人心难测

My mother always tells us: "害人之心 不可有, 防人之心 不可无." (Loosely translated, this means "while you should not have the intention to harm others, you should also guard yourself against others.") This self-protection mechanism has been ingrained in me long enough to develop a general scepticism towards human kindness.

Recently, my (limited) faith in people is put to the test again. The first incident revolved around the payment of my training fee. For the work done in February, a cheque was supposed to be sent to me. However, after waiting for more than 2 weeks, I still have not receive it. I was told the cheque got returned as the administrator forgot to put in my unit number in the address. She said she will send it to me again. After another week and multiple checkings of my mailbox, I still haven't receive my training fees. She claimed she will re-issue the cheque and let me know to collect it when ready. I tried to sound trusting and not accusing but whatever bad thoughts you are thinking now, I have already imagined it.

The second incident happened yesterday. We discovered that our car parked at the basement carpark had been bumped into. Part of the left bumper got cracked and drooped down slightly.

"Damn, of course the bugger must have scooted off immediately." That was my first thought. Then Hubby showed me a note written by the culprit, who apologises and left his phone number for us to contact him.

"Not bad, at least this fellow has some integrity." I was in fact impressed and surprised until Hubby highlight that there is one less digit on the mobile phone number.

"Great, now how are we gonna find him? 简直是海底捞针." I wondered if the act of omission was deliberate.

Rather than try to second-guess the missing number, I thought of putting up a note on my car bumper, addressed to the culprit, asking him to call us instead. I guessed he would definitely come and take a look at my car again. And here comes the real test - whether he's really sincere to take responsibility or is he just paying lip service.

At 8pm that same night, he called. My faith for the human spirit is restored by one point. But it awaits to be seen if we will eventually get our bumper repair reimbursed.

Meanwhile, my wait for the cheque continues....


Post-post Note: Shortly after posting this blog, the cheque arrived, after 6 days in the mail. Add one point to human spirit again, minus one point for SingPost.

Swimming Lesson #1 (Photos added)

Over the last 3 and a half years that we've stayed at our condominium, we've had privilege use of a swimming pool right at our door steps, but we've never signed up KK for any swimming lessons. Earlier on, I felt he was too young to follow instructions. Later on, our dear KK insisted that he doesn't want to take lessons to be a swimmer. He's happy just fooling around the poolside with daddy and mummy and contented to remain in the baby pool forever. Alright, mummy is also pretty indecisive and couldn't decide on which swimming instructor to use.

Finally, I told myself, I'm always gonna live in regret if I never let KK learn swimming when it was so convenient to do so. One day soon after, I was taking a stroll along the pool with XX. I walked past the pool and this swimming instructor greeted me with a cheerful smile. I've always seen her around the pool, with her fancy swimming props occupying one whole ledge along the pool and I believed she lived in our condominium as well. Since she was so friendly, I just naturally asked her if she's still taking students and she said yes! We exchanged phone numbers and here we are today - KK's first swimming lesson.

As expected, KK was resistant and whiny when we told him he's going for swimming lessons. He begged and pleaded, argued and reasoned with us. But we have our way to convince KK. We told him that there'll be lots of interesting floats for him to play with and there's gonna be fun games. He was tempted but bargained that mummy has to be in the pool with him.

Sure enough, this instructor follows an internationally recognised syllabus and her method of instruction is unlike the usual boring swimming coach style. There are many different short exercises, to practise blowing bubbles, kicking, hand strokes, using different swimming floatation devices, so the kids don't feel bored. These swimming floats are colourful foam floats that can be joined to become a circle or a "water-cycle". KK leaped onto the "water-cycle" without hesitation to do his warm-ups and from there, we let the instructor take over. I, thankfully, did not have to shed my clothes and stayed dry watching him from the deck chair.


Surprisingly, KK turned out to be a very obedient student. Everything that the instructor asked him to do, he followed her instructions and did it dilligently. I must say I'm quite proud of his behaviour. I told my husband, if we had given him these same instructions, I bet my life he would never have followed. There'll be thousand and one excuses and lots of bargaining. By which time, we'll either tire ourselves talking and give up or blow our top at him. For example, I bought him a pair of goggles some months ago but we've never managed to convince him to wear it. Now, the instructor says he must wear it if he wants to become a swimmer. Some things in life, we just have to spend some money for others to do the job.


One regret though, I forgot to bring along my camera for this significant milestone. I'll try to take some photos next lesson so that I can post it up.

Poison Apple

"The evil witch smiled secretly to herself as she watched the poison apple all being eaten up...."

That might have sounded like a scene from the story of Snow White but it is acted out in real life everyday. Yes, I'm the 'evil witch' feeding XX 'poison' apple everyday.

I mentioned earlier that as an aftermath of Kawasaki, XX has to take aspirin everyday. He used to struggle and fight as we force the 5ml dissolved aspirin solution into him. Even when we added Ribena syrup to it, he was too busy protesting to realise that it actually doesn't taste that bad. One day, YiYi was over for dinner and she ingeniously suggested mixing the medicine with XX's favourite chilled apple puree. Hey, why didn't we think of it earlier? XX never rejects apple! We tried it and it works! Presented differently in a cup and served innocently on a spoon, XX lapped up the whole concoction without half a clue about the 'poison' in it. Heh heh heh...

And we lived happily ever after.

A Pop Symphonic Evening

For the first time in our lives, Hubby and I attended a concert at the Max Pavilion @ Singapore Expo yesterday. Who has this honour of making us pay good money for 2 hours of entertainment? None other than Taiwan’s Prince of Love Ballads, Jeff Chang - one of my all-time favourite singers.

Accompanied for the first time ever in Singapore by a symphony orchestra, our very own Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts Orchestra, Jeff serenaded us with his popular songs as well as some new songs from his yet to be released album. There are no fancy footworks and dance moves but Jeff's vocal powers and unique voice quality never fails to impress and is the most inspiring reason for me to go to his concert.

When he first appeared on stage, he spotted a lop-sided hairstyle with curly fringe. Quite 'beng' actually, but because he's a celebrity and my idol, he gets away with trying to look 'different'. He still looks dashing....(*dreamily*) Over 2 hours, he changed about 6 costumes. Nothing too outrageous, mainly pants, suit sets with shimmery highlights, in line with the artistic theme. From my binoculars, he appeared to be not that tall in person.

The stage setup was very classic looking. 3 gigantic picture frames set against velvet curtains formed the backdrop. Throughout the evening, classic art paintings starting from the Renaissance age were flashed through the 3 frames, making it look like an art gallery. The orchestra set in front of the backdrop, amidst changing ambient lightings. The only setback, I feel, is the venue. The Max Pavillion is not built as a concert theatre, thus it does not do justice to the orchestra music which would have sounded much better had it been at the Esplanade or Victoria Concert Hall. But as Hubby pointed out, this type of concert, the organisers would have to max the ticket sales to make money. The turnout that one night was at least five thousand, who would compromise this money making business by holding it at smaller venues for sake of better sound quality?

Combined with artistic paintings in the backdrop, the overall result is a very cultured blend of pop and symphonic music. I can't say the same for the audience though. Many of the audience showed up for the concert in bermudas and slippers. They looked like they've just finished dinner at the hawker center and are going across the street to watch 'getai'. Besides arriving late, they also move around to go toilets when the concert is ongoing. That's pretty rude and distracting for the other concert goers as well as the performers. Sigh...Singaporeans....

Jeff was pretty concerned with the lukewarm response from the audience. He was trying very hard to work up some cheering but it was only towards the end that the audience 'woke up'. Well, Jeff, if I were you, I wouldn't worry too much. The people who love your songs will love you for your singing. We may not jump onto our seats to dance along, especially since the setup of the concert is so 'cultured', but we're enjoying ourselves nonetheless, singing along with you at our seats.

Pictures

Not too good memories but for documentation's sake, here're some pics of XX in hospital.

Pre-Kawasaki?

XX suddenly woke up with unusual double eyelids!

XX in hospital gown and his crib

Playing with his new toy

Cheering XX up with some ice-cream (Check out his bionic arm!)

Camping in: Daddy catching a catnap in the room

Home Sweet Home

Since XX's discharge from hospital last Friday, I'm happy to report that he has been doing well. His mood and appetite improved remarkably after the IVIG. The only struggle was the daily 3 times feeding of asprin where the little fella will protest and grind his teeth against. Well, he's no fight for two of us adults who will hold him tight and pump the sandy solution into the corners of his mouth. Sorry for being big bullies here, XX, again it's for your own good. The good news is, from today, the dosage is reduced to just once a day. BUT this medication will likely have to continue for another few months, at least.

Still, it's good to see XX smiling and cheerful again. That's his usual demeanor, that's what he's supposed to be and that's what all parents will like to see their child be - carefree, happy, contented and enjoying. Since XX's illness, we've come to appreciate these 'normal' behaviours which were often taken for granted previously. Even for KK, despite his meal times struggles, I'm now appreciating his good health record and thankful that he's energetic and happy.

A parent at Mindchamps was sharing durin one session that we should learn to appreciate our children. "Many people wants to have child but can't - yet we have one, some of us have even two or more. Better still, our children are healthy!" I agreed with him but couldn't appreciate fully until this recent Kawasaki episode. At the hospital, there were many other children also warded for various ailments. One of them, a little 3 year old girl, we found out, was diagnosed with stomach cancer. On the day we were discharged, her parents were anxiously awaiting the doctors' advice on her surgery, the first of many expected. I'm terribly affected by the news and really empathised with the little girl and her parents. As the nurse said to us when we left, "don't come back here again!", I'm really really thankful that I'm able to bring my baby home so soon.

A show of talent

While camping over at KK Children's Hospital this past week, we have been hanging around the hospital's mall and food outlets quite a lot. Then again, where else can we go?

I have some interesting observations and questions about doctors:

Q. Ever wonder why doctors hang their stethoscopes around their necks when they go for lunch?

Of course, not everyone does it, cos I saw our senior consultant doctor downstairs at Delifrance during lunch and I don't see a stethoscope around her neck. But I see quite a lot of them, mostly the younger ones and MALE, eat lunch with that equipment around their neck as though they've forgotten that it's there. One of them even used it to 'choop' a seat at the foodcourt. Normal people use tissue papers but doctors a bit more high class, they use their stethoscopes. Practical purpose notwithstanding, isn't the 'outside' environment a bit unhygenic to bring your medical equipment around? Afterwards they're gonna press it onto their patients' chests and backs, do you think they clean it before using it? I don't think their HODs stipulated this as their dress code right? Or perhaps they get a discount at the F&B outlets if they show their stethoscopes? Understandably, it's a little cumbersome to carry their framed MBBS cert around every time they go for lunch.

Sorry, doctors or friends of doctors, correct me if I'm wrong but my only conclusion for that display is about showing off. Afterall, the nurse don't get it.

Night Guard Duty

I'm now on duty, watching over XX as he sleeps with 3 different tubes and wires attached to his hand, chest and calf, accompanied by monitors. One of them is dripping the expensive IVIG 'blood product' (which is not red in colour) into him. The second one monitors his heart and respiratory rate (115bpm, 40rpm at the moment) and the third measures his blood pressure every 10 mins or so.

My job, to ensure his heart rate, respiratory rate stays normal, to alert the nurses if the dosage is completed and most importantly, to ensure the tubes/wires don't get disconnected when XX turns or worse, gets entangled and coil themselves around him. A while later, it'll be Hubby's turn to take over for the next three hours. I expect we will need to give him a milk feed soon, followed by another round of asprin and antacid around 3.30am. Then you can see his heart rate really go up as he struggles and protests. Sorry XX, it's not easy on us too, but it's good for you. Hopefully by tomorrow morning, the treatment will be completed and you will be free again. But I heard the asprin dosage must go continue for one month?....opps, hope I heard wrongly.

OK, right now, his RSP doesn't show any score, I think I better alert the nurse. Could be his sleeping position.

Kawasaki arimas

The consultant doctor have no doubts that XX's symtoms satisfies the criteria of Kawasaki. The only 'problem' is, XX's fever have subsided. This means that the inflammation is no longer present, which by right should be good news. However, this makes the issue of treatment more tricky. The doctors have to decide if IVIG (Intravenous Immunogoblin) is still needed. Though considered generally safe in Singapore, IVIG is nevertheless a blood product, thus there will be the usual risks of blood contamination (HIV, Hep C etc) involved. Still, the benefits far outweigh the risks, because if left untreated, Kawasaki can lead to coronary and heart problems.

Till this morning, the doctor is still unsure of whether to administer IVIG. She ordered an 'Echo' for XX, which involves scanning the heart. The Echo scan shows some dilation of XX's blood vessels, which is not a good sign. Guess this seals the fate and provided a definitive direction for the treatment using IVIG.

Thus, for the 2nd time today, XX had his nap interrupted and was carried from his bed to insert the intravenous cannulas in preparation for the IVIG. Without doubt, XX doesn't welcome this invasion and I can hear him screaming the house down inside the treatment room. As a matter of fact, all children whose goes into that 'slaughter room' scream their heads off. Thankfully, this time round, the doctor was rather quick and about 10 mins later, XX came out with his 'bionic arm' in place. To cheer him up and for being such a brave boy, Daddy bought him Milo ice-cream as a reward.

17 gm of IVIG is to be given to him (2 gm for every kg of his weight) and it is to be infused over 14-15 hours. I wonder how we're gonna keep him staying in bed for such a long period.......it's gonna be a long night ahead :-(

Kawasaki arimas ka?

Kawasaki may mean the Japanese island or the motocycle to some people but for us, that's the disease that XX is suspected of having and the reason for him landing in KK Children's Hospital.

Is it Kawasaki? This is the question on the doctors' minds (and ours) currently. To answer it, XX has endured 1 nose swap, 2 'urine inducements' (massaging the bladder to wee wee after a milk feed for urine samples) and 3 needles pokes into his hands to draw blood samples (one of which was suffered in vain when blood didn't come out). They also put in an intravenous cannulation to infuse fluids and medication, in case he needed it. Till now, the the team of doctors are still monitoring his condition and have yet to decide on the outcome, though XX's symtoms seem to suggest that he does have Kawasaki.

To know more about the disease, which commonly affects young children, especially asians, click on this link: http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/medical/heart/kawasaki.html or simply type "Kawasaki disease" in Google.

It all started on Thursday when XX developed a fever. On Friday, the GP diagnosed that it's probably a viral infection and asked us to wait to see if the fever subsides. If it doesn't go away by 5 days, she mentioned we should see the doctor again where blood tests may be needed. By Monday - Day 5, XX still has the fever. This was accompanied by lots of rashes on his torso, fingers and feet. His lips also turned cherry red and he had watery and blood-shot eyes (apparently tell-tale signs of Kawasaki).

XX was also extrememtly irritable, fretting and fussing the whole day. Nothing could please him, he had to be carried around most of the time and his cheery smiles disappeared - totally not his usual self.

His appetite was affected. He will refuse milk, water, even his favourite Ribena, pushing them away or turning his face. We made home-cooked barley and water chestnut/sugarcane drink but he doesn't take more than a few sips. If we tried to push it, he gets angry. His reduced water intake was a concern, so much so that doctors wanted to put him on a drip but unfortunately, during his crying fits and outbursts of tantrums, he had tugged at the cannulas too much and it came out last night, spilling fresh blood onto his pillow and bed (more blood loss!). Fortunately though, he escaped enduring the 4th needle poke in a day as he started drinking some milk, so the nurses agreed to postpone re-inserting the intravenous cannulation to see if he continues to feed better.

So here I am, still in the same clothes for 24 hours, after spending a night curled up together with XX on his hospital crib. Thankfully, Hubby stayed with me and KK was left in the care of Grandmum.

Seeing XX suffer the blood tests was the most trying part. XX is now traumatised at the sight of doctors and nurses. Originally a fussy baby by nature (he doesn't like people to touch his nose, wipe his mouth even), having these strangers restrain him, poking needles into his hand and poking cotton swaps into his nose is too much for him to bear. He brawled his heart (and mine as well) out whenever they tried to come near and collect any samples from him.

XX is now taking a nap, almost 3 hours already. It's been a while since he's slept so long. For the past few days, his naps lasted totalled less than 2 hours everyday. Though his night sleep was better, I couldn't say the same for ours. Our sleep was often punctuated with fussing over him - checking temperature with thermometer, putting wet towel on forehead, covering blanket, removing blanket, tucking in his shirt to prevent him from scratching his waist, offering milk, water, medication or changing diapers (he can poop in his sleep!).

Today, the fever seemed to have subsided. I just pray that XX will quickly recover, Kawasaki or no Kawasaki and I will get to see him laughing again. Maybe then I can catch up on my beauty sleep.