40fied And Stronger

Guess what day is today?

Not really sure if this is a cause for a celebration, though... I turned 40 today.

The big Four-O! A year older, but yet to find out if I am a year wiser, than last year.

Wished there were something special today, but like any other day, the same routine. Hardly anybody at work remembered my birthday. I take it being 40 is not a cause for celebration there.

Anyway I received a sweet text message from Wify once I reached work and at my desk. That was nice to start the day with.

Then more text messages came in beeping my cell phone with well wishes. These were all from my insurance agents... from NTUC, from AIA and from Prudential.

After that, the day was pretty much mundane like any other working day. I kept my spirits up not so much because it is my birthday, but because it is a Friday, and a payday! Yey!

Funny right. this childish glee. That scares me sleepless sometimes. At 40 years old, I do not feel that I am any wiser. I feel just old!

So, with nothing interesting to write, I list down what it feels to be 40. No, no... just a year older:

1. My slowing metabolism seems to bulk me up, but some say I am fat.
2. My face starts to have defined "happy" lines, but some call them wrinkles.
3. My hair tends to get natural highlights, but some say I am greying.
4. Talk about sleepless nights, I would be in slumber-land right after meals.
5. My left knee starts to crackle, definitely complaining about me.
6. My back seems to freeze at one position right after bending down.
7. I would write more, but my memory seems to... what was I saying?

Now, what am I grateful for at 40? Many wonderful things:

1. I have a loving wife who neurishes my soul.
2. I have an intelligent son who always amazes me.
3. I have 2 loving parents who I just love so dearly.
4. I have a nice house where my heart feels at home, I always want to be home.
5. I have the opportunity to make my own decisions.
6. I have have the freedom to practise my faith and culture.
7. I have Blogspot to keep-safe my thoughts and speak out loud, in my own terms

I have my own sanctuary and I have my sanity. I got the gift of a good life.

I thank The Almighty for all these years and the opportunity to do the things I want to do... some are well... backlog agenda that I may decide to do and some just dreams to keep my spirits high and my hopes alive.

I love life. I am passionate about life. Happy birthday to me!

I am fortified and going stronger.

Made In Singapore!

Well the advertisements of a new Superman movies are every in the mass media.

Did I say... Superman movies?

Well, that is right. 2 Superman movies now showing.

One is Superman Return from Hollywood and another is "Superman Born" from Bollywood.

If you don not already know, Bollywood is an Indian equivalent to Hollywood, though they produce more films in a year than in the US combined.

Well, the latter "Superman" is special because the film was shot mostly in Singapore. After such a long, long time ago since a foreign film crew like Hawaii Five-O was shot in Singapore it seems.

There were others too, but none came to mine so vividly as Hawaii Five-O. All the more I wish to visit Hawaii this day and age.

Krissh is "Superman." Well... part alien since he got his gift from one.

Anyway, it is also special because while they were shooting it, Wify and I were watching it done arduously scene, by scene.

The entourage and all those equipment to shoot minute, by minute segments.

No we were not in any part involved in the making, we were just on-lookers... from our kiosk.

That was because the were shooting it in Shenton Way on 2nd October 2005 onwards at OUB Centre, to be exact.

That was where Wify's kiosk was located for a few months.

At that time, we only knew that it was Hrithik Roshan as it was published in the newspapers that the government allowed the Indian film crew to shoot the movie in Singapore, hosted by the Singapore Tourism Promotion Board.

The movie is out now, just as Superman Returns is.

No I am not a fan of Hindustani films and will not rush to get tickets to the theater. Wify is a fan of Indian movies, in fact she is a fan of any love story, be in western or even Korean.



Yes, even without subtitles, she can make herself understand... in her own terms, maybe... the story line and weep.

This is a good move by the government to make Singapore well known, not just for chewing gum ban and a financial hub in Southeast Asia, but for vibrancy in its culture and openness to all things wonderful to do in this island.

Back to the movie, below is a synopsis of what the movie is about, taken off Yahoo.com.sg :

"KRRISH is a sequel to the blockbuster KOI MIL GAYA.

Roshans? The father-son duo combine together yet again in another sci-fi movie where Hrithik Roshan plays as

KRRISH, son of Rohit (Played by Hrithik Roshan in the first version - Koi Mil Gaya).

Krishna (Hrithik Roshan) is born with magical powers - a legacy from his father, Rohit Mehra. Priya (Priyanka Chopra) comes into his life and becomes his world.

When she beckons him to Singapore, he follows.

In Singapore, Dr. Siddhant Arya (Naseeruddin Shah), the megalomaniac scientist is on the verge of changing the future forever.

Only one man stands between Dr. Siddharth Arya and his destructive dreams.

To block his ruthless ambitions... Krishna must become KRRISH."

Something different from an Indian movie, but at its core, the same theme and concept... a love story, overcoming all odds to finally be together.

And oh... song and dance on the hill and mountains... lots of it I bet!

Tender Loving Care

Continued from... Verdict Is Out.

Finally, after the 4th call, Dr. Ong Yew Hong was at his clinic ready to see my son.

We reached Neptune Healthcare clinic at 3:00pm, but there were already people queued there, before us from before lunch but had yet to see the doctor.

We had to wait for almost 40 minutes before Dr. Ong finally called my son's name.

The X-ray was already on the lighted box when we came in.

He confirmed that my son's toe was indeed fractured. A "clean" one fortunately and the healing should be less complicated.

He assessed my son's condition and tolerance for pain by asking him to perform some physical movements. Before that he asked how it happened.

My son finally told the doctor himself that he broke his toe while trying to break a fall from his bicycle on the way to the playground. His friends brought him back home on foot.

Great! Just great! His first broken bone at age 11, caused by his birthday gift from me! To not disappoint me for some reason, he told me that he fell while playing at the playground.

He looked at my son's toe and asked for him to walk around. Then to stand up on a stool and jump down onto the floor. My son did, but with caution, trying to avoid any pain.

Dr. Ong then asked my son to dash across the room, which he also did but still with caution,. His faced squinted, obviously trying to endure the pain.

He then explained how it should be handled... alright, brace myself as I listened...

He had seen many similar cases in the hospital, but because my son is young, this type of fracture should heal quickly. In 6 weeks time!

Not sure if that time frame IS quick, but I take his professional word for it.

Since there is little need for surgery to mend the fractured bone, no little "toe-cast" either, He instead proposed using a "buddy" aid to the tender toe.

Using a disposable sticky band-aid, he showed us how we should perform it daily after every bath or when the bandage became dirty.

The 2nd toe will have to be bandaged together with the big toe to assist as a splint, aligning it back straight.

The pain he would feel while he moves "will trigger his brain to send more calcium" to the broken area to mend it. The bone needed only to be aligned straight while the process of joining back and healing occur.

He was given a medical chit to be excused from PE lessons in school and just in case, from wearing shoes in school for 6 weeks.

He can wear slippers, though it was strongly encouraged to wear shoes to school to better protect that tender toe from being stepped on, or accidentally hit against something or by someone.

He was still prescribed pain killers just in case, only to be taken if he felt pain again.


Off we went to Century Square at Tampines Central for early dinner. My son suddenly had the urge for a Tom Yum Noodle which I, cannot also resist. Chicken Rice take-away for Wify.

To "relieve" his pain further, we bought Prestige Chocolates, white and dark Swiss chocolates. Consider this a little "bribe" to award him for being tough to endure the pain for the past days.

Phew!!! No hospital, no surgery, no annual leave off work left for me!

Wify was still in a daze with the medication at home while all this was happening. She was all the while in slumber land.

No complaints of pain or sore throats, but blissful slumber while the antibiotics take effect. That is a good thing.

As for my son, sticky "buddy-bandage" for the next 42 days.

No PE, no strenuous activities, just walk, walk and more walk to stimulate faster healing.

I thank The Almighty for protecting my family. No panicky situations here today! Just extra room for tender-loving care for these 2 angels of mine.

Verdict Is Out!

Continued from... Two The Neptune.

Left home this morning to reach Medical Imaging X-ray & Diagnostic Centre by 9:00am.

It was not that difficult to find the place at Block 138 when it was directly in front of the rounded building of Tampines Town Council at Block 136.

We were the first to arrive and within 5 minutes, my son was ushered into the X-ray room and the imaging done, out in another 5 to 8 minutes.

We had to wait for another 5 minutes for the X-ray print to be ready to take to Dr. Lim for his assessment on my son's toe.

I saw the x-ray film and it did not look good at all.

The slanted toe is caused by the fractured bone diagonally across his second bone. Yikes!

What is next... but that is just me and what I saw.

I have to let Dr. Lim tell us what is next.

I see extended leave absence from school is in the works here... I see that we have to go to the hospital for treatment here...

I called Wify to inform her what I saw, and what I think may be next. She replied with a soft, sleepy voice to keep her posted.

Oh dear, two sick angles in one go. Terrific!

My son and I went straight from Street 11 to Street 33 where Neptune Healthcare Medical & Surgery is, to pass the X-ray to Dr. Lim.

The clinic was packed with sick people. Really packed that when I registered my son, my son will be seen only after lunch at about 2:00pm.

It was only 9:40am in the morning! Wow!

Dr. Lim is not on duty, but Dr. Ong Yew Hong is for the day.

I was asked to call the clinic first before coming, because Dr. Ong will have house-calls first before coming back to the clinic. The X-ray was left at the clinic for the doctor to review it.

It may be later than 2:00pm, so I just have to keep on calling to avoid waiting for him there.


Guess it is going to be a busy day today.

To be continued...

Two The Neptune!

Wify finally decided to heed my advice to see the doctor late afternoon, hours after she "purposely" endured the pain by sleeping it off.

Just as I told her, it would not just go away by sleeping it off!

Since it was Sunday, our family doctor had already closed. They are open up to noon on weekends.

So we decided to go to Neptune Healthcare Medical & Surgery at Tampines Street 33. It opens daily till 11:00pm.

My son had to have his second toe on his right leg examined too, since the swollen has not subsided and the toe still felt tender.

He requires a medical chit to excuse him from wearing shoes in school for a while.

There were 3 other people at the clinic waiting to see the doctor before our turn.

There was a teenager who apparently had flu. He was short of $3,00 to pay for the consultation and medication fees.

With several people and families there, he approached me to borrow some for some reason.

Wander why? Do I look approachable with apathy... or can I be passed-off as a sucker?...

He offered his cell phone number to contact him. He intended to return the money when he got it from his parents when the came back home in the evening.

I just gave him the money instead.

Not worth the hassle. I just took it as a "minute savior" for the day for him, a good deed done for the day for me.

All 3 of us went into the consultation room when my son's name was called by the doctor.

Dr. Lim Hsiu Wang was the attending doctor for the day.

He did not like what he saw of our son's toe. It sort of like slanted to the right. He suspected a fracture, but not compound. He believed the swelling may have made it slanted, but he needed to be sure.

Our son has to go for an x-ray today to be totally sure, but for now Dr. Lim prescribed him anti-inflammatory for the swelling, and pain-killer pills for now.

Our son was given 2 days medical leave for now off from school. He may need an extended medical leave if it is really broken.


His x-ray is scheduled to be before noon today, at Medical Imaging X-ray & Diagnostic Centre at Block 138 Tampines Street 11.

I did not know there is such a centre within the housing estate. That is a plus point, even though the Changi General Hospital is just 10 minutes away from our home in Simei.

Next was Wfiy...

Surprisingly, she had a temperature of 38.7 degrees Celsius. She had high fever, but she did not complain that much, just her sore throat. She slept most of the day instead.

And yes, her throat has pus too! I could not believe it, but that was what the doctor said. It was the first time I heard of such a thing with sore throats.

Where have I been living all this while...?

Had dinner at Tampines Mart Kopi Tiam. The Malay Food Junction shop Tom Yum Seafood Noodle Wify and I had was quite good and worth the money at $4.00 each, while our son eat Seafood Fried Rice which tasted great!


Wify, an avid fan of Tom Yam like me, could not even finish half a bowl. Her appetite was just not good. I could only imagine the throbbing pain in her head. My poor angle.

And yes, I am on urgent leave today again! I am fortunate that my Boss is an understanding family man himself too.

To be continued...