Cope Loop - What A Success!

How should I start today's entry...?

It started off quite well. Got woken up by Dr Leong's visit at 815am. She said that the procedure would take place sometime later today and that it would be quick (between 30-45 mins) and pain free.

Jo was still mainly tired the rest of the day. The very painful thing however was that in the process running up to the procedure at 445pm, she was pricked over and over again, and that was just excruciating.

As you know Jo simply has insufficient good veins for any sort of infusion. The last 3 years of chemo have battered them near dry. So, the nurse said that they needed to do 2 things: a) Place a plug for the cope loop procedure b) take blood samples for a blood test.

When I heard this, I was about to do a double back somersault flip. But it was something that needed to be done...unfortunately. Her left arm is already bloated due to water retention and now her right was gradually showing signs of this too. The nurse managed to put the plug into her right hand but was unable to draw blood. The next best thing she could do was to draw blood from her legs! At first she tried her right, but since it was bloated too it was near impossible. Then she succeeded in the left. Arrghh, this was so painful for Jo that tears just started to roll...

The Procedure
She was wheeled into the op room at 445pm, and it lasted barely 30 mins. CS was with me throughout and it was great to have had his company. As I've said many times, God sents His people at the most opportune time.

She looked so much better when she was wheeled out and the best part of it was that she was smiling! My heart was just lifted. A thousand burdens released.

So she now has on one end - a tube attached to the right side of her abdomen and on the other - a plastic see through water bag with measurements up to 1800 ml.

I want to thank Pastor Wendy Watson and her friend for visiting and buying me Hock Lam beef ball noodles (the first ever from a Pastor :) Also Pastor Alvin for popping by during lunch. You folks are the best.

Angeline, CS, SC, DD & SL - thank you for just being there. Charmaine & Tim, thank you for your kind gesture, we will keep your families in our prayers.

After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision:
"Do not be afraid, Abram.
I am your shield,
your very great reward." Genesis 15:1

At The Cross (Hillsong Live - Mighty to Save Album)

Mighty Morphine

Jo was in a lot of discomfort most of yesterday afternoon. The bloatedness was getting unbearable so much so that she was in a semi-fit - wriggling and moaning. Thank God this was resolved when the morphine level was upped one notch.

She is on Morphine infusion @ 0.5ml per hour. It was at 0.3ml originally.

It was helpful in relieving the pain in the tummy and at her bum. She's got a sore there caused by her sharp tail bone which she seats on daily.

Anyway, the good news is that she was finally able to sleep some 13 hours from 6:30pm yesterday till 7am this morning. Amen for that.

With more Morphine means she gets more drowsy and sleepy, but importantly the pain is kept at bay. They changed the drip from the left to the right arm as the veins weren't very good. In fact she now has a bloated left arm due to water retention.

Please pray that the cope loop goes well tomorrow. The bloatedness all around will be reduced, so with her left arm.

Thank you for your prayers.

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10

Every Heart That Is Breaking (Twila Paris)

This song ministered to me this evening,. Just realising that we're not the only ones going thru suffering but millions over in the world are. Let us keep them all in our prayers.

For the young abandoned husband
Left alone without a reason
For the pilgrim in the city
Where there is no home

For the son without a father
For his solitary mother
I have a message

He sees you
He knows you
He loves you
He loves you

Every heart that is breaking tonight
Is the heart of a child
That He holds in His sight
And oh, how He longs
To hold in His arms
Every heart that is breaking tonight
Every heart that is breaking tonight

For the precious fallen daughter
For her devastated father
For the prodigal who's dying
In a strange new way

For the child who's always hungry
For the patriot with no country
I have a message

He sees you
He knows you
He loves you
Jesus loves you

Every heart that is breaking tonight
Is the heart of a child
That He holds in His sight
And oh, how He longs
To hold in His arms
Every heart that is breaking tonight
Every heart that is breaking tonight
Every heart that is breaking tonight

For every heart

Ward 48

We've finally moved back to Ward 48 yesterday where it's "fan-con" and not air-conditioned. Thank God for that.

Ward 74
It was really impossible sleeping in Ward 74. Jo was stacked with 3 blankets and I'd been shivering trying to squeeze myself onto 2 chairs as my makeshift bed. Unfortunately our bed was next to an old lady who seemed to have a little dementia. She kept calling me "Ah Pek, Ah Pek" ("old man"?) throughout the whole day (and night!) while we were there, poor lady and poor me. I could barely catch a wink...it was rather eerie also when she did that at night. :)

Back @ Ward 48, the cheeriness of the nurses were quite evident and they instantly recognised us once again. The ward is extremely airy and her bed is right next to the window which gives us added privacy and view to a wonderful skyline at 8 floors up.

Jo had a good rest yesterday sleeping a fair bit.
She started on some corn soup and bread bits from the MOS Burger outlet along with her favourite Solero ice-cream. Doc said that ice-cream's good for her. Still not on any solids yet.

Her stomach is still bloated and her breathlessness correlates with this discomfort.
This morning she was in excruciating pain when they administered Senna. This was to aid her intestine movement but seems like it had the opposite effect. We were really glad that SGH/NCC has got Palliative Docs that make the rounds. 2 of them were present this morning to ensure proper pain management was done. Dr Kalit and his colleague explained and recommended another drug to resolve the stomach aches.

Abdominal Tap Done
Dr Tien extracted 2 litres from her tummy on Thursday. The largest amount so far. But it seems that the water accumulates very quickly as they observed her stomach over the short period after.

Cope Loop
We will be here at least till Tuesday. Come Monday they will perform the cope loop procedure on her. This is where they attach a permanent water bag to her lower left abdomen so that the water extraction will be constant. Us caregivers will also need to be trained on how to maintain this.

Back @ SGH

Yes, we're back @ SGH once again after yesterday's episode.
We checked in yesterday afternoon to Ward 74 since the Oncology Ward 48 was full at this time. Though this was sort of an upgrade we didn't enjoy it one bit because of the freezing temperatures! It's like winter here!

Anyway Jo's on a non-eating plan until her tummy fully recovers.
Good news is that the retching has stopped.

However early this morning there was another "episode" of breathlessness that scared me once again. After placing the plasma bag for transfusion, Jo suddenly complained of breathing difficulties. Oh no, not again...I prayed! But it gradually got worsed and a heart rate hit something like 150 bpm. After a dose of morphin and over 2 hours, she gradually calmed down...phew... Docs still don't have a conclusion to why this happened, but chances are she had a rare reaction to the plasma.

She's supposed to be transferred back to Ward 48 shortly. Just pray that its not a midnight move or something.

She'll need more rest, so don't bother visiting just yet...I'll keep ya all notified. Thanks.

Vomiting Blood

Jo had hardly been eating since Monday.
She's been nauseas, wretching, bloated and tired.
Her tail bone is hurting.
She vomited bile yesterday.

She now sleeps in bed in a near upright position,
over layers of pillow and relieve cushions.
She can't lie flat in any way for she'll become breathless.

Early just this morning, she was nauseas again and vomited blood.
My heart cringed and I went into semi-panic mode.
I prayed and prayed and prayed,
I cried and cried and cried.

We were listening to Pastor Benny's "Armour of God" (Ephesians 6)
He said that us Christians should not live a defeated life.
And then Jo said she was at Peace.
Peace with God.

For hours we poured our hearts out,
We reminised the past -
Of how we first met,
The happiest times we've had,
and of what was to come.

It seemed so surreal,
Like a really bad dream.
I told myself over and over again.
This can't be happening.

And then God spoke to me,
"He said all that which I have given and provided for you,
Is but entrusted to Your care.
You are the guardian, but I am the owner.
So take good care of what I have entrusted you,
For there will be a time I will come to claim it."

The "A" Team

We've had an incredible God sent team supporting us all this time.

First and foremost, father-in law, mom-in law and Jessica have been at our call 24x7.

FIL (at 74 years!) has been buying lunch regularly for Jo and myself. MIL has been dishing up her wonderful dinners nearly daily for us too. Jessica, has been getting all sorts of stuff and importantly cooking her first class chawan-mushi that's attained Jo's 5 star review.

Then there is the other support team (I like the term A Team better) working behind the scenes always praying, ever giving and unconditionally loving us. Just reflecting on this has made us feel so Blessed and truly loved. That's what Paul (the Apostle) mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12 isn't it, that the body is a unit though made up of many parts. Truly astounding when you see friends and family all garner together for a single cause.

Wow. Thank You God!

They have been doing the following:

- giving us a shoulder or two to cry on
- listening to us
- buying and delivering food (minestrone & garlic bread, japanese food, chicken soup, the list goes on)
- delivering CDs (audio sermons)
- running errands
- doing groceries
- coming by to pray
- ready to chaperone Jo @ home
- helping with our domestic paperwork
- donating platelets
- encouraging us through SMS-es and thru this Blog

Also, MIL had decided to leave her job to tag team with me to look after Jo full time since last Friday. I had suggested a week back while at SGH that I really needed more help moving forward and it seems she was glad to have me request this. Typically she'll come by as and when I'm out to watch over Jo. I am so grateful for that.

I know many more want to help and both Jo and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts. But really, leave me to contact you because we are not "pai seh" (shy) one. Trust me, when the time comes you will be "activated" accordingly and you better be ready :)

One thing I have learnt about being a caregiver is:
a. It requires stamina
b. It demands sensitivity

c. It involves help from others. Never trying to be a "Rambo"

God Bless and Thank you all.

In Christ Alone (Brian Littrell)

An all time favourite that speaks of our total trust in Him.

Chorus:
In Christ alone, I place my trust
And find my glory in the power of the cross.

Verse:
In every vic-tor-y let it be said of me
My source of strength, my source of hope
Is Christ alone.

Artist: Brian LittrellCopyright Credits: Shawn Craig, Don Koch ©1990 Paragon Music Corporation (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc., 741 Cool Springs Blvd., Franklin TN 37067) CCLI song #841440

Our Journey: Scaling the Mountain

"Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;I have called you by name; you are Mine! When you pass through the waters, I will be fine with you;And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched,Nor will the flame burn you.For I am the Lord your
God."

We are now at the phase of our Journey where we're scaling a steep part of the mountain.

In fact we began the ascent, as I sit back and reflect, some 6 months back with the first occurence of Jo's back pain.

We don't know how much farther there is to climb before we reach the summit, but it's been lengthy and tough...really tough. At this point, we can't see all the way up but we can see quite a bit of how far we've come.

For those who know me, I've got a natural fear of heights or acrophobia. I don't know how this developed but it must have happened during one of the inter-island flights I took while I was studying overseas. So climbing let alone mountain climbing is the last thing on my mind and perhaps to me - a mindless life endangering activity which can be hardly considered as recreational.

April 19, 2007 - A night I'll never forget.

I usually never have Jo out of sight for too long, but this evening she had ventured into the bedroom and it was quiet for awhile. I thought she could've beenin the toilet, but I was sure I never heard any toilet flushing or water flowing from the taps.

I walked into the bedroom to check. The lights were off except for the glow of the toilet lights streaming into the bedroom.

There she was, huddled in a corner at the edge of the bed sitting on the floor, sobbing away...I rushed immediately toward her and gave her a hug as we sat silently. We knew each other's thoughts, we knew our hearts were strained and our tears were jointly flowing as if two streams coming together as one.

The reality is that her situation has gotten serious. In fact, it was serious since the recurrence in 2004.

Just last Tuesday morning, Dr Leong pulled me aside when she made her morning rounds. She told me that looking at the latest reports/results of Jo's X-rays and blood tests. She may no longer be suitable for the NUH clinical trial and to be prepared for the worst. It was bad news, but nothing all too surprising from the development of things over the past months...the bloatedness, water in the lungs etc.

That night, we decided to lay everything before the foot of the Cross - our fears, grief, worry, anxiety, thanksgiving and confession about everything we thought was hindering our walk with God. We got rid of things in the house that could be strongholds by the devil. We reaffirmed out Faith in Christ and it took off a whole load of our burdens.We decided importantly, to work on our Will too.

No, we're not giving up in anyway! Simply acknowledging the inevitable. It's extremely hard when you realise that Jo and I have dreams and hopes we grieve for:
a. not being able to retire together
b. not being able to travel/vacate to our favourite locations (mainly island beach resorts...with good sand and clear blue waters!)
c. never having kids (which we love so much)
d. not being able to be parents
e. not being able to check out foodie places that Jo loves

We continue to pray for a miracle daily. We believe that God is omnipotent and can accomplish what He wants, whenever He wants without any need for man's intervention. God can heal in response to prayer whenever He chooses to do so.

Can God heal? Yes! Do all get healed? No!

So the question at the end of the day is "what is His Will for Joanne?" And what does He desire for Joanne to accomplish through this? We need to be mindful that God's Will for us supercedes all things. Just as in the book of Jonah, we see Jonah running away from God because he didn't want to go to a far away land but eventually does so because of God. We don't have the answers but we've seen one thing for sure, that many are being touched by Christ in following us on our journey.

Having said all that, we aren't climbing alone for sure. We have a Master Climber that guides and leads us every step of the way, he knows every thing there is to climb this mountain be it crossing a crevice or scaling the side of a steep rock wall with no hand or foothold in sight.

We need to realise that sometimes the Master Climber may not always be by our side but instead ahead or above us searching for the right path to climb. However we are ALWAYS tethered to Him (with a rope) and He IS with us.

Ultimately, our lives are in the palm of God's hand. Whether we live or die, we are the Lord's (Romans 14:8) and therein lies our victory!

The Great Race (from Strength for the Journey)

“Run in such a way as to get the prize” 1 Corinthians 9:24

The month of June brings many sure signs of summer: the sweet smell of cut grass, soft breezes, picnics, fireflies, thunderstorms—and runners. This unique breed of humanity, forced to run circles in cramped indoor quarters during the North American winter, emerges with the first hint of spring and spends the summer dashing through neighborhoods and parks.

I have nothing against runners. Some of my best friends are addicted runners. Though I have never seen a runner smiling, apparently there is something fulfilling about it. I even tried it once, waiting for that surge of ecstasy that my friends told me I would experience, only to find that the ecstasy came when I stopped running!

So, whatever you think about running, it’s important to note that the Bible often speaks of living the Christian life as if it we were running a race. Following Jesus is clearly more than a leisurely stroll in the park! And the issue is not whether you will run the race. When you became His follower, you were put in the race. The question is not will you run, but how will you run?

So, here are three keys to running well.

First, stay in shape! I like Paul’s perspective in 1 Corinthians 9:24: “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.” In other words, you need to be in it to win, and, like any race, winning requires discipline. As spiritual runners, we must discipline ourselves in the exercise and dietary habits of prayer and reading God’s Word. Drinking at the fountain of prayer and digesting the food of God’s Word gives us strength and motivation to run and win.

Secondly, obey the rules! Like all races, running to win means staying in the boundaries. Paul committed himself to living his life by God’s rules. He did not want to be “disqualified for the prize” (v.27). As good runners, we embrace the rules and gladly submit to them.

Thirdly, run light! As Hebrews 12:1 instructs us, we are to lay aside every hindering weight and the sin that so easily besets us. What is it that distracts you and what is the sin that slows you down? Take them off and run light!

And finally, a couple more tips. Hebrews 12:1 also tells us to be willing to persevere. Our race is more than a few laps around the track—it’s a long-distance marathon. And let’s face it, this marathon can be stressful. Sometimes it’s the wind of life blowing against us—or mud kicked in our face from the runner in front of us. But whatever the case, runners that win never give up!

And keep your eyes on the finish line. Jesus is there! When you run for the honor and glory of His name, He reaches out with the victor’s crown and says, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

In my book, that’s worth running for!

YOUR JOURNEY…

Read 1 Corinthians 9:24-27.
Would you say that you are running “aimlessly,” or are you competing for the “crown that will last forever”?

Read Hebrews 12:1-3.
What things hinder and entangle you, and how do you intend to throw them off? What does Paul say to do so that you will not “grow weary and lose heart”?

In Paul’s parting words to Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:7-8, he says that he is not the only one who will be awarded by the Lord. How does that encourage you to keep running for the prize?

Home Finally

Jo's finally discharged this afternoon, and we just got home at 3:00pm...phew!

Certainly glad to be home once again.

She didn't sleep well last night, must've been because I squeezed on the tiny bed with her :)

Nausea's almost gone, a little breathless but otherwise in much better condition.

She's now knocked out on her very comfortable Stressless Chair.

I'm gonna chill for awhile and blog a little more tonite.

God Bless ya all.

Platelets Needed

I've already activated some of you for the above.
And I know I would have many more potential donors if I'd call on the rest of you. But if you haven't gotten an SMS or call from me, don't worry it only means that we have sufficient for now. Thank you!

What are Platelets?
Platelets is one of the components of whole blood. Whole blood is made of several components including red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and plasma. Each component plays a special role and platelets help to prevent bleeding.

What is Platelet Donation (plateletpheresis)?
This is a special kind of blood donation that allows for platelets to be extracted from whole blood. Whole blood is withdrawn from the donor and separated into its various components by a blood separator machine. The rest of its components are returned to the donor except for the platelets.

How does it work and how long does it take?
The procedure is exactly like normal blood donation/transfusion and requires about 2 hours to complete.

Why does Joanne need this?
Patients with cancer will need platelet transfusion to prevent bleeding. Many times during her chemotherapy treatment (and radiotherapy treatment) both cancer and healthy cells are destroyed, thus lowering their ability to prevent bleeding.

Also, Jo will be doing a small procedure next week to have a tube attached to her stomach so as to have the water drain constantly instead of having to come back to NCC regularly.

Is This Safe?
1. Yes. Each donation is closely supervised by trained staff who will observe you throughout the process. During the donation you will may experience mild side effects like a tingling sensation around the lips and nose. This is due to the anticoagulant used in the procedure. Serious side effects like hypotension and fainting spells are uncommon.

2. The donation does not significantly reduce the platelets in you as your body will replace platelets quickly. You should experience no bleeding problems.

Who can be a Donor?
a. Between 18-45 years old
b. Weigh at least 50kg
c. Must be of 0+ Blood Type
d. Be in good health (not sick) or have not taken antibiotics, aspirin or products containing aspirin or other anti-inflammatory medications for 72 hours.
e. Have good prominent veins on both arms.

Where Must I Go For This?
Apheresis Suite at the National Cancer Centre (NCC) is located at Ambulatory Treatment Unit (ATU), Level 3. Please obtain a set of screening forms from the nurses in the ward. If required, you will be issued with an excuse cert for time spent for screening and donation.

National Cancer Centre11 Hospital Drive Singapore 169610

Main Tel & Fax No Tel: +65 6436 8000Fax: +65 6225 6283

Operating Hours:

Mondays to Fridays - 8.00am to 5.30 pm

How do I Get Here?

http://www.nccs.com.sg/visitor/pb02_2.htm

Discharged Today?...No Tomorrow...

We'll be out of SGH today in about 2 hours time....and so I thought.

Then Jo started throwing up for the 4th time at 1:30pm and we decided along with the doctors to stay on for another day at least till this is resolved.

Yesterday's pleural tap part 2 removed some 850ml of water from her right lung. She's in stable condition, not eating much but definitely glad to have the water out.

Again, many thanks for the prayer cover and all who came.

Today she needs to catch up on her rest.

God Bless
Alex

Breathless!!

So here I am blogging from Ward 48 Room 20 of SGH...you can't even begin to imagine the ordeal that just transpired barely 24 hrs ago...

How It All Began...
It all started last evening at about 9:30pm. Jo said that she was tired and wanted to call it an early night. Since I was zonked out playing FIFA 2007 (PC Football game) most of yesterday afternoon, I too decided to turn in early. After she washed up and laid down for about 5 mins, she suddenly complained of breathing difficulties. I jumped up straight away as I realised it was not subsiding. She began clutching her chest and neck saying "very hard to breathe...can't breathe!" and I was at this point pale with fear and partially "brain dead". CS came to mind immediately (our "resident" Small Group doctor :) and I called him and he came running by to check Jo's breathing and heart rate.

After deep prayer for some 5 mins, her breathing started to improve and we thot we might just ride it out. Just then the breathlessness returned and CS contacted Dr Tien suggesting that we should check in to the A&E @ SGH.

Ambulance For The First Time
We called 995 and the ambulance arrived promptly and whisked us off to SGH. She was provided oxygen in the vehicle and it helped to alleviate the situation.

The wait at the A&E wasnt too bad and within 2 hours she had the last bed in the room and was resting rather fine.

Pricked, Pricked and Pricked...ahhh
Then came the unnecessary pricks to her hand which so agitated and frustrated me. I know it's not always easy finding the veins but pricking her 3 x to find a vein is ridiculous! Ok ok calm down Alex...(fuming)

In the morning Dr Leong did her rounds and said that the pleural tap (lung) and abdominal tap would be done soon after she was given an infusion of platelets. Dr Tien was present to carry out the 2 procedures.
The Procedures
At the end of the day, some 1.2 litres was extracted from the abdomen and another 730mls from the right lung. We thank God immensely for the successful procedures. The pleural tap was done by a needle pricking thru her right back between the rib bones accessing a small cavity area laden with water within the right lung. Doc says that the X-rays had shown some 3-4 litres of water present in both lungs. This is the very first time she's doing it.

If all is fine, Doc will extract more water from the lungs tomorrow. The colour of the water looks like beer.

After the procedure, she had her fav noodles with duck soup from the kopi tiam below. Ahh, what a relieve to see her eat...and eat well.

Again, I thank you all for your prayers and presence for those who came by. Really really appreciate it. We continue to hold fast that all will be well tomorrow. I reckon the earliest she'll be discharged is probably Wednesday...will keep ya all posted.

*SGH - Singapore General Hospital

Updates - 26 May 2007

Sorry for the long delay. Needed sometime off to chill and besides was rather busy too.

The NUH Clinical Trial Saga ... (driving me mad)
We will be @ NUH on Monday, 28 May to meet with Dr Goh and find out once and for all the exact trial timetable for Jo. What gets me all worked up is the inefficiency of the trial coordinator who keeps saying she's gonna call us for updates on this without ever calling back! That's the key peeve I have with NUH/NCI vs NCC, just can't understand how clueless they can get...

So to all, no the trial won't start this coming week, but rather sometime in June. I just hope it doesn't clash with CommunicAsia 2007 which I'm involved in.

Bloated, Bloated, Bloated
Jo's still feeling really bloated to the point that the water seems to be all over her mid abdomen area, thighs and knee area. Her feet and ankle are nearly always bloated as long as she doesn't lay them straight.

Just yesterday she vomited twice for no real apparent reason, once at home and the other at our Small Group...arrrgh, just hate this. God help us.

Marche's
We managed to go by Marches for dinner on Thursday and it did a whole lot of good for her. She had a bit of steak, rostie's, ham & cheese crepe and some veggie dish. She's hardly out of the house anyway since walking can get painful due to the bloatedness...pain in the joins etc etc.

Small Group
Last night we were quite adamant to attending our Small Group since we've missed it for nearly 3 months now, and Jo really misses this. From the moment we sat down at CS's place she was already feeling a little queasy. After her throwing up, we left at 10-ish.

Audio Sermons
We've finally seriously started our quest to listen to God's messages via audio sermons (both online & offline) since it's hard for Jo to go to church nowadays. After David's & CS's recommendation of Pastor Benny Ho's "Nurturing Your Inner Life" series, we decided to borrow it from our Church's AV library. It was great listening and after that we started getting hungry for more, so we tune back into our favourite site - Strength for the Journet @ www.rbc.org with Pastor Jo Stowell. Nice crisp and simple messages that last between 12-20 mins. What I do is that I run the player on my laptop (with wireless broadband), plug the headphones in and share it between the 2 of us. After the message, we discuss and recap the key points. It's helped mine and Jo's Spiritual intake very much now. It's like atteding Sunday service every evening, and Jo says that its the best time of the day which she looks forward to always.

You should try it too.

All Went Well + Makan @ Bluespoon Cafe (Ghim Moh)

Thanks for the prayer cover all! All went well. The wait was unbearable but hey, we're used to it now. While waiting for our turn, Jo's cousin (ah bing) & daughter came by to chat with us since they were in the area. It was good to catch up.

We got started @ 3:30pm instead and the procedure was done quite quickly due to the ever conscientious Dr Richard Yap, a filipino medical oncologist we've been seeing for this. Last time round the attending doc didn't exactly do a great job, but that's ok. Khatija (top right) is an expert at massaging the abdomen to aid the flow of the water.

After plugging Jo (top left) at the lower left abdomen, he let the water flow on its own - about 30 mins later he came by to manually extract the water into the drip bag with a large syringe hooked onto the "tap". This was very efficient although a little tedious (see second & third row pix) and went on for about 15mins until the drip bag was full of 1.1 liters of "yellow stuff".

Julia (senior nurse, top left) came by to plug Jo for the 100ml of Albumin/Protein to aid against the water retention. CS came by with food and prayed with us when we ended @ 5:45pm.

Bluespoon
Block 21 Ghim Moh Road #01-213 (S) 270021
Tel: 6455-6455
Open: 10am to 10pm on weekdays; 9am to 10pm on weekends; closed on Mondays
www.bluespoongourmet.com

The last time we came here, it was closed. Finally we've conquered it! We came here for lunch since the appointment time was about 3:00pm.

This is a quaint little outlet smacked right in the heart of heartlander Ghim Moh estate (directly opposite from the mini bus terminal)...though after serious contemplation, the owner's might have gotten it quite right since this is District 10 and Mt Sinai folks are just round the corner along with lotsa expats...good target market. Bluespoon is actually a restaurant or cafe if you like stocked with a frozen corner serving gourment food. You could take away most of their items on the menu! So what did we have? (Read the reviews from Asiaone)

Jo had her Lampchops (3 pieces for $11.90) and I - the Striploin @ $14.90. Ok to start of with, I didn't like skinny fries unless they're done the Russett Burbank style aka MacDonald's. I felt it was just too skinny and straight off from the supermarket packet. But, hey Jo likes it. :) My Striploin was quite tender but there was a constant mild bitter taste to it which I couldn't place a finger to...was it my numb tongue or what? There was salad and corn on the side too. Jo was ok with the Lambchops though the lamb scent was a little strong. We had coffee and coke with it. Go check it out.

Abdominal Tap - Part 2

Jo still feels uncomfortable with her bloatedness and she's decided that she wants to do the "water tap" procedure tomorrow morning (Friday, 18 May) @ NCC. The first time when we did this last Monday, she'd been eating a fair bit during and just after the procedure.

But somehow it didn't last long as you recalled.
So let's keep the Faith that tomorrow's procedure effects would be better. Amen!

We'll be in @ 11:30am to see the doc. The procedure should begin about 1pm and I reckon with all the delays we should be out by 5pm. The flow usually takes a couple of hours.

Botak Jones

I guess this column of ours has reduced significantly since both of us have hardly been out to eat except to ta pao (take away) food. Anyway, the renown Botak Jones has moved into our neighbourhood about a month back. The burgers are great especially the patties which aren't like your cookie cutter burger joints. The patties may not look huge but they are densely packed and ARE filling! I had the double botak burger...and man did I feel full. Many years ago, I could still finish the "U-Crazy What?" (Thriple beef patties, 450gm of pure meat!!)...man...I was younger than. :)

The pix from the top clockwise are:

1. Chicken Gumbo (Soup) - 6.00 (large)

2. Double Botak Burger - $8.50

"300 GRAMS (150gm per patty) OF HAND FORMED BEEF. ALL THE BURGERS ARE SUPPOSED TO COME OUT MEDIUM WELL, WHICH, IF DONE CORRECTLY, WILL LEAVE THEM VERY JUICY. IF YOU LIKE YOURS WELL DONE AND DRY, JUST GIVE US THE WORD" (From their online menu)

3. The boss himself??

"Exam Time" (May 15, Strength for the Journey by Jo Stowell)

“God tested Abraham” Genesis 22:1

In universities everywhere, mid-May brings late-night study sessions, caffeine-fueled writing binges, and ulcer-inducing stress as students are preparing for final exams—those critically important tests to determine how well the student has learned the lessons of the semester.

Let’s look at a familiar incident in the life of Abraham through that lens.

Genesis 22 begins by saying, “God tested Abraham.” In other words, it’s like Abraham’s big exam. And what is the test? God is about to test Abraham’s allegiance to the one true God in a most stressful way.

So let’s review: God called out Abraham to the city of Ur. Ur was an advanced culture and a highly sophisticated town, but it was rampant with idolatry. When God passed out this test to Abraham, Abraham was wandering through Canaan—yet another pagan, idolatrous region. And keep in mind that in pagan idolatry, the highest demonstration of loyalty to one’s god was to offer—you guessed it—your children as a sacrifice.

With that in mind, look back at Genesis 22:1. The text actually says that it is the God who tests Abraham. This is in contrast to those lifeless forms of wood and stone that were the idols of the pagan Canaanites. And it’s the one true God who comes to Abraham and gives him the following test.

Would the loyalty and allegiance of Abraham to the genuine Creator God match the misplaced loyalty and devotion of the surrounding nations to their false idols? The test is simple yet very demanding: “Abraham,” God says, “Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love . . . and sacrifice him.”

That’s the test, plain and simple. It’s a pass/fail exam with no room for grading on the curve. If Abraham obeys, demonstrating his allegiance, loyalty, and trust in the promises of God, he passes the test. If he refuses, he retains control over his son’s destiny, but fails to demonstrate his commitment to following God no matter what the cost.

Well, we know the rest of the story. In fact, it’s amplified and explained beautifully in the book of Hebrews where the writer explains that Abraham by faith obeyed, reckoning that even if Isaac died, God could raise him from the dead (Hebrews 11:17-19).

So what does Abraham’s test have to do with us? While God won’t ask you to literally sacrifice a child on an altar, He does often require the things in your life that are precious to you. Think about it. Isaac was God’s gift to Abraham. All of God’s promises were wrapped up in that miracle child. How easy it would have been for Abraham to love Isaac more than he loved God. Or to put it another way, to love the gift more than the Giver! The test may be the same for you. God always wants to know that nothing in your life is more important or more valuable than your relationship to Him. It may even be a sinful pattern that for some reason provides temporary kicks, comfort, or security. Do you love Him more than the sin in your life?

If by faith you can believe with Abraham that when God takes something from you, God will give something back in even better terms, then you will pass the test and give Him all He demands and all He desires. Whether it’s your money, your possessions, your career, your dreams, or even your children to His service—everything we give to Him is an opportunity to pass the test and in worship prove to Him that nothing in our lives is of greater value than His friendship and fellowship.

As you face the tests of this week, know that your Tester loves you deeply and is ready to help you pass, like Abraham, with flying colors!

YOUR JOURNEY…

What tests are you currently facing?

What can you learn from the example of Abraham to help you pass the test with flying colors?

James 1:2-4 also addresses the issue of tests. Based on this passage, what is God testing and why?

If you’re one of those people who has always dreaded taking exams, ask the Lord to change your perspective about His tests. Think through the reasons that He wants to test you, and trust Him to supply the courage and faith you need to pass the exam in a way that glorifies Him.