Hari Raya Eve...
Time's now 1045...lesson's at 130. Hai...everyone is either having half-days or not working at all and I've to stay till 430. Whine...
I'm supposed to be doing my DCM assignement now. But am so bored so I just thought I might just blog before I get started. Plus I've got like 2 hours to get it done. Hmm, maybe I should get some DSM done too. That'll free up my raya tomorrow.
So...raya's tomorrow. It feels like as if Ramadhan passed by kinda quick this year. I went to Geylang a grand total of ONCE and I didn't do any shopping this year. I guess it's partly cos I 'sponsored' a chunk of my parents' Haj at the end of this year. Investments...Haha.
I haven't been going for my bike practicals too although I have passed my RTT so that means I have a PDL now. Hai...back to the days of a paper license. I kinda sometimes forget I have a real license...Just like I sometimes forget I actually have an Advanced Diploma. Haha... that sucks when I've finished filling in a form and then remember. =P
Oh well, things are going ok. I'm officially dating now. Haha. How long has it been since I said that. And yes, she's a nice girl from school. Hmm, we've been taking things slow. Just the odd study sessions in town and school and fetching her home and stuff. I guess I really need to give her time to deal with her excess baggage.
First time in my life, I had a 3-hour long phone conversation. Haha. It was actually two 1.5-hour long periods broken by my phone dying on me. Got to talking cos she couldn't get to sleep... was nice. Talked about the people in our lives; those we should know and their histories. =) Loved her whining and giggles.
So...that's the life-changing thing I guess. But nothing's set in stone yet. We'll see how it goes. Cos I really like where I am right now. =)
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Act 1, Scene 6: Driving
Today felt like it was lived through flashbacks. All because, at the most, I had 2 hours of sleep. At the least? 10 minutes.
Here's how it went:
1) Slept around 3 in the morning; woke up at 450 for sahur.
Slept for half an hour to 6.
2) Woke up and sent dad to MRT station.
Slept for 1.5 hrs.
3) Woke up and went to JB house with mum. Perfect driving posture, back straight, arms slightly bent at the elbows, hands at position '10 and 2' (works wonders for my SDH actually). AND...my driving was more stable. Haha...
4) Came back around 11. Slept till 1230. Woke up for solat.
5) Solat at Assyakirin. Picked up Nura. Went to school.
6) Did most of DCE. Read a book for kindergarteners about SEX...not kidding. It's in the NIE library. For ages 4 and up. Showed Nura the book. Haha.. and whittled the rest of the time by reading Reader's Digest.
7) Left school around 530. Went to JP to buy stuff for iftar. Sent Nura home.
8) Reached home right on the money. Iftar-ed. Watched TV. Prayed. Out the door to fetch dad.
9) Went to Geylang. Bought a couple of bajus. Ate Mee Goreng. Came back.
10) Here I am. Back's feeling ok. =)
So...really beat right now. But I had a fun day. Especially from points 5-7.
Time to rest now. Test tomorrow.
Here's how it went:
1) Slept around 3 in the morning; woke up at 450 for sahur.
Slept for half an hour to 6.
2) Woke up and sent dad to MRT station.
Slept for 1.5 hrs.
3) Woke up and went to JB house with mum. Perfect driving posture, back straight, arms slightly bent at the elbows, hands at position '10 and 2' (works wonders for my SDH actually). AND...my driving was more stable. Haha...
4) Came back around 11. Slept till 1230. Woke up for solat.
5) Solat at Assyakirin. Picked up Nura. Went to school.
6) Did most of DCE. Read a book for kindergarteners about SEX...not kidding. It's in the NIE library. For ages 4 and up. Showed Nura the book. Haha.. and whittled the rest of the time by reading Reader's Digest.
7) Left school around 530. Went to JP to buy stuff for iftar. Sent Nura home.
8) Reached home right on the money. Iftar-ed. Watched TV. Prayed. Out the door to fetch dad.
9) Went to Geylang. Bought a couple of bajus. Ate Mee Goreng. Came back.
10) Here I am. Back's feeling ok. =)
So...really beat right now. But I had a fun day. Especially from points 5-7.
Time to rest now. Test tomorrow.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Act 1, Scene 5: SDH Part 2
It's been a couple of days since I got diagnosed with SDH. Was reading up in Wikipedia on the symptoms and treatments available.
Apparently, the type of SDH that I have is a fairly common one, occurring 15 times more frequently than the other. It's called Lumbar Disc Herniation. It occurs in the lower back. As I was reading, I thought through all the times I had experienced pain in my lower back. You see, when I was playing rugby in school, I used to have a punishing gym routine which focused alot on my triceps and back. As such, I would be bench-pressing 3000kg total in one gym session. Well, combine that with my playing position of a prop, and I'm set up for back pain. I stopped playing because of a muscle spasm I suffered during my second year in JC. At that time, 2 different doctors diagnosed it as just a muscle sprain and put me on Anarex, a pain killer. Although I was given many different types of analgesic gels, I hardly ever used them as I found them terribly inconvenient.
Over the years, I have been experiencing many episodes of lower back pain. Usually, they will involve the two muscles on either side of my lower spine. Pain there will generally range from me feeling heat or a sharp pain. The pain is aggravated especially when I do not get enough sleep. As such, I have always dismissed it and to remedy such episodes, I would just go to sleep and often feel better after.
The problem with SDH is this. It can occur to about 50% of us. But pain is only felt when the gel in the disc protrudes out and pressurises one of your nerve bundles on your spine. Itmay remain dormant for a long time, only surfacing as minor pain as in my case, but because of one slight episode, it will cause the gel to protrude or bulge. People who are more at risk include those who have to sit while doing their work and even more so in those who have to do lifting in the course of their work. Thus this increased my chances of getting a SDH by double.
Apparently there are two causes to the pain by SDH. One, as I've explained earlier can be remedied by the taking of anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce the swelling and protrusion. The other cause of pain is by the presence of chemical triggers called tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF). This molecule is the chemical cause of inflammation and pain. And what's even worse, it contributes to disc degeneration.
SDH takes about 6-12 weeks of rest and drugs to combat the inflammation. This is the usual remedy for most patients who are experiencing SDH for the first time. After 6 - 12 weeks, the pain will usually subside, returning every few months for the same period or if triggered by an over-exertion of the disc.
Surgery is only recommended if, after 6-12 weeks, the pain does not subside and there is no improvements to the general well-being of the patient. There are many different surgeries involved, including the removal of discs and replacing them with an artificial one. Conservative treatments, including the taking of anti-inflammatory drugs, yoga and bed rest, are also recognised as helpful. Some doctors believe that early surgery are more beneficial in the long run as compared to conservative treatments followed by surgery, even though both work just as well.
As for combating the TNFs, certain inhibitors are available to specifically deal with the molecules.
So after all that reading and understanding, I guess I'll just have to be patient and hope for the best. 6 weeks is a long time and I think I will have to continue fasting during Syawal to maintain and reduce my weight so that there will be less compression on the disc. So that means no sweet drinks, no rendang and ketupat, no kuih raya... Haha...
Wish me luck.
Apparently, the type of SDH that I have is a fairly common one, occurring 15 times more frequently than the other. It's called Lumbar Disc Herniation. It occurs in the lower back. As I was reading, I thought through all the times I had experienced pain in my lower back. You see, when I was playing rugby in school, I used to have a punishing gym routine which focused alot on my triceps and back. As such, I would be bench-pressing 3000kg total in one gym session. Well, combine that with my playing position of a prop, and I'm set up for back pain. I stopped playing because of a muscle spasm I suffered during my second year in JC. At that time, 2 different doctors diagnosed it as just a muscle sprain and put me on Anarex, a pain killer. Although I was given many different types of analgesic gels, I hardly ever used them as I found them terribly inconvenient.
Over the years, I have been experiencing many episodes of lower back pain. Usually, they will involve the two muscles on either side of my lower spine. Pain there will generally range from me feeling heat or a sharp pain. The pain is aggravated especially when I do not get enough sleep. As such, I have always dismissed it and to remedy such episodes, I would just go to sleep and often feel better after.
The problem with SDH is this. It can occur to about 50% of us. But pain is only felt when the gel in the disc protrudes out and pressurises one of your nerve bundles on your spine. Itmay remain dormant for a long time, only surfacing as minor pain as in my case, but because of one slight episode, it will cause the gel to protrude or bulge. People who are more at risk include those who have to sit while doing their work and even more so in those who have to do lifting in the course of their work. Thus this increased my chances of getting a SDH by double.
Apparently there are two causes to the pain by SDH. One, as I've explained earlier can be remedied by the taking of anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce the swelling and protrusion. The other cause of pain is by the presence of chemical triggers called tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF). This molecule is the chemical cause of inflammation and pain. And what's even worse, it contributes to disc degeneration.
SDH takes about 6-12 weeks of rest and drugs to combat the inflammation. This is the usual remedy for most patients who are experiencing SDH for the first time. After 6 - 12 weeks, the pain will usually subside, returning every few months for the same period or if triggered by an over-exertion of the disc.
Surgery is only recommended if, after 6-12 weeks, the pain does not subside and there is no improvements to the general well-being of the patient. There are many different surgeries involved, including the removal of discs and replacing them with an artificial one. Conservative treatments, including the taking of anti-inflammatory drugs, yoga and bed rest, are also recognised as helpful. Some doctors believe that early surgery are more beneficial in the long run as compared to conservative treatments followed by surgery, even though both work just as well.
As for combating the TNFs, certain inhibitors are available to specifically deal with the molecules.
So after all that reading and understanding, I guess I'll just have to be patient and hope for the best. 6 weeks is a long time and I think I will have to continue fasting during Syawal to maintain and reduce my weight so that there will be less compression on the disc. So that means no sweet drinks, no rendang and ketupat, no kuih raya... Haha...
Wish me luck.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Act 1, Scene 4: I'm not broke; I'm just a broken-hearted man
I'm still trying to figure out how to begin doing my assignment. Really lacking a motivation to pick up a pen and start planning.
Anyway, How I met your mother has just begun it's 4th season! Great show..I really missed watching it and prepared myself by watching reruns of it. So just a quick recap, at the end of season three, Barney got hit by a bus, Ted got hit by a car and both were in hospital. But Ted was okay and he managed to propose to Stella (the doctor) at Kiddy Funland. Barney, when asked if his life and loved ones flashed before his eyes during the accident, looked longingly at Robin while Lily and Marshall made jokes about his life.
So season 4 picked up where the characters left off. Stella said yes to Ted's proposal. Barney's starting to fall in love with Robin. And I'm really looking forward to the new episodes. =)
I figured out how to put a music player in my blog. So here is the first song I've decided to put up. I like it for its easy rhythm and simple tune. It's 'The man who can't be moved' by The Script.
Oh and one piece of good news: I got 50/60 for my Math test. That works out to be about 83%. Was okay I guess but I was aiming for full marks or at least 90% but I'm not complaining since I didn't study much for the test.
And I got an unexpected message today. But it was nice. Concern from a friend. Really appreciated it. =)
Anyway, How I met your mother has just begun it's 4th season! Great show..I really missed watching it and prepared myself by watching reruns of it. So just a quick recap, at the end of season three, Barney got hit by a bus, Ted got hit by a car and both were in hospital. But Ted was okay and he managed to propose to Stella (the doctor) at Kiddy Funland. Barney, when asked if his life and loved ones flashed before his eyes during the accident, looked longingly at Robin while Lily and Marshall made jokes about his life.
So season 4 picked up where the characters left off. Stella said yes to Ted's proposal. Barney's starting to fall in love with Robin. And I'm really looking forward to the new episodes. =)
I figured out how to put a music player in my blog. So here is the first song I've decided to put up. I like it for its easy rhythm and simple tune. It's 'The man who can't be moved' by The Script.
Oh and one piece of good news: I got 50/60 for my Math test. That works out to be about 83%. Was okay I guess but I was aiming for full marks or at least 90% but I'm not complaining since I didn't study much for the test.
And I got an unexpected message today. But it was nice. Concern from a friend. Really appreciated it. =)
Act 1, Scene 3: SDH
I feel so screwed...
The back pain I've been experiencing for the past few weeks got diagnosed by my GP yesterday. And he said it could be a first stage SDH. What's SDH?
SPINAL DISC HERNIATION
Or a slipped disc. I think I got it when I was lifting weights the other day. But I dismissed it as a mere muscle sprain - which I get all the time when starting my routine initially. But as the days passed, the pain got so unbearable. It affected my groin (WHOLE GROIN including the important parts); it travelled from one side to the other.
And two nights before, when I was at Straits Kitchen, it practically immobilised by left knee. What did it feel like? Imagine someone taking a red-hot metal spike and jamming it into the top of your knee cap.
I couldn't sit because the disc was so compressed, my legs were cramping up. I couldn't bend down to pick up things. I felt so screwed. And yesterday when I was doing DCM with Eileen and Puvan, it got much worse. Now, the spike turns into a rod and someone is running it through me from the back of my waist right through my body and into my left leg. I was in so much pain I knew I had to go see the GP.
I think a multitude of things have caused this to happen. I admit that it is because of my weight (also after checking out Wikipedia). So there's extra incentive to lose alot of pounds. Then, I worked out very suddenly the other day without a proper warm-up. And terawih just aggravated it. Hai... I hate it when my body breaks down. I hate it even more when I can't do my work cos of the pain.
Something life-changing could be in the works for me soon. Not gonna say it out now but I hope I can soon. =)
The back pain I've been experiencing for the past few weeks got diagnosed by my GP yesterday. And he said it could be a first stage SDH. What's SDH?
SPINAL DISC HERNIATION
Or a slipped disc. I think I got it when I was lifting weights the other day. But I dismissed it as a mere muscle sprain - which I get all the time when starting my routine initially. But as the days passed, the pain got so unbearable. It affected my groin (WHOLE GROIN including the important parts); it travelled from one side to the other.
And two nights before, when I was at Straits Kitchen, it practically immobilised by left knee. What did it feel like? Imagine someone taking a red-hot metal spike and jamming it into the top of your knee cap.
I couldn't sit because the disc was so compressed, my legs were cramping up. I couldn't bend down to pick up things. I felt so screwed. And yesterday when I was doing DCM with Eileen and Puvan, it got much worse. Now, the spike turns into a rod and someone is running it through me from the back of my waist right through my body and into my left leg. I was in so much pain I knew I had to go see the GP.
I think a multitude of things have caused this to happen. I admit that it is because of my weight (also after checking out Wikipedia). So there's extra incentive to lose alot of pounds. Then, I worked out very suddenly the other day without a proper warm-up. And terawih just aggravated it. Hai... I hate it when my body breaks down. I hate it even more when I can't do my work cos of the pain.
Something life-changing could be in the works for me soon. Not gonna say it out now but I hope I can soon. =)
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Act 1, Scene 2: A walk past the artroom
This past week has been surreal for me.
Confessions notwithstanding, I'm feeling more and more like my old self; seeking out solitude more than ever. I'm shirking friends and companionship and being happy just sitting alone. I guess its been too long for me not to have felt this way.
Assignments are mounting and tests, looming. I just finished my first math test whose result I've yet to discover. Second math test was a killer. As usual, I sat staring at the paper and wondering why this was happening to me.
But I had a nice experience this week.
I had a walk past the artroom. =)
Of course something happened during the walk. But, it's gonna be my little secret for now.
Happy Birthday to me.
Still have loads to figure out but I'm figuring it out slowly. It'll take time and real effort. But I have alot of that, so no worries there.
Well, back to sleep now... kept up by what went wrong.
Confessions notwithstanding, I'm feeling more and more like my old self; seeking out solitude more than ever. I'm shirking friends and companionship and being happy just sitting alone. I guess its been too long for me not to have felt this way.
Assignments are mounting and tests, looming. I just finished my first math test whose result I've yet to discover. Second math test was a killer. As usual, I sat staring at the paper and wondering why this was happening to me.
But I had a nice experience this week.
I had a walk past the artroom. =)
Of course something happened during the walk. But, it's gonna be my little secret for now.
Happy Birthday to me.
Still have loads to figure out but I'm figuring it out slowly. It'll take time and real effort. But I have alot of that, so no worries there.
Well, back to sleep now... kept up by what went wrong.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
