Did you get a "Nose Job"?

This is one of the most common teasing that I got after I return from hospitalisation leave following my surgery... "Did you get a nose job?"... "I heard you went for a nose job, but I thought you did not look too bad..."... "Hi Michael Jackson..." often followed by some friendly laughters.

So... I decided to look up what is a "Nose Job". The technical word for a nose job is "rhinoplasty". It is a surgery to correct the appearance and shape of the nose - a plastic surgery, typically not covered by insurance or by company medical benefits. As I found out, during Rhinoplasty, a deviated septum will also be corrected, leading to better breathing if the deviation was the original cause of block nose. Gee...

A piece of cartilage, usually from the septum, occasionally from the ear will be used to augment the nose as appropriate. Based on my reading of the rhinoplasty procedure at on the website for the American Society for Plastic Surgery website, I can't help but feel that the procedure is very similar to septoplasty. In a sense, all the teasing that I got were "technically" correct, except that my procedure did not consciously shape my nose. But with my brand new functional nose that could "smell the roses" better now, I do feel that I have a better and nicer nose! My gratitude to Dr Tan NG for doing a wonderful job!

In conclusion, the answer is "NO", I did not do a nose job, BUT I did get a brand new and better nose.

Just had a wonderful dinner with colleagues from GPO, our annual Lo Hei and a celebration of the good work done. I am blessed to have great colleagues who are eager to make a difference in the lives of others through our work in healthcare. I shared with them this poem (told to me by a great friend C Bhagat and sent to me by Hidayat) which has been a source of inspiration for me. It is entitled "Lifters and Leaners" by Eller Wheeler Wilcox. Let us all be LIFTERS and make a difference...Cheers

THERE are two kinds of people on earth to-day;
Just two kinds of people, no more, I say.
Not the sinner and saint, for it's well understood,
The good are half bad, and the bad are half good.
Not the rich and the poor, for to rate a man's wealth,
You must first know the state of his conscience and health.
Not the humble and proud, for in life's little span,
Who puts on vain airs, is not counted a man.
Not the happy and sad, for the swift flying years
Bring each man his laughter and each man his tears.
No; the two kinds of people on earth I mean,
Are the people who lift, and the people who lean.
Wherever you go, you will find the earth's masses,
Are always divided in just these two classes.
And oddly enough, you will find too, I ween,
There's only one lifter to twenty who lean.
In which class are you? Are you easing the load,
Of overtaxed lifters, who toil down the road?
Or are you a leaner, who lets others share
Your portion of labor, and worry and care?