Monday night, Jeremy and I will be partake in the SBS Insight audience on euthanasia and I'd like to know your opinion on it.
For those who don't know, Insight is a debate/discussion program on the SBS network where the audience debates with each other and the program's guest speakers, prompted with questions from the moderator. It's a really great program with a good deal of input from all sides. There are no "winners" as the aim of the show is to facilitate and engage dialog among people of differing views (just the sort of thing I love).
The show tackles lots of hot topic issues like the legalization of marijuana, immigration, the war in Afghanistan and school bullying. As I said, we'll be talking about euthanasia because it's coming up for vote in the Australian parliament this quarter.
I'm interested in hearing what you think: should it be legal? If yes, under what circumstances? If no, why? Please leave your opinion in the comments and if you feel uncomfortable using your name, leave an anonymous comment.
Thanks!
Showing posts with label sick. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sick. Show all posts
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Sick of being sick.
Did I mention that I've been battling a cold for some time now? Today marks the beginning of week four.
It's so strange because I have such a rock solid immune system--I haven't been sick since Korea--but it seems the stress has weakened me. Or maybe it was the mold. I went to the doctor last weekend and she thought it might be a chest infection and put me on antibiotics but that hasn't done much for me at all. I'm still coughing and still losing my voice. And sneezing periodically.
When will this madness end? It seems to be worse when I'm laying down which pretty much stinks if you're trying to go to sleep. Any home remedies I should try?
It's so strange because I have such a rock solid immune system--I haven't been sick since Korea--but it seems the stress has weakened me. Or maybe it was the mold. I went to the doctor last weekend and she thought it might be a chest infection and put me on antibiotics but that hasn't done much for me at all. I'm still coughing and still losing my voice. And sneezing periodically.
When will this madness end? It seems to be worse when I'm laying down which pretty much stinks if you're trying to go to sleep. Any home remedies I should try?
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Another Day, Another Dollar
Still in Battambang. We tried to leave this afternoon but all morning buses were full with none in the afternoon and the boat to Siam Reap had already left. So, we're here another night. And J is still sick. He spent most of the day in bed sleeping while I amused myself with solitaire, tv and books. It's no fun when someone you love is sick. You never want to leave their side but laying around for hours is killer! Of course I do it with joy though. Doing nothing together is better than doing lots alone.
Bus tickets for tomorrow have been purchased! Hopefully some photos will be coming your way soon!!
Bus tickets for tomorrow have been purchased! Hopefully some photos will be coming your way soon!!
Saturday, January 24, 2009
The Long Road to Penang
The trip from Cameron Highlands to Penang was long. Too long.
It began with the bus breaking down before we even left the bus station. It would start up and then stall as soon as the driver put it in gear. I kept thinking, "It's probably the emergency brake and no one thought to take it off." But it wasn't. And as minutes turned into hours, we found ourselves wondering how we'd get to the coast. (Funny side note: J and I have spent SO much time together that I found myself thinking in his weird slang. As I got off the bus, I said to myself, "Okay, what's the go here?" Haha. It was EXACTLY how he would have said it!)
Eventually a local bus came and got us and took the long way to Ipoh so we could all get on another bus. But it was torturous. I was stuck in the aisle with no AC and no open windows. I hadn't slept much and the road was curvier than a 3 year old's handwriting. Even the hardest stomach would have done a few flips. I nearly puked a few times.
Once in Ipoh, it was a long wait for the next bus to show up. It eventually did but it was packed once again and our entire bus load from Cameron Highlands barely fit on. But we did and i got a bit of sleep on the way. However, our bus wasn't really going to Penang. It just went to Butterworth and we all had to scramble off through the sweltering heat with our massive bags and find the ferry across. It was okay and not really too hard to find but yet another unexpected detour. Pretty much everyone on the bus was expecting it to cross the bridge and drop us on the island.
Once there, it was yet again a long walk through the heat to our hostel. With almost no water and no food (save a couple handfuls of pistachios), we were exhausted. What should have taken 4 hours took 7. Ugh.
And that night's "Mexican" food was more like "Mexican inspired" Malay dishes. Since when did enchiladas come with french fries inside and a fried egg on top? *Bewildered Stare*
It began with the bus breaking down before we even left the bus station. It would start up and then stall as soon as the driver put it in gear. I kept thinking, "It's probably the emergency brake and no one thought to take it off." But it wasn't. And as minutes turned into hours, we found ourselves wondering how we'd get to the coast. (Funny side note: J and I have spent SO much time together that I found myself thinking in his weird slang. As I got off the bus, I said to myself, "Okay, what's the go here?" Haha. It was EXACTLY how he would have said it!)
Eventually a local bus came and got us and took the long way to Ipoh so we could all get on another bus. But it was torturous. I was stuck in the aisle with no AC and no open windows. I hadn't slept much and the road was curvier than a 3 year old's handwriting. Even the hardest stomach would have done a few flips. I nearly puked a few times.
Once in Ipoh, it was a long wait for the next bus to show up. It eventually did but it was packed once again and our entire bus load from Cameron Highlands barely fit on. But we did and i got a bit of sleep on the way. However, our bus wasn't really going to Penang. It just went to Butterworth and we all had to scramble off through the sweltering heat with our massive bags and find the ferry across. It was okay and not really too hard to find but yet another unexpected detour. Pretty much everyone on the bus was expecting it to cross the bridge and drop us on the island.
Once there, it was yet again a long walk through the heat to our hostel. With almost no water and no food (save a couple handfuls of pistachios), we were exhausted. What should have taken 4 hours took 7. Ugh.
And that night's "Mexican" food was more like "Mexican inspired" Malay dishes. Since when did enchiladas come with french fries inside and a fried egg on top? *Bewildered Stare*
Sunday, October 19, 2008
JOY to the world!
Reasons to be joyful:
1. I survived the bus ride to Hopa, Turkey from Erzurum. Holy cow. Miraculously, I didn't get sick until the very end. Our driver hurled our bus up and down perilously steep cliffs next to infinitely deep ravines (yes, at times the bottom was too far away to see) all the while speeding up as he rounded corners and passed cars in oncoming traffic. On one lane roads. With rock cliffs on the other side. I survived 6 hours of this.
2. We made it in to Georgia last night without many problems (though there was some minor confusion as to why people with anything other than a Turkish visa would cross the border in Georgia). My visa was free but Jeremy--poor guy--had to pay $60 for his. Ouch! And the sucky thing is that he'll have to buy a second one on the way back from Armenia. But mine was fee. So I'm happy.
3. My pension money from Korea finally came in which means that I won't have to leave J at the end of October and instead I can continue traveling for another month or two. Yay!!
4. Georgia is BEAUTIFUL and the people are NICE! Who would have thought? After all the miscreants and vultures we met in Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, India, and Pakistan, I was beginning to wonder if all the nice people in Asia had been corralled and held against their will somewhere.
5. My student loan has been deferred. Big sigh of relief.
6. I have the sweetest boyfriend. Here's a cute story for you all: we were staying at a hostel in Istanbul and I was feeling a little sick but decided to join him while he read in the common room. But the place was full of smoke and it was making me choke up so I got up and left, crawled into my little twin bunk bed, turned on the lamp, and started reading there. About 10 minutes later Jeremy comes peeking in through the door and curls up into my bed next to me. He said, "I was wondering where you went. I thought you went to the bathroom but you didn't come back and I missed you. I wanted you next to me." Awe! Melting... I'm melting... Cute things like this happen everyday and I'm so glad that I get to share this wonderful adventure with him. It's really bringing us so much closer and showing me everyday a million new reasons why I love him so much.
3. My pension money from Korea finally came in which means that I won't have to leave J at the end of October and instead I can continue traveling for another month or two. Yay!!
4. Georgia is BEAUTIFUL and the people are NICE! Who would have thought? After all the miscreants and vultures we met in Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, India, and Pakistan, I was beginning to wonder if all the nice people in Asia had been corralled and held against their will somewhere.
5. My student loan has been deferred. Big sigh of relief.
6. I have the sweetest boyfriend. Here's a cute story for you all: we were staying at a hostel in Istanbul and I was feeling a little sick but decided to join him while he read in the common room. But the place was full of smoke and it was making me choke up so I got up and left, crawled into my little twin bunk bed, turned on the lamp, and started reading there. About 10 minutes later Jeremy comes peeking in through the door and curls up into my bed next to me. He said, "I was wondering where you went. I thought you went to the bathroom but you didn't come back and I missed you. I wanted you next to me." Awe! Melting... I'm melting... Cute things like this happen everyday and I'm so glad that I get to share this wonderful adventure with him. It's really bringing us so much closer and showing me everyday a million new reasons why I love him so much.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Jack and Jill went up the hill...
So, J and I came ambling out of the woods yesterday after four days and nearly 40 km's of cold nights, barking cow dogs, heaps and HEAPS of manuer, three thunder and lightning storms, two boxes of matches, and two rolls of toilet paper. Today, we are two sorry heaps of pain--20 k's down-hill in one day isn't a good idea.
The original plan was to go up the Karakol Valley (20 k's day 1), then up to Ala Kol lake (10 k's day 2), over the 3,800 m pass to Altyn Ashran (20 k's day 3), and then back to Karakol (14 k's day 4). What really happened: late start day 1 and only halfway up the valley, late start day 2 and up the second half to the Ala Kol trailhead which was little more than a serious of conspicuous rocks that would their way through bushes, marooned in the valley day 3 due to bad weather, and after a lot of consideration of many different things, we decided to head back to our nice hostel in Karakol instead of traverse the pass.
It was a good decision.
Things that factored in to our retreat: first, we were squeezing our two bodies plus sleeping bags plus backpacks into a one man tent each night which made things really sticky and really cramped. Second, Jeremy has a liquid fuel stove which he bought thinking that it would be hard to come across gas out here--um, no. We had to use petrol instead of clean white gas or kerosene and it really wasn't too high in quality; lots of sputtering lead to a lot of wasted matches and with only a box and a half left, we weren't sure going so high or so far without ample supply would be very smart. Third, the weather was getting a little if-y. We went through several thunderstorms which consquently dropped a bit of snow on our intended path (enough that we could see it a good 10 k's and 1,000 m lower) and that made me nervous. I really didn't want to lose the path in the snow and since we were following a rather vague map, it was probably best we only try to cross sans snow. Fourth, the animals. Night two a herd of cows moved in to our camp and we were constantly waking up in fear that something was lurking outside. Night three, the cows and the herders moved on but their howling cow dog was sadly left behind and consquently kept us up all night thinking about bears, snow leapords and wild packs of wolves. (I'm a little ashamed to admit that last one.)
But, we did have lots of fun and lots of adventures. We saw the most beautiful valleys and peaks I've ever seen with amazing glacial rivers that looked like blue slushies. We saw truly majestic horse herds move down roads, along the river, through lush green pastures, and among some yurts. We witnessed some truly amazing clear night skies which made the whole milky way visible. We entertained ourselves inside our little tent with a cramped game of Uno, goofy sleeping bag photos, watching Juno (the movie) on my iPod, and creating our own Kyrgyz myths of the Heti (Kyrgyz yeti) and the Karakol Valley Witch (sister of the Blair Witch)--I'll post the stories later. Oh, and night one, in the middle of a deep sleep, Jeremy says, "I gotta get out. Move." I was a little confused and slow moving so Jeremy just kinda pushed me out of the way, ripped open the zipper and puked right outside our door. Needless to say, we weren't too worried about wild animals after that. Just concerned about him puking inside the tent.
So, we're back in Karakol and trying hard to make the internet work around here. Tomorrow we hope to go to Altyn Ashran (sulphuric hot springs) by mini-bus for the day and then it's back to Bishkek to work on our Uzbekistan visas.
Apart from the trip, lots of great things have happened. First, ptl, ALL of my packages from Korea made it to J's parent's in Australia (I was hesistant). Second, my deferrance request for my Stafford loans was granted and I'm payment and interest free for at least the next year! Woo hoo!! And--the best part--my birthday is in just a few days: October 5th. I'll be 24. :) Third, I found the best Creme Brulee icecream last night and I plan to eat another pint of it tonight! Hee hee!
More photos and stories to come.
The original plan was to go up the Karakol Valley (20 k's day 1), then up to Ala Kol lake (10 k's day 2), over the 3,800 m pass to Altyn Ashran (20 k's day 3), and then back to Karakol (14 k's day 4). What really happened: late start day 1 and only halfway up the valley, late start day 2 and up the second half to the Ala Kol trailhead which was little more than a serious of conspicuous rocks that would their way through bushes, marooned in the valley day 3 due to bad weather, and after a lot of consideration of many different things, we decided to head back to our nice hostel in Karakol instead of traverse the pass.
It was a good decision.
Things that factored in to our retreat: first, we were squeezing our two bodies plus sleeping bags plus backpacks into a one man tent each night which made things really sticky and really cramped. Second, Jeremy has a liquid fuel stove which he bought thinking that it would be hard to come across gas out here--um, no. We had to use petrol instead of clean white gas or kerosene and it really wasn't too high in quality; lots of sputtering lead to a lot of wasted matches and with only a box and a half left, we weren't sure going so high or so far without ample supply would be very smart. Third, the weather was getting a little if-y. We went through several thunderstorms which consquently dropped a bit of snow on our intended path (enough that we could see it a good 10 k's and 1,000 m lower) and that made me nervous. I really didn't want to lose the path in the snow and since we were following a rather vague map, it was probably best we only try to cross sans snow. Fourth, the animals. Night two a herd of cows moved in to our camp and we were constantly waking up in fear that something was lurking outside. Night three, the cows and the herders moved on but their howling cow dog was sadly left behind and consquently kept us up all night thinking about bears, snow leapords and wild packs of wolves. (I'm a little ashamed to admit that last one.)
But, we did have lots of fun and lots of adventures. We saw the most beautiful valleys and peaks I've ever seen with amazing glacial rivers that looked like blue slushies. We saw truly majestic horse herds move down roads, along the river, through lush green pastures, and among some yurts. We witnessed some truly amazing clear night skies which made the whole milky way visible. We entertained ourselves inside our little tent with a cramped game of Uno, goofy sleeping bag photos, watching Juno (the movie) on my iPod, and creating our own Kyrgyz myths of the Heti (Kyrgyz yeti) and the Karakol Valley Witch (sister of the Blair Witch)--I'll post the stories later. Oh, and night one, in the middle of a deep sleep, Jeremy says, "I gotta get out. Move." I was a little confused and slow moving so Jeremy just kinda pushed me out of the way, ripped open the zipper and puked right outside our door. Needless to say, we weren't too worried about wild animals after that. Just concerned about him puking inside the tent.
So, we're back in Karakol and trying hard to make the internet work around here. Tomorrow we hope to go to Altyn Ashran (sulphuric hot springs) by mini-bus for the day and then it's back to Bishkek to work on our Uzbekistan visas.
Apart from the trip, lots of great things have happened. First, ptl, ALL of my packages from Korea made it to J's parent's in Australia (I was hesistant). Second, my deferrance request for my Stafford loans was granted and I'm payment and interest free for at least the next year! Woo hoo!! And--the best part--my birthday is in just a few days: October 5th. I'll be 24. :) Third, I found the best Creme Brulee icecream last night and I plan to eat another pint of it tonight! Hee hee!
More photos and stories to come.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
A little TLC can go a long way.
With a busy weekend, a night in Ajuma hell, and little sleep, I found myself in a bad way Monday morning. I was sick.
I guess it's been coming on for a while. I started coughing Thursday last week and it continued all weekend with sneezing added on Saturday. It seemed a lot like allergies to me but I'm not so sure anymore. Runny nose? Sneezing--sometimes 7 or 8 times in a row? Dizziness? Headaches? Coughing and a sore throat (helped no doubt by the runny nose)? The only thing that makes me think it's something else is that my muscles ached a lot yesterday. Anyhow, I started my allergy medicine regime (thank God for Clariten!) Monday night but it usually takes me three to four days for allergy related things to clear up. We're on day pill number three now and with nearly 12 hours of sleep last night, I think we're getting there. I'm feeling loads better today. I have energy, will power, no more headache, I'm coughing less, and haven't sneezed once yet. Perhaps allergies is the answer. You know, I always had allergy problems during Seattle's rainy winter and Korea's monsoon season officially began yesterday. Correlation or causation? I think causation...
Maybe another 12 hour night will push me over the threshold and into good health again...
I guess it's been coming on for a while. I started coughing Thursday last week and it continued all weekend with sneezing added on Saturday. It seemed a lot like allergies to me but I'm not so sure anymore. Runny nose? Sneezing--sometimes 7 or 8 times in a row? Dizziness? Headaches? Coughing and a sore throat (helped no doubt by the runny nose)? The only thing that makes me think it's something else is that my muscles ached a lot yesterday. Anyhow, I started my allergy medicine regime (thank God for Clariten!) Monday night but it usually takes me three to four days for allergy related things to clear up. We're on day pill number three now and with nearly 12 hours of sleep last night, I think we're getting there. I'm feeling loads better today. I have energy, will power, no more headache, I'm coughing less, and haven't sneezed once yet. Perhaps allergies is the answer. You know, I always had allergy problems during Seattle's rainy winter and Korea's monsoon season officially began yesterday. Correlation or causation? I think causation...
Maybe another 12 hour night will push me over the threshold and into good health again...
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