I'm 15 Today!

Yes, I am fifteen today... well, not today, but back in March.

No, not my age but the number of years I have been with the company.

Yes, it has been that long... and unlike a teenager, I feel so old. Sigh.

Today, my Boss came over to my desk to hand me a Long Service Award envelope. Fortunately a white one, not pink. Commendation and not condemnation... termination.

"Wow! 15 years. Congratulations." He said.

"Wow! A big envelope." I said to myself. "Thank you." I replied.

As he left the office, my friends crowded around me... congratulations from everyone.

It was indeed a big envelope... half the size of an A4 size paper. On it was printed with my name in big bold letters and "15 Year Award" in parenthesis.

Inside was a letter of congratulatory from our CEO and an invite for a dinner award this May 2008 at a 5-star hotel. Cool.

What is even more "cool" is the gold pendant that I will be receiving. 15 gram of 916 gold is quite a lot of money... taking the price of 916 gold is about S$30.00 today.

Then again, I had two other prior occasions where I received gold pendants too. 5 and 10 grams reflecting 5 and 10 years of service with the company respectively. All given to Wifey, and this one too since Muslim men are not permitted to wear gold jewelery.

I would not want to look like an R&B dude either.

I have seen and work... dealt with a lot of people. Most left for "greener pastures." A few actually passed-on prematurely, unfortunately. Great friends who I still keep in contact with, some nemesis I wish and am trying to forget, but in retrospect it always seems not-so-bad, sweet at times.

Never thought I would last this long. Seeing the ups and downs, the hay days and the trying periods like a roller coaster ride, but alas 15 years to celebrate. Phew!

So here's to 15 more?!

Err.... I do not know if I want to last that long here. Only time will tell. I would not want to be a deadwood.

In the meantime, do my best since I am paid to do so and enjoy my weekends and vacations with my family, the best I know how.

Her Childhood Haunts

Boy! This pill is tough to swallow.

Well, inhale too. No, not me, it is Wifey.

Today, I took half day off from work to be with Wifey to know the result from her Spirometry Test done a few weeks back.

It is official. Wifey is now enrolled in the Asthmatic Support Program at Changi General Hospital or CGH for short.

Her nightly incessant flu-like symptom last few months and at times breathlessness has a name now. It's Asthma. No surprise... a term she was familiar with, but as a child and in her early teen years, but not heard of for so long until today.

Though we kind-of know about it, Dr. Imran confirmed it for us.

So, her childhood illness has finally came to haunt her in adulthood. This time is it for the rest of her life as the Specialist had informed. She is now in Dr. Imran's preventive care.

No worries... as long as she sticks to the daily routine of her preventive medications of Symbicort for her lungs and Nasonex for her nose, she "will lead a good quality of life" just like a normal person would.

Her appointment at 3:50PM was delayed 20 minutes because of urgent cases that came and had to be attended to first.

I was in disbelieve when the doctor told Wifey about her condition. I asked question after question to be extra sure, simply because Wifey only had attacks in very infrequent occasions and far in between.

I was somehow in denial with the prognosis and the lifelong medication that she has to take with her "mild" condition, whereas Wifey was quiet... shocked, maybe... resent to fate, maybe.

I did not know what was going through her mind when the doctor was explaining and answering my 101 questions.

I could not accept the fact that her asthma has recurred and will stay for the rest of her life. Poor Wifey, my love.

Yes, she had symptoms of asthma and actually had several attacks that were frequent only in January 2008. The symptom with that excessive phlegm was gone after Dr. Imran treated her with all those medication.

She has recovered from the flu, but had bouts of shortness of breaths on some nights, but nothing "worrying" as Wifey puts it.

After the doctor had explained it to us, it came to mind that Wifey was late in seeking medical treatment for her flu. She waited for 2 weeks and after several "nagging" by me that I was able to "drag" her to our family doctor. Her unnecessary epitome of tolerance.

I had to "drag" her again to CHG when she had a relapse... and all led to this final prognosis and now a change in lifestyle and diet for her... and for the family, since she is the resident cook in this household. We eat what she can eat and cook.

I have to mention that Felicia, the Asthma Consulting Nurse was thorough and very patient to explain all the things that is... well, asthma, now that Wifey is in the Asthma Support Program.

A phone call away for advice and subsidized cost on her monthly medications bill.

I was still in the state of shock but ultimately understood the prognosis than seeking a second opinion an hour later, after Felicia painstakingly and genuinely explained and showed how the medication should be taken.

Just as Wifey understood what exactly asthma is, I finally understood how it occurs or triggered by, how to avoid another attack, how to prepare for overseas trips, why the need for lifelong preventive medications, the difference a relief medication provides and many more facts.

Wifey was made to practice administering the 3 daily medications to Nurse Felicia for her to be sure that Wifey was doing it correctly. Explaining the effects that may be gradual but dangerous when the symptom recurs if Wifey stopped her medication intake.

So we will have a bill of between S$60.00 monthly for her medication once these run out in June 2008. After which, her next appointment and a review on its dosages.

Sonny was saddened and gave his Mama a hug when he was told about her medical condition that will become her lifelong routine. That was heartfelt to watch. He loves his Mama.

Anyway, Wifey has the support from her two beloved people in this household. A minor but important change in our lifestyle which is doable starting tomorrow morning.

Love you Wifey... nothing has changed.

The Great Downpour

Today is Friday. A wet day. The whole day.

The morning saw a downpour that clouded visibility and slowed traffic down. It even stopped traffic in several places. One such place was the expressway along TPE just before the Punggol exit.

I took a cab thinking that the bus will make me late for work. I was dead wrong. The rain made everyone late for work.

The cab I took was dead in its tracks just like the early warning traffic sign flashed as we entered TPE. A tat too late for a warning. The driver made a clever "escape" from the expressway by taking the first exit at Punggol and straight down to Sengkang East Road, my exit on a normal day's ride.

I was relieved to leave the snailing traffic on the TPE, but was short-lived a few traffic lights away. Another traffic jam was trailing vehicles just after we passed Compass Point Mall.

"I think we should go by Jalan Kayu and exit by Yio Chu Kang." The driver suggested. "May be there's flooding further down." Pouted his lips to point to the jam ahead.

I just agreed, since I had never seen a traffic jam on this route before. An accident maybe... with all this bad weather and poor visibility. Flood? Not likely, I thought to myself as the driver diverted another time passing the SMRT LRT building.

"Oh no." The driver sighed to himself.

"Oh man!" I shouted in my head.

The traffic condition was the same everywhere after all. I ended-up being stuck in the cab for almost an hour in what would normally have been a 20-minute ride.

I had to pay the price for an urgent ride to work today that cost me S$24.00! Still, I reached my intended destination in one peace. That is good.

The whole day turned-out mostly wet, with rain stopping for a brief moment only to blur the sights again with heavy downpour and clouding mists. A drenching scenery out the glass doors as I looked out from my desk.

Like the day, the pace at work was slow too. Since manufacturing was not working overtime today, an exodus of the support people took leave off work too, so the whole office seemed gloomy inside, reflecting the weather outside.

I am however amazed at the suggestive power of the mind... I was late an embarrassing hour for work today. Paid a significant amount of money for a cab fare, had soaking wet pair of shoes that was air-con dried under my desk, worked a full day's worth in a sleepy office, yet my spirits lifted more and more with every passing hour.

Why? Simply because it is Friday. The weekend is here! I live for the weekend.

The bad thing is that it is only for two days. The good thing is, I get to celebrate the weekend every week... starting 5:30PM.

Enjoy your weekend everyone, as I will with mine!

The Wedding Three

Typical Malay Wedding Luncheon held at a void deck of a flat

Sundays are best left to attend wedding receptions.

For many Malays in Singapore, the whole year is open to wedding invitations on the weekends with the exception of two important months of the year... Ramadan and Hari Raya Eidulfitri.

It would not make any sense to invite anyone for a feasting luncheon when everyone is observing the fast from dawn till dusk during Ramadan.

And everybody will be so busy going visiting to families' and friends' places during the celebration month of Hari Raya Eidulfitri. In fact some families would go off to Malaysia or Indonesia to visit their families or relations overseas.

Invitations from the host would normally be coming via our parents, acting as a "distribution centre" to their children on behalf of the host. They would normally visit the elders' homes as a form of respect to invite them and their family to the wedding, about a month prior to the occasion.

I have to admit that I have a very bad habit of not showing up for such invitations, except for very close relations. I will only hand Mom a "green packet" for my parents or any of my siblings who are attending to give the host my gift and regards.

Typical Malay wedding luncheon with a dais on the far right

A typical Malay wedding would be held at the void deck of the parents' flat. All decked out nicely with a dais for the happy couple to introduce themselves and picture takings with their guests.

Both the bride and groom will hold their own wedding luncheon at both of their homes. So if both families were somehow related to you, you would probably receive two wedding invitations and obliged to go to both places.

The food spread would be a gastronomical feast, but tilted richly to the high calorie and cholesterol mix... like anything in life too good a thing is very harmful! What is worse is that instead of ala carte, nowadays its buffet style, so pigging out is an option.

Nasi Beryani or yellow spiced rice is normally served with mutton or beef curry. Fried chicken and Ayam Masak Merah or chicken in red-sauce, sweet and sour fried fish cutlets and Achar or spiced-sour cucumber and carrots... among other dishes that make the guests spoiled for choice.

Desserts will be aplenty with combinations of Malay Kueh and western cakes and cookies.

Do not get me wrong, the food spread is wonderful and befitting the occasion, but eating such sinfully delicious dishes on too many weekends make many Malays here a tat larger in size than the other races on this island... with higher incidences of cholesterol related diseases too.

So today, Wifey and I met up with two of my Sis and three of my brothers with their spouses at our parents' home to go together to the three places. One is fortunately a few blocks away from our parents' place, while the other two were clustered within Jurong West on 42 and 73 street.

The first two lunches were delicious. I was at my most weakest and pigged out... but everyone had to force eating themselves silly at the third place. Fortunately it was our closest relation, so we took our time to finish the food eventually.

A wedding procession announcing the couple's arrival

In Malay culture, it is considered insensitive to not eat at a wedding lunch, so we took our time eating and got to see the happy couple as well when they came back from the bride's home.

Three weddings, so we each received three sets of buah tangan or door gifts from the host when we congratulated and thanked them for the invitation. A guest would be giving a green packet containing anything from S$2.00 to S$50.00 to the host, though any amount one is willing and can afford to give is good enough.

Too much food eaten, too bloated to think further and too sleepy to write any more.

So off to bed for me and a tough workout tomorrow morning to get rid of the access baggage to start the week.