Bouncing back...

Hellooooooooooooooooooooooo again!
Just noticed that my last post was dated way back in Sept last year!
Soooooooooooooooooooo many things have happened and I regret not blogging as often as I planned to when I first started this blog.....


Anyway........picking up from where I left behind in my last post...YES! I've ventured (together with a partner) into a small business dealing with all-things-party! Well, I actually took up a franchise business cos hubby thinks that's the fastest and easiest way to start a business without much research needed.

Feel free to drop by! Quote my blog and get a 20% off your purchase - assurance by the owner herself *wink* macamla many followers in this blog.......syiok sendiri only!




Well...that was hot and happening almost 9 months ago. Was busy running errands here and there and trying my hands out in learning the trade, etc........
Sadly, ......I'm no business material :(. Things havent been smooth and I have to admit that at some point, I was on the verge of giving up.......and thought that being a stay-at-home-mom was indeed more of my thing than being an enterpreneur......me no likey run business..... whats with dealing with unreasonable customers, high staff turnover, unhelpful franchisor, tight business finances, etc.....arghhhhhh!!!!!!

However, with the support and advice I gained from friends and family, especially from my beloved and reliables business consultant cum advisor cum HUSBAND, I'm picking up the pieces and beginning to cop pretty well now.......

I understand that we have our ups and downs in everything that we do.....important thing is tht we hav to pick up where we fall and be positive about it with sheer determination and confidence.
I have learnt my lesson and still do.....everyday is a learning experience for me and I shall take it one step at a time.......
I anticipate more challenges ahead but I shall just take it in my stride and not too stressed out over lil things......there's more to my life than THIS!

More posts soon....promise!

I've shed 'em off!

It's been a while since my last post....
well, as usual...been busy with stuffs and all......
And...of cos with nothing much to shout about or post in here until recently....

I've shed off some extra kilos piled up since my 2nd pregnancy and I'm so glad I did!

Tried on some slimming methods (avoiding carbs and all white products!)/products here and there and the only thing/routine that stays with me and which I diligently follow is going to the gym for my weekly body combat regime since May last year. Well, that should have helped me shed off or should I say, maintain my weigh for awhile......I should be glad that I didnt pile up more weigh since then...but those few kilos stuck with me 2 years after Roy was born was visible......it's heartbreaking and at times, embarrasing seeing pics of myself having a bit of extra flesh here and there, not to mention the visible double-chin propping up in the pics....I've been having a 'yoyo' weight even since then and it's always range from 62kgs to a whopping 64kgs at one time this year that it was just depressing looking at the numbers on the weighing scale!

So I was very adamant in getting rid off those flabs and was looking around until I was introduced to Leptin from a friend whom I've lost touch since uni days! Facebook and its wonders.....

Anyway...back to Leptin....
it has so far worked its magic in helping me shed off a total of 3kgs in a month! A feat which was impossible before this, I'd say......well, considering my numerous attempts previously in looking out for ways to shed off those extra pounds; other than the conventional way of working out vigorously in the gym....not that I'm giving up on my routines at the gym, but I'd also want some assistance in seeing more and faster results.....
Well, I'll let the pics below speak for themselves :D

3 months after giving birth to Roy - a whopping 65kgs!

a month later - still in the mid 60s kgs...

3 months later - 62kgs

62kgs - the stubborn 6 and 2 digits stayed on for quite awhile and just refused to leave!

62kgs or perhaps put on more....I didnt dare look at the weighing scale for some time....

most recent ones taken 2 months ago - 61kgs

....and a month after this magical appetite suppressant coffee and calories burner

....and the Weight Loss Dried Plums...

I love looking at this pic!!!! - 3 kgs lost so far...

my arms are slimmer; my chins are thinner - no more visible double-chins!...

and I feel comfortable in this dress which was left hanging in my wardobe for almost a year!

And I've received compliments from friends and family telling me that they see a difference in my physical appearance - slimmer of course! Those moments just made my days......

...well, it doesnt stop there! Now, I'm on a mission to lose more kgs and get back my pre-wedding weight! Good luck to me and with my determination and perseverance; I shall make it happen!

And if anyone of you are interested to know more about Leptin, do feel free to contact me for further details...why keep such wonderful thing to myself when I can share the joy and secrets of looking good with friends and family :)

I can be reached at kathryne.yeoh@gmail.com

*Disclaimer: This is just my personal testimony of a product I've been consuming. No product endorsements are involved here*

All cleared....

Just called the hospital for my latest result on Feb 19 - I'm cleared from all high risk of HPV!
A huge sigh of relief right after I put down the phone.....all tht's kept me worrying has been lifted up from my 'shoulder', especially the 2 weeks within the CNY period.....
Best of all...Doc said that I can be vaccinated against all's that kept me worried for the past one month!
Got my first of 3 shots of Gardasil on Feb 23! Next one in 2 months time and another in 6 months from the first shot!

God has answered my prayers........

Now...I'll not think about it til my next p-smear..... :)

and the wait continues....

My results were out today....no pre-cancerous cells were detected from my biopsy (a huge relief there!) BUT I've been diagnosed with HPV (Human Papillomavirus).

I'll let the article abstracted from the internet do the explanation......

Human Papillomavirus, more commonly known as HPV, is a viral infection spread through skin to skin sexual contact. HPV is a group of over 100 different viruses, with at least 30 strains known to cause different types of cancer. There is currently no cure for HPV.







How Can You Get HPV






HPV is transmitted by skin to skin contact through vaginal, anal and oral sex with a partner who already has HPV. If infected, signs and symptoms may take weeks, months and even years to appear. Symptoms may never appear.






Symptoms of HPV






Symptoms of HPV normally appear in the form a cauliflower like growths called genital warts. These warts may also be flat. They can be found on the inside and the outside of the vagina. These growths may take weeks or even years to show after having sex with an infected partner. Again, they may appear show at all.






How Do I Know If I Have HPV?






An HPV test can be done to determine if a person has HPV. Testing samples of cervical cells is an effective way to identify high-risk types of HPVs that may be present. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved an HPV test that can identify 13 of the high-risk types of HPVs associated with the development of cervical cancer. There is currently no test to determine if a man has HPV.






Preventing HPV






Abstaining from any type of sexual realtions is ideal in preventing HPV, but not very realisitc these days for adults. Wearing a condom provides limited protection. The male condom provides limited protection. Keep in mind that since HPV may not show any visible symptoms, your partner may still be infected.

I have no idea how I contracted such virus for according to my gynae, "HPV is not necessarily contracted through sexual intercourse alone. One could also easily get the virus from the toilet seats!...." and that makes me wonder even further..........where?when?how?who?????...etc.....millions of questions....with no answers, of course..... :(

Well, I've had another round of pap-smear done again today to determine the DNA of the HPV in me - if it's a high risk or low risk virus. I can still be vaccinated against cervical cancer if it's of the low risk category (praying hard tht I belong to this category) but IF I'm at the high risk group (13 out of 130); there's nothing much that can be done apart from diligently having my annual pap smear done in hope that it wont turn pre-cancerous. SO yes.....and the wait continues......it's another round of anticipation for the results in 2 weeks time......one after another......

*I'd like to thank those who were concern about me and who took the effort in contacting me for the updates of my medical condition. Words cannot describe how your tweets, phone calls and sms-es meant so much to me, knowing that there are people out there who care and think about me when I face those 'down' moments in my life. Thank you all sooooooo much for your kind words and support. They all somehow made me stronger in facing what the future holds for me*

It wasnt so good....

So...I went through it with a clear conscience.....little did I know that the whole procedure was indeed a messy and uncomfortable one.... I shall not go further for it's definitely not something a woman would wanna go thru....bottomline is - I hated the whole procedure! Wish and hope that I wont have to go thru it ever again.....!!!!

Well, the result from the colposcopy didnt seem positive enough to have an immediate clearance from my gynae. I not only had 1 biopsy taken; but THREE! THREE frigging snips for further lab test!
And so..the waiting game continues.........I'll know my fate next tuesday.....
it could be HPV, Cervicitis or even stage 1 of the existence of pre-cancerous cells in me.

My gynae suspects that I'm at the low risk of HPV or worse case, cervicitis - which she said is nothing to worry for both are easily treated.

But what if it's the 3rd case scenario?, I asked.

"Lets not go to that part just yet...we'll see how the result go by next week" she said.

and my anxiety just went sky rocket high!.......another long wait...till my next post....good luck to myself!

...long sigh...

Colposcopy

Warning: This post might be a lil 'gross and disturbing' for those who are not familiar with the female health problems.

Readers' discretion advised.

Remember my Pap smear in Nov 09? Well...here's the follow up after my 2nd round of it as advised by my gynae after my anti-inflammatory medication.....

This is what I'm going to go through at the hospital tomorrow afternoon...I'll let the article (adapted from the web -  Colposcopy) do the explanation...

One of the most frightening times in a woman's life is when the gynecologist calls and says her Pap smear results are abnormal. Although you might think an abnormal Pap smear means you have cervical cancer, the fact is that the majority of abnormal Pap smears are not caused by cervical cancer. The more likely cause of abnormal Pap smear results is inflammation or a vaginal infection.



Because the Pap smear is a screening tool and not a diagnostic tool, your gynecologist may want to take a closer look at your cervix to determine the cause of your abnormal Pap smear results. He will perform an examination called a colposcopy. Your doctor may order this procedure if you have Pap smear results which:


•indicate dysplasia or cancer



•show evidence of HPV


•show atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) or repeated (ASCUS)


Your gynecologist may also order a colposcopy because your cervix appears abnormal during your pelvic exam and Pap smear, or if you have a history of prenatal DES exposure.






Colposcopy is a simple and painless procedure performed in a gynecologist's office that takes 10 to 15 minutes. You are positioned on the examination table like you are for a Pap smear, and an acetic acid (such as common table vinegar) is placed on the cervix. This causes the cervical cells to fill with water so light will not pass through them.






Your physician will use a colposcope to view your cervix. A colposcope is a large, electric microscope that is positioned approximately 30 cm from the vagina. A bright light on the end of the colposcope lets the gynecologist clearly see the cervix.






During the colposcopy, the gynecologist focuses on the areas of the cervix where light does not pass through. Abnormal cervical changes are seen as white areas -- the whiter the area, the worse the cervical dysplasia. Abnormal vascular (blood vessel) changes are also apparent through the colposcope. Typically, the worse that the vascular changes are, the worse the dysplasia.






If your physician can view the entire abnormal area through the colposcope, a tissue sample or biopsy is taken from the whitest abnormal areas and sent to the lab for further evaluation.

Well, according to my gynae, 97% out of patients who are found with inflammation are cleared off from the 2nd round of pap smear. And I have to be among the 3% who requires further test - aptly the Colposcopy!
 

"It's nothing to be worried. It's just a further procedure to ensure that pre-cancerous cells are absent/present in your cervix", she optimistically explained.

 
Hmm...I'll be lying to say that I'm not worried at all about all this.....YES! I'm extremely nervous, anxious, and totally stressed out with my own health condition. I'm really unprepared for this......just hoping for the best and that it's just what my gynae calls it - a chronic case of Cervicitis.
 
Praying for a positive outcome.....

Inflammation of the what????

Just like any other obedient mothers,wives, sisters, girlfriends, daughters, I finally had my annual pap smear done. It was actually 4 months delayed but I got it done somehow. It was last month - November 2009

So there I was, in the doctor's room, having whatever routined scans done by my ever-cheerful, attentive and alert obsterician/gyanecologist. And, I was there to enquire further about the cervical vaccinations (esp Gardasil, which is the popular and most reliable vaccination of all) which I intend to get to prevent myself from the obvious - cervical cancer. Well, I was to wait for my pap smear results and if everything turns out fine, then only I'll be able to ger myself vaccinated.

Emerging from her room, I didnt give much thought about how my results will turn out to be, thinking everything's gonna be ok. Not until 2 weeks later when I receive a call,

"Doctor wants to see you regarding your pap-smear results".

Now....was I naive before this or what?????

 Damn! Fuck! All worries came flooding my mind and I have like millions of questions going through my head guessing what could it be! You see, one usual pattern about my gynae is - if your medical result turn out fine, she wont asked to see you. She'll just get her nurse to call you and tell you to just come and collect your results anytime at your convenience. Now, the fact that I was told to go and see her - SOMETHING is definitely not right!!!!

Well, it'll be a long and boring post if I were to go on to every single details leading to my test results. In short - I was told that I have some bacteria inflammation of some cells in me that COULD possibly lead to cervical cancer. The last C word is indeed alarming and scary! But those words - 'could' and 'possible' did make a good calming factor. There she goes...bla bla bla about 97% women who face what I'm facing will usually have their inflammation cleared after a week of prescribed antibiotic to clear up those inflammatory cells. 1 out of 5 women who undertake the prescribed antibiotic will usually have their inflammation cleared and their pap smear results coming out ok and normal after that. So,

"it's actually nothing to worry about. Just take the antibiotic for a week, and come see me after 2 months and get another round of pap-smear done, you should be cleared of those inflammation"

Now, back to how I perceive the whole situation. To say that I'm not worried at all would be a lie. Of course I'm worried. It's cancer we are talking about here. And I have signs and factors in my body that show that I'm prone to it. Damn! Well, there's nothing much that I can do except to take those antibiotic obediently and wait for 2 months before I could finally know for sure if I'm at risk. With God's grace and mercy, I'll be cleared from it. Otherwise, there would be more test, i.e, biopsy to determine further how serious it can get. URGH!!!!!

I'll definitely keep an update 2 months from now.........

Well my advice to all who read my blog....get yourself, your mother, sister, girlfriend, wife, daughter (ok...perhaps I dont have readers that old yet..) to have their pap-smear done. It's not something to be shy about. It's a simple procedure with a big effect if things/problems/complications are detected earlier.

Remember: Health is Wealth