L-R: Reta, Suanie, Jack and me at Starbucks Mid Valley.

Trust that most bloggers will go out with a few other bloggers and then rush back to post an entry on that. And trust that they will post unflattering photos of others just for the heck of it. That was exactly what Reta did today in this entry.

Reta, Jack, Suanie, Wuan and I got together at Chopsticks Noodle House at Mid Valley Megamall just now. It seems that the circle of friends that I hang out with lately is mostly bloggers. I am not complaining though. They are some of the nicest and most sociable people I have ever known.

We met to discuss “some highly confidential matters” that we cannot reveal yet now. After we engorged ourselves full with rice and noodles and dessert, we adjourned to Starbucks for another round of discussion and camwhoring. What is a bloggers meet without some camera flashes going off?

After the meeting broke up, Wuan and I went shopping at Jusco. I needed a few more pairs of pants to replace those that I have been wearing since Mum got them tailored for me many years ago. I prefer ready-made pants for the variety of colours and wide selection available at department stores.

This is part of reclaiming my life back from what spinal cord injury had taken away from me. For many years, I had to wear baggy pants that was three sizes too large. It was to accommodate the urine bag that I carried with me wherever I went. Now that I have discarded them, I am able to wear more fitting clothes. It is regrettable that at a time when I am beginning to regain part of my life, I am also beginning to lose part of it to the ravages of my paralysis.

And hello to Juliana of Jaded. She came over and introduced herself when I was browsing in the pet shop at Level 3. It is always nice to meet a fellow blogger, especially one that I have chatted or corresponded with but have never met before.

Outside Hospital Pantai Indah, Pandan Indah - 4.15pm.

My kidneys are failing. That is an irrefutable fact. Their condition will only worsen with time. There is no way to determine whether the deterioration will be gradual or sudden. All I can do is to continue to be aware with the dos and don’ts of chronic renal failure and hope that their decline will be arrested.

When I was back in Penang recently, I did not have time to go for my scheduled check-up due this month. Since Wuan is on leave today, we spent almost the whole day at Pandan Indah. In the morning, I got my blood tested and had an ultrasound of my abdomen. In the afternoon, we saw Dr. Lim, the Physician and Nephrologist at Hospital Pantai Indah.

My serum creatinine had risen to 271umol/L from 258umol/U when it was tested in February. Although the calibration of the testing equipment of different laboratories varies, the serum creatinine count still shows an increase. My protein intake has to be further reduced in order not to strain the kidneys further. The three portions of meat that I was allowed is further reduced to two now.

Protein is needed to build, maintain and replace the tissues in the body. Protein provides the body with essential amino acids for such purposes. My low-protein diet, if not properly managed will result in protein depletion. This will cause a host of health problems from anaemia to osteoporosis. Symptoms for both are manifested in my blood tests and rippled finger nails called koilonychia.

Ketosteril was prescribed to supplement my low-protein diet with essential amino acids and Sangobion for my anaemia. Those are expensive drugs. One month’s supply of Ketosteril and Sangobion costs nearly RM600. That is not inclusive of Detrusitol that I am taking to relax my spasmodic bladder which is the cause of my renal failure in the first place. One month’s supply of Detrusitol costs RM170.

To cut down on the expenses for Ketosteril, Dr. Lim has suggested a “drug holiday” where I go without Ketosteril for Saturdays and Sundays. To maintain my protein intake, I have to increase it from 29gms of protein on weekdays to 36gms of protein on weekends. 36gms of protein will allow me three portions of matchbox-sized meat.

This progression is not something that I did not expect. Because of my spinal cord injury, I knew full well that renal failure will be one of the problems that I will have to come face to face with. Nevertheless, the thought that my kidneys may totally fail one day in the future is extremely unsettling. When that day comes, dialysis will be the only solution. That will be an expensive therapy and one that will restrict many aspects of my life. I pray that that day will never come.

Penang Adventist Hospital.

Last weekend was one of the busiest I have had in a long time. On Saturday morning, Vincent picked me up to go meet someone we have met twice before at the Penang Adventist Hospital. He is a paraplegic, suffered spinal cord injury eight months ago in an accident and is currently undergoing rehabilitation at the hospital. He was asleep when we arrived. Vincent and I chatted at the lobby while waiting for him to wake up. However, we left after finding him still sound asleep the second time we went to his room.

Relay for Life balloons.

I barely had time to catch my breath and catheterise when Dr. Oo picked me up again to attend the appreciation party for the participants of Relay for Life. The Relay for Life is a fund raising cum cancer awareness cum celebration of cancer survivors event that is held simultaneously worldwide. About one hundred guests attended the party at the ruman Hospice at Jalan Ayer Itam.

Guests browsing photographs of Relay for Life.

There was a dance presentation by the girls from Island Hospital, a short video clip of the Relay for Life that was held in March at the Taman Perbandaran and certificate presentation. This was followed a tea break and games. I left early with Bryan because I needed to pack my luggage and prepare my presentation for the next day. Bryan is the current webmaster for the yet-to-be officially launched joint Penang Hospice Society and National Cancer Society of Malaysia (Penang Branch) website.

Group photo after the talk at the cathedral.

Early Sunday, Vincent picked me up again to give a presentation to about ten teenagers from the Chinese-speaking cathecism class, their parents and some parishioners at the cathedral. The talk was regarding my life, my faith and how they can contribute to the Independent Living project that I am working on. The gist of my message that morning was that as Christians, we have been called upon to serve God. Assisting disabled persons with needs is one of the ways of serving God.

After a quick lunch at home, I finished packing up my luggage, cleared the fridge of the remaining perishable foodstuff and got Peter to drop me off at the airport. I was glad that I got to the airport early. At least I had some time to relax and reflect on the events of the past two days.

In flight somewhere between Penang and Kuala Lumpur.

One of the things that I realised was that I could manage a hectic schedule like that, especially if it is for the Independent Living projects if I could get help for the cooking and other household chores. It would be such a pity and a waste for me to have travelled so far and learnt so much only to be weighted down by the continuous trivialities that had rendered me unproductive in many ways.

True to his words, Bryan spent his entire day with Reallybites and me traipsing half of the island from Sungai Ara to Tanjung Tokong yesterday. Our lunch at Passions of Kerala at Brown Garden, Gelugor was as filling as it was delicious. I am fond of banana leaf rice and this is an occasional indulgence. Of the many such restaurants that I have patronised, Passions of Kerala still serve the best banana leaf rice anywhere.

Among the places we visited were the Taman Perbandaran (Youth Park) and the beach beside Naza Hotel at Tanjung Tokong. Silently, I was excited to be so close to the sea again. It has been a while. On the way out to the main road, we stoped by the Chinese Swimming Club. That building marked major milestones in my life. That building never failed to invoke sadness in me. That was where I first learnt to swim. That was where I last swam. That was where I broke my neck. Reallybites asked when I was there last. That was the first in twenty two years.

That aside, we went window shopping at Gurney Plaza. I got myself another harmonica at a newly opened music store there. This has a wider range of notes compared to the other two that I currently own. The best thing is that I got a RM2 discount off the regular price of RM12. This is much cheaper than the Hohner that I got at Mid Valley. I regretted buying that piece. The sound was not as good as I had expected from this highly-touted brand.

I was a happy man. Never mind that just a few days ago I was extremely down and inconsolable. Never mind that the new drink at The Coffee Bean, called the Lemon Zest, was too sweet to my liking and one that I will never order again for its unpalatable taste. I found the harmonica that I have been looking for. That made up for all the bad days that I went through recently. Of course, I was also grateful for the company of two kids who gave up the time that they could have spent napping to keep me company. What more can I ask for? Not forgetting all who had left encouraging words the last few days, thank you for being there.

And who did we meet at Gurney Plaza? Another fellow blogger and ex-schoolmate Eugene who writes at Limitations & Latitudes. Looks like it is difficult not to bump into another blogger whenever I am out lately. Very often, too, I have blog readers coming up to me and introduce themselves at hotels, restaurants, shopping complexes and even in church. Blogging has given me more than I had bargained for. It has opened up a whole new world of possibilities for me. That is a story worthy of an entry by itself. The next entry perhaps.