Overcome life: December 2008

Hehehe... I didn't really keep my words on updating my blog often, not because I don't want, but because I was really have no time to do it.

So many things have happened since my last blog. Starting from attending my hubby's cousin's wedding dinner on 25th November 2008. That's where the my feet started swollen. Didn't know why that happened.. I assumed it's because of the new Scholl brand shoes that I worn for 2 days. The wedding was held in Conrad Centennial Singapore, one of the five stars hotel. There were not very much tables there, but I could see lots of familiar faces as they invited lots of families and relatives that I met before. It's been quite some times since I met them 'cos recently I was rarely having a chance or going for any family reunion/occasion. Some who were small and young, now has grown up big and tall, and more mature. That would be my last chance of really enjoying beer and wine too.

The next week, was my hubby's childhood's friends wedding (5th December 2008). My hubby helped them around becoming a driver, one of the 'brother' when trying to get into the door, and other things as well. I went there w/ my mother-in-law and my son, sitting together w/ my hubby other childhood friend, Wei Yi.

Congratulations for Wilvin and Kate!!! Finally fate has brought both of you together into the marriage stage. Heard that both of you have come back from your honeymoon in NZ, hope both of you enjoying the trip very much. Just a piece of advise, that it's all just a beginning.. there will still long way to go for you to go through.. so.. learn to adapt to new environment, be more understanding to each other, always take and give in any situation, give in too when needed, be happy and sad together in any up and down situation that both of you face together.. and of course.. always loving to each other.. ^^ Do I sound like a granny here? Hahaha... Sorry if I didn't help or give much during ur wedding preparation 'cos I myself didn't feel very well and hard to move about.. so perhaps these advises would help.. Btw, great MTV Video! You should put it on ur blog!!! Hee.... ;p

Could see that your mums were very happy on the wedding day. Although they were busy and tired, but they were both very proud of you... So, must treasure them!! Without them, there wouldn't be where you are or what you are now!!! They were happy too that they could meet old friends during the reception :)

Next... Sunday, 7th December 2008. We finally flew to Hong Kong. The week before was the stress week for Raymond. With Thai protesters sitting and staying over a week in the airport, has made my hubby's heart to beat faster. Luckily they resumed back the airport on Wednesday, so that his boss' plan to fly was still on!!! And seven of us could have our holiday peacefully.

The flight to Hong Kong wasn't that good as the plane kept shaking while we were having our dinner. It was due to the weather.. Luckily nothing happened and all of us could reach in HKIA safely. My er-jie fetched us in the airport and she was a bit worry on our tardiness to meet her. Well, there were lots of people queieng in immigration, that's why we had to wait for quite some time before we could take our luggage. We stayed in Er-jie's house for the whole trip. She has also helped me a lot in giving the directions on which transport should we take from her house to the places that we go and vice versa.

On Monday, we were having our first 'yum-cha' or dim sum at Tai Po shopping centre.

Yum cha at Tai Po

It was nice and economical too (It costs only S$50 for 5 adults and 7 children). The restaurant was quite modern and has good ambiance.

At Wong Tai Xin Temple - Hong Kong

Then we headed to China Travel Service to enquire about Zhu Hai. We were planning to go there for 2 days one night but after found out that the ferry tickets were very expensive (S$80 for round trip both adult and child), we then cancelled it. So the whole trip was only in Hong Kong. First place to go was Wong Tai Xin Temple. We prayed over there then we went to Ladies Market and had our late lunch at Char Chan Ting nearby, then shopped around the Fa Yuen Street, a place where local usually shop with lots of varieties. My son enjoyed the wanton mee very much, and so does my hubby despite the service given were suck, the waiter's face expression was as if we owed him money. Kekeke... We also had a break at fishball curry shop at Fa Yuen Street. The fishball tastes very good. Lots of people were queing for that. My hubby tried their San Bao Ma La.. *See photo. It's actually beef's organs such as tripes, intestines cooked in Ma La Spices. It was damn spicy! But he enjoyed it very much! After that, we stopped by at shopping centre in Kowloon and headed home. We reached home at about 11pm, after having McDonald dinner in my Er-jie's area.

On Tuesday, we went out to Repulse Bay. It was quite a long journey from my Er-jie's house. We went to Qian Shui Wan to pray and take pictures of many Gods statue, including the famous Wealth God (Cai Shen Ye), Long live God, Fate God, Ma Zu God, three goats, dragon, etc. It was located just along the sea.

At Repulse Bay or Qian Shui Wan

After that, we went to Stanley Market. The area was a bit looked like our Boat Quay. Lots of foreigners and riches stay there and enjoying the pub/cafe/restaurant there. The market was actually more designated to ang moh, rather than Asian tourists. We ended up did not buy anything there, but we stopped by at the hidden Char Chan Ting and had our noodles and nai cha there before we went to Sha Tien to meet my Er-jie and her two children.

At Stanley Bay, Hong Kong

It was our first time to meet the two children although we had been staying in her house for 2 nights. Hahaha.. 'cos when we reached her house, it was already late and they had gone to sleep. Both of them were having exams too and we didn't want to disturb them studying. When they woke up early in the morning and got ready for school, all of us were still aslept. So my son was very exciting of meeting them and he wanted to introduced them to his two cousins. That's why when we went into Snoopy World, he was too happy and ran about, then fell down in the slope. His head was injured by the thick sand paper that they actually put it to avoid the slipperiness on the slope. But too bad, my son trap on it and fell on it too. His right forehead was opened and came out lots of blood, below his eyes were scratches, but thank God it didn't touch his eyes at all!!! He cried very loud. At first I was very panicked too, 'cos I seldom see any injury that take out lots of blood. But after a while, I could let myself calm down and as a mom, I should do that and it was my turn to make my son calm down too.. Da shao (Raymond's cousin's wife)

took out tissue and she pressed it into the wound to make the blood stopped. The medical team came out in a while and asked us if we need ambulance to bring him to hospital. We agreed into it and the ambulance came in a while. They cleaned the wound first and cover it temporarily before we headed to hospital. We went into A&E department and waited there for 4hours before we got in. Doctor checked on the wound and the nurse stitched the wound afterwards. My son was very brave in there!!! I was so proud of him. 'Cos although it was very painful, he was still there and go through it all!! Well done Reever!!! Of course his dad accompanied him through the process and he tried to distract his attention too by asking him his favourite games that he wanted to play in NDS.. kekekeke... Bravo Raymond!

On Wednesday, we had our breakfast at Tai Po Market. Raymond and his cousin enjoyed the food very much. We've tried toast w/ peanut butter and butter, pineapple bun w/ butter, you tiau w/ cheong fan skin, pork cutlet and chicken wing noodle, pai ku fan, yin yang drink, etc.

After makan, they went to Lantau Island to see the Giant Buddha Statue and shopped at Tung Chung Station there, got shopping centre w/ lots of factory outlet while Er-jie, Reever and I went to Tai Po shopping centre (Reever went to toys department), then we visited Chinese Physician to look at my swollen feet, and had our high tea at Pizza Hut hehehe.... We went back home at 4pm. My Er-jie's children just came back from school. Reever played with them at home while I went sleeping at my room. At 7pm I was woken up by my Er-jie and we went to Shang shui do eat cu chao at their hawker centre inside the market. Jie fu joined us too after he finished his work. Then we went back home.

On Thursday, we had our breakfast at Tai Po Market. We tried dim sum this time, but it wasn't that good. We still ordered other food. I order pinneaple bun w/ ham and egg, but the pineapple bun has finished, so I ordered toast w/ ham and egg. Not enough, I ordered maggie mee w/ ham and egg.. Hehehe.. although it's just a simple menu, it tastes good ^^ My hubby managed to have chi zai mian (his favourite noodle).

The Peak - Hong Kong

After makan, I brought them to The Peak at Central. We took tram up and down and saw the Hong Kong view from the outside Pavillion. We reached there in the afternoon.

Avenue of Stars

The view were very nice. We sat down at McDonald to have a break, then went down. We took 'teng-teng' tram from there to Causeway Bay. We separated at Sogo and met up 1.5 hrs later. My son brought us to toys department and my hubby bought him 2 sets of Scissor-X robots that were on sale, one for his X'mas gift, and another one for his birthday gift. Raymond bought parfum for himself. And we stopped by at the road side snack shop. We bought niu lan (beef's organ), and fried cuttlefish. I tried the Japanese snack from a shop called Taiyaki. It was fish shaped dough filled w/ sausage and tuna (Italian style). Normal size and costs S$3 each. We had kiwi juice to quench our thirst. We took pictures in front of Times Square and Lane Crawford. There were Christmas art decorations there. After we met up, we continued our journey to Avenue of Stars. We reached Tsim Sha Tsui at 6pm, while the laser light show would only start at 8pm. So we found and took a seat there, and took pictures while waiting. The show lasted for about 15mins. After that, we just walked around Tsim Sha Tsui area. Lots of branded shops and five stars hotels there. We went back home and took a rest.

On Friday, we ate at Tai Po Market again. My hubby ate chi zai mian again, for the second time. I ordered pineapple bun w/ ham and egg. Reever ate pai ku fan. This time, we just shopped around the Tai Po area. Reever bought his Bakugan shoe (costs HK$200 or S$40). Raymond also managed to buy Adidas shoe, which was on offer. His cousin and da shao bought two pair of Adidas shoes each, also one each for their sons. They walked by themselves after wards, while Er-jie, Reever and I went back home 'cos my swollen legs were so painful and my son still need to take a rest. I slept 'til 7pm. My son was playing w/ Er-jie's children. The rest reached home before 7pm.

We went to Er-jie's mother-in-law house for dinner. Er-jie has brought home the Hong Kong traditional food, pen chai or bun-choy in Cantonese. That Friday, 12th December is Reever's birthday, 14th December is Ka Ming (Er-Jie's son)'s birthday, and I thought of celebrating their birthday by having pen chai and cut birthday cake together. So there we were!! We ate at 7.30pm when all has gone back home from work.

Penchai or bun choy in Hong Kong

The pen chai was not as wonderful as we usually had for Chinese New Year/ Baby full month / Wedding celebration 'cos we ordered it not from the same place. The place that my sis used to buy were quite far away (in Yuan Long) and she had to take it herself (no delivery service). I didn't want to make her troublesome just to buy it. She told me there was an alternative pen chai sold nearby her area, but when she got there, the shop was closed and replaced by other shop. She assumed that the shop has gone bankrupt. What a pity! That's why this time she bought from another place, which she had not tried it before. It was fine for me as I tasted it many times before, but the taste might not be so fantastic for Raymond and his cousin. Kekekeke.. Never mind la.. so there would be a reason for them to come back to Hong Kong next time hahaha....

After dinner, children played in the playground, while Raymond played bicycle. They even walked to the nearby store to purchase cans of beers. Hahaha.. My hubby drank beer too, saying that he only drank it in cold weather.. kekeke... At 9pm plus, we went back into the house. It's cake-cutting time!!! My Er-jie ordered both cakes from Maxim's. So expensive!! Reever's cake (Ultraman) costs HK$326 or S$65. Her son one costs HK$250 plus. Reever's cake is fruit cake, while his son one is mango mousse chocolate cake. The fruits were all very fresh. So we sang the birthday song in 3 languages (English, Chinese, and Cantonese), they blew the candles off, and we ate the cake together. Hope it was memorable for both of them.

On Saturday, we ate breakfast, again, at Tai Po Market. Hehehe... My hubby ate pork cutlet noodle for the second time. I ate pai ku fan. We waited for my sis to go home and at first we planned to meet at Tai Po Market train station. When I called her, she was still at her home there waiting for the xiao ba (small bus), so I told her that we went to Disneyland first to buy tickets, then met here there. She agreed. But when reached Sunny Bay station, the MTR staff announced that there was technical problem for the Disney train and we had to wait for 30 mins before it was okay. *See picture.

While waiting, my sis had already reached us, so when the first train came, it was super crowded, so I told them that I would go there first alone to buy tickets, while they waited and took the second train. Everything was planned well. I didn't have to queue to purchase tickets at ticket booth. We went in, took pics, then played first. We used fast past in most of fast past available games so we didn't have to queue very long for those games. While waiting for the fast pass time, we went to play other games. Lucky us that the queue wasn't that bad that day, although it was weekend. Usually it would be much more crowded than weekday, as it's also school holiday for many people from other countries.

Anyway, we played 'til evening, had our dinner there, then went separate way and met up again at 8.45pm for the fireworks. I went to buy souvenirs and gifts w/ my hubby. My son went w/ Er-jie and her children. Alan were playing again w/ his children. We met up near Information stall, and in a while the fireworks started. It was wonderful.

We were given special glasses too to see the effect from the light. Each light has turned into snowman. My son were so exciting when the fireworks start. He kept shouting 'snowman'. It was very crowded. My hubby and I had to carry Reever so that he could see the fireworks. No matter how tired we were, his happiness is our happiness too ^^
We went back by bus to Sha Tien, then had dinner at Tai Wo. Raymond managed to eat his favourite pig blood.. kekeke.. while I managed to eat pigeon.

Sunday, 14 December 2008, last day in Hong Kong. We went yum-cha in the morning in Shang Shui. After makan, we walked to lao bo ping shop to buy lao bo ping, but the seller said the lao bo ping had not arrived yet from Yuan Long, so they asked us to return back half an hour later. So we shopped around lor. Next to the main door where the restaurant located, there is a small shop selling those miniatures and figure display. At there, I bought my favourite Doraemon's collection, total 3 sets. Hehehe.. At the shop inside I also managed to buy clothes for my mother-in-law hehehe... We went back to the lao bo bing shop afterwards, then to Wing Wah to buy Chinese sausage for Alan. We stopped by at dessert shop to have dessert before going back home. Jie ful asked Raymond to have snake soup while we were having dessert and we met up at bus stop. Reached home, all of us packed our stuffs and then took taxi to bus station where the airport bus located. We took bus back to the HKIA. After checking-in, we went inside. Goodbye Er-jie!!! Thank you for your hospitable services letting us stay at ur place and all ur help and presents that you gave us. Next time it would be our turn when you come to Singapore ;) We reached Singapore at 11pm plus then went back home.

Monday, 15 December 2008. I went back to work. At 4pm, I went into our company's group clinic located nearby our hotel. Dr Kuan was shocked to see my swollen feet and ankles. Since I was having my menstruation on that day, she asked me to take blood tests. She took 2 samples of my blood and send it to lab that day. The results would be out on Tue and Wed.

Tue, 16 December 2008. Dr Kuan gave me MC. So I took lots of rest at home. She gave me a call when I was at home. She said one of the blood test results had come out. She told me my blood count was very low. Normal rate should be 12.5, but mine was only 7. She asked me to go to her place again next morning. She wouldn't be there as she didn't work there on Wed. So she asked me to see Dr Tan, the other doctor there. And she told me that I must make sure that I went there the next morning. Inside my heart, what's the big deal? Just go there and take a result ma? Nothing difficult, rite? She told me that she would ask Dr Tan to write letter for me to go hospital to do check-up.

Wed, 17 December 2008. I went to work by MRT that morning. It was a fine day. I didn't get a seat, like usual, so I had to stand up all the way. Although the swollen on my feet has reduced a lot, they were still aching and pain, especially the right side one. So almost all the way, I needed to depend on my left leg to stand. I kept looking the three guys who sat in front of me, thinking on when would one of them leave the train so I could occupy their seat. It was until the MRT passed over Little India Station, my hand that held the hand rail, suddenly got no power, and so did my body. I fell down to the side. Lucky there were quite number of people beside me, some more they were women. Next thing, I found myself falling over them. I could hear them shouting and one called me Xiu Jie for many times. They asked the guy to give up their seat and few people there carried me to the sit in front of me. I could hear a lady talked to the staff using the emergency call, saying that there was a lady fainted in the MRT. When I tried to open my eyes, few people in front of me blew the newspaper and some gave me the medicated oil. The train reached Dobhy Ghaut. The lady who spoke using the emergency call asking me if I wanted to go out there. I said yes. She helped me to sit outside and there was a guy, who learnt about the first aid waiting there for me, in case if I fainted again. The MRT staff came in a while and accompanied me. I sat near the MRT for a while.

At that time, I was aware about what happened, and had regained my power back little bit. At least I still could come up to the control station myself and had a seat there. The guy asked me to call someone to accompany me to the destination. I called my hubby, but he was waiting his boss playing golf and wouldn't reach here anytime soon. Lucky I remembered that I still have a brother in Singapore. Kekeke.. 'cos he and his families were staying in US for 2 years, so I wasn't used to their returns yet. So I called him. I woke him up and told him to come to Dobhy Ghaut MRT and asked him to accompany me to the clinic. I also still got time to write sms to my CC to inform her that I wouldn't go for work that day as I would make a trip to doctor to get a report, then to hospital for check-up. I thought after taking a seat, I would feel much better. But dunno why, I felt the other way around. I felt very giddy, the power was decreasing again. Dr Kuan asked me not to eat anything first 'cos she wanted me to have body check-up. But at that time, if I didn't eat, I won't have energy to her clinic. So I called Dr Tan and asked him if I could eat anything hahaha.. He asked me to drink Milo. I was quite weak liao when asking for Milo. Lucky the staff got Milo. He made it for me right away and I drank few sip. I told him I would like to go to toilet. He asked auntie, a cleaner, to accompany me to the toilet. But only after I walked one step, I fell down again. They helped me going back to my seat and asked me if I need an ambulance to get me into the hospital. I said yes. So they called the ambulance, then called my brother to hurry up.

The ambulance came in a while. I couldn't open my eyes and had little energy to even talk to my hubby on the phone. When ambulance come, my brother has reached too, and he called my hubby that the ambulance were here already. He was shocked 'cos previously I only told her I faint once and he thought I could made my way to clinic by taxi after that. So they brought me to SGH A&E Department. When they measured my blood pressure, it was only 74. They lifted my legs up and got the blood pressure up to 94. They put me into critical care room and handed me over the doctor and nurses at A&E.

Short to say... I stayed there for a week. I managed to go back home today. After waiting for many blood test results, they had a conclusion, that I have contacted the chronic auto-immune disorder disease, called SLE (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus). Supposely, anti body would attack the virus or any foreign items that comes into the body. But in this case, the anti body has gone headwire.. so they are attacking the health cells and tissues resulting in inflammation and tissue damage. SLE can affect any part of the body, but most often hurts the skin, joints, skin, lungs, blood vessels, kidney, and nervous system. The course of the disease is unpredictable, can occur more commonly to women at child-bearing age. The cause of the disease is unknown, could be genetically but so far I've never heard any family members contracted to this disease. You could read more about it in this web: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Systemic_lupus_erythematosus It can be treated by having regular medications, but can not be cured.

During my stay in hospital, some of my colleagues, my close friends, my brother and his families, my hubby families were visiting me. My mom even flew to Singapore on Wednesday night. That afternoon she and my father were out of town. So they made a trip back to Jakarta immediately. In here, she brought me food almost every morning and evening. She cooked those food that she believes can increase my red blood cells, and also increase my energy.

At first, the doctor only found that I had an anemia. But they wanted to know what was the cause of the sudden loss of the blood. That's why they did so many blood tests and investigated the results. Even after they had a clue about it, they still asked me to do many blood tests so they could find out on how far the anti body has been attacking myself. Its symptoms didn't come together. It's like a puzzle, a bit here and there. So I told them that I had joint pain since a year ago. I felt giddy and weak during my menstruation day (feel like want to faint in MRT). Then recently my skin has red patches when I was in air-con room/during a bath. And the swollen of my feet was the worst one that never happened before. I was afraid that it has attacked my kidney (the swollen thing), but luckily so far, after doing 24hr urine test, although they found some protein in it, it's only a minimal amount, so they conclude that so far my organ were quite safe.

Nevertheless, I still have to go for ultrasound test to check if there is anything wrong w/ my kidney and the appointment still not confirmed yet, it can be a month later. Anyway, they let me out today. I was so thrilled. Although I don't celebrate Christmas Day, but I miss my home.. miss my hubby and son, to be together with them. And after all, home sweet home. I still need to go back for review next Wed and Fri. And many more tests to come.

Welcome to the new life of Lupus. Just hope that by having regular medication, avoid sun exposure, and maintain health life style, the anti body can be surpressed and don't bring more problem to other part of my body. I don't expect myself to have a very long life. There is one patient in my ward who is 102 years old, but what he did was sleeping almost all the time. What I want is a reasonable time in life that is filled with many meaningful events, do things that what I want and like to do, and most importantly, although separated, I would still be closed and in touch w/ my family, especially my parents, brother and sisters, not forgetting my hubby and son. My parents, brother and sisters have been worried sick of me, they were very eager to know on what exactly what I encountered, so does my hubby. And when they knew about it, they were very sad, while myself, I took all this thing positively from day 1.

Got one day, I've got hurt with one of the doctor's comment. She said, "Actually you are sicker than you look". I was down when I heard. But after the test results came out, I felt much better, 'cos at least although it has attacked my blood, skin, and joints, it has not attacked my organs like kidney yet.

The doctor has warned me about the side effects of the medicines too. By having steroid in long term, my appetite will increase. It means I will eat lots more and my face would be moon face and my body will be full of fat. It will be hard for me to maintain my body weight. The anti malarias medicine, if taken in long term, can cause cataract in the eye. Well, I only can recall one thing. Yes, if my body will grow fat soon and hard for me to return to current condition, it's all about 'kemelekatan' or 'stickiness', was it the term called? There is nothing forever in this world. The young will become old. The good can become bad. And it won't return back. As for cataract, when the time comes, it will come. Just go through it. So far cataract is still curable. If it's time for me to leave this world, who will ever live forever in this world? Everyone will die one day. It's only a matter of time. So, thank you for the strength given to me to face this reality all this while. I dunno where the strenght came from. I just hope I won't give up easily facing this life and I'm sure all your pray help me a lot too wherever you are. Thank you for all your support!!!

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Last day of year 2008

31 December 2008

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Home sweet home