goodbye bubbles

Bubbles left us for Rainbow Bridge on 10 September 2010. He has been ill for some time now. His last major visit to the vest was about 3 months back when he was overly exhausted and after an extensive consultation with the vet, it was suspected that Bubbles had a heart ailment. His lungs had water and he was medicated with Lasix. He got better until the end of August when my aunt discovered that he had a lump near his penis. After a few days the lump got a lot bigger and we took him to the vet again. The vet suspected cancer but when he attempted a blood test, the results were false because the blood was mixed with pus. Again, Bubbles was put on antibiotics and was supposed to visit the vet again in 3 weeks. On the morning of 10 September, I received a call from my aunt who told me that it seems as though Bubbles was too tired to fight any longer. He refused to eat or swallow and was so weak that he could not even stand up. Being a public holiday, it was just crazy trying to contact the vet. Finally we had an appointment for 1pm. As my aunt was carrying him outside the vet, Bubbles bid us goodbye at about 12.50pm.

Bubbles, we will miss you so much, you beautiful boy with an even more beautiful soul. May you run like the wind, free from pain and suffering from now. You have taught us the real meaning of inner beauty and we will love you always.

Rest in Peace
25 November 2001 - 10 September 2010

Read more...

wait a minute ...

What happens when you want to do something that's right but you are stopped in your tracks by a man who thinks that he knows better ? I am relating an incident that recently happened to a close friend. She's in her 40's and in a downright horrible predicament. Her husband's (I shall call him "H")business went downhill a few years back and since then he's never been able to look for a job due to the specific industry that he was in. My friend whom I shall refer to as "J" has been the sole breadwinner. She is involved in a home business. While the business is doing well, it doesn't generate enough income to sustain the family's monthly expenses. She has 2 sons in their 20's who was somewhat forced to stop schooling when the money ran out. They great kids. A few weeks back, my mum's friend who owns a cafe asked if my mum knew of anyone keen on taking up a stall at her cafe and the first person mum though of was J. The start-up capital was small and manageable and J was an excellent cook. After some serious thought, J committed to the small business and decided that her stall would sell something that she was excellent at cooking - nasi lemak (coconut rice with side dishes and condiments). The deposit was paid and the necessities were purchased. A night before J was due to open her stall, H started sulking and refused to speak to J. All this while, J knew that H would find it hard to accept that his wife, a lady of leisure, would have to resort to working a stall to support the family. At 5am, J called to tell me what had happened and poured her heart out to me. I felt for her but what could I do. J was very worried that if she "forced" her way through and went ahead with the stall's opening that morning, H would retaliate and do something stupid. So she finally gave in and called mum's friend with a lame excuse of why she could not open that morning.

What would you have done ? Consider this....
1) The family is in a financial crisis and only J is able to contribute to the household income for now;
2) H is acting in a "I am man" manner and claims that he knows what he's doing by stopping J;
3) H claims to be concerned for J's health but is he ?
4) H claims that he is ok as long as J continues to work from home but not at a cafe;
5) H says that if J works at a cafe and she collapses, nobody will help her;

Do you think that H knows that the worst is yet to come ?

Do you think he knows that he's ruining the entire family's future by being too stubborn and carrying too much pride ?

I've told H that in order to look towards the future he needs to leave the past where it belongs....but would I be better off talking to the wall ?

Read more...

happy birthday ah ma - WE MISS YOU !

This is my maternal Grandma whom most of us fondly address as "Ah Ma"; even friends. September 4th would have been her 91st birthday and all of us have never stopped missing her. She was 80 years old when she left us in 2000. It was a hard and difficult time for the whole family because we all relied on her just too much. There is so much that many could and can still say about her and it would all be praise; praise of her faith, determination and strength. How the years have passed and with just the bat of an eye, it's been 10 years. There were too many questions in the beginning but now there is comfort that Ah Ma is HOME and taking the rest that she very much deserves.

Eternal rent grant onto her O'Lord and let perpetual Your light shine upon her. May Ah Ma's soul rest in eternal peace.

Read more...