Rehab is..

an important field of medicine despite its boring-ness from an internship prospective. I wondered if they have rehab centres in Malaysia. My registrar said there is but it's very limited and only just growing.

I remember my late grand uncle who had a stroke at a relatively young age. He became bed bound after that with his wife nursing him full time. If he had some sort of rehabilitation post stroke; he might have regained his strength & independence and/or even walk again. Anyway, later in his life he also had to have below knee amputation of both legs. Again, rehab would've been useful in this setting. He could have prosthesis and learn to walk again. Or at least, learn how to live using a wheelchair. That would've been far better than the situation in which his devoted wife had to nurse him for years and years until his death to the detriment of her mood, health and back. May Allah reward them both.

Despite my complaints about rehab; the complaints are limited to the paperwork and politics side of it. The craft itself is quite interesting and surprisingly satisfying. Now in the 4th week of my rotation; I've come to the point where I am discharging patients whom I had admitted into the centre. So it does feel quite satisfying because I saw them come in with deficits in their mobility or functioning. And when they go home; they've improved a lot!

The young stroke patient who I saw in my first week at rehab; who couldn't even get out of bed because of pain and weakness. Now she is walking by herself without any aids whatsoever around the ward! Of course I can't lay claim to contributing much to this improvement. She's had rigorous physiotherapy and hydrotherapy. She even reconciled with her ex-husband during this time. Seeing the makings of a happy ending for her.