BTW, it did not end there, she also asked whether there were wars in Malaysia therefore all the playgrounds are broken?

Which is the 1st country created?



That's the question posed by my daughter a couple of days back. I went like, "what do you mean which is the 1st country created?."



"You know, when Allah created the countries, which one He created 1st?".



Thinking that there must be something behind this line of questioning, I asked, "Why do you ask?".



She replied with a more direct question. "Is Malaysia the 1st country created?".



"Why do you think so?".



"Because when we went back to Malaysia for our holidays & when I went to the playgrounds, all the playgrounds are old and broken."



There you go, verdict from the expert about the condition of children playgrounds in Malaysia. Sad to think that we have tallest, longest, biggest everything but a child is made to think that our beloved country is an old country because her playgrounds are broken.

LIFE GOES ON!!!!!!!

When can Ummi come home?

I was having a 'discussion' with my 6 year old daughter the other day & suddenly she asked me about ummi; "Abah, when can Ummi come home and doesn't go to the hospital anymore?". I couldn't answer that; I suppose, the experience of the last 6 months are affecting them (she & her brother) but in their own ways, they must be trying to deal with it. The only thing I could offer was, "Insya-Allah, when Ummi is well, she'll come home and will not be going back to the hospital anymore. Kakak du'a untuk ummi okay." And she smiled & nodded her head.

Things are still not looking good & it is really straining her patience and strength. I pray that we will be able to continue this journey & may it ends soon with her full recovery. & my daughter can have her mummy home all the time as she's used to.

I'm having a problem with my bank. Being overseas, I rely on internet banking a lot for my financial things back home. Since the last week or so, the bank has suspended some services from its website. I'm in trouble for not meeting some payment terms. Hopeless.

http://webeye.ophth.uiowa.edu/dept/IIH/pc_index.htm



http://www.ihrfoundation.org/

Pseudotumor Cerebri (PTC) is also known as Benign Intracranial Hypertension (BIH), Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension, and Intracranial Hypertension

to date since 20/4/03;



5 Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) Scans

6 Lumbar Punctures

1 Computerized tomography (CT) Scan

Countless Visual field test

20/11/03 - Delivery

24/11/03 - Discharged from FPH

25/11/03 - Eid

26/11/03 - Emergency RMH - drips, transfusion

27/11/03 - 4 South RMH

01/12/03 - VP-Shunt recommended (planned for Thurs - 4/12)

04/12/03 - Surgery postponed

05/12/03 - Granted home leave (with self injection of anti-coagulant)

08/12/03 - planned review & possible surgery Monday night or Thursday

to be continued....

Pseudotumor Cerebri



Also referred to as:

Increased Intracranial Pressure







The edges of this swollen optic nerve (the yellow disc in the center) have become blurred and indistinct



Pseudotumor cerebri is a condition of increased intracranial pressure (high pressure inside the cranial cavity) which most commonly affects 20 to 45 year old overweight women. Patients usually present with episodes of "graying out of vision", known as transient visual obscurations. These episodes of vision loss usually last just a few seconds. Some patients will notice a blind spot in their peripheral vision and others may have double vision. Headaches are very common.



Although in the great majority of cases, the cause is unknown, some cases are associated with corticosteroid treatment (e.g., prednisone), vitamin A over-dosage, tetracyclines, nalidixic acid, and radical neck surgery (e.g., for cancer). The diagnosis is made after discovering papilledema (swollen optic nerves) and a MRI or CT scan of the brain rules-out other conditions which might cause increased intracranial pressure (e.g., tumor). The diagnosis is confirmed by a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) which demonstrates increased cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure, but the CSF is otherwise normal in laboratory analyses.



If the condition is untreated, vision may progressively worsen due to chronic papilledema (swollen optic nerves) with consequent atrophy of the optic nerves. Most patients are initially treated with diuretics (e.g., Diamox) to reduce intracranial pressure, perhaps with the use of corticosteroids and repeated lumbar punctures to drain off CSF. Most patients must be encouraged to lose weight. Surgery is recommended for those that have progressive peripheral vision loss or intractable headaches, despite medical therapy. Surgery usually consists of optic nerve sheath fenestration if the primary symptoms are visual or a lumbo-peritoneal (L-P) shunt if the symptoms are primarily headache related. Either procedure may be effective at controlling the signs and symptoms of the disorder, by decreasing intracranial pressure.



From EyeMDLink.Com

Tomorrow morning we are going back to RMH. A review and then a possible surgery later on. The neuro-ophthalmologist is suggesting a Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) Shunt.



This would be the second surgery, after the bilateral Optic Nerve Sheath Fenestration in May 03.







Optic Nerve Sheath Fenestration



After the surgery, the vision improved but only for 3 weeks. Then it started to deteriorate again. However, this time around the Papilledema is not as bad.

Neuro-ophthalmologists



Neuro-ophthalmologists specialize in the complex relationships between the brain and the eye. Frequently referred to by other ophthalmologists, neurologists, neurosurgeons, and other medical doctors, neuro-ophthalmologists diagnose and treat a myriad of optic nerve, cranial nerve, and brain disorders including infectious and inflammatory conditions, and tumors of the optic nerve, orbit, and brain. Both general ophthalmology residency and fellowship trained, neuro-ophthalmologists may perform the same procedures as a general ophthalmologist.



From EyeMDLink.Com

Got my final results. I've done it - completed my studies. After 2 gruelling years, it's finally over. Graduation is on Dec 17th 2003 - that's less than 2 weeks away. Frankly, I'm not that excited about the graduation. The important thing is completing it. Still don't know my CGPA - not sure how they will calculate it - how they'll treat the thesis which is either Pass or Fail.



Overall, I'm quite pleased having getting either High Distinction or Distinction in most semester.



What's next? Nothing formal - but there is something I want to start doing. Will think more of it and might really start doing it, informally.

Alhmdulillah, we welcomed our third child on 25 Ramadhan 1423 (Thurs 20 November 2003) at 1442 hrs at Frances Perry House, Melbourne. A bouncy tiny baby boy now officially known as "baby Akeem" by big brother (3 yrs old). His birth was 3 weeks from the EDD (Estimated Delivery Date) and he weighted only 2.2 kg at birth.



If I can figure out how to get his photographs digitised, they might end up somewhere here; but don't hold your breath. I'm really 'sloooowwww' with those sort of things.



Anyway, things are looking good with him and gaining weight real quick.