Chinese New Year Eve 2022

I decided to spend the Chinese New Year in my hometown Penang. The MCO and interstate lockdown had prevented me from meeting my friends and relatives for 2 years now. I must admit that I have been very happy so far because I managed to carry out my reunion of school mates at the Nona Bali Restaurant. Some 30 school friends turned up and we all had a bashing & happy night laughing away like small kids. The next morning, my wife and I were very excited to meet up with my silent reader CK Yeoh and his sweet wife. They both were so kind to invite us over to have a dim sum meal at his lovely home. I felt so honoured to meet someone who had been reading my blog posts for some years now. I felt so paiseh that CK Yeoh had even read my rantings over and over few times. We had so much to chat and shared many topics from the colon surgeries of his wife and mine which occurred almost the same time, just 2 months apart, besides talking about the spiritual enlightenment. I left his place with a happy heart because we finally met up after exchanging emails and texts for sometime. My wife loved their modern designed house near the shores. It was the first time I ever heard my wife saying that she liked a house design so much, until she took her phone out immediately to check its selling price! She had never done that in her life after visiting many homes. I believe there must be some good vibes and energy flow that attracted her. She is looking for a suitable place to stay when I have decided to retire in Penang in the coming years. I will post more about our visit to CK Yeoh's place in future.

Today is the Chinese New Year's eve. So much rush and madness was happening before I left KL at 4.30am to beat the traffic jam. My other friend left KL at 5.15am and was caught in the snail paced traffic from Slim River onwards. 45 minutes apart made such a huge difference. We have checked into this hotel in the city which commands the panoramic view with the seaview and my old school, right below my hotel's window. So much good and bad memories of my schooling life came flooding back. Honestly, I never really enjoyed my school days at the Christian Brother's school because of many silly reasons. I probably enjoyed studying in America as I had lots of freedom there. 

This hotel has many beautiful props and Chinese New Year's decorations at their lobby. I was thrilled that I could just snapped photos for my blog and facebook. 

Have you bought all the auspicious oranges for Good Luck?

Ang Ang Boh Hai Lang! Have you bought your Red Dresses?

Wear new red bras and red underwears this New Year! Can buang all the soei.

Quickly go and buy all your needs before the first day of Chinese New Year!

My wife bought new hotpot, cutleries and bowls today for our reunion dinner!

Have fun guys and enjoy your reunion dinner!

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Life After Surgery

I must admit that many things ran across my thoughts while I was lying on the 3 different hospital beds for a total of 12 nights. It wasn't a near death ordeal but it was bad enough to make me think nonsense. I asked myself whether I would have any regrets if I had to die the next day or during the major surgery. I asked myself where was the happiest places and moments I spent. The list was very long but I can briefly say that it was standing infront of the whole Grand Canyon in Arizona when I was a student. I was so speechless and the sight was worth dying for. The other happiest days were spent with my wife when I rode on the rented motorbikes around Phuket Island and Pulau Belitong. Both occasions, it rained heavily and we both were soaked wet but my wife was singing very loudly and happily all her Cantonese songs. Those were funny and happiest memories.

I have mentioned that I was badly traumatized during my stay at the 3 hospitals. I didn't elaborate here in the social media as it is too embarrassing indeed. I shared partially in my Facebook and that was shocking enough for my friends and contacts to read. They could not imagine the ordeal and I only have myself to be blamed. The 3 hospitals were strict and did not allow any visitors which made it difficult for helpless patients like me. When I was discharged, my wife checked me into the big hotel at Sunway to relax and pamper myself with the morning's sumptuous buffet breakfasts. Look at the giant elephants that stood prominently outside the hotel. Their trunks pointed upwards which Feng Shui terms meant aiming and sucking all the wealth from above. This hotel and their shopping mall have been doing well with expansions, one after another.

The view from my hotel's room overlooked the lagoon below with many water features, It was not crowded as it was a weekday. I had fun relaxing in the room watching TV and went window shopping several times. 

This photo was taken just before Christmas at the hotel's lobby. Can you guess what little gift I was holding???

It was the chemotherapy tablets given by the doctor after being discharged from hospital. I went back for follow up visits and had so far done 3 separate blood tests on different days. My blood is back to normal and healthy level with no more tumour markers. So I declined to take chemo tablets as they are too strong as the doctor wants me to take it for 112 days! My hair would be gone and all my healthy cells would be destroyed.

Meanwhile, my best friend from childhood days have been encouraging me to visit the Nano Heat Therapy Centre in Puchong again. He believes the heat therapy that penetrates our whole body at the right temperature would eliminate all the unhealthy bacteria and cancerous cells at early stage. I used to frequent this place which I had blogged HERE and it is nice that I have a friend to accompany me. We could talk for hours and laughed silly at our growing up years at school. Laughter is the best medicine too.

My Birthday and Chinese New Year Blasts

I know I have no good excuses for this long hiatus from blogging. I blame it on the major surgery where the surgeons took 8 hours to operate me and fed me anaesthetic for so long. My head was blurr for several days after the surgery and I had slight difficulty in remembering the roads when I was driving last November. I was not sure whether to turn left or right. My wife cautioned me that anaesthetic effects would last several months depending on the number of hours I was being injected or inhaled. So I googled online and was shocked to read that the side effects could stay inside the patient's body system up to one year and above! No wonder I lost my mojo in many things. I often had to struggle to bring myself to live normal like before. I had to do exercise frequently in the gym though on lesser scale as my abdomen's stitches have not healed yet. I am most thankful that I have been sleeping well at night and no longer suffer from bowel issues.

Last Sunday, I celebrated my birthday officially. The celebrations started on Friday 21st January and continued on till last night, this afternoon and tomorrow's lunch would be final. I noticed everyone was supportive and turned up full force after anxiously following my FB progress of my sickness, surgery until recovery stages. I am very thankful for everyone's love and moral support. I had frightened more people than myself over the colon's tumours and removal surgery.

I have celebrated my birthday with my loved ones over 6 times. I have only gained 3 kgs after losing 23 kgs before the surgery. I have been eating a lot, yet my digital weighing scale is hardly moving. Sigh!

I have been enjoying pre CNY dinners and lunches as well. Todate, I have tossed the ritual "Yee Sang" 5 times. More to come!

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