Thoughts from SQ917

A couple of days back, I was on a flight from Manila to Singapore. My first overseas business trip since moving to the Lion City two weeks back, and it was a new experience of “coming home” to a new city. What I will remember the flight for, however, was that the left side of my face went numb for almost the entire duration of the flight, accompanied with a throbbing pain. This is the fourth time in the last year, and the second time in the last month, that this has happened. Naturally I was a bit worried, but from what a flight attendant told me and subsequent online research, I gather it is likely a case of sinus inflammation aggravated by difference in pressure in the cabin. More on this after I seek professional advice.

For now, a couple of observations from the rather uncomfortable three hours:

First, I noticed how my training – formal and informal – has made me very analytical. Yes, even under stress. My first thought was to link it to something I had eaten, since last time I had thrown up. This time, though, it was different – so Hypothesis 1 was out. Next up was Hypothesis 2, which attributed the phenomenon to the often-uncomfortable low temperatures in the cabin. I reached out to the cooling vents above the window, and realized that due to my good fortune or sound judgment on part of the cabin crew, temperatures were actually higher than usual. So the only likely reason would be something to do with air pressure at high altitude. The positive side-effect of this analysis was that it proved to be a welcome distraction for me.

Secondly, this kind of incident changes how you look at small turn of events and otherwise "normal" incidents. For example, a plane starting its descent and ultimately landing is rather mundane and routine for regular travelers. In this case, however, I was actually looking forward to the pilot’s announcement with an eagerness and anticipation usually reserved for more momentous events. The simple fact that the plane’s touchdown would coincide with an end to my discomfort and pain made me think about the small things in life that we take for granted. The same experiences, happenings or material objects appear invaluable at times when we realize what their absence means. Take the recent terrorist attack in Mumbai, for instance. For those who survived, the very escape is something they would probably treasure and will be thankful for for the rest of their lives. Huge as the financial loss maybe, the newly-weds who had thrown a wedding reception at the Taj hotel that night, or the businessmen who were about to close a deal when the terrorists struck, will realize that they were lucky. Just the fact that they are alive, and can look forward to continuing with their lives full of possibilities and hope is a gift in itself.