Thursday, June 14, 2007

Lungs for my blood

I have been getting quite a number of suggestions on what to eat since the doctor told me about my low blood pressure. And some of them are organs of the four-legged mammal which also have four stomachs. Yes, I'm talking about our 'milky' friend, the cow. My mum and grandma told me that hati(liver) and paru(lungs) are very good 'untuk tambah darah'.
So one fine day, my grandma cooked 'paru masak cabai' (In case you don't know, cabai is chilli ladies and gentlemen). Everyone seems to like it except me. It was chewy like bubblegum but it tastes like erm - well, the point is I don't like it. So far, I only like the perut. Why? because it's almost tasteless! Haha! It goes great with curry.

The paru soaking away in the pot.


Side view - Veins!






Close up - Wonder what those holes are...

and finally.....



The finished product - Paru masak Cabai











Monday, June 11, 2007

Pirates' Syndrome

I was feeling woozy after spending almost four hours on a float at the water park on Wednesday. My guess would be because I was looking down at the water for too long while the waves dutifully carried me up and down.

The next day and the days that followed, I was still feeling like I was on the float. I jokingly told my sister that I now know how it feels like to be Captain Jack Sparrow. He always have that dizzy look and it is quite impossible for him to be walking in a straight line. That was how I felt at that moment. I felt dizzy whenever I move and sometimes I get headaches and I felt nausea. And then it hit me. Wow, I know how Jack feels! "Maybe I need rum" I told my sister. I suddenly have this absurd feeling that I can be a pirate ( Jack to be exact) and aboard the 'Black Pearl'! Come on, who wouldn't want to be Jack Sparrow,eh? Yer, landlubbers maybe. Hahaha...

Well, to tell you the truth, I've always wanted to be... nope not a pirate but an explorer. When I was a kid, I would usually grabbed my younger sisters along on my many expiditions through out the house. The sofas in the living room were the unchartered islands. My transportation of choice was obviously a boat or a ship, which was actually an old mattress of my grandmother's (we still have it). Amazing what a child can do with his or her imagination.

Imaginations aside, I tried thinking of a logical explanation for my headaches and the first thing that came to my mind was - brain tumor! One of my best buddies was recently diagnosed with Diabetes type 1 and that was enough to turn me into a hypochondriac. Thankfully, the doctor wasn't( imagine if he was..gasp) and so he was able to provide me with a sensible and logical explanation.

'Blood pressure is a little bit on the low side. Lack of iron' he said. Ah, it was nothing serious. And there I was telling myself that I was a pirate with a possible brain tumour. He gave me medication for my giddiness and some iron supplement. But yer know what mate? Apparently, rum has loads of iron where else coffee, prevents iron absorbtion! My, my... I'm in trouble now aren't I?