Month: November 2004

Butt Crimes

The ceiling fan is spinning at full speed. There is no other way to cool down, except the air-conditioner. That is a luxury reserved for those exceptionally unbearable days. With Malaysia’s perennial heat, I do not want to be addicted to it when I can get by. My buttocks are hurting. Those long hours sitting without a cushion are claiming their toll. The sofa looks inviting but I am too lazy to transfer onto it. Sinking myself into one would make me very immobile. Hence, I am still in my wheelchair, surfing and catching occasional peeks at the television.

“H” is chasing down clues for yet another murder. His confident poise coupled with chic suits and a pair of equally smart shades makes him a chap many would want to imitate in real life. I know I do. This is so shallow. I am basing my standards on television characters. Somehow, sleek black suits have that mysterious allure that captivates me. I hate to admit it but every time I watch these fictional heroes, I wished I am living those exciting lives.

CSI is such an interesting series because the good guys win, always, undeniably. It is a feel good show a lot of us wished would happen in reality. Regrettably real life does not imitate fiction. When the credits start to scroll, I am left with a sense of awe and disappointment at the same time. It signals a wasted hour with the idiot box when I could be resting in bed reducing the pressure on my buttocks.

Aching buttocks is just a minor discomfort. Sitting without bed rests in between poses a very high risk of getting pressure sores. These can take as long as 12 months to heal. The other concern is postural oedema. I sit without standing or walking from the time I am awake until I sleep which can be up to sixteen hours sometimes. This causes the feet and ankle swell up because, by not walking, my calf muscles are not pumping the blood back from the lower extremities, allowing fluids to accumulate there. Elevating the feet higher than the heart while in bed solves the problem.

Sitting for long hours without a proper cushion is like playing the Russian Roulette. If I do not get pressure sores, I win to sit the next day. The good thing is I have sensation which greatly reduces the probabilities of getting it. Still, it does happen. In my case, not getting pressure sores without taking recommended precautions is something extraordinary. The chances are extremely high and I am really asking for it when I have already broken the first cardinal rule of using a wheelchair cushion all the time when sitting up. I tend to slip down the wheelchair seat when using a cushion. That was why I discarded it. I shift my posture often throughout the day to reduce the pressure. Hopefully that is sufficient.

To Drink Or Not To Drink?

Agar-agar

Is the north wind upon us already? It certainly feels like that to me. The air is dry. I know it is. My lips are dry, my palms feel odd and I keep blinking my eyes. Lethargy is slowly sucking the life out of me. This is one of the few times of the year that I dread. In olden China, this is the season they make waxed sausages, waxed duck, waxed pork and every other thing they can wax. These are hung out to dry in the cold winter winds blowing in from the north. I am beginning to see the similarities.

Fortunately, I have a cache of agar-agar in the fridge to tide me over the next few days. I like them less sweet and with a hint of pandan fragrance. I do not know how far this is true but I was told that eating too much of these will cause the hair to fall off. This could be an old wives’ tale. I will never know because for a while now, every time I brush my hair, clumps of it get entangled in the brush and come off, long before I started making agar-agar. It will not make any difference if it is contributing to my hair loss. I was already losing a fair share of hair every day without eating it anyway.

The weather has also caused me to drink more than the usual amount of water. Going to the toilet often is least of my problems. While drinking fluids is encouraged, too much of it will overwork the kidneys. This is not good news for my compromised kidneys. As is with my diet, moderation is the keyword. I am trying hard to balance between quenching my thirst and not drinking excessively. It is a little difficult when the mouth is screaming for hydration while they kidneys are begging for some self-control.