Health Awareness #2: Strabismus a.k.a Squint Eye

When I was 18 years old, I was diagnosed by an Ophthalmologist of having Strabismus also known widely as Squint Eye.


What is Strabismus?
Is a condition where your eyes are not properly aligned with each other. For example, you are looking towards one direction but somehow one of your eyes lost focus and sway to the side. Strabismus is mostly found in children.

Example :

Picture taken from kgn.orgn

My parents didn't aware of this condition since I wasn't born with one. I started to realise it when I was in high school at the age of 15 years old. It started during one of the night tuitions with my friends. I was talking to her and she saw both of my eyes weren't coordinating together. One of my eyes look away to the side. It happened quite frequently during night tuition especially when I am very tired. Sometimes when I talk to her,  my eyes get stray away and she would wave her hand in front of me and said "Wui..!! " or sometimes "Hello???". 

Since then, I became much more self aware of this condition and a bit confusing. I told my parents about it, but they sort of think is nothing much or perhaps think that I am too tired to focus. 

I let it drag for years till one day my friend said to me "Hey, no offence to you but I have been noticing that you might have the same eye condition as one of my family members" I was shocked! Because all these while, I thought I was the only one having this condition. He told me that his cousin went to see an eye specialist and undergo an eye operation to fix it. 

Hearing that, once my mum came back from work, I insisted to go for an eye check up. In my heart, I wanted it to get fixed as soon as possible. I google here and there and found International Specialist Eye Centre (ISEC) located at MidValley. Check all the doctor profile and found the most suitable Ophthalmologist named, Dr Choong Yee Fong. He specialised in squint eye condition. 

I underwent an eye surgery for both of my eye where Dr Choong helped me to tighten both of my eye muscle. The healing process after the surgery is not a smooth one for me. I couldn't open my eye for a week, that's where I truly experienced how was like to be a blind person. I was extremely sensitive to light, whenever I see light, I would scream. The light shone on my eyes were painful enough to make me tears. For the first few days, I need my mum to guide me to the toilet and feed me but after awhile I got used to it and try my best not to depend on anyone. 

After 1 to 2 weeks, I could slowly open my eyes. Though my eyes were still reddish but it wasn't painful anymore. I was really happy with the result, I could focus on my work better and experienced less frequent headache. Strabismus could cause headache as well.

The best thing was I am no more worried about people keep asking me "hey, your eye looks crooked" or "Hello, I am here, why aren't you looking at me".  

After my healing process, I started to be more aware with the people around me. I can spot people having strabismus quite easily and it makes me wonder did they know that this can be fix. Perhaps they aren't aware off or no one dare to tell them that. If it wasn't my friend that were brave enough to tell me, I will be still suffering from strabismus. 

I would like to write this blog post to pass the message around so that people will be more aware off Strabismus. It could happened to your closest friends or even family members. 

Be brave and tell them that what you have been noticing and encourage them to go for a check up. Some Strabismus conditions that aren't so serious could be cured by constant eye exercises whereas serious one need surgery. 

Do not be afraid and embrace it with courage :) 

Sincerely, 
Elena

Health Awareness #2: Illness called Traveler's Diarrhea

During my travel around Cambodia I have developed severe diarrhoea after eating Japanese Buffet in Phnom Penh.

I think it should be the fresh Oyster that make me sick !! Perhaps I didn't put enough lime juice to kill off the bacteria? >.<

Beside that, I have diarrhoea at a really wrong timing!!! *damm*

The thing is the next morning I have to travel on the road for 8 hours to Siem Reap.

There is hardly any clean tourist rest room on the way.

The roads that we are using is comparable to a "Kampung Road"

*NIGHTMARE FOR ME*

So I swallows severals charcoal pills and some Chinese small little pills to get ready for me journey back to Siem Reap.

Thank God ! No urge to the toilet.

After that incident till I am back home, I still have occasionally terrible stomach cramping and bad diarrhoea.

Went to the see a doctor today that took me almost 2 hours in the waiting area!

I was diagnosed having Traveler's diarrhoea and will have to eat 4 types of medicine including antibiotic.

Went to the internet to google about Traveler's diarrhoea, found out that it has affected about 10 millions international travellers annually.

Usual symptoms are like abdominal cramps, nausea, bloating and three or more unformed stools within 24 hours.

I guess I am not alone after all...

My advice: When you are travelling, try your best not to take raw food! My case was I am too tempted because the Oyster looks so huge and taste delicious :(

Lesson learned !


Sincerely,
Elena

Cambodia Trip : Day 5 and 6

My tummy wasn't right, keep having diarrhoea the whole night. 

Ate countless of charcoal pills !!

I suspect it was the buffet dinner oyster !! :( 

I was on and off to the toilet during wee hours, was so tired and I fall asleep with my glasses on. 

Whole story about the diarrhoea stuff is here

We took a Van at 12 dollar one way to head back to Siem Reap. 

It was a bumpy and hot ride. No shade on the Van window T.T 

The Sun is Killing us softly.......

Depart at 7am only reach at 1pm 

For Lunch, I just head to the convenient store to buy a mee cup. 

For dinner, we just head to the same street food stall on the first day. 

On the way back, we saw Hyatt Hotel bakery called "The Glass House Deli Patisserie"  having 50% discount, quickly went in to have a look hehehe... 

The pastry was worth for a try especially it is on 50% discount. 

Sorry, no pictures, I remembered I took it but it is no where to be found in my camera phone. 

Unfortunately the ice cream doesn't have 50% discount. 

One scoop cost at 2 dollar ! 

Expensive but is worth a try especially is homemade :D 

Sugar Palm Flavour 

Honey Comb Flavour 

Day 6, our last day in Siem Reap. 

Called Costa for delivery ! 

Tummy filled up, we are ready to go back to Malaysia ! 

We took a Tuk Tuk cost 5 dollar to Siem Reap Airport. 

We noticed this Maybank ATM where you could insert your Maybank card to withdraw USD ! 

Impressed by Maybank :D 

We got hungry at the Airport after check in, thus we went to the only restaurant in the airport called Taste of Asia. 

Beef Lok Lak at 8.50 dollar 

Taste average. 

Phat Kaprao Chicken at 6.50 dollar 

Taste not bad with a hint of spiciness :)

For Dessert, we head to DQ known as Dairy Queen. 

It was once available in Malaysia but not anymore. 

Menu 

Blizzard Cup Sizes 

Drink Sizes 

Bilzzard Oreo flavour 

Taste good :) 

Blizzard Kit Kat 

For me, it wasn't a good combination. 

Prefer Orea :) 

Ready to take off to Kuala Lumpur !!

Bye Bye Siem Reap !! 

Will miss you ! especially the cheap message service plus the delicious Food :D  

Finally reached, KLIA 2 by 6:30pm ! 

Overall, it was a wonderful trip to Cambodia :) 

Cambodia Trip : Day 4

 The journey sleeping on the hotel bus is not bad, though occasionally I woke up because they have to stop to go for a toilet break. When the bus stop, the air con stop and it gets very stuffy :( 

Once I get down from the hotel bus in Phnom Penh, thing gets really confusing.

There is tons of Tuk Tuk drivers surrounding you, telling you to go with them and so on. 

Since I just woke up, I get confused easily and quickly walk away from the commotion. 

A Tuk Tuk driver saw us walking away and jump straight into opportunity. 

He seems very sincere and we bargain 15 dollar instead of 16 dollar for city tour. 

First Stop: Killing Field Choeung Ek

Entrance Ticket with Audio is 6 dollar

Audio is useful as it give you explanation on what had happened and there is hardly any explanation sign board in the killing field. 

Is a depressing place especially thousands suffered here before they die. 

There were about 8,895 bodies discovered in the mass graves at Choeung Ek after the fall of Khmer Rouge Regime

While you were walking around the killing field, you have to beware of where you step, bones is still scattered around the killing field. 

A Stupa is built for the deceased. 

Second Stop : Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum

Entrance Fee at 2 dollar 

Former is a high school and later was used as a Security Prison 21 (S-21) by the Khmer Rouge regime.

Tuol Sleng means "Hill of the Poisonous Trees" or "Strychnnine Hill" 

It is one of the 150 execution centres in the country and as many as 20,000 prisoners were later being killed. 

A few pictures of the site: 

For lunch, we head to Japanese Resturant which is just around the corner of Tuol Sleng Museum.

The Restaurant named is  Hiroshima Soul Food (H.I.B.A.R.I)

The Chef is a young Japanese man. 

Cant remember how much and what is it but I know for sure it taste delicious ! 

Chicken teriyaki at 4 dollar with rice ! Delicious as well :) 

Third Stop: Wat Phnom 

Entrance Fee 1 dollar 

Wat Phnom is a Buddhist temple built in 1373 and stands 27 metres above the ground.  

Located at the charming central point of Phnom Penh.

Fourth Stop:  National Museum

Entrance Fee at 5 dollar 

It is filled with old wood crafting in many shape and sizes.  

Fifth Stop : Royale Palace 

Opening hours: 7:30am - 11:00pm ; 2:00pm to 5:00pm

My advise you need to hire a guide that cost about 10 dollar because there isn't any sign of explanation. 

A guide could help you to know more about the Royal Palace history

Royal Palace entrance 

Royal Banquet 

This is interesting, every day the royal maid will have different colour of uniform.

Monday is Red

Tuesday is Orange

Wednesday is Purple

Thursday and so on...... 

Office Building 

This building is where all the diamonds and foreign gifts were placed. 

This is the place where the spirit live according to my tour guide. 

A Beautiful Stupa for the late King, according to my tour guide the Stupa is only build for the good kings and for the bad kings their ashes will be thrown into the forest O.O

There were once a rare White Elephant stable in the Royal Palace. 

But it was killed during the Khmer Regime and therefore extinct. 

Overall, it is a nice visit around the city tour. 

My Tuk Tuk driver bought us mask to protect us from the dusty road and smell.

Another advise, before you hire a Tuk Tuk driver, please look at the condition of the vehicle before getting in, mine was really old and along the way one of the side wood broke. 

Is a scary ride especially on the bumpy road with a broken side  ><!!

For Dinner, we head to Hanachi Japanese Buffet. 

According to the trip advisor review, it is one of the best Japanese Buffet in town.

A few pictures:

Overall, the food is not up to my standard,

I would rather spend my 24 dollar in another restaurant !

Disappointed :( 

Next stop is Brown Coffee Shop. 

As I enter into the shop, I could smell the aroma of the coffee beans! 

Drink Menu 

Ice blended mocha on the left and Ice Cappuccino on the right. 

Both were nice :D 

Next Morning, I will be heading back to Siem Reap again ! 

Look for day 5 and the last day of my Trip :)