The Ah Yees & Uncles bought her a laptop! Hopefully she stops playing with my laptop now

The 4 Poh Pohs & Gong Gongs gave her ang pohs

Uncle Damian gave her an activity book.

And we bought her the cake she chose herself….

And there she is, posing with her purple dino cake

She enjoys eating the cake!

I had also ordered another small Barney cake for Dawn to celebrate her birthday in school, on her actual day!

Pardon me for the blur photos as my right hand was still in bandaged after the operation.  Had to use my left hand to take the photos instead..

All her little friends sing the birthday song for Dawn…

And Little Dawn made some wishes before blowing the candle..

After which,Dawn and her friends enjoyed the cake together…Can you see Dawn?

And Dawn enjoyed her cake!

Ops…too soft? Louder please?

We love sausages and rosti.  And we can’t find a restaurant in Jurong Point that has them.  And with decent pasta dishes to chose from.

1 Jurong West Central 2 #02-24
Jurong Point Shopping Centre
Singapore
Telephone: (65) 6795-9606

The pasta has a few different sauce to choose from.   Though it’s not heavenly, but it’s decent enough for a restaurant at a neighbourhood shopping mall.

We also ordered the fish and chips for Dawn…

Looks cripsy and delicious right?

We had also tried the paella, something which you will never get in another restaurant in Jurong Point.

I realised that I didn’t take any photos on the sausages and rosti! How can I forget them??! I must have been so eager to finish the food because they tasted so good!

What is worth mentioning about the rosti is, it is BETTER than those I had eaten in Mache. To be exact, MUCH BETTER. The potatoes are much finer, and they are cooked till cripsy at the outside.  Delicious!

So far for the 3 times we had visited them, the food were still up to our standard.  Hopefully the standard will not drop because food usually taste better when they 1st opened; this is true for most restaurant (personal experience).

It was all her own imagination.  And she found her own props.  She used the blue bucket to represent the tall hat that chefs wear.

Kids can really think out of the box!

A long post and it contains some pictures which can be offensive to some.  Don’t say I never warn you

It is not by purpose for a week of absence from blog, but rather an incapability to pen my thoughts down.  I had temporary became rather handicapped on my right hand because I had an operation.

I had discovered 1 lump near my right hand ring finger and soon there were 2.  Even though they do not cause any pain even when pressed, I was still very concern with the extra growth. I went to my regular GP and he told me there’s nothing to worry about because it’s most likely water cyst and that even after removed, they will still grow back.

So I left them be.

And then they grew – to quite a noticable size. Can you see them from this photo? This was taken a few days before my operation. If you can’t see them, then try comparing to your palm.

And so I went to Dear’s regular GP and he suggested that I take them out.  It was planned to take them out in his clinic but when I returned to him 3 weeks after for the minor surgery, the GP said that it had grew and it was more dangerous to extract in clinic and I should be referred to Specialist immediately.

I was referred to SGH and my operation was fixed 2 weeks after, which was the next operation available as the surgeon only operates on Fridays and the next 2 weeks were public holidays.

It was a horrifying experience to me.  My hand had to be placed in an awarkard position and the stupid needle was painful to my thin skin on my palm. I can literally feel the cutting pain initially and I have to keep saying PAIN PAIN PAIN to make the surgeons inject more anesthetic.

After about 5 minutes (I was facing the clock and was staring at it throughout the ordeal), I heard the surgeon asked his nurse to request for a camera.  And the next moment, he said,

“Hazel, I have a good news and a bad news for you, which one do you want to hear first?”

I was nervous. And I mumbled “Just say”.

The surgeon told me that the lumps are actually tumour and not ganglion as what was initally diagnosed.  However, the good news was the tumours are benign.  The bad news was, they are nerve tumours and that some nerves had to be removed together with the tumours (which means it will affect my touch senses in future).

What happened next are all in a dazed.  I was worried, scared, curious, nervous and all different sorts of feelings seem to just dwell on me.

Oh ya, there are 3 tumours instead of 2 and they line in a straight line on my nerve.  They look like macadamia nuts!

And I left the operating theatre with a big bandage..

Side view :

I looked as if I had just survived a cat fight.

My stiches healed well and I went back to SGH for review and changed my bandage.  I took a photo of my stitched wound while waiting for my turn to the surgeon’s room. Long and ugly scar

I am going to remove the stitches next week. I still feel the pain at the wound area and when doing some actions with my hands. I had lost sensation on one side of my ring finger but the surgeon said that it will recover slowly.  I doubt it will be for the next few years. But I am thankful that the tumours are not cancerous and I still have my life to keep.

This is my fifth operation since my birth.  The experience of each operation is just different..

First

I was only 5-6 years old then.  Wanted to play hide and seek with my sister who just came back from school and I ran to hide in the bedroom.  But instead of hiding, I ran and tripped and knocked my lips onto the sharp edge of the door and fountain of blood just shot out from the lips. I was crying, my mom was nervous, it was lunch time and a neighbour helped me to a cab and brought me to a clinic which operate during lunch. I was left with 3 stitches and a puffy lower lips.  I can’t recalled much on the whole event after being sent to the doctor but I remembered the cloth which the doctor covered my face when stitching me smell like some biscuit.  Maybe I was hungry.

Second

I was in Poly Year 1/2 and had an abscess at my armpit (yah, of all places -.-) I had to have some surgical intervention and my eldest sis had to rush down from work to admit me to NUH (I still need a guardian because I was not 21 yet!).  I was in pain ‘cos the swelling was really very bad. My family were still laughing at me till these day because of the tears that I shed in front of the doctors and nurses -.-

My family members were all with me.  But I was yielding for someone to visit me.  A heartless man who two-timed me and a good friend.  And of ‘cos he never turned up because he didn’t know I was admitted.

The day I was discharged, a guy friend called.  When I told him I was in hospital the day before, his long silence and response after was something which I had not expected.  A year later, he was my boyfriend for the next 2 years.

Third

Had to go for an operation (it’s pte and thus I am not going into details :p ) at the age of 25.  My mom accompanied me. Had to stay one night in the hospital as its GA operation. Thinking back, I was foolish for not realising that the man then was not the right person to get married with. He didn’t take leave from work (it was a sat) to accompany me for the operation.  He came in the afternoon but was playing with his game gadget half of the time.  And I had to keep reminding him to come early to fetch me the next morning.  The feeling was totally wrong…

Fouth

Ok, this might not be categorised as an operation but I was in a delivery ward.  Yes, it’s bringing Dawn to this earth. My second sister was with me. 15 hours of labour and the bastard was out drinking in a pub .

I can still remember Dawn’s look when she was being cleaned.  Her eyes, her expression, her emotion, they are all still very clear in my mind now.

Fifth

A horrifying experience because it’s local anesthetic.  Being awake while being cut is just an awful feeling.

The only thing which had made me brave and loved was the presence of him.  When I first stepped out of the operating theatre, he was already sitted there waiting for me.  I was in a dazed but his presence had reassured me. He took leave without me having to ask. And he stayed 2 nights with us so as to help me with Dawn.

I remembered I was very talkative after the operation and in the cab. And I know I was not behaving myself.  The talkativeness was just to hide my frightful experience in the theatre..I think he sensed it and just let me rattle on….

Thanks baby :*

I quickly accepted the offer and went down to the centre to do the registration on 2nd Jan 2010.  As there were things to get ready, it was rushed but I think it’s worth the effort. 

So today, 04 Jan 2010, a day where all schools reopens, Dawn goes to school too!

Look at her bag! So big! But actually it is quite light if it’s without the water bottle.  It contains the towel, clothes, toothbrush, mug etc.

Happy Dawn!

The centre only allows 1 parent to go into the school so I left after a while, leaving my mum with her…aiya, should have leave for work from there and save my childcare leave

Dawn sitting there and daydreaming. What is Grandma looking at?

Oh, she was so happy that there’s food and when the teacher asked other kids whether they want breakfast, Dawn nodded to the teacher and tells me “Mama, Dawn Dawn wants to eat”.

And I think we had taught Dawn well as she knows how to hold her bowl and feed herself. 

Just hope that she will stay strong and happy.  I am rather worried about the “sick period”, but hopefully Dawn is strong!

Thanks for all the good people who walked with me in 2009. Thanks for all the good things that had decided to fall on me in 2009. Thanks for all the not-so-good people and things in 2009, you had made me tougher.

Guess where I was @ Chistmas Eve?

I had a relaxing afternoon given by my dearest! He was secretive for many days, and even till the very day. And of ‘cos I was very cooperative, I didn’t insist him to tell me (but I did try to probe) Haha!

The massage was good and the experience of a massage in a couple’s room was something which I had wanted to try for very long.

Happy Christmas!!