Life after birth

Just something I wrote 5.5 years ago.

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It used to be all so simple.
There I was, all growing up quite comfortably in this nice warm surrounding. A bit claustrophobic, but more snug than anything. Everthing I needed, I had. Everything I wanated, I got. But I was told that there was more to life than just hanging around, taking the occassional swim. I didn't quite believe it, I waited and waited, and life was pretty much status quo, I continued to live my life my own way, and it made no difference. I mean, who have thought that there's such thing as life after birth?

So I made myself comfortable, becoming quite attached to my nice umbilical cord. It was my everything, my food, my air, my companion, my life possession, my life. I caressed it, fondled it and treasured it. Where would I be without it? Quite unimaginable.

Then it began on 2 Sept. My precious failed me, I panicked. I had gambled my life's hopes on it, and my dearest umbilical cord just gave up on me. It really started getting cramped, claustrophobic, and tight. My walls around me were caving in, my life was falling apart, my fears realized. My end had come.
It felt like an eterrnity, but next thing I knew, I saw the light at the end of the tunnel. It was blinding. I thought I died, but I lived, I found myself alive instead. What do you know... who would have thought that there's life after birth.

It's 5.04pm. I was born Goh Chang Jernn to 2 proud parents (Soo Sing & Sha-Rin), and 2 other annoying kids (Chang Hann & Di Yann), all of 3.1 kg and 49 cm.

Funny thing is that I wonder how real my life will be this time. Next thing they tell me, there's life after death.

Peace in Chaos

I love taking the boat shuttle into town daily - away from the hustle and bustle, no incessant honks and crazy motorcyclist find new ways to kill themselves.

It's a 20 minute peaceful quiet ride, which I can find time to do my QT (when I wake up bit late), eat my apple (breakfast), read some, prayer or just reflect.

I did some reflecting recently - about life here in Vietnam.
God opened the doors some months back, for the family to relocate here - and we are exceedingly thankful. God is really really good - my kids are fully settled in school, family settled in the country.
My kids got back a "progress" report, and I was just blown away at the detailedness of the report, and just how positive it read. Least to say, it is a completely refreshing change from the school reports from Singapore (won't say too much...).

I am extremely thankful my wife found her Quiet Time grove - she is God's gift to me, someone whom I treasure and love dearly.
We have started to get to know a few families, and I can already see good fellowship/friends ahead.
I've also started attending Men's Fellowship (see previous article), and look forward to it, to closer fellowship with fellow men in the faith.

And yet, all that could change within days or weeks - we live in an uncertain world.
In addition to the chaotic past few months (work wise) - I can honestly say I am really really contented right now.

Our version of peace is often defined by the lack of chaos.
It is peaceful, when the kids are asleep.
It is peaceful, when I'm chilling by the beachside, reading a book and lazying away.

Is it true peace, when it can be so fragile, easily shattered by our circumstance and what happens around us?
Can we actually have peace, in spite chaos around us?

One song which completely blows me away is "It is well with my soul" - lyrics below.
The background to the song is tremendous. Spafford lost his 4 children in a ship accident, wife survived. Eventually, he wrote this hymn in com­mem­o­ra­tion of the death of his child­ren.
How is it ever possible to have peace, after losing 4 children?
How is it ever possible to write that it is well with my soul after such a tragedy?

And yet, when we realize that God is in complete control of our lives, the good and bad, and that no matter what happens, how bad it is, Christ has already died for us, and redeemed us from the grasp of the evil one into the bosom of our heavenly Father.

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/i/t/i/itiswell.htm

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Refrain

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

Refrain

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

Refrain

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

Refrain

But, Lord, ‘tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh trump of the angel! Oh voice of the Lord!
Blessèd hope, blessèd rest of my soul!

Refrain

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

Refrain

Men's Fellowship

I stepped into a "church" building some 33 years ago.

I became a Christian some 16 years ago (yes, took me some time to get my act together) - and in all these years, I've had cell/bible-study/home groups grouped together based on faculty (Commerce Christians in Uni), type of student (Fellowship of Overseas Christians University Students), families (at Adam Road Presbyterian Centre), work (at my previous work place).

Strangely, I've never had a group based on... gender.
Sure, Ladies Fellowship was quite common (not that I was ever part of one), but Men's Fellowship? Anyway, I attended my first today!

The plan was to meet at 7am, once a week (and strangely, I found myself waking up almost every hour last night, checking the time, so that I would not oversleep).
A bunch of grown men, sitting around a table, with a cuppa - and you know what? I was really really encouraged.

A guy who shared that he was a fairly new Christian, and that he struggled from things going too well (erh.. sorta) - and I was blown away! After struggling with prosperity gospel previously, that was just refreshingly.... mature. It normally takes a good evangelical matured Christian to realize that things going all too smoothly, isn't always a good thing.

The dynamics are different from the family based (scripture based, but grouped by families I mean) bible study. There are struggles that us MEN have to deal with, and it's just encouraging that we can support each other in this way - what a revelation!

And that's why they have Ladies Fellowship all these years- we Men have been missing out!

Hebrews 10:25

Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Dinner @ BenThan Market

We had night out, adventuring out for dinner @ the big market in the middle of the city - Ben Thanh market.

We used the universal guide to choosing food place - crowded with locals eating - which seems to almost never fail (hygiene optional). Well, this place seems akin to Seafood food stall @ old Newton, complete with touts and lots of types of seafood (see pix on right).





But what really caught our attention was this! 3 little frogs, still alive and strung up - for sale.

I must say that they didn't look all that happy, besides the top frog having the smell the b*tts of the bottom 2, their attempts to jump to freedom seemed a little futile.






[Right Pix] Here are my kids (happily smiling) posing with the frogs (not so happy), and other seafood for sale - all kinds of shell fish, snails, prawns... etc.



We don't eat the food raw.... it's grilled out in front [left]


The stuff is really fresh - the fish is wriggling on the grill. And very reasonable, we ordered Red Snapper, which was gutted live, seasoned and then grilled - which costs about S$8.

Definitely repeatable.

There was something interesting, which we only saw later, a deep fried sticky rice ball. A must try, the next time.



Oh, but recommended not to sit next to the "slaughter" table... bit noisy (with squeeling frogs, jumping fish being smashed), bits of stuff flying all over ... messy....

Private Jet Adventure

I got to fly on a lear jet, although i was most disappointed that there was no champaigne, strawberries or even choice of movies.

how did it happen? it's a story in itself.... so here goes.

it started on tuesday midnight. i had a gastric attack, and after 2 gastric pills, i was sorted out.
on Wed midnight, the gastric attack hit again. but this time, after the gastric pills, panadol, antiacid, the pain didn't go away. the pain was a little different. gastric pains, comes in waves. this time, it was constant acute pain, that didn't go away. i tried to even induce vomit, but didn't feel better.

at 4am, i decided that i couldn't tahan anymore, called the customer service and ordered a taxi.
we (with my wife of coz) headed to the nearest hospital "International SOS", and didn't find anyone there. after 5 mins of calling out, someone finally appeared.
first order of the day, was painkiller to rid the pain. eventually it did go away, although it took a while, when the first "mild" dose didn't work.

The doctor then did ultrasound *what... did I look pregnant?*, but found nothing wrong with the other organs. i also did an ECG *in case there is heart infection*, but came out nothing. another ECG 1 hr later, confirmed nothing wrong with my heart.
Blood test showed a slightly higher count of white blood cells (possibly of infection), but nothing series.

after eliminating most options, it was thus left to it being gastric.
appointment made at the French-Vietnam hospital for endoscope, so made my way there, for an interview with the person who was going to do the GA whilst i do the endoscope *decided not to brave a tube sticking into my throat searching my stomuch, w/o one*.

then i headed back to SOS hospital to rest.
the SOS staff paid a lot of attention to my neighbor, where were going to be evacuated to bangkok for some treatment, but they kinda left me alone. the nurse did pop in every hour, to ask if i was ok, and i said "pain", then she left - doing nothing. great.
i got a bit fed up, and questioned why she wasn't giving me any medication, whether gastric or painkiller, and the nurse says I am already full of gastric meds. i get to take panadol though...
I questioned another staff, who called this canadian doctor, who reprimanded the nurse right in front of me, then reprimanded me (your job is to tell me that u have pain, not that it is gastric)... duh.... what on earth have i been doing whole day?

well, at abt 4pm, the pain started at where the appendix was, and another doctor (thank God, not the scummy one) eventually decided to sent me for CT scan.
they transferred me to a stretcher, i closed my eyes to enjoy the ride. suddenly, the smooth surface i being wheeled on, turned to rough pavement, and feel motorbikes zooming around! i opened my eyes, and i was on the streets of Ho Chi Minh! i soon reached the ambulance, and loaded in, then headed to another hosp.

after the scan, the accompanying nurse showed me the report which said "accute appendicities", and said that likely i needed surgery. i was quite pleased, coz they finally found the cause of the my pain/problems.

well, dr. scum received me back at SOS, and told me i had 3 choices: medivac to Bangkok (????), Singapore, or FV hosp in HCMC (best healthcare around, but not up to standard of bangkok or singapore). after consulting my bosses, and the SOS international folks in singapore, we decided to go FV hosp for consultation, and if confirmed needed surgery (dr. scum said likely don't need one, but only surgeon can decide), will fly offf to singapore.

halfway there, the ambulance turned around, and returned back to SOS.... the accompanying doctor, looked at the CT scan, and informed dr. scum that i need surgery. so arrangements was made to fly back.

at abt 8pm, the hosp started to arrange for my flight (and they started to be then really nice to me... sheeze). well, by 2am, i was transferred to hosp, headed to airport, loaded on the private jet... yes, the lear jet.

oh Lear Jet, yes, pretty small, just enuf space for2 rows of chairs. they stripped one out, to fit in a stretcher (and me on it). lifted off 3am, reached singapore 5.30am (1 hr time diff), reach Mt Elizabeth hospital at 6ish, wheeled into operation room 7am.

just a 20min procedure, and i was wheeled back to my room, all drugged from the GA.
Surgeon did show me a pix of my appendix, and said that it was very close to bursting, and just made it in time, so thank God.

so, here i am, in singapore, stuck for a week or so. waiting to return to my family left behind in Vietnam HCMC. sigh....

Interesting last day in Singapore

It's been a crazy month.

nearly a week away for church camp in early June.
Then 1 week in Malaysia, and another week in Philippines.

And I had to pack for 3 years in Vietnam (I'm relocating there, for the uninformed) to move on 2 July. I intended to leave earlier on 1 July, run some errands and start packing - so I left office at abt 3.45 pm.
I head into Clementi Ave 6, and swing into AYE (thru this loopy road). As I near AYE, I see a white car in front, and turned my head to the right to look out for traffic. There's a bus, slowing down at the bus stop - so I slowly go forward.

BAM!

uh oh.


Here's another look











MY FIRST ACCIDENT! and it had to be a police car. sigh.
Strangely, the 2 policemen got out, and didn't look too pleased.


oh... this was what my car looked like:


I was a little surprised to see so much damage on them, and relatively minor damage on mine.
Yeah.. number plate got totaled - oh well.

so much for my plan to run errands and pack.

they called their supervisor, i had to wait. supervisor comes with camera man.
followed the police car to Queenstown police station - to take police statement for damaging government property... urgh.

i finally finish at 5.30pm, just enough time to rush to IDAC before they close at 6pm.

Did I mention I was going to fly off at 7am the next day?

Injection Party

For a different kind of family outing, we decided to get ourselves vaccinated (thanks Liz for the tip), so we trotted to TanTockSeng Hosp - Travellors Clinic.
After a quick consultation - the nurse was really efficient, going through all the kids' vaccination records from diff countries, and ticked off all the jabs we need - a total of 14 injections plus a blood test for the 5 of us... whooppie! Yes, 3 of each of us, with my oldest son getting only 2, and my wife getting the icing on the cake - blood test. "lucky" her....

Now, the kids were surprisingly not all that excited about this, when my wife mentioned it the day before (note: never tell your kids that they are going to get injections before hand). when I got back on Friday night, they spent considerable amount of time trying to get us to change our minds and skip this party! FUTILITY.

Where was I? oh yes, injection party. My oldest decided not to go first, so we got DiYann to go. I tell you, in 5 seconds, it was over.... 1 stab on the right arm, and 2 successive quick ones on the left. My daughter didn't even cry, scream... just looked a bit stunned that it was all over so fast.

My youngest went next... he did say "ouch" during the 2nd jab... but was smiley after that.
[my daughter was bit boastful, saying how she wanted more... bah!]
Well, my oldest went next.... froze, panicked, I grabbed hold, 2 jabs... and well... in case he ever reads my blog... let's just say that his reaction was unique. it's been quite a long time since we brought him for any injections.

[FLASH BACK! I immediately remembered some 8 years back. The first time we brought him to see the local Indon Paed, a Dr. Boy, he was ok. Stunned he was, when he got the first jab, the next visits... he really had the same fear/panic of needles.]

Anyway, we all had a good laugh, after it was over, with a sore left arm, and us covered with plasters.

Oh, we ended the party with a visit to Richard (see previous post), who was also at TTSH. Gracie had "invited" me a few days back to go visit, so I thot that since I was already there, and our kids have all been praying for him - it'll be good for them to see for themselves how God works!

When I got there, I heard Richard asking the doctor - so can I go home now? I nearly laughed. the doctor declined his request gently - wonder why.
But it was really nice to see him - reading newspaper, watching tv. He spoke pretty normally, with a slight swelling on his left head. My kids were surprisingly well behaved (i half feared that they would ask something really stupid/insensitive). We prayed together again, and left him to rest.

How God is so good. What a miracle of miracles... right before our very eyes. He is scaled down version of Lazarus, with all glory to God as God snatched him from the jaws of death. God indeed has a plan for him, a plan that would bring God even more glory.
We take our lives for granted - a good reminder that we are all on leasehold, with the tenancy agreement able to be expire at any notice.

Let us then live our lives, as how we shoud live - with God as God of our lives, and we as his children.

ARE YOU READY TO MEET GOD?
Better get your act together.
Don't wait for the eleventh hour, coz God could have arranged an appointment with you at half past ten.