While finding out more about Good Samaritan Law, I found this article:

“Malaysia doesn’t have any Good Samaritan laws. These laws exist in certain countries to encourage bystanders to offer assistance in emergencies, by protecting them in the event of unintended injuries or death during the course of a rescue.

Malaysian Medical Association president Dr. N.K.S. Tharmaseelan said when encountering an injured victim, one should always seek help from a qualified medical professional. The only things you should do is apply pressure if there is profuse bleeding, or administer CPR if there is difficulty in breathing.”

Diffusion of responsibility

I was telling my sister how CPR could cause broken ribs. She wondered if helping someone in need could cause more trouble for the person and ourselves. Then I told her about the Good Samaritan law and was shocked to find that it’s not available in Malaysia.

Why isn’t there Good Samaritan Law in Malaysia? I think Good Samaritan Law should be the minimum standard. Countries should do better and introduce Duty To Rescue Law.

Must ask a doctor/nurse/lawyer/ politician when I meet one next.

For the longest time I attributed the passing of my Daddy to the negligence of doctors and the delay of ambulance service. And I wished I could have done more for him. I thought having all emergency number pasted on the fridge was enough. Or being home in case he needs me to send him to the hospital. But it wasn’t.

There were a lot of ‘If only’. If only I knew what to do when he had that fatal heart attack. If only I had joined St.John Ambulance like what he told me to instead of Girls Guide. If only I didn’t trust the doctor and get a second opinion. If only.

I can’t change the past, but I know that if it ever happen again to my love ones, I will be able to do something useful. So I finally I mustered enough courage to face my fear and took a first aid course over the weekend.

Now I am certified to give CPR, use the AED, and perform Heimlich Manoeuvre. It means that when someone stopped breathing, heart stop beating, and choked – I know what to do.

Here’s a one page note I made:

To-do

• Monitor the health of my family and cook healthy food for them
• Go to a refresher First Aid course every two years
• Discuss with friends who are doctors/nurses about emergency health care
• Invest in an A.E.D if someone in the family shows any sign of heart problems
• Check the availability of A.E.D in hotels, malls, and other places I frequent
• Put together a First Aid kit to place in the kitchen
• Get direct number of ambulance services/fire fighter/police and paste it on the fridge (And understand that they may not be of much help)
• Tell more people about the importance of First Aid

***

Do you know that if someone stops breathing, he only has 4 to 10 minutes before he becomes brain dead? Chances are that the ambulance will not arrive in time. It is VERY important that CPR is administered immediately.

I’ll put together a list of places you can learn First Aid in KL soon. Please wait!

There’s so many things that one wants in life. I’ve always wanted strength and stamina to do *all* things exciting.

Recently I see that people (around me) meet with diseases and death. That put things in perspective; I feel so lucky to just be alive and healthy (so far and hopefully for a long time).

I haven’t even been hospitalised or have to deal with any major sickness other than occasional fever/headache/flu. To lament that I cannot sleep less, lift heavy things, or be the last to pick up new physical skills is so petty.

So I shall appreciate whatever that is given to me and be thankful everyday that I can do things for myself and others, no matter how small or slow.