My beloved Tong Yuen has been diagnosed with severe kidney failure 9 months ago and was just given weeks to live. Since then, every day with him is an added bonus. We take him to the vet regularly for blood test and has been commenced on Forkekor three months ago and Azodyl six months ago (only available in the state). Since the cause of his kidney failure is unknown, we were happy to try anything available in the market. The blood result this time has amazed us as one of the blood test indicate renal function (Urea) is back to the normal range whereas the other indicator (Creatinine) is not too far away from normal. We just hope that he can stay happily alive for many years to come.
August 06 Urea - 22/  Creatinine - 432
May 07     Urea - 9.6 / Creatinine - 291

I didn’t expect myself to go on holiday for this year after came backfrom Japan. William is going to Shenzhen & Shanghai for 2 weeks and I can’t imagine living without him for such a long time. The ticket was only 380pounds by Virgin, it is just too tempting to go. I always have mixed feeling about Shanghai …is it just another blooming city or there is something deep inside…..with see ….

I know ..people already started to ask me if I have got any family or friends in Japan. Me & Will has just spent 11 days in Osaka, Arima and Shirahama. We had a fantastic time and caught the best time for cherry blossom. I have been longing to see the full bloom there and the timing can’t be better. We took about 1000 photos and upload a third of it. Enjoy!

Can’t believe it is 2007 already. Been living in UK for 13 years, met William for 8 years, married for 2 years & had Tong Yuen for 4 years. Year 2006 has been quite an eventful year. Me & William went to Athens for Valentine’s Day, HK & Japan on April, River Thames Cruise holiday on Oct, Paris on Nov & Prague on Dec. I think I should stop saying to myself that I have so little holiday. Looking back, August 2006 is definitely the most exciting, dramatic and sad month. First, William have been told he has been selected to work in New York for a year. The world has been turned up side down and we were busy accepting this news and started packing up. Before the news sink in, he was then been told he couldn’t go because of his visa. At the end of August, the world has turned up side down again when our lovely Tong Yuen has been diagnosed with end stage chronic renal failure out from the blue. We thought we would lose him in few weeks time and our baby is going to heaven. Five months now on, he is still happily living. I can foresee this year will be filling with excitement as well. William has been in Inforsense for 2 months but already been promoted to be product manager; and I hopefully can get the senior staff nurse post. The research has started to kick off and I can’t wait to face more challenges. I like to be stimulated mentally and hope I can be as successful as William on career.

December is one of the most important day in our family. Grandma birthday party is the time when everybody gather and catch up with each other. Her present was prepared 6 months ago when I was in Japan. I saw this beautifully crafted walking stick in the department store and fell in love with it straight away. Grandma likes pretty things and I am sure I have made the right choice. For the past few years, there didn’t seem to be a family photo session for the whole family. We brought our camera and tripod and took some lovely family photos. Grandma looks so elegant. I have made a photobook as a Christmas present for grandma this year. I hope she has many more years of healthy and enjoyable time to come.

There has been on the news that trader from investment banks are getting a massive bonus this year. One of the guy has received a 51 million pounds bonus due to the massive profit he made in his performance this year. I am sure trader has a lot of pressure from work and every decisions they made can have a big impact to their company profit. Isn’t it same as doctors? They work long hours, they do long and unsocial hours shift. Every decision they make can be a matter of life and death to someone’s life. Are they not worth it? Is the salary and bonus you get subsequently determine whether you are worth it or not? In that case, maybe money worth more than life.

Took Tong Yuen for a blood test 3 months after the water sac after his right kidney has been drained. Since the vet only gave him few weeks to live after he was diagnosed from chronic renal failure. I was expected for the worst to come. Luckily, his renal blood result hasn’t change for 3 months now. Not getting better but not getting worst. If he can stay with this renal function (he probably only has 10-20% of renal function), then he may be able to stay with us for few more months. To be honest, every day is a bonus now. He seems to be such a happy cat which matter most to us.

Just spent a long weekend in Prague with William & Melody. We stayed in a lovely studio apartment right next to the old town. Surprisingly, the price is similar to staying in the hotel. It has been my first time going to eastern Europe. Since it is Christmas, there is a Christmas market in the old town. Compare to the one we went in Cologne, this one is much smaller. However, we did enjoyed ourselves greatly. 3 days is enough to visit most of the tourist attraction there: Jewish Corner, Prague Castle, Charles Bridge and Old town clock tower etc. Spent quite a bit of money in our holiday this few months, nothing should happen until our big holiday in April 2007.

Oh …don’t know where to start.I have known Justine from work for 4 years now. When I first worked in the work, she has been allocated as my mentor. She has been very supportive and always try to push me to achieve my potential. I have received many encouragement and praise from her which has helped me to build up my confidence as a nurse and as a person. Justine has excellent interpersonal, nursing and management skills. Even in very stressful situation, she seems to have done it with such a calm manner.  As a friend, she is so fun to be with and I am going to miss her very much. Now, mother hen has gone home and it is time for little chick to grow up and support the others.