The Bionic Woman
Bill here. Kate's surgery went swimmingly, though rather long. So I guess it'd be more of a 1km freestyle then a 100m butterfly. Hmmm... surgeries and swimming have absolutely nothing in common... unless you count the fact that yer mostly naked for both.
But I digress. The surgery was great, and the bionics are expected to come online sometime later this week. No signs of cancer anywhere... but the doctors did take a couple biopsies and some peritoneal washings to make sure. Lab results in a week (but we're optimistic). They did take a short section of her small intestine out - apparently it had adhered to her abdominal wall after the last surgery. They also cleaned up adhesions around her left fallopian tube and ovary. Doctor's not terribly optimistic that it won't happen again, unfortunately. But he did tell Kate that the more she got up and moved around the less likely adhesion would occur.
So Kate's been sitting, walking, and farting up a storm for the past few days. She's had intermittent fevers (assumedly from the healing process), and some low blood pressure problems (nurses think it's cause she won't stay still). But most of these issues have disappeared over the last couple of days.
She hasn't eaten in five days, and is feeling a little crazy because of it. I woke up this morning to find her gnawing on her Nintendo in her sleep (also found teeth marks on my fingers... but I may have done that myself). She started with a little water today - and will move on to liquids for lunch. She should graduate to yogurt and blended foods tomorrow morning. She's quite excited about this - though she says she would prefer a burrito or some noodles.
So that's the news. She's doing fine - should be out of the hospital by Friday. Her new and improved bionic intestine will start digesting food with a vengeance by early next week. Okay it's not bionic - just a little bit shorter.
More later. Thanks for the support and prayers! She'll be back online soon!
Bill
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Thank You
Thank you, Donna, for your words of comfort. They always calm me down.
Thank you, Aunt Bonnie, for your words of encouragement. Your positive outlook helps lighten up the whole situation.
Thank you, the entire Martins family, for your thoughts and prayers.
Thank you, Lana, for the text message all the way from Newfoundland. Yes, I'm very excited about seeing you again very shortly.
Thank you, Lisa, for taking the time from entertaining the in-laws, the usual X'mas frenzy, and bulking up Jordy to write to me. Your "milk shake" story still cracks me up. May I suggest next time let Scottie do the shaking?!
Thank you, Jacqueline, for the two messages in a day (what a treat). Glad to know you're feeling well, looking gorgeous, and that everything's going well with Carlos. Can't wait to meet him.
Thank you, Maddy, for your support. Sometimes we get too wrapped up in our own peephole views of the world and could very easily lose sight of the grand scheme. Thank you for reminding me what I should be thankful for and take pride in.
Thank you, Mom, for being the amazing mother you are. I know it's not easy for you, but thank you for not puking before I do (you know what I'm talking about).
Thank you, babe, for being here. It would've been much tougher without you. Thanks for putting up with me. Thanks for holding me up when I'm down. I love you.
Thank you all. I'll see you in a few days!
Thank you, Donna, for your words of comfort. They always calm me down.
Thank you, Aunt Bonnie, for your words of encouragement. Your positive outlook helps lighten up the whole situation.
Thank you, the entire Martins family, for your thoughts and prayers.
Thank you, Lana, for the text message all the way from Newfoundland. Yes, I'm very excited about seeing you again very shortly.
Thank you, Lisa, for taking the time from entertaining the in-laws, the usual X'mas frenzy, and bulking up Jordy to write to me. Your "milk shake" story still cracks me up. May I suggest next time let Scottie do the shaking?!
Thank you, Jacqueline, for the two messages in a day (what a treat). Glad to know you're feeling well, looking gorgeous, and that everything's going well with Carlos. Can't wait to meet him.
Thank you, Maddy, for your support. Sometimes we get too wrapped up in our own peephole views of the world and could very easily lose sight of the grand scheme. Thank you for reminding me what I should be thankful for and take pride in.
Thank you, Mom, for being the amazing mother you are. I know it's not easy for you, but thank you for not puking before I do (you know what I'm talking about).
Thank you, babe, for being here. It would've been much tougher without you. Thanks for putting up with me. Thanks for holding me up when I'm down. I love you.
Thank you all. I'll see you in a few days!
Tis the Season
There's really not much Christmas spirit here. Bill and I decided to have our little Christmas at home.
On the 24th, Bill told me that Christmas day back home means cold cuts and movies, and that we were going to make eggnog (We couldn't find eggnog anywhere in this town. What a shock).
I was thrilled 'cause (1) I love eggnog and (2) I've always wanted to know how eggnog's made. It's kind of embarrassing but it took me much longer than anticipated in the supermarket 'cause I didn't know how to say "Rum" in Chinese. People asked me what it was for, but then I realized I didn't know how to say "eggnog" in Chinese either. Anyway, after prolonging the sound "rrruuuuummmm", the woman at the liquor store finally understood what I was looking for. Turned out, the Chinese word for "Rum" is exactly the same as the Chinese word for "lime". Go figure! I also bought lots of yummy cheeses and meats. I was very excited about making eggnog.
Christmas morning came. The first thing I did was cleaning up the kitchen. Well, how could we make eggnog in a messy kitchen? While I cleaned, Bill went out to get some coffee. We had French toast for brunch. Later in the afternoon, we had French Truffle Brie, Gouda, Salmon spread, ham, turkey breast, and whole wheat crackers. We also watched "The Contract" (with Morgan Freeman and John Cusack) and "Orange County". I kept on wondering when we were gonna make eggnog, but every time I asked, Bill's answer was always, "Later, Babe. Now it's not the time." .... as if there was "a time for making eggnog".
After the movies, we played some video game.
There was still no sign of any eggnog-making activity.
When it finally turned dark, I nearly gave up. Bill put on "The Christmas Story" for me and went into the kitchen.... Nope! Not to make eggnog. He wanted brownies.
I, more than anything, wanted to make eggnog.
Finally when the brownies were about done, Bill came into the living room and announced, "I'm making eggnog." I shot straight up from the couch, grabbed my camera, and ran into the kitchen.
His right arm was sore of whipping egg whites without a whisk. I was shocked by how much sugar was needed for making eggnog. No wonder people say eggnog's extremely fattening. It didn't matter much though 'cause it turned out fabulicious!
I didn't take more pictures while we were making it 'cause I had to help. I didn't take more pictures afterward 'cause we were too busy drinking eggnog and having brownies while watching "The Christmas Story".
I went to bed wondering if my tummy's gonna burst!
Boxing Day
After a day cooped up in the house, we went out for Boxing Day dinner with friends. We went to our favorite Mexican restaurant in Taipei -- La Casita. I wanted to have some good food before checking myself into the hospital tomorrow.
Ben showed up with a black eye.
He said he got it from Jingjing (his wife) because she didn't like the Christmas gift he got her. Since Jingjing wasn't there with us at dinner, Amber demonstrated how it was done.
Simon was feeling under the weather. When he wasn't eating, he spent most of the time sitting in the corner with his scarf on his face.
We thought he looked a bit like a terrorist.
With my tummy full of all sorts of yummy goodness, I'm now ready to spend a few days in the hospital.
There's really not much Christmas spirit here. Bill and I decided to have our little Christmas at home.
On the 24th, Bill told me that Christmas day back home means cold cuts and movies, and that we were going to make eggnog (We couldn't find eggnog anywhere in this town. What a shock).
I was thrilled 'cause (1) I love eggnog and (2) I've always wanted to know how eggnog's made. It's kind of embarrassing but it took me much longer than anticipated in the supermarket 'cause I didn't know how to say "Rum" in Chinese. People asked me what it was for, but then I realized I didn't know how to say "eggnog" in Chinese either. Anyway, after prolonging the sound "rrruuuuummmm", the woman at the liquor store finally understood what I was looking for. Turned out, the Chinese word for "Rum" is exactly the same as the Chinese word for "lime". Go figure! I also bought lots of yummy cheeses and meats. I was very excited about making eggnog.
Christmas morning came. The first thing I did was cleaning up the kitchen. Well, how could we make eggnog in a messy kitchen? While I cleaned, Bill went out to get some coffee. We had French toast for brunch. Later in the afternoon, we had French Truffle Brie, Gouda, Salmon spread, ham, turkey breast, and whole wheat crackers. We also watched "The Contract" (with Morgan Freeman and John Cusack) and "Orange County". I kept on wondering when we were gonna make eggnog, but every time I asked, Bill's answer was always, "Later, Babe. Now it's not the time." .... as if there was "a time for making eggnog".
After the movies, we played some video game.
There was still no sign of any eggnog-making activity.
When it finally turned dark, I nearly gave up. Bill put on "The Christmas Story" for me and went into the kitchen.... Nope! Not to make eggnog. He wanted brownies.
I, more than anything, wanted to make eggnog.
Finally when the brownies were about done, Bill came into the living room and announced, "I'm making eggnog." I shot straight up from the couch, grabbed my camera, and ran into the kitchen.His right arm was sore of whipping egg whites without a whisk. I was shocked by how much sugar was needed for making eggnog. No wonder people say eggnog's extremely fattening. It didn't matter much though 'cause it turned out fabulicious!
I didn't take more pictures while we were making it 'cause I had to help. I didn't take more pictures afterward 'cause we were too busy drinking eggnog and having brownies while watching "The Christmas Story".
I went to bed wondering if my tummy's gonna burst!
Boxing Day
After a day cooped up in the house, we went out for Boxing Day dinner with friends. We went to our favorite Mexican restaurant in Taipei -- La Casita. I wanted to have some good food before checking myself into the hospital tomorrow.
Ben showed up with a black eye.He said he got it from Jingjing (his wife) because she didn't like the Christmas gift he got her. Since Jingjing wasn't there with us at dinner, Amber demonstrated how it was done.
Simon was feeling under the weather. When he wasn't eating, he spent most of the time sitting in the corner with his scarf on his face.We thought he looked a bit like a terrorist.
With my tummy full of all sorts of yummy goodness, I'm now ready to spend a few days in the hospital.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Sunday, December 16, 2007
I know I haven't written in a while.
Still coughing. School's finished. I'm officially on vacation.
Went and did an ultrasound last Thursday. The left ovary looked clean. The cyst that was there disappeared. However, there is a body of fluid on the outside of the ovary. The doctor suspects it to be adhesion from the initial surgery. He also suspects that it may be in the tiny space between the ovary and the fallopian tube, which may make it difficult to conceive. We scheduled a surgery for Friday, December 21st. It's set to be endoscopic, checking out what's going on inside, do biopsies, and repair the adhesion. Only if the adhesion is worse than expected and the doctor decides to repair it manually will we do a general laparatomy. In other words, I might end up with three holes in my tummy or another "zipper" down where the old incision was. We won't know until the doctor has seen what's going on inside.
Bill's calm with this "This is life" attitude.
I'm done being a baby (I think) and now I just want to get it over with.
Gotta go see a doctor about this cough though.
Still coughing. School's finished. I'm officially on vacation.
Went and did an ultrasound last Thursday. The left ovary looked clean. The cyst that was there disappeared. However, there is a body of fluid on the outside of the ovary. The doctor suspects it to be adhesion from the initial surgery. He also suspects that it may be in the tiny space between the ovary and the fallopian tube, which may make it difficult to conceive. We scheduled a surgery for Friday, December 21st. It's set to be endoscopic, checking out what's going on inside, do biopsies, and repair the adhesion. Only if the adhesion is worse than expected and the doctor decides to repair it manually will we do a general laparatomy. In other words, I might end up with three holes in my tummy or another "zipper" down where the old incision was. We won't know until the doctor has seen what's going on inside.
Bill's calm with this "This is life" attitude.
I'm done being a baby (I think) and now I just want to get it over with.
Gotta go see a doctor about this cough though.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Bloom Babies Bloom
This is kind of weird.
Three consecutive postings about babies.... What's going on here?
As soon as I saw Aunt Bonnie's comment on the posting about my lazy Sunday with Sabrina, I emailed Bill and asked if he knew anything about this mysterious baby. Bill's on a remote island in Thailand, so it took him a few days. Then little Jordy Sebastien arrived and woke me up. But I was still wondering who's this baby Aunt Bonnie spoke of. Though Bill and I already email one another at least once a day, we also arrange phone dates. Tonight Skype didn't work on his end of the line, so we chatted online.
I had to ask.
Kate Chang says: so did you find out anything about this new baby in your family?
thebilliam says: no... still haven't heard back from them.
Kate Chang says: probably a cousin, eh?
thebilliam says: wait - just got it in an email i hadn't read yet.
thebilliam says: sister - julie.
Kate Chang says: julie's pregnant? again?
thebilliam says: yeah - so it'll be her second!
Kate Chang says: julie... is naddie's mom?*
thebilliam says: yep
Kate Chang says: she's a great mom! I'm excited for her
*I'm sorry... I always have to double check who is who with Bill. I think it'll get easier once I put faces to the names.
Then we went on talking about my effort to shake off this nasty cold and his attempt to put on a great tan.
So congrats, moms!
I'd love to babysit... but only when they've reached 5 months of age (wink wink).
This is kind of weird.
Three consecutive postings about babies.... What's going on here?
As soon as I saw Aunt Bonnie's comment on the posting about my lazy Sunday with Sabrina, I emailed Bill and asked if he knew anything about this mysterious baby. Bill's on a remote island in Thailand, so it took him a few days. Then little Jordy Sebastien arrived and woke me up. But I was still wondering who's this baby Aunt Bonnie spoke of. Though Bill and I already email one another at least once a day, we also arrange phone dates. Tonight Skype didn't work on his end of the line, so we chatted online.
I had to ask.
Kate Chang says: so did you find out anything about this new baby in your family?
thebilliam says: no... still haven't heard back from them.
Kate Chang says: probably a cousin, eh?
thebilliam says: wait - just got it in an email i hadn't read yet.
thebilliam says: sister - julie.
Kate Chang says: julie's pregnant? again?
thebilliam says: yeah - so it'll be her second!
Kate Chang says: julie... is naddie's mom?*
thebilliam says: yep
Kate Chang says: she's a great mom! I'm excited for her
*I'm sorry... I always have to double check who is who with Bill. I think it'll get easier once I put faces to the names.
Then we went on talking about my effort to shake off this nasty cold and his attempt to put on a great tan.
So congrats, moms!
I'd love to babysit... but only when they've reached 5 months of age (wink wink).
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Meet Jordy
I hung up the phone with Lana in Vancouver and tugged myself in. That was 2AM my time. I had set my alarm for 9 'cause I've got a company class today at noon. My cough kept me up most of the night. The last time I woke up was 7:23. I was finally warm and asleep when the house phone screamed with a voice as hoarse as my own (note to self: must remember to adjust the ring tone). Unwillingly, I wiggled my body over to where the phone was. With blurry vision, I read from the caller ID: 0021604 . "That's Vancouver." I picked up the receiver and slowly sat up on the bed.
"Hello? *cough*"
"Kate! It's Lana. I know I woke you up, but you woke me, right? Blahblahblahblahblah.. hahahahaha..... blahblahblahblahblahblah... Lisa blahblahblahblahblah, right? blahblahblah."
Lana? Wasn't I just on the phone with you a few hours ago? You didn't call just to get me back 'cause I woke you up when I called you..... or did you?
Lana was full of excitement. She was practically yelling into the phone, and her speech (rather, her long strings of sound) would burst into laughter from time to time. Combined with the fact that she's from Newfoundland and I was half asleep, I felt like an ESL student taking a listening test.
"Blahblahblahblahblah brunch, right? Anyway, blahblahblah snow storm blahblahblahblahblah. Blahblahblahblah Lisa didn't show. Blahblahblahblah Jordy Sebastien blahblahblahblah.."
"Okay," I blinked hard a few times to force myself awake. "Process FAST, Kate." I commended.
Yes. I knew about the brunch date. Okay, Karen texted about the snow in Vancouver. Hmm..... That's very un-Lisa-like not to show up to a girls' date, especially considering Lana's been out of the country for a few months. Wait! Who the hell is Jordy Sebastien?
"Who the hell is Jordy Sebastien?" I asked.
"THAT'S WHAT I SAID! HAHAHAHAHA..... Kate, blahblahblahblahblah..."
"What?" I was really confused.
"Anyway, just call Lisa. blahblah I tried calling her but blahblahblahblah 'cause blahblahblahblahblahblah Jordy Sebastien."
I computed in my foggy brain: Lisa didn't show up for brunch with one of her best friends who's been away for a few months. There's a big snow in Vancouver. Lisa was unreachable on her cell. Okay, should I panic now? And who the hell is Jordy Sebastien anyway?
Eventually I figured it out (and I know I could've done it quicker but I was half asleep, okay?) Then Lana and I started screaming at each other on the phone (well, I tried. My voice would break and I was coughing like mad)! He arrived three weeks early and already messed up one of his mom's appointments. Way to go, Little Beast.
Welcome to the world, Jordy Sebastien.
I hung up the phone with Lana in Vancouver and tugged myself in. That was 2AM my time. I had set my alarm for 9 'cause I've got a company class today at noon. My cough kept me up most of the night. The last time I woke up was 7:23. I was finally warm and asleep when the house phone screamed with a voice as hoarse as my own (note to self: must remember to adjust the ring tone). Unwillingly, I wiggled my body over to where the phone was. With blurry vision, I read from the caller ID: 0021604 . "That's Vancouver." I picked up the receiver and slowly sat up on the bed.
"Hello? *cough*"
"Kate! It's Lana. I know I woke you up, but you woke me, right? Blahblahblahblahblah.. hahahahaha..... blahblahblahblahblahblah... Lisa blahblahblahblahblah, right? blahblahblah."
Lana? Wasn't I just on the phone with you a few hours ago? You didn't call just to get me back 'cause I woke you up when I called you..... or did you?
Lana was full of excitement. She was practically yelling into the phone, and her speech (rather, her long strings of sound) would burst into laughter from time to time. Combined with the fact that she's from Newfoundland and I was half asleep, I felt like an ESL student taking a listening test.
"Blahblahblahblahblah brunch, right? Anyway, blahblahblah snow storm blahblahblahblahblah. Blahblahblahblah Lisa didn't show. Blahblahblahblah Jordy Sebastien blahblahblahblah.."
"Okay," I blinked hard a few times to force myself awake. "Process FAST, Kate." I commended.
Yes. I knew about the brunch date. Okay, Karen texted about the snow in Vancouver. Hmm..... That's very un-Lisa-like not to show up to a girls' date, especially considering Lana's been out of the country for a few months. Wait! Who the hell is Jordy Sebastien?
"Who the hell is Jordy Sebastien?" I asked.
"THAT'S WHAT I SAID! HAHAHAHAHA..... Kate, blahblahblahblahblah..."
"What?" I was really confused.
"Anyway, just call Lisa. blahblah I tried calling her but blahblahblahblah 'cause blahblahblahblahblahblah Jordy Sebastien."
I computed in my foggy brain: Lisa didn't show up for brunch with one of her best friends who's been away for a few months. There's a big snow in Vancouver. Lisa was unreachable on her cell. Okay, should I panic now? And who the hell is Jordy Sebastien anyway?
Eventually I figured it out (and I know I could've done it quicker but I was half asleep, okay?) Then Lana and I started screaming at each other on the phone (well, I tried. My voice would break and I was coughing like mad)! He arrived three weeks early and already messed up one of his mom's appointments. Way to go, Little Beast.
Welcome to the world, Jordy Sebastien.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Sabrina
There are no babies in my family.
It's all girls in the third generation and no one's married yet.
Unlike Bill, who grew up around babies, I never held a baby in my arms.
Brian and Kitty are the first of my friends in Taiwan to have a baby. The first time I saw Sabrina she was only a few days old. In fact, when I got to the hospital, I only saw Kitty lying on her side in bed. If they hadn't pointed out where the baby was, I wouldn't have ever noticed the baby next to her. It blew me away watching how at ease Kitty's mom was with the baby in her arm. But when she asked if I'd like to hold Sabrina, I was terrified. Wrapped in a blanket, she looked so small and soft. I was afraid I might break her, so I told Kitty's mom I'd better not 'cause my hands were dirty. Of course, like all moms do, she knew I was afraid. Yet, like all moms do, she understood.
Last Sunday Brian and Kitty wanted to have pictures taken with their 5-month-old Sabrina, so Bill and I volunteered to be photographers.
Bill was a trooper!
He was suffering from a headache, but he still came out for the walk with us.
I don't know much about babies, so I was fascinated by practically everything Sabrina did. I hovered around Brian and watched Sabrina like a cat by the fish bowl. Bill, on the other hand, treated the baby more like just another person who came for the walk with us. He was mostly engaged in a conversation with Brian and occasionally, when Sabrina stared at him, he looked at her and said things like, "The sun's nice, huh?" or "Why do adults talk so much?"
If I may pose as a baby expert and offer my analysis on Sabrina's personality. I'd say she's a very calm baby: just taking everything in with a "zen" look on her face (I'm sure she got it from her mild-tempered mom). She loves music! She could be chilling on your lap one minute and immediately hums along as soon as you start singing. She really likes dancing, too. Her little feet just won't settle down as she hums a tune. It's hardly a surprise, really. I mean, her dad is a fantastic guitar player. The girl's got music in her genes.
(from left to right)
Kitty, Sabrina, and Brian Kleinsmith
Almost everybody stopped to look at Sabrina when they walked by. Brian joked about how his students once told him that they also wanted to have "half" (mixed) babies because they think mixed babies are beautiful.
Like father like daughter? : )
It was right after we discovered how much Sabrina dislikes curry when Brian jokingly offered his beer to his daughter. Well, she really wanted to taste it. I think she's gotta wait a while until she can actually taste it.
Sabrina and Kate singing and dancing to "YMCA".
Well, I think I made Brian nervous when I was holding Sabrina but I'm not afraid to hold a baby anymore. It was a lot of fun playing with her. Though I never imagined a 5-month-old could be actually quite heavy! I did work up a sweat and my arms were sore for two days afterward.
It was well worth it!
There are no babies in my family.
It's all girls in the third generation and no one's married yet.
Unlike Bill, who grew up around babies, I never held a baby in my arms.
Brian and Kitty are the first of my friends in Taiwan to have a baby. The first time I saw Sabrina she was only a few days old. In fact, when I got to the hospital, I only saw Kitty lying on her side in bed. If they hadn't pointed out where the baby was, I wouldn't have ever noticed the baby next to her. It blew me away watching how at ease Kitty's mom was with the baby in her arm. But when she asked if I'd like to hold Sabrina, I was terrified. Wrapped in a blanket, she looked so small and soft. I was afraid I might break her, so I told Kitty's mom I'd better not 'cause my hands were dirty. Of course, like all moms do, she knew I was afraid. Yet, like all moms do, she understood.
Last Sunday Brian and Kitty wanted to have pictures taken with their 5-month-old Sabrina, so Bill and I volunteered to be photographers.
Bill was a trooper!
He was suffering from a headache, but he still came out for the walk with us.
I don't know much about babies, so I was fascinated by practically everything Sabrina did. I hovered around Brian and watched Sabrina like a cat by the fish bowl. Bill, on the other hand, treated the baby more like just another person who came for the walk with us. He was mostly engaged in a conversation with Brian and occasionally, when Sabrina stared at him, he looked at her and said things like, "The sun's nice, huh?" or "Why do adults talk so much?"
If I may pose as a baby expert and offer my analysis on Sabrina's personality. I'd say she's a very calm baby: just taking everything in with a "zen" look on her face (I'm sure she got it from her mild-tempered mom). She loves music! She could be chilling on your lap one minute and immediately hums along as soon as you start singing. She really likes dancing, too. Her little feet just won't settle down as she hums a tune. It's hardly a surprise, really. I mean, her dad is a fantastic guitar player. The girl's got music in her genes.
(from left to right)Kitty, Sabrina, and Brian Kleinsmith
Almost everybody stopped to look at Sabrina when they walked by. Brian joked about how his students once told him that they also wanted to have "half" (mixed) babies because they think mixed babies are beautiful.
Like father like daughter? : )It was right after we discovered how much Sabrina dislikes curry when Brian jokingly offered his beer to his daughter. Well, she really wanted to taste it. I think she's gotta wait a while until she can actually taste it.
Sabrina and Kate singing and dancing to "YMCA".Well, I think I made Brian nervous when I was holding Sabrina but I'm not afraid to hold a baby anymore. It was a lot of fun playing with her. Though I never imagined a 5-month-old could be actually quite heavy! I did work up a sweat and my arms were sore for two days afterward.
It was well worth it!
Monday, November 26, 2007
Lily's Wedding
Ben, Lily, and Bill met three years ago on the TV show and have been best friends since.
Lily invited Ben and Bill to give a speech at her wedding.
She demanded a bilingual one.
Before the banquet started, Ben and Bill appeared to be at ease, chattin' n takin' pictures with people.
Behind the scene, however, the two boys were busy preparing.
Even though they had written the lines themselves (yes, the English AND Chinese), Ben and Bill (both perfectionists at heart) rehearsed at least 4 more times and prepared cue cards for their speech.
Lily chose to wear traditional Qi Paos at the banquet.
It's a tradition in Chinese weddings for the bride to change her outfit.
She changed four times.
Her beautiful Qi Paos generated a discussion amongst the female guests as for which one they liked the best.
The winner was the aqua blue one, custom-made by one of Lily's designer friends.
I liked the last one.
Kate the pseudo camera girl.
The speech was a great success (we have it on video but you all have to wait until Bill gets back from Thailand to see it).
Ben and Bill did it first in Chinese then in English. The puns and jokes were successfully executed and well received.
Needless to say, the two boys charmed everyone with wit and charisma on stage.
The real cameraman for the TV show, Hu Zhi (literal meaning is "beard").
He got the nickname because his family name is Hu, and he's got a beard.
Bill and Roberto.
Bill was very proud of his new tie.
It's got tiny skulls on it... Arrgh!
Dorion, also a skull lover, shared Bill's excitement on the new tie (*cough..dorks..cough*)
It seemed the only time Dorion managed to keep a straight face in front of the camera was when he was in it with Sharon.
The after party was at a lounge bar called FiFi.
There was A LOT of alcohol.
Bill was happily pickled in Scotch.
After having been on high heels for more than 7 hours, I wanted to chop my legs off.
But they were damn sexy heels....
Ben, Lily, and Bill met three years ago on the TV show and have been best friends since.
Lily invited Ben and Bill to give a speech at her wedding.
She demanded a bilingual one.
Before the banquet started, Ben and Bill appeared to be at ease, chattin' n takin' pictures with people.
Behind the scene, however, the two boys were busy preparing.Even though they had written the lines themselves (yes, the English AND Chinese), Ben and Bill (both perfectionists at heart) rehearsed at least 4 more times and prepared cue cards for their speech.
Lily chose to wear traditional Qi Paos at the banquet.
It's a tradition in Chinese weddings for the bride to change her outfit.
She changed four times.
Her beautiful Qi Paos generated a discussion amongst the female guests as for which one they liked the best.
The winner was the aqua blue one, custom-made by one of Lily's designer friends.
I liked the last one.
Kate the pseudo camera girl.
The speech was a great success (we have it on video but you all have to wait until Bill gets back from Thailand to see it).
Ben and Bill did it first in Chinese then in English. The puns and jokes were successfully executed and well received.
Needless to say, the two boys charmed everyone with wit and charisma on stage.
The real cameraman for the TV show, Hu Zhi (literal meaning is "beard").He got the nickname because his family name is Hu, and he's got a beard.
Bill and Roberto.Bill was very proud of his new tie.
It's got tiny skulls on it... Arrgh!
Dorion, also a skull lover, shared Bill's excitement on the new tie (*cough..dorks..cough*)
It seemed the only time Dorion managed to keep a straight face in front of the camera was when he was in it with Sharon.
The after party was at a lounge bar called FiFi.
There was A LOT of alcohol.
Bill was happily pickled in Scotch.
After having been on high heels for more than 7 hours, I wanted to chop my legs off.
But they were damn sexy heels....
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Happy Anniversary
Join me on the emotional roller coaster, will ya?
November 15, 2006 - I was told my right ovary needed to be removed.
November 18, 2006 - right ovary removed.
November 21, 2006 - I needed chemo therapy.
November 23, 2006 - Porta catheter installed.
December 01, 2006 - Chemo treatment began.
November 07, 2007 - Porta catheter removed.
November 13, 200 7 - my doctor suggested a second-look surgery
I've been wondering how I'd feel when November 15, 2007 comes around since it all started. I thought I'd be happy at least. I joked about what I'd do on the one-year anniversary of my initial surgery. I thought it'd all be over.
Well, it's not over and it seems never-ending. Trust me. I, too, want to get back to living a "normal" life, but I don't know how 'cause I'm no longer the same person I was before it all started. What's normal anyhow?
Words of Encouragement on Most Websites for Cancer Patients & Survivors:
"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger."
Thanks. I'm still waiting to feel invincible.
"You're more than the scars cancer has left behind."
Scars on my body are fading, but how long does it take to rid the ones on my mind?
"Everything will be okay."
Um... thanks.
Almost all websites say it. It's started to feel like nothing more than just a thing to say.
Sadness and anger and frustration and confusion are easy to deal with, but what I hate the most is feeling as if I've disappointed anybody.
I'm sorry that
I didn't charge forward to the OR like a fearless warrior when the doctor was talking about the second-look surgery.
I didn't vow to embrace life with everything I've got from here on now.
I didn't start drawing up plans for the future and be all chipper and optimistic about it.
I'm not as tough as you thought I was.
On top of this, I also feel like a big fat loser 'cause
it was only one ovary
it was only stage one cancer
it was only one round of chemotherapy
it was only one abdominal surgery and it wasn't even on a fatal organ
Most of all, I've failed myself, and that is the hardest thing to make peace with.
Dramatic?
No kidding!
And that was just a glimpse of the battle inside my head.
Join me on the emotional roller coaster, will ya?
November 15, 2006 - I was told my right ovary needed to be removed.
November 18, 2006 - right ovary removed.
November 21, 2006 - I needed chemo therapy.
November 23, 2006 - Porta catheter installed.
December 01, 2006 - Chemo treatment began.
November 07, 2007 - Porta catheter removed.
November 13, 200 7 - my doctor suggested a second-look surgery
I've been wondering how I'd feel when November 15, 2007 comes around since it all started. I thought I'd be happy at least. I joked about what I'd do on the one-year anniversary of my initial surgery. I thought it'd all be over.
Well, it's not over and it seems never-ending. Trust me. I, too, want to get back to living a "normal" life, but I don't know how 'cause I'm no longer the same person I was before it all started. What's normal anyhow?
Words of Encouragement on Most Websites for Cancer Patients & Survivors:
"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger."
Thanks. I'm still waiting to feel invincible.
"You're more than the scars cancer has left behind."
Scars on my body are fading, but how long does it take to rid the ones on my mind?
"Everything will be okay."
Um... thanks.
Almost all websites say it. It's started to feel like nothing more than just a thing to say.
Sadness and anger and frustration and confusion are easy to deal with, but what I hate the most is feeling as if I've disappointed anybody.
I'm sorry that
I didn't charge forward to the OR like a fearless warrior when the doctor was talking about the second-look surgery.
I didn't vow to embrace life with everything I've got from here on now.
I didn't start drawing up plans for the future and be all chipper and optimistic about it.
I'm not as tough as you thought I was.
On top of this, I also feel like a big fat loser 'cause
it was only one ovary
it was only stage one cancer
it was only one round of chemotherapy
it was only one abdominal surgery and it wasn't even on a fatal organ
Most of all, I've failed myself, and that is the hardest thing to make peace with.
Dramatic?
No kidding!
And that was just a glimpse of the battle inside my head.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Relax. It’ll be Over Soon
Enough time to clip all your nails.
Enough time to apply makeup.
Enough time to commute to work.
I couldn’t put my finger on it, but the nurse in the operating room reminded me of the horrible landlady we had. She tried to close the door on Bill to prevent him from coming in. When I told her I’d like Bill to be here ‘cause I was nervous, she put her hand on my shoulder and asked sternly, “Have you given birth?” When I answered “No”, she gave me a look like she was saying, “Oh, that explains why you’re so chicken shit” and walked away.
The intern has a severe slushy lisp AND he was (of course) wearing a mask. I was asking questions about the procedure, but I couldn’t understand a word he was saying. I tried to calm myself down by taking deep breaths. The intern noticed how nervous I was and he was kind enough to come to my side, “You’f gone shrouhh two shergeriesh mush greater shan tshish one. Tshish ish a piesh of cake. Why are you shill sho nervoush?” I noticed while he was saying all this, he was drawing invisible lines on the skin around where the catheter was with a plastic knife. “I wasn’t awake during those two surgeries. What are you doing anyway?”
“Oh, I’m practishing making inshishionsh.”
So the plastic knife was a make-believe scalpel and those lines he was drawing on my body…..they weren’t invisible in his eyes.
When the door opened again, Bill saw me walking out of the operating room in a gown soaked in sweat, tears streaming down my face, and a bagged bloody catheter in my hand. He helped me change into my clothes while I stood there shaking, crying, and telling him how horrible it was. I talked and talked and talked. He listened and carried my stuff and moved my hair away from my eyes.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Doctor's Appointments
I spent the entire morning on Tuesday in the hospital.
Dr. Liu told me the result of the imaging test we did we while back indicated that my left fallopian tube looks normal, but for some reason, we couldn't see the part closest to the ovary where the tube fans out. We could speculate why this is, but the doctor said the easiest way to find out for sure is to have an endoscopy surgery.
*snap*
Surgery. The soft music at the waiting area in the OR. The noise of chattering. Ward 55. Peachy curtains. A pile of saline. The smell of disinfectant. Bottles of chemo.
*snap*
I swallowed to settle my stomach. It tasted bitter. I turned to look at the doctor.
The doctor was facing the computer screen with the image of my left fallopian tube on. His right hand was holding the mouse but it wasn't moving. He was facing away from me and he wasn't doing anything. I leaned closer and realized he was dozing off!
"Well, no offense," I said it as gently as I could, almost as if I didn't want to wake him. " but you look really tired today. I don't know if I should take your advice and hop on the surgery table right now." I tried to joke, but it got lost somewhere in the cloud of sleepiness. The doctor's eyes slowly opened. He turned to face me but his eyes didn't meet mine. "I probably wouldn't want me to operate on myself today either," he took in a deep breath, completely gave up on trying to joke around.
"Could you print out the results? I need to talk to Bill about this." One of us had to get this meeting going. "YES," the doctor's torso shot straight up, eyes wide open. He started moving the mouse around: Click, enlarging the image. Click, minimizing the image. Click, opening my file. Click, click, click, click, checking all the CA-125 results. Click, minimizing my file. Click, opening up the image. Click, click, clicking on every icon he could see. In no time, the printer at the nurse's desk started screaming and a flow of paper started pouring out of its mouth.
"GO TO ROOM 141 FOR AN ULTRASOUND. THEN GO GET A BLOOD TEST DONE." The doctor shot straight up from his chair, shouted these words out like a rookie soldier, and disappeared into the examine room in the back where another patient was ready for her pep. Me and the nurse both tried very hard not to burst out laughing ('cause we knew he could hear us) as we gathered the pieces of the orders the doctor left behind.
While I waited to get an ultrasound, I went to my appointment with the cardiovascular surgeon.
The waiting area felt completely different from the GYOB wing. It seemed colder and gloomier. Luckily, I didn't have to wait long. The two young interns stared as I walked into the doctor's office. I didn't feel I belonged here either.
The surgeon is a heavy-built, middle-aged man. His eyes looked sharp and alert behind those thick-rim glasses. I thought of Dr. Liu and felt sorry for the guy. My doctor's getting old, and he's definitely over-working.
"What's wrong?" the surgeon asked. I found myself lost for words for a brief moment 'cause nothing's wrong.
"I want to take the catheter out."I can't believe it's real.
"Does Dr. Liu know?" the surgeon asked.
"Yes. He said it's okay." I feel lighter already.
"You don't need to go through any more chemo treatments?" the surgeon double-checked.
"Not that I'm aware of." Smarty-mouth Kate slipped out. He shot me a quick look. I gave him my brightest smile.
"How long have you had it? " the doctor triple-checked, didn't seem impressed by my smile.
"Too long." Oops. "I mean, almost a year. What is the removal procedure?" I tried to get back to being serious.
The doctor coldly explained the procedure. It sounded almost too easy and simple. Very soon I ran out of questions to ask.
"So how's this Friday?" the surgeon was already punching my name into the slot on Friday.
*snap*
The last time a doctor asked me this question was also on a Tuesday. I went into surgery that Friday and I'm still recovering from it.
*snap*
"Friday's not good," a part of me wanted this to be different from the last surgery. "How's next Wednesday for you?" I took the initiative.
The surgeon looked at me for a good moment or two. One of the interns uncomfortably shifted his weight in the chair next to me.
The surgeon looked back at his schedule, "Wednesday's fine. I'll book you down for....."
"10!" I asserted.
Then there came a lot of paperwork: printing out the appointment for surgery, signing the consent forms, issuing a request for X-ray, and prescribing medication for the day of the surgery.
I stood up, ready to head for the ultrasound.
"How do you feel?" the surgeon asked out of the blue.
"About what?"
"Taking the catheter out."
It's not something I can answer in a word or two during a small talk with someone I don't know well. Too much is involved and I haven't even sorted all my emotions out yet.
"How I feel depends on how good you are, doctor." I smiled big. "So you'd better be good."
"That's what those pain killers are for."
Oh! The serious surgeon knows how to joke around too.
I spent the entire morning on Tuesday in the hospital.
Dr. Liu told me the result of the imaging test we did we while back indicated that my left fallopian tube looks normal, but for some reason, we couldn't see the part closest to the ovary where the tube fans out. We could speculate why this is, but the doctor said the easiest way to find out for sure is to have an endoscopy surgery.
*snap*
Surgery. The soft music at the waiting area in the OR. The noise of chattering. Ward 55. Peachy curtains. A pile of saline. The smell of disinfectant. Bottles of chemo.
*snap*
I swallowed to settle my stomach. It tasted bitter. I turned to look at the doctor.
The doctor was facing the computer screen with the image of my left fallopian tube on. His right hand was holding the mouse but it wasn't moving. He was facing away from me and he wasn't doing anything. I leaned closer and realized he was dozing off!
"Well, no offense," I said it as gently as I could, almost as if I didn't want to wake him. " but you look really tired today. I don't know if I should take your advice and hop on the surgery table right now." I tried to joke, but it got lost somewhere in the cloud of sleepiness. The doctor's eyes slowly opened. He turned to face me but his eyes didn't meet mine. "I probably wouldn't want me to operate on myself today either," he took in a deep breath, completely gave up on trying to joke around.
"Could you print out the results? I need to talk to Bill about this." One of us had to get this meeting going. "YES," the doctor's torso shot straight up, eyes wide open. He started moving the mouse around: Click, enlarging the image. Click, minimizing the image. Click, opening my file. Click, click, click, click, checking all the CA-125 results. Click, minimizing my file. Click, opening up the image. Click, click, clicking on every icon he could see. In no time, the printer at the nurse's desk started screaming and a flow of paper started pouring out of its mouth.
"GO TO ROOM 141 FOR AN ULTRASOUND. THEN GO GET A BLOOD TEST DONE." The doctor shot straight up from his chair, shouted these words out like a rookie soldier, and disappeared into the examine room in the back where another patient was ready for her pep. Me and the nurse both tried very hard not to burst out laughing ('cause we knew he could hear us) as we gathered the pieces of the orders the doctor left behind.
While I waited to get an ultrasound, I went to my appointment with the cardiovascular surgeon.
The waiting area felt completely different from the GYOB wing. It seemed colder and gloomier. Luckily, I didn't have to wait long. The two young interns stared as I walked into the doctor's office. I didn't feel I belonged here either.
The surgeon is a heavy-built, middle-aged man. His eyes looked sharp and alert behind those thick-rim glasses. I thought of Dr. Liu and felt sorry for the guy. My doctor's getting old, and he's definitely over-working.
"What's wrong?" the surgeon asked. I found myself lost for words for a brief moment 'cause nothing's wrong.
"I want to take the catheter out."I can't believe it's real.
"Does Dr. Liu know?" the surgeon asked.
"Yes. He said it's okay." I feel lighter already.
"You don't need to go through any more chemo treatments?" the surgeon double-checked.
"Not that I'm aware of." Smarty-mouth Kate slipped out. He shot me a quick look. I gave him my brightest smile.
"How long have you had it? " the doctor triple-checked, didn't seem impressed by my smile.
"Too long." Oops. "I mean, almost a year. What is the removal procedure?" I tried to get back to being serious.
The doctor coldly explained the procedure. It sounded almost too easy and simple. Very soon I ran out of questions to ask.
"So how's this Friday?" the surgeon was already punching my name into the slot on Friday.
*snap*
The last time a doctor asked me this question was also on a Tuesday. I went into surgery that Friday and I'm still recovering from it.
*snap*
"Friday's not good," a part of me wanted this to be different from the last surgery. "How's next Wednesday for you?" I took the initiative.
The surgeon looked at me for a good moment or two. One of the interns uncomfortably shifted his weight in the chair next to me.
The surgeon looked back at his schedule, "Wednesday's fine. I'll book you down for....."
"10!" I asserted.
Then there came a lot of paperwork: printing out the appointment for surgery, signing the consent forms, issuing a request for X-ray, and prescribing medication for the day of the surgery.
I stood up, ready to head for the ultrasound.
"How do you feel?" the surgeon asked out of the blue.
"About what?"
"Taking the catheter out."
It's not something I can answer in a word or two during a small talk with someone I don't know well. Too much is involved and I haven't even sorted all my emotions out yet.
"How I feel depends on how good you are, doctor." I smiled big. "So you'd better be good."
"That's what those pain killers are for."
Oh! The serious surgeon knows how to joke around too.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
HAPPY HALLOWEEN
Elvis was waiting to get the show on.
We headed out to watch our friends, Sky Burial, perform at the Living Room.
Members of Sky Burial were also dressed up: (from left to right)
lead singer Lance, bass player John, guitar player Brian, and drummer Paul.
http://sky-burial.com/punishment/
Elvis was very busy during the show. He was invited up stage, and he had to take care of his fans.
Roberto dressed up as a samurai. I borrowed a sword from him for the night. A geisha never travels without a weapon.
After midnight, we ventured out to Vibe, where we met more famous people.
We saw the bishop at the entrance and he immediately wanted to have a chat with Elvis about the way he lives his life.
I found Monroe and insisted us two gals had to have a photo taken.
Meanwhile, Waldo found a chick pirate who could double as the female Waldo.
Right before the break of dawn.........
A Taiwanese police officer kindly asked me to stop swinging my sword around.
Roberto was snuggling with a kitty cat (purrrrr).
Waldo found us.
Oh, I almost forgot about Harry.
Elvis was waiting to get the show on.
We headed out to watch our friends, Sky Burial, perform at the Living Room.
Members of Sky Burial were also dressed up: (from left to right)
lead singer Lance, bass player John, guitar player Brian, and drummer Paul.
http://sky-burial.com/punishment/
Elvis was very busy during the show. He was invited up stage, and he had to take care of his fans.
Roberto dressed up as a samurai. I borrowed a sword from him for the night. A geisha never travels without a weapon.
After midnight, we ventured out to Vibe, where we met more famous people.
We saw the bishop at the entrance and he immediately wanted to have a chat with Elvis about the way he lives his life.
I found Monroe and insisted us two gals had to have a photo taken.
Meanwhile, Waldo found a chick pirate who could double as the female Waldo.
Right before the break of dawn.........
A Taiwanese police officer kindly asked me to stop swinging my sword around.
Roberto was snuggling with a kitty cat (purrrrr).
Waldo found us.
Oh, I almost forgot about Harry.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
SCENT
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Shopping Therapy
It's been almost a year since my initial surgery and I recently discovered that I no longer fit into some, well most, of my winter clothes (especially pants). It was an unpleasant discovery and I fought to make peace with it.
Another discovery, and this one is rather curious, is that I had thrown away all my winter shoes. I kept only one pair of boots. I seem to vaguely remember throwing shoes away, but I can't remember why I did it.
Anyway, after wearing the only pair of pants that I feel good in and the only pair of boots I've got every single day for the past week, I finally decided to go shopping... and I went all out.
I've always been more of a buyer than a shopper. I don't have the patience to browse all the shops on one side of a street and hit every store on the way back as well. I'm certainly not interested in fighting with other women for things we cover our bodies with. I'm the efficient (some might say 'boring') kind of customer: I go in, find what I need/want, make sure it's the right size, pay, and get out.
Today, however, I gave myself a mission to "shop". I had a comfortable budget and didn't hold back. I bought 1 hat, 2 pairs of boots, 2 pairs of jeans, 2 sweaters (one long, one short), 2 skirts, 3 pairs of socks and 3 pairs of stockings. Everything fits and I feel gooooooooooooood.
It's been almost a year since my initial surgery and I recently discovered that I no longer fit into some, well most, of my winter clothes (especially pants). It was an unpleasant discovery and I fought to make peace with it.
Another discovery, and this one is rather curious, is that I had thrown away all my winter shoes. I kept only one pair of boots. I seem to vaguely remember throwing shoes away, but I can't remember why I did it.
Anyway, after wearing the only pair of pants that I feel good in and the only pair of boots I've got every single day for the past week, I finally decided to go shopping... and I went all out.
I've always been more of a buyer than a shopper. I don't have the patience to browse all the shops on one side of a street and hit every store on the way back as well. I'm certainly not interested in fighting with other women for things we cover our bodies with. I'm the efficient (some might say 'boring') kind of customer: I go in, find what I need/want, make sure it's the right size, pay, and get out.
Today, however, I gave myself a mission to "shop". I had a comfortable budget and didn't hold back. I bought 1 hat, 2 pairs of boots, 2 pairs of jeans, 2 sweaters (one long, one short), 2 skirts, 3 pairs of socks and 3 pairs of stockings. Everything fits and I feel gooooooooooooood.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Typhoon KrosaWe started feeling the wind and the rain late Friday night. Early Saturday morning, it started raining hard but Bill was still about to go out to rescue Dorion's plants. After he came back 'round noon, however, Krosa really hit and this is what we saw and heard all day yesterday.
Some trees and sign posts were broken, and a number of people were injured on the road (makes one wonder what they were doing out and about on a typhoon day). Ben's place had a small flood and the electricity went out. A stream of water came in from the patio ('cause the drain was clogged), but it wasn't a big deal. Bill and I are very experienced and skillful now, thanks to what we had to deal with in our previous apartment.
It's Sunday here today and everything had calmed down. We're about to venture out for some brunch and to see what the city looks like after a big storm.
Pictures from Kyoto
I was quite happy with what we had already, but nooooo............. Mr. Bill I'm-a-comp-nerd Martin wanted me to try this "new thing" -- rolling my eyes as I'm typing this and he's tickling me. Anyway, what do we do now?
Oh, you gotta click for the next picture.
Oooo.... it does look a lot better than the one we had before. Thank you, Mr. Martin.
I was quite happy with what we had already, but nooooo............. Mr. Bill I'm-a-comp-nerd Martin wanted me to try this "new thing" -- rolling my eyes as I'm typing this and he's tickling me. Anyway, what do we do now?
Oh, you gotta click for the next picture.
Oooo.... it does look a lot better than the one we had before. Thank you, Mr. Martin.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Five Things I Will not Forget from the Trip
#1: A Canadian Passport Leads to More Fun Adventures.
7:25pm Kansai Airport
The customs officer took a look at my passport. Without moving a muscle on his face, he said coldly, "Canadian..... Open your bag." While I was opening my bright red Roots bag up, he put a laminated sheet of paper next to me and asked, "Anything forbidden in your bag?" -- he was pointing at a picture of marijuana. I seriously contemplated whether I should direct his attention to the occupation box on the customs declaration form. After all, teaching is a noble job in Japan, isn't it? Oh wait, since I wasn't sure what the general impressions of English teachers were, I thought I'd better keep my mouth shut.
The way he checked my bag was the same as if he was doing a quick inventory of my belongings. He didn't even open the small pockets. "Okay. Body search. Please go to the back." WHAT?!
While I stood there not knowing whether to cry or laugh at the ridiculousness of the whole thing, a female officer led me to behind some cheap OA dividers. She apologized and asked me to extend my arms. Then she gave me a thorough pat down, and I mean THOROUGH. Though blushing a bit, I was more curious to see how she did it. I mean, this (hopefully) is the one and only patting down I may ever get to experience in my life and I wanted to make the most of it! Her right hand brushed by my catheter and, like a hound dog, it went to a halt and returned to the bulge.
"Please take off (your shirt)." I felt a bit embarrassed 'cause I was all sweaty (and probably stinky) from having been on the road in the heat all day. "What happened?" she asked when she saw the bulge (I still find that a very interesting question). I answered truthfully. "Cancer?" she nearly screamed. The drama in her voice and body language was so stereotypically Japanese I had to bite my lower lip to stop myself from laughing out loud. However, her heavy accent made me wonder if she was saying "cancer" or "concert", so I thought it was best not to answer until I was absolutely sure. "Chemo." I said while gesturing the needle insertion. Her eyes nearly popped out. She took in a big breath of air and acknowledged, "Cancer." I nodded. She lowered her eye lids and let out a sympathetic sigh. "Please put back and sit," she pointed at the chair. She asked me to take my shoes off. Now I felt really sorry for her 'cause no one should be near my red sneakers at the end of a day. She picked up the right one, looked in, and put it down (I bet she was holding her breath). Then she picked up the left one, looked in and went, "EHHH?!?!?!?!"
"What's in it?" I asked plainly.
She looked up and smiled, "Joking."
I didn't get the joke.
#2: The Japanese are Punctual...and apologetic
8:45pm Airport Bus
They are ..... and they are!
All the buses and trains leave and depart on time in Japan. The bus from the airport to Kyoto station, however, didn't leave on time because of three elderly passengers. The bus was scheduled to leave Kansai Airport at 8:45, but at 8:45, the three elderlies were still running, well, trying to run, to the bus. When they finally got on the bus, each one of the three elderlies apologized to each row of passengers. At 8:47, the driver closed the door. Before he got into his seat, he too apologized to everyone on the bus for the delay and gave a 90 degree bow.
#3: The Japanese Can be Straightforward
On the Airport Bus
Did I hear it right? Someone just said, "Urusai ne. Chotto." (It's a bit noisy) to the lady who'd been nagging her husband since we got on the bus. I thought the Japanese were oppressed and they never expressed their opinions/emotions in public. Maybe I heard wrong.
Ah! I didn't hear wrong. The lady behind me just told the nagging wife off! No one looked directly at anybody, yet the scolding was accomplished. Obviously shame was brought on to the wife 'cause she shut up and stayed quiet the rest of the way.
Wow!
#4: Sorry I've Failed You, Ms. Leduc
The Department of Linguistics required all students to learn a foreign language, so I chose Japanese. That was 10 years ago. I'm not communicative but I have basic survival Japanese. I was excited about using some Japanese on this trip.
I was lost. I needed to find Gojo station. Language wise, it was a piece of cake, or so I thought. Though I was confident, I ran the sentence through in my head one more time before I approached the two bell boys in front of Hotel Keihan Kyoto. "Sumimasen. (they responded and came to my aid. That boosted my confidence) Gojo station wa ikura desu ka?" (Oooo... it felt good to be able to use Japanese again).
One of them simply burst out laughing while the other was visibly struggling to keep himself together. That wasn't the reaction I anticipated. I started doing a quick error analysis in my head but I couldn't identify the mistake. I felt compiled to join them for a laugh, so I asked, "What's so funny?"
"It's no for sale ne," one of them replied while his shoulders shook uncontrollably. Turned out, I had asked them how much Gojo station was.
It wasn't that funny if you ask me.
#5: Always be Prepared
It is official. Kyoto is my favorite place in Japan.
Though it was pouring rain out, I would've preferred to spend another day in Kyoto despite the rain. Instead, I had to head out to Osaka and a series of errors began.
On the night I arrived in Japan, I bought a 3-day Kansai Thru Pass. It gave me access to the trains and buses in the entire Kansai area except the JR (Japan Rail) lines. It was a wonderful money-saving pass to have. However, and it was my fault for not double checking, the girl who sold me the pass counted the day I arrived as one day (but I arrived at 8pm). This meant that I had to pay out of my own pocket for the most experience trip out of Kyoto. I wasn't impressed, and it was a bad start.
I didn't like Osaka at all. It was just another crowded modern city. Like Shinjuku station, Osaka station was a gigantic mouse trap. It took me almost an hour to find a travel information place for the directions to my hotel, which was more like a closet.
I arrived at the hotel at noon but check in was at 3, so I ventured out to Osaka Castle.... once again, paying my own way. At the ticket counter of the Castle, the lady asked if I had any kind of travel passes because I'd get a discount on the admission ticket. Well, I didn't get the discount 'cause my pass had already expired. I enjoyed the Castle and the views.
On the train ride to a famous shopping mall, it dawned on me that I was a bit short of cash (from paying for all the train tickets). I tried using my credit card an international ATM at the mall but my card got spat out several times. It was the only credit card I brought (what was I thinking?!) and there was a huge scratch on the stripe on the back. I had some Taiwanese dollars with me but I couldn't go to a bank to exchange money because it was a Sunday.... a bloody Sunday!
I had exactly 840 yen of cash in my pocket. I went into panic mode and started doing crazy calculations:
I would have to take the train to Namba station tomorrow morning to take the airport bus. It costs 200 yen to go to Namba and I wouldn't have enough cash to pay for the airport bus which costs 880 yen. I wouldn't be able to hit the bank tomorrow morning 'cause I had to head to the airport early in the morning. I need to get some cash today. I must get some cash today.
I tried every ATM on the way back to and near the hotel, but none would take my card. What added to the frustration was that it took half an hour for the front desk staff to understand what my problem was, at which point they cheerfully suggested that I try all the ATMs near the hotel. I asked if I'd be able to pay for the bus ticket with my credit card and the answer was, "Um.... maybe no." It took another 15 minutes to persuade them to call the bus company and ask for a definite answer and another 10 minutes to finally get the answer ('cause the girl had called the wrong numbers, twice).
"Yes, you can. But only at 6:30." she informed me.
"6:30 in the morning?"
"6:30 AM." What's the difference?
"You mean I could only pay with my credit card at 6:30 or after 6:30?" It didn't make sense to me that a bus company would make credit card payment available only at one time in a day.
"........." she obviously didn't think that would be a problem. "At 6:30 AM. They told me." she decided to blame it on the bus company people.
"Would you mind calling them again just to make sure?" I started to get annoyed at her incompetence.
"Um okay...." she tilted her head. "But they're closed now." What did you say 'Okay' for then?
So I spent my one night in Osaka paying Nintendo games in my tiny hotel room. I didn't have dinner 'cause I didn't want to spend any money. Who knows? With that big scratch on the stripe, my credit card might not work at the bus terminal. In which case, that would put me at 240 yen short of cash to buy a ticket. I was prepared to panhandle for spare change at the bus terminal. I couldn't fall asleep that night 'cause I was worried I might oversleep. I had to be at the bus terminal before 6:30, which meant I had to get up at 5:30.
Luckily, my credit card worked and I had the entire row to myself on the plane. I slept my way back to Taipei....... with my mouth open.
#1: A Canadian Passport Leads to More Fun Adventures.
7:25pm Kansai Airport
The customs officer took a look at my passport. Without moving a muscle on his face, he said coldly, "Canadian..... Open your bag." While I was opening my bright red Roots bag up, he put a laminated sheet of paper next to me and asked, "Anything forbidden in your bag?" -- he was pointing at a picture of marijuana. I seriously contemplated whether I should direct his attention to the occupation box on the customs declaration form. After all, teaching is a noble job in Japan, isn't it? Oh wait, since I wasn't sure what the general impressions of English teachers were, I thought I'd better keep my mouth shut.
The way he checked my bag was the same as if he was doing a quick inventory of my belongings. He didn't even open the small pockets. "Okay. Body search. Please go to the back." WHAT?!
While I stood there not knowing whether to cry or laugh at the ridiculousness of the whole thing, a female officer led me to behind some cheap OA dividers. She apologized and asked me to extend my arms. Then she gave me a thorough pat down, and I mean THOROUGH. Though blushing a bit, I was more curious to see how she did it. I mean, this (hopefully) is the one and only patting down I may ever get to experience in my life and I wanted to make the most of it! Her right hand brushed by my catheter and, like a hound dog, it went to a halt and returned to the bulge.
"Please take off (your shirt)." I felt a bit embarrassed 'cause I was all sweaty (and probably stinky) from having been on the road in the heat all day. "What happened?" she asked when she saw the bulge (I still find that a very interesting question). I answered truthfully. "Cancer?" she nearly screamed. The drama in her voice and body language was so stereotypically Japanese I had to bite my lower lip to stop myself from laughing out loud. However, her heavy accent made me wonder if she was saying "cancer" or "concert", so I thought it was best not to answer until I was absolutely sure. "Chemo." I said while gesturing the needle insertion. Her eyes nearly popped out. She took in a big breath of air and acknowledged, "Cancer." I nodded. She lowered her eye lids and let out a sympathetic sigh. "Please put back and sit," she pointed at the chair. She asked me to take my shoes off. Now I felt really sorry for her 'cause no one should be near my red sneakers at the end of a day. She picked up the right one, looked in, and put it down (I bet she was holding her breath). Then she picked up the left one, looked in and went, "EHHH?!?!?!?!"
"What's in it?" I asked plainly.
She looked up and smiled, "Joking."
I didn't get the joke.
#2: The Japanese are Punctual...and apologetic
8:45pm Airport Bus
They are ..... and they are!
All the buses and trains leave and depart on time in Japan. The bus from the airport to Kyoto station, however, didn't leave on time because of three elderly passengers. The bus was scheduled to leave Kansai Airport at 8:45, but at 8:45, the three elderlies were still running, well, trying to run, to the bus. When they finally got on the bus, each one of the three elderlies apologized to each row of passengers. At 8:47, the driver closed the door. Before he got into his seat, he too apologized to everyone on the bus for the delay and gave a 90 degree bow.
#3: The Japanese Can be Straightforward
On the Airport Bus
Did I hear it right? Someone just said, "Urusai ne. Chotto." (It's a bit noisy) to the lady who'd been nagging her husband since we got on the bus. I thought the Japanese were oppressed and they never expressed their opinions/emotions in public. Maybe I heard wrong.
Ah! I didn't hear wrong. The lady behind me just told the nagging wife off! No one looked directly at anybody, yet the scolding was accomplished. Obviously shame was brought on to the wife 'cause she shut up and stayed quiet the rest of the way.
Wow!
#4: Sorry I've Failed You, Ms. Leduc
The Department of Linguistics required all students to learn a foreign language, so I chose Japanese. That was 10 years ago. I'm not communicative but I have basic survival Japanese. I was excited about using some Japanese on this trip.
I was lost. I needed to find Gojo station. Language wise, it was a piece of cake, or so I thought. Though I was confident, I ran the sentence through in my head one more time before I approached the two bell boys in front of Hotel Keihan Kyoto. "Sumimasen. (they responded and came to my aid. That boosted my confidence) Gojo station wa ikura desu ka?" (Oooo... it felt good to be able to use Japanese again).
One of them simply burst out laughing while the other was visibly struggling to keep himself together. That wasn't the reaction I anticipated. I started doing a quick error analysis in my head but I couldn't identify the mistake. I felt compiled to join them for a laugh, so I asked, "What's so funny?"
"It's no for sale ne," one of them replied while his shoulders shook uncontrollably. Turned out, I had asked them how much Gojo station was.
It wasn't that funny if you ask me.
#5: Always be Prepared
It is official. Kyoto is my favorite place in Japan.
Though it was pouring rain out, I would've preferred to spend another day in Kyoto despite the rain. Instead, I had to head out to Osaka and a series of errors began.
On the night I arrived in Japan, I bought a 3-day Kansai Thru Pass. It gave me access to the trains and buses in the entire Kansai area except the JR (Japan Rail) lines. It was a wonderful money-saving pass to have. However, and it was my fault for not double checking, the girl who sold me the pass counted the day I arrived as one day (but I arrived at 8pm). This meant that I had to pay out of my own pocket for the most experience trip out of Kyoto. I wasn't impressed, and it was a bad start.
I didn't like Osaka at all. It was just another crowded modern city. Like Shinjuku station, Osaka station was a gigantic mouse trap. It took me almost an hour to find a travel information place for the directions to my hotel, which was more like a closet.
I arrived at the hotel at noon but check in was at 3, so I ventured out to Osaka Castle.... once again, paying my own way. At the ticket counter of the Castle, the lady asked if I had any kind of travel passes because I'd get a discount on the admission ticket. Well, I didn't get the discount 'cause my pass had already expired. I enjoyed the Castle and the views.
On the train ride to a famous shopping mall, it dawned on me that I was a bit short of cash (from paying for all the train tickets). I tried using my credit card an international ATM at the mall but my card got spat out several times. It was the only credit card I brought (what was I thinking?!) and there was a huge scratch on the stripe on the back. I had some Taiwanese dollars with me but I couldn't go to a bank to exchange money because it was a Sunday.... a bloody Sunday!
I had exactly 840 yen of cash in my pocket. I went into panic mode and started doing crazy calculations:
I would have to take the train to Namba station tomorrow morning to take the airport bus. It costs 200 yen to go to Namba and I wouldn't have enough cash to pay for the airport bus which costs 880 yen. I wouldn't be able to hit the bank tomorrow morning 'cause I had to head to the airport early in the morning. I need to get some cash today. I must get some cash today.
I tried every ATM on the way back to and near the hotel, but none would take my card. What added to the frustration was that it took half an hour for the front desk staff to understand what my problem was, at which point they cheerfully suggested that I try all the ATMs near the hotel. I asked if I'd be able to pay for the bus ticket with my credit card and the answer was, "Um.... maybe no." It took another 15 minutes to persuade them to call the bus company and ask for a definite answer and another 10 minutes to finally get the answer ('cause the girl had called the wrong numbers, twice).
"Yes, you can. But only at 6:30." she informed me.
"6:30 in the morning?"
"6:30 AM." What's the difference?
"You mean I could only pay with my credit card at 6:30 or after 6:30?" It didn't make sense to me that a bus company would make credit card payment available only at one time in a day.
"........." she obviously didn't think that would be a problem. "At 6:30 AM. They told me." she decided to blame it on the bus company people.
"Would you mind calling them again just to make sure?" I started to get annoyed at her incompetence.
"Um okay...." she tilted her head. "But they're closed now." What did you say 'Okay' for then?
So I spent my one night in Osaka paying Nintendo games in my tiny hotel room. I didn't have dinner 'cause I didn't want to spend any money. Who knows? With that big scratch on the stripe, my credit card might not work at the bus terminal. In which case, that would put me at 240 yen short of cash to buy a ticket. I was prepared to panhandle for spare change at the bus terminal. I couldn't fall asleep that night 'cause I was worried I might oversleep. I had to be at the bus terminal before 6:30, which meant I had to get up at 5:30.
Luckily, my credit card worked and I had the entire row to myself on the plane. I slept my way back to Taipei....... with my mouth open.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
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