When tragedy befalls someone this is usually the time when some bastard stick out their nose and say yeah, they deserve this. They sinned against so and so, they did this they did that. Trying to earn some point or be smart somehow. They are so ignorant that they don't realise that it is a sin to behave this way and have this attitude. I pity these people.
I prefer a more positive view. I usually pray to be put on the righteous path. A path of devotion to god. But the the energy has never reached the point that I make the transition. Maybe this is the pill I needed (stimulated by prescription steroids :) ). Every soul a different pill...
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
start of the yellow brick road
My sisters and their husbands had a quick chat and suggested we go see our cousin who works at a clinic to get us into a place where we can get my head scanned. (The irony is that what I really needed was to get my head shrinked.)
Went to see the doctor ...blah blah blah.... she arranged us to see a neurologist at Kajang. OK. we go there and see Dr Soezyani, and I get a little check up. Brain tumor didn't seem the topic to appear. More like TB and others, vertigo? Time to face the CT scanner. I also get a chest x ray. The CT scan also included a contrast solution. This was done via an IV with a long needle. DAMN it burns when the needle goes in. Why not use a normal syringe damn it.
key: 3 = brain, 2 = tumor. :D
Only joking, 1 = swelling, 2 = brain, 3 = tumor
Now back at the docs. She shows us the scan and said "see that grey patch about a third of your brain?" That's my brain swelling. Dang, this clear evidence that I had something real and it was not imaginary and gonna go away. I felt relieved that there was something I can point at. Then the bad news, it was caused by a tumor. Yes that's right I had a tumor. Damn. She said she can't do anything and had to refer me to a neurosurgion. The nearest affiliated was at Ampang. So we go there. Got charged for the CT @$700. Man these private hospitals make you pay.
So the good witch suggests we see the wizard of oz.
Due to some miscomunication the neurosurgion had gone out. So we were out of luck and booked an appointment and left.
Went to see the doctor ...blah blah blah.... she arranged us to see a neurologist at Kajang. OK. we go there and see Dr Soezyani, and I get a little check up. Brain tumor didn't seem the topic to appear. More like TB and others, vertigo? Time to face the CT scanner. I also get a chest x ray. The CT scan also included a contrast solution. This was done via an IV with a long needle. DAMN it burns when the needle goes in. Why not use a normal syringe damn it.
key: 3 = brain, 2 = tumor. :DOnly joking, 1 = swelling, 2 = brain, 3 = tumor
Now back at the docs. She shows us the scan and said "see that grey patch about a third of your brain?" That's my brain swelling. Dang, this clear evidence that I had something real and it was not imaginary and gonna go away. I felt relieved that there was something I can point at. Then the bad news, it was caused by a tumor. Yes that's right I had a tumor. Damn. She said she can't do anything and had to refer me to a neurosurgion. The nearest affiliated was at Ampang. So we go there. Got charged for the CT @$700. Man these private hospitals make you pay.
So the good witch suggests we see the wizard of oz.
Due to some miscomunication the neurosurgion had gone out. So we were out of luck and booked an appointment and left.
bomoh number 1
This guy was supposed to be able to do something. Anyways he gave me the usual which doctor thing. Rub my head then ask me to drink the blessed water. And out you go.
Next day same as usual. I guess there is no magic happening.
My sister was not happy and suggested that I get a scan.
Next day same as usual. I guess there is no magic happening.
My sister was not happy and suggested that I get a scan.
visitors
Beep Beep. What's this sms. Oh it's my sister wanting to visit. Come on by. They come and introduce me to the new member of the family. Ask how I was and mentioned my headache. Then they go.
Beep Beep. Another sms this time from my other sister. They hear that I was not well so they came to visit. So I mentioned my headache. She mentioned something about scan. Can't remember now.
This part of the story is a little vague so I will skip the finer details.
I can't remember if kak Y came back to visit. I recall her husband talking about urut. At this point I was a little bed ridden and felt like the pressure points on my head was exascurbating my condition. I needed my neck 'cracked' like you wouldn't believe. But a head massage would be good.
So we all got together and went to batu 3.
Beep Beep. Another sms this time from my other sister. They hear that I was not well so they came to visit. So I mentioned my headache. She mentioned something about scan. Can't remember now.
This part of the story is a little vague so I will skip the finer details.
I can't remember if kak Y came back to visit. I recall her husband talking about urut. At this point I was a little bed ridden and felt like the pressure points on my head was exascurbating my condition. I needed my neck 'cracked' like you wouldn't believe. But a head massage would be good.
So we all got together and went to batu 3.
the stray
When I got home things were as usual but the headache followed. I thought I was tired.
Next day take Milidon and hope for the best. Nope. The next, the next, the next ...
All I could do was try to sleep it off. Nope. The wifie thought I was just faking it. But it didn't go away. Dang. On 4-5 occasions I wake up in the early morning to vomit accompanied by a severe headache. It's time to go to the clinic. I go to clinic Thong. Explained the symptoms. The prognosis, vertigo. Here's some pills, gimme $30 and go. I recall the wife mentioning a scan but he didn't even acknowledge it as a good course of action. Dumb ass. Doctors are supposed to have an open mind to the possibilities. Now you have to know what's wrong with yourself and ask for them to sign the medicine. I told him I had a headache for over a month for god sake. I would've thought he would have enough of a brain to suggest something substansive rather than give a few pills for vertigo.
After 2 months my wife was fed up. Suggested I go to emergency. But I didn't think it was an emegency. Didn't know how to explain it as an emergency. So I refused. As a compromise I agreed to go to the government clinic. Explained the symptoms etc. He also thought that it was vertigo. This time I said that the headaches had been around for 2 months. He then referred me to the ENT clinic at the hospital. At least there is some progress. I vagely recall that he may have mentioned whether I wanted a scan. I may have said that it was not necessary. In hindsight I should have said yes. I think I was not open to the possibilities. I still thought that it was nothing and eventually it would go away. Also I should have listened to the wife and go to emergency. The day when I vomitted would have been good as it was like a migrain and the pain was excruciating. Man if I had a pistol...
We then tried to book an apointment with the ENT. Next free 3 weeks from now. What! Oh well what to do.
Next day take Milidon and hope for the best. Nope. The next, the next, the next ...
All I could do was try to sleep it off. Nope. The wifie thought I was just faking it. But it didn't go away. Dang. On 4-5 occasions I wake up in the early morning to vomit accompanied by a severe headache. It's time to go to the clinic. I go to clinic Thong. Explained the symptoms. The prognosis, vertigo. Here's some pills, gimme $30 and go. I recall the wife mentioning a scan but he didn't even acknowledge it as a good course of action. Dumb ass. Doctors are supposed to have an open mind to the possibilities. Now you have to know what's wrong with yourself and ask for them to sign the medicine. I told him I had a headache for over a month for god sake. I would've thought he would have enough of a brain to suggest something substansive rather than give a few pills for vertigo.
After 2 months my wife was fed up. Suggested I go to emergency. But I didn't think it was an emegency. Didn't know how to explain it as an emergency. So I refused. As a compromise I agreed to go to the government clinic. Explained the symptoms etc. He also thought that it was vertigo. This time I said that the headaches had been around for 2 months. He then referred me to the ENT clinic at the hospital. At least there is some progress. I vagely recall that he may have mentioned whether I wanted a scan. I may have said that it was not necessary. In hindsight I should have said yes. I think I was not open to the possibilities. I still thought that it was nothing and eventually it would go away. Also I should have listened to the wife and go to emergency. The day when I vomitted would have been good as it was like a migrain and the pain was excruciating. Man if I had a pistol...
We then tried to book an apointment with the ENT. Next free 3 weeks from now. What! Oh well what to do.
the tingle
I have to do a demo to my benefactors. The items I wanted to show wasn't finished so I worked on it all night just to show something that would satisfy what was wanted. The meeting was early morning around 9am, 10 most I assume.
I worked trying to get it working till early in the morning. I was hoping I will still have time to cover the journey from home to work. This is a 300km journey which is usually 5 hours or if I have a fast car and a good sleep I might be able to do in 3 and a half hours. Unfortunately this was not to happen. I finished around 8'ish. No way I was going to make it. But I had to go anyways even if I was going to be late.
Along the way my boss sms asking where I was. I had no phone credit to answer. The highway has few facilities for topping up mobiles and I didn't want to topup $10 at the petrol station, which was far and few anyway. So I just kept going.
Finally I get to the office at 3:45pm. 'Slightly' late :) . The door at the entrance was locked but this is just the door to gain access to the office. I then try calling the girl who should be in the office. No answer. After a few tries I blah lah. Went to the KL home which is pretty much empty. This is my pad when I need to go to KL.
I get some snacks to last me the night then watch TV. Next day I had nothing plan so I watched more TV and read the news. All the while lying on the back of my head. I was too lazy to go out and buy food but eventually had to. Starving and lack of water. Resting on the back of the head over an extended period of time tends to give you a headache. This I now have.
On friday I planned to go to the office but due to procrastination it eventually become to late. All the while my boss was calling. I wasn't too keen to face the music so I made myself invisible and watched TV. I also tried to do some work as well. By this time I had a headache. Lack of water and food I guess. Was too lazy to go out and buy some.
Next day I went home, 300km and 6 hours later I was back with the family.
I worked trying to get it working till early in the morning. I was hoping I will still have time to cover the journey from home to work. This is a 300km journey which is usually 5 hours or if I have a fast car and a good sleep I might be able to do in 3 and a half hours. Unfortunately this was not to happen. I finished around 8'ish. No way I was going to make it. But I had to go anyways even if I was going to be late.
Along the way my boss sms asking where I was. I had no phone credit to answer. The highway has few facilities for topping up mobiles and I didn't want to topup $10 at the petrol station, which was far and few anyway. So I just kept going.
Finally I get to the office at 3:45pm. 'Slightly' late :) . The door at the entrance was locked but this is just the door to gain access to the office. I then try calling the girl who should be in the office. No answer. After a few tries I blah lah. Went to the KL home which is pretty much empty. This is my pad when I need to go to KL.
I get some snacks to last me the night then watch TV. Next day I had nothing plan so I watched more TV and read the news. All the while lying on the back of my head. I was too lazy to go out and buy food but eventually had to. Starving and lack of water. Resting on the back of the head over an extended period of time tends to give you a headache. This I now have.
On friday I planned to go to the office but due to procrastination it eventually become to late. All the while my boss was calling. I wasn't too keen to face the music so I made myself invisible and watched TV. I also tried to do some work as well. By this time I had a headache. Lack of water and food I guess. Was too lazy to go out and buy some.
Next day I went home, 300km and 6 hours later I was back with the family.
looking for the smoking gun
This is just my suspicion. Mum's car has some rust here and there, in the boot and in and around the doors and top. This is typical of the Proton Megavalve to have this rust at the 'standard' places. I thought that I had better try to arrest the problem before pot holes become caves. Thus I started to get the enamel paint with rust proofing.
I did this for the inside of the boot. Since the boot is a little hard to reach and paint in the sides I thought I would get comfortable by lying in the boot. The fumes were 'fantastic'.
Then the doors and the top of the car, which I did from the inside of the car. The windows I recall was closed but the doors were open. The enclosed space was like a sauna of paint fumes. Oh well, what to do.
After a couples of hours my head was starting to feel the effects of the fumes. Now it's time to lay down as it had given me a headache. The headache lasted the next day and the next.
Man, don't think I'll do this again. Glad it's done.
Paint fumes are known to be a carcinogen. Is this the culprit?
I did this for the inside of the boot. Since the boot is a little hard to reach and paint in the sides I thought I would get comfortable by lying in the boot. The fumes were 'fantastic'.
Then the doors and the top of the car, which I did from the inside of the car. The windows I recall was closed but the doors were open. The enclosed space was like a sauna of paint fumes. Oh well, what to do.
After a couples of hours my head was starting to feel the effects of the fumes. Now it's time to lay down as it had given me a headache. The headache lasted the next day and the next.
Man, don't think I'll do this again. Glad it's done.
Paint fumes are known to be a carcinogen. Is this the culprit?
the opening
This is my blog to friends and family wishing to know how I am progressing with my tumor. I will try to update as often as possible. Hopefully people might gain from my experience.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)