While I was warded in TTSH, I saw quite a few things about other patients that really made me angry. Not so angry such that I would “lose my mind” kind of angry but angry enough that it had been nagging at me and I just want to write about it.
I was in a ward that have patients hospitalised for various conditions that are seen by doctors from General Medicine, Gastroenterology (that’s the clinical discipline I was under), Rheumatology and Infectious Diseases. There was a patient warded for Asthma, a few for complication due to diabetes, one for dengue fever, one for gall stone, one for kidney stone, one for fever of unknown cause but not due to infection, one for fever that was finally diagnosed as cancer.
Recently, there were articles in the papers and letters in the forum page concerning the healthcare cost and integrated healthcare services but when I read all these articles and letters, rarely is there a call for patients to be responsible for their own heath, manage their own conditions so that they don’t need to come into the hospital or at least not as often as they need to be.
There was this patient who was hospitalised for a condition that I’m not aware of but who is also a diabetic but every morning and evening, he will head to the food court and buy additional food and these foods includes pastry and nonya kueh that are just so full of carbohydrate and sugars. There was another diabetic patient who was hospitalised for water retention and his legs were basically so swollen that he could not walk properly. His family will visit and bring him food that included tetra-pack drinks, pastry and strawberries, again, things that generally should be controlled because of the sugar content. The patient that was hospitalised for asthma and who is also a diabetic but he drinks about 2 bottles of beer a day, he will “disappear” for a smoke and comes back to the ward and goes on the nebulizer for his asthma…
These patients are a drain on the healthcare system especially since we were in a subsidised ward. Without taking care of their health, they would continually be hospitalised multiple times as they are not able to manage their medical conditions. Essentially they are drawing more resources in terms of monies used to subsidise their stay in the hospital, occupy beds that would otherwise be used for patient who really needs them and a drain on the hospital’s staff and resources as well.
When we as Christians talks about our body/bodies the 2 verses that are most commonly used are:
Romans 12:1 (NASB)
Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
1 Corinthians 6:19 (NASB)
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?
I guess without going too much into details, you would probably know which direction I am going with regards to this blog entry.
Before I had this cancer, I would eat whatever I want, drink whatever I want (sugary and alcoholic drinks) and in quantity as I so desired. With this cancer, everything that I consume, I have to consume with care and in moderation. Zero alcohol, less sugary food and drinks, reduce fried and oily food and no raw and no fermented food especially during chemotherapy period. In the Singapore context, needless to say, it is a tough act to follow but I have generally been a “good boy” and only indulge myself very occasionally.
Coming back to our physical bodies. If we believe that whatever we have is a gift and provision from God, then that includes our bodies regardless of what was said in Romans 12:1 and 1 Corinthians 6:19. Therefore, I urge you brothers and sisters, to be mindful of your bodies if we are to offer it as a sacrifice to God, to cherish it as a gift from God and maintain its well-being as a temple of God. As a temple of God, it need to be properly maintained or else through negligence and lack of maintenance, the building (Body) comes into disrepair and would breakdown and become unfit for human habitation and much less the Holy Spirit. The examples I gave of the patients in TTSH were clear examples of the disregards for the bodies. In my younger days, I have also disregarded the body as I was a heavy drinker, drinking up to 12 pints of beer minimally in a week. I guess what is happening today is a consequence of my indulgence during my youth despite been a Christian and understanding the concept of the body been a temple of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, in a way you can say that I was disrespectful to God back then.
Most of us enjoy good food and for some the occasional drinks. I not advocating total abstinence although that may be the calling for some but in view of the calling in Romans 12:1, I would urge you to consider God before you indulge and even then in moderation.
A healthy body also means that we are able to participate in activities for the glory of God. Having cancer and undergoing therapy means that there are activities that I could not participate in or participate in a much reduced capacity. An example is that I have to forgo the annual Church Camp and thus the fellowship with fellow Christian families as I am still undergoing therapy with the uncertainty of the future therapy schedules plus my reduced physical tolerance to travel.
Is it too late to change? With God, it is never too late. As long as we seek Him and place Him first. He is always there for us and in regards to service to Him, He will grant avenues and opportunities to serve Him and in my case, without the need for expending too much energy or the need to travel a lot.
In God We Trust and in Christ alone my hope is found.
Hebrews 11:1
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