Chinese New Year run-up

Well, this is the end of a very busy week. For me, anyway. This run-up to the Chinese New Year has been busy. Obviously when you are at work, you do not realise the amount of things that need to be done at home. So this is a new experience for me.

But for the first time, I noticed that it was hot. Freakingly hot. And of course, it means running up a huge electricity bill in the process.

Second, I had to divide my time this week between the home and the hospital. I had to ward my elderly aunt because she was suffering from what the eye specialist said was orbital cellulitis: an inflamation of the retina caused by an infection in the eye. Oral antibiotics did not work fast enough and the doctor suggested a regimen of four intravenously-given antibiotics at 12-hourly intervals. This would require a "three-day, two-night" stay at the hospital. Luckily, this stay was fully within our control, not one of those indefinite stays at a hospital, so I checked her in on Monday and promptly checked her out on Wednesday.

Just an observation: why must hospital food be so bad? I can understand if the food at the government hospitals are unimaginative, unpalatable and unappetising. But at private hospitals too? You would think that with patients paying through their noses, the private hospitals would be able to provide better food. But no. My aunt seldom complains about her food but there were lots of comments about the quality of the gourmet food from the hospital's kitchen.

I happened to bump into an old school mate who is now the chief pharmacist at this hospital. Tell me, I asked him, does the hospital have a dietician or someone to look into the quality of the food served to patients? No, he replied, the hospital is still searching for one to fill the post. So that explains it. Without a proper dietician or a person to look into quality control, no wonder the food is left at the mercy of the cooks. Were these cooks previously working in the government hospitals and had brought their unique talents over? Very likely.

Thirdly, my daughter is back in Penang. Went to the airport on Friday morning to pick her up. She's glad to be back for a week and I'm glad to have her back for a week. So is my wife. And so is my aunt. We are a complete family again: me, wife, daughter, son and aunt. Tonight...the ooi lor. Anyway, to all my readers, I wish you a Happy Chinese New Year. May you continue to have enough for the years ahead!