Jordan here I come!!

I'm going to Jordan on 15 Feb!!!

First time out of the country with my own passport!!! yes... ladies and gentlemen... I finally have my own passport with my pic on it =P

Although I would rather go to US to visit my friends... but since the group needs the number to make up the group... plus its half sponsored... cannot turn down la this one...

Going there for 9 days... and flying with Emirates... so i'll probably get a sneak peak at the new world's tallest building and the palm and world islands when we fly by Dubai! WOO HOO!!!

wah... how come i'm more excited about seeing Dubai from the air than going to Jordan one??? hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.......

Follow Up - Dec 18, 2009

First of all... a VERY VERY belated HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Hope everyone had a good time celebrating the christmas season (holiday... if you have) with the sale and snow (fake or real...) and also welcoming the year 2010!

well... this is a delayed post (again!!) on my follow up appointment at the hospital... my... (let me count...1...2...3...) 4th and final check up for 2009... and 6th since dx in 2008... however... this time i had double appoinments like 30 mins within each other... cause i had to see the dermatologist as well as my warts were popping up like mushrooms now!!! a total of 13 warts on my fingers and toes!!!


18 Dec 2009

Took the day off work to go for the 2 followups... and also lazy to go back to work in the afternoon although I'm pretty sure i'll be done by the morning... first appointment with the derm was at 9.30am... but i had to do the lab tests first... and i was running late due to unusual heavy traffic on the federal highway! (even the radio was announcing that and was asking folks to call up to tell what happened... well... NOTHING HAPPENED!!! no accident... no car breakdown... no nothing!!!)

So I actually arrived late... reach about 9.30am... late late late!!! somemore need to do bloodwork and gotta collect the urine sample bottle from Dr. Thye's nurse!! ... thank goodness in a way... Assunta don't care what time your appointment... as long as you go and line up... hehehehe...

When I was about to leave Dr. Thye's nurse counter after giving the nurse my file and collecting the bottle... Dr. Thye was walking to her room and I greeted her... she turned around and gave me a hard stare for a few seconds... then responded... "Oh Hannah!! Wah I can't recognize you for a moment there!!"

So blood work done... rushed to the dermatologist clinic... only to be asked by the doctor's assistant (who was super busy opening and closing the door and shouting names and instructions to the poor nurse) why i never respond when my name was called... i was like... HELLO!!! i already told the nurse i'm going to the lab for my blood test first!!! (*&&%^%$$%#$

Anyway... the dermatologist took a look at my warts... asked me what did i do to get so many warts? LIKE I KNOW??? no need to see doc d loh!!! ... so basically all he did was take a look... write a prescription for a stronger solution than duofilm, ask me to apply at night and scrape off the layer the next night with a toothpick so that the medicine can penetrate through...and told me to come back in 2 weeks time to see whether need to burn them off or not if it still doesn't come off... all within 5 min... and i have to pay RM120 for consultation! (RM80 for first time)... wah... i also want man... 130 bucks for 5 min's job... no wonder some docs so rich...

Neway... super hungry by this time d... wanted to go starbucks to eat breakfast since that's the only place with nice sofa to wait and read my book... was comtemplating bringing the laptop but in the end didn't as I want to go swimming after the appointment... to my disappointment... starbucks... became FARBUCKS!!!!! no more starbucks in assunta!!!! boh liow!!! close d!!! AIYO!!! lucky i didn't bring my computer since that's the only place with free wifi in the whole hospital!

No choice... gotta go eat at the cafeteria d... got my food... sat down and started eating... but in front of table was a small boy (hooked up with an IV dispensing machine) and his father... and they were having a conversation... it was quite a touching scene... you can read about it here

Back to waiting in front of the clinic and waiting for my blood test results... Dr. Thye ordered a full blood test again this time... routine A1c, FBG, liver, renal fuction, lipids, and a c-peptide test (to see my insulin production)... wait super long... finally the results arrived (except the c-pep cause need to send outside lab to test)... and can see doc d after waiting for like what... 2.5 hours??? somemore dr. thye clinic super a lot of people that day...

D: wah Hannah! I almost cannot recognise you just now la... you lost so must weight!

H: hehehe... can recognise la...

D: your sugar now so good la... A1c is 5.2 and your fasting is 5.0... like normal already!

H: that's weird... i checked this morning it was 5.8... but where got normal! I still get those high bg levels! *passes doc my bg log*

D: wah... you really free to do all this ah? do so nice somemore

H: no la... not really free... this one also yesterday only all key in excel file and then try to remember as much as possible what happened... hehehe

D: *looks at bg log* wah... you go swimming everyday ah??

H: no la... not everyday la... every week about 2x la...

D: *contirnues to look at log* haiyo Hannah! 7 is ok la!!

H: I know 7 is ok...but the 8, 9 and 10 not ok leh!!

D: you eat a lot is it?

H: where got a lot? maybe more than usual but still little bit only leh

D: what you eat?

H: like hokkien mee la... little bit only shoot me up d

D: hokkien mee of course go up la!!! ... sushi 9.6 ... how many sushi you ate?

H: probably about 6 or 7??

D: wah... 10.8 for pan mee! why so high???

H: don't know!! somemore its small bowl... not even a lot...

D: hmmm... maybe its because they add something else to the soup or the dough...

H: must be la... now i eat pan mee super careful d

D: overall your sugar level quite ok la... just that you have glucose intolerance...

H: ok la... sometimes still get over 6 in the morning lo...

D: aiyo Hannah!! relax la... once in a while 6 is ok la!!!

H: yala... i know ok... just boh song lo (not nice feeling) =P ... btw... i've been getting low BP la... like very low BP... 80s/50s... got 77/52 once somemore... *passes doc another set of papers... this time BP log*

D: *takes my log* normally its ok one la... i know a lot of people your age that has low bp and they're ok... *checks my BP* ... but now its 100/70 ... must be because you're seeing me

H: must be la... everytime i see you also 100/70... definitely got white coat when i see you... hehehe... but then hoh... i've been getting a lot of headaches and getting dizzy leh

D: *looks at my BP log and writes down the range of BP i've been getting in the medical file* ... i still think that because of your sugar level... you try this and see when you get back... if you get headaches / dizzy again... take some milo and see whether it goes away... if not we'll review again next time...

H: so how's my other lab results?

D: very good... all normal... *passes the results to me*

H: *looks at my labs* ... wah... HDL increase again... the * ok ah?

D: don't worry... i've seen people with HDL 2. something...

H: how come the urine FEME like got all the remarks one?

D: looks ok... but this is not so accurate... if you want more accurate... we'll do a microalbumin test the next time to see whether there's protein spillage... *checks my breathing... and i think she was listening to the kidneys there since it was lower back... and after all...she's a nephrologist...*

H: so nothing to worry about la?

D: relax la Hannah...don't worry so much!! you're doing so good! see you lost so much weight already... also feels good right??

H: *blush... yes i know how to blush =P* ... ok la... hehehe

D: The last time you stopped metformin didn't work right? Maybe try half this time? Are you on XR or regular metformin?

H: always been on regular met

D: ok then... try cutting it into half... so now its 250mg la... and then if you binge... just take the other half

H: so if i eat more... i just take the other half? will help?

D: yes it will help with the spikes...

H: okies!! and don't worry about me testing so many times... currently i'm getting some help from friends with strips... so its ok... (cause the last appointment doc told me not to test so much... give my fingers and pocket a break...a few days a week is ok cause my levels are stable... after all... the strips are bloody damn expensive...but i still prefer to test everyday)

D: your internet friends ah?

H: yup!

D: wah so nice one your friends... where you find them? facebook ah?

H: no la... forum friends...

D: they're also diabetics??

H: yup... diabetes forum ma...

D: good la you... go and join these forums... i'm very scared of joining this facebook la... is it true that anyone can find you in there?

H: well... people just type in your name or email and it'll come out la... but just set the privacy settings... they can't see anything one... probably just your name and pic... if you put your pic there la

D: so i see you in 3 months or 4?

H: up to you... 3 also can... 4 also can...

D: ok la... i see you in march... oh ya you're taking met from here right? I'll write the prescription...

H: so the c-peptide how ah?

D: *gives me a look* relax la Hannah!!! you're doing so much better than my other patients... will be ok one... I'll let you know when the results come

H: okok... relax relax... hehehehe =P

So i went out... arranging with the nurse when to set my next appointment and also to get copies of my labs... when i remembered that I want MC!!! since i already took leave that day... might as well just convert it to MC if I can... save my leave la!!! ... thank goodness ngam ngam Dr. Thye came out to ask the nurse to do something...

H: Dr. Thye... I want MC can ah?

D: Can can... wait I sign for you... Volvo right??

H: Swedish motors la... aka Volvo =)

D: eh what nice car to buy now ah?

H: buy the XC60 la... very nice car... but if you wait till later this year... they'll be building it here... probably cheaper since now its imported in

D: but the car so big la...

H: nvm nvm... got the smaller S40 what... nice car also... very safe somemore =P

See... I'm a good employee... go medical checkup also promote Volvo to my doctor... so loyal... =P ... so got my MC... collected my meds from the pharmacy... climbed 6 floors back up... went makan at peppercorn in SS15... then went swimming and did 30 laps in a freakingly crowded and dirty 3K...

After about a week... I called up to the nurse to check on my c-peptide results as i'm damn kan cheong over it... wanna know still how much insulin production i'm still making ma... big issue ni!!! So i called... and the nurse was like... oh yes yes got your results already... i wanted to call you but we've been so busy... hold on ya i pass you to doctor...

well... i know Dr. Thye's super busy cause she's taking over some patients for some doctors who went on christmas vacation... so all i wanted to hear from the nurse is the results and the reference range... but since she's transferring the call to the doc... i'm more the happy!!!

D: Hannah!! your results came back normal la!!

H: what's the value?

D: its 487 pmol/l

H: ok... so its normal as in how normal? high normal? low normal? normal normal?

D: low normal... buts its ok... so far how is your sugar level with the reduced met?

H: so far so good... but i'm already seeing higher bg levels... but still ok la...

D: ok... just take the other half if you know you're going to binge / eat more

And the DUH ME forgot to ask on the reference range!!!! so i had to call the nurse again... but told her this time that i just want the range and no need to pass to doc... so my c-pep was as follows:

487 pmol/l (ref range = 298 - 1324 pmol/l) ... in US terms... its 1.4 ng/ml (ref range = 0.89 - 3.972 ng/ml)

so.... i'm on the low normal range... but since my bg that time was good... this is considered good and normal... hmmmm... well i guess i did get this curiousity in my head out now... and hoping for the best it doesn't go lower soon...

31 Dec 2009

Went for my followup with the dermatologist for my warts... i'll say applying the solution for 2 weeks... my warts has now reduced to 6-7! the rest has come off... which includes the process of itchy hands peeling it off =P

So the doc said don't burn first... cause i still have so many left... and since its coming off... he'll prescribe another cream for me and i'm to alternate between the solution and the cream... gave me 5 packs of those super bloody expensive cream (5 packs = rm133!!!!!... and its SMALL pack!!) to apply and if in 2 weeks still doesn't go off... then back to him again to burn it off this time

So i was bored and read the leaflet that came with the cream... and i seriously had the @_@ look for a while... cause in the leaflet... the purpose of the cream is to treat warts on the penis / vaginal area......RIGHT..............................what the heck am I using this cream for?????? ... then there's a small note... your doctor may prescribe this cream for usage in other parts... WHATEVER!!!!!

Anyway... I'm officially wart free now... WAHOO!!!! but i only used 1 pack of that cream cause it was too strong and my poor toe was blistered badly from it... fingers too but not as bad as my pinky toe that kinda bengkak from it... walk also susah... so i just continued on with the solution only... and now its all OUT!!!

--------------
p.s) i know the post said Jan 18... but in actual fact... i finished this post on Feb 4... i know i know... procrastinator!!!!! =P

RIP Chocky!

RIP Chocky! I'll miss you!!!

One year d... so fast

Delayed post... but so fast one year d... one year to what?? one year to me finding out I have D lo...

Oct 6.. officially dx as a D... so far so good!!!

neway... lazy to write more again... so...

http://www.diabetesdaily.com/forum/blogs/hannahtan/3896-happy-d-versary-me

=P

Redang Trip

Sorry sorry... i didn't update about my redang trip here.. but i actually did a blog post on the DD forum about it... so... since i'm super duper lazy to write again... i'll just give you the link there la... hehehehe

http://www.diabetesdaily.com/forum/blogs/hannahtan/3859-redang-island-trip-part-1

http://www.diabetesdaily.com/forum/blogs/hannahtan/3860-redang-island-trip-part-2

Skytrex again... and biking

7 Sept 2009

So fun!!! Went Skytrex again with Adeline and Ai Ping this time... managed to climb the 15m ladder faster (minimal stops)... and did all the challenges the correct way... hehehehe

After that... all of us still so energetic and we decided to go cycling / biking inside Bukit Cherakah... so fun!!! lots of uphills and we became smart... instead of cycling up... we push up our bikes... so actually we were pushing a lot... then when it comes to downhill... cycle la!!! Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!

Weather was super nice... from morning to afternoon... all cloudy skies... didn't get chao ta (burn) under the sun... cooled down at the 4 seasons house... was summer time... tempreture was 15C-20C... wah... summber also so cold one... come out from there straightaway cannot see cause my glasses all fogged up immediately!! imagine from 15C suddenly become 30C again... walau...

We decided to adventure a bit on our bikes to get our way back... instead of going back the way we came... we went through a long way... going through empangan sg. kuning (yellow river dam)... and that way would take us to the spot where we u-turn initially after we saw the steep gradient slope...

WALAUEH!!! it was a heck of an uphill climb!!! sooooo steep!!!! well we wanted a full workout.. totally got the workout... it was about 2km to the point we wanted to go... but whenever there's a downhill... it was sooo fun... jamming our breaks... and the final decent from the hill... almost cannot break!!! we were going that fast!!!!

In the process... i drank quite a bit of 100 plus to make sure that i don't go low from all the exercise... and also one granola bar... wah... very long didn't eat/drink those d... especially in the quantity i took... i didn't bother to test after that as i know that my bg is probably running high... but better than running low and no energy!

Overall... it was a super fun trip!!! too bad i didn't bring my camera cause scared later kena (get) damaged... oh well... next time!!!

I'm totally feeling the after effects of the exercise... super painful arms... and very tired!!! energy well spent though...

Assunta Follow Up...

28 Aug 2009

So fast 3 months d... have to go for my follow up with Dr. Thye again... went to work first... clock in... sit down on my desk... turn on com... check emails... then 10 min later left to go to the hosp... ( i know i know... why in the world did i bother to come into office right??? well... some company procedure la... i not manager like daddy... so just follow lo... )

The last time i visited Assunta (about 3 weeks before this appointment... cause grandpa got admitted in there...and also attended a peripheral vascular disease forum - tell you to take care of yourself and don't get your legs "chopped" off one...and got my legs checked too... all good!! senses all still there)... because of the H1N1... they block all the entrance and check your tempreture... then put a green sticker on your shirt... this time??? what check also no more... i think because the virus is so spread out now... the gov hospitals cannot take in more people... and the private hospitals will have to start treating them now...

Anyway... i arrived late... super hungry since i cannot eat anything cause gotta take fasting blood glucose... went to the lab to take my blood... walaueh... do one A1c and one FBG only also need two vials of blood... don't know why they cannot just use the same vial and do both test... but whatever la... probably more accurate cause less risk of contamination kua...

So gotta wait 1.5 hours for the results... put my folder at Dr. Thye's nurse counter... was actually no. 2!! very rare... went starbucks to eat breakfast and to read my Marley and Me (haven't finish reading...but very nice book)... halfway through... the seats became really uncomfortable to sit... so i left and decided to just wait in front of the nurse' counter...

Really eh... first time i see Dr. Thye's queue sooooo empty... to the point where the nurse ask whether i wanna see Dr. Thye first or wanna wait until my results come in ... i opted to wait... no point me seeing doc if she don't know the results for the labs she ordered...

After waiting for about 1 hour... finally... my results arrived... so about 11.15am... my turn to see Dr. Thye... but then gotta wait a bit more cause she wanna makan (eat) first... 5 min later... i went in... and she was in there busy on her phone... i think some patient's condition must be quite serious cause she was talking about gotta start dialysis la... (after all she's a nephrologist... kidney specialist)... close phone d gotta call another doc la... wah... like drama only... then it was my turn...

D: So Hannah... your A1c is 5.2% and fasting bg is 5.8

H: ooo... A1c remains the same... but the fbg so weird one?? tested myself this morning was 4.8... hmmm

D: Is it? That's weird.

H: As usual... my bg log *hands over a stack of paper... consists of my kiasu graphs and bg log*

D: Wah... so detailed... *looks at my bg log*... ok la your readings... hmmm... wah got 9.7... but overall quite good your readings

H: There's a period where my bgs were running a bit higher... for a few weeks i never saw anything below 5.5

D: Haiyo... don't have to be so perfect la... its ok to have a few rough moments *opps... me blushing... =P* ... you're doing really good =) ... and don't have to test so many times la... about 3x a week like that can d... cause your numbers quite stabilized... don't have to be so meticulous on your log... (oh well... lets see how goes... i do rather know my bg... but that log i was like testing 3-4x a day... maybe i'll cut to 2x... see how first la...)

D: come check your pressure... *pumps the manual bp meter...* how's work??? stressful or not??

H: Work ah?? ok la... sometimes can be a bit stressful... but overall ok la...

D: Good good not so stressful... 100/70

H: haha... finally my BP lower when i see you d...

D: why??

H: normally my BP range is like 90s/60s... come here sure shoot up to 130/70 or 110/70... so now its lower d ... means i'm not so "scared" of you d kua... hehehe

D: haha... come check your lungs... breathe in... breathe out... again... *while she checks my lungs*... all clear...

H: btw wanna ask ah... considering my dx time right... is it possible that i'm now still honeymooning and later on before T1 or T1.5 like LADA or MODY??

D: I don't think so... doesn't work like that...unless you get fever or an infection

H: but that time my bg and ketones were so high... ketones probably as high as a normal T1

D: That time you were dehydrated quite badly... that's why i started you straight on insulin to bring down your bg too... i also think you are insulin deficient

H: that one for sure... i think... eat a bit more only... shows straight on the bg...

D: What's your weight now???

H: er... 67. something la...

D: . something la *writes 67. on the medical file..then looks back at previous record*... wah you lost some more weight ah???

H: errr... is that good or bad???

D: good la!!! also feel better now right???

H: hehehe... got la... hehehe

D: So i see you again at the end of the year la... then we do all the blood test again la... liver, urine, hba1c, lipid, fasting bg

H: one year anniversary d... so fast... btw got C-peptide??

D: got... do that one also la...

H: GAD antibodies??

D: that one i don't think so la..

H: too canggih ah?? hehehe

D: We continue the metformin la since the last time we tried going off it didn't work...

H: Write me a prescription to get from here la... since company pay one... should have done this last time also...

D: No problem... how many you want??

H: 100??? one box lo...

D: 100 enough meh??? until december woh... 4.5 months... nevermind la... i just write 4.5 months here... the pharmacy will know what to do... so i see you next time!!

H: ya hoh... okok... thanks!!!

So i left the hospital... climbed 6 floors back to my carpark... best part was... i wasn't even panting much... although my heart was beating like crazy when i finally reached the 6th floor... you'll probably wonder why in the world did i just not use the lift??? cause wanna exercise lah!!! no time to exercise at home... so take whatever opportunity to do it lo... and i tell you... climbing stairs is not easy k... i had to wear my kneeguard to make sure at least my knees won't be painful after tht... cause it normally does... and it worked!!!

Neway... on the way back from hosp... i was on the phone with someone from US... sharing my good news... i was on loudspeaker with the phone stuck nicely in between my steering wheel... and my 2 hands holding the wheel firmly... and going slow on the left lane cause i'm on the phone... and also traffic was slow...

Suddenly... some policeman stop me... fine... guess what's the charge??? holding the handphone while driving... i was like... WHAT THE HELL!!!! i was on loudspeaker and the phone is stuck firmly on the wheel... policeman said he saw me holding the phone and i just put the phone on the wheel... wow... you can actually see someone holding the phone in a moving car when she was actually holding the wheel... *pure sarcarsm here* ...and not using hands free... i was like... hey... i was on loudspeaker... phone stuck on the wheel... totally hands free... which part of that is wrong and not handsfree??? ... he said i just put the phone on the wheel when i was stopped by him... ya... you know how hard it is to fix the phone on the wheel and that it doesn't drop??? then he tried to move the phone and it couldn't bugged... but he kept saying i held the phone... so i said... its my word against yours... i didn't say i wasn't on the phone... i was on loudspeaker and didn't hold my phone which you keep saying i did... you want to give me the summon go ahead... i will appeal... then he said only 3 officers in Bukit Aman (police hq) can sign... i said whatever... i'll go to court if i need... and he ask when you wanna go?? i said up to you... i keep telling you i wasn't holding the phone but you keep saying i did... you don't have any evidence... and its totally my word against yours... (during this time Elaine was calling me while my phone was still stuck on the wheel and i just promptly turned it off and the phone didn't even move!!!! should have answered and showed how i talk... )

In the end... he said he'll let me go with a warning and told me not to hold the phone again and to use a proper handsfree kit... i was like... how not handsfree is the loudspeaker????? anyway i said thank you like a good citizen... got my IC back... but i saw him looking at my car number plate... so i don't know whether he did saman me or not... if he did and i get the saman later... i sure appeal kao kao... wanna saman me saman me la... don't say let me go with warning and then send saman to my house... so till then... i'll just wait and see...

stupid policeman... spoil my mood only... oh well... he was rajin (hardworking) enough though...credit to him... but sorry la... i don't pay to get away one... especially when i'm totally not in the wrong...