The price for being honest

Honesty is the best policy.  The thought of going to be on board again this evening reminds me of what happened during our previous trip to Adelaide.  During inspection at the airport, the custom officer took everything out from the luggage, including a container of rice that he evetually threw the content away :(  Then, he asked about another container, containing Angah's formula powder inside.  I was nervous, but at the same time prepared for any consequence.  I started to imagine the trouble that we might face if we had to find a replacement as we had no idea what kind of formula was available in Australia, not to mention their halal status.

My nightmare came true when the officer told us that he had to throw that powder away too.  We should have brought the one that was still sealed in its original packaging, he told us.  Suddenly, I remembered about the small amount of the same formula powder in my backpack, meant to be mixed in the plane if needed.  It somehow passed the inspection unnoticed.  Then, I naively told the officer, "Well, in that case, maybe you would want to throw this away too.", taking the small canister from the backpack and showed it to him.  *Ha ha.*  How honest.  When that small amount of powder could be the only resque if Angah really needed it later.

He then looked at me and then the canister and said, "Okay.   You can keep it."  Miracle happened!  He closed back the container lid and let us have the formula powder, both in the container and canister.  Alhamdulillah.  Being honest really paid.  In this case, immediately.  So, never hesitate to be one :)

Welcome aboard!

It has been ages since the last post.  I'd better post something before October ends and goes with no post :)  Actually I have written many, but they are all stuck in the draft list.

So, what the title is all about?  We are going on board tomorrow evening, Insya-Allah.  Flying with Malaysian Hospitality to Penang.  My record of never flying with Air Asia is not broken yet ;)  It is going to be the first time ever for Achik, and the third time for Along & Angah.  Though it is just a domestic flight, it is going to be challenging enough as I will be single handedly chaperoning the three kids. 


May Allah bless our journey.  Please pray for our safe return.  Subhanalladzi sahkharalana hadza wa ma kunna lahu mukriniin.  Wa inna ila Robbina la mun'qolibuun.  Aamin.  

What can you do with 5k?

My second post on 'Money matters' topic, after the first one, which apparently was an abandoned post i.e. no further story :p  This time, I have the chance to have RM5k with the following 6-month payback schedule.

Month 1	1,027.33
Month 2	833.33
Month 3	833.33
Month 4	833.33
Month 5	833.33
Month 6	833.35

I have the choice of (1) not taking it, so I won't get and won't lose anything.  (2) Take it, save it and do nothing with it, so I will lose RM194 minus some dividend generated after the 6 months (which is obviously not much).  (3) Take it, invest it.  Hoping that it generates some if not a lot returns later.  Otherwise, loss.  Hmm ...  Risky.  So?

Pneumonia oh pneumonia

Having been hospitalised twice, I can't help but feel 'something' each time achik shows signs of fever or cold.  And she did that again yesterday.  She had her varicella and pneumococcal jabs last Saturday and started to have fever that evening, which I thought was due to the jabs.  But when the fever didn't go away after three days and she started to cough, that feeling came.  I did some information searching on pneumonia amongst children and here are my findings.  Credit to Info Sihat.

Symptoms:

• Demam panas
• Batuk dengan atau tanpa kahak
• Sakit dada
• Tiada selera makan, tidak mahu makan
• Rasa tidak sihat, sering merengek
• Pernafasan laju atau susah bernafas
• Muntah atau cirit-birit

Achik had only the first two symptoms when she suffered from the pneumonia.  She ate and drink milk well.  She was grumpy a bit when her body temperature was high, but back to her normal active self when it subsided.

Children who suffered from pneumonia will be hospitalised when:

• Pernafasan laju
• Sukar untuk bernafas
• Bibir menjadi biru
• Batuk berdarah
• Tidak boleh makan atau minum atau tidak kencing

Sounds a bit too late to me.  I don't think parents should wait until the above signs appear to have their children admitted to the hospital.  Furthermore, in a number of pneumonia cases that I came across, which sadly ended with the death of the children, the only sign that the parents could see was the fever.

Prevention checklist:

• Mengekalkan amalan cara hidup sihat - always striving for this
• Amalan kebersihan diri dan persekitaran yang baik - this too
• Teruskan penyusuan susu ibu - am doing it
• Mengambil immunisasi boleh mencegah jangkitan kuman di paru-paru - done

Based on my experience, (1) always observe the number 3.  If the symptoms do not go away after 3 days, do something.  (2) take action as early as possible.  In fact, in some cases, the bacteria that infect the lungs actually come from the infected upper respiratory organs like nostrils and throat.  Therefore, early treatment can avoid them from spreading to the lower respiratory organs.

Salam aidilfitri 1432H

TaqabbalalLaahu minna wa min-kum.  It is not too late to wish eid mubarak to all.  Minal 'aidil wal faizin.  May Allah accepts all of our good deeds performed throughout the Ramadhan and makes us a better muslim, aamiin.

This is the second time we celebrated eid as a family of 5.  Last eid, achik was only 10 days old and barely noticeable.  This eid, she was exactly 1 year old :-).

On another development, Alhamdulillah, I have managed to get someone to look after achik at home, as a result of doctor's advice to isolate her from the nursery for at least a month due to her relapse recently.  Otherwise, I would be left with one and only option: UNPAID LEAVE.

Thank you Allah for everything that you have bestowed upon us.  May we always be amongst your obedient servants.

Salam aidilfitri! - [Limited edition. Displayed
during the month of Syawal only]