Yesterday was my scheduled medical check up at UMMC. As I am holding the card issued by the Department of Social Welfare for disabled persons, doctor’s consultation, medical tests and medicine are free. These are Detrusitol, Lactulose and other supplements. Those would have cost RM200 per monthly if I had to pay for them. Apart from that, I am also taking Ketosteril to supplement my low-protein diet and Sangobion for anaemia, both of which the hospital does not provide. One box of 100 Ketosteril tablets costs RM260. I need two boxes per month. That is the minimum. The recommended dosage is 4 boxes. I also bought several other items, namely KY Jelly and one silicon foley catheter, which are cheaper at the UMMC pharmacy than other places. The bill came out to RM1109.20. This is where most of my income from online activities go to. What people say is true - money cannot buy health. Given a choice, I would rather be healthy and happy than wealthy. No, I am not rich either. That makes it doubly painful.

The three kittens are able to walk now. They are a little shy and curious at the same time. They have been exploring the garden bit by bit. Wuan and I still have no idea how we are going to manage them. They are simply too cute to give away.

If I were to run a marathon like I blog, I would not only finish the race last but finish the race 30 days later. My being on a wheelchair has got nothing to do with it. My procrastination does. I do not know why - every time I start to blog about the Kota Kinabalu Bloggers Meet, I start to itch. No, I am not allergic to my new found KK friends. They are great people, very friendly, very accommodating, very helpful and most of all, fun to be with. I am itching now but I am going to finish this entry for once and for all.

I would like to wholeheartedly thank all who spent the evening at Shamrock Irish Bar with Wuan and me. It was a privilege and honour to have touched base with some of the more active bloggers in Kota Kinabalu. Special thanks go to Dee who organised the meet in conjunction with my first trip to KK which was also our honeymoon. And what an unforgettable honeymoon it was. Wuan and I are already looking forward to another trip to KK. This time, we are going to fly Malaysia Airlines. See you gals and guys again soon!

Some memorable things I remember about the meet:
1. Jacq, Wei Chuen and Charlie dropped in even though they had driven all the way back from Brunei on the same day.
2. Why KinkyJasmines? Because she wanted to attract attention. We were attracted all right!
3. Collin said he saw Wuan and me at Lok Kawi Wildlife Park earlier in the day.
4. Everybody say seeexxx!!!!
5. Jasmine has been blogging longer any of us present that evening. And she is still a teenager!
6. Lence told us the Filipino Market is a good place to get local handicrafts.
7. Joy and Julian got a thing for feeding bottle. Kinky!

Shamrock Irish Bar’s Wall of Fame.

The attendance list.

(Standing L-R) Wuan, Wei Chuen, Collin, N.J., Lence, Julian, Jefferi, Edgar and Joy.
(Sitting L-R) Jacq, Dee, me, Rachel and Jasmine.

(Clockwise from left) Dee, Jasmine, Wuan, Joy, Edgar, me and Jacq.

Josie and me.

Dee, me and Wuan.

Lence, me and Wuan.

KK bloggers are not only fun people. Some of them are off their rockers too. Joy and Julian.

Posts about the meet lifted off Dee’s blog:
Peter - Kota Kinabalu Blogger’s Meet - Shamrock Irish Bar
Jacq - Blogger’s Meet featuring Peter Tan
Jefferi - Blogger’s Meet with Peter & Wuan in Kota Kinabalu
Edgar - KK Bloggers Meet ~ Snippets
Joy B Lee - Last Night at Shamrock (KK Bloggers Meet)
Jasmine - Review on the blogger’s meet at Shamrock ~ can anyone say sex?
Julian - 2nd KK Blogger’s Meet
Lance - KK Blogger Meet
Josie - Blogger’s Meet @ Shamrock Irish Bar

All I have to do
is take a look at you
then I’m not so blue

Phil Collis - Groovy Kind Of Love

This is an early Christmas gift from Wuan. The snowman was looking out at us from the window display of MPH in 1-Utama. He was so cute and cuddly. We simply could not resist bringing him home with us. He sits just beside the laptop. Each time I look at him, I would invariably smile. It does not take a lot to make me happy.

UPDATE: After receiving protests and feedback from NGOs and disabled persons, RapidPenang has waived the requirement for medical certification and photograph of impaired anatomy for applicants of the concession card. Now, applicants only have to submit a photocopy of the card issued by the Department of Social Welfare.

When I read some of the emails that I received this morning, I got annoyed. RapidPenang is giving concession cards to senior citizens and disabled persons. This is a good move although not something that I would advocate for. Concession fare is a privilege, not a right. Nevertheless, many disabled people barely earn enough to support themselves and any measures like these are appreciated.

However, the people in RapidPenang are in dire need of education on disability. They impose ridiculous conditions on applicants. This is what RapidPenang corporate communications and creative department assistant manager Yap Lee Ying said as reported in The Star on November 24, 2007 in its Northern edition:

“Disabled applicants are to bring a copy each of their MyKad, Welfare Department card, government doctor or Health Ministry certificate, relevant association card, two passport-sized photos and a 3R photo showing the body part of their physical disability,” she said in a statement yesterday.

Is the OKU Card issued by the Department of Social Welfare not good enough? Why is there a need to inconvenience applicants by asking them to get certification from government doctors or the Health Ministry as well? That is not all! Why in heaven’s name do they need a photo showing the impaired anatomy? This is ridiculous. This is disregarding the dignity of disabled people. What? The doctor’s report is not good enough also? The OKU Card is not valid? The people in RapidPenang think the officers in the Department of Social Welfare do not know what they are doing?

Do the people in RapidPenang know what physical disability is in the first place? Can they determine that from a photograph? I am disabled from my chest down. Do I need to pose in the nude to prove it should I intend to apply for the card? Furthermore, why burden disabled people by asking them to incur extra expenditure in getting their anatomy photographed?

If RapidPenang is sincere in giving out concession fare to disabled people, they should make the process as simple as possible. An OKU Card issued by the Department of Social Welfare should be sufficient. I believe RapidPenang’s intention is to alleviate the financial burden faced by disabled people. This noble effort is spoilt by overzealous people that are not in touch with disability issues or have never met disabled persons before. Shame on you RapidPenang for degrading the dignity of disabled people.

M E T R O

North
Saturday November 24, 2007

Rapid Penang concession card registration begins Monday

PENANG: Rapid Penang will distribute registration forms for special concession cards for senior citizens (aged 60 years and above) and the disabled from Monday.

Its corporate communications and creative department assistant manager Yap Lee Ying said the forms would be available at its headquarters at Lorong Kulit here from 8am to 5pm on weekdays and at its information counter in Weld Quay from 6am to 11pm daily.

“The senior citizens are required to bring two passport-sized photos and a copy of their MyKad.

“Disabled applicants are to bring a copy each of their MyKad, Welfare Department card, government doctor or Health Ministry certificate, relevant association card, two passport-sized photos and a 3R photo showing the body part of their physical disability,” she said in a statement yesterday.

A processing fee of RM2 will be charged for applications before Feb 29 while the charge is RM5 thereafter.

For details, call 04-2381313.