Cheers to More Good Health!

I had not been feeling well of late and attributed it to the extremely hot weather and the bug that had been going around. Since I am going to Kuching this Saturday, I thought I would make a trip to the polyclinic to have a check up. As a regular blood donor, I have free medical benefits.

I chose to go in the late afternoon so that I could proceed to the AIA Building at Alexandra Road for my toastmasters' meeting. It was a Dr. Ng Chung Sien who saw me. He is an affable, pleasant looking doctor who tries to cheer his patients up by being humorous. I asked the doc if my dizziness could be due to some new development eg. diabetes, etc. He smiled and said more likely it could be due to the hydrochlorothiazide tables. However it would be better if I reduce some weight.

"So hard to lose weight doc.... more like genetic factor for me," I volunteered.

"By the way what work do you do?" asked Dr. Ng.

"Real estate".

"Now market is good. When market is good, everyone's weight goes up. When market is down, people's weight also go down. Maybe you can try liposuction," suggested Dr.Ng.

"Yucks... scared of surgery ... am not afraid of death...but it's important how I die. Don't mind dying in the mission fields...but due to liposuction? Don't want to become famous in this way lah," I smiled sheepishly. I assured Dr. Ng that whether market is down or up, I have always been overweight. Hence my nickname, Pooi Choo.

"Then I'll refer you to the weight management clinic at Alexandra Hospital.'

"That's a better idea. So they will have to take a before and after photo?"

Dr. Ng smiled. "Not like that....to us it is weight loss for good health....not like those already slim ladies at Expressions who want to lose weight to look even slimmer for beauty".

"Ok. Sounds like a good idea so long as treatment is still free for me as a blood donor. I hate to spend money to lose weight when half the world is starving for want of food."

"Let me take your weight as I have to give you a referral letter."

I stepped onto the weighing machine.

"Wow! What a nice number. 88.8kg. See I told you...you're prosperous!"

I laughed. What a coincidence.! Few believe my weight....for I am always 10 kg heavier than my appearance.

I gave the doctor my name card. I told him to read my blog if he has time and that I may blog about our visit. I told him that he is one of the most friendly doctors as most physicians at polyclinics are serious and distant, with a look that seems to say, "Don't ask too many questions... I'm very busy."

I smsed Vanessa Yong, my good friend and colleague. She replied, "I'm half of you, Choo. I'm 44.4kg! Hee Hee." I had once jokingly suggested to Vanessa that I would love it if some surgery could be done to remove my excess flesh and implant them onto her. This way, we can both share the weight together!

At the AIA Toastmasters' Club, one of the speakers, Tan May Yan, who works with Singhealth, talked about the Government's plan for means testing. Now the hospitals are struggling with insufficient beds for Class C and B wards, because more people want to enjoy the greater subsidies that come with these two classes of wards. What a coincidence.

As I took the bus back after the toastmasters' meeting, I reviewed the day's happenings. Mm.... it is best for me to do something about my weight so that I do not have to worry about Class A, B or C. This is why the government is now advocating us to take greater care of our health by encouraging us to ask for less oil and salt when we patronise our favourite food stalls. Mm...I will also make an effort to cook more at home when I move to Chander Road. This time I will have less excuse not to cook as the Tekka Market is next to my apartment.!

Cheers to a more healthy lifestyle! Health is wealth!