CLOSING THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY GAP WITH CARBENGKEL

If there is an industry gap in the automotive that can be addressed, what would it be? Yes, that would be the mismatching of car owners budget and convenient to the thousands of car workshops nationwide. Car loan is any household's second biggest expenditure after the housing loan and of course, every household would put aside a budget for these loan repayment but rarely does anyone actually set aside budget to repair and/or service their car.

A car is akin of our health. When we are healthy, we rarely go for a medical check-up even when we do know (or unbeknown) of those symptoms for common critical illnesses but when we are sick, we would immediately seek for the best clinic or hospital. Similarly, we would drive around confidently with our car until the car had a heart attack and it just drop dead... the engine I mean. Unlike our health, these medical expenses can be sorted with a medical insurance (Call my friend Affiq Zakie at 0102315911 for immediate coverage if you do not have one) but there is no medical insurance of sort, to cover for our cars.

If we fainted, breakdown or had a heart attack, we can call 999 or 911 for an ambulance but there is no 999 or 911 if our car drop dead in the middle of no where! What do we do? Call Daddy? Darling? Friend? err.. no!! Post for help on Facebook?

Living in a hectic society with inevitable traffic jam, we simply do not have the time even if we do want to service our car regularly and attend to car repair. However, did you know that many workshop provides pick-up service from your house or home to the workshop, service or repair your car then send it back? Well, they do but how would we know which one does and which does not? and how would we know if we can trust the workshop to take our car without disappearing?

GETTING PREGNANT WITH TECHNOLOGY.

This journal is dedicated to all the couples whom are married and are able to parent a child but for some reason did not want to. If only you can feel how difficult it is for us to have a baby, you wont think twice of having one. Having a child is a miracle to any couple.

We first courted the KL Fertility Centre (KLFC) on 2 May 2014 last year (read First KLFC Visit) and went for a second visit four days later. After trying out with failure the option 1 as detailed in the KLFC second visit blog post and tried all other conventional methods to get pregnant, we decided to go through the modern technology of pregnancy via the Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection or better known as ICSI. This blog is our journey through the ICSI. Perhaps, as an expectation for other couple undergoing the same procedures.

We called the KLFC on Thursday, 15th January 2015 to informed KLFC that we had opted for the ICSI and was told to visit the KLFC on the first day of period for a scan. The friendly nurse had explained in detail over the phone the expected cost and the procedures. The maximum cost is estimated at RM22,000 including the cost of embryo freezing, blood test etc. We were very excited and impatiently count down for that first day. 

Day 1 Period, Saturday, 17 January 2015: Anny had her first day menstruation on late Saturday and as explained by the nurse, we need to visit the clinic on Monday.

Day 3 Period: We arrived early at KLFC on Monday, 19 January 2015. Dato Dr Prashant was away and we met the cheerful Dr Helena Lim Yuen Hsuen instead. It was our first encounter with Dr Helena and Anny loves her. She was friendlier and she is a female doctor. Anny feels awkward having a male doctor and we debated on continuing with Dr Helena or Dr Prashant. Dr Prashant is more senior and have more experience.

We both did an E2 and P4 blood check and Anny was scanned for cysts. Blood test was good and there were no presence of any cyst. I learn today that it is common for cyst to developed after every period. The doctor had also prescribed a self-injection follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) to start immediately; the Humog 150iu and Folliculin 225iu until the next appointment on 23rd February. These injections would need to be taken daily for up to 10 days (or 8 days depending on how the body respond). The nurse did the first injection on the stomach to show how it was to be done. Those injections must be done daily at the same time until the next appointment. 

I was asked to take another semen sample. The Nurse escorted me to a quiet room and gosh... I never knew how hard it was to DIY!! Have not done it for a long time. It seemed impossible to come and after a long struggle, it finally did. Pheww.. Dr Helena prescribed me a pack of supplements to make the sperm more active. I took the followings:

1) Centrum Tab (RM35.97)

2) Bio Quinone Q10 Gold 100mg (RM368.60)

3) Surbex Natopherol 400iu cap (RM52.80)

4) Orange C 500mg Chewable (RM50.80)

Diabetic Eye

It has been almost 20 years being diabetic (the perks of being sweet) but I have never done any diabetic eye test much to my sister, Docta Ta's dismay. This year, I took the first step and am now at the OPTIMAX eye specialist, Taman Tun Dr Ismail for a diabetic eye test.

This is to avoid Diabetic Retinopathy and avoid blindness. The whole processes will take almost 2 hours. Hence, I'm writing this blog on my iPhone while waiting.

Upon arrival, the friendly nurses will first do a vision test and check the eye pressure with a machine. 

Once this two initial tests had passed, then the process of eye dilution began with a few eye drops every 10-15 minutes. The eye drop sting abit but is bearable. This will take about an hour to ninety minutes until the pupils are diluted. 

After the few eye drops, the vision seemed brighter but more blurred. I felt abit nauseate but didn't know if that was part of the side effect or maybe I over ate the pulut ikan kering for breakfast. A moment later, I cant read at all with spectacles.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY ANNY CHUNRAEM

What does it take to be and to stay married? Getting married is the easy part except for the whole list of administrative procedures to comply and in my case, endless visit to Syariah court for getting married 'without permission' outside of Malaysia which is of course, a story of another blog.  I always thought the only permission and blessing I needed was only from my parents but not in Malaysia. 

Unbeknown that I needed the Malaysia religious department's approval to get married in Bangkok, my brother Amnan Bazli Pahamin and son, Aaraf Armin left for Bangkok a few days before the 10 January, a month after I broke the news of getting into another marriage to my parents. No, I would never do anything without my parents consent and blessing but unfortunately, my parents were not available to attend my akad nikah on the date we were scheduled to get married. My parent however, organized the menyambut menantu and the wedding reception at the Royale Chulan, Kuala Lumpur on 1st March my birthday, a few months after the akad nikah.

So we were solemnized the year I turned 40 on 10 January and it was so simple without the traditional ceremony unlike those akad nikah done in Malaysia.

As I turned 40, I learn so much from the past especially the period when I was single, being a divorcee (No, I am not embarrass to say I was a divorcee). One important lesson that I learn was that I cannot live without a women... without a wife (notice the singular, not plural). I dont know how any other single man does it, but I cannot. I cannot live with many wives too, I am bad at multitasking. Without anyone to share with, everything has no meaning. I lost the drive, the ambition and the direction in life. Everything including money and businesses has no meaning.

EUROPE EXCURSION

19 December 2014, the whole of Bustanu Pahamin residence except for the 9 maids, 5 guards and 4 drivers, left with 30 luggages weighing 270kg in total for a 17 hours flight inc 2 hours transit in Doha on Qatar flight from Kuala Lumpur to London Heathrow. Prepared for the expected coldest winter in Europe, we brought along 5kg rice, three rice cookers and 2 bags of food including sambal belacan, big huge bottle of already fried salted fishes (ikan kering) and anchovies (baso darak kato oghe Kelatae).

Sambal belacan, Ikan kering, all snacks & food, the 270kg of luggages, 22 passengers + 2 infants safely arrived in Heathrow London at 130pm and were greeted by the friendly English Parlo tour guide to a big coach to bring us to Elvedon Forest, Centre parcs in Suffolks. The weather was friendly without any rain but twice colder than the average aircondition room in Malaysia.

After an almost 2 hours of drive, we arrived at Centre Parcs around 5pm and the weather was less friendly.... Colder!! 

We checked into a total of three 3 bedroom cabins and one 4 bedroom cabin and had Anny's hot home cook meal to end the day. Anny, Aaraf and I was in the same cabin with Wawa, Doc Ta, Shazrai & Shazrhy. Wawa, Shazrai & Aaraf went for a walk in the coldest weather to collect our £30 per day rented bicycle which was the primary source of transportation in the 400 acres of resort. They also went and did some grocery while Anny & I retired as early as 7pm.

Jet lagged, we woke up at 3am and cooked fried rice and sausages. By 7am we were ready for our first activity for the day.

We had pre-booked all activities at the Centre Parcs. Each of the activity cost approximately RM180 or £30 exc 20% VAT. 

Our first activity was High Rope, Jacobs Ladder. Secured by a harness, we had to climbed up on team work basis, 7 levels up. Team work means, we had to support each other to climb each step up. The height vary from one step to the next. The heights from the third to the fourth is about 5 feet and the highest step is as high as 9 feet (I think, maybe more).

 

   

 

 

 

Anny Chunraem, Aaraf Armin, Rafel Rhiza, Raina Rhiza, Rees Azhar and I only managed to reach the fourth level and had to abandon when Raina & Aaraf gave up. 

We continued our activity with wall climbing. I had my first taste of wall climbing at Camp 5, One Utama with Rose Emini Pahamin many years back. Being height phobic, I didn't enjoy as much anything to do with height.. Gayat wei!!!! ...but Rees reached the peak twice. Aaraf & Rafel managed to reach mid point and Anny had 2 attempts.

 

It was a great experience climbing in the cold weather and the soonest we completed the two activities, we went back to our cabin for Ibu's homecook hot Nasi lemak!!! That's heaven especially in the cold.

Anny, Aaraf, Rafel, Rees, Leona and I proceeded with our 3rd activity with the Segway adventure. We impatiently cycle to the outdoor activity area but Rees & Leona was declined entry being underweight. All participants must be more than 7 stone in weight. For once, I was grateful with Aaraf's weight. Both Aaraf & Rafel were all smiley.

  

The Segway was a good experience. We should get that for transportation in Bustanu.. 

We rode into the forest but was pre-warned not to speed. Rafel & Aaraf was not pleased. Have it their way, they wanted to rammed the Segway to its maximum speed.

After the Segway, we cycled to the club house of sort, parked our bicycle and walk around enjoying every moment.

I have not cycled for many years since I retire from those dualthon & triathlon activities. Cycling in the forest, brought back those good cycling memories when we used to clock 200km mileage a week. 

This year marked our 10 years anniversary since we cycled our first longest distance from KL to Port Dickson. We were a bunch of crazy gym-goers then whom started out with RPM classes at the Fitness First gym. Everyday, we would attend to 3-4 RPM classes as part of our training before we actually ride outdoor. That Port Dickson cycle was also the period when we were hit by the biggest tsunami. Masya Allah time flies and Allah swt protected us.

 Our day ends looking forward to the next activity!! But of course, after a good food... A man got to do what a man has to do...

After makan... we hang out near the fire to keep us warm.

To be continued..