Slippery When Wet

I had been suffering from hyperhidrosis for the past 20 years or so.

Hyperhidrosis = abnormal excessive perspiration, in excess of that required for regulation of body temperature. Most common sites being palms and sole. My problem is whenever i'm exposed to hot weather, my palm and sole will sweat profusely non stop for the whole day till i sleep at night.

I can still vividly remember how i have to put a tissue paper under my palm whenever i'm in a drawing competition; use a handkerchief when i write my homework and exams; made the keyboard, mouse & gamepad soaking and sticky after i use them; my guitar strings rust 10X faster than my friend's; and more recently, having trouble while examining patients; totally wet the hand glove when i wear them; plus not to mention all the social frustration in having difficulty shaking hands and holding hands.
Hyperhidrosis is a very common problems affecting around 3% of the population, and i myself have few friends suffering from this also.

Recently around 1 year back, i got to know that hyperhidrosis is treatable, and the ultimate cure is by surgery. That discovery is like a light in my life. I can now hope to actually get rid of all these above mentioned trouble once and for all! The surgery is called Endoscopic Thoraco Sympathectomy, which is minimal invasive surgery using laparascope to remove bilaterally the T2 nerve. Also, I stumbled upon an useful website called Wet Hands Club. It is a social website set up by all the hyperhidrosis sufferers in Malaysia and have all the information one needs to know. From there, i got to contact a doctor (Dr. Jasmi) in HUKM. I started emailing him about the possibility of getting the surgery done and he always answered me promptly without fail. After that, I also got to know he transferred to Ampang Puteri Specialist Hospital. My plan was to do the surgery in this long vacation of mine.

After i knew i passed my Final year MBBS, i wanted my parents to 'award' me with the surgery. I really need it for my internship. I had a really hard time convincing my parents to do it. . They were very worried bout the complications such as Horner's syndrome, rebound sweating etc. Besides, the cost of the surgery is expected to be around 10k, which is a large amount. After non stop of explanation and insistence by me, on this Sunday, they finally agreed on it.

On Monday morning, my awesome dad drove me all the way to KL to Ampang Puteri Specialist Hospital to see Dr. Jasmi. Dr. Jasmi is an energetic, cheerful, middle aged professor. He quickly explained to me the procedure and all the necessary things to me as i'd knew most of the things by that time already. He also promised he would help me reduce the cost as much as possible as i'm not covered by any insurance. He said he'll not use the disposable trocar for laparoscopy as that itself cost RM2k. He'll also ask the assistants to use as least disposable item as possible to reduce the fee. He told me instead of access through the axilla, he prefer to access through the back around the scapula as it is easier to perform and with less complication to the lung, just that the scar is more apparent. That day, I was immediately admitted. On that whole day, i had nothing to do after a simple blood test, and my dad and I walked around at Ampang Point and had the famous Ampang yongtoufu nearby.


The next morning, i was the first case to be operated. I changed into OT gown, was shifted into the OT at 10.30am, and then the anesthesiologist put me under GA, and off i went into a dream. When i woke up at 11.45, i found myself having dyspnoea due to the GA side effect. My back has some vague pain and i couldn't move at all. After 1 hour in the post op, I was then shifted back to my ward. As time goes by, the pain at the back became more apparent as the analgesic worn off. I continued to be in drowsy mooed and slept till around 4pm, then only i felt my breathing was better and the pain at the back became less. I could walked around a bit, woke up to pass my first urine after the surgery, and after a while, Dr, Jasmi came to see me. He also gave me the specimen of both my T2 ganglion (sending the specimens for confirmation is another amount of money, which he think is not required as he's 100% sure that are the nerve tissue). He also gave me a DVD of the recorded laparoscopic procedure for me to watch.


The next day, on Wednesday morning, Dr. Jasmi came again saying that i can be discharged. He removed the bandaged on my back to reveal 6 bullets-like holes. Then he sprayed some glue so that i could take bath, and asked me to go to any hospital in Kuantan to remove the suture a week later. By 11am, all the payment and discharge procedure has been settled by my dad and off we depart back to Kuantan. (I was really glad that in the end, the fee of the surgery is even less than what we expected.) Throughout the 3 hour journey, i dare not rest on my back at the car seat because of the surgery wound. That whole day, even at home, though the weather is blazingly hot, my arms and soles do not sweat a bit. I was so so glad and relieved. Now on, i do not have to worry about all those frustration of my clammy hands anymore. I can sweat normally like other ppl at the back. I do not need to worry about sweaty hands whenever i'm exposed to sunlight.


Thank God the surgery went on successfully.
Thank you Dr. Jasmi for his specialty in endoscopic surgeries and also his understanding on our financial restrain.
Thanks my papa for his sacrifice in terms of energy, time, business, & money to accompany me for 3 days at the hospital.
Also thanks my mummy, Caryn, Caryn's mum for their constant concern.

Hooray! Hooray It's A Holiday

Hello there, I came back to Malaysia on 20th Dec, actually 5 days before the actual date of my final practical exam day, but since i already bought all the domestic and international flight early on for the 20th date, i do not want to change the ticket and waste money on penalty and ticket rate differences. I took the hard and lonely way - appealed to authorities to pre-pone my practical exam date. Thank God, after some talking to this and that profs, my plea was granted. So, i was back 1 week earlier than my friends, ate more Malaysian foods, spent more money and gained more pounds than any of my fellow friends in India.

I came back with Caryn, and this is the first time we flew back to Kuantan together. It was a very nice journey. At KLIA, we both ate dim-sum at Eden for RM100+, which is the most expensive dim sum i'd ever taken and i think that was the only time i'll ever take. On 23rd, my family and I went to KL for Christmas. I met my super cute cousin sister who's only 1 and half year old. One year ago when i saw her, she was still super tiny and forver sleeping. Now she can jump, walk, and make noises. On Christmas eve, nothing much was done at my uncles's house, we wished one another and then i was playing PS2 with my bro. There goes my silent night holy night. The next morning on christmas day, we all attended a Christmas lunch organised by my uncle's church at Damansara. It was an OK lunch, at least it's more meaningful better than whatever count downs, partying, boozing, Santa Claus etc. Then that very afternoon on 25th, my parents went back to Kuantan first due to some work, while we 3 brothers stayed few more days at my Uncle's house, until 30th Dec. During that one week, all i'd done is shopping and eating, spent around RM1000 easily shopping for shirts and shoes etc, plus my Uncle and Aunty fed us like pig, and my belly is forever growing outward.


In Kuantan, it's forever raining. That kind of gloomy feeling that clouds over my mind. Cannot do any out door activities, except going to East Coast Mall like super frequently. I'd never been to the mall when it opened. I liked the mall, at lesat it's more high-class than the stupid Berjaa Megamall. Megamall is so dead now. Since back home, i'd only be able to meet up with a few old friends. Most of my friends are already graduated and living in KL working, leaving me alone still dealing with books, damn...



Last Sunday, after me and my family came back from church service, Caryn suddenly called me and asked me out. When she reached my home to pick me up, a super familiar face is sitting inside the car too. Bastard Ki Yang didn't tell me he was coming over. A surprise? Very much did. So me and Caryn showed him around Kuantan, eat here and there, visit this mall that mall, watched Outlander (stupid movie) at Megamall, and went to Teluk Chempedak like hundred times (what to do, Kuantan not much places to go). Ki Yang came for 2 days, and he just went back today. It was a very good time we 3 from India travel around Kuantan together.



Yesterday, my 3rd year MBBS result was out. Thank God, i passed!!! Hooray!! My Community Medicine marks is exactly on thin line between fail and pass. If it weren't God's grace, what else could it be. I was really relieved, and my parents are happy too. My dad bought me the Littman stethoscope which i was supposed to pay by myself. I saved RM250, hehe. Besides, my mum treated all of us for dinner. The stethoscope is bought by Caryn's doctor uncle, so it's cheaper, Most significantly, it is Littman, and it's navy blue in color, weee, unlike all the boring blacks everyone is using. Really thank god that i passed, cz next year-final year, there'll be 4 subjects, and it's the most hectic year of MBBS with super dupper thick text books of Medicine, Surgery, Paediatrics, and Obstetrics/Gynaecology. Phew!!

OK, enough for now. Am so tired after whole day going here and there with Ki Yang and Caryn and her parents already. My mum n dad somemore asked me to go jogging tomorrow early morning. They kept complaining bout my super big belly, aiks.. what to do, i was non stop eating all the time in Malaysia. Every night, i sleep with my belly extra full. You can see a big bulge under the blanket when i'm on bed.. I was really nice coming back to Malaysia, eating good food, hearing familiar langauges, spending time with family and friends... I love holiday, that's why i myself further extended my holiday for 8 days (on 30th Jan). So, basically i'm the first who came back and last to go back India, hehe, my holiday is the longest!!

Happy New Year of 2009 and have an enjoyable holiday to all my friends!!!

Rainy Day, Dream Away

It had been 6 whole months of scorching sunshine - hot, dry, dusty weather.. But since 2 days ago, it started pouring non stop, indicating it's monsoon again here in Mangalore.. I just finished my exam yday, all the paper were really bad bad bad, cant even write a single thing. Aiks.

Anyway, my 1 week holiday started. Many of the Malaysians went home, some went traveling (i have friends going Turkey, woot!). I chose not to go back, cz firstly, the time is too short, and secondly, i wanna save money. Not much money left in my bank account now (of course excluding my FDs and Mutual Funds). Today is Sunday, i woke up at 11am cz the weather is too cooling and the sun hardly shine through, so i slept so so soundly till i cant even hear my alarm to go to church. i spent whole day buying groceries, and cleaning my room. Ask the cleaner to come and we together cleaned every corner of my room. I'd always like to keep my room very clean and tidy. Phew, so tired now, can have a real nice sleep later.

So what i'm going to do in this one week free time?

1. Watch EURO. Since i'd already given up hope on England 2 years ago in World Cup, and now they dun even qualify for this tournament, i think i would support Spain or France, not so sure which team sto support yet. Every night i'll will be occupied by TV.
2. Play computer games. I'd stopped playing games for the past 3 weeks, so it's time to install again. I'm now playing World in Conflict, and some Pro Evo Soccer 2008 with friends. Good way to spend time and entertain myself.
3. Practice guitar. I'm going to practice guitar 3 sessions a day, each sessions 30 mins, i swear i wanna improve my skills by a lot. My pre-ordered guitar multi-effect processor Digitech RP350 is coming soon, so i would have plenty of sound effects to play on, and at the same time continue to train my ears to be as 'audiophile' as possible.
4. Exercise. Since it's raining season, can't go out to play football, i will do some simple exercise in my room. I already bought a yoga mat and i have a big mirror on my wall, so i can do almost every programmed abs, legs, chest, and arm exercise in my own "mini gym room". Check out YouTube's 8 mins exercise, they're simple, fun, cheap, short and effective.
5. Sleep. "Rainy day, dream away, let the sun take a holiday... Lay back and groove on a rainy day, hey lay back and dream on a rainy day". So it's perfect time to dream a little dream on my bed under the cooling and wet weather. Besides, it will also replenish myself to prepare for my next semester, which is damn hectic and pack. Swt!

Zzz...Zzz...Zzz..

That's What Friends Are For

I just came back from Genting and KL trip with a bunch of my old schoolmates (primary school classmate!)

On the 9th Jan, Yik Han, Alvin n me took bus to PJ to meet up at Lip Kuan's house. When we reached his house, Eng Chwan and Shi Hao are already there. Then after we packed lightly, we departed by taxi to One Utama and took Genting bus up to skyway station, then took skyway up to the city of entertainment.
Firstly, we went to the casino de Genting. We entered both Monte Carlo and Starworld. It is our first time going in because the last time we all came here was 3 years ago-when we were still too young to enter. But now, i entered straight without any block from the guard while all my friends kena everytime, haha, maybe they see my white hair n thought i'm old, or maybe i have a more matured attitude and style, hehe.. The casino is nice, and i was standing there trying to find out which type of gambling has the highest probability to win, but in the end i never even bet 1 ringgit cause to me it's simply not worth it and the money in my wallet is very very tight, i would rather spend it on something else. Except Alvin won a mini jackpot, all my other friends lost.
This time, we couldn't play any indoor games cz it's all under maintenance. At night, we all chatted, eat snacks and drank beer in the room. Next day after we checked out from First World Hotel, we went to play the outdoors games.. But half way playing, the rain started pouring down, and we are forced to stop playing and go down the hill. While goin down by skyway, the most exciting moment happened. It was raining really heavily, and there's lightning and thunder. Half way through the journey down hill, the skyway just stopped, and it feels like falling every time it stopped cz the tension of the wire is loosened. This happened many many times and all 6 of us were so scared and prayed hard, but thank God we arrived safely in the end.

We then took bus and stopped at 1U. We had KFC as dinner and then ate 龟苓膏 to reduce the heat. Then we all went to sleep at Lip Kuan's place.

Next day, we went to Jogoya at Star Hill for lunch. When i stepped into the place, i was like, OMG!! This place is just awesome!! The food, the design, the environment, it's just unbelievable. I walked around the buffet line and get lost, haha. I don't know what to eat, all things are just so expensive and high class and many of them i'd never eat before. There's fresh oyster, salmon, prawns, sushi, octopus, mussels, clams etc. There's also all kind of soups, and you can take your own choice of fresh seafood to be stir fried, deep fried, etc etc. For drinks, there're very nice thailand coconut, all kind of fresh fruit juice, teas, coffee etc etc. Deserts there are Baskin Robins, Hagen Das, all kind of fruits, cheese cakes, cookies, mochi, 龟苓膏, puding, strawberry with choc coatings.. Argh, i cant name all. We stayed there for 4 hours, and ate like mad. However, i cant stand the taste of clams, so after i ate mussels and oyster, i puked. Aiks. But at the end of the feast, my stomach is so so round and feel satisfied. Yummy. Everything we ate are well worth, or exceeded the RM78 per head. I personally drank 4 coconut, plus i actually quietly pour another 4 into my bottle, hehe.
Then we went to Pavilion for a walk. Star Hill is for high high class people to shop (minimum watch i can find there is RM10000), and Pavilion which just opened recently is for medium high class people (minimum watch cost RM1000). We cant afford to buy a single thing there, but wait, in 20 years time, i hope i'm a regular customer of this place, not to mention Star Hill first. :)
Later we went to LowYat Plaza. I bought a RM69 Logitech Dual Action gamepad for gaming, mainly for PES, and also helped Caryn to buy Samsung G600. Woot.. Later at night, we went to play Dota at SS2 and ate supper there before goin home.

The next day, me, Yik Han and Alvin came back Kuantan by bus. Eng Chwan and Shi Hao went back to their college. And so, we departed. It was kinda sad to say goodbye cz i hardly even meet them in a year, and Yik Han had been 2.5 years since he last came back fr US. However, i hope that our friendship shall last forever.