Bet some of you would be wondering what's a koyok. Basically it's a colloquial term for our local medicated transdermal patches used as topical analgesia for various commonplace aches and pains from backaches to arthritis. Rather than relying on medical opioids as Western patches do, the ones here are chockful of esoteric herbal mysteries - even red hot chilli! - that help relieve muscle aches. Think of it as a poultice in a plaster.
Koyok. Something we generally associate with the dangerously decrepit stooped over with age. Along with other dependable time-tested panaceas such as cough syrups and medicated oils, the koyok is kept in the medicine cabinets of almost every Asian home with an elderly representative. Even a whiff of that familiar mentholated scent is enough to signal the imminent arrival of a venerable geriatric.
At least that's what I used to think.
You see, apart from the occasional lower back sprain when I stoop low over my patients to set impossible brannulas, I generally don't suffer from the usual aches and pains. Fortunately my back remains relatively pain-free, even with my encroaching senility.
Which is more than I can say for my juniors.
Paul : What is that on your back?
Intern : Koyok lo.
Paul : What?
Intern : A medicated plaster.
Paul : I know what it is. I'm just wondering why!
Intern : Well I started having a terrible back ache a few weeks back. Scans all normal, it's just a bad back.
Paul : At your age?!
Intern ; Having a bit of pain in my knees as well.
Paul : Good God, are you falling apart?
The wear and tear of old age.
And I'm talking about relative striplings more than a decade younger than ancient old me. Even a couple of my just graduated nurses. Just peculiar to see these unblemished, unwrinkled, oh-so-youthful backs riddled with koyoks all over. More often we see them generously applied on weathered, leathery, age-spotted hunched backs.
So what exactly is the problem here? Blame early aging? Blame the ever-addictive computer for their abnormal postures? Blame the oh-so-comfortable cushioned seats ruining their back alignment?
Koyok. Something we generally associate with the dangerously decrepit stooped over with age. Along with other dependable time-tested panaceas such as cough syrups and medicated oils, the koyok is kept in the medicine cabinets of almost every Asian home with an elderly representative. Even a whiff of that familiar mentholated scent is enough to signal the imminent arrival of a venerable geriatric.
At least that's what I used to think.
 |
| Ow, I wrenched my back. Care to give me a massage? |
You see, apart from the occasional lower back sprain when I stoop low over my patients to set impossible brannulas, I generally don't suffer from the usual aches and pains. Fortunately my back remains relatively pain-free, even with my encroaching senility.
Which is more than I can say for my juniors.
Paul : What is that on your back?
Intern : Koyok lo.
Paul : What?
Intern : A medicated plaster.
Paul : I know what it is. I'm just wondering why!
Intern : Well I started having a terrible back ache a few weeks back. Scans all normal, it's just a bad back.
Paul : At your age?!
Intern ; Having a bit of pain in my knees as well.
Paul : Good God, are you falling apart?
The wear and tear of old age.
And I'm talking about relative striplings more than a decade younger than ancient old me. Even a couple of my just graduated nurses. Just peculiar to see these unblemished, unwrinkled, oh-so-youthful backs riddled with koyoks all over. More often we see them generously applied on weathered, leathery, age-spotted hunched backs.
So what exactly is the problem here? Blame early aging? Blame the ever-addictive computer for their abnormal postures? Blame the oh-so-comfortable cushioned seats ruining their back alignment?
4 comments:
HAHA! Not bad..you still blogging! How are you? If you remember who am i..HAHA!
Whew. Made me sit up straight. Thanks.
Of course I do. Glad you're back to writing, ric.
Always good to maintain good back posture, iamrei.
P
Ok, where can I score me some serious koyoks? ;)
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