Not Forgetting...

Our wonderful help, Felma. She keeps our house spice and span and in good working order. She cooks and wash up after us. She does our laundry and make us look wonderful in our clean, well pressed clothing.

Yes, thank you, Felma!

Recovery and Other Issues Popping Up!

I am on the road to recovery. The swellings in my swollen right forearm is starting to subsides. The 3 stitches on my right chin were removed this morning. The exudate from my surgical scar is reducing and my right hand has more movements and less pain. I took a walk to the site where I fell and notices more blood stains in the twilight but still unable to recall how I fell. Several snippets have popped up in the last few days. I remember the chain came off and I need to fix it back. I also remember looking at the LRT track to give direction. I have a theory of how I flipped over. I also remember hazily waiting for my wife to pick me up.

In short, I am making progress!

This morning I have two sick boys. One very sick B1 having fever and diahorrea and B2 with cough and phlegm. We spent the morning in Mt Alvernia getting them treated. The H1N1 protocol slows everything down. B1 had bacteria infections and B2 is tested negative for Influenza A and Influenza B. Attending doctor suggest admitting B1 as he is dehydrated. He was resting at home and we have to bring him back to the hospital. He decided not to be admitted and seems to have recovered fairly well. B2 is still having productive cough and is much better after his nap.

In the evening, B3 get fever. Mummy is just looking after all the boys all the time. She is so strong and keep going for the family. I really appreciates her dedication and love for our family. My three Bs and I are indeed blessed!

How Did I fall?

I read my entry for last Wednesday where I mentioned I need to learn and practise hopping over steps. I realise how I flipped over on a flat surface. I must have lifted my front wheel at a high speed and landed the front wheel with it brakes on. Only this way, I can somersault over together with the bicycle. And as I somersault, I lost control and fell on my right side, hitting my head giving it a traumatic shock and suffers immediate memory loss.

I will need to wear protective gears i.e. helmet and wristguards. Also I should stop trying to practise mountain biking skills by myself through instruction from book without live coach.

Hospitalised

I was out of action for a week. I flipped on my bike on Saturday evening and landed in Tan Tock Seng Hospital. The scary thing is I do not remember the accident or how I get to the hospital. Everything that happen in the hospital from A&E to Ward 12A is a blank. My wife told me TTSH is very systematic. Even though my right forearm was giving me intense pain and swollen, my incoherent state cause them to put my head injury in top priority. CT scan on my head was done first. A&E treated my head injury first before moving to stitch up a deep gnash on my right chin. This gnash was spurting blood all the time. Then they immoblised my right arm.

So trauma center does has it priority right. I am glad that I was sent to a hospital who has expertise in trauma. There are no specialist on Sunday. So I have my right wrist operated and fixed on Monday afternoon by hand specialist, Teoh Lam Chuan. He fix a T-plate and put in 7 screws on my radial bone. My right forearm is now swollen and tender.

I am glad to be recovering at home.

Mountain Bike

I am practising jumping over obstacles and keep puncturing my front tyre. I need to learn to hop over instead of wacking into the step and then letting the wheel jump up through momentum. I need to learn to lift the bike and put the wheel up and then move the wheel slightly over the step.

So I have a long way to go to learn how to conquer steps.

Shooting Stars - Perseids Meteor Shower

It is in the internet that tonight and tomorrow night will be the best time to see the Perseids Meteor Shower. I tried to look up a couple of time in our night sky and had no joy in seeing any shooting star.

I wish I am in a place where there is very little artificial or electric lights. I remember having dinner in a beach resort in Malaysia and just walking out of the lighted area of the resturant, the stars shine so brightly. Remind me of how small we are.

Economy Improving in Q2

Singapore's economy is better than what analysts expected in Q2. However, the next two quarters are still at risks. This mean Singapore Gahmen is still cautious and want to temper the positive news with caution and manage te citzens expectations. This is the good news.

In reality, the economy slowdown is just flattening and showed growth in Biotech and Semiconductor markets. What does this mean to us?

No job hopping, do not expect too much pay increase and work harder for your boss:))

A Father's Love

I spent the evening spending more than an hour fixing up a 3D puzzle bear for B3. Even with instructions, it was a challenging task. Frankly, I do not enjoy this kind of challenges. My preferred relaxation choices are reading, cycling, swimming and watching TV. Since he is so frustrated and his elder brother refuses to help, my heart soften and promised to help him.

After I managed to finish, the sense of accomplishment was a nice reward. Also feeling how great a dad I am! This is not self praise or being egoist. It is the reflection of what I would do to make my son happy. Getting myself frustrated for more than an hour. I feel great now and I am looking forward for tomorrow morning to get his reactions.

Colourful Birds

It is interesting that we get birds that sings out loud in the mornings up high in the trees in our landscape. I was attracted and tried to see what kind of bird sing so well and so loud. I could not see the singer however, I saw a few brightly coloured birds with long tails flying around. I think they may be parakeets or parrots. We also get woodpecker checking out the tree in front of our house for insects.

It is wonderful to get rare birds living freely and up close.

A Canadian Perspective and Rebuttal

In the Forum, the letters from readers in Straits Times, a Canadian wrote how lucky Singaporean are. They have lift and covered walkways and should appreciate the country. Then a Singaporean wrote in to compare the social benefits for jobless and down and out. He says any Singapore will gladly give up the covered walkways for those benefits.

Today, in the Forum, the Canadian rebutted and says in Toronto there are plenty of homeless and in Singapore there are none. This Canadian lives in Singapore for a few years. He see all the positive side of living in Singapore. All of which is true. What he does not see or know is there is a government agency in Singapore who will pick up homeless or beggars and clear them off the streets. If Toronto does the same thing, I am quite sure it will get ride of the homeless as well. The challenge is in a Canadian society this may not be an acceptable option.

Examinations is a basic requirement Day 1 of formal school for Singaporeans. In Canada, it is a taboo. No one should be tested.

Pre-National Day Fun

The malls are full of students who were on half day. All the students are out in force and in groups to kill time. Both B1 and B2 went out with their friends to watch movie or just exploring places of interest on their own.

It is freedom time from school, ubiquitous homework and study. The only day where they are free from returning home right away. This maybe a uniquely Singapore experience!

Hard Rock Cafe

HRC aka Hard Rock Cafe has 1 for 1 entree for DBS card holder. The set lunch is at $12.50. Set dinner at $19.50. Set menu include a soup or salad for dinner, dessert and tea or coffee. It is great value.

Also there is a 50% discount for those who celebrate their birthdays with Singapore. So I can see HRC is get popular since the value proposition has become competitive. We had dinner there tonight. The fajitas chicken or beef are fabulous. Lots of birthdays celebrations. There were at least 3 rowdy birthday song sung! Come and join in the fun.

All Clear

I have a annual followup check with my Urologist on kidney stones on Monday. I did not write about it until now because Michelle's accident was more important. I had to go for x-ray and then wait for the report and before seeing my Urologist. The x-ray did not reveal any kidney stones. I have a huge gallstone. His advice is not to do anything unless the gallstone gives problem. He says most people die with their gallstones. My wife was in a state of shock. She thought he said most people die due to the gallstones. What he meant was usually gallstones will not give any trouble at all, I explained to her.

It was good to know I am all clear for now.

Risks at Work

Michelle was on her way back from a working trip and had an accident. X-ray from the hospital shows that one of her ribs has a fracture. Such is the risk from work. If she does not need to travel, this accident would not have happened. While this could happen anywhere and any place, it is still due to work that she get into this accident.

I am so sorry for her. I travel a lot and understand the risks are always higher in jobs that require travel. It could happen to anyone. Not too long ago, a female CEO of her own company died when her taxi was hit from behind. It was very sad.

I pray to Angel for the safety of all who travel.

My Colleague was in an Accident!

My colleague, Michelle is a slender, hour shape lady. She was in Bangkok for meeting and on her way back, the taxi she was had an accident and the taxi turn turtle. She suffered bruises and whiplash. She is still in a state of shock as she talk to me even though the accident happened on Saturday.

She is back home in KL now. This is a terrible ordeal. The panel doctor from our company told her since she was discharged by the hospital in Thailand, she need not see them. It is terrible. Our company seems callous and heartless. An employee went to work and was met with an accident and injured. This is how you get treated.

I feel so sorry for her and she is in pain and shock and got told off. This make it seem like the company we work for treat employees as machine to be discard if there is maintenance required even though it is due to earning money for the company.

I hope my colleague heal and recover.

TGIM

Thank God Its Monday! Yes, tomorrow is a regular work day. We work hard today, Sunday to work on allocating our products as we are in short supply. Tomorrow we will need to tackle the rest of the supply issue.

This is a good problem to have - not having enough products. We have this issue since Jun and in July, the stock market rocketed! I am wondering if I can use the state of my business as an indicator of the stock market trend. If it really works, I will be making money. Money makes the world go round...

Lottery

The number 222 did not come up on any of the prizes. However, the first prize has all the digits of my car plate coming up. The number for 1st prize is 2168. Hopefully, my car number will come up when my new Prius arrive. I am not sharing the number yet but it all the digits are in the first prize! I am hopeful....

Lucky number

I woke up at 4am this morning by a dream. It is someone going after my car. I cannot get back to sleep. I also there were two 3-digit numbers. One of the is 222. Maybe it will come out in the 4D. For non-Singaporean reader, 4D is the weekend lottery on Saturday and Sunday. 4D is 4 digits and is the running number for car registration. It is a very popular and a huge revenue generator for the Singapore government.

Since today is Sunday, maybe 0222 or 2220 will pop up in the winning prize.

Stumbling and Falling

As all of you know, I have rollerblade lessons. I practise on my own. Slopes are extremely challenging for me. I lost control and fell. My butts hurts, back sore, elbow tender and wrists in pain.

I will persist until I can master the basics. I will not go for advanced skills but wants to be able to enjoy rollerblading for recreation. The road to enjoying a new hobby and exercise is paved with pain and injuries. Thank God for chiropractor, I am getting regular treatment that help me relieve and recover for all my stumbles and falls.

Freaky Friday on Saturday

Channel 5 movie for tonight is Freaky Friday. The story of mother and daughter having to deal with teenage issues. They go into a Chinatown resturant and a (get this!) Chinese Witch make them exchange their bodies so that they can see through each other eyes. They go through several misadventures and the only way for them to exhange back to their own bodies is have unselfish desire and wish for each other.

All well ends well. It is a nice escape for the weekend. I would recommend this movie if you miss it tonight. It is available on the DVD.