MBA and Me

Assalamu'alaikum...

Hello Oktober! 2 weeks ago, on Sep 22, saya terima surat yg paling dinantikan sejak bergelar student Master USM - Surat Pengesahan Konvokesyen. Alhamdulillah, I have officially GRADUATED! 

Alhamdulillah, penat lelah selama 4 tahun akhirnya membuahkan hasil. Yes, you read it right, it took me 4 years to complete my Master. Dah sama macam buat degree dulu. 😅

Semuanya bermula pada tahun 2019. Umur saya 35 masa tu. Saya buat keputusan utk sambung study, specifically in MBA sebab saya rasa ada sesuatu yg perlu saya achieve sebelum berumur 40 tahun. I told myself, 

"I will be 40, if panjang umur. Why can't I be 40 and have a Master degree?"

Dan penting utk saya tekankan di sini, masa saya decided utk buat Master tu, both me and my husband were thinking that we should take a break from going through all the hospital appointments, fertility treatments, etc like we had in 2018. So, saya perlu sesuatu utk isi masa lapang dan jugak take my mind away from all this TTC thing. 

Dan Alhamdulillah, Allah bukakan hati saya utk buat MBA. So, post kali ni, saya akan cerita sedikit sebanyak about my MBA journey, subjects, specialisations yg saya buat di USM, Penang. Dan since USM is in Penang, so it is very, very convenient for me.

Alhamdulillah, on Sep 5, 2019, I started my journey in the USM MBA program. Ini ialah "Study Plan" saya. At first saya plan nak habiskan dalam masa 3 tahun, tapi because of unforeseen circumstances, saya postponed 2 semesters (bukan tahun yg sama).

Duration program MBA ni ialah minimum 4 semesters atau 2 tahun dan maksimum 10 semesters atau 5 tahun. Ada beberapa specialisations yg USM offers for MBA program:

1. International Business
2. Service Science Management and Engineering
3. Sustainable Development
4. Governance and Control
5. Business Analytics
6. Digital Leadership

As for me, I decided to go for Service Science Management and Engineering (SSME) since my work involves management and engineering. Specialisation #5 and 6 were the latest additions memandangkan dunia skrg menuju digitalization. Kalau bukan sebab kerja saya sekarang yg lebih kpd management and engineering, I will surely go for one of the new specialisations. So, for every specialisation, there are 4 electives. USM allows the students utk amek any elective subjects without specialisation ataupun ambil lebih drp 4 electives. Tapi, utk saya, cukuplah 4 electives ni. 😄

Sedikit nasihat drp seorang yg dah lalui MBA ni. Firstly, ingat, MBA or other postgraduate programs is not a sprint, it's a marathon. One's mental must be prepared all the time. For me who completed my Bachelor's in 2007, it was a real struggle. To juggle between work, family and study, especially on my third year when I was pregnant with Nuh. Tak terkira berapa kali saya burnout. Assignments, presentations, quizzes, mid-term exams and final exams. Week-by-week. That's why, I felt a sense of fulfilment, a relief, lepas habis saja viva-voce dan final exams. No words can describe how I felt at that time. All I know is, it is finally over. Sep 2019 to Sep 2023. Alhamdulillah. Secondly, please make sure you have a very strong support system - your closest inner circle. You will be challenged mentally. And you need all the help you can get.

Anyway, despite all the emotional rollercoaster that I experienced in the last 4 years, I am grateful for meeting all those people in the program - lecturers and students. So, at the end of my MBA journey, now at 39, I got my MBA, I made new friends and I had a story to tell. What a journey! 😉

Ok, some additional info if you are interested about this program. On Aug 1, 2023, USM Graduate School of Business (GSB), my school, received Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditation. As quoted from The Star and USM, https://www.thestar.com.my/news/education/2023/09/03/usm-business-school-gets-global-nod, 

"Founded in 1916, the AACSB is the longest-serving global accrediting body for business schools, and the largest business education network connecting learners, educators and businesses worldwide.

The AACSB accreditation recognises institutions that have demonstrated a focus on excellence in all areas, including teaching, research, curriculum development, and student learning.

Less than 6% of schools offering business degree programmes globally is accredited.

Based on the ratification for 2023, a total of only 988 institutions across 62 countries and territories have earned the AACSB accreditation in business.

The accreditation is a testament to the GSB’s commitment to delivering excellence and high standards in business education, and is in line with its mission to nurture business leaders with the knowledge and skills needed to drive business sustainability."

So, kalau ada yg berminat utk buat MBA atau any postgraduate programs, saya encourage utk buat di USM. For MBA, feel free to visit USM Graduate School of Business (GSB) at https://gsb.usm.my/programme/master/ for further info. Best of luck! 💋

p/s: Tuntutlah ilmu hingga ke liang lahad.

Cerita Julai

Assalamu'alaikum...

Ogos! Cepatnya dah masuk Ogos. Allahu. Last July, I had been very busy. It was a crazy month, with a lot of things happening. Sedar-sedar dah masuk Ogos. Banyak interesting and memorable events happening in July. 

July 7. Received a call from Genesis IVF on our PGT-A results. Alhamdulillah, dgn izin Allah, the results of PGT-A came back good. In summary:

25 Retrieved

13 Fertilized

8 Embryos (4 PGT-A done, 4 frozen)

2 Normal

Met Dr Ng on July 24. Dr Ng happy sebab this cycle, the outcomes seem to be better. Apa-apapun, me and my husband were so over the moon. Alhamdulillah, masih ada harapan utk mendapatkan anak ke-2, kawan utk Nuh. Dr Ng said we could do the FET anytime we want. He will start with one month of medication, prepare itu ini, then FET boleh buat sebulan lepas tu. So far, a discussion with En Suami is in progress. 

July 22. My little tiger, Nuh, turns 1. Rasa baru je bersalin. Rupanya dah setahun dah. My dear son dah bertatih pun. Masya-Allah. We held a small birthday celebration, just between keluarga terdekat. Put him on a tiger cub suit and got him a tiger theme cake. I must say, this boy is a natural charmer. Even his dad cannot match him. 😄 

"Dear Nuh, know that I have prayed to Allah to have you in my life. I love you before I had you. I want you to grow and be the person that will bring happiness to all, and will be loved by all. Mama loves you, my little tiger, Nuh".

July 25. My dearest Mother turns 72. Syukur ya Allah, diberi kesempatan utk meraikan ulangtahun dua org yg sgt penting. Alhamdulillah. Terima kasih ya Allah, sebab bagi peluang utk Mak tinggal bersama kami. Bagi peluang utk kami jaga Mak. Along sayang Mak, dunia dan akhirat.

July 29 and 30. Sitting for my final exam. The last 2 papers in my 4 years of doing MBA. No words can describe the mixed feeling that I was having. But most importantly, I am relief that it is finally over. Doa-doa tu tak kena repeat la. 😅 Apa-apapun, syukur, dapat habiskan what I have started. I postponed my study in the second semester of the 2nd year and the 3rd year just because I felt that it was too much to handle. My work and my new role as a new mother. 

p/s: Happy me! 

Happy 39th Birthday!

Assalamu'alaikum...

It is the day of the year again, my birthday! Jun 22, 2023 - My last 3 series birthday. InsyaAllah, panjang umur, next year I'll be entering the 4 series club. 😄

Alhamdullillah untuk nikmat umur yg Allah kurniakan sehingga saat ini. And this year is a special year because it is my first birthday as a Mother. And Jun 22 is also the day my little tiger, Nuh, turns 11 months. 

So, how does it feel to become a Mother at this age? Bagaimana rasanya bergelar seorang Ibu pada usia begini? Secara jujurnya, semasa saya decided untuk buat IVF, age is my main concern. As the doctor said, as a woman entered 35, the egg quality deteriorated. Frankly speaking, it is a mixture of feelings. 

I still clearly remember the embryo transfer day, Nov 22, 2021. The doctor said the embryo hatched beautifully after the transfer. Saya usap perut saya dan kept on telling myself that there is someone in here now. Walaupun belum 100% confirm that it will end up with a pregnancy, but I really felt a pure joy of knowing finally after so many years of TTC, there is HOPE. 

And now, with Nuh, semua penat lelah bila balik dari kerja hilang bila tengok anak yg dikandung selama 9 bulan, sambut kepulangan kami dgn senyuman. His smile is so infectious. It makes everything worth it. So, from my 11-month experience of being a Mother at late thirties, here are some of the advantages that I am seeing:

• Emotional maturity
• At 39, achieving emotional maturity should come with life experience. This is important because it can positively impact my approach to parenting. 
• Financial stability
• By this age, I can say that both I and my husband are living comfortably. Nothing extravagant. We have a roof over our heads, a car to take us from point A to point B, and emergency funding. 
• Established support systems
• I am lucky that I have a strong network of family and friends who offer support and guidance throughout my motherhood journey. My younger sister herself is a mother of 2 cute toddlers who gave me tips from time to time.
• Personal fulfilment
• I was doing my MBA when I decided to go for IVF. I was 35 when I asked a question, "Someday, eventually, I will turn 40. Isn't it better to be 40 with an MBA degree?" And so I did. I took my MBA and am about to complete it in July, insyaAllah. And having a baby at that time just makes everything sweeter. I was carrying him in my womb when I attended lectures, presented assignments and took my final exams. He was with me. He was part of me. Now that I had him, and I almost fulfilled my personal goal, nothing else matters. 

Anyway, these are my thoughts as a new Mother. I'm still learning, and there's so much to learn. But one thing is for sure, I love being a Mother. 

p/s: “I can heal a broken heart with a smile.” ~ Rumi

Going for Number 2

Assalamu'alaikum...

A few months back, my husband and I decided we should try for a second baby. We were advised by Dr Ng earlier to return to Genesis sometime in March to restart IVF treatment if we want to try for a second baby. The question is whether I am willing to go through the emotional rollercoaster again. And the answer is, Yes, I do.😄

Jun 1, 8.15 am, we arrived at Genesis. Macam biasa la, ramai sgt org kat clinic ni. After a while, a nurse called my name and asked me to hand over my cooler bag to her and come back to the clinic at around 11 am. Sementara tunggu jam 11 pagi, kami pun jalan-jalan, menikmati keindahan alam. Lebih kurang 11.15, kami sampai dan tunggu giliran untuk jumpa dgn Dr Ng. Dr Ng examined me and said we can try this month. Alhamdulillah...

My next appointment is Jun 8. So, starting from Jun 1 (taken at 8.30 pm last night) until Jun 7, I need to take the following shots:

• Gonal-f
• Humog
• Orgalutran (only on day 6 and 7)

Bermulalah sesi cucuk menyucuk semalam. Today will be day 2. Doakan yg terbaik buat kami. Baby no 2, here we come! 

p/s: The shots that I have to take for this cycle are 16 shots (day 1 thru day 7) + 3 shots (day 8) + 2 shots (day 10). So, altogether, there are 21 shots. Ya Allah, Engkau permudahkanlah.

A New Beginning

Assalamu'alaikum...

I'm back. Akhirnya, setelah bertahun-tahun tak menulis di blog, hari ni saya mula menulis semula. Dan harap-harap tu, akan consistent la. 😊

*****

The year is 2021. Zaman Covid-19. So many uncertainties, and so many precautions. After our failed IUI attempt at Gleneagles in 2018, me and my husband have stopped any form of treatment. But, I know I need help. 11 years is a long time, and I'm turning 40 soon. Macam-macam kami cuba. Then, one fine day, I told my husband that we need to go for IVF. The last resort. While searching on the internet, I stumbled upon an ad by Genesis IVF, Penang. Saya ingat lagi, saya fikir banyak kali samada saya patut contact Genesis dan buat appointment atau patut tak saya tunggu lagi. But, engineering taught me a simple equation:

I (input) + P (process) = O (output)

My logic is this - If I want to change the O, I need to either change the I or the P. If not, the O will be the same. Allah takkan mengubah sesuatu jika hamba-Nya tak berusaha untuk berubah. Ikhtiar. And IVF is our last ikhtiar.

So, I emailed Genesis, explaining my condition. Then, suddenly I received a call, asking me when can I come to see the doctor. Jun 19, 2021. 3 days before my 37th birthday, I met my doctor, Dr Ng Peng Wah. A very pleasant gentleman, I must say. He scanned me and said my chances were 55%, eggs were good on both sides, and the problem could be the egg did not meet the sperm. Simple explanation, but it gave us HOPE. 

*****

Well, to cut a long story short, at 39, I am now a happy mother to a 10-month-old son. Our long-awaited baby. I will write more about my IVF journey in my next post. Stay positive, ya!😉

p/s: "Maka nikmat Tuhan kamu yg manakah yg kamu dustakan?" ar-Rahman ayat ke-13.