Hello, I blog!

In 1999, my favourite bus service (back at my old home) was converted from a purely non-air conditioned service to a partial one (meaning that some buses would be air-conditioned and others, won’t.)

I liked the feeling of natural air blowing at my hair as I rode the bus back from school back then, so I voiced my displeasure. I wrote a letter to SBSTransit (known as just SBS back then) expressing my distaste for how air-conditioned buses will pamper Singaporeans in general and cause more environmental pollution.

It was written on pink Hello Kitty paper, and I dropped it off at the information booth at the bus interchange while on my way back from school.

I didn’t expect a reply. But less than two weeks later, I received a postcard from SBSTransit, thanking me for my feedback and that they’d look into it.

Unfortunately, the postcard was intercepted by my then-family maid who passed it on to my mother, remarking that I’ve become a meddlesome creature who was making trouble for big agencies. Both then interrogated me about what I had written in the original letter and lambasted me for it.

I was since then, barred from writing letters to ‘big government companies’ because I was merely being a busybody and they won’t listen to a small fry like me. I was immensely annoyed, but didn’t say anything.

Less than two years later (when I was 14), a new neighbour moved in – whose window directly faced my home’s dining room where I studied every afternoon. The neighbour proved to be a disturbing one. His/her son would without fail, blast his infernal techno music at full volume every afternoon. Either that, or he would practise his guitar playing with the window wide open.

And I was trying to study.

Bearing in mind I was no longer allowed to write to ‘big government agencies’, I wrote directly to the neighbour – basically telling him/her that his/her son had to shut the hell up for the comfort of the other residents in their vicinity and for the general peace and quiet of the neighbourhood.

There was the sound of loud yelling from that neighbour’s house one afternoon. Apparently that of the neighbour screaming at the son for the daily afternoon din. Subsequently, every afternoon was filled with the song of silence, with the son’s window clamped shut.

A few days later, mum pointed out the sudden silence, bemused. “Eh, our neighbour is no longer making noise ah?”

So I pointed out that it was because I wrote to them.

She went white.

Just imagine her response after that. (Hint: It borders on the line of hysterical.)

This story doesn’t have a moral. This memory just suddenly came back to me once fine day and I wanted to share this because you know, just because “you are a small fry” doesn’t mean that you can’t make a difference in today’s society.

Society generally frowns upon people who speak up more than they should. But if everyone keeps silent at everything, there wouldn’t be change. Be daring to speak up, no matter how young you are.

For the past one and a half weeks, I’ve been on Cyclosphorine to suppress my immune system. (I suffer from autoimmune urticaria since about 6 years ago, which turned aggressive only recently, basically causing my body’s immune system to attack my own skin and occasionally, joints.)

Cyclosphorine
Cyclosporine belongs to the group of medicines known as immunosuppressive agents. It is used to reduce the body’s natural immunity in patients who receive organ (for example, kidney, liver, and heart) transplants.

When a patient receives an organ transplant, the body’s white blood cells will try to get rid of (reject) the transplanted organ. Cyclosporine works by preventing the white blood cells from doing this.

(Adapted from MayoClinic.)

It’s a pretty darn strong medication, commonly used to suppress the immune system of transplant patients to prevent organ rejection. I initially had my reservations about it, because of its multitude of side-effects, but eventually took the plunge because otherwise, the illness would just get worse. (And I’ve stopped responding to even the strongest H1 and H2-blockers out there.)

Well, it’s taking its toll – numb fingers and toes, the constant feeling of fatigue and weakness and the occasional nausea. And recently, low-grade fever. All part and parcel of being on Cyclosphorine but side-effects aside, it’s doing a pretty good job and preventing my flare-ups … so far.

I also need regular blood tests to ensure my white cells don’t fall too low, or that my kidneys don’t fail.

Above all, I’m also glad I’ve (finally) managed to find an awesome allergist/rheumatologist to take care of me. He’s one of the very few here in Singapore, so I’m mightily glad.

The doctor, a couple of friends and this forum (contributed to by a host of other people around the world with the same medical condition) has been a great source of support so far.

So, if you know me in real life and have been wondering why hadn’t I called you out in aeons for shopping/lunch/dinner/just bumming around, now you know why. I’ve been basically devoid of energy for quite a while. Please be patient with me, though – I’ll be back to my old self once I assimilate to Cyclosphorine!

Until then, please pardon me while I conk back off to sleep in bed. G’nitey.