Final Part of : -

The Lum's Clan's Ancestral Home (祖屋) in the village of  "Gao Por" (高坡村) outside the city of Xinyi (信宜) in the administrative district of "Maoming"( 茂名市) in the Guangdong (广东) Province of the PRC.

(1) The Past and the Present of the Ancestral Home's Internal Structure

For this part, I will instead be comparing old picture(s) and videos and therefrom make my observations. Governed by the format used, resultant referencings to the structure of our ancestral home are at best indirect but nevertheless visually tenable. I must state though that my memory-recalls are reasonably consistent with what are seen in the picture as well as the videos - notwithstanding the years long passed.

A note here : As I said in the previous post, when I first arrived at the ancestral home it was dusk. By the time we finished the mini "big-table" dinner, it was already dark. My quickie photo shoot session started immediately. 

My camera then was a mere standard model of the Minolta's range, sans an in-built flash. Consequently, the quality of the shots were less than perfect but both the glees and exuberance captured from the faces of the subjects were and still appear inordinately and perfectly awe-struck! Ah well ... here we go : -

Our late uncle YM, his wife, daughters-in-law and grandkids in a chamber that was used as a storage area. Take note of the bottom right corner of the picture above. You will see some wood pieces stacked against an (unseen) wall. 

The likely distance from the edge of the left wall till the spot where the boy in blue rested his left foot. That would be about 17 to 20 ft. wide (my rough estimate of the required lateral space seemingly needed to have all subjects lined up the way they did.)

Lets now look at the most recent (the 2nd. day of CNY 2023) prayers' rituals done at the ancestral home's altar...

My guess-timate for the entire altar chamber's width as seen in the video to be at least 30 ft. to 38 ft. Relative to the photo seen above, it is safe to conclude that the chamber's original wall has been torn down.

I further recall that at the end of my first visit, the farewell mini-style 'large table' dinner was held in a somewhat large dinning hall adjacent to the original storage chamber (in which the above photo was taken). The door into the original dining hall is still visible in the same clip above.

(2) Summing Up

Given the photo that was taken in Nov. 1988 and the visuals as seen in the CNY-2023 video, our ancestral home has structurally been modified to allow for a larger prayers' altar/chamber. This was and still is good as it reflected our cousins' joint intention to preserve the old building that our forebears left us with. 

Their intention to keep then and now alone warrants our support to preserve the ancestral home for posterity. 

(3) The Land on Which The Ancestral Home Sits On

In the earlier posting, I mentioned that my 'gut feel' of the ancestral home's land size was about one to 1.50 acres. Lets adopt a conservative stance, say it was 1.20 acres. This would be about 52,000 sq. ft.

During our 2013 group visit to the ancestral home, I took the trouble and walked round the perimeter of the ancestral home's landed area. Adopting my long confirmed  ... 'yardstick' of 135 'normal walking steps' to be equivalent to 100m, or just about equivalent to 330 ft ..., I later calculated that what was left of our ancestral land was a size of about 30,000 to 36,000 sq. ft. I stated the conservative mid-point of 33,000 sq.ft. captioned at the end of the video seen below :

Take note of three interesting matters in the same video below :

Firstly, the cut-off land (watch out at the 34 minutes-point of the video stream) which was (and still is now) a rural trunk road. On the right but at a higher ground level is the de facto 'front entrance' to our ancestral home. 

Secondly, I commenced my 'guess-timates' by walking around the ancestral home's remaining plot size (watch for and at the 48 minutes-point of the video stream). I ended the walk back onto the rural trunk road again. 

Thirdly, the houses of our two cousins - at the beginning of the video.

(4) Land Lost vs Land Plots Gained

Against the sets of figures stated earlier, it would be fair to conclude then that the original size of the ancestral home's land area has been reduced by some 19,000 sq. ft. or some 37.0 %. Of course, the reduction was a mandatory acquisition by the local authority for a public good, a motorizable trunk road.

Did our cousins lose out? Definitely no !

In exchange for the land area reduction, our cousins were alloted five contiguous pieces of housing lots just a stone's throw away. As you might be aware of by now, the late Wai Hoong's and Wai Hon's houses are seen at the beginning of the video clip above. Abutting Wai Hoong's are three more units. They are Wai Leong's, Wai Foo's and Wai Keat's.

Two of the five houses built has seen some very recent and grand re-furbishing and/or renovations. (See clips from Wai Hon sent in early January 2023,)

Thats all for now ... till my next posting. Cheers !

The Lum's Clan's Ancestral Home (祖屋) in the village of  "Gao Por" (高坡村) outside the city of Xinyi (信宜) in the administrative district of "Maoming"( 茂名市) in the Guangdong (广东) Province of the PRC.

(This is the first of two Parts about our ancestral home. The second and final Part will be posted in a couple of days' time.)

(1) Backdrop

On the first day of CNY 2023, I was on the wechat's app talking with our China-based cousin, Wai Hon (位漢). I was told that all our cousins and their respective families are all doing fine in the PRC.

Wai Hon (born 1950) is the second eldest son of our late uncle "Yee Mei" (YM) (義美叔). YM was the youngest of three brothers. His late elder brothers were Lum Heng (LH) and Lum Pooi (LP). 

Wai Hon's late elder brother was "Wai Hoong"  (位鴻). I believe his birthyear was 1948.

Almost 10 years ago, eight of us made a trip back to visit our ancestral home.(See video clip below : 

It was the first for all seven ladies/girls in the group and the second one for me. I first visited our ancestral home in 1988. I even shared a mini 'large-table' style farewell dinner in the original ancestral home prior to my departure from the village. 

My visit then was very brief : At most just one hour or so. The reason was night time. Then there were few street lights along the route from Xinyi back to Guangzhou. The driver was anxious about night driving for reasons best known to himself.

For your information, it was during the visit in 2013 that I told Wai Hon to preserve and strive for the perpetual existence of our ancestral home. He promised me he would try.

In early 2014, I personally remitted two tranches of RM5,000 each to Wai Hon's bank account. That was meant as our Malaysian-based relatives' financial contribution towards the upkeep of our ancestral home.

(2) Likely Age of Our Ancestral Home

According to the late Wai Hoong, the earliest 'part(s)' of the ancestral home was there since 1949 (the year before he was born - he quipped so  in the video clip). However, I recalled that during my first visit, YM told me that his brother LP was the first to join their father (our common grandfather) from the village in Gao Por. According to YM, 'they' walked for three days over the hills behind their home to the township (now city) of Zhanjiang (湛江) - a city opposite Macau. 

LP was brought to Malaya when he was about 9 years old by his father i.e. our grandfather. In this return trip back to China to fetch LP and another of his nephew, "Uncle Jor" (左伯) I ventured and guessed that was when our grandfather implanted the 'seeds' for YM's eventual birth. Consequently, LP was 10 years older than YM (Alan can confirm this).

LP's birthyear was 1918. If we factor in his age when he left the village at say 10, then our ancestral home would have been at that spot or nearby since 1928. Lets round off to 1930. So, by logical extension, the site and/or the foundation or part(s) of it of our ancestral home would be or might well become at least 93 years in 2023. It is definitely worth preserving the said fixed asset for posterity  - if not for our descendants !

(3) The Building Structure Itself As It Is Now

I recalled from LP and/or  YM's casual talks/chit-chats that their early memories of their homestead was a 'straws-thatched abode' facing hills and surrounded by paddy fields. LP reminisced that he often rode on the back of a buffalo to and from the 'Learning Hall' (学堂) (psuedo-school if you like). He did also carried his baskets of home-made cookies for sale in the morning makeshift-market (trans-literation "charng houie") - again, by riding riding the buffalo.

Back when LH, LP and YM were kids, I guessed that their home was at best a mere spartan straws-roofed simplest of wooden-cum-mudded structure. Likely with open yards and few or no separate bona fide rooms.

When our late grandfather ran his 'pigs raising, pork butchering and selling business' in Mempateh, Mukim of Lanchang, Pahang, the then Malaya as well as LH and LP having their own businesses, money was sent back, albeit irregularly at first, to Xinyi for our late grandmother. On these frugal remittances she did eked out a subsistent living with the young and poverty-strickened family. It was during the 1970's and 1980's that LH and LP sent in more money to Gao Por.

Together with the contributions from our cousins who were growing up in the PRC and with the money they earned and expended, the ancestral home became what it was like as you have just seen in the linked video clip.

(4) The Ancestral Home in 1988 - as I Recalled It

My first glean of our ancestral home from a short distance away was of a rather sprawling wooden cum bricked single storey structure sitting atop a small hill. Its surrounding area was an open-area with only a lone but seemingly large village hut sited some 30 yards at the back of it. That, as I was told by 'Jor Pak' himself during the large table style dinner, was the home of our "Jor Pak". 

The private Peugeot 504 car that drove me for some 12 hours from Guangzhou to Gao Por was parked right in front of the house  - though on a slight slope. My quick scan of the areas abutting the building gave me a "gut feel" of some one to 1.50 acres of land. I must admit here that I first arrived at the ancestral home about dusk and was unable to take a quick look-see of the general locality. Hence, my gut feel.

The  main praying and joss-sticks offering altar as seen in the video above was, I recall, a 'deeper' chamber complete with a large Mao Tze Tung's potrait plastered centrally. Why 'deeper'? Well, I had to move farther back with my camera in order to capture the entire chamber where our cousins lined up pair by pair and their kids in order for me to take their pictures. I think where I stood and shuttered the camera then was now some point above the main road running 'infront' of the house.

Main road in front of the house? How so?

(5) Land Size Reduced for Rural Trunk Road

According to Wai Hon, part of the ancestral land's original size was compulsorily acquired by the local authority. That was for a then proposed principal rural trunk road. Consequently, a motorizable main road is now present 'in front' of the ancestral home.

In return for surrendering the larger part of the ancestral land and as due compensation, the authority alienated five plots of housing-lot sized land to the five sons of the family. These plots are sited about 100m away. 

The brothers have since constructed their respective family-homes. Their houses have seen some major improvements and renovations up till now (see latest clips from Wai Hon).

(6) Conclusion

Our ancestral home sits on a piece of relatively prime rural land. Its structure is traditionally completed with a large rectangular court yard. Structures-wise, the building is still fundamentally sound - save for some minor roof leakages. 

I personally believe that our ancestral home is perhaps one of the few surviving 1940's styled typical Chinese rural homestead. Its preservation for posterity is and must be culturally and filially pursued by all our clan members-of-means.

So, my dear relatives ... time to dip into your pockets and kitties to do your filial duties lah ... (:-D) 

BL 6th. Feb. 2023 KL

(P/S : I have yet to dig up some past and recent pictures and videos and then uploading them for your viewing and referencing. These will be accomplished in my next posting in this blog. Cheers!)

How Covid-19 and subsequently Long Covid whacked me - for a good five months and more !!

Email response from one of my Canada-based graduate school's classmates :

    "On Friday, November 12, 2021, 12:14:52 AM GMT+8, 'Ed Castle' via MBM74-G <mbm74@googlegroups.com> wrote:

Did not know that you had gone through the Covid cycle, Bernie. Am glad that you have pulled through and are now at 90% of your former strength.

Your documentation is detailed and gives those who have not gone through the same experience a vicarious feeling of what one experiences when one undergoes a Covid infection. Thank you very much for taking some of your precious time to generate the documentation.

Will pray for your continued progression to 100% of your former strength.

Rest well and keep safe.

Ed"

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Preamble of my email to my classmates and relatives :

    "I must admit that I DID NOT plan to write about my experiences with Covid-19 and much less sharing these with MBM74-ers. Pics that I took were meant for my immediate family members and siblings.

Upon discharge from the hospital, I was desperately looking for writes-up and/or articles about home recovery from covid19. I wanted to prep myself for the challenge. Sadly, never found any. Always got 'how I came back from near death...' or 'How I recovered from the ICU episode...', or 'How and what I have gone through and am saddled with this and that ailments,..' .etc.

On hindsight, if I had chanced upon 'home recovery' stories. I might have been spared the ordeals of the steroid withdrawal syndrome. Ah well, that's history now.

Pray that you guys are all staying healthy to remain staying safe (as we are all in our 70's).
Cheers!

Bernie"

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Summarizing my Post-Covid 19 Recovery Feelings :

    "For keeping quiet until now, my apology to all MBM-74ers and the Professors in general and to my AIM-days' Can-Group members in particular. (They are ReneM. TonydL, Roland, ChitoC and RicoL.) Thanks also to JoeM, TonyV, Boyap, MikeT and Elsa who hitherto did not 'spill the beans'.

According to my wife, I contracted Covid-19 on or about Apr.28th.2021. Was rushed to 'the' government's most advanced infectious disease hospital on May 9th.2021. Was discharged on May 18th. 2021. Stay at the hospital was pretty comfortable with plenty of foods (of strict diabetic diet) and medications. All these cost me nothing. (More about this government hospital in the attached 'Chronology of Events' listing a.k.a. Facts Sheet.)

The 'recovery' at home was by comparison rather torturous – especially the first ten days or so. (Again, read the attached 'Chronology of Events' listing.)

My normal weight during pre-Covid days was about 82.0 kg. By May 25th. 2021, I was down to 72.0 kg! These last few mornings, some five and one half months down the road, I am at around 77.5 kg. :-)

Let me highlight both the 'good' and the 'bad' or the aftermath of my personal Covid-19 misadventure : -

The Goodies

(1) Incidence of morning sinuses down by some 60 to 70%. Intensity of violent sneezing significantly reduced. :-)

(2) No more confusions over 'urgent nature's calls' in the morning. Pre-Covid days, my sensation was … bladder's, bowel's and gas' calls at the same time. Thought it was bladder's call but gas' announced itself instead, or when I felt its was gas', the bowel's took the stage. Utterly unpredictable. Even the Urologist did not believe this! Now, strictly knowing which is which as well as which-next. :-)

The Baddies (or Long Covid, “LC”)

(1) Shortness of breath if I bend down or over something – even for some five seconds. For example, pumping air to my car's tyres or even bend down to pick up loose bits of my grandkid's Lego toys' parts. However, I could walk for some 30- 45 minutes without heavy breathing nor panting at all. How so? (Read Facts Sheet's notes.)

(2) Needing a much longer afternoon nap almost daily. Pre-Covid days, I merely needed 10 to 15 minutes siesta most days. Now, an hour to two is normal if I do take afternoon naps – which I mostly do.

(3) My phlegm on its way out tastes 'sweet-ish' while drinking bottled mineral water or any lukewarm boiled water the taste is freaking 'bitter-ish'. Weird, Pray that this is only some temporary LC effects. (You could learn more about 'long covid' if you google Facebook's 'Long Covid Support Group's' ongoing discussions and rantings.)

By my own reckoning, I think I am now at about 90 – 95% of my pre-Covid health status. This included test results for my heart's conditions as revealed yesterday. Praise The Lord.

Oh, in the Chrono-listing and for privacy purposes. I referred to my wife as 'MW', my daughter as 'MD' and my son as 'MS'

Cheers and please stay healthy to stay safe!

Bernie"

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Full Listing of my Covid-19 'misadventure'  :

    "Bernard's Experience with the Covid-19

The Prologue

Dreaded but not feared. When contracted and progressed hellishly through to recovery, it became ...No way, Jose ! To have Covid-19 again? Never, you dig!

Chronology of Events

( Or, 'Case Facts' as harped on by our Professors in the good old AIM days?)

Almost after three months since our government took cognizance of the pandemic by declaring country-wide full and laterly partial lock-downs, I had been going out almost daily from late June 2020. Masks always on, diligently practising social distancing and deliberately avoiding crowded areas. These became the norms each time I ventured out from home. Generous use of hand sanitizers and regular hands washings became a daily habit. For some 10 months, no Covid-19 so no problems whatsoever!


On or about April 28th. 2021, I went for a drink or two with my jogging friends in a pub in Cheras. Likely contracted the virus that evening.


According to MW (my wife), I started running a fever the next evening.


On May 3rd.2021, a doctor from BP Healthcare was called to our condo to take Covid-19 tests for MW, MD (my daughter) and I. The ladies' test results came out two or three hours later the same night. Mine was only available in the late morning next. Earlier in the day, I was already quarantined in my own bedroom – as 'ordered' by MD.


Test results from BP Healthcare were negative for all three.


According to MW, I was definitely delirious on May 4th. and 5th. 2021. I just paced around in the living room and would neither sit nor lying down for more than 10 minutes. In other words, listless and restless.


For two consecutive days, MD sent me to a local GP's who incorrectly diagnosed me to be afflicted with 'stomach flu'. On morning of May 8th. I was too weak to stay long for and in a Zoom-Meet with my Can-Group buddies. The Meet was initiated by ChitoC. I had to cut short the Meet and MD apologised on my behalf citing me as having had stomach flu.


On May 8th 2021, after watching 'Gravitas' clip on Youtube, MW insisted that MD get both an oxymeter and a contactless infrared forehead thermometer. MD got the needed devices after frantic searches online and at the nearby pharmacies. (Both devices were used frequently by MD to and who did closely monitored my recovery later.)


On May 9th.2021, my oxymeter's reading was down to 90%. MS (my son) was called into consultation via Facetime's by MD. They concurred and decided it was then a 'medical emergency'. At around midday I was sent to the ER of Bangsar Pantai Hospital (BPH).


Actually, thanks to MD's persuasive efforts I was lucky that the doctor at the ER was able to wrestle for me an emergency admission into the Sungei Buloh Hospital (SBH). SBH has been touted to be the most advanced infectious disease specialist government hospital in the country.


Ordinarily, admissions for suspected covid-19 patients in SBH would have to be cocooned into a 'waiting area/ward(s)', As a direct result of overcrowding brought about by all private hospitals' collective refusal to admit suspected covid-19 cases, SBH was inundated with a huge population of suspected covid-19 patients. Most of them have had to wait for days before they could be tested and then the results announced. It was partly because of this delay that contributed to the subsequent increased demand for ICU-beds. By logical extension, increased fatalities of Covid-19 patients. Over weeks, this overwhelmed SBH's resources.


When I was ambulance-sent in the late afternoon of May 9th. from the ER of BPH to the SBH, I was straight away moved into the 'primary observation ward' and NOT the waiting area/ward of the latter. This was so because the ER doctor had done a specific medical status report of my governing conditions (Covid-19's full blown pneumonia) and this was handed over by the ambulance driver at the SBH's Emergency Department entrance. (In retrospect, not being in the waiting area/ward of the SBH was perhaps a blessing for me.) By the time the medical orderly in the observation ward handed me a packet of fried Indian noodles, it was already past 5:00pm. That was supposed to be my evening meal. I only finished half as the noodles were cold.


At about 7:00pm the same day, I was moved to a four-bed large room of the Rehabilitation Ward. I was the only occupant. Here, I was again tested for Covid-19 and the result was positive. Shortly after, I was given a couple of injections and a chest x-ray was taken by a mobile x-ray machine. In the course of the night, the on-duty Nurse quietly checked on me a few times. Each time she asked if I was OK and comfortable. I answered yes and went back to rest/sleep. This was how I spent my first night as a Covid-19 patient in the SBH.


After what seemed like a sumptuous breakfast the next morning, May 10th 2021, I was moved – me, my backpack and the bed all rolled into one movable lot, to a larger rehabilitation ward. This ward was on the same floor as last night's but further into the long hall. The ward had six beds on the left side of the aisle while there were four on the right side. All beds appeared occupied. Here I was given an oxygen delivery canulae and mask. Their uses were for the first time in my life.


The oxygen therapy was most comfortingly effective at night during sleep. Alas, sleeps were with much disconcerting and disruptive coughings. The need for oxygen piped through the canulae was respiratorily inevitable.


Each day duty-Nurses came around and administered a good number of steroid-, insulin- ,anti-coagulant and one or two other jabs. Drawing of bloods not excluded. By the third day, my body was immuned to the pains inflicted by the syringes/needles. It was in this multi-bedded ward that I spent the next four days.


Besides the many daily injections, there were numerous daily takings of oxymeter's oxygen-absorption rate as well as blood pressures readings. Added to these were x-rays taken by the mobile x-ray machine. All performed diligently by trained Nurses who, believe you me, did not utter words of complaints nor raised their voices nor even showed soured-faces. Ah well, even if they did I would not have noticed as they were all garbed in full PPE's.


On the sixth day, May 14th.,2021, I was again moved to another rehab ward. This time, the ward was on a higher floor and supposedly a pre-discharge ward (PDW). Before being moved to the PDW, I was given a CT-Scan of the chest. At this PDW, oxymeter's and BP readings were continued – again twice or thrice daily. However, injections ceased and instead steroids and one or two complements of other drugs were administered orally twice a day. If I recall correctly, I received only two (mobile) x-rays shots during my stay in this PDW. It was here that I finally managed to sleep in the 'prone(d)' position without much difficulty.


On May 18th. 2021, I was discharged from the SBH. Earlier in the afternoon, MD called the PDW's doctor and was duly informed that I would be discharged. She was asked to fetch me from the SBH. MD was in the SBH's vicinity at about 5:30pm and it was raining. The long-awaited 'walking orders' through and from the duty Nurse came only at 8:30pm or so. Poor MD. Anyway, I was so grateful that I saw MD again after some (mildly) worrisome nine days. Reached home by around 9:30pm and, Praise the Lord, saw a relieved wife and an excitedly happy granddaughter. All these with NO huggings. Still the innate fear of me being an infectious bloke!


I took a proper shower once I settled down at home. Oh my gosh … while in the shower, I experienced my first “shortness-of-breath”. Fortunately, there was a stool in the shower cubicle. I sat on it and managed to complete my showering without untoward incidents. Thank God. It was the first time I felt that (my) life was so vulnerable! Admittedly, a great awakening – if you must!


Upon discharge from the SBH, I was given a three or perhaps a four days' supply of steroid pills. While on these pills, sleeps were still attainable although incessant coughings persisted. From about May 22nd 2021 onwards, these coughings became extremely disruptive and energy-sapping at night. These were inspite of injesting cough syrups and strong expectorant every so often. The unbearable part of these coughings was that phlegm or mucus from the lungs could not be smoothly expelled through the throat and out of the mouth. No, not even forcibly. This resulted in an utterly debilitating and involuntary muscular spasm that persisted through the night – depriving me of much needed rest for convalescence.


What rendered the coughings even more damnable was that I had no control over when to rouse up my phlegm or mucus for expulsion. It was the lungs that 'chose' to kick up the phlegm with no prior indicative feelings for nor warnings to me. Most times, lying down on my back would instantly trigger the coughings and followed by the phlegm. Sleeping by 'half-sitting' mitigated the severity of the coughings but not the sensation of having “a lump of phlegm jammed and stuck between your throat and lungs...”. Gosh, the feelings were well nigh intolerable. Incidentally, my late elder brother passed away as a result of long suffering COPD. Only now I realized and appreciated how difficult it must had been for dear him (bless his soul, Amen) to had lived with the constant need to 'clear his throat' and therefrom a short while later gasping for air... It was a very surreal reflection for me.


The worst was yet to come. Well, it came on May 27th. 2021 alright. Prior to these, however ...


Beginning or on about May 23rd. 2021, naps and daily sleep became problematic. Afternoon shut-eyes lasted mere minutes while sleeping at night was saddled with waking episodes every now and then. These disquieting bouts were fewer and far in between spanning May 19th. and 22nd. I had steroid pills these four days!


The waking episodes during sleep were a combination of involuntary coughings and nature's calls for bladder-emptying.


Coughing frequencies were aplenty and of short intervals. These brought about more intense yet prolonged feelings of “more-phlegm-stuck-mid-throat”: The former feeding the latter or, if you like, the latter triggering the former that led to spasms that in turn landed me in a state of prolonged heavy breathing - again and again.


The number of toilet visits mid-sleep became more often. The nagging sensation that the bladder was unable or unwilling to fully empty itself during each visit was tiring both physically and mentally challenging. Consequently, restful sleep was an unreachable state of resting one's tired body.


Somehow I managed to and endured both the 'coughings-till-mild-breathlessness' and 'uncleared bladder' for a hellish four nights. I was adequately blessed (by Him) that MW and MD sacrificed their sleep to and did put hot water and cough mixtures/expectorant within easy reach and took turns to apply ointments and/or medicated oils when I requested for them. Their efforts made my enduring that much less unbearable. MS was literally 'on call in realtime (Ipad's Facetime again)' every night too. He shared his thoughts and feelings with and, of course, recommendations to MD as to what to and what not to do. (On hindsight,the three dearest persons in my life, especially MD, must be credited with saving my life from the now dreaded Covid-19. Lucky me, no doubt!)


From the early morning of May 27th. I was unable to pass meaningful amount of urine nor even move my bowels. Nay, not with even the smallest of volume. At around mid-day, my bodily discomfiture was so intense that I laid down on the bedroom's floor and tried very very hard to forcibly empty my bladder and move my bowel. Both the urine and faeces came but of and in very miniscule volumes. Soon my boxer was wet and soiled (Again, a first time in my adult life.) By about 3:00pm MD decided to send me to the BPH's ER. I weakly cleaned up and had a change of attire and half clutching my lower stomach, off we went.


At the ER, MD narrated to the doctor about what happened to me. He immediately ordered the placement of an in-dwelling catheter into my 'you-know-where'. (Yet again, a first time ever in my life.) No sooner had this been completed, more than or at least 1.5 litres of pent-up urine flowed into the urinal bag. Before the said bag was emptied, I noted the volume of my very yellowish urine filled about 60 to 70% of the urinal. Hallelujah! The extreme pressure against the bladder was gone. The time was, I believe, about past-5:00 pm. So, it was almost some 12 hours that my bladder decided to clamp itself up and clamped it did alright. Sadly though, my bowel was only 'moved completely some six hours later at home just before bedtime. That was how Thursday May 27th. 2021 came and passed for me. In retrospect, this was not a day to cherish but one darn hellish day to remember by.


The next morning, MD accompanied me to see a Urologist back at the BPH. His pronosis was “a stunted prostrate likely due to Covid-19's effect”. He added, it might had been made worst by the sudden stoppage of steroids. Fortunately for me, he said my kidneys were 'all right'. That was a relief, hail doc!


The catheter was by my side throughout a needful albeit inconvenient three days. It was removed on the fourth day – by one of the Urologist's nurses. Yes, it was a she who un-shyly removed the catheter. The shy one was yours truly. Alas, one more time a first ever in my life.


On May 29th. I had a CT-scan done followed by a consultation with a Pulmonologist. He confirmed that my lungs' were adversely affected and he put me back on a steroid regime for two weeks. Perhaps discussions with the Pulmonologist convinced MD that I had 'steroids-withdrawal syndrome' between May 26th and 29th. A very likely cause.


On May 31st. 2021, MD insisted that I keep an appointment with my Cardiologist. I did somewhat reluctantly as I felt I was still weak. The appointment was at the National Hearts Institute (NHI). Locally it is better known in the Malay language as the I.J.N. or Institut Jantung Negara. The outcome of the visitation was a scary remark by my Cardiologist who said, “Uncle, you were lucky that Covid-19 did not wack your heart.” He added, “If it did you would not have survived...”


There was, however, one good finding though. This visit to the NHI for ultra-sound scan, ECG, X-ray and whats-not indicated that my heart's slight enlargement was and showed “...no evidence of significant changes when compared to similar tests first taken five years ago...”


It dawn on me later that my heart's condition was the most worrisome issue for MS and by extension for MD too following my Covid-19 infection. Hence, MD's insistence that the appointment be kept.


For the first three weeks of June, 2021 I kept three or four appointments with the Urologist and perhaps one or two more with the Pulmonologist. Both specialists prescribed medications which I took without fail. Again. Looking back how could I fail when MW and MD took it upon themselves three or four times daily to remind, dispense and watch me swallowed and downed the medications? Hats off to my women!


On Jun 21st and 22nd , my incessant coughing and sleeplessness returned.


On 23rd. MD sent me back to BPH and an X-ray was taken. At the Pulmonologist's clinic later, MD was told that my lungs suffered a secondary infection. MD was very worried and insisted that I be warded the night in BPH for closer observations. The next day I wanted to return home but she said I must stay yet another night. I complied as I was told in late-May by MS and MD that secondary infection by Covid-19 could be dicey and even fatal. My compliance of course minimized the combined anxieties of the three of them. (MD believed that I got the reinfection during one of the visits to the Urologist's clinic in BPH.)


I was isolated in a single-occupant room then at BPH for three days and two nights. Boring? You bet!. Quiet? Nay! Loads of medications every four or five hours' interval – days and nights! Yes, the nurses woke me up even when I was asleep. You guess right … three nurses during day and two at night! Medications' delivery modes? Jabs and supervised ingestions.


Upon discharge from the BPH, the Pulmonologist prescribed a much stronger and longer steroids regime for me – eight course deal where each was of four (or five?) days' duration. The first course was a daily intake of eight pieces then reduced by one piece the next course and so on and so forth until I finished the last course of one piece only daily. This was 'tapering'. (You go figure out how many days it took to get off steroids.)


On July 3rd.2021, I counted that I was taking 12 different medications daily. These were in addition to my so-called 'health and immunity supplements' comprising Vit C, Vit D3, Fish Oil and multiVitamins!! Oh yeah, and a Chinese TCM herbal tea. Yes, yes, added to these were my heart's four daily medicines. (Again, go figure out how many 'pills' per se that I was saddled with on a daily basis.)


July, August, September and October were relatively free of further and/or associated post-Covid-19 complications. Praise the Lord!


Just to satisfy herself, MD insisted that I visit the Pulmonologist again on Sept.15th. And that an another chest X-ray be and was indeed taken. Hallelujah! Satisfactory improvements (see three different reports' conclusions by the radiologists).


Right NOW, my medications included once daily Urief4 (2mg) for prostrate; twice daily Ganaton 50mg (for phelgm reduction) and two times daily Nexium Mups 40mg (for reduction of stomach acidity). Ganaton's and Nexium's were stopped yesterday. I might stop Urief4 in maybe another week's time


Yesterday, Nov.8th. 2021, again MD insisted and sent me to the NHI/IJN for another follow-up check with the Cardiologist. They took a blood test as well as an ECG, The concluding remarks from my Doc was … “,,, all normal, Uncle...”. :-)


---- End of Facts Statement -----


Additional Notes:

( a ) Shortness of Breath

Covid-19 mainly infected the lungs. This caused scarrings. Scarring of lungs invariably hindered the movements of the diaphragm. The diaphragm inflated and deflated the lungs to inhale and exhale, respectively. This was breathing.


Even a smallish scar would adversely and greatly impact upon the diaphragm's movements. Standing upright and with the help of gravity, the diaphragm worked OK, scars notwithstanding. However bending over even slightly and or sqautting restricted the diaphragm's movement parameter considerably. This directly led to breathing difficulties. The aforesaid was my Pulmonologist's explanation when I sought for his opinions.


( b ) Steroids' Treatment Protocols
According to MS, the USA's practice is … generally might be stopped abruptly.

Here in Malaysia, the preferred treatment is … gradually reducing intake (tapering off). This was affirmed by one of my brothers-in-law. He (my age) was a retired Navy medical officer and also the first ever corporate Doctor of the Malaysian Airline System (MAS).


My instance of “steroids withdrawal syndrome” was of utmost freaking
discomfort – to put it very mildly here !


( c ) My enlarged heart

First detected some five years ago during my first visit to the NHI or IJN. Covid-19 appeared to have had inflicted little or no collateral damage. Even if it did it was insignificant. Praise the Lord.

Yesterday's appointment with my Cardiologist I was told that both my blood test's and ECG's results were … normal. Good old Bernie !

----- END OF NOTES ----- "

I Think China Did Well - Part 1

In my last posting I hinted that I was not a China-bashing enthusiast. I got bashed nonetheless.

Caveat : I was never and still am not a communist party sympathizer nor a pro-Communist bugger. No Sir, not in the past nor likely in the future! I must admit though that I was somewhat impressed by the structural workings (or, machinations, if you wish) of a 'Command Economy' as compared to a free-market system's ... in poverty-stricken countries.

 My thumbs up for a command economy stemmed from some secondary but 'broad' research into select areas of comparative economics. This was undertaken pursuant to my part-time teaching in the early through mid-80's. Be that as it was, I must unequivocally confess that I have always been into Adam Smith's, Maynard Keynes',  Milton Friedman's et al.

Mind you, I read - albeit not too passionately into and about Karl Marx's, V. Lenin's and G.Hegel's too whilst in college.

By the way,  I named my son after the monetarist's.

Here goes my long winded musings about the PRC's :

For years, I have been predisposed to many things favorable to, of, from and about  the People's Republic of China (PRC). I must admit, however, that at the same time, I held no idolistic regards for or about nor was ever awe-inspired by the Beijing Central Government nor its functionaries. My positive regards for PRC as a nation has been shaped in the main by my personal encounters with, observations of and experiences gained through  three past personal visits to the PRC. These visits  spanned a good 30 years and more.

My first visit was in late 1988 to my late father's ancestral village. The village is on the outskirt of the city of  Xinyi. Present day's Xinyi is one of the administrative county under the prefecture of  the greater Maoming city's region in the province of Guangdong. That made my dad a Cantonese. That made me, of course, a Cantonese too - by birth.

That first visit was in fact a "side trip". Up until the mid-1990's, the average younger-than-60-years-old Joe-Malaysian was not allowed to visit the PRC unless prior official permissions were obtained. Such OK's  would be from the Immigration Department under the Ministry of Home Affairs. Permissions would only be granted after a couple or more of months' waiting and only where application was underpinned by a strong, valid reason.

My first trip to the PRC was as a member of a  Malaysian government sanctioned trade mission to the Guangdong Autumn Trade Fair in late 1988. This 'mission' was comprised of some ten local businessmen and/or manufacturers. They were led by two mid-level trade officials from the Malaysian Ministry of Industry and International Trade (MITI),

It was an eye opener for me. In this Autumn Fair, one particular range of  PRC's products caught my dedicated attention : Aero-model Engines.

I recalled these model engines were tagged cheaply ranging from US$5 to US$30 apiece, depending on the displacements or cubic capacities of the models. The cast-aluminium bodies were coarse though polished.  Even the main component's mould's residual drainage lines were visible. The assembled components attached or affixed and parts married were crude in finishings too despite evidence of  heavy buffings.

Packagings for all the model engines on display were rough brownish cardboard boxes with bare minimum number of printed Chinese characters. The printed characters included only the model-numbers and the names of the state-owned enterprise. There were no individual catalogs nor user manual for each model. Instead,  a generalized printed brochure describing the enterprise's endeavors and its 'business addresses and fax numbers' were distributed to trade visitors. Such on-the-spot promotional literature  and brochures were generally common for other on-display, big-ticket engineering products. Examples were articulated agricultural three-wheeled tractors, hand-operated small agricultural mechanized ploughs. They also exhibited electric rice-cookers, noodles making machines, weighing scales and weighbridges, automatic packaging conveyors, and I think even one or two semi-automatic weaving looms.

My interest in aero model engines began in junior high school where I signed up and joined the Aero Modelling Club together with another classmate, Mr. Y.S. Kong. As an extension of interests in aeroplnes, I also signed up and joined my school's Air Training Corp (ATC). Rookies of the ATC had their weekly 'do' at the KL RMAF Base located off  Jalan Sungei Besi. I attended two drill-sessions there and decided it was a no-go for me. You see, I was more into the Boy Scouts activities as a result of me having much earlier earn the then coveted 'Scout Cord' award.

So, I chose not to continue with the ATC. Consequently, my interests in things 'aero' took a backseat and was by no means lost. Nay, just remained latent!

The PRC now produced their own stealth aircraft after having earlier successfully flew to the moon.

My wife, Kay has over the last few months purchased and used almost daily her many beautifully designed and very sleek-looking Made-In-China electric/electronic and pressure cookers, air fryers, breadmaking machine, hot water dispensers, etc.

HEREINABOVE READ MY FIRST "A+" IMPRESSION OF THE PRC.

More in my next posting. Cheers!👴

(Oh, by the way, I learnt years ago that my classmate Mr. Y.S. Kong was flying as a Captain with the Singapore Airlines. On the other hand, I obtained my Private Pilot's License in the early 1970's while still doing my post graduate studies.)

China Bashings and I Got Bashed Too !

My wife, Kay,  has been a silent follower  of the Hong Kong free democracy movement and its many protests when these were first headlined internationally in early 2019. When these protests turned disruptive, she became quite a vocal supporter. I was pleasantly surprised by her new found interests in politics. I have known her to be apolitical since we got married in the mid-70's.

Save for the GE in 2018 and especially its outcome, even Malaysian politics never meant much to her let alone politics in faraway Hong Kong S.A.R. Hence, me and my euphoric surprise -  geopolitics too! Oh, I digressed.

Did my wife then  had an audience? Yes, my daughter and I.

When the protests up-ticked into violent confrontations between the protesters and the Hong Kong Police, my wife became agitatedly more vocal. She blamed the chaos as the direct consequence of the  incompetence of the CEO of the HK SAR at first and laterly the Beijing government. Mind you, she was real mad and had all the sympathies for the HK youthful protesters.

Trying to pacify her for the self-inflicted anger, I telephoned my graduate school's classmate Mike and asked for his personal views about the political unrests ruling in HK then. Mike nonchalantly said, "It is all about control." When pressed if he and family members were OK, he added, "Um... yes, it is still normal  for us here." My wife paid no heed to this ground zero HK citizen's defacto sitrep (situation report).

Mike was born and bred in HK and he retired as the MD of a midsized HK bank. Mike was also credited to be the first HK-banker that started PRC's first private commercial bank in Shanghai in the late-80's/early-90's. Mike told me then it was at the behest of China's then finance head honcho, Mr. Zhu Rongji.

When the deadly coronavirus or Wuhan Virus (later referred to as 'the Covib-19 virus" by the W.H.O.) first broke into the international news media, my wife became even more judgemental about the 'reported' goings-on in the world in general and in the People's Republic of China in particular.

Every morning she would switched on our television set (a Samsung smart-tv) and follow the latest "news" streaming out from Youtube's as well as specific websites she selected. These included main stream media organisations' as well as non-bona fide so-called news 'stations'. Save for a few HK-based Cantonese "stations" and almost without exception, all other 'stations' reported in English.

Each time she bounced off her remarks of displeasure about the Chinese Communist Party of the PRC, I reminded her that some would be no more than voices of China-bashing rhetoric. I added that these were likely drummed up by the Western Media in consonant with their political leaders'  anti-Communist stances.

OMG...! You know what?

I got bashed real good by my wife!

Why? Why and why my siding with things of and about the  PRC?

Read my next postings - if you want to. Ciao!

Trying Times !

It has been some nine years and eight months since I last posted some of my two-cents' worth of thoughts.

Fast forward to the present - where the deadly covid-19 has put the entire globe in harm's way!

For almost 30 days now my family and I have hunkered down in our 2,000 sq,ft. condominium in Kuala Lumpur. We have complied with our government's call to stay in at home when the Movement Control Order (MCO) was first invoked and took effect from the 18th. March, 2020. Now the MCO has been extended and, God willing, is scheduled to end on 28th. instant.

It was very unreal during the first four or five days of the MCO : No outdoor exercises nor even a casual drive out to the city's markets to shop for foods. Having my usual rounds at my preferred pub were and still remain impossible. Pubs, being in the non-essential service sector stayed closed. Driving out would likely be challenged by policemen and soldiers manning many officially sanctioned roadblocks. With no tenable excuses nor valid reasons for flouting the MCO's rules, one would likely be put into a slammer and fined RM1,000. For me, no way, Jose!

Prior to the MCO, my wife had the foresight to and did stock up her four refrigerators with fruits, vegetables, meats, baking flours and other canned foods. For the first week or so, foods were  plentiful at home. Before they ran out, our daughter, Mel, has the presence of mind and ordered online for home deliveries various foods, fruits and even my heart's medicines. She is still doing this every four or five days..

Mel now works from home by ways of teleconferencing and phone calls. She carries a double burden, really. How so? Well, she has a 7-years old daughter (our granddaughter) who now has the luxury of not having to go to school.

"Hil! You stop watching the Ipad now and do your homework," sternly ordered Mel. This outburst or similar exhortations were oft-repeated daily. The resultant whining of reluctance (perhaps defiance actually) from the kiddo were, I must admit, quite unnerving, if not irritating. That's life under the MCO I guess. No thanks to the pandemic.

Of course, the grand kiddo was also kept busy with online tuition and even online gymnastic classes. These are ongoing and at least accorded the kiddo some semblance of normalcy sans school. Besides, she also facetime-chatted every other day with little Eli, our neighbor's 6 years old girl . They were regular playmates before the MCO days. It is a mere 10 ft. across that separated ours and Eli's condo units.

As for me, the daily routines now follow this sequence : Morning in-room exercises, then breakfast mainly of cereals; next with my Ipad and Iphone, catching up with the latest local and international news and checking inward email as well as chats dished out by my many chatgroups; dithering with my old PC and my equally old Dell laptop; occasional pranking with the grand kiddo, and having my late afternoon walk inside the condo unit. The daily walk round lasts for 30 minutes and, yes, I smartwatch-recorded an average of about 2,700 steps - equivalent of  some 2.0 km each time .   Around midnight I would watch an actions or sci-fic movie and have a can of beer before I retire.

Of course, lunches and dinners too - all cooked by my wife. She was, still is and will continue to be the person who tired out most by the end of each day. She forced herself to and regimentedly cook every meal instead of ordering foods from vendors without. She has less than full confidence over the handlings of cooked foods by deliverymen. Understandable.

Yes, my wife ... She is the reason that I have decided to blog-write again. More in my next posting... See ya. Cheers!

Joyous but Painful Merdaka Day for Me

It is the nation’s  53^rd. Merdeka  anniversary today!

For many years  now, I have asserted that this is a day to be cherished proudly and embraced with utmost joys by us all Malaysians. Sadly, I may not be able (or perhaps unwilling, if you like) to maintain this assertiveness much longer.  Yeah, much to my chagrin.

Way back in mid- and late-70’s, I was often told by a couple of my late father’s contemporaries as well as some of my older friends then that emigrating to the UK, Australia and even the USA would be a sensible long term proposition if we wanted a meaningful professional career development as well as a guaranteed quality education for our offsprings.  I often slighted and countered them that this was but a needless cum loser’s  perception.

On hindsight, I think (and I hate to admit) that they might had been my (accidental) visionaries.

Political war-drums  beatings  on both sides of the political divide and the consequent  rhetorical trumpeting  that arose as a matter of course over the last few years have been so discomforting. Yes,  even for an old bugger  like me who has been out of the rat-race for eons  now.

You see, I have no need to play corporate politics in order to earn a living these days. Neither do I need to playball with anyone in order to do what I like each day, day in and day out. And, of course,  I could’nt and certainly would’nt care two hoots if someone should blackball me too for whatever the heck reasons!

Yet, I feel  so very  very miserable knowing that the country is  ‘getting from bad to worst’ in terms of race relationships  and the resultant  therefrom’s dragging along the obvious  thereto’s .

I am now in a damnable  quandary :  I failed to share a vision some 40 odd years ago in spite of being one of the not-too-many  finance-majored  MBA’s  in the early-70’s.  Little wonder why I ‘missed the boat’!

These days, both my children are pretty successful professionals in their own ways.  Are  the currently ruling race-centric environmental settings together with their foreseeable near and medium term scenarios  fodders for me to cajole (or may be coerce?) my children to migrate for the sake of their further career development ?  That said, then what about  their future children’s future? 

 In short, dare I become a visionary, never mind being some 40 odd years later?  Believe you  me, this is such a bleeding painful alternative choice!

 Once again, OMG!