Baby Watermelon

Nowadays, watermelons come seedless.  Seedless is nice and easy to eat.  No seeds give crunch and then taste bitter.  However, no seeds also means to grow watermelon  one has to buy seeds from the garden store.  Not too long ago, I had a watermelon with a few seeds even though it was a seedless melon.  I threw the seeds into my pot.  Some seedlings did grow.  All did not survive due to a variety of reasons - eaten by snails, burnt by too strong sun, or just simply fad away.  All except on.  Now the one is growing well.  I am very happy to see the leaves grows quite big.  It also had several female flowers before.  But the fruits cannot grow.  Now I have one baby watermelon!!  I am very happy to see this flower swelling up.  Below is the picture of the baby watermelon.  I hope it will grow big and juicy.

Baby Bird - Brown Shirk

Our micro garden has birds was chirping like very loudly.  So I look out and found a baby with 2 adult birds very excited and flustered.  I was worried about frightening the baby or rather fledging.  So I took videos from inside.  There is no sounds as I took the video from inside glass door of my house.  The baby is hidden in the dark but you can see it in the middle of the screen.  We always feel very happy to have birds building nests in our house.  Olive Back Sunbird - first-baby-olive-back-sunbird-is-out

Daddy?  Maybe Mummy

Baby is in the middle of the screen.  Use full screen to locate the baby

Grasshoppers!

I have been growing plants and vegetables for a long time now.  I always get lots of snails and will catch them at night especially after rain.  Snails are big eaters and destroys my orchids and other plants.  Recently, I managed to grow rice and discover some grasshoppers.  Since then, there are lots of holes on my brinjal plant.  I thought it might be caterpillars but could not find any.

Yesterday, as I was getting rid of tiny white flies in the sweet potato leaves, something jumps out.  On closer look I saw a tiny grasshopper in the leaf.  Then I saw another grasshopper on the brinjal leaves.  So I found the answer to all the holes in the leaves.  It was the grasshoppers.

I killed 2 or 3 by squashing them.  This morning, more grasshoppers.  It is going to be a challenge to keep my plants from eaten up.

My Friend Boh Tong is planting well in Japan

Boh Tong is growing lots of stuff in Japan.  He has a green thumb!  I am experimenting as well.  Recently, I managed to grow some rice.  They looked like grass in the beginning and suddenly the green padi appears.  It is like magic!

Young Padi Shoots

Pane Andov

Pane Andov travel in the astral dimension and give talks and wrote books about it.  He is in YouTube and wrote a book titled The Awakening Life Force Energy.  I find the subject he wrote on quite interesting.  He write things as a matter of fact on a totally invisible and different world.  Also he does not write as a deduction or quote from other sources.  He does has a recommended list.  A lot of what he write collaborate with Lobsang Rampa's writing. 

I read Lobsang Rampa in Secondary School and find it facinating.  So even though I have plenty of choice of books to read, I read Pane Andov first.  After reading, I search and him on YouTube.  However, I don't find the videos as engaging or interesting.  I loved his book and all the illustrations.

It is nice to start reading again.

Posting is Out!!!

After a teeth gnashing and incredibly challenging wait, the posting for B3 is finally out!. He did not get his first choice which is medicine.  He is quite disappointed.  He was offered TCM in NTU and scholarship in SMU IT and Law.  Both he is not so keen.  So he has accepted his 2nd choice in NUS i.e. dental school.

He had talks with his friend's sister who is currently in dental school.  I think it convince him that it is not so bad a choice.

Anxiety State

This week is the outcome of the B3's placement in University.  We are in a high anxiety state.  We prayed hard.  Some of his friends have been offered in another school.  For him, it is waiting for the last school to announce whether he gain admission or not.

Mummy is checking on Kiasu Parents website.  There are lots of comments and analysis.  Seems like other parents are also in the same high anxiety state.

Vesak Day - Full Moon

The sky is clear and moon is full.  Buddha is smiling on us.  The day is quiet and I am nursing a headache.  I have been having headaches since my DJ Stent was removed.  I am suspecting it may be cold turkey from black tea.  Although initially, I suspect it may be the ureter healing after being traumatised by the DJ stent removal.  The whole stretch of ureter will be scratch by the stent as it was being pulled out.

Panadol does not work on my headaches.  So I decided to drink Chinese tea.  It seems to help a bit.  However, I do not know how much oxalate Chinese tea contains.  Will google after finishing this entry.

We are slowly clearing up our fridge of all the old food we bought but did not get to eat.  Some we have to throw as they are expired.  I am also baking cookies for snacks.  The thing about making my own cookies is I know how much sugar it contains.  And it is a lot.  No wonder I have weight issues as cookies are my favorite snacks.

I will have to develop a lower sugar version and bake myself to have healthier snacks.

Cooped Up at Home

It has been a few weeks now.  We are all cooped up at home except for grocery or meal times to buy takeouts.  It is tough.  Luckily, we have plenty of room and space for the family.  One boy is out.  The other 2 has their own rooms.  While CB is tough, we have internet, gardening, cooking, washing up and other daily chores.  So time do pass.

Singtel TV is lousy.  So we watched Korean Soap Drama.  It is a good way to pass time.

I am also reading more. 

Kidney Stones

Kidney stones are mainly Calcium Oxalate, Uric acid and Cystine.  My kidney stones was 100% Calcuim Oxalate.  High-oxalate foods include: black tea, potato chips, peanuts and chocolate.  My top 3 favorites food items.  I start my day with strong black tea with milk.  I buy loads of potato chips  and peanut and snack them all the time.  Now I have cut my peanuts consumption.  I love peanut soup and satay sauce. 

In order to reduce the chance of kidney stones recurring, I should cut these 3 items from my diet.  I love peanut butter.  I eat peanut butter with cream cracker if there is no bread and worse just peanut butter by itself if I ran out of cream cracker.  Every morning, I start my day with a cup of strong Ceylon tea with evaporated milk and sugar.  In the afternoon and evening, I may have an cup or two.
Many times, when I am travelling, I am too lazy to go and eat in a resturant, I will eat potato chips for my meal.  It is really stupid as the company would pay for my meals anyway.

The kidney stones I had is "staghorn" i.e. it is very spiky.  So there is no way it can come down the ureter.  So I need to drink a lot of water beside avoiding high oxalate food.

Double J Stent OUT!!

Yesterday, my DJ stent was removed.  It is a short procedure.  The surgeon just use a hook to pull out the stent.  The bleeding in the kidney stopped by end of the day.  So much better not to see bloody urine when I pee.

What a feeling!  I am finally painfree.  However, even though the procedure is quick, it is quite traumatic.  I slept the whole afternoon.  Took lots of painkillers.

This morning, I also do not feel top of the world.  I am getting back to normal. 

Thanks, BT.  You are a good friend.

The Painful Road to Recovery

Kidney Stones condition is one of the most painful medical conditions anyone can get!!  Just Google "kidney stones" and this statement consistently come up.  This is what I am having right now.  It is seems to be genetically predisposed and diet play an important part.

I had 3 stones removed two days ago.  In public hospitals, they will insert a Double J Stent.  This is a tube with 2 coils at the end.  One coil will go to the kidney and the other coil is at the bladder.  Hence double J.  The stent is to keep my ureter patent or open after the ureteroscope traumatize the ureter after it travel to the kidney with a basket to pull the stones out.

So every time I go to the washroom to relieve my full bladder, it is painful at the abdomen where the stent is residing.  The pain will travel all the way to the kidney.  On top of that, I had to drink plenty of water to clear the kidneys of any remnant of the stones.  Just imagine have to go to pass urine more frequently to keep the kidneys clear.  Every time it is painful.  So, more frequent than usual visits increase frequency of pain episode every day!

I am looking forward to the day the stent is removed.  I requested as early as possible.  The surgeon want to keep for 2 weeks.  I begged and begged and he decided 9 days instead even though I wanted to get it out in a week.

I am glad to remove the stones.  The largest stone is like a stag horn.  It blocked the ureter and cause ureter colic which is more painful than childbirth.

Right now, I am taking it easy and improving day by day.  I should back to normal maybe a week or two after my D J stent removed.  I am looking forward to this day!

Kidney Stones Removal

I will be checking into Seng Kang General Hospital for ureteroscopy at quarter past twelve.  Operations is schedule at quarter past 2.  It will be done under general anesthesia and it is day surgery.  So I can stay in the hospital up to 23 hours max.

I will be glad to have to offending stones out.  I will have to cut down on my black tea. and change to Chinese tea or green tea.  Cutdown on potato chips and drink plenty of lemon juice moving forward.

Fixing a Broken Fan

I feel so proud of myself.  The fan in my bedroom broke and on the internet there is a guy who use the used PE bottles and turned them in strings and show how strong and durable it is.  So I tried and it works! However, it is not good enough as the holder for the fan has split into two.  And I can only tie top half.  Bottom half is still shaky.  

So I decided to use glue.  Epoxy is a strong glue and my boy has a big bottle or rather 2 bottles, one for resin and other for hardener.  I seen these two bottles for a long time and wonder if my boy has forgotten.  He did not!  I asked him for epoxy and when he says it was upstairs immediately I know he meant these 2 bottles.

My first 2 attempts applying the epoxy was a failure.  Finally, I managed to fill up the cavity with epoxy.  I hope the epoxy is strong enough to hold the fan.

It is Kidney Stones!!

My pain came back.  This time no nausea and tummyache do not have the urge to pass motion.  This time I know it is not food poisoning.  The pain was very severe.  It is called Ureteric Colic.  One of the most painful if not the most painful medical issue.

I again go to emergency.  This time after I convince the ER doctor it is kidney stones, they send me for X-rays and found the stone.  It was 6mm.  They send a just qualified doctor from urology to see me and did some test e.g touching my testicles and poking into my anus.  Then she advise me on the options.  Basically, she want me to discharge and come back on Monday as outpatient for CT scan.  I asked to be warded even though it is Thursday evening and Friday is a public holiday.

No choice has to go C warded.  Wheel into the ward at about midnight.  The patient opposite me talking to himself the whole night through.  Beside him, another patient who keeps pressing the nurse call button and keeping us awake all night.

The next morning after the doctors round, I had my CT scan.  The kidney stone is actually 8mm and 2 other stones 3mm each.  I am in real trouble.

My son's girlfriend's father had kidney stones and took some Chinese herbs and it works.  I am take them now as well.  I am also drinking lemon juice.  It is supposed to reduce the size of the stones.

Food Poisoning Episode

Two days ago, I ate achar from unauthorised vendor.  I ate it at noon.  By 3pm, I was not feeling good.  I tried to vomit to no avail.  My tummy hurts and yet I cannot pass motion.  So I took 2 panadols and tramadol.  Still did not work.  At 7pm, I took 2 more panadols and wife decides to bring me to hospital.  There I went to A&E.  Doctor do a blood test and gave me an injection for pain.  Also drug to stop my nausea.  The nausea drug works but the pain did not subside.  So, he gave me a dose of morphine.  In 30 mins, my feet and hands which were very cold, warms up.  It is amazing change.  I wanted to die.  Now, I feel much better.

I was sent for x-ray and the doctor ultrasound my abdomen.  Cannot find any issue.  I was sent to the ward with my drip.  I am glad to get the treatment.  I had panadol drip at 2am.

I had to do x-ray of my abdomen at 3:50am.  5am is measurement of my vitals.  So it is not possible to sleep well at all.

6am is first round by 1 group of doctors.  8am by round 2.  Different doctors.  So it is a bit confusing who is in-charge. 

Anyway, I managed to get myself discharge by 4pm and out of the hospital by 5pm.

Yesterday, was recovery.  Still do not feel good and have cold sweats.  Today, feeling stronger but at time weak and breathless.  I am recovering.  It feels good!!!

Mosquito Coils

I went to NTUC Fairprice to buy mosquito coils.  Guess what!  They are no longer carried in Fairprice.  Now only the expensive electric chemical type is available.  So I now have to find another place to look for mosquito coils.  Maybe Mustapha or knickknack stores. 

I always have small biting insects under my work table.  The mosquito coils are quite effective in smoking them out.  I can't see them as they fly off as soon as I try to slap my itch on my legs.  While the smell of the mosquito coils are not nice, it is far better than getting bitten and itchy all the time'.

Change in Lifestyles

Now the fear to go out is real.  Governments around the world imposed on movement restrictions.  Stay-at-home is the new mantra.  If you are older, stricter stay at home.  No other choice as Japanese say.

We have been going out less often.  Only for meals.  Even it is nearby and wash our hands numerous times each day.  It is scary times.  It is peaceful time. 

Economy is slowly grinding down to a halt.  The resturants have plenty of deals.  The malls reduced hours.  For those with money, great deals and value are abound.  Those without will suffer as reduced hours and stoppages means drop in income.  It is a rich's man world.

Slowly Back to Normal

Food centers are getting crowded again.  For short period when it first turned Orange, people fled from crowded areas.  Love it when it is easy to get seats.  But now all the foodcourts, hawker centers are getting crowded again.  Not easy to get seats anymore.  We were at Compass One "Eats" at basement 2.  The fishball noodle is $4.20 with tea and $3.50 without.  Same price as hawker centers.  The quantity may be slightly less.  But it is in aircon comfort.  Although right now, aircon post risks of getting corona virus.

While having our meals, there was a little girl eating and talking to her mum.  She was so adorable regaling her mum with stories of her day in school.  I loved it.  My boys no longer does this.  It is so nice to listen to the happening and teachers and all the trivia.  Beautiful evening we had.

America Psyche

I was watching Bloomberg News.  It seems to me America needs an Enemy all the time.  China is perpetually accused by America for being a threat and danger to the rest of the world.  When I was growing up, this is Cold War after World War 2.  The enemy was Russia.  Russia help Trump get elected and now a friend.  So the new (in American terminology) bogeyman is China.

The press conference by American leaders are always how America is "rape" by China for the trade deficits.  They buy the goods China makes and enjoy a high standard of living and in turn Trump label that as unfair trade and call it a rape.  They tried to cripple the high tech Chinese companies by accusing them instruments of Government and forcing other nations not to buy their products.

The history academics say these are signs of power shift of hegemony.  Britain was a great empire and decline.  America took its place.  Now America is declining and doing all it can to stay in power.