Encik A's Case Studies

Case scenario
Encik A, seventy six years old Malay man was admitted with the diagnosis of Pulmonary Tuberculosis (PTB), Acute on Chronic Renal Failure, Liver Impairment and Perforated Gastric Ulcer. Encik A’s condition was deteriorating and he had to be transferred to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Dangerously Ill List (DIL) was issued and he was critically ill and soon required invasive ventilation. He had total of five doctors’ attending to him and all of them are from diverse cultural background. The doctors decided to call for a family conference to update the family members on Encik A’s prognosis and to decide on the treatment plans for him. The family conference was attended by all the five doctors’ who was treating Encik A, the writer
Apparently Encik A’s wife had passed away and he had remarried and leaves with his second wife (Puan A). He has two children’s’ (one son and one daughter) from his fist marriage and none from the second one. Both of Encik A’s children’s were married and having a professional job. During the family conference, Encik A’s children’s was not interested with the updates on their father’s condition. However, they seem to be very keen in having argument with Puan A. Their body language showed very clearly that they were not happy with Puan A. However, Puan A was very calm and more rational compared to the Encik A’s children’s. In the family conference, Puan A pointed out that Encik A was bed ridden for the past seven years and for all this years she was the one taking care of him. His children’s did not even cared for him and as a matter of fact they don’t even make an effort to call him to find out how his
Muslim’s defines health as wellbeing of ‘physical, psychological, social and spiritual’ and it is believed to be God’s blessing on mankind. In order to maintain good health they are found of using natural remedies and poultices to cure certain illness before seeking modern medicines (Al-Shahril & Al-Khenaizan, 2005). As for the writer, she believes that Muslims cultures are very unique and their view and acceptance of illness and death is truly amazing. Globally Muslim patients’ integrate the belief of receiving illness and death with patience, meditations and prayers. Nevertheless, even non-Muslim’s patients would normally seek for spiritual care when they are having significant challenges. Muslim’s beliefs that illness and death is part of life and it is a test by God and perceive illness as a trial from God to removed one’s sins. Their belief on ‘God’ wills is something that needs to be learned by other cultural people (Rassool,