Apologies don’t cure

Because of my stupidity, I caused the office janitor hand to get a dot of blue-black today.

Before I continue on this, let me say something.

I have maid at home. When possible, if there are things that I can do by myself, I will do it without wanting her to help. Every course of actions that she did for me, I usually thank her. I appreciate her works and I would love that she doesn’t feel like she is just a maid at home.

At work I will try to remember janitors’ name. If I don’t, I will address them as”KAK” (in Malaysia) or in here, I will greet the janitor whenever I see her. For the first few weeks that I work in this company, this office janitor gave me the impression that she is quite “ba bai” (big boss) because I seen her instructing one colleagues of mine to do a little cleaning work in a not-so-mannered way. Honestly speaking, I am scared of her because I feel like if I don’t keep anything clean as she want, she might shout at me one day.

Sometimes when she comes and clears up our dustbins, I saw her using hands picking the rubbish from bins to bins, I will also use my hand to pick up rubbish from my dustbin and throw in her bags. (I will wash hand lar after that…) Why would I doing her job? Because I think the rubbish is mine and I am responsible to it if I want to and meantime, I also want to help.

So…here’s the story.

This morning when I walked into the washroom, this office janitor was standing behind the door and so the door hit her hand. First thing I did was apologized. She looked angry. She walked out of the door and asked me why didn’t i see the “Cleaning in Progress” sign. I was really shocked to see the sign there because while I was walking towards the washroom, I was thinking of work, looking down on floor and just the like…I missed seeing the sign. I continue apologized and told me that I didn’t do it on purpose.

Then she walked out the door and pulled the pail to the middle of walking way. She said that she should place it the middle and so I will tripped by it next time, with that I will be aware that it is cleaning in progress. She also said that if anything happen to her, she will ask me to pay the medical bills. I think it is suppose to be a joke but I continue to apologized. I really never meant to hurt her,… and I really feel sorry.

After many times of apologies, I went back to my cubicle to work. Few minutes later, she came to my cubicle and show me her hand. She said that it is not just reddish, there is a dot of blue-black too. When I say a dot, I really mean it is smaller than 1/3 of thumb. I feel sorry again and I keep apologized.

At last she told me that because it has blue-black too, so she will made a report. Report to who, I wondered. I guess it is my HR manager or maybe her manager? I don’t know. I really feel sad with it. I am not scared with the report but she makes me feel so guilty as if I fractured her hand.

Actually it is my fault too lar, I am a babi buta. Besides being blinded, I helped to to rub her hand a little after the door hit her. I thought rubbing could soothes her pain. Maybe I was the one who cause it from reddish to blue-black…who knows?

I guess what my ex-colleagues at MYOB said about me was true. They told me that I always walked without looking front. Anyway, I learnt a lesson today. I learnt to make use of my eyes. I learnt to see front when walking. I learnt to be careful when pushing that door. I learnt to concentrate when walking. I also learnt that apologies don’t cure.

Wish you were here

I always like jigsaw puzzle. When I was younger I fit together four 1000 pieces glow in the dark jigsaw puzzle. I gave one to my friend and the other three are on my K.B home’s wall.

Last year 3 months before Yoppo’s birthday, I thought of making a Glow in the dark Jigsaw Puzzle for him. I usually don’t fancy of buying present and I prefer to D.I.Y for present, when possible.

I want to have our favorite picture printed on that jigsaw puzzle.  I will fit all pieces but leave one. I will send it over to Australia, with a note reads “Wish you were here”.  Having thought so,  I called  Jigsaw Puzzle World in Mid Valley and Sunway Pyramid to ask about it. They told me that it takes 2 months to produce one and it costs RM300 for 500 pieces.  I called a few printing shops too, to ask if they print glow in dark puzzle. I actually managed to find one in Johor but they are not printing puzzle anymore.

Yesterday, we bought a 1000 pieces jigsaw puzzle from K-mart. Yoppo, Carrie and I were excited in forming the picture. I no longer need the note – “Wish you were here” for him.  He is already here fitting the puzzle with me.

If I am allowed to be  desirous, I will wish my family here with me.

Run away

I want to run away from home, but I don’t know where to go.

Iron me please!

Yesterday I went to Brisbane City Donor Centre to do my first time of platelets donation. It actually scares me a little because there was once I saw a woman fainted when she was donating platelets. I did a few times of plasma before I decide to do platelets. Registered nurses told me that I have really high count of platelets in each 4 minutes, so I thought I really should contribute.

So… yesterday supposed to be my first platelets donation. Yes, it supposed to be but it was not succeeded. Just right after I came back from washroom and re-entering the Interview room (they interview donors each time to make sure that donor are feeling well),  Deby the chief nurse urged, “Charlene, it is a bad news…”.

She then told me that iron is my body is in very low count. She took my blood for second time but the result seemed no good. It was very disappointing because she told me that if it is still low at the third-time-checking, they will stop me from coming for 6 months! 6 months, that’s a very long time!

For the third time and the last chance I have, we headed to donation room, she get me to lie down and she took two small bottles of my blood. The result was the same or maybe lower, I don’t remember. I missed out 13 points of iron compared to a common level.

Deby explained that having such a low count of iron could be caused by my last whole blood donation at 02/02/2008. It could be true, because I had my period at the same day after my whole blood donation. She also said that it could be probably my blood is not producing iron, or my liver is not storing. To find out whats wrong with it, she will send my blood for a blood test. I just need to wait for the medical results. She also said that I should be feeling very tired. I don’t really feel tired, but I know there is a very significant difference when I exercised. I used to be able to run for a long time but now when I jog for a short distance, I feel exhausted and my heart is pumping out.

“Charlene, we would like to see you come back but we also want you to take care of yourself.”, Deby said that to me before I leave.

Surely I will.  But as the third-time-checking’s result reveals, I will be “banned” to donate whole blood/plasma/platelets until September. Argh!!! Why not three months ???