The Dentist -- Part 2 and more to come

I visited another dentist, who is a relative of a friend, yesterday.

This 2nd dentist is more experienced and the nurses are more fun. I also took an x-ray. The dentist explained to me the root problem of my teeth and how every problem springs from there.

So, the conclusion is, I don't need to extract the wisdom tooth at the moment but need to have an "endodontic treatment" (pulp treatment) for the problem tooth. (That's exactly why I was hesitated to take out my wisdom tooth last week. The other dentist asked me to extract a wisdom tooth which I don't feel anything wrong, but leave the one that's killing me for days untouched!)

I still need to go several more times before the treatment is done, and more scaling is needed! (Sooner or later, the dentists will scale out all of my teeth!) Then the dentist also asked me to brush my teeth with the small brushes in the picture. It can go all the way through the teeth spacings. Very scary.

P.S. Stuck at home because of Typhoon Fengshen (God of Wind, what a name for a typhoon). And also salute to those keep working under bad weather to keep the city running.

The Dentist

I'd been to the dentist three times on the last four consecutive Saturdays. There's an extra one cause the clince was drowned by the heavy rain and couldn't be recovered till the following Monday.

So, what had I done? I'd had two tooth fillings and had my teeth scaled. Spacings between my teeth were wide to begin with and now, after some very substantial scaling, it's even more spacious. I can even feel the water running between my teeth and have some difficulty to speak properly :( For a while, I think I will need to stay on an "old people diet" (i.e. fish, tofu, egg, minced meat, etc.) before I am used to it.

The dentist suggested me to extract a wisdom tooth (which I now have three). I am a bit hesitated. What do you think?

P.S. Couple of months ago when I watched Babies of Our Times of BBC, the small group of six or seven years old kids all thought Tooth Fairy was real while Superman was fictional. Interesting. I can't remember if they thought Santa was real or not.

髮線越向後，人要越向前看

This is my friend's greeting line at g-talk, and it seems written for me :P

So my hair problem continues. I had a hair cut and a hair treatment, changed shampoo, etc., and I am going to visit Chinese doctor tomorrow!

Everyone asked if I am too stressed. I think I might not be before, but I am extremely stressed now. The more I read from the Internet, the more I am worried. I think everything I do now is more to clam myself down.

When I am used to my "little" problem of my knee, I have a new problem!

In search of a comfortable cushion

Lately, I am having some difficulty sitting up still as my back gets tired very easily. So, I have been looking around for a suitable cushion that can fit the gap between my back and the chair's.

I tried using the one my colleague gave me, but it seems too hard. I tried bringing the one at home to the office, but it seems to "thick".

So, you should now kind what're the main criteria for the right one -- soft and thin.

I spent quite a while at the IKEA several nights ago, touching and pushing every single cushion. Finally, I found this one in the kids' section (again!) -- it's thin and soft, and I think there's an elephant on it. Unfortunately, the original cover was made up of fabric that attracted dust very easily, which is bad for my nose. So I got this red one, cheapest in the section :P

We seem to get along very good these few days, which is very very good :)

I am sick from throat to knee

Well, at least not from head to toe.

From the top, I keep coughing these two days and my throat is really hurt. The worst thing No. 2 is I kept talking on the phone with a "hyperactive" voice in the office, as I needed to liaise with almost every sector in the universe this week, and this kind of "inter-space" liaison will continue till at least 8 March. And the worst thing No. 1 is...I have my Mandarin exam tomorrow!!!!! Not only that I didn't study, I might not be able to speak tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

At the bottom, my knee is the usual problem + wrong posture during physical therapy session last Saturday!!!!! It hurts a great lot, and extend to the problem to the waist. OUCHHHHH!!!!!

I had tried Chinese doctor on Tuesday. It gets a bit better the following day, but it gets worse these few days. I think I will need to see a specialist again next week.

Physical Therapy

I am going to see the physical therapist this Saturday, at 9am!!!!! I've been in the queue since last August and there I am this weekend.

To prepare for the session, I first dig out the referral slip. Then, I try to recollect the symptoms, sequence, some observations, etc. of my knee pain, as I am going to tell the physical therapist all over again, and need not to say I had forgotten most of the details since it was first started at the end of 2005! Then, I count the number of doctors I have consulted -- my own doctor, two private specialists, two Chinese doctors (not to mention I had actually seen three Chinese doctors at the HKU SPACE clinic), the one in the emergency room, one physical therapist, another PT who determined how far I should stand in the queue, two government specialists... ...and each time I have to mention the details of my pain all over again... ...

I am sympathetic to those advocate for one-stop service for sexual violence victims!

Not getting any better

This blog becomes my medical record again.

My allergy not only doesn't get any better, but is getting worse. I think the main reason is because I wore long pants and I kept walking all day from 7am till 3pm or 4pm. My pants scratched with my thighs and the irritation could only become worse.

So, I tried to make a doctor's appointment in the morning...but...my doctor's taking a week's off this whole week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MY GOODNESS!!!!!!!!!!!! She's almost the only doctor I trust in the whole world and she's not with me when I need her so desperately!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My goodness!!!!!!!!!!

I tried calling other doctors but not successful (long story). I ended up went to the St. Paul Hospital out-patient as in last time when I got allergy.

The doctor said I didn't have any problem with my heart and lung functions (!), and I didn't seem to be food poisoned either. It also didn't look like eczema (濕疹). He gave me some pills and cream for these couple of days. If it didn't go out, I would need to see a specialist.

Hope I don't need to see the doctor again.

Unknown allergy

I got some unknown allergy again today on my thighs, the left side is worse than the right and evening seems to be worse than in the morning and afternoon... ...

:~

This time, I didn't eat anything unusual. So it shouldn't be food poisoning.

After discussing with friends and colleagues, I have two hypothesises:

1. The dry weather -- my friend told me she had similar problem when she's in Edmonton cause the weather is dry. (...I didn't need to use any lotion even in winter during those days...but of course...I was only at my early early 20s... :P

2. Mixed use of baby oil and body lotion -- I used both baby oil and body lotion on my thighs this morning...because I found the skin there very dry, so I doubled up the moisture protection... There's no problem in other parts of my body where I only used either one.

I have a third hypothesis when I am back home:

I had used a new formula of White Flower Embrocation (with nicer smell) yesterday. Actually I have been using it since last Saturday, but I had used more yesterday since I got some mosquito bites when I slept...

... many suspect ...

I will stop using baby oil, may be the White Flower Embrocation too, for now, since my friend said baby oil's no good. I will go see a doctor tomorrow after work if I don't get any better.

OK. Time for ER, and I will sleep after that. I need to be at the Convention Centre tomorrow at 7:30am!!!!!

Mouse

Today, I disconnected the mouse and see if I can survive without that.

The main reason for not using a mouse is my desk is too small. Getting rid of it would save me a little more space. Second, should be more important but actually not the main reason this time, is more wrist hurts again.

It all begins when I was working on my MSW dissertation back in 2002. I had to rush it through the deadline, and I wrote much more than required. The worst part was I got lots of tables (more than 40 or may be even more) in my dissertation. I kept using the mouse to drag the information here and there, change format to make them easier to read, etc.; and at the end my right wrist hurt so much that I couldn't even hold a pen. I thought I couldn't write any more.

Then, it gets much better later on, but it hurts again one day when I woke up last week. May be I am doing to much knitting lately (yes, knitting and knitting to rush the a Christmas present for a pair of twin boys). I hope not using the mouse and depending on commands can be a relief for my wrist.

So, I am going to the doctor again this Friday. Have to prepare for it. I guess after this visit, I shouldn't need to go again anymore until the next pain hits me. My knee's getting better and better, except walking up and downhill too much, and after the first half hour of the stretching class. However, I also notice that since I am not doing enough "exercise" (well, I didn't do any in the past, but at least I used the stair!) for a year, I am not as "strong" as in the past. It's hard work simply walking a few steps up.

P.S.(1) Back to work tomorrow, after Chung Yang Festival long weekend. No more public holiday until Christmas :(

P.S.(2) I am reading "The Historian". Critics said it's comparable to the Da Vinci Code, but I find it not as attractive though. I will try to find a copy of 1984 to prepare for the HK Arts Festival next year (there's a 1984 drama performance). Last time I read it was in Grade 12 as English 30 reading, and I am twice as old now! My goodness.

Keep coughing...

...skipped Mandarin class today...so sad...tired...

Sick...

...again...

...I call in sick today and plan to sleep the whole day...

...so...sweet dream...

8:23am, Tuesday, 29 August

My MBT's first outdoor experience

I had bought my MBT for almost a month. However, today's the first time I wore them outside.

Why? Cause for the first couple of weeks, I needed to practice them indoor to FEEL the difference (instruction from the coach when I bought them). Basically, MBTs are (expensive) runners with curved bottoms. So supposingly, when you simply try to balance, your hip, hind and stomach muscles need to work extra hard and you also need to keep your posture right (that's what the ad said!) Therefore, it's not recommended to overwork yourself at the beginning or you will hurt yourself or feel dizzy like on a ship!

However, the more realistic reason is IT'S EXTREMELY HOT OUTSIDE. Other than cats, hot summer is my No.1 enemy!!!!! And when it's not so hot, it's raining cats and dogs. Again, that's the condition I rather stay under a roof.

But today, when I went out to eat at the little shopping mall this afternoon at around 3pm, it seemed that the weather was quite good -- outdoor was not as hot as in the house with a little bit of wind. So, I decided to try my MBT outdoor for the first time and walked along the waterfront for around 45 minutes.

Frankly, I can't tell if there's really any difference compaired to walking with conventional runners. And after the first 10 minutes, I was already all wet and was kissed by a mosquito :( However, with the nice view, and cutie children, sweet babies and their parents also walking, running and playing along the waterfront, it sure was much nicer than inside the house. It's even better after taking a LONGGGGG shower!!!!

Nice to have some exercise and a shower afterward :)

P.S. Florence's finally back! But she said she will be gone soon.

P.P.S. I visited the government specialist a couple of weeks ago. What the doctor said was something I heard over and over before, but he said it in more concret and positive terms, which make me feel better. He also pointed out some important points when working on those hind strengthening exercise, and my muscles seem to be stronger now (or is it the result of using MBT :) I will visit the specialist again in November and attend physical therapy in February 2007!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

P.P.P.S. Haven't posted pictures for a long time. Here's me at work, picture taken with me noticing :( It's sometime ago and my hair is much longer now :P

Slow down, please

I have been running around the office for the last couple of weeks, and have some difficulty of slowing myself down. So you can predict what will happen -- my knee produces those "knock knock" sounds again. Not as painful as before, but you know it's not good to produce those "knock knock" sounds. You can feel that the bones are "crunching" each other, which makes me feel even more scared.

Have to exercise some self-control and slow myself down.

Ida Observatory

If I am trapped in a closed room with no window at all, I can still tell you what's the weather outside.

How?

My knees can tell.

It's like having "rheumatic disease". My knees hurt when the temperature drops suddently, or the humidity goes up. Last week when it got wet and rained a bit, my knees hurt very much and I went to acupuncture again. When it became sunny over the weekend, my knees suddently go better and I could do my evening/morning walk again.

So sad...

Ah ya，痛到飛起

The red dots had come and gone, disappearing like they never had come. Unfortunately, my knee is feeling painful again.

It really hurts. I had a hard time when I was at grocery shopping tonight. I am actually feeling the pain for the last few days but I didn't pay very much attention as I thought it's only because of the change of weather -- it's really "wet" in HK during the past few days. But then I start walking not quite good, and getting worse and worse. I can't stand up right this afternoon again.

So sad. I put on the "ointment" the doctor gave me last time and hope it will get better soon. My doctor's appoinment is in August......

I was sick; and I recover now.

I caught a cold over the weekend, and slept for 16 hours straight from Saturday evening till Sunday noon. But since I am busy at work, I went to see the doctor first day I felt wrong and I am as strong as I always am now.

Lesson learnt -- go to see a doctor early, especially if you have medical insurance!

Ida doesn't go to Lamma Island

Here's my friend's explannation on my explannation of not going to hiking in Lamma Island. Buddy Rita does know me really well.

You must learn Ida's physical and mental condition well.

1. She can't take ferry and she'll vomit like old lady. [Ida: Star Ferry is OK, although I don't like the speed. Going to Macau is killing me.]

2. She's super scared of those cute animals like cats and dogs. [Ida: The list also includes birds, rabbits, hamsters...pratically everything.]

3. She can't walk too far away although I also agree Lamma Island is a great short family hiking trial. Only 1 hour but I think Ida's knees will complain those uphill / downhill portion. [Ida: Doctors said no more going up/downhill/stair for me forever!]

Sick

I caught a cold, plus the "micro current" thing done by my phsyical therapist make me very tired. I shouldn't have gone to work. I better work quick and go back home early.

I think I am sort of sick...

...infected by Mom...

Quick updates

I tried out another specialist on Thursday, took x-ray of my knee (finally), and reserved a time slot on 13 December for physical therapy. Not sure if it's going to work this time, but the medical cost sure is EXPENSIVE. My shopping plan was once again postponed :( So sad.

Watched at 17 in concert also on Thursday. I stood half of the concert (well, I had to. everyone stood and they blocked my view.) and needless to say my knee suffered these few days :(