Never. Go. For. Bums. And. Tums. When. You're. Sick.

I created a scene today at Sugden when I suddenly collapsed in front of a class of like 50students at least whilst lifting my limbs and stuff during a very intense bums and tums session with a strict but brilliant instructor!

Oh MANSS the embarassment is undescribable.

But I couldnt help my vision field from closing, and my whole body from shutting down. Next thing I knew was I was on the ground, and from a distance a spinning vision of my instructor running towards me.

I was put in some sort of recovery position I think, don't really know what was happening for awhile with my head spinning like that.


Should NOT have went for bums and tums with this flu bug still stuck on me. Couldn't breathe properly even, how did I expect to be able to do that amount of crunches and what nots without enough oxygen going into my head!

HAHAHA I AM STIL FREAKING EMBARASSED LA. seriouslyyy. -_-

When Mr. Legg walked into the room to say hello to little Amy and Lewis this morning as their mummy was on the chair, I saw their faces lit up like lightbulbs being switched on a dark winter morning.

Lewis said with a bright smile on his face, 'Hello again!'

:) no I'm not exaggerating, its true.

And it warmed my heart, very much so. Its so refreshing to see no fear at all for once, no crying, no kicking, no screaming. Just pure and innocent pleased faces, pleased to see the dentist the children loved.


We deal with so much pain, so much fear on the 'chair' that it is sometimes very discouraging.

Just last week I had to deal with a very emotional patient on my chair. Ian needed 6 teeth extracted on his lower arch alone, due to being extremely broken down.

We have both been dreading the day when it has to be done, and when we actually got down to it, I mustered every bit of courage in me, in order to give Ian the confidence he needed to get thru this trauma.

We were both brave throughout the whole procedure which took abit more than an hour.

Ian joked, I laughed. I joked, Ian laughed. We tried to keep the atmosphere in Oral Surgery as relaxed as possible.

When it was all over, we both had nothing left in us to continue the forced 'cheerfulness'. I fitted Ian's denture, and bade him goodbye. He thanked me, and thanked me again.

Although deep in me I know this extractions will benefit him long term, I couldnt find it in myself to feel the sense of achievement. To feel like I did something good.
Even after Dr. Ali gave me all Excellents for the first time, all I felt was a certain numbness.

Numbness which turned into a deep set sorrow in my heart.

My sorrow deepened when Ian came back the next day, looking so forlorn and traumatised. The stress of it all has built up and consumed him, the stress of his personal problems plus the stress of losing that amount of teeth and having to wear a piece of plastic in his mouth, not being able to eat very well, and the wires digging in constantly.

He apologised countless times for being a 'nuisance'.

I told him he didnt owe me an apology. He had been through a lot.

And felt like crap afterwards for being partly a reason for his discomfort, with good reasons. He wasnt used to wearing a denture, and no new denture wearer will be completely happy with the piece of plastic no matter how perfect. Nothing is better than your own teeth, I always tell my patients.

Ian has been the best patient i had so far, he's such a lovely person.

His visits always results in bouts of laughter from ayesha and myself, tutors wil turn and look at us, asking us if there is a 'party' going on in our bay. Treatment is complicated for his case, he needs lots of work, but he's always so tolerant, always so cheery.

I wonder if its going to be a downhill road from now on.

It depresses me, what dentistry can and cannot do sometimes.



I hope at the end of this long and bumpy road, Ian will get the set of perfectly functional and reasonably aesthetic teeth we have been planning to get him. :)

Focus on the long term, Pei Lian, focus.

to my dearest friend :)

I hope the 24cupcakes brought birthday cheer to you over the weekend!

Thank you for always being there tua pui pei , you know we love you! :) xoxo

Jimmy choos, anyone?? :)

Who would wake up early on a Saturday morning to line up outdoors in the cold rainy UK weather to get Jimmy Choos at an 'affordable price'?

Yes note that 'affordable' in this context is VERY subjective :)

Yes Mr Jimmy Choo is a fellow Malaysian and his name is BIG (not even exxagerating! ) over here in the fashion industry.

I've never understood the novelty of it all, to me its just another overpriced brand.. so I decided to tag along and see just how much girls would go through to own her very own 'jimmy choos' :)

Rach, Jian Hui and I left the house 8ish in the morning ( I don't even leave this early to go to clinics OR outreach! ) , and when we reached H&M ( yes Jimmy choos in H&M for a day only hence the hype :) ) there was already a looong queue outside. The store wasnt going to open till 9am hahaha I wonder how long these people have been waiting!

So yes, we joined the queue for 'kicks' ( or rather I did for that reason :))
I was properly amused by the chaos inside the store, the way the girls actually snatched the dresses as soon as it came on the racks HAHAHA it really is madness :)

Didnt plan to get anything, for as 'cheap' as it may be, it still is pretty expensive.. but rach found this really nice and reasonable leggings so YES we all got sucked into it :)

So yes, now I own my very own Jimmy Choos, although not his shoes, but Jimmy Choos nevertherless :)


*post shopping therapy 'high'*


X X X

Last night we celebrated Momo's birthday at Zouk :), and had cake after at Abdullah's place :)

The boys

The girls

and mo's cute catterpillar cake :)

Thursday night's amazing christmas lights :) This will be my last christmas in Manchester, and I look back at many fond memories throughout my 4years (plus) here.


I'm so hungry, bums and tums have totally drained the energy out of me. Hahaha I know, very random. But whats new :)

Thank you, Fathoom :)




Lord, make me a means of your peace.
When there's doubt and fear, let me sow your faith.
In this world's despair, give me hope in You to share.

Lord, make me a means of your peace.
When there's a sadness here, let me sow Your joy.
When the darkness nears, may Your light dispel our fears.

I woke up with a start this morning with my patient Mr X in mind, my mind going thru again and again what treatment is to be done for him..planning and re-planning for the zillionth time.

And then my heart started racing thinking about all the 'What if's'.. and the 'What if' that has been bugging me for the longest time is 'what if something bad happens to him' or his family.
I think my bad experience with Mr Taylor who passed away so suddenly, is taking a toll on me mentally.

STOP it, Pei Lian. You CANNOT let dentistry take over your life.