30 SEP 2007 SUN - HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ELAINE

Tomorrow is Elaine's birthday, we celebrated for her today:




14-21 SEP 2007 - 'ADAM'S APPLE'

14-17SEP07 FRI-MON
I was so tired, slept 'through' from Friday night to Monday morning, shocked to see a big lump on my neck (see below pic, just above point A) on Sunday night.
This big 'Adam's Apple' - no pain lar,
but the size and the sight of it - worrying lor...


17SEP07 MON
Consulted my family doctor Dr Lee, while queuing for my turn to see my company appointed GP. (I dun have much confidence with the GP. Last month I visited the GP 2 times, took more than 3 weeks to recover from cough).
Dr Lee said this could be a Thyroid Nodule after listening to my 'description', followed by his observation. I had no idea what is Thyroid Nodule then. Guess how I responded? Heehee the optimistic me replied: "So it's no big deal la!" [it rhymes lor, no-dule vs no-big-deal, hahaha...]
He said this is quite common for women, 95% non-cancerous, ... The procedure is to drain it with a needle and get the liquid content examined to see if it is benign or malignant. He said need not worry even if it is cancerous (5%) because such cancer can be cured and will not 'come back' for 30-40 years.
After seeing Dr Lee, I waited for another 15minutes for my turn to see the GP. He asked me to move my tongue in & out while he examined the lump movement for quite a while. He said this could be a cyst and wrote me a referral letter to see a Head & Neck Surgeon. He kept looking at my 'Adam's Apple' while writing the referral letter. Perhaps he realised that his expression unconsciously indicated 'big problem', he said: "Don't worry, it's going to be fine." The nurse made appointment for me to see the Surgeon on Wednesday morning.
If I did not consult Dr Lee, it would be mental-torturing before seeing the Surgeon!

19SEP07 WED
Dr Lee’s visual diagnosis is accurate!
The Surgeon added that after draining the liquid content, the lump will get smaller but not completely gone. Huh! This “Adam’s Apple” gonna be there forever! He said it’s just like a balloon filled with water, when poked with a needle, the water will not flow out completely. Surgery is the only way to remove it completely. With my character, I would prefer to remove it. But I changed my mind after he ran this finger on my neck to ‘show’ me where the cut gonna be. HEY! from point A to B hor, see the first pic on top.
So 4ml of brownish fluid drained:
Haha now my 'Adam's Apple' not that prominent liao:

20SEP07 THUR 10am
The nurse called me, it is benign, so to follow-up 2 months later as scheduled and she will mail me the report.

21SEP07 FRI – received the Cytology Report, the Microscopic Description as follows:
3 Pap and 1 DQ stained smears are examined. Low cell yield. There are a few macrophages and some colloid admixed with blood. Follicular cells are isolatedly present.

Some info on Thyroid Nodule:
The thyroid gland is found in the neck just below the "Adam's apple." This gland is responsible for producing thyroid hormone, which is an important hormone that stimulates the metabolism of the body. Like many things, the thyroid gland gets "lumpier" as we get older and the frequency of these nodules increases with age. Thyroid nodules are also more common in women than in men. Thyroid nodules usually do not prevent the thyroid gland from doing its job.

Thyroid nodules are very common. A nodule is a swelling or lump, which can be a solid or liquid filled cyst or mass. Most are benign, but a small percentage can be cancerous. So you should always have a nodule evaluated by your physician as soon as you notice it. An estimated one in 12 to 15 women and one in 50 men has a thyroid nodule. More than 90 percent of all thyroid nodules are not cancerous.

Some symptoms of thyroid nodules include palpitations, insomnia, weight loss, anxiety, and tremors, common in hyperthyroidism.
Hypothyroidism symptoms might include weight gain, fatigue, depression. Some people will cycle back and forth between hyperthyroid and hypothyroid symptoms. Others may have difficulty swallowing, a feeling of fullness, pain or pressure in the neck, a hoarse voice, or neck tenderness. And finally, many people have nodules with no obvious symptoms related to thyroid dysfunction at all.

Thyroid nodules cannot be prevented.

What Increases Your Risk
You are more likely to develop a thyroid nodule if:
You are older. Thyroid nodules are more common in older people. [ aiyo i old people liao =( ]
You are female. Women are more likely than men to develop thyroid nodules.
You have been exposed to radiation. Exposure to environmental radiation or past radiation treatment to your head, neck, and chest (especially during childhood) increases your risk for thyroid nodules.
You do not get enough iodine. Iodine deficiency is rare in the United States but it is common in areas where iodine is not added to salt, food, and water. An iodine deficiency may result in an enlarged thyroid gland (goiter), with or without nodules.
One or both of your parents have had thyroid nodules. [ both my parents don't have lei ]

人人都平等, 都有权利活地有尊严!

前星期我还洋溢在戏剧和友谊带给我的无限感动中, 上星期我的情绪却被以下事件所拨动, 让我久久无法适怀。

有个朋友因为不能忍受自尊一再的被践踏, 决定辞职。 ‘士可杀不可辱’, 我能体会天天过着有如行尸走肉的难受, 尊重他的决定。

他没有相关的工作经验, 非常珍惜前上司给他机会。 知道自己学习的慢, 几乎天天加班。虽然他的学习进度较慢, 但是他态度认真, 有责任感。

他的前上司在他加入二个月后离职, 他的苦日子就此开始。新上司咄咄逼人, 态度冷漠,......

当你拿着文件到上司那,开口问他, 他毫无反应, 完全不理睬你, 你有何感受?
你试过在你还是新手时, 上司要你在他的电脑前看电邮, 然后问你懂不懂其内容吗?
当你用电脑存档, 有问题不能前进, 向上司求救, 只需几步路, 他也不愿到你那帮忙, 反要你有问题到他的座位去, 你有何感受呢?

或许你会说不同人有不同个性嘛!
哈哈哈...当老板在附近, 新上司竟然能语气温和,关怀备至的到他的座位, 嘘寒问暖。哈...演技一流啊!

我只能说这是个人修养的表现、 希望这位新上司的良心有所发现!
即使不相信KARMA, 也该将心比心, 希望人家怎么对待你, 就要以那样的态度对待别人。

如果觉得他的表现不够理想, 可以直接告诉他这份工作不适合他, 好聚好散嘛! 他确实经验不足, 自信心受损是难免的。

本来只有自信心受损, 现在连他的自尊心也被辱!
人人都平等, 不论贫富贵贱、 文化程度高低, 都有一样的权利, 活地有尊严!

突然, 我好想印度YOGA 学校的那座山, 在那儿大声的唱着孙燕姿的《逃亡》:
踩著月光打开车窗, 离开这城市想找个解放。
一路开往最高那一座山, 孤单的想像寂寞的逃亡。
我想是偶尔难免沮丧, 想离开想躲起来,
心里的期待总是填不满。
我看著山下千万的窗, 谁不曾感到失望,
就算会彷徨也还要去闯。
关于未来只有自己明白, 不想让心情被现实打败。
一路开往最高那一座山, 孤单的想像寂寞的逃亡。
我站在靠近天的顶端, 张开手全部释放,
用月光取暖给自己力量。
才发现关于梦的答案, 一直在自己手上,
只有自己能让自己发光。

25/28 AUG 2007 SAT/TUE - 无限感动

上星期六带妈妈看了以本地七月鬼节歌台为题材的歌舞电影《881》, 星期二和好友观赏了以本地新谣贯串的音乐剧《天冷就回来》。
两部截然不同, 风马牛而不及的杰作,唯一共同点是它们都非常的本土,
观赏后我深受感动!

感动1 - 《881》
《881》以七月歌台为主题,以歌舞描述一对跑歌台的木瓜姐妹的故事。电影的歌曲和对白包括福建话和华语,其中还有已故新加坡歌台天王陈金浪的作品。
《881》有百老汇的韵味, 也非常的通俗。
大木瓜在母亲反对下坚决想当歌台歌星、
小木瓜在病魔折磨下辛苦地实现梦想、
关音为了小木瓜一生中的最后一场演出,卖掉他心爱的公鸡帮忙筹钱、.
.....都让我非常感动。

《一人一半》: 一人一半, 感情不散, ...已经找到爱,为何要离开...

感动2 - 《天冷就回来》
香港编剧杜国威巧妙的把梁文福的30多首创作串联成扣人心弦的音乐剧。
《某某人住在很那个的小镇》、《写一首歌给你》、《细水长流》、《担心》、《爱的名字》、《一步一步来》、《如果你不小心想起我》、《恋之憩》、《红豆词2000》、《阿祖的大福饼》、《我们的歌在哪里》、《麻雀街竹枝》、《喜欢你》、《久久才见到你的好》、《羞答答的玫瑰静悄悄地开》、《你酷》、《用我的歌带你去旅行》、《让夜轻轻落下》、《从你回眸那天开始》、《历史考试前夕》、《摇摇民谣》、《水的话》、《说时依旧》、《最后还是会》、《排排坐》、《深拥》、《你的倒影》、《给你一些不给你一些》、《戒情人》、《陪我看日处》、《新加坡派》、《天冷就回来》... 首首动听的梁文福的歌曲、谱成一个诉说追求理想、爱情和乡愁的温馨故事。
这些伴随着我成长岁月的动听歌曲,满满的本土情怀,一首首流进心里,唤起了我最深刻的感受。

无限感动
我的两个好友分别观赏了《天冷就回来》后, 不断地向我推荐。 当我上网买票时, 只剩最贵的票价, 但座位却不理想, 因此决定不看了。 好友分别得知后, 觉得可惜, 分别不断地游说和为我张罗剧票, 非常有心, 好个皇帝不急太监急。
皇天不负苦心人, 好友竟然帮我找到座位还算不错的剧票。 说真的, 未看此剧前, 我并没有什么特别感觉。 观赏后, 除了被此音乐剧所感动, 更让我感动不宜的是好友的用心。 深深感动我, 是好友知道我若错过此剧,将深感遗憾! 得知我决定不看了, 比我还着急!
此刻我好想唱《细水长流》给好友听, 表达我的感激 ...... 人生的际遇千百种, 但有知心常相重, 人愿长久, 水愿长流 ......

没看, 不知遗憾。 看了, 才知没看的遗憾。

《天冷就回来》的最后一场演出是9月2日, 但门票早已被抢购一空,创下了本地华语剧场史无前例的票房佳绩。 想看就要等到2009年了!

在2009年到来前, 希望以下经典歌词能带给你一阵阵激动, 牵起你一丝丝情愫:

《某某人住在很那个的小镇》: ... 其实某某人他并不介意任何人 可是任何人总有恩怨来分 有些人的朋友难免总是有些人的敌人 所以某某人总需要得罪某某人 ... 某某人有他的快乐和愚蠢 每当个人随便他不会太认真 ...
《细水长流》: ... 人生的际遇千百种 但有知心常相重 人愿长久 水愿长流 年少时候 ...
《担心》: ... 担心 我的单心 你就这样放心 我却如此愿意 竟然愿意 用白天 用黑夜 用思念 拥着你...
《爱的名字》: ... 爱是一樽盼望 需要你的注满 爱能酝酿你一生的时光 爱是一颗种子 种在你的心上 让它萌长成人间的希望 ...
《一步一步来》: ... 太阳下山明早依旧爬上来 我的青春匆匆地铁那样快 花儿谢了明年还是一样的开 人生最好还是一步一步来...
《我们的歌在哪里》: ... 我不相信伤害是胜利 我不相信冷漠是看的清晰 我不相信写在纸上的就是爱情 我不相信听得到的才是声音 ...
《麻雀街竹枝》: ... 我们这里是新加坡 我们都曾一无所有过 现在拥有的不算什么 但是比别人珍惜得多 ...
《如果你不小心想起我》: ... 如果你不小心想起我 不要让他拥着你的难过 至少难过留给我 他有你和快乐 就把快乐以外的留给我 ...
《恋之憩》: ... 什么样的温柔才能轻抚你的伤口 什么样的思念才能牵走你的忧愁 什么样的拥抱才是你寂寞的尽头 什么样的守候才能被你接受 ...
《羞答答的玫瑰静悄悄地开》: ... 怎么舍得如此接受你的爱 从来喜欢都会被爱成悲哀 怎么舍得如此揽你入胸怀 当我越是深爱脾气就会越坏 ...
《让夜轻轻落下》: ... 也许已经不是爱 只是一种坚持的情怀 也许依然还有爱 也许是慢慢生长的悲哀 ...
《从你回眸那天开始》: ... 一个一个想你的日子 砌成一栋孤单的房子 我在上楼下楼开门关门 翻着抽屉寻着你名字 一个一个想你的日子 从你回眸而去那天开始 我的日记写成诗 诗的背后寻找你名字 想着你的感觉 有如雨的缠绵 淋湿我的岁月 而我却依然不知不觉 想着你的感觉 有如风的缱绻 吹乱我的日夜 吹也吹不走你的容颜 ...
《水的话》: ... 浮云一片 飘南北西东 谁也不知 我的行踪 轻轻化作 烟雨朦胧 丝丝落在 你的心中 ...
《排排坐》: ... 如今话儿是兜个圈子说 ... 如今人人都亲热得多 转过头就把你来数落 谁的心没有默默地痛过 满天星星也疲倦得多 ...
《你的倒影》: ... 迷航中你是我的唯一指引 孤单中你是我的远方慰藉 海天中给我信心 你的爱永不迁移 最难忘是你那修长美丽倒影 ...
《陪我看日处》: ... 雨下了走好路 这句话我记住 风再大吹不走嘱咐 雨过了就有路 像那年看日出 你牵着我穿过了雾 教我看希望就在黑夜的尽处 虽然一个人 我并不孤独 在心中你陪我看每一个日出 ...
《新加坡派》: ... 别人将苹果派都送过来 我们也可以创造新加坡派 现在是别人纷纷移民前来 谁不爱新加坡牌 I like it Singapore Pie 我最爱新加坡派...
《天冷就回来》: ... 天冷你就回来 别在风中徘徊 我猜我眼理有明白 还有一丝无奈 天冷他没回家 我仍然在等待 明天的雨点洒下来 那滋味就是爱 ... 唔.别在风中徘徊 唔.天冷就回来 ...