On my 26th Birthday

Before this incident slips past me, I better record it down somewhere..

Recieved a call at 1am on 28th July, from an AnE MO regarding this lady who brought in her whole troupe of kids for dental problems. He requested for a review, saying that the lady is on social welfare. I was thinking to myself.. Gosh.. what was she thinking of? That I'm able to operate a dental clinic over here myself? AnE is not for dental decay, that is a thoroughly preventable disease!

Went down to AnE and was greeted by a circus of kids outside my door. 3 boys and a girl. No adult to be seen anywhere. From the corner of the room, a lady with pen engravings on her skin appeared. She looked around my age (after looking at her notes later,she's two years older than I am), and has 4 kids! On closer examination, the pen engravings appeared to be the names of her children.

Did up all the paper work, called one of the boys in to take a look. He was complaining of toothache on the bottom right. Clinical presentation was a classical case of severe early childhood caries. Told the mum that it's best that he be followed up at SDS for a more definitive preventive treatmetn plan. Done, next patient: Mum.

Looked up the case notes. What I read made me look at the patient in a different light. The MO had done a detailed history of the patient. She was actually on follow up for depression, juggling with 5!(not 4) kids, the youngest being 7 months old. Been through a divorce, exhusband not contributing to the family. Current husband unemployed. Looking from her small build, one would usually underestimate the amount of hardship that she has to endure to sustain the family. Had a few words with her, and what she told me really struck me in the heart. She mentioned that what is keeping her going from the rest of the havoc that's going on in her life, are her five children. A mother's love truly knows no boundaries. To be able to sustain all the wreckage that's going on, is really amazing. This really teaches me to feel thankful for the things that are going smoothly in my life, instead of focusing on the misgivings; and to appreciate what my mum has put in all these years.

(Not that most coherent post, but it's 145am in the morning, cut me some slack lah)