Birthday over, and one week into my new job....

Celebrated birthday - on 13th... another year gone by so fast! Scary lah! Since it also happened to be my last day of being a tai-tai I decided to sleep late - so Husband got himself up and off to work. Heard the front door closing behind him, then 5 minutes later heard it open again. Wondered what he had forgotten this time, and the next thing I knew he charged into the room with this gorgeous BIG teddy bear, telling me "Teddy forgot to wish you Happy Birthday". All I can say is, I totally cracked up. Teddy now sits beside me on the sofa every day, and keeps me company when Husband is not around. What can I say? He is almost as gorgeous as Husband!!

Yep, have been at my new job since 17th Nov, and so far, so good. People are pretty nice, a lot to learn in terms of the WHO (the people I have to work with), the WHAT (what systems they support), the HOW (the processes to follow, and to make sure other people follow!). Only negative is the WHEN, as I am on call 24x7, and my first experience of that was on Saturday 22nd Nov, when I got pulled into a conf call, to oversee and track an issue, and that lasted from 2.50am to 7am. Kinda messed up the plans we had for that Sat, as I had to catch up on some sleep after that. Well, too bad, that is part of the job, and I will just have to get used to it.

On the home front in KL - Mum has made a few trips to the emergency ward at IJN, not for her chest or her bypass(!!!) but because the leg wound (where they took the blood vessel from) is not healing as well as it should. I think that is primarily because whoever sewed up the leg wound after extracting the blood vessel did not do a particularly neat job, and the way the flesh is just pulled together, there are too many folds where water can be trapped (say after having a shower) where the wound can fester. Anyway, after the third trip everything was pronounced safe and healthy.

Husband and I are back to KL this weekend - drive out of SG around 2pm, getting to KL around 6pm. Coming back on the Sunday.

No other exciting news to share, so, till next time.. have a good life.

Mum is home!!!

Yep, she is home. Got discharged from the hospital yesterday afternoon, and was home by early evening - after settling the (tiny) bill, getting the medications, etc. Both my parents now need HIS and HERS medicine cabinets - talk about having enough meds to start your own pharmacy.

Anyway, she is supposed to take it easy, but I don't know how easy that is going to be for her as she just is not the type to 'take it easy'!! Let's see how it goes.

To everyone who has been praying for her, who has been calling up to check on her, who has kept her in their thoughts... thank you!! I know that the thoughts, the prayers and the love, have made all the difference.

Till next time, have a goooooood life.

My Sera, again

It surprised me that I still get comments and emails from my very long ago post about my little Toyota Sera, and the latest one asked for pictures, both interior and exterior. I'm afraid I havent taken any interior pictures, but I do have exterior pictures!




Paint job is new, as are the tyres and rims. Pretty neat little car, isn't she?

I have had one serious offer to buy her, but I have decided that I will keep my little Sera until such time as my bones get to old and creaky to let me get into, and out of, the car easily!

So, till such time as I get too old to enjoy my little Sera, I shall continue to driver her everytime I am back in KL!

Katie J: 2001-2008

In the midst of being so happy about my Mum's quick recovery, I also got the saddest news. Thursday 6th Nov, got home late after visiting my Mum and dinner at my sister's house. Showered, then switched on my laptop to check email... and was in tears after reading an email from good friends of ours, Jon and Jodi, with the incredibly sad news that their 7 year old daughter Katie had died unexpectedly. On Tuesday 4th Nov her brain began haemorrhaging and swelling, and she died on Thurday afternoon. Katie was a beautiful, vibrant little girl, who was the image of her father, with the lively personality and friendly nature of BOTH her parents. Jon, Jodi, and Jake (their little boy, Katie's little brother) will be holding a memorial service in KL on Tuesday 11th Nov, heading back to the US on Thursday 13th Nov, and having a memorial service in the US on Sat 15th Nov.

Jon and Jodi, heartfelt condolences, and much love to you two and Jake, from Husband and I. Go safe, stay safe, be strong, and know that you are in our hearts.

Amazing Mum!!!

Yep, truly amazing! Here is the chronology of events on her recovery:-

- Tues 4th Nov, afternoon, moved her from ICU to High Dependency Unit (HDU), one step down from ICU, but not yet general ward. Already eating - rice porridge, veg soup.
- Wed 5th Nov, afternoon, moved her from HDU(!) to the General Ward - a 2-bedder. Same yukky menu, but she was very aware she had to build up her strength, so she ate as much as she could. Friendly and smiling Malay lady as her neighbour - quite a considerate lady, when my Mum was moved in the lady had the TV going pretty loud, but the minute she realised my Mum's still weak condition she immediately turned it way down.
- Thurs 6th Nov, started walking a bit, was able to feed herself, insisting she wanted to be out by Friday!!!! Normal food by evening - rice, fish, veg soup, veg, fruits.
- Fri 7th Nov, started physiotherapy already. Walked 400m, did weights exercises, cycling! By late afternoon, got her moved to a private room - almost as good as a hotel room!!! Started asking for home cooked condiments (pickles, chutney powder, "morru" curry) to help her eat the rather bland hospital food. Getting to and from the toilet by herself. Walked up and down the hospital corridor.
- Sat 8th Nov, finally able to have a proper shower (as opposed to a sponge bath) AND wash her hair... HUGE relief for her. Able to get out of bed AND get up without assistance. Went for physio again - walked 600(!)m this time, plus the weights exercises, and cycling. Walked up and down the hospital corridor and all the way to the lift lobby and back too. She is very impatient to get out!
- Sun 9th Nov, she was TOTALLY EXHAUSTED - I think she did too much on Sat, what with the physio and her walking around. (I left KL on Sun morning, heading back to SG, but Dad kept me informed).
- Mon 10th Nov, She was supposed to be discharged today - but when she went for physio, after the ECG, she threw up... sigh.... so the cardiac surgeon is holding her in till tomorrow! Poor Mum - she's just been waiting and waiting to get out of hospital, and was so thrilled this morning that she was going to be able to go home! NOT a happy camper at the moment. Let's see what tomorrow brings. In the meantime she is supposed to be RESTING!

Phew, that's it for now. Thank you to EVERYONE for all your prayers and best wishes for my Mum. THANK YOU!!!

Updates on Mum after heart bypass operation

Right now I am in KL - as my mum went in for a bypass operation yesterday (3rd Nov 2008). 2 blood vessels with a total of FIVE blockages, and then when they actually operated they found a third blood vessel with another blockage, so they had to graft THREE blood vessels instead of two. They took one replacement blood vessel from the leg (long enough for two grafts) and they took the mammary artery as the third replacement blood vessel. The surgeon (a very old friend of ours, as he and my brother where together in Melaka GH for many years), told me after the op that it was technically very difficult as the blood vessels were very small - though this is apparently true of women in general! Anyway, she came through it, and we saw her in ICU straight after the surgery at 1.30pm when she was still knocked out by the anaesthetic. Went back for the next visiting hours (they are very very strict about visiting in the ICU!) at 6pm, by when she was awake and aware. She could not speak because of the breathing tube (which caused her a lot of discomfort), but she was still aware of what the surgeon told her, nodded at all the right places, was able to indicate when her lips dried out, and was able to wave bye bye when we got kicked out at 8pm! They would have taken out the breathing tube late last night sometime, so hopefully she is feeling better!

I'll be in KL till she is out of ICU at least, and then our next visit back to KL would be when she is home. Husband was here in KL too, but just drove back to SG early this morning - left at 5am, and reached the office at 9.30am. He has meetings today, and tomorrow night he flies to Milan for a meeting with a potential client! He should be back from Milan on Sat or Sun, and assuming my Mum is out of ICU by this weekend, I would be back in SG by Sun or Mon. Since I am starting a new job on 14th Nov, I have to be back in SG next week anyway :-).

Will update more as the situation progresses. In the meantime, keep my Mum in your prayers, and have a good life.