Friday 8 January 2010

Medical Check-Up, this and that..

Today at 9.00 Hrs, I accompanied Ja to Pantai Medical centre for his first check-up, a year after he had an angioplasty done on him. Last night, he had his gym session and his instructor, aware of the check-up due today only gave him light stuff to do. So he fasted from 12mn last night and no breakfast this morning so that he can do his blood and urine tests. Right after giving his samples, we went to the hospital cafeteria for some light breakfast. Two slices of sandwiches and soya bean drink and then off straight to Dr N Arumugam's clinic. After taking his blood pressure reading which was 130/90, we walked to another room for his stress test.

Taking off his shirt, he had some gadgets attached to several parts on his chest and we waited for the good doctor for about half an hour. I was almost nodding off when he finally walked into the room. Up went Ja on the treadmill and walked fast he did as the stages were gradually increased. He succeeded until stage 4 by which time the inclination was pretty steep and it hurt his calves more than his chest. 

All in all he walked for 12 minutes and did not feel breathless. The diagnosis was good but we still had to wait for the results of his urine and blood tests. If they too are okay, the doctor may change his prescription.

On the way back, I told him that I would like to go and see a doctor for my coughing and wheezing. Lucky I turned out to be, when I walked into the clinic at Damansara Uptown there was only one patient before me and that person was already with the doctor. So it was a short wait for me before my number was called. Nice and friendly doctor, Dr Anwer Hussain checked my blood pressure (a bit on the low side- nothing new to me), my throat (tonsilitis - also my good friend) and of course he heard the music on my chest and back - full orchestra he said.

I refused the nebuliser (it would take a while- Ja parked illegally and was waiting in the car) and asked for an inhaler instead. So I got the Ventolin Evohaler (I still have the one that Dr Rohaya gave me last year), ventolin tablets, cough mixture, antibiotic and also something to ease the itch in my throat. It's like I went shopping! 

By then it was almost twelve noon and both of us were quite hungry. Trying to park there almost during lunch time on a working day was definitely a nightmare so we decided to go a restaurant somewhere near our house.  The Tramp Car it was and both of us had noodle soups. The owner of the restaurant also gave us desserts! Well.., our whole family have been their loyal patrons since the good old days of Cable Car at good old Jaya Supermaket, like since eary 1990s. Initially the desserts were served only to my parents-in-law but we noticed that they serve it to us when we came on our own as well. Most of the time, when all four of us have our meals, we would order our own desserts. I suppose when we didn't order any, they offer it to us on the house. I think that if I were to have my own cafeteria or restaurant, I would reward my frequent customers this service.

Anyway, today being Friday, Ja took EA to the mosque for Friday prayer and I delayed my Zohor to listen to the Friday sermon on radio - from the Blue Mosque, Shah Alam as usual. It was about the Allah issue brought about by the Herald. Muslims attending the prayer there were requested to stay back after the prayer to hear some talks organised by Muslim NGOs and to sign up a petition objecting to the use of the word 'Allah' in the Catholics Newsletter for distribution in Sabah and Sarawak. When Ja came back I asked what the sermon was at the mosque he went to. Well it was about liquor and the problems it causes. Hmm.. 

After taking all my medications and performing my Zohor, I felt so woozy and needed a nap badly. I didn't realise when Eman came into the room to tell me he was going out and even when my nephew arrived to collect his AJL tickets and left about half an hour later. At 5.00pm I got up and noticed that Ja didn't go to work in the afternoon after all. The gym last night and effects of previous gym session tuesday night and the treadmill this morning finally taking the toll on him...

Tuesday 5 January 2010

Remeniscing..

"Love is stronger than death even though it can't stop death from happening. Death can't separate people from love. It can't take away our memories either.." ~ source unknown~ 

S Augustine Paul is dead. I heard the news whilst having an after dinner chat at my parents-in-law's house on Saturday, 2nd January 2010. He was 65. I first got to know him (not pally pally know, more like a boss and a subordinate kind of know..) when I was 18+, quitting upper sixth form to work as an interpreter at the Magistrate/Sessions Courts, Melaka. That was in March 1979. I had the opportunity to work with him on many occasions and I thought him a nice person. Then he was transferred elsewhere whilst I stayed on in Melaka until I submitted my resignation in 1984. 

I guess this post is dedicated to the people who mattered to me once upon a time..  the late registrar, Mahmud Hj Ahmad whom I commuted with daily from Muar for a short period. He used to say to me, "Rovitah, you'd look nicer with a little bit more weight on you". He drove a Volvo. Then I traveled with a lady who drove a green Fiat, I forgot her name but she would drop me at a roundabout (no longer in existence) and I had to walk to the courts at Bandar Hilir. There was also this engineer that became my next 'driver' who drove a Mercedes. I also forgot his name! Anyway this guy was a nice person, he even paid me a visit at the court one day..

I first worked in the courts of Puan Zaharah bt Ibrahim and Puan Zainon bt Ali. These were petite ladies (I believe they still are). There was Ahmadi, over whom I broke my heart later (bad timing for a break off - it was near my STP) and Yusoff Zainal Abiden who was very kind to me afterwards - both him and wife Laily took me to visit his mother at Kuala Kubu Baru. I also remember sleeping over at their house in Melaka. May Allah bless him.

I also remember my friends, Sam Lai Leng (she attended my wedding, yea!), Goh Chai Teng (she came to visit me after I got married) and oh my god, I forgot her name... but this was the girl that attended the night classes with me and later became a lawyer (I would have gone that way had I not quit and joined the broadcasting station, hmm...) I am embarrassed! We studied, ate, shopped and virtually did many things together.. I hope to remember her name soon.

I wonder how and where Yazid is now. He was my "Jid". A good friend and was also my table tennis opponent! 

There was kak Aishah who took us to RTM Melaka and gave us a chance to do a radio drama, Kak Halimah, Aziz Hassan who was the CC then, Chua, Celine, Taib, Cheah, Thamby and of course Esman! Remember Esman, remember the mi rebus!.. Kak Jamilah and Samy from Jasin. Thayva, Jessie Juanita Adam, Saraswathy Alagan, Cheng, Gan, Rohana, Jesvinder, Joginder Singh and many many more.. Wherever you are guys, you enriched my life and for which I am eternally grateful. If dead, may your souls rest in peace and if still up and about, I hope to meet you again sometime in the future...

Oh, and I was at Metrojaya, Megamall on Sunday buying sandals when I noticed a lady hesitating nearby before asking me if I was Rozitah. I turned to look at her and said no but said my name instead, then jumped in straight to say her name. She was my school mate at Sek Men Sultan Abu Bakar Muar and later, my 6th Form classmate at High School, in 1978/79. She is Dr Suria Baba.

Suri, looking at your name card, I had mixed feelings... Had I stayed in school till the end, I wonder what field I would have pursued and be today. Likewise if I didn't fall in love, hook, line and sinker when I met Ahmadi, then broke my heart, I probably would have done better in my STP, stayed on in the Judiciary and ended up being a lawyer... like my good friend (ah.. I still can't remember her name!) 

Allah, the Almighty has other plans for me.. I am blessed with Ja, a wonderful man as a husband and two children, EA who turned 21 last August and Lisa will be 19 come 26th Feb this year, great parents-in-law, sisters and brothers-in-law.. And for these wonderful people in my life, I say syukran and Alhamdulillah...