into A3..... So I tried to help and I was successful. =) Then he thanked the aunty and me. Then the aunty was saying, "Don't thank me. Thank the Jie Jie behind."

I was like "..................." Laughs. I guess the "boy" must be wondering "why must I call her Jie Jie." I guess not alot of people know that we (allied health students) are slightly older than them... not alot actually.... just like 5 years difference if they are year 1 health science student ONLY mah..... haha....

Today again...... she did it again.... haha.... The photocopy machine was taking so long that there was a short queue behind me..... then she said "You all have to wait ah... this jie jie is taking a long time to print her things....." Then she started talking why I never go to business side.... there got more "handsome guys" and then again she said they are all younger than us....

Then came this "PC serviceman" and GUESS WHAT???
She like trying to be matchmaker like that..... she was talking to the "PC serviceman": "Hey, this girl is asking why her things is printing so slowly. You tell her why leh."

I was like .......... I am innocent!!! haha.... I wasn't offended or anything lah.... I mean at least something to pass time chatting with aunty.... I think I was there for like 30 mins!!! But luckily the pc serviceman came only at the last 5 mins.... haa.... But was suprise that aunty actually knows that I am from OT!!!! haha....

And well, she reminded me that I am not getting any younger.... age is catching up..... and my health too.... guess got to do something about them soon.

The Awakenings

Few days back, we had a chance to review on another movie - Awakening. (seems like we have alot movie to watch in our course huh?).

I think I began to appreciate alot of medical/disease/illness movies lately..... perhaps since year 2.... It may seem like 职业病... but I would see it as something to gain knowledge from (provided that whatever is shown is correct), something that can motivate and inspire us and maybe to also create an awakening for all of us - a recognition, realization, or coming into awareness of something that we might have forgotten, neglected or never thought of... ...

The story is about a new doctor finds himself with a ward full of comatose patients. He is disturbed by them and the fact that they have been comatose for decades with no hope of any cure. When he finds a possible chemical cure he gets permission to try it on one of them. When the first patient awakes, he is now an adult having gone into a coma in his early teens. The film then delights in the new awareness of the patients and then on the reactions of their relatives to the changes in the newly awakened.

(movie summary extracted from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099077/plotsummary)

What we do know is that, as the chemical window closed, another awakening took place; that the HUMAN SPIRIT is more powerful than any drug - and THAT is what needs to be nourished: with work, play, friendship, family. THESE are the things that matter. This is what we'd forgotten - the simplest things.

Perception and Reality

"If I am I because I am I.

And you are you because you are you,

Then I am and you are.

But if I am I because you think I am

And because of what you think I am,
you are you because I think you are

Then, I am not and you are not."

- Quek, 2007
(adapted from Rabbi Medel of Kotsk, 1787 - 1859)

Perception is just an illusion. It may be the truth sometimes but not always. And because of one's perception of another person, it cause the other person's the have a perception of the person due to his/her perception of himself.

It is confusing in what I am saying...... in another words, I am just trying to say, perceptions can be a continuum cycle on how we view things/people and if the perception is not the truth, then it will cause more illusions.....

Tuesdays with Morrie

Yesterday, we watched this movie in class , called "Tuesdays with Morrie". It is a very inspirational movie. Some of us had our "emotional session" too.

I heard that the story book is more interesting than the movie itself. Perhaps I shall take a look at it when I have the time. *really wonder when will it be*

Okay, now I shall tell you abit about the story:

It is about this man call Morrie who suffered ALS. He is the teacher of Mitch Albom (the author of the book) during his college years. When Mitch caught Morrie on the television, he hesitate whether to call/visit Morrie. It was because he was guilty. He was guilty of not keeping the promise that he made during his college graduation - to keep in touch with Morrie. It has been nearly 20 years since he last contacted Morrie. In the end, he decided to make a trip down to Boston and it changed his life... ...

Every Tuesday visit to Morrie is a new lesson learnt. Every Tuesday is also a HOPE for Morrie. Something that he looks forward to even though he is dying. Because he can still share his life stories and lessons with Mitch......

"When you learn how to die, you learn how to live."

"Death ends a life, not a relationship."

"The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love, and to let it come in."

"Love is the only rational act."

"Sometimes you cannot believe what you see, you have to believe what you feel. And if you are ever going to have other people trust you, you must feel that you can trust them, too - even when you’re in the dark. Even when you’re falling."

"When you're in bed, you're dead"

"Love wins. Love always wins."

"As you grow, you learn more. If you stayed as ignorant as you were at twenty-two, you'd always be twenty-two. Aging is not just decay, you know. It's growth. It's more than the negative that you're going to die, it's the positive that you understand you're going to die, and that you live a better life because of it."

"Love each other or perish."

"Love is how you stay alive, even after you are gone."

"So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half-asleep, even when they're busy doing things they think are important. This is because they're chasing the wrong things. The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning."

In the movie, we can see that although Morrie is dying, he is STILL doing what he likes and devote himself to help Mitch and Janine together. It is also touching to see him sharing the "Meaning of Life". It is also very inspiring to see how consciously Morrie limits the amount of time he spends pitying himself, as he knows he must enjoy the little life he has left. The emphasis of "people worshipping youth" in today society, is also mentioned by Morrie.

It is interesting to see when Mitch ask Morrie about how one can be prepared to die, he response with a buddhist philosophy - Every day, one must ask the bird on his shoulder if that day is the day that he will die. Morrie also mentioned that if one accepts death, he/she will not be as ambition as he is now and that he will be able to see that he must spent time meaningfully and think about "spiritual" development.

Few Tuesdays before his death, Morrie told Mitch that even after his death, Mitch can still visit him on Tuesdays as they are the "Tuesday People" just that Morrie can no longer answer back but assures that he will continue to listen to Mitch when he talk.

Mitch also told a story about wave on the ocean. He said that there was a wave, who felt good about themselves but soon to realize that like any other waves, it would soon crash onto the shore and be destroyed. But another wave tell him not to be afraid as for all the same waves, they are just part of the larger ocean.

Morrie passed away on a Saturday ... ...

This is something worth watching/reading. Perhaps this is also a good time to reflect on our own meaning of life.

(If you want to read a short version of the story, click here.)

NYP Open House

Nanyang Polytechnic is having her open house on the 25 - 27 January 2007!

Do drop by at the Occupational Therapy booth at the NYP Atrium and our Occupational Therapy students will be more than welcome to explain to you what Occupational Therapy is all about! We even have our Occupational Therapy Students waiting for you at our own labs and preparing to explain to you what we learn in class!


(Do note that the people at the booth changes all the time, so don't panic if you don't see the same people as the picture above)

If you have any questions regarding occupational therapy, do approach any of us with the following design at the back of our shirts:

(Courtesy of the Shuttler)

And of course, with the words "Occupational Therapy Singapore" in front, close to our hearts.

Occupational Therapy: Towards Meaningful Living!


See you guys then! Don't hestitate to stop to ask us a few questions. =)

The Advancement of Technology

I believe that most of us who are living in this 21st Century are very dependent on technology. It has already invaded into our lives, whether we like it or not. Even this blog entry that you are reading now, is the work of technology.

Can you all still remember how do you keep contact with your friends from your primary school when internet and emails are not so common among students of our time? Can you all still remember the letter sets and stamps that you all have? I still remember the excitement of receiving the letters/cards physically from my friends. Do you have the same feelings too? Now, our friends can receive our "letter" with just a click on the mouse. I don't know whether to call it "letter" or not.... as it has become shorter and shorter. And the excitement is no longer the same.

What about the contacts of your friends? How many of us still keep our friends contact in a phone book? Can you all still rememeber the magnetic phone book that we used to have, that can be put into our wallets?

Now, most of us didn't really bothered to remember our friends' number like we did when we are still in primary school.... Surpisingly,I can still remember some of my primary school classmates number even though I have not dialled their numbers for like close to 10 yrs!! Like for e.g. 7841 ***, 7818***, 7810***. Oh, there isn't a '6' infront yet. =)
So what about now? We just need to go to the phonebook in our mobile and we have the numbers. We will be "screaming and crying" when our mobile phone get stolen or lost... if there wasn't any backup of their numbers. Count ourselves luckily if we have back them up in our computers.

These are just few examples of our lives that are changed due to the advancement of technology.... What if one day technology dies on us? Will our lives be the same again?

Degree Conversion

Everybody seems busy getting transcripts and sending applications for their degree conversion, whether offshore or onshore. Yet me, here, still deciding if I want to get one immediately.

Not that I do not want to do degree conversion. I mean there are so many other factors to be considered. I have to bear in mind that if I am to go for a degree conversion, it will be definately out of my own pocket. I mean I can't ask my parents to pay right? I mean even I ask, they will not be able to afford it. ALL my savings has already been used for my school fees every semster... all my hard-earn money that I've earned during holidays as camp instructors. Not forgetting I still have my study loan to pay back the bank.

Next, I think I should start contributing to my parents already. I can't possible ask my dad to still give me pocket money at the age of 23? My dad has already aged. Time for him to take money from me. Sorry if I sound like I'm putting anyone down.... but I think if your parents are young and can afford it... I mean why not? But definately not for me.

I mean I do consider taking offshore program, that means I will save money on accomodation, flights, as well as the cost of living. But on the other hand, although I can save some money on all the above. The cost per semster still goes up to $7000 - $10000. I mean with our starting pay of $1700 per month including CPF and that means we will be bringing home like $1400? Let say even if I can save $800 a month. How long do I need to save up to $10000?

I do thought of getting degree conversion after 1 yr.... but then, the cohert after my batch is acdemically much stronger than my batch. Then, it will therefore be much more difficult to get a degree conversion....

Well, all these are the things I need to ponder about before I go to sleep.

Well, I guess, there is always a path for everyone. No one path is the same. At certain part of the path, you may see flowers blooming while sometimes you may see withered flowers. Worse of all, you may even see the grass greener at the other path that you didn't take. But it doesn't matter how long you take that particular path. It only matters that you reach the same destination.

But thinking of the bright side, isn't that better for me? I don't have to worry that my other classmates will fight with me for the same position.... haha... =)