Things you'd try to do

life 

The initial reason why i wanted to do paediatrics earlier was i just love receiving babies when they are out - be it in the labour room or in the OT after caesareans. Neonatalogy ( medicine of baby up to 1 month old ) is about hardwork and slugging it out through the night - a very tiring and stressful job.( pain is pleasure ??!!) But when it comes to receiving the newborns, you just go aahh... to be one of the first hands handling the gift of god. Of course ; there are times when the adrenaline rush was at its maximum when resuscitating sick newborns. But fate destined me to be in anaesthesia ; and Alhamdulillah I'm still enjoying myself !! ( hahaha.. one wonders what makes it so fun to be on call all night ?? )

Being in anaesthesia is not so far from that.You'd be one of the doctors who is around in the theatre during caesarean sections. When there is a complication while resuscitating the newborn , we'll be called for help . Konon-kononnya we know everything lor ... hahahaha.. We do try our best.

However , recently doing this posting I've been doing something different which i never thought of it before. Seeing a colleague of mine reciting iqamah / azan loudly after a muslim baby was delivered made me realize the need for that especially to muslim mothers and babies. TO heck with who is in the OT , WHY SHOULD WE BE ASHAMED TO PRACTICE THAT ? I used to recite it during my paediatrics housejob days but had since forgotten the job in anaesthesia.In the OT after caesarean section , the baby will not be in contact with his/her father until quite sometime. It is sunnah to recite azan/iqamah immediately after birth to instill iman to the newborn baby.If i am the father , i would be so grateful for a fellow muslim to help me with this chore.

Honestly , it helps the mothers as well who is half paralysed on the OT table to be calm and thankful to god for the gift.A lot of them appreciated my gesture and at times it made my eyes tearful , feeling of "insaf" and "syukur" to Allah.

I've made it my practice now in UMMC.Few view me as being pious but haks.. to those who know me well would just laugh it out loud at that thought. I guess , its just my small contribution to my fellow ummah . a very small..small way...