It was Friday and Azman (not his real name) was woken up in the wee hours of the morning with a severe pain in the chest. After having found no relief with his usual medicines for indigestion, he eventually made his way to the hospital just before sunrise.

Question: What do heart attacks and headaches have in common?
Answer: They can both be treated effectively with aspirin.

Have you heard of Sir Ranulph Fiennes? In 2003, after having survived a heart attack and four months following a major coronary artery bypass surgery, he did the unthinkable. He ran seven marathons in seven continents … in seven days! That is superhuman effort, and way beyond medical logic.

But then, he is regarded by many as the world’s greatest living adventurer.

Nenek passed away Friday. She had survived two heart attacks but the third, all in a space of three months, proved too much for her. She was 93 years old.

I VIVIDLY remember one morning  when I was in Standard Three, my teacher, the late Mrs Wong, walked into the classroom. Looking distraught, she broke the news that Elvis, the King of Rock and Roll, had died at the tender age of 42. The class went silent not knowing how to react to what she said as most of us didn't know who Elvis was at that time.

I was reminded of that incident when I heard of Michael Jackson's death.