I knew at some point in my life it would come—just not this soon, this unexpectedly, or in the way it did.
The Journey Begins
My dad was in and out of the hospital three times across slightly more than 11 months. The last stay, being the most excruciating and stressful one, lasted five months, which included three stints in the ICU within a span of two months. Being the only unmarried son out of three, the responsibility suddenly fell on me to take the mantle and see through his treatment. It has certainly been an emotional roller coaster ride.
I’m not here to burden you with the weight of my ordeal, but rather to share what I learned from the experience—drawing on my professional work ethics, principles, and the power of AI. Yes, you heard that right: AI.
Managing Stakeholders: From Projects to Patients
Like managing a project, such as a sustainability report, there are several stakeholders involved. This includes the consultant conducting research and compiling data, the design agency that presents the information in an easy-to-understand format using infographics, charts, and iconography, as well as the paper supplier and printer who ultimately produce the report. Should the report require an online version—be it an interactive microsite or simply a hyperlinked PDF—additional resources will be needed.
The same goes for treating a patient in the hospital. It can be overwhelming for patients who are unaware of this complexity. That’s when I stepped in for my dad, taking in all the information from the various doctors, specialists, and nurses that came his way—filtering the information to my dad accordingly on a need-to-know basis so that he could focus on his recovery. This is the same philosophy I’ve applied to my work: relaying messages to my clients, suppliers, and colleagues so that they can focus on their jobs effectively.
Life’s most important projects don’t come with briefs or timelines—but the same principles of clear communication, stakeholder management, and systematic thinking still apply. Filter complexity so others can focus on what matters most.
When AI Became My Best Friend
I wish somebody had told me sooner what was involved, but I had to discover it all on my own. Absorbing all the information presented to me from the doctors and specialists was quite overwhelming, especially when they used terms and jargon that only they understood. Frustrating as it was initially, that’s when AI became my best friend—specifically, Perplexity and Claude.
These became my go-to sources for everything I needed to know about the medical terms and jargon the doctors and specialists had been throwing at me. Suddenly, overnight, I found myself functioning like a medical student—to the point that the orthopaedic doctor asked me if I had a medical background.
However, there was one thing that I found AI to be truly beneficial for: Malay translation. I was able to share all the information I gathered with my mom in our native language, and along the way, I learned a few things as well. That really helped to ease her state of mind.
The Power of Good Follow-Through
My dad is back home now, recovering slowly. The hospital has been contacting me weekly without fail via WhatsApp to update them on my dad’s condition. I’m not sure if they’re required to do so by policy or principle; either way, I’m deeply impressed by the follow-up. If this is how the Singapore government takes care of its elderly, then there would be no better place to grow old. And if this is how the hospital is taking care of every one of its patients, then they can expect the compliments and accolades they deserve. I’m talking to you, Ng Teng Fong General Hospital. All in all, I must say: it’s good branding.
Communication Is Everything
I have to admit that it hadn’t been all smooth sailing dealing with the various stakeholders managing my dad’s condition. I appreciate the honesty shown through their admission when mistakes were made. Good communication is key when managing any given task or project, and this includes patience, understanding, and managing expectations.
Planning ahead can be one of the most productive things we can do, but we must always leave room for things we least expected, lest we be left disappointed.
Systematic thinking isn’t just for projects—it’s for life’s hardest moments. When emotions run high and stakes are higher, having a methodology to fall back on transforms chaos into manageable steps. The process doesn’t eliminate the pain, but it creates space to breathe through it.
At the end of the day, we can only control what we can; worrying about what we can’t is simply unproductive and adds weight to the problem.
My Key Takeaway
Being stoic.
