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The other day I had my shoe repaired by a roadside cobbler. He was telling me that he worked very hard but he also gambled hard. “Saya kerja kuat tetapi judi kuat juga. Itu internet ada banyak jenis judi you tahu” he said. He went on to tell me about the various internet gambling that he indulged in. He told me how all his hard earned money was lost paying gambling debts.

I felt very sad as I watched him carefully cut and paste the soles on my almost broken but favourite shoe. He said these days he would give all his earnings to his son so that he would not gamble away his money. I sensed that if given the chance he would still gamble away happily. As though gambling brought him such thrill and yet so much sadness and losses.

I do hope he can curb his gambling habit. It is sad what gambling addiction can do to a person. It can break up families too. So sad.

The other day I was shopping for some piano music books on ebay. I love shopping online on ebay. The ease of shopping is a bit scary. Money can flow out of your pocket easily and you almost don’t feel the pinch at all because it is not a physical flow, you don’t actually see your purse being emptied. lol. You only feel the joy of receiving your ordered goods.

“Stop! Wait a minute Mr Postman……”  I believe that all online shoppers love their Mr Postman and waits eagerly for them to arrive. Haha.

Well, anyway, I found my music books and bought not just 1 but 3! Hundreds and hundreds of songs. Oooh! I love!

I checkout and clicked send from Paypal and what do you know? Suddenly, I heard ding, and ding again. I checked my email box and to my horror saw that I had been debited twice for the same transaction with two separate reference numbers. Help!

I immediately wrote to the seller to inform them about what had happened. Fortunately the seller was genuine (you never know do you, in an online transaction) and they sent me an immediate refund. Phew! Dealing with a faceless person and having money pass through seemlessly and easily with just a click can be rather unnerving at times.

Luckily I got my refund. Now, I am waiting for my Mr Postman…..oh yeah…. I wonder how long it will take. Once I ordered a set of marvel comics. They took 3 months to arrive! The seller and I had almost given up. We thought that the custom officers were nicely enjoying the comics.

This year our helper hinted that she wanted to celebrate her birthday on a Sunday because she has less work on Sunday. Anyway, since it was just work that she was worried about, we let her celebrate on the actual day, because it is nicer and told her that she need not do any hard work that day, no need to clean bathrooms and mop or wipe. Cooking will suffice. She was happy enough.

So, in the morning of her birthday, I took her to the bank to update her bank book and showed her how much money she has accumulated over the two years she has worked for us. She was happy to see the figure. I talked to her about protecting her own money and how she should never let anyone try to cheat her of her hard earned money particularly sweet talking young men.

Then we went to the cakeshop and selected a chocolate blueberry cake. She is 25 this year. This year, for her birthday gift,  I bought powders and deodorant spray and pretty hairclips to put up her hair. She has very long hair which she refuses to trim or cut. I respect that so hairclips will help. She also has a strong body odour but I feel bad to tell her that so powders and deodorant will help. Besides these are nice pretty things that I think every girl will like. A bit of bling bling is essential to perk up a girl’s day. I purposely selected some not so boring or mundane clips. They are suitable and presentable for work but with some glitter on it just for that bling bling effect or extra oomph. The powders and deodorant looks pretty and smells nice. I like them too.

Last year I had bought her some origami books and papers to give her a hobby for her free time. I worry that she will be bored because we do not have that much work for her and we do not watch tv very much, not even the kids. So she has nothing to do in her free time. We buy her books to read but she reads rather slowly so I am not sure whether she really enjoys books. She ended up folding the origami for the kids. Oh dear. I was worried that she may think that I purposely bought it for her to fold for the kids! haha. So this year it was back to perfumes etc again. That was what I bought her the first year. I think she may like that better.

In the afternoon, after the kids got back from school, had lunch and did their homework. They made some cards for kakak and then we sang happy birthday 3 times to kakak. The kids said we were to sing in Bahasa Malaysia first, followed by English and Chinese. I think that is what they normally do in kindy. Then we gave her the gift which was wrapped in very colourful paper with a pink ribbon on it for effect (presentation matters). I hope she likes it.

The cake was delicious. I hope that kakak enjoyed her small birthday do. I hope that she will continue to work for us and leave on good terms when the time comes. Happy Birthday Kakak.

I have not been feeling very well lately. In fact I have not been feeling well since April! I do not ask for riches, money or material things. I only want optimum health. Yes, I would like to have that very much.

It is very tiring to keep on falling sick. Day to day activities get derailed and postponed. Money is lost to pharmacies and health providers.

I exercise, do not smoke or drink and eat lots of fruits and vegetables. I take care of my personal hygiene and try to wash my hands often while keeping my hands away from my face and  yet I can’t seem to keep the bacteria or viruses or whatever away.

Why is optimum health so elusive to me?

I was quite excited about winning a consolation prize at a contest recently. It was hard for me to find time and transport to attend the prize giving ceremony but there was no other option because the prize would be forfeited if not collected on that day. That is what it said in the letter sent to me.

So one fine morning, dear hubby took time off to send me there. “Do you know how to get to the venue?” hubby asked. When I said I didn’t, he said “Leave it to me.” Then he confidently drove me to the place and we waited half an hour to get in. When we finally did, we were told that we were at the wrong place!

Oh my goodness, according to the time stated in the letter, the ceremony would have started. I quickly called the organisers who told me that it was ok because it hadn’t started. So we rushed there and even had to wait another half hour or so.

Finally, the time came, there was drumroll and the winners were announced one by one. And then they said “And that is the end of our consolation prize winners.” and went on to announce the first 3 prize winners and there were streamers and everything and I was left sitting there confused. They had forgotten about me! Hahaha.

Another poor chap was left out too. The organisers apologised profusely and gave us extra door gifts.
So being left out, turned out not so bad after all. We had extra gifts. Hubby said he would have preferred to have me go onstage to shake hands and smile so he can take my picture. lol.

Yesterday, I received another letter to collect another prize. Hehe. However, hubby commented that he can’t take time off to help me collect it anymore. Poor man. He has sent me to many weird and out of the way places to collect this and that. I think he must be very tired of my little contest winnings. I must win something bigger next time. So says the contest queen.

They say money is the root of all evil but sometimes it is good to have money. It can represent a big difference in services provided. For this post, I shall talk about the differences in health care services.

I was unfortunate enough to have to take 4-5 chest X-Rays last week.

At X-Ray facility No. 1, I had to wait in a room full of male foreign workers who were all there for FOMEMA health screening where a chest x-ray was included. When it was my turn, I was told to remove my top clothing and don a hospital gown that was hanging on a hook. There were about 2-3 gowns hanging on separate hooks. I presume that all the foreign male workers before me wore the same gown. The gown left a clear visible gap of my back for the male technician to view (not that it was very nice to view but still…..) I felt a bit awkward and uncomfortable. I hung my own clothing on the same hook where I took the hospital gown from. The changing room was in the same room as the x-ray room, just right beside it as a matter of fact, with a ring pulled cloth curtain.

I was told to press my chest in front of a metal plate (I am not very sure whether all the male foreign workers pressed themselves on the same plate or whether it was changed), the technician left the room and zaaaaap! Done. Or was it Zaaaap! and try again Zaaaap! Done. I can’t quite remember. The results took awhile so fearing that it may be misplaced or placed together with the stacks of foreign worker reports while I wait there for nothing, I went to the counter to ask when I could have my results politely. The person manning the counter answered back rudely. “You will get your results when your name is called lah!”

Finally, I got my results. Not a very pretty one. Very frightening in fact. It says that I have active tuberculosis. I paid RM30 for that X-Ray.

At X-Ray facility No. 2, I waited in a more comfortable room watching CNN while waiting. I was brought to a changing room. There were 2 maybe 3 changing rooms with doors that could be locked. I was told to remove my top and don two hospital gowns, one over the other. I don’t  know why two. Maybe it was because it was very cold so it is to make  you feel more comfortable or so that there wouldn’t be any gaps of skin shown. I could put my own clothing in a locker with a key. There was a picture showing how to wear the gowns. Worn gowns are discarded in a bin in the changing room.

After changing I was told to wait awhile. Then they called me into the x-ray room. This time the x-ray of the chest was to be done from the back. It was a very awkward angle. The girl techinician who was trying to assist me did her best not to touch me but when she accidentally did, she would apologise. As it was rather awkward position, they took the x-ray 3 times before getting it right. Sigh.

I had to wait awhile for the x-ray too. When I approached the counter, they told me that it was ready but they had to get it typed out first. I paid RM45 for that x-ray.

At x-ray facility 2, I noticed a datin with a two carat diamond ring. When it was her turn to do the x-ray, I noticed, she walked right out afterwards with the report. No waiting time.

So, yes, money talks!

Do I wish to have more money. For the differences above, yes I do but more importantly, I wish for happiness and good health.

These days, quite often when I read the papers, I would read about how we are now working towards a less exam-oriented education system for obvious reasons blah blah blah.

So it was to my utter shock when I was handed papers for my son to study when I went to confirm a place for him for Standard One next year. “Study this. He will be tested in February.” the clerk told me.

Huh????? The papers had sukukata, words and sentences in Malay. Wow! I thought he was entering Standard One to learn ABCs and 123s but now he will be tested in Malay sentences in February!?

Oh and not only in February too. He will be tested 3 times a year?????? That is what I understand from this article in the Star about the Literacy and Numeracy (LINUS) programme that was started this year 2010. The objective of this programme is to ensure that “ALL Malaysian children without learning disabilities should be able to read and write Bahasa Malaysia, and do basic mathematics by Year Four.”  Right. Right. Oh I see. So why is he being tested on Malay sentences in Year One on the second month of schooling??????

See what this mum has to say about the Linus programme. Here is another opinion from MYsinchew.com

After completing 3 days of antibiotics, I had fever and chills on Saturday and Sunday. Great, just great! Went to see a GP to get more antibiotics, fever and cough medicine.

I am still thinking of whether to go back to the National Respiratory Center for further evaluation. I am afraid of going there. Afraid of having to wait for long periods of time in a roomful of sick people with airborne respiratory sickness.

I am still wondering whether a radiologist had been too gung ho in stating I have active TB since this radiologist sees foreign workers in and out regularly for Fomema testing and wants to err on the cautious side…. the other way.

Should I sue the radiologist for mental anguish or should I kiss him or her profusely for getting me to seek medical intervention early? Sigh. I don’t know which.

The kids are recovering from their cough and cold now but the husband just caught it. We are perpetually caught in this unmerry go round of sickness. Round and round we go. This month alone, the boy has gone to the doctor twice (once was for vaccination), the girl twice, the man once, myself three times plus twice to the dentist. The girl has another upcoming doctor appointment and I have two more dental visits and one other doctor appointment.

$$$$$ flying out through the window almost as fast as virusses and bacterias flying in.

Three months ago my son had cough and cold. I got it too. The doctor I saw suggested that I do a chest X-Ray because he said he heard water in my lungs but he could not be sure. He thought I might have pneumonia. I didn’t go for an X-Ray because I was too busy (as usual) and I didn’t feel that sick. The doctor gave me several rounds of antibiotics to take.

The cold went away but the night time cough remained… till now. The phlegm turned from yellow to colourless indicating that the infection was gone.

This week the boy caught cough and cold again. As usual, he passed it round the family and my phlegm turned yellow again. So I went to see the doctor and decided to do a chest x-ray as well.

To my shock, the radiologist stated that I had active TB! The doctor asked whether I had any sudden loss of weight, loss of appetite or fever. The doctor said he would not treat me and sent me off to the National Respiratory Centre for further tests. He said my whole family may be called in for screening. So off I went to do a phlegm test. I was told to cough out some phlegm where they would put it under microscope to check for the presence of the bacteria that causes TB.

I tried as hard as I could but I could not cough out any phlegm, only saliva. The result was negative. I wonder how accurate that is since I could not produce any phlegm. After the test, I was told to go home and call the next day for an appointment date to see the pakar respiratori. I did as I was told. I called the next morning and was given an appointment at the end of this month!

Geeez! I can’t wait that long! So I hunted for another specialist at a private centre, went to the National Respiratory Centre to collect my results and off I went to see him. He did not think that the x-ray was remarkable but suggested that I do another x-ray from another angle. They did the x-ray 3 times! 3 times plus 1 time from the earlier x-ray plus 4 times from my dentist this month. I am now radiating with radiation!

Well, anyway, the radiologist stated that what he saw here and in the other x-ray is a Ghon’s Focus. I checked the internet and have some rather vague idea of it. I think it means a primary lesion caused by the TB bacteria, somthing like that.

However, the doctor disagreed with this finding. He thinks it is a granuloma (he explained to me that it may be an old scar left behind by an old infection) and sent me home with 3 days of antibiotics and various cough and cold medicine.

My two children have been sick since the beggining of this week, both missing 4 days of school. In a Chinese school, when you miss 4 days of school, it means lots of catching up to do afterwards. I have two more dentist visits to go to fix back my tooth.

Most importantly, I feel fine. No fever, no loss of appetite, still putting on weight as usual. For the first time, I am happy to put on weight. I am not sure about going back to the Respiratory Centre for the evaluation since the phlegm test was negative and the private specialise says he thinks it is not necessary to pursue it further for now. TB is an airborne decease. There were many sick people there. An old man was coughing out blood. Going there may have inadvertently exposed me to TB even if I don’t have it!

Such a week! The boy is back to school today but the girl is still at home. I hope we have a calming weekend and everybody gets some good sleep. When will all this end? Our medical expenses keep on going up!

More lemons are being thrown at me continuously (if you read my Mothering Times blog you would know) and I feel like Bozo the Clown here. Punch! Ouch! Punch! Ouch! Punch! Ouch! But I am still standing. How long before my air runs out?

My internet line was out again, since Saturday, hence the silence. Whereas previously I would have suffered from a severe online withdrawal syndrome, this time I didn’t because after more than 4 years blogging, I have finally reached a stage where I don’t HAVE to check my blog every few minutes.

After a report made on Saturday at 3pm and several phone calls later (each lasting more than half an hour of going through the same troubleshooting drills), two men came to my house to check all the phones in my house on Tuesday at noon.

They informed us that the fault was not a physical fault on our side so they will rectify it on their end. By evening, the internet connection was restored. There was only one fault though. THEY CHANGED MY TELEPHONE NUMBER! They gave me someone else’s number by mistake.

Imagine what thoughts must have crossed that someone else when he called home to speak to his wife only to have my husband answer the call. lol.

After another phone call, they restored my telephone number on Wednesday but when “back came my old number, away went my internet connection” again.

Finally, after yet another phone call, they reopened my file which was considered closed and resolved (whatever where they thinking. Resolved? Hardly, we were back to square one). At last, by yesterday afternoon, I was able to get back online again.

That got me thinking… what ISP does everyone use? What sort of package? Care to share?