Peter took me to see the urologist this morning. This is the follow-up to my previous consultation with the doctor and to receive the results of the x-ray and ultrasound of my abdomen.

The diagnosis: I am suffering from hydronephrosis and atrophy of my left kidney. The flow of urine begins in the collection system of the kidneys. It then flows down the ureters to the bladder. Hydronephrosis is the dilation of the kidneys. This could be due to the collection system being obstructed, or when vesicoureteral reflux occurs.

Vesicoureteral reflux is the backflow of urine from the bladder into the kidneys, caused by a neurogenic bladder. I have a neurogenic bladder because of my spinal cord injury. The abnormal pressure in the kidney caused by the reflux and the stagnation of urine will damage and eventually cause the kidneys to fail.

The treatment: Continue with intermittent catheterisation. My bladder does not empty completely. I use a catheter to drain it to prevent a reflux. This I perform every three to four hours throughout the day. I am to take bladder antispasmodic medication to relax the bladder and to prevent it from involuntarily contracting. The bladder antispasmodic I was taking produced uncomfortable side effects such as drying of the eyes and mouth, blurred vision, decreased sweating and nausea.

I was also advised to prevent bladder infections by taking potassium citrate (pot cit) which will make my urine alkaline. Now, pot cit is the most awful tasting liquid I have ever taken, but that is a little discomfort I have to endure to continue maintaining my urinary system�s health.

I cannot wait to watch The Passion of The Christ. This movie was co-written, directed and produced by Mel Gibson and �adapted from a composite account of The Passion assembled from the four Biblical gospels of Mark, Matthew, Luke and John,� according to the background info of the official movie site. Additionally, the characters in the film speak in the languages they would actually have spoken during that time, namely Aramaic, Latin and Greek. I believe Gibson had taken great pains to recreate this movie as authentic to the times as he possibly could.

The Passion of The Christ is about the last twelve hours of Jesus� life. This movie is slated to be released on February 25, coinciding with Ash Wednesday. Even before the release, it is already mired in controversy. Jews and Christians feared that the graphical dramatisation that led to the crucifying of Christ would incite anti-Semitism because it portrayed the persecution of Jesus by the Jews.

Personally, whatever message this movie depicts, I will be watching it to learn more about the sufferings that Jesus went through, beginning from the Garden of Olives in Gethsemane right up to the moment of His death. This will help complement my Bible studies. Anne and Adel, my catechists, are currently helping me understand the deeper meanings of God�s Words.

A man went to see the doctor.

�What is ailing you?� the doctor asked.

�Doctor, I am not feeling too good.�

After a thorough examination, the doctor said, �I have bad news and I have good news. Which do you want to hear first?�

�Give me the bad news first,� said the man.

�One of your kidneys is atrophied and probably not functioning.�

�What is the good news then?�

�Well, you can still live with one kidney.�

That pretty well sums up the situation after the ultrasound of my abdomen. My right kidney is 10cm, which is a normal size, while the left is 7cm. The atrophy could be due to the reflux of the urine from my bladder back into the kidneys. This is a preliminary diagnosis by the radiologist. I still need to go back to see the urologist for further assessment and treatment. This checkup is pursuant to the blood test which showed an abnormally high serum creatinine and uric acid levels.

Shopping can be a pain when one has to part with a few hundred ringgits for a moment of impulsive indulgence. I have been meaning to get a pair of sunglasses since my last pair got squashed under someone�s posterior. After deferring for a few years, I went out with Peter to shop for one yesterday. Initially, I had only wanted to window shop and wait for Wuan to come before getting one. I had wanted Wuan�s opinion.

I tried on a few and liked two - one by Giorgio Armani and the other an Adidas. The Adidas was a snug fit, sporty and lightweight but the GA looked better on me. Peter liked one by Gucci with polarized filter. It looked really cool but was way over my budget. After much haggling with the salesgirl, I settled for the GA and Peter took the Gucci. I felt so broke as we exited the shop with our booty.