PCOS update

Silly me; went and agreed to a morning doctor's appointment at KK Hospital, thinking since it'd be the earliest time slot, I'd be able to make a dash back to the office real quick. But it was not to be.

Why would they even give you an appointment time slot nearly 45 mins before the doc is ready to see you? Rushed to the hospital amidst heavy traffic then sat there waiting and waiting (ok, I had all those pregnant women to observe and those annoying little kids running around in circles in their squeaking shoes (shoes which go 'oink', 'oink' with each step) and muttering under my breath at the even more annoying parents who let their kids just run amok (a hospital mind you! a yucky, germ-filled environment in case they did not notice!)

I mean, because it was a morning appointment, I had to pass not one but two ERP gantries. Zap! Zap! With each zap, hubby's growling got louder!!!

For the uninitiated, we have in Singapore, a card reader gadget installed in each and every vehicle where you insert a cashcard (a card topped up with your bank account). Some of our major roads have gantries (especially into areas which there would be more traffic) and each time you pass under those gantries, an amount is deducted from your card automatically. Yes, we're pretty high tech. It's basically paying a toll without the employment of humans.

So anyway, I thought I had the earliest appointment but found someone seeing the doc ahead of me. The good thing is it was a different doc this time. A very sweet, young, gentle doctor who took her time to explain options to me clearly.
Without the meds, my cycles have improved but they are still not ideal.
I let her know my decision to continue discontinuing my daily meds for keeping my PCOS in check. The last time I came off the meds, I had cold sweat, palpitations and womb contractions. The doc thought it was odd since such side effects were more commonly seen during the course of the meds and not after!
(Interestingly, many people put on weight during the meds and so when I came off, I should have shed some weight right? Uh-uh. Nope, not yours truly!)

Anyhow, she's giving me a 6 month period to 'see how'. That's kind of her. She basically isn't discharging me yet since I told her I took the trouble to take a longer way via the Polyclinic route to KKH! Oh and I made it a point to schedule the next appointment for late in the day. The last appointment of the day in fact. I've been there late afternoon before and there's always a jam going into the carpark but I'll take it. It's a better option than paying ridiculous ERP charges.

Are these seats taken?

My lunch partner and I were having lunch yesterday. There were only two of us but the smaller two seater tables were taken up. There was a 6 seater available. We sat down at one end and as there was no one beside me, I placed my handbag on the chair next to me. Now, I don't usually do this. I usually place my bag behind me on my seat, sling it around the chair back rest or place it on the floor (no, I'm not anal about the floor dirt touching my bag - there is such a thing as babywipes for later). But the seat was empty and I saw people already starting to finish their lunch and leave.

I'm digging into my chicken wing when this lady swoops down beside me, gesturing at the 4 empty seats.
She makes it a point to specifically point to the chair my handbag is on.

The Chinese lady asks (in a very polished, Americanised English accent) if those seats (she still points to my handbag) are taken. I shook my head, said, 'No, go ahead' and removed my handbag from the empty seat.

The lady yells and waves at her hubby and kid in a kiasu sort of way (Hmm....I'm thinking.....3 of them....where's the fourth person?)

She then tells them where to sit and puts her handbag on the seat I had just removed my handbag from.

My lunch partner raises an eyebrow at me. I raise my eyebrow at him. We both stare at the lady's handbag again and I think of my handbag now squashed on my lap between my flabby tummy and my plate of chicken wing. We stare at each other in silence; he's grinning and I'm shaking my head, shrugging my shoulders and rolling my eyes. I had to bite my tongue from asking that lady if my handbag could share the seat with her handbag.

By the way, when she started eating and talking to her hubby, her polished English accent had given way to none other than Singlish.

PSLE 2009 - Mother Tongue (Chinese) Oral Exam

Judging from the time on my watch, my psuedo 'Ang-moh' son is probably being grilled in his Chinese Oral Exam this minute as I am typing. I did not worry about yesterday's English exam but today's........well, actually, although I have more cause to worry today, I'm not worrying as much as usual. Does this make sense?

I no longer worry very much about his PSLE. Funny I should be able to say this less than 2 months from his actual written papers.

6 years of primary education, 2 years of kindergarten education, 1 year of nursery and 1 year of playschool. What have they all added up to?
A very fun and funny kid, that's what.

Whatever the outcomes, whatever routes both my kids have to take, I thank God I even have my kids at all. I hope that one day, they'll both be able to look back and remember Mum for just being there for them.

PSLE Oral 2009

Tomorrow marks the start of the Primary 6 pupils' PSLE 2009, otherwise known as the Primary School Leaving Examination for 12 yr olds. It's the start of the Oral exams followed by my son's Prelims (preliminary exams) next week.

Mummy here can't wait for the written PSLE papers to be completed in mid-October.
Wherever it may lead my kid, to me, it'll mark a milestone in my journey as a mother.

Chilli Crab!

Last night, hubs lets out a 'bloody h-ll'! when he lost a stage on his PSP.

Wife: (Shaking my head at him) 'Tsk! Tsk! Aiyoh! Cannot say bloody h-ll anymore!'

Hubs: Then say what?!

Wife: I dunno. Replace with something, lah.

Wife: (deep in thought) Mmmmm.... how about.....Chilli Crab!

Hubs: (tries it) Chilli Crab!!!

Hubs: (tries again) Chilli Crab!!! Ay, not bad. I don't like crabs anyway so saying 'Chilli Crab' quite good.

Wife: (grabs PSP from hubs)

Hubs: Oi! Chilli Crab!

He spends the whole night 'Chilli Crabbing' me and we laugh and laugh and laugh.
We've not laughed like this in a long time. It doesn't seem that funny writing this down, but when I was rolling on the bed with laughter, it reminded me of the time when we were young again.

P.S: He 'Chilli Crabbed' me again this morning.

National Day 2009

Once I would have felt shy but this is what happens when you grow older. You are so comfortable with yourself and you have so much new found confidence that you are bold enough to.......well...... step out of the house as a family in red outfits.

Mike and I wore red outfits (including his red sneakers) the whole of our nation's birthday. In the morning, first for breakfast at some crowded coffeeshop whose fan was blowing hotair, I kid you not (actually, I thought I was imagining things until Mike asked me if I felt that fan over our heads was blowing hot air!). We weren't the only ones in red clothes but we got some funny stares from people anyway. Why ah? I don't understand. It felt really good to see more people dorning red this year.

Then in our red outfits, we went over to Courts Tampines to suss out the left overs of their warehouse sale (with me punching Mike's arm over and over for not letting me buy that 'usually $600' carpet for $50 the day before ~ no more lah), then over to IKEA next door (where we cheekily told a lady that the money plant she was admiring was selling cheaper over at Courts next door ~ wah, you should have seen her smile and gratitude and the speed at which she walked off towards Courts!). I digress but IKEA if you're reading this, sorry lah. I do so love you, IKEA but could you possibly lower your plant prices?. We know where got cheaper ones already, hor!

Anyway, still in our red albeit sweaty outfits we went for lunch at the new Sengkang swimming complex and then later for evening mass at church and then to makan dinner.

Yep, even if my red shirt didn't really look very flattering on me, it felt good to show in our own little way* that we are proud to be Singaporean.

(* It will always be a little way for me cos nothing short of an instruction from God will make me want to take part in the annual National Day Parade. Red shirt ok. Sweat, no k. To those people, I really take my hat off!)