Could it be...

My white blood count was high. No fever. So, it's definitely not bacteria/virus whatever infection. It started with a body ache and some twitches while in the lab. IN THE LAB. All these symptoms within one hour of my handling a neurotoxic material - Acrylamide/bis-acrylamide. I don't mind getting sick due to skin contact with that chemical, but I think infertility is one of long term effects that I honestly fear a lot. Why I suspect that chemical was the culprit was because that was my first time handling it (though I did wore gloves) and I had no sore throat, flu, sickness prior to this. And the funny thing was - my body failure happened very quick (like a succession of fits within an hour) and there was no fever. If not, what is it that my body is trying to defend? Why did my body generate sooo much white blood!? That damn chemical...must be. Too bad I didn't tell the doctor about it as I have forgotten all about my handling of this potent chemical. My research colleague heard of 2 Ph.D. students in Biotechnology faculty being diagnosed with breast cancer recently due to high radiation exposure in their lab. *worried*

Another theory was stress. Hmmphhh...likely cause but I doubt anything could caused me to stress. I was not even stressed that weel! In fact, I just got back from a relaxing 4-day trip in Perhentian-Redang. And what's teaching swimming 7 days in a week compared to me having to go for swimming competition and trained twice a day for one month!?!??! WHAT STRESS DID I GET??? My uncle doctor called up to ask me not to drink too much coffee as the caffeine masks the body's tiredness. Maybe I didn't know I was tired. And I had lack of sleep though. Had to admit.

I prefer to blame it on the chemical. Stress?? - meh!!! If there's 6 billion people in this world, I dare declare that I, Ivy Chai could handle stress the best! (I've been pressured, but never been stressed-out)

Ms. SJMC

Ms. SJMC was the name given to me by my aikido instructor due to my frequent apperance in Subang Jaya Medical Centre. I worked there for 3 months in 2003, but I still think I don't deserve this nickname!

This time I was warded due to a mild fits. My body was overstressed though my mind was basically 'normal'. (No worries, I still am Ph.D. material :) I don't know how to define my disease but basically my bones and joins all got numb and my heartbeat was so quick i thought I had a heart attack. I just couldn't move and my body starts to ache like crazy (esp. my neck)!! Plus, my legs were wobbly. And I broke out in cold sweats. I thought it was denggi fever or some viral fever, but I don't even have a temperature to start with. Both the SJMC doctor and my doctor uncle added that it could be a panic attack or stress-related disorder. Maybe a nervous breakdown.

So, here I was in SJMC. Results showed that my white blood count was extremely high that I thought it was leukemia (doc didn't think so, but I'm soo 'proud' to query him about leukemia). Touchwood, hope it's not. Just my immune system went to its lowest low. Got some bacteria infection in blood and urine (could be due to low immunity) but still....weirdest thing....no fever!!!! Drink loads of water (coffee can ahh?) and rest (sleep) more was the advice. Hey, but I thought I slept a lot in Redang!??!?! Damn.

After a burst appendicitis and my initial Bell's palsy scare, I always know what to do first thing I feel ANY pain - GO TO SJMC! (because got insurance already marrr).

Fondue

Fondue - a foreign word that was familiar but I didn't actually know what it means. 'Til I met my girlfriends in Chilis, BSC one night, I didn't know it was a type of dessert. So here goes - all my chatty girlfriends were trying to describe to me with their own elaborative adjectives of what a fondue is. I thought: why don't we just stick to wiki, eh?

I went to Haagen Dazs at Bangsar Village to see/taste for myself what a fondue was. So it did look like what I expected it to look like (after I looked it in wiki) (warning: tongue twisted here). The presentation was absolutely charming Somehow I expected the chocolate to overflow like a lava (or like the banjir kilat in KL), but my wild imagination failed me again.

Oooooo...macam rusa masuk kampung, so here is what I did: dip in my fresh fruits, ice cream, cakes and whatever they've dumped me with! Oooo..I didn't know that earlier but I was glad to bring along a not-soo-kampung guy to teach me to fondue. I think I need a 'Fondue For Dummies' book.

I had a great time! Yeah, like the time when he messed my face with chocolate and ice-cream. The fondue was just enough for 2 people (he ate most of it). I think it was about RM56.90 but I would pay any amount for the fun and indulgence I had that moment in Haagen.

Perhentian-Redang-Lang Tengah Trip

I was suprised by my own quick thinking, a spell of good lucks (only in this case, you'll see), my sole rapid decisions, and a sequence of saddening events that led to my get-away trip to Pulau Perhentian-Redang this week. First hint of things to come was that -he was suddenly gone. And what hurt me most was that he HAD the right excuse. It's the most relevant of excuses that even I, a very defensive (stubborn!) person, could not deter him. As fast as he came, he left. I wanted a week off from (lab)work to figure what does ALL of these meant, what my future holds, and what is required of me to do henceforth. I needed time and his trip gave me ample time. Thanks to Perhentian, the sharks, the turtles, the snorkellings, the weather, the sunsets and the bestest friend called Chris, I am now more confident in making a decision. Risky, but I want a decision that reflects me and yet not regretting it later.

I wanted to go Phuket, but my swimming boss told me one morning that he scratched his own Redang trip at the last minute (with deposit already paid) and beg me to replace him. So, I did. It was just 6 days before the intended trip! I needed a quick decision. Who the hell could actually ask for a leave from work that quick??!??!?!?! And the trip starts on a weekday - a Wednesday!

I actually wanted to go for the trip all ALONE, but yeah... that was the silliest thought even to start with. I knew Chris quit his previous job, so I called him first and he agreed on the spot!! He's not started his new job til next Monday. What a coinidence..

I kau-tim (settled) every piece of the packaged trip in 4hours..well..sans the itinerary. Booked the plane tickets on the same day too.

I don't want to blog about the whole trip to these pretty island paradise. It's not about the adventures, but the time off from everything - love, work, money, family, food, friends, KL. All I can say is that I had both heated conversations and friendly, crazy chatters with Chris. It was the most interesting conversation I had in years!

Chris has a brand new, unofficiated NIKON SLR camera and he snaps most of the photos. I've not gotten many photos with me as I was just armed with my camera phone. My photos can be seen here: http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/cchivy/VacationPulauPerhentianTrip912April2008

Sexy

And there was I with a bikini. My first one. If you didn't know what peer-pressure was: my bikini was the product of that. I was pressured by several girls to get myself a bikini. And the first one I picked and tried out was the ONE I bought. Needless to say, my reputation as the most modest and highly-regarded swimming teacher in town has gone down the drain! What I didn't understand was my choice of colour and pattern for my bikini. I think it was innately present in my subconcious mind to choose a hyperly kiddie bikini (in short: cheesy). My bikini had colourful hearts all over (my hairs are standing on ends now). I could have chosen a blank pink piece, but NOoo, I had to choose that hideous un-sophisticated one. WHAT A CRIME!

What was really uncomfortable besides THAT being my first bikini and my first time wearing it was that I had this large scar over my belly from a surgery due to a burst appendicitis. And there were these colourful hearts....... (sigh).

What did make me feel sexy, however, was my voice. I had literally NO VOICE (or I would say: husky) on the day of my (kinda) huge Ph.d. presentation. I was glad that it went on quite well, and even a professor said I was very sexy during presentation. And he literally added that it's not the voice, but my whole presentation was 'SEXY'. Ooooo ...WHAT IS HE IMPLYING??! :P

And nope, I'm never gonna wear that bikini. Maybe only for someone (you know who you are!!). For now, I'll stick to my Speedos. Girls, this time you can't pressure me! See you girls at my apartment.