Angels

When I first started blogging, my husband was so totally against it. Why are you writing things for all to read? He felt that I could have been exposing too much. I know he must have been thinking: what if people know who you are? where you live? know who your kids are? and as a result takes advantage of the information to put the family at risk.

But I continued blogging coz I felt I needed an outlet. Much to his chagrin.

But you know,I have made some of my current very good friends from here. Tho they may be miles away, they are always around to cheer me up, comfort me, encourage me, distract me, celebrate with me.

These people are real angels. Sent by God because he knows we relate better to other people, then to him sometimes. Coz when we ask and pray and do not get what we want, we wonder why? We do not realise that God does things in his time, and our timeline may be completely different from his. And he just leaves us to wait. Some times we wonder if he hadnt listen or if he is ignoring us.

But these good friends, they will respond almost immediately. May not be what we want to hear, but we still get an immediate response.

So I think he planted them in my life to keep me company, comfort and distract me whilst I await his response and action.

Thanks ladies, you know who you are, and I really appreciate it. *HUGS* Thanks for being here for me.

The Crabby Crab

I was born under the zodiac sign of Cancer. So that makes me a crab, tough on the outside, soft and sweet on the inside.

This crab has been feeling really crabby, and wants to crawl into its very own crab hole and shut the rest of the world out.

This crab doesnt know what to do, what questions to ask, what course of action to recommend, how to evaluate the best course of action to take, not what to say.

This crab would like to be able to pinch with its pincer and chase the enemy away. But it cant and doesnt know how!

But it still has to be strong, and put up a brave front. It's a role reversal now.

This crab is feeling this way because of that dreaded C.
(no, I do not have that dreaded C)

Secret Party

I believe she had been planning it for a while behind my back.

She only informed me the day her exams ended. In fact immediately after school, she couldnt wait to tell me that her friends "forced" her to host a party for them.

I was like: hmmm ... tell me more.

That she couldnt wait to do!

Her group of friends were going to come over to play this Sunday. And for those whose parents couldnt send them, I was to go pick them. And that's 2 of them. One at Upper Bulit Timah, and the other, I was to call her friend's mum for instructions on how to get to their place.

And why cant their parents send them. Because they live too far!!

And then she passed me a note from her friend with her address and phone number, including instructions on how to get to her home, and a map to boot!!

How could that have been planned in school after their last exam paper?

And then I had parents messaging me to ask if the "play date" was confirmed?

I was like: NO way!! I had to apologise to the parents that we were not able to host this weekend.

I really cant. We have had a long week, with Grandma's passing and funeral.

In addition, D herself has a performance this saturday evening, my two other children have open houses at their schools this saturday which they would be busy helping out, a dental appointment for teeth molds to be made for my son (he needs braces!!), on saturday too, and we are doing registration for cathecism next year at church this weekend for which I am helping out (since I couldnt help out last week due to Grandma's death),... and we all would like some do nothing except bump around time!!

AND, she also added that there was a friend who couldnt make it on Sunday, and so was coming the next day!!

Well, this morning when I dropped her off at school, I told her to tell all her friends that there was no party today, nor this weekend. We would let them know when we are organising one, and I would be the one that decides the day and time! No planning behind my back and without my knowledge.

Looks like this little one is going to be a handful when she grows older.

Living to a ripe old age

Both my grandmothers lived to a ripe old age ... beyond 90, and I was lucky to have had time with them. My grandfathers on the other hand both passed on before I was even born.


Just this past week, my husband lost his maternal grandmother. She had no major health issues except for her partial blindness cause by glaucoma, and weak knees. She led a healthy life, with simple food and prayer, not having seen a doctor for any health problems for more than 10 years (apart from the eye doctor). She was unfortunate to have caught the flu bug from her helper, which we believe may have caused her demise.


When we tried getting a doctor to come see her, as she was nursing a fever, most said they did not make house calls. Others said they only did house calls for their regular patients. Fortunately I remembered that an old school friend of mine had a husband who is a doctor. So I tried my luck. He came by to see her, only because of friendship sake. Looks like something really needs to be done to our healthcare system, especially with our aging population. It proves that if you have always been healthy, and have no need for a regular doctor, it will be very difficult to get one when you finally need one.


Due to her age, nothing much could be done, apart from treating her fever, which seemed reluctant to go away despite the medication. After 2 days, our uncles and aunties felt it was best to send her to the hospital. Surprisingly, she did not resist. She left for the hospital at around 5pm and that very night, at just past 11, she moved on to join her late husband.


A life of 97 years, with children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren!! No major illness, and passed on peacefully in her sleep. What more can anyone ask for? Much as we are sad to have her leave us, I believe we should be celebrating the wonderful life that she lived!


When its my turn to meet my maker, I would truly like to do it her way!


Rest in peace, Grandma! Eternal Rest grant unto her O Lord!

Dont fight!

That is something we frequently tell our kids.

Coz it breaks a Mum's heart when she sees her kids fighting!!

Just this morning, I reminded my little one to put on her watch before going to school. Her answer to me was: Why must I?

Had me scratching my head, coz everytime she forgets to put on her watch, she will moan and grumble about forgetting it. On top of that she has an exam today. SO I told her that it would help her tell the time and she would be able to pace herself for her exam.

She retorted: The classroom has a clock!

I have a feeling she got out on the wrong side of bed and was spoiling for a fight with me!! Dont you think?

Many recent cases of teens and young adults fighting over here in the little red dot. When they are unhappy with anything, they fight. Deaths have resulted. Young lives lost. More than one, coz one gets killed, and those that did it lose their life too (death sentence). So, fighting does no one any good.

So what I would recommend is: Go punch a sack, go run a mile (or two or even ten), go listen to some music, go shut yourself up in the room (clamp up), go eat some dessert,go scrub the toilet, mop the floor, iron some clothes, just go do something else. Just dont fight!! These are all better alternatives to fighting!!

And I also remind my son you dont have to fight to be a man. Real men are sensitive, compassionate, kind and thoughtful!

Talk, talk, talk

A favourite past-time of many. Some take it too far and gossip!

When we were young, we talked to our friends about toys, books, parents, siblings.

Then when we became teenagers and young adults, the talk moved on to music,teachers, members of the opposite sex, work.

After matrriage, it was about kids, holidays, and more about your kids.

Now I am at the age that I talk to my friends about our health ... or rather our ailments!

As we age more and more body parts and organs seem to break down. We hear of people having diabetes, heart problems, blood pressure problems, knee problems, hearing problems, eye problems, etc. I guess it is with use and abuse that we get inflicted with some of these ailments. Sometimes when it hits us at a younger age. We could have been born with it, or just the luck of the draw, we are the lucky/unlucky ones to have it. I have also noticed that those that have drawn the short straw, seem to have more than one problem. Could it be that all are organs/body parts are somehow connected, that when one breaks down there is a domino effect?

I dont know. But I noticed the following:
My brother-in-law - allergic to grass and dirt, appendix removed due to inflammation, hepatitis carrier, eye problem, now with gallstones.

My sister - tonsils removed, fibroids, gallstones.

Well, good health is currently not on my side either. I had ovarian cyst removed some years back. Breast lumps which has to be monitored due to family history of breast cancer. High cholesterol. Now gallstones.

What should I do? Remove my gallbladder? The gastroenterologist I see suggests : no, because there are other effects as a result. When I suggested removing the stones but not the gallbladder, she mentioned that the stones will come back. I then asked about medication that can dissolve the stones. She mentioned that the effect of that can be quite painful and she doesnt recommend it. She said to change my diet, and adopt a wait and see. If inflammation occurs, then surgery is a must. So she mentioned, remove it only if I really have to. That decision I am quite happy with.

I have spoken to friends, and I think removing the gallbladder isnt a cure-all. Some experience a in-out effect with food, and I dont think I can live with that. How do we travel and lead an active life with that? Some others have recommended some home-remedies to flush out those stones. But upon further research, I have read that the diet for flushing it out could also have other effects. Especially if the stones are big, they could be stuck in the bile duct in the flushing process. And that will definitely result in certain surgery.

But when I mentioned it to the doctor taking care of those lumps in my breast he recommended instant removal. He used to do surgery for gallbladders and mentioned that once you have symptoms you should remove it, coz chances of it flaring up is high, and you do not want to be caught with an infection when you least expect it. He does have a point there. He thinks that I should really go back and talk to my gastroenterologist about it.

So because of speaking to more than one doctor, I am now in a dilemma: to remove or not to remove? The thought of having to remove it send shivers down my spine. I dont want other problems as a result of removing it. I read somewhere that sometimes, after removal of the gallbladder, diabetes can result!


After all that has transpired I have come to the conclusion that a little knowledge can prove dangerous!! It affects our decisions, and it strikes fear (warranted or not) in our hearts. And this chicken heart cant take it.