gnatweds

It's a particular peculiarity of this job - we come face to face with human tragedy, often chasing it for that great read in the next day's papers. But ever so often, it's someone I know.

It happened before. I was a young reporter, doing an afternoon shift and I was called upon on a Sunday evening to caption some pictures that a freelancer had brought in. It was good pictures of an accident. The Beemer was wrapped around the tree, and although we never published that one picture, there was a shot where you could see the driver and you knew that he was in trouble. His face had swelled up, and well, he looked quite the mess.
So I nonchalantly called the SCDF and got the story down pat... and the next morning, Gene was receiving calls from all over. The driver was a good friend of his from med school - it pretty much shook me up.

And its happened again. Five young men on the Singapore team participating in a Dragon Boat race in Cambodia died after their boat capsized on Friday. One of them I knew from JC.

Then, over the last few days, the reporters were unable to claw up anything about one of the boys. And so, his Secondary School teacher started a blog about him. Guess what? I also know her from JC. Her husband is also from my JC and I think he knows the former victim well.

I guess its true that there are only so many degrees of separation in Singapore. But really...

Then, Dad on Thursday was diagnosed with heart failure. He had a mild heart attack apparently and had been hospitalised so that the docs could get a stent or something in.
But the news just keeps getting worse and worse: The procedure yesterday revealed that three vessels apparently, and I say apparently, because its too hard getting 2nd hand news from my parents, are fairly blocked and they want to do open heart surgery instead of stents.

To be fair, am sure my mom and dad are worried sick, but man, my temper exploded when they kept saying its "very serious" without talking to the consultant and understand the situation fully. Instead, they relied on... get this... the opinion of a friggin houseman who is a friend of my nephew's. Don't get me wrong, am sure the boy is brilliant and yes, open heart surgery is not something to just wave on by.
But I take umbrage at going on opinions when I haven't actually heard a good explanation of what his condition actually is, what the options are or what the risk/benefit analysis is.

gaaahk.

Can u tell I'm seriously annoyed here?

But at the same time, I am annoyed at myself because I yelled at my mom - who must be feeling the stress of all this. She's tired herself completely out from the last 5 days that dad's been in hospital and she is liable to get sick herself. Sigh.

So am annoyed and guilted out that I am annoyed. Geez.

I need a psychiatrist.

And man... realllllyyy need to go to my physiotherapist again man; my arm's gone numb again. Damned.