Tu Lah, Len Kali Menipu Lagi..

Hello hello..
Harap kamurang suma sihat. Yang nda sihat tu, get well soon okay.
Untuk pengetahuan kamu, kawan kamu si Phy ni adalah insan yang pelupa bila masuk bab2 makan ubat. Paling useless la orang bilang. Kalo Dr cakap makan 1 bijik ubat 4 kali sehari, hari pertama jak sy berusaha dengan gigih untuk makan ubat on time. In 3 days time makan 4 bijik ubat sekali sehari la jadinya. Memang teruk.

Untuk dijadikan cerita, waktu sy dalam pantang dulu, sy lambat makan ubat cina yang bikin pecah darah dan buang angin sebab nurse di KKIA larang makan ubat2 macam tu. Kononnya, bikin tambah tinggi sakit Jaundice baby. Apa lagi, beta pun gumbira juga lah sikit sebab beta kan paling lembap when it comes to taking meds kan. Sudah la kena makan hari2 for 30 days. Adoi... Confirm 100 hari baru habis.

Selepas anak yg genap 1 bulan, sy pindah. Daripada 3 jenis ubat cina tu, 1 jenis tu sy belum buka pun cuma sy tau, ubat ni bersalut lilin. Mummy sy pernah cerita,dulu pantang dia simple jak. Ubat yang dia makan pun yg jenis berlilin. Oleh sebab sy berniat untuk makan ubat tu bila sy sampai at my new place, I asked her how did she ate her pills (the one yang ada lilin), and she said that she just chewed it.

A month later my mummy asked me, have I taken the Chinese meds? Not wanting to be scolded I decided to tell a white lie and said yes. I felt bad and 2 weeks later *yes, it took me that long, even while feeling guilty.. sigh!* which was a week ago, I decided to finally take the Chinese pills.

The pills.. 

 10 pills per box, individually packed in boxes..

Wax..

As you can see in the 3rd picture above the pills are enveloped in a ball of wax. I felt unsure on how to take it. Do I really want to chew it like my mum did? Do I want swallow it with water? But then it's huge! wanted to ask my mum again but how can I when I've told her I had started taking them? Huhuhu... *Ah, the consequences of lying*. I decided to try and chew it and tentatively bit into it but found that it's hard. 

Bite marks.. Haha...

Then I had this idea of cutting it up into segments then swallowing the sections with water. However when I tried to cut it up, it suddenly split..

Laaaaa.....!!!! Rupanyaaa...!!!

Slightly larger than the other 2 types of pills...

Bahahaha... Speechless.. That's what you get when we tell little white lies. They come back to haunt us and bite us in the behind when we least expect it. Padan muka kan? Len kali menipu lagi.. Huhu.. Moral of the story? Honesty is the best policy!

Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog.

Love,

Phoebe..

Eyes Wide Shut

Hello peeps,
I have been having a really bad time these past few days. Sadness, frustration and anger had managed to infiltrate my defenses and rendered me crippled on the verge of dementia. I was losing my temper constantly and all in all it was just not a pretty sight.

Yesterday I was due to go to a doctor's appointment and although it was my first time with this doctor, I've seen how packed the waiting area was before this. I knew that it was imperative for me to get to the clinic as early as possible.

Unfortunately, it rained heavily early on that morning. The road to our house is not sealed and with tar and gets slippery during heavy rain so to venture out would be fool hardy. I felt so angry and frustrated. I felt as if Allah was being 'mean' because he let it rain on the particular day that I needed it to be sunny. *Juvenile,I know*


So at 8.30am I grudgingly went to the clinic, expecting it to be fully packed and that it would be noon before it would be my turn. Imagine my shock, yes shock, when I arrived to find that the clinic area was almost deserted. In 10 minutes I was in the doctor's room and within 30 minutes of arriving I was done.

I was amazed and I wondered why there were not many patients on that morning. Then it dawned on me that when Allah sent down the rain that morning, it was because he knew how much I needed to get through my doctor's appointment ASAP.

ALLAH KNEW WHAT I NEEDED AND GAVE ME EXACTLY WHAT I NEEDED BUT IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

If it wasn't for the rain that made it a bit difficult for the other patients to come that morning, the clinic would have been packed and as early as I might have arrived, I might have still had to wait at least an hour before being attended to. 

I felt thoroughly ashamed of myself then. I mean, it wasn't like I was totally lost or blind to the fact that Allah is never cruel, Allah gives difficulties in order to give something better in return, Qada' and Qadar, etc. However merely knowing, as opposed to truly believing, accepting and having real faith in Allah are vastly different as you can see by my shameful thoughts and reactions in the above.

I really felt that all these while my eyes were widely shut. Allah has given me so much and in so many ways yet I had been so busy moaning about what is lacking in my life that I failed time and time again to see it. I am so grateful that Allah opened my eyes this time around and made me realize all this and ashamed of my petty behavior.

I share this story because I believe I am not the only one that have felt like God was picking on me, that God didn't understand, that God was mean (Astaghfirullah'alazim..). I sincerely hope that this story might bring comfort to you. Amin.

Cheers and wassalam.

Things That I Never Knew Before: Birthing Options.

Hi there,

2 days ago I watched a documentary on Youtube entitled The Business Of Being Born. It is a discussion about hospital births vs home births (with a midwife) and it really struck a chord in me because I learned about things that I never knew before and it really opened my eyes about the act of giving birth and all that comes with it.

Before this I thought (and I'm sure most of you though this too) that giving birth in a hospital, whether Government or private, is the only way to go. If I was asked if I wanted to give birth at home with a midwife as apposed to having a baby at the hospital I would have said,"No" because somehow it conjures an image in my head of an old lady using outdated methods on me.

The documentary is based on what is happening in the USA so I can't really say too much if it reflects fully on the birthing 'situation' in hospital here in Malaysia. However, based on some of the stories that I've heard from friends over the years about their birthing experience in hospitals, it is almost always a horror story anyway.

Now let me give a list on why (based on the documentary) hospital births are not favorable to women:

Too much intervention
Women who are admitted into the hospital for more than a few hours would be induced with Pitocin. Contractions from inducement hurt way worse than naturally occurring ones so Epidural is given to numb the pain. After that, another shot of Pitocin is given. Inducement can cause death in babies.

Doctors get knife happy
Doctors sometimes suggest C-section just to speed things along and not always out of necessity. C-section is a major surgery and carries high  risk. Mothers sometimes die on the operating bed or from bacterial infection of the wound after the surgery. Again, this is a USA based documentary.

Wrong position
A woman lying down on her back with legs raised in stirrups is not the best position for birth as it makes the pelvis 'smaller' thus making it harder for baby to come out. In turn this hurts the mother more.

Impersonal attention
Most women said that the doctors are not with them most of the time because they have to attend to other patients too. A close friend of mine told me that during her experience, the baby's head had already come out before she was rushed into delivery and a doctor showed up and attended to her.


Now lets go on to the reasons why home births with midwives are favorable to women:

Personalized attention
When an expecting mother experiences contractions, the midwife would come to the patient's house even if it's in the middle of the night and she will stay as long as needed to see if it's a false alarm or the real deal. The midwife is also with the patient 100% along the way, guiding put never forceful.

No drugs
This might seem like a disadvantage but drugs actually hamper the birthing experience. When a woman gives birth, especially a natural vaginal birth, a cocktail of 'love hormones' are released in her body and makes the mother feel very, very protective and loving towards her baby.

Now it doesn't mean that those who were induced or had epidural in the hospital don't love their baby. It's just that drugs can dull the mother's senses for a bit and she may not be able to experience the full extend of the 'love hormones'.

Optimum position
Midwives favor a squatting position as it makes the pelvis wider and easier for the baby to come out. Water births are also an option that a midwife can provide for her patient.

Comfort zone
Obviously with home births you will be giving birth in your home in an environment that you are familiar with, more privacy and you can actually created the environment that you want. For example you can put on soothing music, control your lighting (some women prefer to have a dimmer atmosphere in the room they choose to give birth as it feels soothing for them). As for the mess, don't worry, the midwives would do the clean up after the birthing is over.

It's cheaper
In the USA hospitals charge up to USD12,000 per birth and for the birth alone. Mid wives only charge USD4,000-USD5,000 for everything including postnatal care. In Malaysia too, I'm sure a midwife would charge less than what it would cost if  one were to go to a private hospital or medical center.

Note: Not to be prejudiced but Government hospitals do seem like the House of Horrors based on the stories of my friend who gave birth there. Most said that they would rather save up and go to private hospitals than go through the experience at a Government hospital again. So, jangan marah ha doctors and nurses.

Educated and Experienced
Contrary to popular beliefs, including mine, midwives are not just old ladies who are going to use medieval, barbaric methods on you. Far from it, they are actually educated with modern medicine and one has to be experienced before being able to be a certified midwife. So if complications do arise, they would have the knowledge to know if you need to be sent to the nearest hospital, etc.

Obviously there are pros to giving birth in a hospital such as having advanced medical equipment and doctors to attend to any medical complications. There are also  downsides to doing home births. However, do keep in mind that when a certified midwife meets you for the first time, she would first do an assessment of your medical history and the condition of your pregnancy to determine if you are a good candidate for home birthing. Obviously if you are a high risk patient, the midwife would recommend you to give birth in a hospital.

In Malaysia I am not sure if there are still any midwives (also known as Bidan in Malay) out there let alone certified ones. If you are a considering a home birth, try referring to your elders in case they know someone who still practices midwifery. Also, silly as it might seem, try referring to Family Planning clinics if they know any midwives. I personally think it's worth a shot.

To watch the documentary, click here.

Yes, a very out of the ordinary topic for me but when I watched this documentary I just felt so much more empowered and I want to share it with other women out there.

This is all for now. Cheers and wassalam..

Be The Boss Of You.. Love Your Body!

Yesterday was my 7th and final day of taking Herbalife shake with the Herbalife Nutrition Club. I was asked to weigh in and this is what my numbers showed:

Weight: 71.5KGs

% of fat: 39.4 

% of water: 44.4

Muscle mass: 40.7KGs

Physical Level: 3 

Metabolism: 1377

Biological age: 50 

Bone mass: 2.8KG

Visceral fat: 8

The numbers were disappointing but then again not too surprising as I weighed in at the end of the day instead of early in the morning.. Silly me. However during those short moments of resentment I came to realize just how far I've deviated from my initial purpose and principles.

Yes, I want to lose weight but I also  want to be fitter and slimmer. Losing weight doesn't necessarily mean that you're getting thinner and vice versa. I am gaining muscle mass and bone density so that could be the contributing factor of the less than desirable weight loss. 

To all of you out there who have tried slimming products and failed, I understand how you feel. I too,  have tried so many slimming products before including Herbalife and failed. It is only recently that I realized why I never succeed with any brand of slimming products. It is because I have too high and expectation for them. 

I think of the products as miracle items that will help me not feel hunger for hours so that I won't have to eat. When I do feel hunger (which is only 1 hour after taking the product) I get angry and frustrated because I feel as if I have been spending my money for naught. What's the use of me buying them if I still feel hungry?

I kind of put myself in the position of a victim. As if I am helpless and have no self-control without this product and if it doesn't make me feel NOT hungry the product is going to MAKE me fail at losing weight. See how wrong my mind-set was?

I recently realized that I am the one in charge for what I put into my mouth. I am the one who is responsible for the workouts that I do. I am in control of when I give my body nutrition, not Herbalife, Sendayu Tinggi or any of those slimming products out there. I am the boss of ME and those products are simply assistants to help me. 

We have the power to resist temptation and choose our moments and pleasures. For example, I give myself a treat every other day which is a 2-finger Kit Kat bar. Yesterday was not treat day but I was craving to have cheese baked rice. Instead of having it yesterday when the craving hit, I decided to have it today and forgo my Kit Kat bar. 

See? I chose my moment of pleasure and I feel very proud of that small accomplishment because I have always thought that I am one of those people who can't resist anything. It's still something that I am working on and I believe that every effort counts no matter how small it might seem.

Also, remember that everyone is different and not all eating programs and fitness routine suits everyone. Some may be able to resist eating junk food at the blink of the eye and others might be able to not eat rice for months without too much effort. Know yourself and tailor your eating program and fitness routine to suit you. You too, can be the boss of YOU and make it happen.

I hope that this post is helpful for those out there who is struggling with their weight issues. Please, please don't torture your bodies by taking medications, starving, purposely giving yourself food poisoning and etc. Love your body because it is the only one we have and it's not even ours, it's a precious gift that Allah is lending to us during our time here on Earth. 

Cheers everyone!

Love, 

Phoebe..

A Lesson On Indulgence..

Hi y'all...


As I had expected me and boo went to Pizza Hut to try out the 6 Cheese Extreme Pizza (is that the exact name or did I just said it wrong?) and it was sinfully delish! I picked out the topping (which I forgot the name of) and we took the set for two.. Very, very filling. We were supposed to eat 3 slices per person but even after forcing myself, I couldn’t take the 3rd slice so I bagged it and boo bought it home.

Uwaaaa.... Sedap oh...

 

As for my Starbucks Hot Hazel Chocolate, I did get it but I kind of regretted it. Here’s why:


I’m sure you all know that I’m trying my best to change my lifestyle for the better and that includes trying to establish better eating habits. Three people inspire me when it comes to weight loss and among them is fellow blogger Aidalina of aidathepinkgoddess.blogspot.com. She lost 20KGs okay.


So recently she said in her blog that she drinks her Starbucks Iced Hazel Chocolate drink with low fat milk, less sweet, no whipped cream and less ice with generous sprinkles of cinnamon powder. Since I had been dreaming of Starbucks Hot Hazel Chocolate drink I thought that I would give her specifications a try. Unfortunately it didn’t taste anything at all like the Hazel Hot Chocolate that I love. The difference is like day and night.

The HHC that did not satisfy.. Huhu..

Before I go any further, I am on no account putting any blame on Aida for my dissatisfaction over my Hot Chocolate drink yesterday. Nobody asked me to follow her way of drinking it, I did it voluntarily. So here is what I learned from the experience:


If it’s a craving like Aida’s where she simply must drink it everyday, then one should make the changes that she did because to drink the original Hazel Hot Chocolate, even a tall one, would make you gain weight significantly and very quickly too.


On the other hand if it’s an indulgence, meaning it’s a one off thing or something that you would do once a forth night or so, it’s better to go all out and get the works that won’t compromise on the taste. For example in my case, I should have ordered the original Hazel Hot Chocolate but without the whipped cream and in size Tall which is the smallest size.

By doing that, I still get the full bodied flavor of the drink with less calories and fat. If you compromise on the taste, you’d only end up dissatisfied and resentful because not only do you only have it once in a while, you don’t get to really enjoy it. Worse still you might throw in the towel and ditch your attempts to lead a healthier lifestyle.


That's all for now. Cheers!