Please pray...

Life is really unpredictable and each of us should appreciate and cherish those we love because we never know what can happen the very next minute. The minute when you receive that dreaded phone call with the news that you never ever want to hear. News that you never ever believe can happen to those that you love, of all people. And at that moment, not that we are a mean person but we just wish that it happened to someone else! Anything is better than getting that call...

What am I babbling about? Last Friday, my close friend, someone who is almost like my older brother to K and myself because he is the one turn to when we have any dilemma. He is the strong one among the three of us. Last Friday evening, as R was on his way back to his hometown in Penang, he received the dreaded phone call.. A call to tell him that his 11-year-old son fell down the elevator shaft at the highrise that they stay...

It took me a long time to decide to write this or not because my heart hurt just to think...thinking of what the father and mother went through and is still going through. Even know, while typing this, I can feel tears threaten to start in the corner of my eyes...

Today is Wednesday, hard to believe that it has only been 5 days since K & I got that sms from R to pray for his son. 5 days since I hear R breakdown while talking to me on the phone. The last time I talked to R, which was the day before yesterday, I broked down and cry in babe's lap after I put down the phone.

The raw painful emotion on his voice... I know I will never comprehend or even begin to understand what R & his wife is going through. I hope to God that I will never need to comprehend it anytime in my life. I pray to God for miracles(something that some of my friends have never hear me say). It is just not fair for a 11-year-old to.... GOD, it is really NOT FAIR!

Really wish I can do more but nothing else I can do except to pray to God for a miracle.... Pls..pls...if you are reading this posting, pls...no matter what religion are you, pls, pray for this family.

SIGH!!! God give me strength not to cry when I talk to R later..he is in enough pain and do not need more reminder of it from others....

Overboard

Row row row your boat
Mary heard a scream
Throw the teacher overboard
Then you hear a scream

hahaha..perverted rewrite of the script! :P

Woke up really early this morning at around 7am this morning and just go back to sleep already after making babe his breakfast. After lazing around in bed till around 7.45am, decided to forget trying to fall back to sleep. At first, I was thinking of mincing the pork that I have in the freezer after it thaw.

But then, was thinking, why not just go to the Klang wet market and buy 'kampung' chicken and cook that packet of Uncle Sun abalone chicken herb soup we bought a couple of weeks ago (damn expensive by the way, 1 pkt for RM9.50 and cook one time only). And since I am at the wet market, might as well just get the mince pork there and save me the trouble of mincing my own (Yaaaaaa, lazy la!!).

I also had a sudden craving. Havent had one in more than 1 month. Last time, while still working at the old place, I would have thosai at least twice a week for breakfast! And sometimes during weekend, even go with babe to the mamak shop nearby for thosai garing. Now, there is simply no nice mamak shop near our place here.

Anyway, had thosai telur and teh tarik and off to the wet market. The wet market was nice! Not as many people compared to during the weekends which makes it a rather pleasant experience, horrible smell aside! Also bought a tray of large eggs for RM9, 5 pieces of tauhu for RM1.20, 1 bundle of chives for RM2 and RM10 worth of minced pork. I find things generally are cheaper in Klang compared to Sri Damansara area.

When I got home, I think I went abit overboard because feel guilty for leaving babe to have lunch alone while I go meet my friends for lunch, I cooked 4 dishes:

Omelette stuffed with minced pork & chives

Tauhu

Steamed minced pork

Abalone chicken soup

But guess what, babe DID NOT come back for lunch eventhough I sms him and told him that I cooked lots of food at home. Sheesh...although not wasted because we can have it for dinner, I was dissappointed lor because I rushed to make sure I cooked them before I go out! Just goes to show that you can plan but...

NOT WORKING TOMORROW!! YAHOO!! HOLIDAY!!

Lalalalala...Tomorrow not working! Tomorrow not working! No need to check the calender lar. Tomorrow is not weekend, only Friday. Not working because after the follow up with the doctor today, he decided to give me another day off and hence, the whole of 2 weeks not working since last Monday. Last week was no fun at all obviously because of the pain. But I must say, except from the sore back and thigh after walking or sitting for 2 hours or more, I actually had a pretty relaxed week.

On Monday, decided to pick up 'geng' and went for blr (banana leaf rice laaaa, not base lending rate *grin*) for lunch. Had been thinking of it for ages since moving to Setia Alam area. Finally decided not to wait for Friday in case the doctor says I am fit to go back to work on Friday. Normally we will go on Friday because then we can have Indian dessert called payasam. It is an acquired taste. Sort of like a combination between sweet bubur caca and spices. Drooling just thinking about it. I wonder if I can tempt the guys to go there tomorrow..hhmm...

Anywayyyyyyyyyy, let see la. By tomorrow I might not want to have them anyways. Babe has been making subtle hint about my weight. I think he is worried because of my recent tear and slipped disk caused by the 3 level disk degration (sp?) thingy. The thing is, the safest exercise for me now is swimming and I have NO IDEA where is the nearest swimming pool at Setia Alam here! Anyone out there have any idea? I dont mind paying each time I use the pool but I really do not want to join any club membership just to use it. Really a waste of money actually.

The next option would be yoga. Saw a banner near the shops today that there is yoga classes available. Run it through the doctor and he thinks it is actually very good but I need to make sure that the instructor are legit and remember to tell him/her about my back problem so that he/she can guide me on the proper exercise to do. Also, he asked me to looked up on Mckenzie Balkeln exercise (gosh, I hope I have the spelling right. The doctor handwriting *shake head*).

Oh yah, guess what he told me too. No amount of calcium or vitamin D will help with the 3 level disk degration as there are no blood vessel that goes to the disk and hence, no nutrient will go to it. And since it is also not a type of bone, calcium wont help either. However, I will continue to take Anlene though to help ensure that my bones are strong. Damn, I have this vision of hunchback when I turn 60 ~>_<~

On the positive note, I went for a job interview today! I know you will wondering didnt I just start a new job? Well, mind you, I didnt actively hunt for job. Just occassionally glance at the vacancies that jobstreet sent me via email if anything interesting pop up.Other than that, I was pretty intense on making this work and excel. After all, I strongly believe that all industries are really small and words will carry if you are good at things.

So, I actually didnt hunt for any vacancies. It hunted for me! Got a call awhile back regarding a position and was told someone recommended my name to this job agency consultant because the person think very highly of my ability (yeahhh dehh!! bloated ego!). Anyway, today was the first interview and (again bloated ego!), the interviewer (COO of the company) got so excited to get me on their payroll that he wanted to call his boss (the MD) to interview me because he is sure if the MD likes me, HQ will agree too.

He actually took roughly 20minutes to try and search for his boss top and down but unfortunately, was not able to find him. So, he decided to call HQ directly to give me on the spot interview! Yar, insane huh? But rationality must have hit him because he realised it would not be a good idea because HQ did not have my resume yet. HAHA! So, we agreed to reschedule it to another evening to meet the MD.

I left the office after that. After all, what else is there for me to do there? But imagine my surprised because less than 10minutes later, as I was driving through the tol, he called me again and said he located his boss and asked if I am driving. (err..yar, of course la). HE actually tried to pursuade the boss that I should be still nearby and want to ask me to come back and meet the MD for an interview. In the end didnt la because I think the MD have something going on and that was around 1pm already. (LUNCH MAR!!)

So, next Monday going back to work. I was teasing babe, next week might be the week I tender my resignation (again). But we will see how it goes. Hhhmmm...never know I am so GOOD!!!!! WAHAHAHAHAHA! HAiyaaaaaaaa, let me feel proud for awhile la okie :P Ok..more calm liaw and humble.....

Sarawak Layer Cake

Have not bake anything in more than 2 months! Did the usual cooking for babe & myself but nothing special enough that I want to post here. But looking through Sumuk blog on baking Sarawak cake lapis makes me tempted to bake again. As I was saying, I been tempted to try my hand on those really intricate and artsy layer cake that seems to originated from Sarawak. Dont the photos just tempt you to eat them?!?



I guess I just need to kick my ass and makes myself do it. But the thing is, most of the recipe requires at least 20 eggs to make a 8"x8" square trays. And not the whole of the 20 eggs are used. Some recipe require 20 egg yolk and just 4 egg white. What in the world am I going to do with the remaining 16 egg white? Make the no flour chocolate cake? Hhhmm, that is another thought. Let me sleep on that for a few days. HAHA!

Just this for now...yar..short now..hehe.

Suspense................

Ok! I have get myself in the I am return mode and start to talk nonsense again ^_^

Have not been to work since Monday last week *snicker & wicked grin*! Why you ask? Am I playing 'ponteng kerja' you ask? Errr...as brave as I am and outspoken sometimes, I am not as brave as putting my livelihood on the line like that. Oh, did I mentioned that I most probably only going to start work this coming Friday if all goes well? Gosh, so that dash the thought that I am on leave to clear my leave does it not? Hehehe..this suspense is fun!

Actually, I am on medical leave till this Thursday and depending on the follow up with the doc this Thursday afternoon, I might or might not be allowed back to work on Friday. Of course, my boss is not happy about that but basically, nothing much he can do because MC is MC (but I do dread to think of my performance appraisal).

Oh, you are asking how come I have not been to office since last Monday yah?? Well, you see, the story is like this:

The weekend after we got back from our 'go-back-hometown' trip, just after New Year day, I suffered a sudden back pain. Went to the clinic nearby and all was well by Tuesday with the painkiller and 1 day of rest on that Monday. Then on last Saturday, while trying to get up, suddenly I was in this really really really horrible pain. I mean, if you sprained anything before, I can tell you, this pain is worse than a sprain!

On Saturday, it was still not too bad. Not too painful unless I bend to far and such. But on Sunday, I basically was in pain all the time, i.e. each step is the biggest torture in my life. Imagine I cant really sit because this would mean my back will send sharp shooting pain to my brain and my butt and leg literally start to feel numb! At one point, I was literally crying in pain and this really got babe attention because he realised it must be really bad. Damn, that really scare me.

That night, walking up the stairs took me 5 minutes because I had to keep stopping! The next morning, first thing was going to the clinic again. This time, doc gave me lots of medicine including painkiller, anti-dizzy pills (because the only painkiller I am not allergic will make me dizzy and feel like vomiting...sigh! Dread to think when I am preggie and I am not allowed any pain reliever because I am allergic to it!! GGRR), muscle relaxant, gastric pills and another one.. I cant remember. Basically, I remember I had to take 5 pills at a time, 3 times a day.

Doc must be really worried too because he wants me to be back at his clinic first thing next morning if the pain is not better because he will give me a letter of referral to a specialist. After another painful medicated drowsy haze, went back to the doctor on Tuesday, got the referral letter and babe took half day and went to the medical center with me. Doc actually tells me, if the pain is too much to bear, go straight to the A&E (accident & emergency). He actually address the letter to: "Orthopedic doctor, A&E".

Now, most of you would have thought this would have been warning enough to me how severe this is. Frankly, babe & I just thought we will see the specialist, got super powerful jab; do either MRI or x-ray and get send back with long MC and bags of super strong painkiller. Never in a million years did we thought I will get admitted! That is when we both realised, GOSH! This is really bad. Well, actually I was more like, oh..great....they can inject me directly to my spine and get me out of this torture!

Needless to say, they didnt do that but I did get a jab in the doctor's office because I cant get up from the examination bed/table! I am not joking. After the doc examined me and told us that he wants to admit me, I tried to get up from the examination table with babe's help but each time babe tries to pull me up, I just had to ask him to stop because I feel as if I am breaking into half at the waist! In the end, doc says refuse to let me get up until he gives me a jab.

Thank god he did too because the admission itself took more than 1 hour! Apparently, there is no 4 bedded room available (that was my request at first because I didnt know I am entitled up to RM200 per night room :P). Then I just cannot stand it anymore and told them to just get me to the 2 bedded room (which cost RM150 per night!). I finally only got properly admitted and in my bed at almost 5pm! (I reached the medical center at 1pm..which means 4 hours of hell...sigh).

Then at 6pm, I got a call to go to the physical therapy and I thought, huh? I have backache and I am gonna do exercise??? How the hell am I going to be able to get thru that without fainting when even lying in bed on my back is painful? Even more apprehensive when the nurse pushed me passed a whole row of equipments you normally see in gym! Then she pushed me through another door passed all the equipments and lo-behold, physical therapy as in infra heat therapy, ultrasound wave therapy and gentle massage therapy...that kind of physical therapy. PHEW!!! (Frankly speaking, I told babe that it feels like going for massage with different rooms and massage bed/table.)

I finally got back to my room where babe is waiting at around 7pm. Dinner is waiting at the table. Oh, I didnt tell you that the patient get complimentary meals? Hehehe! I was too exhausted by then and just had about 1/3 of the meal. Babe helped himself to the rest :)

2nd day, Wed, all alone in the hospital for the whole day. Babe wont be able to come and I told him not to anyways. No point for him to waste his leave just sitting around with me at the hospital and I can call him if something serious happens. So, me, ready to face the uncertainties for the day. Doc came at 8am to check up on me. He arranged for MRI and 2 more physical therapy for the day. By then, I am definitely better than the day before. At least I am able to get up on my own by pulling on the side of the bed railing.

Doc diagnosis from the MRI report shows that I have a tear, buldging & narrowing disc which is caused mainly by the deterioting condition of the disc where the fluid in 3 of the disc are all gone, i.e. dried up. Apparently, this is more and more common for people in my age group although it should only really happen to people in their 40s and above. (DAMN! I am old already!!).

AND the best news, since I am much much better by that afternoon doctor visit, I can go back the next day and recuperate at home! HOORAY! By then, I am very very sick of the place! UGH! Nothing much to do except SLEEP, EAT, PHYSICAL THERAPY and watch TV (Oh did I mention they actually have Star Movie, HBO, AXN and a few other channels. I think about 10-14 channels total).

Seriously, I really had no idea why the doctor admit me to be very frank. I mean, I can basically do my own heat therapy at home with a hot water bottle and take the painkiller at home and sleep and rest at home. Why admit me at all if there is no intention to do more than that? Babe had the same opinion. The doc could have just arrange for a MRI on the initial consultation itself and finds out the exact diagnosis instead of admitting me first.

We suspect it is because the insurance are the one footing the medical expenses incurred. And pretty hefty bill too for 2 nights and 3 days stay at the hospital with 1 MRI, 2 physical therapy & twice a day painkiller equals to RM1800+! Thank god for company insurance!

Anyway, I am home now. Much better. Back pain and right leg only starts when I sit or walk more than 1 hour at a time without lying down to rest my back. RK calls me old lady because of this! (BLUEK!). I also discover that I get tired really fast compare to before the injury. Start to recognise when I break into cold sweats, it mean time to rest. Started taking 2 scope of Anlene starting today. Was told that I should take Vitamin D too to aid the absorption of the calcium. Must find from Chinese physician what herbs I can take to improve my condition. I simply do not believe in the doctor's comment that there is no cure for disc deteriotion such as this! Wish me luck!!!!

I am alive!

I am here! YAYYY!!! HAHA! Yar, I know..practically disappeared from cyber-world for more than 2 months. Not by choice mind you..had to since I quit my previous job and had to return the super new company laptop and at the same time, my home laptop decided to go die on me. So, I paid for 2months of internet for NOTHING! If you ask how come I dont go online while I am in the office, well..number 1, I am simply too frigging busy to even think of doing any chatting, blogging, surfing or anything that is not related to work...

2ndly, the office network is monitor by the group IT. Hence, never wise to do much blogging especially when this is where I release all my frustration about EVERYTHING! Would not be wise say something like:I am damn bored at work... right? HAHA! But I am not bored at work la. Far from it, I am so busy that I am practically doing overtime almost everyday. Official office hour is 8.30am to 5.30pm. I will usually only leave office at 6.30pm and that is consider as early. Most time, I only leave at 7pm.

I can only thank god that I am staying near enough now that I dont have to fight stupid jam. To be frank, the work itself is a no brainer. Just that there is so much paperwork and baby sitting that so much time are wasted. Imagine, just to get the requisition approved, need approval from the boss on the purchase requisition form and then the procurement have to enter into the system we are using which the boss have to approve another round! To me, so much redundancy work....

There are alot of other areas that I can see is doing similar redudant repeative non value add work and I am trying to slowly reduce the inefficiency but there is only so much that I can do as one person. Can be very frustrating because it is not a simple matter of telling the group the goal but also need to spell out EXACTLY how to reach the goal. Even missing a single step in the process to reach it will mean the whole group will be stucked at the particular item for ages!!! GGGR!!! Anyway, we will just wait & see.

Short one for now. Want to watch tv! :P

30 second Speech

I cant help but wanting to share this with all of you (after a long long disappearing act :P)

VERY SHORT, MOST EFFECTIVE AND HOW TRUE...


30 second Speech by Bryan Dyson (CEO of Coca Cola)

"Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. You name them - Work, Family, Health, Friends and Spirit and you ' re keeping all of these in the Air.

You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back..

But the other four Balls - Family, Health, Friends and Spirit - are made of glass. If you drop one of these; they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for it."

WORK EFFICIENTLY DURING OFFICE HOURS AND LEAVE ON TIME. GIVE THE REQUIRED TIME TO YOUR FAMILY, FRIENDS & HAVE PROPER REST.