Thursday, May 31, 2012

Day +2156 : Wheelchair service

I am fine today.

My wife and I fetched Teresa to KLIA at 5:45am today. It has been a long time I didn't drive to the airport, and to make sure that I won't make mistake, I turned on the GPS on my Galaxy Note.

We reached the airport without making any mistake. My wife accompanied Teresa into the airport while I waited in the car outside the airport. We were relieved to know that wheelchair service was available. Unlike AirAsia which charge a fee for the service, MAS provides the service for free :-)

According to my wife, there is a wheelchair counter in the airport. Passengers who needs the service need to register themselves at the counter by giving the staff the boarding pass. The airport staff will then come to pick up the passenger about 50 minutes before the flight departure.

We went back to Puchong while Teresa was waiting at the counter because I needed to send Daniel and Joseph to a church at 8:30am. They are joining their three days and two nights youth and teen camp that will be held at Port Dickson.

See you next post :-)

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Day +2155 : Teresa is discharged today

I am fine today.

Teresa is discharge today. Her flight back to Miri is at 8:30am tomorrow. I have a term paper that needs to be submitted tomorrow. The lecturer didn't give a definite deadline for the submission of the paper, and the deadline was postponed twice. I was confused, and thought that the deadline will be on 6 June. It was a shock to hear that the deadline is tomorrow :-(

I planned to ask my church member who is a taxi driver to fetch Teresa to the airport. However, after seeing that she is still weak, I decided to fetch her to airport with my wife, so that we can help her in the airport.

Considering that Teresa might need to walk for a long distance to the boarding gate, I called MAS for wheelchair service. I was told that such request need to be made 48 hours in advance. However, they will make a note in the system to arrange for the service, but there is guarantee that they can provide the service.

We pray that Teresa will be strong enough tomorrow that even if she doesn't get the wheelchair service, she still has strength to walk to the boarding gate.

See you next post :-)

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Day +2154 : Days without maid

I am fine today.

My maid told me nervously last month that she would like to go back to Indonesia for a month of holiday in July. I think she was nervous because she thought that getting approval to go back for holiday was a tough request, and she was afraid I would decline her request. However, she was wrong. I approved her request immediately, but negotiate with her to go back during the school holiday, not July, so that my wife can take care of the housework, at least for two weeks. She said that she would like to go back July to help her family to plant paddy. She has been working for us for almost three years. She must miss the village life very much.

After discussing with her, we both agreed that she goes back on 24 May and comes back on 23 June. I had to sit for the exam on 24 May, so I asked a church member who is a taxi driver to fetch her to airport and help her to deposit her luggage, and then bring her to the boarding gate.

Life goes on as usual without a maid thanks to Daniel and Joseph who helped to do many things that the maid did. They are just like the troopers, and I am the commander. I feel so good to see so many works get done just by issuing commands :-)

See you next post :-)

Monday, May 28, 2012

Day +2153 : I need to focus on sleeping

I am fine today.

Adriel is always waiting for me to go to bed at night whenever I am home, but I always have unending works to complete. "Are you done?" she always shouted from the bed with an expecting tone.

"Wait for a few minutes, I am almost done," is my standard answer.

Seeing that I am not done yet after a few minutes later, she would repeat the same question, and again the reply is standard - I will be done in a few minutes.

One night when I went to bed, she almost fell asleep. Feeling a little bit guilty, I tried to talk to her, and the reply is, "Ssh... Stop disturbing me, I need to focus on sleeping." This is the first time ever I heard that one needs to focus on sleeping. However this is something everyone of us needs to learn - don't worry and think too much, it is sleeping time, let's focus on sleeping.

See you next post :-)

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Day +2152 : A gift from London

I am fine today.

My nephew, Soon Hui, went backpacking Europe for three weeks this month. He shared his first ever backpacking experience through his blog Journey in Alien Land.

His last stop was London. My neighbor, Wendy and her husband, who went to London to pursue their study a few months ago, came to Soon Hui. Wendy asked Soon Hui to bring back a gift - White tower - for us.

Thank you! Wendy.

White tower - a part of Tower of London
See you next post :-)

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Day +2151 : Visiting patients at non-visiting hour

I am fine today.

We used to visit Teresa twice a day - morning and the evening. The visiting hours for Putrajaya Hospital is 12:00-2:00pm and 4:30-7:00pm. These visiting hours are not practical for us. For example, these hours do not allow us to send breakfast to Teresa in the morning.

My wife and I found a way to visit Teresa at non-visiting hour. The tip is that when the guard stops you, you have to say that you are a "jaga" - the one who is taking care of the patient, then you are free to visit the patient, anytime you like :-) I learned about this tip when I visited Teresa the second time on Thursday. When I was about to enter the guarded area, the guard asked me if I am a "pelawat (visitor)" or "jaga(carer)". When I answered "jaga", I was given permission to proceed :-)

See you next post :-)

Friday, May 25, 2012

Day +2150 : Last day of the semester

I am fine today.

The exams were over yesterday. All students and staffs are required to attend the semester closing service this morning to mark the end of the semester. All of us have to admit that this is the worst semester that we ever went through. The problem started in the beginning of the semester when almost all students were infected with a parasite called Sarcocystis with prolonged fever and muscle pain. And after that, we heard of people diagnosed with cancer and a student with a heart problem that needed a heart operation. On the personal side, my company was sued in the high court by a competitor.

We have reached the end of the semester now. And again, we all experienced that our God is a faithful God. He carried us through all the troubles that we faced. Though we might still need to struggle with some of the problems, such as those who were diagnosed with cancer has to undergo chemotherapy and radiotherapy, I strongly believe that our God is with us, and He will lead us.

Though the semester is over now, the course assignments are not over yet. I have three term papers to submit during the holiday, and a short assignment to be submitted today. I planned to stay back in the seminary yesterday to complete the short assignment. However, when I thought that Teresa was still in hospital, I decided to pay her a visit, went home, and then came back again to the seminary today.

I was not very sure how to go to Putrajaya Hospital from the seminary. I had to rely fully on the GPS running on my Galaxy Note. It took me almost two hours to reach the hospital as I made a few mistakes on the way.

Teresa was still weak yesterday as this was the second day of her operation. She couldn't swallow solid food. I searched the two canteens in the hospital for porridge but both of them had finished selling it. Finally, I decided to go back Puchong first, and payed Teresa another visit, bringing porridge and my wife this time :-)

I waked up at 4:00am this morning to do the assignment that needs to be submitted today. I went to the seminary at 6:30am, and continue the work after I reached there. Finally, I completed the assignment just before the semester closing service start :-) Last minute work again!

Now all that is left is the three term papers, one with deadline one week later, and the others two week later.

With this, I have completed three semesters of my study, and there are three more to go.

See you next post :-)

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Day +2149 : A celebration that the exam is over!

I am fine today.

The exam is over today. I treated the second year students a lunch at Wan Loy Restaurant in Sg. Buloh. This is to give ourselves a  reward for the hard work that we put in while preparing the exams for the past few days. This is indeed a tough week. I slept an average of 4 hours per day for the last 4 days. I shall have a good rest after this :-)

The 8 course meal for 15 persons cost around RM200 only. You could never get this price in any restaurant in KL :-)

The Restaurant









Group photo


See you next post :-)

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Day +2148 : The surgery was a success

I am fine today.

Though Teresa was having her parathyroid removal surgery today, I was unable to visit her. I sat for the final exam of the subject of Historical Books this morning, and I have to prepared for another exam tomorrow. Since I have exams three consecutive days, it is very hard for me to study in advance. What I can do is to start revision for the exam next day in the afternoon - that is after the exam of the day.

I felt a little bit better when I knew that Rev. and Mrs. Rev. Lau were visiting Teresa both yesterday and today. They informed me in the evening that Teresa had returned to the ward after the surgery, and the surgery seemed to be a success. One of the major risks of the surgery is losing voice. Mrs. Rev. Lau told me that she heard Teresa was speaking, and that proved that her vocal chord was not affected. This could be a sign that the surgery was a success :-)

I appreciate Rev. and Mrs. Rev. Lau's for taking the time to visit Teresa in a time when I really couldn't spare anytime to visit her.

See you next post :-)

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Day +2147 : My sister-in-law is admitted for parathyroid removal surgery

I am fine today.

My sister-in-law (my wife's sister), Teresa Chieng, was admitted to Putrajaya Hospital this morning for a parathyroid removal surgery which is scheduled tomorrow. Teresa is an haemodialysis patient for almost 12 years. I was made to understand that the parathyroid problem happened to most haemodialysis patients.

The surgery was originally scheduled to be done in KL General Hospital. However, it was cancelled in the last minute due to unknown reason. Since she already booked her air ticket. A doctor in KL General Hospital arranged the surgery to be done in Putrajaya Hospital.

Putrajaya Hospital is a semi government hospital. The patient needs to pay around RM3000 for the surgery. Comparing to the fee in private hospital which could cost up to RM8000, it is considered to be cheap. Of course, if we compare the cost with that of KL General Hospital which is fully subsidized by government, the fee in Putrajaya Hospital is still considered costly. However, there are many advantages for the surgery to be done in Putraya Hospital - the hospital is new and small but with good facilities, and the ward is new and clean too. In addition to these, it is a lot easier for me to go to Putraya Hospital than KL General Hospital. Frankly speaking, I don't know how to go to KL General Hospital.

Since I have to go to the seminary to sit for the final exam of the subject of Systematic Theology II, I couldn't send Teresa to the hospital. However, I arranged a church member who is a taxi driver to send her to the hospital.

I pray that the surgery will be a smooth one.

See you next post :-)

Monday, May 21, 2012

Day +2146 : Adriel's singing performance on Teacher's Day

I am fine today.

The school that Adriel is studying and my wife is teaching is going to hold a singing competition. Adriel wished to join the competition but she was not selected to represent the class. My wife is a music teacher. She felt that Adriel has a good voice and should be given a chance to represent the class. She then approached Adriel's music teacher, asking her to test Adriel's voice. The teacher agreed that Adriel has a good voice after listening to her singing. She not only Adriel to represent the class but also asked Adriel to perform on the Teacher's Day which was approaching a few days later.

Given that the notice was short, Adriel practiced quite hard for it. It was a new song for Adriel. The song was a Christian song which my wife modified some lyric to suite the occasion. My wife told me Adriel forgot some lyric because she is nervous during the performance. Other than that, sehe performed quite well :-)



Sunday, May 20, 2012

Day +2145 : Lunch at Lu Shi Fu Restaurant

I am fine today.

I brought my family to Lu Shi Fu Restaurant (卤师傅烧腊馆) for lunch after the church service today. As its name implies, the restaurant is specialising in braised meat including pork and duck. The dishes served were quite nice. Both the children and I like them very much.

If you like braised meat as well, you can give this restaurant a try. It is located at No 5, Jalan Kenari 22, Bandar Puchong Jaya. Tel: 016-2465323.















See you next post :-)

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Day +2144 : Attending Eric Chieng & Olivia Wong's Wedding Dinner

I am fine today.

My wife and I attended  Eric Chieng & Olivia Wong's Wedding Dinner at Tai Thong Imperial Palace Restaurant in Puchong this evening. Eric Chieng is my church member, William Chieng's youngest son.

We went to Dynasty Dragon Seafood Restaurant in IOI mall instead of Tai Thong Imperial Palace Restaurant, and we will only realized that we went to the wrong restaurant when we were told that there was no wedding banquet in Dynasty Dragon Seafood Restaurant on today :-(

I think I was too engaged in preparation for the exams next week that I didn't read the invitation card properly. Anyway, the dinner started very late, so we were not late even we made a big blunder :-)

Eric Chieng and Olivia Wong




















See you next post :-)

Friday, May 18, 2012

Day +2143 : Breakfast at Gao Lao Restaurant

I am fine today.

I have breakfast with a few seminary mates at Gao Lao Restaurant in Kundang New Village this morning. The food here is relative cheap compared to those in KL. For example, a normal size Ban Mee cost RM4.00 only and you can add another RM0.50 to get a large one :-)

As a "permanent president" of the seminary, the meal is included. Since the next exam paper will be on Tuesday next week, I take the opportunity to refresh myself with an "external breakfast".

The restaurant


Someone recommended coffee to me :-) Yes, it is quite nice.

Fried meat noodles - RM5.00



Prawn noodles - RM5.00

Free flow of prawn soup

Ban Mee - large one cost RM5.00

See you next post :-)