Today I made a discovery

I’ve been feeling some bitterness on my throat since last week, I was trying to search for the cause of this irritating sense up and down, let and right. At first I thought it was the new water bottle that I started to use, so I changed to my bottled. It did not help. Then I thought it was the supplement that I started to eat, so I stopped for a few days. It did not help either. I told my mom about it, and she said “I could be the eye drop that you are using, I had the same problem before” I didn’t bother about the statement.

Today I read from a chinese newspaper that our normal way of using eye drop is wrong, i.e. we should not squeeze a drop of the medication into the eye and blink for a few times, this is wrong because the medicine will possibly drain to the whole body and some of the content may harm the heart or body. We should instead press our finger on both the inner corner of the eye after using eye drop to prevent the medicine from draining to the body.

First, I was surprised that the eye drop can actually drain to the body and second I don’t understand how by pressing the inner corner of the eye can prevent the eye drop from draining to the body:-

According to Wikipedia, there is a tube that connects your tear duct to your nasal passage called the nasolacrimal duct. The nasolacrimal duct carries tears from the lacrimal sac into the nasal cavity. Excess tears flow through nasolacrimal duct which opens in the nose. This is the reason the nose starts to run when a person is crying, or why one can sometimes taste eye drops. So I take it that all these are connected, that’s how the eye drop can drain from eye – nose – throat, and what my mom said is true.

Then I found this in one of the eye drop practice guidance by Royal Pharmaceutical Society in Great Britain, guess what the newspaper said is also true. And on top of these two discoveries, I also noticed that we should pull the lower eyelid instead of the upper eyelid to apply the eye drop, why have I been so wrong? I’ve been literally “swallowing” eye drop for almost one week, and I get to realize this on the last day of the treatment.

“Patients should be advised to wash and dry hands before and after use. Tilt the head back and gently pull the LOWER EYELID out to form a pouch. Squeeze the bottle to release one drop into the lower eyelid. Try not to touch the eye or lashes with the nozzle. Blink several times to help spread the drug. Repeat the process for each drop used. Eye infections tend to spread to the other eye (and to other people — avoid sharing towels, facecloths, etc), so it is usual to use the drops in both eyes if they are both infected.

Patients sometimes get a taste of eye drops in the mouth or a feeling that drops are running down the throat. Pressing a finger against the inner corner of the eye (by the nose) for about a minute after using the drops may help to stop the drops draining into nose and throat.”

So tuan-tuan and puan-puan, please follow instruction next time when you have to use eye drop. I tried and it really worked no more eye drop tasting and in fact when I pressed the inner eye corner, I can feel the eye drop is filling up around the eye pocket and the eye is totally soaked in the moisture until it almost overflows.

crazy little thing called love

When I heard the promo about the church will be hosting the stage performance for a “romantic drama” (that’s how I perceived from the title of the drama), I was so excited. Love has always been a subject I could not from school, from workshop, from book, from anywhere else I could think so.

So I started to imagine “Erm.. the drama will tell you how to love? Or tell you how to love properly? Or tell you to love with dignity? Or…” I just so much look forward to a “ lesson of love” from the touring theatre company. In order to convince myself and invite others to this drama strongly recommended by the pastor, I ran a check on them (as usual).

Who are they?
Footstool players are a group of Christian inspired to equip Malaysian churches to use theatre as a medium of communication, they were grew out of a drama ministry in one of the local church, they have been providing a series of thought-provoking drama to many churches since 2001. (I’m not sure if they are trained actors and actresses, but they all did a great show)

Why Footstool?
Footstool players give me the thought that they are poor in its nature that they can only afford to act on stage with a footstool, not a Lorenzo sofa set. I felt silly to find out that they actually took their name from the bible verse, it is meant to be a humble place of meeting between ourselves and God. “Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his footstool.” Psalm 99:5

The sketches
So I went for the drama last week with my half blinded eyes (second day after eye laser), people must be impressed that a blind person also came to watch the drama ( I was wearing huge sunglasses in the dark auditorium, because the spotlight causes glares to my eyes)

The play is divided into two acts: the first one deals with love, courtship and marriage, a lot of laughter, almost like chow xing chee movie; while the second one deals with family relationship, that’s where we got into the real issues in the real world.

It almost covers all sort of possible relationship you can think of under the sun, I’m sure you will be touched here and there along the story, whether you are fighting with your girlfriend who loves who more, whether your boyfriend never wants to say sorry to you. Some family with adopted son, some father ran away with another woman, some daughter rebel against the mother and some husband working too hard and abandon the wife etc.

The message
But all in all, I think the message of the drama is to speak out to your love ones, we are living in a reserved culture where we seldom express our love to our parents, brothers sisters or even spouses and many times with the pressure to live, to work, to achive, we have forgotten that we indeed love someone in our heart. I do not want to tell you so much about the story, else what’s the point of you going for the drama knowing everything already. I can not tell you much about the message either, because everyone gets little something different from the scenarios.

The performance
If you missed the performance last week, the Foostool Players will be performing at The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre(KLPac) Pentas 2 as follows (I don’t earn commission from this, just thought it’s a nice show to catch)

6-8, 13-15 November 2008 @ 8:30pm
8-9, 15-16 November 2008 @ 3:00pm

Tickets: RM30 adults / RM20 students, senior citizens and disabled
Tickets available from: KLPac Box Office Tel: (03) 4047 9000
Actors Studio at BSC Tel: (03) 2094 0400

Goodbye Contact Lens

It’s been 3 days since I did the eye laser at Optimax last week, in fact I very much wanted to write immediately after I came out from the operation room. “It was such a awful experience and I never felt so helpless before” (that’s what I thought there and then, don’t worry, things were not that bad after all)

I was very nervous from the day I decided to go for the laser treatment, I was worry what if they over correct the eye sight, what if the eye do not heal in time, what if I waters get into the eyes accidentally etc. I was still indecisive until I lay myself on the operation bed.

I consider myself lucky that there is no condition with my eyes and I go proceed to do the most conventional type of treatment available (in other words the cheapest). (Don’t worry about what to choose if you attend to go for what, your eyes will choose for you because different eye condition required different treatment)

So I signed up myself to do the LASIK treatment, (to cut the story short, we go straight to the operation day,) Before going in to the operation theatre, the doctor double triple checked my eyes and drew a mark on my eye ball (can you believe it? my eyes are numb after one drop of anesthetic and I literally looked at the marker pen point a dot on my eye)

And she explained again what are the risks of undergoing this operation, saying about 5 percent of the patients have to go through enhancement treatment if their eye sights are not corrected properly, about 1 our a 200 thousand get inflammation problem and ruined the operation, and if machine turn out faulty, it’s not their fault. (wow, that’s the best word of encouragement for a patient before surgery)

And she emphasis that when you are on the operation theatre, just focus your eyes on the red light twinkling on top of you, whatever is it, DO NOT MOVE YOUR EYE BALL, because the laser is coming down to your eyes and anything could happened when you move. OK, I got it right, what’s so difficult about focusing at one dot.

The operation began

I was totally dressed up in a surgery patient outfit: the “baju tidur”, the “ shower cap” and the “factory shoe cover”, the doctor even asked me not to put any hair gel, any face cream or the same sort, can imagine how ugly I was. Then I rest my head on the “basin like” compartment, doctor used a clamp to clip on the upper and lower part of the eye so that the eye will not blink (believe me, it feels like the same when the kid trying to tear off the Barbie doll eye). Then when everything is in place, the doctor asked me to look at the red light and gave the instruction to the assistant to “start suction”.

The operation halted

They placed a ring like blade on my eye ball, pressed it down and start cutting a flap in order to do the laser later (this is not the blade-free technology, for those that are faint hearted, please please go for the blade-free treatment). When the ring was pressed on the eyeball, I lost sight for a few seconds, and I was panic and when hysterical, at the same time I can feel the blade like tiny scissors cutting off the cornea skin bit by bit, even though there was no pain, just the ticklish sensation has really got unto my nerves.

That’s when I started to lost control of my focus, I heard the doctor said” don’t move, don’t move, look at the red light.” and her hand was pining my head from any movement. I was trying hard to look for the red light, all I saw was a vision of red, all red, I didn’t know where is the twinkling red light, and the doctor had to stop the laser for about three to four times I can’t even recall. When she repeatedly said “ don't move, look at the red light!” deep down my hear I feel like shouting out “ I can’t find the red light la, you think I don’t want to stay focus!?”

I nearly want to cry and stop the operation for the left eye, I was all frightened.. But I was not given the time to think about it or say it out and they started to do the second treatment, luckily after one bad experience, I managed to stayed more focus and the operation only stopped once for the left eye.

The operation completed

After I came out from the operation theatre, the doctor checked on the eye again to make sure the flap was closed nicely without any wrinkles, so everything was alright. And I asked the doctor many times “ will the result be affected? did I move too much?” Doctor said “ don’t worry so much, just pray hard. Some patients move a lot but the result was good, some didn't move at all but the result was not satisfactory, it depends a lot on the individual, you just take care of your eyes now and come back for check up tomorrow.”

I went back with my eyes closed and heart hanging in the air all the way to home, tried to sleep as much as I could and avoid television for the first 24 hours as advised by the doctor. Guess what I do when I couldn’t sleep being too excited? I on the television and “listen” to the drama series with the eye closed, though I don’t understand some part of it, I find it an interesting experience, like my grandmother’s time listen to “ lai de fu sheng”

The aftercare

The after care of the treatment is rather easy, antibiotic eye drop and artificial tears every two hours for the first 3 days and followed by how many times how many days in the next 4 days and next one week and so on and so forth. But the funny thing is that I have to wear “ultra man” eye shield to sleep for the first one week in order to prevent the accidental eye rubbing during sleep.

When Tzeh put the eye shield on me and fixed it with tape the first night, we could not stopped laughing and took photo for remembrance, I said I looked like the kidnapped rich girl waiting for the parents to pay ransom and he said I looked like the sexual abuse victim (geram!!) I said it’s ultra man mask and he insist it’s dragon ball mask, at least we still get some fun out of the whole trauma..


The check up
The first thing that I see very clearly after the treatment was Tzeh sitting beside me (cheh, like so loving, he was busy surfing the internet la) I shouted with excitement “ I can see you so clearly now!!!” Thank God I do not have much of the dry eye and haloes symptom and I only left with 25 and 50 short sighted on the right and left eye respectively.

Doctor said the right eye that went through a lot movement during the operation ironically doing better than the left eye, and there is slight inflammation on the left eye, she prescribe one additional eye drop to cure to infection and we have scheduled for a check up tomorrow (hopefully everything will be fine)


The side track
Heard a friend of Tzeh actually accompanied the girlfriend into the operation theatre and witnessed how the blade cut off the flap, how the laser burnt into sparks etc. So if you are considering the eye laser treatment, make sure you grab your partner to witness the gory procedure.

28 days: what your cycle reveals about your love life, mood and potential

This is the title of a book a buddy gave to me as a present before she shift to her new house, at the first page of the book, there’s this sweet message from her: A simple and yet special gift for you to know yourself better when I’m not conveniently around for you!

Though I don’t enjoy the book as much as I thought I would be, I always keep it in my office drawer, sometimes to flip on a particular day to see how the hormone affects my life or sometimes just to look at it ( it feel nice even just with the thought that she cares about me)

I remember she shared how she finds the book useful because it helps her to understand why she behaves differently at different time of the month. Say there are certain days she will think twice before she go shopping and certain days she just feel like splashing the money away.

I was amazed at first as I know for sure hormones do affect us in much way: how we feel, who we like, what we shop, when we eat etc. I was hoping that the book will give me some tips on how to deal with this inevitable change in my body, especially to break free from the PMS symptoms.

After reading it on and off several times, now only I found out that it’s actually a horoscope based on the body's own natural hormone cycle. Using so called scientific research, it claimed to be able to predict what practically every aspect of the day will be like based solely on the ups and downs of their monthly hormones.

I learnt a new term called “Hormonology” today, quoted from their website “Once you know how your hormones affect you every day, you know what your day is going to be like. Then, you'll learn the best days of your cycle to do practically everything such as: ask for a raise, flirt with your crush, plan a vacation, have the most fulfilling sex.” ?!?!?!

Although I don’t believe in horoscope or fortune telling, probably many of you out there would like to explore something new just for the fun of it, you can find out more information about the hormonology at http://www.hormonology.info/

AJ had a dream

AJ : I had a dream last night

GD : What about?

AJ: I dreamt of robbers broke in to my house

GD: Then?

AJ: I was so afraid when they found the safe box in the cupboard

GD: Why?

AJ: Because there is no money inside and I do not know how to open the safe box

GD: Huh?

AJ: I bought it ages ago and never bother to even learn how to use it. If I tell that to the
robbers, they will sure think I'm playing a fool with them

GD: So?

AJ: I woke up, I walked straight to the safe box, read the manual, fix the password and I feel so much relived now.

GD: Good

AJ: Yeah, even if robbers come next time I will know how to open the safe box for them.

Help!!! Cholesterol is killing me

Life has been tasteless for the past few days, tasteless not because I lost my taste buds, tasteless because I lost the right to eat without thinking. Doctor said I have high cholesterol, my HDL reads 1.96 and my LDL reads 3.8, so the total cholesterol is 6.1, which is way above normal range of 5.2 (what a disaster@#*&!)


First thing I reach home is to study what on earth is LDL and HDL and how do I get rid of it soonest possible to redeem my “makan” right, oh no!!!!! I cannot imagine how life would be without beef, lamb, squid, crab, egg, cheese and the list go on and on without stop. So what else is left to be eaten? Oat, fruit and vegetables, arghhhhh!!!!


Although cholesterol is very widely heard in our daily life, but now only I found out that cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that is made in the body by the liver. Cholesterol forms part of every cell in the body and serves many vital functions. Our bodies need cholesterol to:
- Maintain healthy cell walls
- Make hormones
- Make vitamin D
- Make bile acids, which aid in fat digestion


Sometimes, however, our bodies make more cholesterol than we really need, and this excess cholesterol circulates in the bloodstream. High levels of cholesterol in the blood can clog blood vessels and increase the risk for heart disease and stroke.


There are 2 main types of cholesterol:
- LDL is "bad cholesterol." It can clog the arteries, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Optimal number: Less than 2.6 MMOL/L
- HDL is "good cholesterol." It attaches to bad cholesterol and escorts it to the liver, which filters it out of the body. So HDL reduces the amount of bad cholesterol in the system. Desirable number: 1.04 MMOL/L or higher.


Total cholesterol is the sum of all types of cholesterol in the blood. It should be less than 5.2 MMOL/L. (I have more than enough of the good and bad cholesterol in this case here)


I’ve also checked online for the causes of high blood cholesterol and I could not believe how on earth did I get high cholesterol for I am not over weight, I exercise regularly, I am not under stress but.. erm.. ok la!!! I like to eat high fat meats, especially “fei cha siew”, fatty lamb and cuttle fish.


So I get myself the following cholesterol lowering plan:


- I bought myself Quaker’s oatmeal for breakfast ( I hope I can stand the tastelessness of it) . Oatmeal contains soluble fiber, which reduces the bad cholesterol. Soluble fiber is also found in such foods as kidney beans, apples, pears, barley and prunes. Soluble fiber appears to reduce the absorption of cholesterol in the intestines. Ten grams or more of soluble fiber a day decreases your total and LDL cholesterol. Eating 1 1/2 cups of cooked oatmeal provides 6 grams of fiber. If I add fruit, such as bananas, I'll add about 4 more grams of fiber, and that’s enough for a day.


- I also bought myself Salmon Oil tablet for daily supplement of Omega-3 fatty acids ( I also hope I can stand the strong smell left in the mouth). Research has supported the cholesterol-lowering benefits of eating fatty fish because of its high levels of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids also help the heart in other ways such as reducing blood pressure and the risk of blood clots. In people who have already had heart attacks, fish oil — or omega-3 fatty acids — significantly reduces the risk of sudden death.


- I tell myself to stick to Pilates class ( I hope I can stand the boringness of it) Pilates is an exercise method, designed to elongate, strengthen and restore the body to balance. Based upon an anatomical understanding of the body's muscular and skeletal systems, the Pilates use exercises that integrate the whole body to re-educate and restore it to optimum muscular and skeletal function. There’s no link between pilates and cholesterol, it’s just something I picked up recently:)


Please give me moral support for the cholesterol fighting plan and do not tempt me into any high cholesterol food. I shall update you with the results in 3 months time. For those of you who have no idea what is your cholesterol level, please go and make appointment with the nearest clinic, you never know (huh, suddenly become so health conscious).