Frozen Shoulder, Frozen Justice: A Tale of Two Professionals
Your Professional Advisors, Your Doctor
1 One day, out of the blue, my right shoulder froze solid. I could not even wear a shirt without excruciating pain. This experience taught me that your physical health, much like your legal health, is only as good as your healthcare provider. The professional you choose determines whether your problem is resolved swiftly or left to linger.
The Family Doctor’s Referral
2 I consulted my family physician, who recommended one of Kuala Lumpur’s finest specialists. My secretary rang to book an appointment and was asked a curious question: the doctor would see me only if I had a knee or shoulder problem. Otherwise, they would happily refer me elsewhere.
Three Times Asked
3 This question was posed three times by three different people, including the specialist himself. After listening for barely two minutes, he handed me a leaflet describing “frozen shoulder” and cheerfully announced I was fortunate to have only stage two. What he meant was that it could have been worse.
An Occupational Hazard
4 Being curious by nature, I asked what caused my condition. He replied that medical science does not really know. Some patients get it while driving, others playing tennis. I then asked whether, not knowing the cause, he had a cure. He assured me it would vanish after one glorious year.
Christmas or Easter?
5 He offered a choice: wait until Christmas for natural recovery, or receive a few jabs to accelerate healing by Easter. These two university holidays battled in my mind. I paid for the consultation and left to ponder this dilemma.
Aunt Bella’s Intervention
6 My accountant aunt Bella was concerned about my wrestling with numbers. Four months or twelve? She offered a bigger number: fifteen. “Fifteen months?” I protested. “Fifteen minutes, my dear nephew,” she replied, bringing me to a medicine man who immediately massaged my toes.
The Miracle Cure
7 “Doctor, my shoulder hurts, and now my toes are in agony!” I exclaimed. “Relax, everything is connected,” he said. Newton’s third law flashed through my mind. I waited as he worked through my toes, calves, and finally my shoulders. Then he asked a peculiar question about red bean soup.
The Dried Red Bean
8 He pressed a dried red bean into an acupuncture point on my shoulder, intensifying the pressure. The pain was intense but bearable. After three minutes that felt like four years, he removed his hands. Relief flooded through me. I could move freely, free of jabs and holiday deadlines.
Fifteen Minutes to Freedom
9 Two months later, a second fifteen-minute session brought me to ninety per cent recovery. Contrast this with the specialist’s year-long wait. Ineffective professionals, whether doctors or lawyers, leave you trapped in prolonged suffering. A good practitioner diagnoses accurately, treats effectively, and respects your time.
The Parallel with Legal Practice
10 This mirrors legal work precisely. Some counsel overcomplicate simple matters, burying clients in procedural delays. Others identify the core issue, apply targeted solutions, and deliver swift resolution. The lesson is universal: choose advisors who heal rather than prolong. Your health, whether physical or legal, depends entirely on the professional you trust.
