*When Five Fell*

A short film directed by Wesley Chan from Wong Fu Productions.

Totally love the way he personifies the objects to portray the feelings and connections with a girl.

《欒樹紅了》心灵讲座

谢丽华博士又写了新书，7月17日在静思书轩和大家分享这本书。

早在1999年，小学班主任给我们推荐了《欢喜感恩》，作者正是谢丽华博士，书里头还附加静思语小卡。

如今，有机会亲自出席她的讲座，心中非常欢喜，也特别地期待。

书名的第一个字 — 欒（栾），究竟怎么念？
哦，原来该念成“luán”。

 “今天的我们与过去的我们息息相关。”

谢丽华博士谈到了软十力，应用在生活中，会有极大帮助。

1. 安静的能力
   ~闭上眼睛聆听周遭的声音，聆听自己的心跳，有助于让六根清静。
   倘若在同一时间内，又是说话，又是东张西望，又是听唧唧喳喳的谈话，这些感官信号同时往我们的大脑冲击，导致头脑错乱而起杂念，包括贪、嗔、痴。
   
   
2. 专注力
   ~我们除了看周边得人事物，也不要忘了看看自己心中的烦恼。每一个烦恼，每一件事情，都有一个起因。
   当然， 也不要抱这负面的思想或不好的念头，因为这样我们自然而然会奖一连串不相关的事情接连起来，然后编出一堆乱七八糟的理由，让自己觉得很倒霉。
   
   
3. 感动的能力
   ~容易被感动的人，就会感恩，也会快乐。把自己缩小，周围的事情或事物，就算是小小一件，也会看起来很美好。
   
   “我很富有， 因为我没有奢求，没有想要买那些买不起的东西。”
   
   
4. 欣赏的能力
   ~不要被成果或成绩影响我们对人或事物的判断。学习看别人的好，看别人的优点，看他们努力中诚心地付出，再把它稍微放大，就算结果不怎么特出，也应该为他们的那分心意鼓掌。
   
   
5. 联想力
   ~ 把别人的美好，转化为自己的最好。
   LOGIC will take you from A to B;IMAGINATION will take you anywhere.
   
   
6. 整合与分析能力
   ~ 整合“事”—能把诸多的好集合，也能去芜存菁。
      整合“人”—合心协力，增加的不只是人力，还有人气和心力。
   ~许多事情，不一定要照着原始或最普遍的做法去做。  就如断臂钢琴师刘伟说的：“没有人规定钢琴要用手弹。”
   
   
7. 处理问题与情绪的能力
   ~套证严上人的一句话：面对它、处理它、放下它。   我们要往前走，不要一直往后看，不然走路回跌倒哦。 
   ~把坚强变柔软，就不会软弱。
   
   
8. 人际能力
   ~除了脸带笑容，我们得学一学说话的艺术、沟通的技巧、声音的大小，更重要的是，聆听的能力。
   ~话，不能随便说，而是要用心讲。
   ~恋爱的人，之所以轻声细语，是因为他们的心靠得很进； 
    相骂的人，之所以高声喊叫，是因为他们的心离得很远。
   
   
9. 善解与包容力
   ~你对，别人未必错。   我们须有一颗开放的心、真诚的心、祝福的心、警惕的心、同理心、平等心，才能活在知足、感恩及善解中。
   ~先让的人县赢，因为只有有能力的人才让得起。
   
   
10. 行动力
    ~就算你懂很多，但是如果都没有做到，那业没什么了不起的。

听完讲座，受益不浅，满心欢喜啊！

白云·蓝天

Cretinism

A father carried his son into the OPD. Anyone who sees the little boy will pause to take a second look at him.

Yes, by the look itself, he did not look like any other toddler.

He looked like he is 2 years old, but when I saw his details on the card, he is actually 5. His name is K.

He has the stature of a 2-year-old, with a large, protruding tongue being the most distinct feature, and a blank look.

Dr RB, my consultant paediatrician, exchanged looks with us. We knew, she had the diagnosis in her head. K's parents gave us a detailed history.

K is their 4th child among 4 other healthy children. He seemed alright when he was born but after 2 months, his parents noticed that their son was not taking feeds well. He did not seem to be able to swallow the milk fed to him, and often end up chocked. Along with that, they had noticed his tongue getting bigger, which later protruded out from the mouth. Tooth eruption is also delayed. Till today, he is fed with only semi-solids. 

They were also worried as their son passes motion once in 1-1.5 weeks besides sleeping excessively. Besides, K's milestones are delayed. Since the age of 2, he was only able to walk with support. He coos and smiles when he is happy. 

K's hair was sparse, and his skin was cold and dry. Anterior fontanelle was kinda soft. He has a short neck,  supraclavicular deposition of fat, protruding abdomen, short limbs and stubby fingers. Slow pulse rate was recorded. Sluggishness and decreased muscle tone were also observed. 

Thyroid function test revealed that T4 level was only 0.1 mcg/dL (normal range 4-12) and TSH level which should range between 0.3-3.0 mIU/L was above hundred! So, it is primary hypothyroidism and most likely a congenital one (though mother's antenatal history did not suggest anything).

On the X-ray, epiphysis of long bones were barely visible, most carpal bones were not osssified, suggestive of bone age of 1 year.

K was started on Levothyroxine and was told to come back for monthly follow up.

**********

It is sad to say that K has been brought for treatment pretty late.

His parents are illiterate and live in a village pretty far from a town, explaining their ignorance about the child's special condition and their visits to a so-called local doctor who gave K oral medication to reduce the tongue enlargement. WTH?

However, I noticed something more than their ignorance. K's parents, especially his father, are very concerned and protective over his son. Being poor and uneducated, working as a manual labourer doesn't stop him from giving his unconditional love for his special child. I saw him changing K's diaper one day, and I would say he is definitely gentle and skillful at it. I must have judged him wrongly when he spoke to us a little rudely in Kannada.

K is unique and adorable, not because of his congenital condition, but for who he is. I felt so sorry for him when we had to prick him to collect blood sample. He was apprehensive with strangers around him, but we failed to reassure him probably because he couldn't comprehend. He was scared and cried. His cry was weak and coarse, there were no tears, but it hurts to see the fear and sadness in his eyes. 

K enjoyed banging the railing of the bed against the frame while he was cruising along the bed. He chuckled at the loud sound produced and looked at us, as if he was telling us ''It's fun, you wanna try?'' Even the consultants paused to look and smile at him during the bedside discussion. No one tried to stop him. No one could resist the innocent smile on his face.

I think K does learn things his own way. Someone gave him a phone to play with, he brought it to his ears and started ''talking'' on the phone, smiling all the way. He must have observed the adults doing it. I gave him a keychain with a tiny bear dangling from it and I swing it in front of him. Then he took it from me, swing it also, looked at me and smiled. Later, he went faster and faster, the bear went round and round like riding on a carousel on turbo,  and K got even more happy and excited.

However, K did not like measuring tape. I was trying to take record his anthropometry and he got irritated, pulling the tape away from him. Sorry,boy. 

No matter what, he is still an angel to everyone.
I hope he will improve.