William's First Operation

William complained of pain on the eye lids near his left eye sometime in March and after having asked the usual questions if he bumped himself somewhere, or played rough with his friends, I decided to leave it be.  There was no swell or any redness.

The next day he told Kakak about the pain and we couldn't find any wrong with the eye again.

We brought him to his paed and he prescribed some eye drops for him for a week.

Then he complained no more about his eye until a week or so later, when I suddenly noticed that his left upper eyelid looked rather swollen.  So I flipped it open and was horrified to see probably two white dots (like the oil seed that we I get on my face).  It looks like a small growth.

Daddy took him to see his paed that night and unfortunately the locum was on duty.  She suggested a round of antibiotics and if it doesn't heal, to see an eye specialist.  Since this was related to the eye, we decided to take no risk as he's complained about this for some weeks now.  Daddy immediately drove him to the nearest hospital, KPJ in Damansara Kim (formerly Damansara Specialist Hospital) and thankfully, managed to see an eye specialist before the doctor closed her clinic.

She put him through some tests and informed us that he need to go for a small surgery to remove the cyst.  She diagnosed this as infective granuloma.  I know it's not grammatically correct but this is exactly what she wrote on a paper for us.

Anyway, that was on Saturday night and William was scheduled for his first operation on Tuesday morning.  On Monday, I informed his school teacher and pre-empted her that he may be on medical leave for the rest of the week.  The supervisor prayed for us.


Tuesday, April 21

His operation was scheduled at 9am.  He fasted from the night before (after dinner) and was jovial and calm all the way.

Registering himself and getting his hospital tag

Changed to his op robe and waiting for the doctors

Daddy giving 101% support

X marks the eye to be operated on

Inside the operating theatre:  Only one parent was allowed permission to accompany him into the operating theatre.  So mommy went. As you can see, my little trooper was jovial all the way.

Less than 15 minutes later, he was wheeled out.  Praise God for a smooth and successful operation.  

So yea, the above is a simple chronology of what happened.  I held his hands as he layed on the operating theatre whilst they administered general anesthesia using gas.  I spoke words of assurance to him, reminding him for the umpteenth time the One who was in control, and he is in His good hands, and within a minute I saw my little boy's eyes close.  I almost wanted to wake him up, as his eyes closed, my own eyes teared.  The nurses then told me it's time to wait outside.

So obediently I walked out alone.

Hubby was waiting outside and he wittingly engaged me into a comedy movie he downloaded earlier. We held hands while waiting for our boy.  Within 15 minutes, the nurse came out and informed us that the operation was over.  See, it's so fast even before my tears can dry!

William was awake but drowsy.  We told him to continue resting.

By half an hour later, he was easily back to his own self, bored and wanting to move around.  The experience later at the hospital was not so good with nothing else to do but to wait and wait and wait. Lunch was not provided so I bought some food from the cafeteria for us and a muffin for William.  Thereafter I left to pick and settle Vic.  Daddy waited with William for the discharge papers until mid afternoon, and still received no discharge papers.

Cut the long story short, we kinda discharge ourselves with the prescription, let them hold our deposit and we left.  It's horrible to let a patient who has been fasting the night before, what more a child, wait for so long.  The other hospital - Pantai Hospital - did not even take THIS long to discharge a patient!

Back home, he was himself like nothing happened in the morning.  For the next few days, he stayed home but by Friday, went back to school since he was getting bored at home.

And the music stopped...

Vic and I have had many meltdowns over her not practicing her piano pieces, and not putting her heart in her practices.  For each good theory work handed in, there's a least three more with plentiful of careless mistakes.  Such mistakes are repeated, and some questions unanswered, leaving both the teacher and I disheartened and frustrated.

A brief history on her brush with music starting off with Yamaha's children group Junior Music Course (JMC) in April 2009 when she just turned 4.  She completed her two years in this course, then moved on to the advanced JMC for the next 1.5 years without completion because I felt the progress was slow and focus was not there.  So we found teacher Joanna who taught her privately in her home under the ABRSM syllabus.  She used modern pieces from current books with jazzy and contemporary songs, coupled with theory and ear training for an hour each a week with Victoria.

Vic has learnt Italian terms and learnt a handful of minor keys as well as melody writing and the works of Grade 1 and 2.

But alas, her interest didn't bloom and she found practicing her piano a chore.  We once had such a bad session at home because she would rebel against everything I said, even to the way she clapped her hands to the rhythm.  It's so bad for our relationship, and such a pain in the behind just to remind her to practice and do her theory.

So at that time, she decided that she will learn piano but not sit for exams.  Her idea of playing the piano is for fun without practicing nor hardwork.  Sometimes I felt like she was practicing only during class time, which really frustrates her teacher too!  After many advices and talks and before some people start shooting at me for being too harsh on her, I have given her the due encouragement and reasonings.  I guess she's just not into stuff that require hardwork with no short term result.

I guess piano is not for her at this time and maybe, just maybe she will pick it up again at a later stage.  Or maybe another instrument.  So far there's no indication of interest for music.

So finally in April 2015, after exactly 6 years of torture, the music stopped.

Flashback... this was Vic enjoying a lesson in September 2009

Perth Holiday: Day 8 (Final Day) CBD Parks, Korean Food and Bye bye!

Day 8
Saturday, 21st March

Our hotel room did not come with breakfast but that didn't pose much inconvenience to us.  In fact, it was good that we had some leftovers which we needed to finish off, such as instant noodles, milo packets and whatever whatever.  Like I can remember what we ate after two months, right?

Anyway, because we needed to check out at 12noon today, we had planned nothing more than a stroll to the park (literally) a few streets away.

We headed towards Swan River to enjoy the wind and view.

This boy really knows how to enjoy life.  He is contented just holding my hands while chatting and walking the streets 

We sat along Nelson Ave overlooking the beautiful (but nothing to see) Swan River.  The wind was rather strong, and there were some people jogging along this path. 

Admiring the beautiful cumulus clouds decorating the blue skyline

We happen to be chance upon the Memorial Service of former Australian Prime Minister Mr Malcolm Fraser (who passed away the day before), where we saw many hunky, handsome men in uniform paying their respects

When in a park... sit on the grass : )

Vic is being cheeky when taking photos with the kangaroo statues

Flowers that look like what I plant back home - Japanese roses - but these mostly pathetic looking ones signal the end of summer and the beginning of Autumn

Pastor J Son offered to send us to the airport which we gratefully accepted.  But first, let's eat!  Pastor J Son decides, we pay.  He recommended this Korean restaurant called Pal Saik Namoo Korean Restaurant which serves a signature dish of multi flavoured pork bellies!  Mmmmm.... from miso and ginseng to curry!

This place is full all the time, so we were really fortunate to get a table.

                            

Group picture with our Pastor J Son - he's one caring and knowledgeable pastor, and I always loved to hear him speak

                           

Order their set which can easily feed a group.  On the left are 6 flavored pork belly and one must start from the mild flavor to the other end.  We had another pot of seafood noodle soup.  Food was awesome! 

Our flight departed at 4:05pm.  This was a good and relaxing holiday... till the next one.

Perth Holiday: Day 7 WA Museum, Corica, City Center

Day 7
Friday, 20th March

Today was our last day at this apartment we called "home" the last one week.  It's been a good place, spacious and clean and most importantly, we felt comfortable whenever we're back "home."  I have been using the washing machine almost daily since our first trip to the beach, to wash the wet clothes and hang them up to dry.  I can't imagine bringing home a luggage filled with soiled and sandy clothes to greet my helper upon returning!

The only small complain I have was not able to operate the dryer function of the washer dryer.  I tried at least 3-5 times, before I slept, and in the early hours of the morning.  I dug out the manual and read it multiple times, but still couldn't get the heater in the dryer to turn on.  So this last batch of clothes didn't dry totally, and had to be packed up to our next accommodation, which is a hotel in the Central Business District!

The reason why we booked at two accommodations was because our return flight was cancelled in the last minute, and therefore instead of flying home in the next available flight which was in the wee hours of the morning (and still paying for the room which we hardly sleep in!), we decided to get a later flight that departs in the afternoon.

This morning, my princess Victoria cooked us breakkie.

Finishing up all our raw food supplies

We checked into Travelodge Hotel which is strategically located in the CBD along Haystreet.  We were pleasantly surprised to see the free CAT bus stop directly in front of the hotel, which is so, so convenient!

Travelodge Hotel, Haystreet

Our room in the hotel

There were also simple eateries and pharmacies nearby our hotel but we did not patron those areas.  Being in CBD, we were quite spoilt for choices and we discovered later that there was a Twillight Hawkers Market every Friday night.

We headed to the WA Museum after checked in.  The museum was nothing much to shout about, and our main purpose was to expose the kids to museums instead of the usual beach, playground and shops.  The attraction to them was of course the dinosaurs.  However, there wasn't much other exhibits besides stuffed animals depicting wild life, birds and butterflies.  I read somewhere that this was because the museum was in the process of moving or renovation.

Crowd was almost nil.  Besides us, there was probably another family or two.  Some school children on an outing dropped by too.

Fortunately both kids were sporting, and Vic seemed to enjoy seeing the exhibits.

Next stop, was Corica's in Northbridge for their famous apple strudels.  We were told not to succumb to other flavours and to stick to the original.  So we headed this advice and ordered ONE strudel which to my surprise (see how blur I am) was about a foot long!  It didn't come cheap too, pricing at AUD$22 (thereabouts)!  Hubby asked if I wanted to tapau back to Malaysia, but I said no, better enjoy here than to ruin the taste back home!

Corica's along Aberdeen Street, Northbridge.  Disappointed that they sold so many types of pastries and cakes and yet had not a single bench or chair for patrons to enjoy them.

Delicious!

We found an unoccupied bench opposite Corica so we "picniced" there... Malaysian style!  Forget the Italian coffee shop that they recommended we go to.  This was more than fine for us, moreover it's shaded and we loved the company of the doves who also enjoyed the crumbs we shared

My two boys!

Shopped around Murray Street.  Not very exciting but at least we did check the high streets out...

Our dinner at Fast Eddy's which was recommended by dear Pastor J-Son.  This place is popular with night crawlers (not the creepy type but those that normally out from a club or a field) as apparently it's the ONLY place that DOES NOT CLOSE at all.  Not even on weekends or at 3am in the morning!  Something like our mamak (open-air restaurants that serves indian bread and drinks) back home... haha, although I honestly am not sure now which mamaks in KL are open 24 hours.

Burger ordered at Fast Eddy's

I disregarded my motto to eat healthily as I give in to my cravings for seafood - so I ordered their deepfried calamari with chips here.  

William's half foot hot dog came with flag that made he boy very happy!

This is the international crowd at the Twilight Hawker Market

We bought spanish paella for supper - taste so so only but was definitely fun to walk around sharing our room.  Kids really liked this!

The next day is our last day in Perth.  Though I love spending time with my family, the quietness and lack of things to see and do in this place is getting boring.  Can't help comparing with Melbourne although it's unfair because we had good friends there and time flew during that trip.

I'm already thinking that it will be a few years more before we step foot into Perth again, and by then we could go for more adventurous trips like skateboarding on sand dunes, visit the Pinnacles desert, camel rides and feeding dolphins in Monkey Mia, and for old memories' sake... stay in a farm!  Hahaha... looks like I've already planned out the future trip before finishing this one.

Perth Holiday: Day 6 Shenton Park picnic, Watertown and City Centre

Day 6
Thursday, 19th March 

Today we have a relaxed itinerary.  The highlight will be the big discount shopping at Watertown (formerly known as Harbour Town) at 840 Wellington Street in the City Centre. Everything else before and after was more like to feel in the gap, like salads and mashed potatoes on the side of the main course.

Our first stop, was to check out Shenton Park near our apartment.  It was a stone's throw away.  Just like the previous two parks (excluding Caversham, these are Fremantle's and King's), both children were very happy!

We planned and packed our sandwich bags for a picnic lunch at the park.

Shenton Park

Simple packed lunch

My soon-to-be 10 year old girl in this toddler playground ok.. Naturally, she found the equipments there rather boring

Asked them to pose with the big tree and they each had to make funny faces and actions.  Aaahh, this is the age, right?

Admittedly this playground is designed more for toddlers.  We saw many mothers with infants and toddlers there too

I love this scene.  A mother having a picnic with her young children on the green grass with the big tall trees in the backdrop on a cool autumn morning

Happiness

After lunch, we walked back to our apartment for a quick stop (fill up water bottle, update email and messages, pee) then we're off to Watertown Brand Outlet (formerly known as Harbour Town).  We hopped on the free CAT bus that brought us just opposite of the shopping outlet in CBD.

We spent the whole afternoon in retail therapy.  There were many sitting places, and it was not crowded.  Most of the prices (at least for the things we were looking for) were very very reasonble after discount so yea, everyone got something and only our hands and legs (and pockets) were complaining.  : )

We shopped till the very last minute, literally!  After all the shopping, we headed to William Street to find our dinner venue, Viet Hoa for some local pho!

A street name after himself!

William's noodle soup.  He enjoyed everything, so he said

Victoria's rice and stirfry beef - rice came cold and hard so Daddy got them to change it

My pho bo - the beef was too raw and broth was not steaming hot! 

Daddy's broken rice dish and pork chop... he said so-so only

So the verdict on the food here is - no big deal.  Free wifi given, I recall, and service is average.  But come on, we are here for the food and I was initially excited due to some rave reviews I read but the quality of food turned out otherwise.

No, he's not at a disco... but this is the floor of the entrance of the State Theatre 

Waiting for our train back to our apartment