IBS medical report

If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small. (Proverbs 24:10)

 

I got my medical report on last Friday from my gastroenterologist. He found no abnormality in my liver, kidney, bacteria, parasites or any inflammation in my digestive system. At first I thought I might have celiac disease, which is a kind of digestive disorder that results in the damage of the small intestine lining when foods with gluten are consumed. I do experience bad bowels whenever I eat gluten food. The doctor clarified that gluten intolerance is not the same as having celiac disease, though both may share almost the same symptoms. The only way to tell the difference is through the relevant blood tests which turned out normal for me.

 

The final hurdle I have to go through is to have colonoscopy done. The last time I went through the procedure was in the year 2005. I decided to go for it now though the cost has gone up so much since then (about $500 without subsidy compared to the present $1100 with subsidy) .This will put an end to this whole digestive system consultation. If the investigation turns out nothing wrong is with me, then the only explanation of my IBS (Irritable bowel syndrome) is my food intolerance and the only solution is to live with it and to manage my diet. For that, I am thankful to God for creating a variety of food resources so that I am still able to find suitable food to eat.

Who has the most influence?

'Train up a child  in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.' (Proverbs 22:6)

 

In the past, we parents tend to be the ones who influenced our children the most. We often accept it as a matter of fact without much thought over it. However, things are very different today- parents probably have the least influence over those under their charge, been overtaken by the media and peer groups.

 

On this issue, Margaret Mead in her book, Culture and Commitment: A Study of the Generation Gap, made some interesting observations. She said that there are three kinds of societal patterns in the American history, which can also apply to our society.

 

Under the Post-figurative, the line of influence passes relatively without much hindrance from the grandfather to the father, and to the son. The grandfather expects the son to hold the same values as his own, though he does not verbalize them. They work together in the same place, likely on the family business, have limited contact with people outside the family, hence, the family influence is very effective and strong.

 

With the industrial revolution, children came under new influence from outside the family, especially the peers, which overwhelmed the parental influence. This social pattern Mead termed as Co-figurative.

 

We are now in a Pre-figurative society, where there are thousands of voices crying out to be heard, enormous chunk of messages and information to be received and processed. Media pressure added on to peer pressure. We have never lived in this kind of internet world before which is quietly shaping us emotionally, intellectually and spiritually without actual face-to-face relationships.

 

What can we do as parents in such society? Sometimes I find myself lose confidence and feel like been overwhelmed by the under currents. The world is changing so fast that perspectives and values are changing rapidly too. However, we do know what values are unchanging in a changing world which we can impart to our children. We must do more than just live in the same house with our children, merely taking care of their material needs. Our responsibilities go beyond ensuring our children getting the good grades;doing the right thing at the right time, and at the right place. Sharing and talking are important weapons to counter the undesirable influences permeating in the society, or else we can end up merely as spectators of life. In fact, some parents are living as though they are still living in a post-figurative society. My mother spent a great time sharing her life experiences with me. Now I begin to understand why she has such a huge influence over me in my life.

IBS consultation

‘Man is like a breath, his days are like a passing shadow.’ (Psalm 144:4)

 

A recent medical consultation for my irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) led me to pay closer attention to my IBS condition as well as a clearer understanding of what might have happened in my inner body. In this sense, I must be thankful to a good friend of mine for her perseverance in pestering me to go for treatment. On hindsight I should not bear with it and let it deteriorates over time. The specialist ordered full panel of liver, kidney and thyroid investigations on top of six blood tests and three stool samples. My condition must be complex and critical. The total cost came up to quite a sizeable amount despite most of the tests were half subsidised by the government. Two of which were expensive and not under subsidy. I can understand why high medical cost here is a concern especially if one has a chronic condition.

 

Thanks to Goggle that I was able to get more information about these various tests. The stool samples were taken to see whether bacteria such as E coli, Salmonella, and parasites such as Amoeba residing in the intestines. The faecal fat is to estimate the percentage of dietary fat the body has not absorbed. From there doctor can assess how well the liver, gall bladder, pancreas and intestines are working.

 

Anti Endomy Sial lgA is the most expensive test and does not qualified for subsidy. It is used to determine Coeliac disease, an autoimmune disorder of small intestine , which when it is exposed to dietary gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley, the immune responses by mistakenly attacks and destroy healthy body tissue. This could lead to inflammation of the small intestine, making its inner wall less capable of absorbing nutrients. This blood test detects auto-antibodies in the blood system. Sedimentation Rate Erythrocyte (ESR) tests how much inflammation is in the body. Higher rate often associates with autoimmune disorder. C-Reactive Protein (CRP) is to test the protein produced by liver. Higher reading means that there is inflammation throughout the body, which may indicate inflammatory diseases and even cancers.

 

In conclusion, the source of my problem, according to the doctor’s diagnosis at this moment, can be due to: -

 

(1) Parasites and bacteria in the intestines;

(2) Inflammation in any part of the body;

(3) Gallbladder, pancreas, liver, kidney or thyroid not functioning well.

 

Come December I hope the tests will throw some lights into my conditions, failing which, I may have to go for more tests.

'Self-worth'

‘You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!’ (Psalm 139:13-16)

 

Almost two months ago I read with sadness that the famous actor and comedian, Robin Williams, apparently ended his life by committed suicide. It came as a surprise that the man who brought the world laughter, had been battling for severe depression for some time.

 

It is obvious that things are definitely getting better for most people with living standards going up and people are living much longer. We are in material utopia but unhappy lots. The great philosopher Aristotle ascribes high value to happiness when he defines it as a ‘highest good’. In his book, The Progress Paradox, Gregg Easterbrook concludes that the more progress a society is, the more its people are unhappy by looking at the number of depressed cases.

 

I think a person who struggled with his self-worth can never be a happy person. Too often people let other used yardsticks such as popularity, wealth, performance to judge his own significance. These are all ‘fluid’ parameters that are fleeting. How we value a person should be much more than that.

 

Easterbrook suggests some antidotes to unhappiness- to be optimistic, to show gratitude and acts of forgiveness. All these can make life more fulfilling, not only for oneself, but also for others. They give meaning and purpose to one’s existence. To the Christians, self-worthiness is never an issue as we are made by God and for God in his image with eternity destiny. Our worth is not really of the ‘self’ but the worth given to us by God as His children.

IBS

'The LORD sustains them on their sickbed and restores them from their bed of illness.'(Psalm 41:3)

 

My irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) has been getting worse over the years. It has practically paralyzed my social activities and keeps me home-bound most of the time. I would rather avoid embarrassing moments or having to compromise on the food I eat. Now it has reached a state that it is easier for me to name the food I can consume than telling someone what I cannot eat. When I said food that I ‘cannot’ eat it actually means food my body system cannot digest. I would have bloated stomach and bad diarrhea afterwards. For this reason, my diet is so unbalanced and restricted that my health is affected in a significant way that warrants attention.

 

On the persistent persuasion of a close friend, I decided to get an appointment with a hospital specialist to see whether there are underlying health factors contributed to my conditions, and whether there are new medical breakthroughs for sufferers like me. I found out from google that deficiencies in certain enzymes can give rise to such symptoms. Lactase deficiency can cause diarrhea for dairy products. Patients may be given liquid enzyme to help to digest lactose. Deficiency in producing enzymes by pancreas, gallbladder, intestine lining can also cause mal-absorption of nutrients by the small intestine. The other reason for diarrhea can be bacteria overgrown in the digestive system, so the appropriate measure may be is to give antibiotic or probiotic. The bad ones can ferment the food digested, especially starch or sugar. There is even be an enzyme supplement for those who have problems in consuming beans.

 

I realized there are as much as 20% of the population having this syndrome but most people would dismiss it as food poisoning unless they themselves could discern their diarrhea pattern with certain food sensitivities. Normally as we aged, our digestive system also weakened over time. I hope my problems are not something other than irritable bowel syndrome. Come mid-October I will have the answers to that.

Uproar over 'penguins'

‘Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.’( 1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

 

Recently almost everyone is talking about ‘penguins’. It all started with the national library decided to pulp some children’s books which contained homosexual themes, but later decided to put them under the adult section. Some people think that the authority’s decision is based on religion ground which is inappropriate for a secular society like us. However, even in a secular society, they forget that there are shared common values which have their roots in religions. Some parents even said that they are the one who should decide what kind of books their children can read, not the library. That argument stands only if it is within their private home, not when it is in the library which is a public institution which must uphold the common norms and values.

 

There are appropriate ways of understand people with different experiences, circumstances, and respect the diversity, but it can be beyond a child’s understanding and discernment. ‘Who’s in my family’ is about two siblings and their parents off for a day at the zoo, and discovered that there are all kinds of human families along with a variety of animal families. ‘The White Swan Express’ centred on the adoption journey of four families, one of which has two moms. ‘And Tango Makes Three’ is based on a story of two male penguins in New York’s Central Park zoo which made a nest together. Later they managed to hatch an egg given by the zookeeper.

 

In the bible, there is no big or small sin. Homosexual is ranked the same as other forms of sin. Whether it is homosexual activity, pre-marital or extra-marital, heterosexual are all sinful ways to seek sexual expression and fulfilment. The goal should be to pursue holy sexuality, as someone puts it. If we are single, choose abstinence; if we are married, then be faithful (marriage between man and woman).

In Memoriam: My dajie (1942-2014)

'Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow.' (Psalm 144:4)

My dajie (means eldest sister in Chinese), whom I loved most among my siblings, passed away recently.

 

Dajie suffered all through her life. She was born during the World War II. Life was very tough, coupled with the arrival of many siblings, close to one another. Being the eldest in the family, she shouldered the most responsibility of helping up my mother;she also bore the blunt of my mother’s bad temper. By the age of seven while her peers were looking forward to their first day in school, my dajie already helped my mother to tap the rubber trees and farming.

 

Life after married was equally tough. She had to put up with a mother-in-law who was very steep in Chinese traditions. Besides her four children, she had to take care of the four siblings of her husband. She never given a birthday treat or a mother’s day celebration throughout her life.

 

Dajie has many talents and her memory is superb. Despite been deprived of any former education, she learnt everything on her own such as sewing, writing. I had sweet memories of my childhood days because of her. She would sew beautiful dresses for me, taught me Chinese when I was very young. There was also those Shaw Brothers’ Chinese movie treats when she received pocket monies from my mother.

 

The last six months of her life was terrible, having to endure the severe pain and the side effects of the strong painkillers. We wanted to put her in a nursing home as it had become increasingly difficult for her to manage on her own. She hesitated till the last two days of her life. Such is her perseverance, endurance and selflessness.

 

My bonding with this sister is so deep and strong that the only force that is powerful enough to cut short such bond is death. Time will heal my grief and the void of my heart, but I am glad that her suffering and sorrow are finally over. She is now in God’s warm, loving embrace. One day we shall meet again.

Drivers of self-life

“For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.” (1John 2:16)

 

The ‘World’ as the Bible sees it, is driven by three things: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Among them, the pride of life, to me, is the worst evil as it motivates the other two lusts. It is also one that is most difficult to overcome. Everyone wants to build up oneself in his own eyes or in the eyes of others. It is in our DNA. To Christians, it means a failure to accept the reality of our utter dependence on God, instead see God in ourselves.

 

The pride of life has to do with cravings for attention, power, boasting of human achievements and desiring to gain worldly wisdom. Basically it is worship of self. The lust of eyes gives rise to endless desire for possessions, envy, addictions of all kinds such as sexual and fitness. The lust of flesh relates to sensual gratifications, gluttony. In any rise and fall of a nation, these three things are present as it reflects the fallen nature of human race. In the first stage, a nation grows strong, wealthy and powerful. It becomes arrogant of its achievements. When the top is reached, it does not satisfy. There is the usual fear of someone else will take over its prominence. Later, it enters the second stage of materialism, been preoccupied with things. There is this unquenchable appetite for more – homes, cars, clothes etc. The last stage centres on sensuality, been caught up with experiences of feelings, emotions. What really matter is how one feels about it. There is no absolute right or wrong. Everyone does what it is right in his own eyes.

 

Sound familiar? Where do we stand now in this country? It looks like we are already in the last stage. People are now advocating ‘marketplace diversity’ through recruitment and networking dinner for LGBT students. What does this phase mean today? It is more than gender identity and sexual orientation? That thought chilled me to the bone.