Mochi the Escapee

We almost lost Mochi 2x in the recent few weeks. Once, Daddy Lim didn’t close the gate properly. When I figured out that the Mochi was not visible and the gate was opened, it was properly a good 10 mins. Nana and I ran out and found him trying to creep up to the 20th floor. Heng ah. 

Another time, Zaky rushed home to poop while Daddy Lim parked. We came home to Mochi locked outside the door.. Zzzzz. Mochi ah, you looked like any strays downstairs ah. Pls don’t try anything stupid 

We have completed the course of antihistamines last Wednesday. 

We were given 7 days of dosage and I think we managed to give him about 5 days worth of medication. We stopped the eye lotion after the initial days bcos it seems to make the area around his eyes worse with the constant moisture.

At some point, I thought he was better. Then, I think not. Haiz. 

We have made an appointment for coming Friday. I don’t think we needed to rush for the appointment; his condition isn’t life threatening. I think the next treatment plan for Mochi may be that procedure to flash out his probably blocked tear ducts. 

Mummy Lim

Battle Against Mochi

The vet had given us antihistamine for 5 days and also eye drop. It is half a pill each time, once in the morning and once at night, after food. I think nothing of the tablets, it was quite manageable when we had to give Mochi tablets the last time for his cat flu. 

The eye drop sounded scary. The vet said that it would be a team effort. I like how she puts it. Lol. Anyway, she suggested that we burrito Mochi, pried open his eyes and administer the eye drop. I think Mochi will hate us. 

In the end, the eye drop isn’t so bad. One of us just have to hug Mochi very firmly and the other does the eye drop. I don’t think the eye drop stings or makes him uncomfortable. However, Mochi still runs away every time after we finished the eye drop. 

The tablet proved to be the challenging one. On the 1st evening, we tried forcing the half down his throat. He somehow managed to spit it out and started foaming. I think the medicine must be super bitter. We eventually succeeded by hiding it in his snacks. Temptations not resisted. 

There are wins and misses. Daddy Lim and Nana each have some successes in shoving the tablet down his throat. It depends on whether we managed to push the tablet deep enough into his throat. Otherwise, we see Mochi making funny faces and out popped the tiny pill from I duno where and in cases like this, we missed our only chance and it would be impossible to try again. It is ok, I think he will be fine missing some dosages. 

My only successes are when I tried hiding the tablet in his food/ snack. It doesn’t always work. One time, I crushed up and mixed with a little wet food and offered to Mochi during dinner time. I left the rest of his dinner on the kitchen top. Somebody left the kitchen door opened, he didn’t touch the food with the pill but sneaked up and finished his table on the kitchen top. Zzzz. 

Another time, I did the same but this time, add the wet food back into his dinner bowl. He rather skipped his dinner, tried eating the part not “contaminated” by the medicine, then meowed for more food. I gave him kibbles; he rather eat the kibbles than his favorite wet food. 有骨气. 

Yday, after we failed with the wet snacks, I tried sneaking the pill into the snack bowl. He finished the snack and cleverly left the medicine in the bowl. See that yellow speck in the bowl? Zzzzz. 

I duno if the medicine is making him better. 

Some days, he looked really bad, but I am not sure if the medicine is not helping or it is the eye drop that made the eye area even more moist and thus raw. He tends to look better after I clean him with gauze. Can’t afford to be lazy now. Other days, he looked like he had gotten better.

If it is really allergies, then why did he suddenly develop ah? I tried recalling but cannot pinpoint what had been changed to result in an allergy and why one eye 1st? Allergy may be the bigger problem bcos he could be allergic to anything! How to find out ah? Pls do not ask me to feed Mochi medicine for a long time. I cannot. Zzzzz… 

We have another 3 days of antihistamines and will see how it goes. Another thing - we have noticed him sneezing and maybe a little stuffy nose too after the vet visit. Is it the antihistamines? Pls don’t let that be another cat flu. Zzzzz.

Mummy Lim

Poor Orhbakkak Mochi

I don’t know when it started but many months ago, Mochi started tearing. We cannot figure out the reason. It started off with the right eye. Other than tearing, it didn’t look like he Is in any discomfort. Some days, it is ok, some days, bad. Then, his left eye started tearing too.

On bad days, the skin around his eye gets raw and looks painful. I duno if it is the tears burning into the skin (so acidic?) or bcos he paws bcos he is uncomfortable. Since it didn’t quite irritate him, we let it be. 

On his 1st visit to the sitter’s place, SS said that she usually cleans the “tear/ tear stain” with water and gauze. We tried that too, especially on bad days but we are normally lazy. Any grooming is a pain. Hoho. 

During Mochi’s recent stay at SS’ place, she commented that he seems to tear excessively. Why ah? Stress? Anyway, the tearing didn’t let up after he came back. Oh yes, Mochi was also very clear about punishing us for leaving him at SS’ place after his return. He was meowing incessantly on the 1st night. 

A while ago, I told myself that we should bring him to the vet to have the eyes checked out. The time has come. His tearing and the rawness around the eye were so bad on Monday. Poor Mochi.

I tried to find a nearby vet that was opened and would take walk-in but couldn’t. The PH made it impossible. 

We eventually decided that it isn’t a live and death situation. He didn’t look in pain, in great discomfort or blind. I managed to make an appointment for him this evening. We were at the same clinic which seen him when he last kena the cat flu and we were taught how to give him the nasty antibiotics. 

Mochi was upset to be squeezed into the carrier and to be driven to the vet. He meowed loudly to show us his displeasure. 

We were on time for the 6.30pm appointment but it was still a long wait. Like that, why make appointment ah? 

The vet finally reviewed him at 7ish. She didn’t even open the carrier but simply looked at him. Mochi’s eyes looked ok, as in they are not swollen. His whites are white too and the discharge clear. There is inflammation around the eye, caused by moisture around the area for prolong periods. 

The guess is either allergies and he could be allergic to anything! Otherwise, it could be blocked tear ducts. Nana had blocked tear ducts for many months too when she was a baby and we had to massage around her eye areas for weeks/ months before the blockage cleared. We have to do that for Mochi too? 

Fortunately not but the solution is to put him under GA and have his tear ducts flushed. Ouch! The vet suggested putting some coloured dye into his eyes and see if any flows out through his nose. If it doesn’t, there is a probability that the ducts are blocked but we cannot tell for sure until the actual flushing procedure. The vet said that she was behind her appointments and asked if we were comfortable for her nurse to conduct that test. Errr.. like that got discount? 

The test was done in the back office. Heng ah, I didn’t have to see or my heart will ache. It took about 10 mins and vet came to say that no dye came out from his nose. Nevertheless, we were given antihistamine, in case it is allergies and eye drop to lubricate the eyes. If things don’t improve, then we should consider the GA and the flushing. If we decided on the GA, the vet will also do dental works and checked if his missing canines are fully dropped off or cracked. If latter, the remaining part had to be taken out, if any. For now, the vet said that his teeth aren’t too bad, just a little yellowish.

We were given 5 days of antihistamines. If it is not allergy, then there is no point in prolonging the medication. The vet mentioned that giving the eye drop is a team effort. Lol. That was what we did. Nana was hugging Mochi, Daddy Lim held his head while I pried open his eye and gave him the eye drop. He didn’t seem to hate it but the whole process was so dramatic. We had a harder time trying to feed him the antihistamines. It is half a tablet at a time. We tried to hide it in the wet snack and we failed. We tried to force it down his throat and we failed again and he started foaming instead. Zzzzzz. In the end, we had to give him more snacks and hid it in the snack. 

Mochi was very hesitant. 

He finally succumbed to temptation and finished the snacks. The pill disappeared too. Hopefully it is in his tummy now. The medicine will make him drowsy/ lethargic. I think he will sleep very well tonight. 

Damage: $140

The GA will be even more expensive.

Mummy Lim

Post Bangkok 2024

We arrived in Singapore on Saturday at closed to midnight. I was very glad to be back. Nana said that there were some turbulences during the flight. I think I slept through them. I woke up 30 mins prior to landing - Nana was binge watching her Netflix, Zaki fell asleep. I was hoping that his tummy wouldn’t act up until we got off the flight. Fortunately, all good. 

We were all very glad to be back home. I was saying that we already felt healthier the moment we got off the plane. It must be the Singapore air. Hoho. 

This holiday didn’t quite feel like a holiday. I have never bought and taken so much medicine during a holiday. I lost track of the amount of charcoal pills that we bought. I only got to eat the delicious Thai food on the 1st day. Towards the end of the trip, all our family had were clear soupy stuff, non-fried, non-spicy, non-dairy. Very un-Thai. 

The weather is another. It was so freaking, inhumanly hot on some of the days. The traffic is another. As each day passes, our tolerance for traffic jam decreases. Any need to travel more than 30 mins irks us. Suddenly, Singapore feels so good. Hoho. 

We arrived back home safely. Nobody wanted supper at the airport. By the time we unpack and were done with the 1st load of laundry, it was already close to 3am. 

Daddy Lim woke up at 7.30am on Sunday and declared that we should go for bfast. Huh? With the recovery of the stomach flu, it is time to 吃报仇. Throughout the day, we were happily eating. There were still the toilet visits but we were definitely on the mend. 

All in all, we had 3 big loads of laundry. Nana is definitely the winner for the trip, scoring crop tops, T-shirts, jeans, cargo pants…. Look at her mountain load of washed laundry. 

If there is one thing that I gained from the trip, it is to keep wanting to wash my hands with soap. Oh, we lost weight too. Yes, after a trip to the land of yummy food, Zaky lost 3kg, Daddy Lim and Nana lost 2.5kg. I lost 1kg, bcos my metabolism is sh*T and I was starting to eat well towards the later part of the trip, even if it was simply carbs and plain food. 

It really didn’t feel like a holiday. Even Daddy Lim agreed that we needed one more. Hohoho. 

Mummy Lim

Hello Bangkok Day 8: More Roaming

It was the last day of the trip. The original plan was a bicycle tour and we were supposed to bring T. However, with the 3 of them recovering, it didn’t look like a good choice to bake in the sun. I checked the weather forecast and the temperature was supposed to rise to the 36 and 37 at 12pm and 1pm. Hmm.. we decided to cancel the tour and at least this one was not prepaid. 

I went to the gym. It was empty. 

I again tabaoed bfast and while the rest of us had safe soupy food, Zaky had plain MacMuffin with no cheese. We lazed in the room and checked out at 11.30am, then headed to the Platinum Mall for more shopping and roaming. The boys were parked at the cafe. We had lunch at the same cafe. I had the remaining salmon that Nana cannot finish and this egglet. I had so many things that I wanted to eat but had to play safe. I was very much recovered but don’t try, just go home safe.

We had some buys but were getting bored of the same mall having walked it so many times. Then we discovered the Diamond Mall next to it and shopped a little bit more. Nana scored a cargo jeans and was very pleased. Zaky didn’t want lunch earlier and then had BK lunch instead. I asked for no tartar for his fish burger but forgot that it had a slice of cheese, which he told me after he had finished the meal. Win le. 

After the mall crawl, we went for the massage. The best way to burn some time.

The remaining time was to use the toilet and to squeeze the new buys into the luggage before our ride to the airport at 5pm. We booked a van for THB1.3k and took us about 40 mins to the airport. The ride was fairly smooth and so was immigration. 

Everything went well except for Zaky, who kept having tummy ache and kept thinking that he needed the toilet. He didn’t but kept trying and we kept waiting. We had dinner at this Thai restaurant. I ordered mango sticky rice finally. 

The one at Pratunam was so much nicer.

Then I tabaoed 2 mango sticky rice from another restaurant to bring home. Hohoho. 

The flight was ok. We still have the board me 1st privileges. I got the right seat for Daddy Lim this time. Why was he studying the safely manual so hard?

Bye Bangkok. 

Zaky wasn’t hungry during dinner. I had preordered hot meal for him and he was eagerly waiting for his meal. It was some mini chicken patties with rice. He said that the sauce was yucky though.

I was very glad to go home. I think Daddy Lim and the kids felt the same way. We will feel better upon landing as if the Singapore air did us good. It is so good to be home! 

Mummy Lim

Hello Bangkok Day 7: What Did we Do?

I hoped that they would all be well but it didn’t happen. Zaky and Daddy Lim both had the runs and Zaky had it bad. So much so that he woke me up at 2.30am, asking me if he can have some medicine that would stop the runs. He said that he LS-ed 5x in that hour. I gave him some charcoal pills. It helped! Thankfully! 

Morning came and we were all alive. At least Nana didn’t have to fight for the toilet with the boys in the night. She was feeling better. Daddy Lim only LS-ed a couple of times in the night and things improved for Zaky after the charcoal pills. The lethargic boys. We kept switching sleeping positions throughout the trip, depending who needed the toilet more (and be nearer) and the infected shall sleep with the infected. 

I went to tabao bfast with Auntie S and was telling her that when I was sick, it was one against the 3 healthy ones. Now that I am well, it was still one against 3. Zzzzzz. It was again MacD porridge and I also bought bread and ham. 

Daddy Lim and Nana ate some. Zaky had no appetite. We were the family of Miserables. We had actually booked via Klook the floating market tour. The meet up was supposed to be 1pm, to some market and then the night floating market, completed with the firefly boat ride. Sounded so good right? However, none of them were game for the long car ride, worrying about the runs along the way. Bcos we decided to give it a miss, the other family teenagers have no companion and decided to forgo too. So wasted! 

We really needed to have the room (and the TOILET!!) cleaned up. Daddy Lim made me buy proper hand wash soap, which I thought was stupid but it proved to be such a good choice. I felt like everything was so dirty and kept washing my hands with the soap for the remaining time.

We left to roam the mall, heading to the Big C after instructing the hotel to please clean up the room and toilet properly. We were hoping for a room change but given that it was a Friday and nearing the weekend, we had no such luck.

Big C isn’t great unless you want to buy snacks, groceries, beauty stuff or medical oils and alike. We hid in a cafe. Then decided to head back. 

Daddy Lim and Zaky went back to the room 1st. Nana and I decided to roam Platinum Mall a little. At 1st, she was barely interested. Then she bought some earrings, then more jibbits, then a shorts, an iPod cover… and her energy came back. This was obviously retail therapy in the finest. 

We headed back to the room, all cleaned up and the boys sleeping. The rest of the day was spent lazing around and watching Netflix. 

Then, I opened the only snack that we bought for the trip. 

I then realised that all other trips, we had snacks bcos I bought them. Hohoho. This trip, I was too sick and totally no appetite for snacks. Hoho. I am the problem. I couldn’t even finish the snacks, which is so off.

Nana was gaining energy. Daddy Lim was lethargic and nursing a low grade fever. Zaky was just sleeping a lot. We didn’t have proper lunch. They were all not hungry. I settled with the bread and ham from bfast. Dinner was at the same Thai Indo restaurant that we had dinner with Auntie S and kids on their 1st day. Nana vomited again before dinner. What we ordered for dinner were very safe and thus not appealing. 

Just these 3 dishes and 2 white rice and we cannot even finished. I am the one with the biggest appetite but I am so sick and tired of safe food and look with envy at the mango sticky rice and banana prata that Auntie S posted on FB. 

We all turned in early for the night. 

Mummy Lim

Hello Bangkok Day 6: Bangkok Safari World

We were back in the Center Point hotel for the next few nights. 

Nana had the runs the entire night, she was also feverish and finally vomited after complaining about how bad she felt since the middle of the night. Vomit is an instant relief but she was still in no state to travel. In the end, we decided that Daddy Lim would stay in the hotel with Nana, while Zaky and I continued with the plan to the Bangkok Safari World. No refund. T.T

I finally hit the gym with the boys at 6.30am.

The gym was empty. No surprises. Who exercises while on a holiday? Us! I completed my 4km, going slower than usual, while the boys were busy with the equipment, bench pressing here, training biceps there. 

We got MacD for bfast and some wanton mee soup for Nana. We chose not to opt for the hotel bfast, thinking of having delicious Thai authentic bfast for the next few days. In the end, what we could stomach were so pathetic.

The tour meet up point was also at Central World and we got there late but just in time for the bus departure. The bus departed sharply at 10am. I thought the bus ride was quite enjoyable. I had a seat to myself and could look out the big window. It was the 1st time that I had a proper view while on the road. While we were on the bus, Daddy Lim and Nana had to exit the room for the staff to make up the room. The room, particularly the toilet, was super dirty. I can imagine the germs everywhere and the toilet smelled really bad. I cannot tell if it was us or there was already a weird smell from the toilet. 

Poor Nana was trying to fight the fever and infection and lying everywhere. 

The bus ride took an hour but it was very much alright. What caught my attention was the plastic bag tied to every seat. Is that for rubbish or puke? Hoho. 

Welcome to Bangkok Safari World. 

The bus drove directly into the safari park and the animals were free to roam. Interestingly, they all kept to their pack/ area. 1st, it was the birds and some lazy camels hiding in the shade. 

Then the giraffes. So many of them. What does a giraffe do if it has a neck ache ah? My neck feels very tired just by looking at them. 

Anyway, most of the animals were hiding under the shade and snoozing. 

We entered another enclosure where the carnivores are kept. The lions. Sleep until… some of them sleep until 脚开开, so unglam.

The Tigers. 

The bears are the worse. One of them was even snoozing while soaking in the pond. Enjoy siol.

The safari tour took about 45 mins and this was the most enjoyable part of the tour. Then, we had buffet lunch that was included in the ticket. Daddy Lim ordered room service. Nana barely ate and then lay some more. At the dirty balcony this time bcos she said that the room was too cold. Zzzzz.

It was free and easy thereafter at the Marine Park. There were 4 shows available at 1.30pm, 2.30pm, 3.15pm and 4.15pm respectively. The returning bus was picking us up at 4.45pm.

We had some time to burn after lunch and walked around a little. It was freaking hot. It sadly took away the joy of visiting the park.

We headed to the 1.30pm dolphin show at 1pm, and managed to get seats in section cooled by the mist fans. That was an absolutely great choice. 

Then we realised that safari world was invaded by the Indians. The hosts were entertaining crowd with some music as many of us were early to try to get a seat. When some famous Indian tunes were played, half the amphitheater went crazy. It was that many Indians and too many considering that the other half of the amphitheater was occupied by Thai students (in purple).

The dolphin show was really good. No wonder the crowd. 

The highlight must be the dolphin whacking the high ball using its tail. I pressed the shutter too early and ended up with a dolphin horizontal in the air. Lol.

The seal lion show was next at 2.30pm. It was seriously too hot to enjoy the park and we decided to head to the show venue next. There were so many Indians. Some were crowding and blocking the way while others bumping into us. Their lack of spacious awareness was rubbing into us and then there was also the smell. Eeeewwwww…

So much so that the teenagers were whining about the heat and everything. We decided to cut the trip short, to catch the sea lion show and then take a cab back on our own. 

The sea lion show was less entertaining than the dolphins. 

We shared a 7 seater car back and were charged THB600. The boys were happy in the aircon car and were gaming noisily. The din only died down when we were near to the hotel and the boys fell asleep. 

We got back to the hotel and it was Zaky’s turn to run for the toilet. Oh no! He said that he felt alright and even went for feet massage with Auntie S and T. Nana was still very lethargic and Daddy Lim said that his tummy felt funny. Zzzzz. 

Zaky was officially down on day 6. He was tired, took a long nap, then started the runs and the fever. We tabao-ed omelette rice for dinner and a wanton mee soup for Nana. Nana ate so little. Daddy Lim took a little and decided that he needed to vomit. I ate the most and was the case for the rest of the trip.

Zaky still managed to eat after the long nap. He had some omelette rice but it was cold and I made him an instant noodles. He seemed stronger and hopefully didn’t kena as bad as the rest of us.

Officially, we were all down. All 100%. Zzzzzzz… The rest of the evening was just spent lazing around. Why like that? 

Mummy Lim