Tick Fever

4/5/2010 (Tue) - Nicole felt lethargic after a shower. The next morning, my maid told me she was not her usual self after her walk. Immediately, we brought her to Mt Pleasant Clinic for a checkup. She was not having a fever but her tongue is very pale.

Dr Kasey Tan, her usual vet was not on duty on that day but they reassured me that Dr Koh Jun Jia is equally good. She explained everything to me and why a blood test is justified. We waited past 2pm for the blood test result. At 2pm, it is confirmed that she has tick fever (infected by babesia). Her result are :-

HCT 23.1% Low (37.0 - 55.0)

HGB 7.4g/dl Low (12.0 - 18.0)

PLT 110K/ml Low (175 - 500)

She was given Prednisolone 5mg tab, Luckyhepa/Hepavite capsule and Vibravet Anti biotic 50mg tab. She will be due to go back for a follow up 3 days later (22/5/2010, Sat). However, Dr Koh was worried that her HCT may drop below 20 and she might collapse and asked to standby some big dogs of 20kg to donate blood to her if needed. My mind was blank. My daughter's life is at stake and where do I find big dogs!

I broke the news to my sister. I know she will freak out and she was even naive enough to standby her 3 malteses for Nicole. I contacted Nicole's groomer to help and they are really concern. I called my cousin who has a golden retriever and she has since agreed to standby her dog for Nicole.

My sister posted in STOMP and ended up having mixed responses like some genuine well wishers who sincerely wanted to pledge their precious dogs to help Nicole and some unkind remarks too. The unkind remarks really affected her so much. Nevertheless, I'm not angry by those unkind remarks but really touch by those who cares for a dog's life! I am really thankful!

As at today, Nicole is still doing fine. She could eat and take a short walk (mommy make sure she dun take her usual long walk cos I am afraid of tiring her). Mommy has prepared an extra meal of liver, beef or salmon for her and she still could finish it. I just pray hard that she doesn't need to activate her backups for blood and she will get well soon.

For now, I just carry a copy of her blood test result and a list of medication she is taking in my wallet cos I'm really paranoid. I am so worry that I might have to rush her to hospital suddenly. I even set Mt Pleasant Hospital in my GPS. I just wish I dun need it!

Nicole, mommy loves you so much. Please be strong!

Nicole's 6th Birthday

Urban Pooch @ Balestier

24th Apr 2010 - Nicole's 6th birthday. The last few years we had been celebrating Nicole's birthday at home but this year we just wanna make it up to her. Making up for spaying her without her permission, for neglecting her even since she has 2 more siblings, for not being able to bring her along whenever we go out .... (Nicole, you saw mommy going out frequently but actually mommy is not going "gai gai" but to drive your 2 brothers to and from schools and clinic and these are the places you can't go!)

We brought to URBAN POOCH, a cafe for dogs for dinner. We ordered lamb cubes (S$4.50) which she quickly finished. Then we ordered Dory Fish (S$5.00), this time she could not finish. Daddy saw her could not finish her food looked a little heartache. I believe he wish he could turn into a dog and finish the food for her. Ha Ha....

The total cost for this family dinner is S$68.70 but being able to eat comfortably with Nicole without having to worry about those wary eyes is PRICELESS!

Happy Birthday, Nicole! Mommy wish you a long long long life...

HFMD

Garwyn's HFMD

Julian's HFMD

Never expect my luck was so down. My 2 monsters were down with HFMD just 3 weeks after recovering from a serious viral fever and bronchitis. It took 2 weeks for them to recover and now another so call childhood disease!

~~~~~ Day 1 ~~~~~

4th May 2010 - Noticed Garwyn had some red spots on his hands and feet. I was alerted but thought was allergy cos we have skin allergy problems that run in the family. So I instructed my maid to give him Zrytec. Hours later, it didn't subside, then I began to worry it HFMD. I kept taxting my friend who is a teacher and ask how to tell. I even go to the website to check. The tell sign is having spots on the soles of the hands and feet but Gar Gar was on the back of the hands & feet, that's why I could not be sure about it. The last call from my friend was to shine a torch into his mouth. I saw a lot of red dots on the upper part of his mouth, that confirmed my fear. It was 9.30pm, quickly rushed him to a clinic and get a doctor to confirm it. True enough, it's HFMD!

On my way home, I called my maid and instructed her to prepare Julian fo the news and take him to master bedroom to sleep. But in my heart, I knew quarantine them within the same household would not help much.

I didn't sleep well that night. Julian woke up in the middle of the night and quitely crept back into the room to sleep. Bringing along his 2 pillows & water bottle. So much he could move except the mattress. As he has no mattress, poor little thing slept on the floor near the entrance of the door. I brought him back to "daddy's room" and slept with him for a while. Then back to Gar Gar's room. That night, I was sleeping between 2 rooms.

~~~~~ Day 2 Many Thanks ~~~~~~

Many thanks to those who helped. Julian's teacher asked me to allow Julian to go to school so she could take care of him and I could devout all my time to Gar Gar. In addition, to minimise the risk of infecting Julian. Dr Rhonda gave me a call (even tho' we are not consulting her for HFMD), and taught me how to manage HFMD.

In the evening, I brought Julian to his cousin's place and brought him home after 9pm. The sensible Julian understood the situation at home and he didn't cry when I sent him over to his cousin's place.

Julian told me he was scare to sleep alone. I told him I'll get Aunty Selina to sleep with him. He was really sensible, he said Ok and slept through the night. The next morning, he didn't even step into Gar Gar's room and went to school quietly.

~~~~~ Day 3 ~~~~~

Today Julian came back from Shichida class and when Garwyn saw his brother approaching the bedroom, he quickly closed the door and shut himself in the room. I was very touched by his gesture. Afterall, this little thing is only 2 years old. Thanks to the teachers and maid, we have been telling them how serious is HFMD and it is highly contagious and the need to separate them.

Gar Gar is so tough and brave. The lesions are all over his feets, hands, mouth and diaper area. Dr Watt said the next few days will be the worst for him before he starts to recover. It was itchy and painful but he never compain. He couldn't sleep some of the nights and woke up to scratch. Seeing him suffer and I could not do much, I could only take hot towel to rub on those itchy areas, this really pain my heart. I bought him a tub of ice-cream to soothe his ulcers.

~~~~~ Day 4 ~~~~~~

I was still worrying about how to settle Julian over the weekend but no need to worry about it anymore. Julian was infected.

~~~~~ Day 5 onwards ~~~~~

Julian's case was more serious than Gar Gar. The lesions have spred all over his hands, arms, feets, legs, butt, armpits..... and it was all big and sore. Initially he cried and refused to drink the herbal tea that I'd brewed for him. I was so mad that I chased him out of the house. He cried and cried... a moment later, I went out with the herbal tea and a chocolate egg. I told him, I am his mommy and he is so precious to me. When I see him in pain, it breaks my heart. I am doing all I can to help him not to harm him. He stopped crying and finished the cup of herbal tea. From then on, he ate and drank what ever I'd prepared for him.

I was really glad that both of them could eat and drink cos I heard a lot from other mommies who had this experience told me their kids coundn't eat and drink. We (even the maid) were closer.. going thro so much thick and thin. And the 2 brothers love each other so much in crisis.

Last Sunday (16/05/2010), Julian has got the clearance from the doctor after 10 days of HDFM but a lot of damages hav been done to his skin. He has alot of peeling... Garwyn got his clearance on 11/05/2010 (Tue).

Our Footprints... Year 2010

14/03/2010 (Sun) - At NorthPoint Shopping Centre

The kids played past their nap time - see Julian was almost asleep.

16/03/2010 - Pratha dinner at Jln Kayu

Julian's music teacher Audrey told him that the pratha is nice so mommy decided to bring him here to taste it himself. He has even since fallen in love with Tissue Pratha.

19/03/2010 - Zoo Again!

Julian & Garwyn found their long lost Daddy and Mommy!

01/05/2010 - Merlion Park again!

On their special request - so mommy has to "work" and drive them to Merlion Park despite it's Labour Day!

Love Bites

Love bites by Garwyn

Garwyn's punishment

Like Mommy like son - Garwyn is also a vampire at 2! The victim is some how only gor gor. Whenever he is very angry, he will just transform into a vampire and start biting the one that provoke him.

However this time he was not so lucky as Daddy and Mommy caught him in action and decided to punish him. Mommy put a cone around his neck to deter him from biting. This cone was supposed to be for Nicole as she just had her operation.

Unique yiyi's illustration

Princess Mia

Aunty Unique MMS this photo to me and asked me to show it to Julian & Garwyn and ask them to guess who is in the picture.

Julian looked at the picture and commented the princess is very ugly, must be a witch in disguise. As for Garwyn, he just said "Dunno!" and walked away.

I reckoned that Mommy Winnie is right - Mia is handsome! Dun even use the word "pretty" on her!

"Plastic" Gar Gar

18th Mar 2010- The 3 kids were playing in a nearby playground when a little girl came and stroke Nicole. Gar Gar immediately stopped playing and came over. He squatted next to her and started stroking Nicole too but his eyes were ogling at the girl. After the girl left, he ran away to continue his play.

Use sister Nicole to "sian cha bo". As cheeky as Daddy.

Lesson learnt?

Julian used a pencil and wrote on a chair. I spank him with a ruler. Dad commented I was too harsh and his hands were swollen.

Later Julian told me, "See! You hit my hanbs so hard, Now red red." I asked him if he had learnt his lesson. He said "NO!"

I told him next time I will chop off his hand. Grrr....

Butt Breakdown

Julian has been using suppository for his recent viral fever so he couldn't poo for a few days. Finally when he poo, he was hilarious and shouted from the bathroom - "My backside not spoil anymore. It's working again. My 大便coming out!"

Nicole's Spayed

The many faces of Nicole from 2004 - present (Clockwise)

Finally I have spayed Nicole - 8th April 2010

8th April 2010 - Finally I had summoned enough courage to spay Nicole.

I'd wanted to spay her since I'd adopted her in 2004 but Aunty Unique (who is a witch) had casted a curse on Mommy. And whenever, I have made appointments to sterilise Nicole, misfortunes would always befall, thus make it impossible to carry out the mission.

In 2004 - when I booked an appointment to spay her, she had her 1st heat on that day itself. Subsequent years, change of maid, move house, kids falling seriously sick....

As now she is already 6. Her heat was irregular and not much. She often has skin problems due to her hormonal changes.. Dr Kasey Tan again hi-light to me the risk of not getting her spay early. The risk of woman cancers, the pain that she has to go through if she needs chemotherapy in her senior years... really freak me out. My tears almost rolling down and I'd to stop him from blaring some more.

Finally I've decided the date 8th April (Thu) 2010. Same thing happened - the curse! Julian and Garwyn were seriously ill. Both were down with viral fever and bronchitis. Julian was even rushed to hospital as no fever suppressants could stop the fever - it surged to over 40C. I thought to myself - dead! Can't do it again! But I was really desperately to do it before she is too old and putting her to higher risk. So Aunty Unique and I did a lot of praying to lift the curse. And I told myself that the most I would tired myself to death taking care of 3!

On that morning, I made sure Dr Kasey did the blood test and everything needed to ensure her operation successful. I nagged and nagged at Dr Kasey. He He... A million thanks to Dr Kasey Tan and the staff of Mt Pleasant. My Nicole came home safely and with a set of polished teeth. Her wound was healed in only 5 days instead of the 7-10 days.

Finally mission spaying is possible. The curse is finally broken. From now on... I just wish Nicole will be with me for another 10 good years or better - MORE!

Beautiful Gals

I know Garwyn is as cheeky as Daddy. And now I realised Julian has "suger coated" tongue like Daddy too!

Recently Julian has been singing this song "Beautiful Girl" which Daddy has it as his mobile ringtone. One day, Julian asked me, "Mommy, do you know why I have so many girlfriends? Cos I sing "Beautiful Girls" to them!"

I was speechless!