Ramadan had begun in most places all over the world. Our dear Muslim brothers and sisters have started fasting, praying, and reflecting. Within a month they will surrender to Allah all their earthly pleasure by fasting not only for food, and fluid (water and alike), but also for flesh (sexual abstinence).
I once had a patient, a very gentle and sweet lady I take dearly in my heart as my second mother. Despite our cultural and religious beliefs differences, she never said nor showed any issues on Religion. She was even eager to know why Roman Catholics worship the cross. Well sadly, the Cross is a reminder of Jesus' sacrifice for our sins but often we are wronged for worshiping the cross, due to some misinterpretation of our faith.
In this picture was my patient's main entrance hall. A wide-doored and well-lit home reflects her and her family's values. The abundance of flowers shows their respect and compassion toward other people.
On the other hand, my patient enlightens me about the similarities between The Quran and The Bible. From characters like Musa (Moses), Maryam (Mary), and Isa (Jesus). Quite interesting how some writings matched up, but still huge differences in practicing each’s faith. Anyhow, as long as we're like this Door ( clear, wide, and open) definitely - we will all live in harmony.
What made me admire this patient of mine was her determination to do the fast despite her health condition. Doctors advised her to skip fasting as it may lead to possible complications. She has high blood sugar, high blood pressure, and some underlying old-age health problems. She insisted on doing the month-long fasting. Her family, me, and other healthcare teams were worried about her, yet we couldn’t force her to eat and drink after the break of dawn until dusk had finally come. For a minimum of 11 hours and a maximum of 15 hours, it will be crucial for her due to her unstable blood sugar levels. Those probable complications were discussed with her and her family, but my patient stayed unmoved. She even got upset as her children tried to persuade her.
If she fails to eat on time, her medications and other medical routine will surely get compromised as well as her health. As her private nurse who has direct access to and responsibility for her health care, I came up with a suggestion that I feed the patient and give the necessary medication an hour - ahead of her fasting time. That was to ensure her safety and health without compromising her practice of faith. Eventually, I woke up at around 4 a.m. to feed her and give medications. Her family was considerate enough to adjust my work timings and rewarded me with a salary bonus after Ramadan (Eid).
Luckily, she had achieved her goal of completing the one-month fasting without any health complications. Her determination and faith paid well, as her blood sugar readings went progressively well. Allah Kareem! (God is Great).
