Of moisturizer: The story of a miraculous recovery.

I recovered miraculously from a severe condition of dry lips.

Seriously, I'm not exaggerating. My dry lips was so severe that people can notice from few feets away. Those who knows me are mostly aware of my problem. They're accustomed to me lathering vaseline on my lips every few seconds and peeling dry skin of. They're not bothered anymore at the sight of me rubbing vigorously the flakes of dry, itchy lips. Not to mention the bloody red and inflamed look of my lips when the dryness is at its worst. I suffered, really really suffered.

The problem started like 5 years back. At first I wasn't aware. I've just started working and makeup was still a too 'womanly' thing to me. I used lip balm since student days and that's it. It was by Banana Boat. I couldn't remember which type but the stick label was green in colour. I'm not the kind who owned a few types of lip balm or a few flavors of lip gloss. I always stick to the product that I like and usually it's one at a time. Maybe I was saving on money too at that time. Anyway, the lip balm works charm and the only reason I used it in the first place was vanity.

I was tempted to put on lipstick when I finally have my own paycheck. As a girl, who doesn't. Till today, I believe it was what trigger the terrible dry lips problem of mine. I won't mention the brand here but it was one of the famous multilevel marketing brand. I still remember the feeling of putting it on the first time. It was quite a dry stick, not the kind of moist, water lipstick and I was pouting and smacking my lips the whole day. Within a week, I noticed my lips getting so dry but I didn't think of anything worse. I just apply more lip balm.

However, it keeps getting worse. This time, lip balm doesn't help anymore. The dryness was so bad that my lips get very chapped and cracking and it splits painfully at the corner of my mouth. Many time I was stung with tears just to open my mouth for eating. Talking was hard enough too, not to mention laughing. Sometimes I had to hold my mouth together when I couldn't hold the laugh because otherwise I would simply tear my mouth further. I tried every brand of lip balm and every kind of cream too in the hope that it'll work. Yet it doesn't. You name it, I have so many good as new lip balm because I used it once or twice and it only exaggerate the problem. Lipstick became a no no. It's like an allergy to my lips.

Then I was introduced to vaseline. For a time, it was my savior. It effectively relieved if not healed my dry lips. I carry it around everywhere I go. To not have it around is like a disaster. Like the time I lost it during a two weeks course in quite a remote area. I was ready to cry at the end of one week for the suffering and knowing I have to endure it for another one week.

Years went by and vaseline is still my best friend. I am so troubled by this neverending dry lips and at times I feel like this is how it's going to be for the rest of my life. Everyday peeling of dry skin from my lips and once a week suffering deep bleeding cuts at the corner of my mouth. Sometimes the skin around my mouth is so dry it looks like crust. It's like I have a disease and I was so embarassed when people stare. It's gross, I know.

When I have better access to internet, I started to read more on dry lips since nobody seems to have the answer to my problem. I've also started wondering that maybe this dry lips is telling me something. Maybe it's not just merely dry lips. The worse that came to my mind was lip cancer. Then I came across angular cheilitis and was surprised to read the signs and symptoms. This is it! This is what exactly happened to me! Now I just have to find out the cause. I contemplated going to the dermatologist to rule out any infection but then I thought if it's infection surely it wouldn't just affect the lips. It would be all over my face. Maybe it is an internal problem. So, like a miss-know-it-all I took the nearest possible cause which is nutritional deficiencies. I monitor my diet, take less fat, go easy on spicy foods and drink more water. I took B complex supplement and I drink soya milk everyday. I choose Homesoy because it contains the highest protein. I started to exercise more and regularly. The dryness did slow down but still it is not fully resolved.

My colleague sometimes makes fun of me when she sees my dry lips. She would say, 'Did you forgot your B complex today?'. Until one day she said, 'I think you need to wear moisturizer'. That really got me thinking again. I've forgotten about moisturizing. Indeed, I might already resolved the internal problem but still I worked everyday in aircond condition. I need external care besides vaseline. Before you judge me for not thinking about it earlier, I do have moisturizer. I'm just plain lazy sometimes. Plus I've wear it before and it doesn't seem to help. But maybe that time it was because of the nutritional problem.

So the next day, when getting ready for work, I apply my moisturizer especially on the skin around my mouth area before anything else. I did so the next few days without fail and praying, 'Please dear god, help me. Let this be the final solution to my problem'. To my amazement, it did. It's like magic and it didn't take long. Just one week the dryness and swollen lip is gone. It has been 2 months since and now I'm so blessed that my lips are back to normal. As supple and soft as one could imagine!

What moisturizer that I use? It's Organic Aid Vitamin E Moisturizing Cream. It's in a brown container and reasonably priced too. Until now, I am a faithful user and I will continue to do so. I've done so much that I'm not sure what I did right but whatever I'm doing now, I'm doing it for the rest of my life. Yey! Thank you o Allah.

Lusa bakal hari raya

On my last day of working before eid. Ya, memandangkan saya orang tempatan maka seperti biasa masih bekerja memberi laluan kepada rakan-rakan yang kampung halaman lebih jauh untuk bercuti raya lebih awal. Tapi tidak mengapa, one day mungkin saya pula mengharapkan pengorbanan sebegitu dari orang lain pula.

Kalau bekerja memberi servis secara langsung kepada orang ramai memang begini. Tidak boleh tutup klinik sesuka hati. Pesakit sentiasa ada.

Tengahari tadi tercipta sejarah kerana buat pertama kalinya dalam hidup saya membeli sepasang baju melayu on my own! And it's not for my father or my tunang pun which is the two most significant man in my life now. Sebenarnya adalah untuk pengapit lelaki. Saya mahu pengapit kami berpakaian sedondon. Maka bertuahlah encik Nowan mendapat baju melayu Gene Martino secara percuma daripada saya. It's a small gift of thanks too kerana sudi mengapit kami nanti.

On another note, kad jemputan telah mula diedarkan dan ada yang sudah selamat sampai pun. I would like to advise anybody yang sedang merancang perkahwinan that please take note of the hidden cost involved bila guna sampul kad kahwin seperti saya punya di bawah ini. It's the post charge! Memanglah cantik tetapi rupa-rupanya dah jadi tidak standard kerana corak-coraknya. Maka untuk pos sekeping kad perlu tampal setem 80 sen ye. Sama harga dengan sekeping kad itu akhirnya. Double cost. Padahal kalau saiz sebegini tapi tanpa corak hanya perlu setem 60 sen sahaja. Beza yang sangat signifikan bila ada beberapa ratus kad yang hendak dipos. Apparently it's because they have to stamp and process it manually if the envelope is not standard. Fine, saya redha.

This could be the last post until Eid or maybe until later on since after Eid I'll be ultra busy preparing for my wedding next. So, wishing a very happy and blessed Eid Mubarak to everyone. Maaf zahir dan batin.

The countdown has begin

~o(^_^)(^_^)o~

"O mankind, eat from whatever is on earth [that is] lawful and good and do not follow the footsteps of Satan. Indeed, he is to you a clear enemy" (2:168)

"O you who have believed, eat from the good things which We have provided for you and be grateful to Allah if it is [indeed] Him that you worship" (2:172)

The subject of halal food served in kopitiam has been a concern for so long to many muslim here. It's a serious issue considering most are owned and run by non muslim. While many choose to believe the license displayed (which sometimes is so suspicious looking and definitely not by JAKIM), I prefer to differ. Because I still feel doubtful whether the food served is really halal. I know for fact that most non muslim (read: chinese) think that halal for muslim means no pork and no alcohol drink only. But they're not aware that it also means no alcohol in cooking food (e.g: chinese wine, rice wine), all meat must be from halal source, no mixing utensils with non halal food, clean preparation area and others. I think the most questionable will be the ingredients used. Obviously pork is a no. But what about the various sauces (soy sauce, vinegar), oil, ketchup, tomyam paste, wantan, or even the noodles. Are they using the halal ones? Maybe you'll query, hey what's wrong with noodles? But do you know that there are noodles (read: ramen) soaked in pork stock as they're made.

For me it's simple. I totally avoided kopitiam. I'm not comfortable at the thought of eating there. Why would I risk going when there are many other option available. To be honest, it's not only kopitiam. Mamak restaurant, sushi king, johny's and there's more in my list of doubt. I hope that every muslim should be really particular when it comes to food. We are what we eat after all. What we eat will be our flesh and blood. One of the reason our prayer is not heard is also if we didn't make sure the source of what we eat is halal.

I have to admit that I have been to a friend's meeting once or twice at a kopitiam which is in my list of doubt. As they've arrived and make orders, I couldn't find a way to suggest why not we go to another place. So I just sat there with a glass of plain water or ice lemon. Now, I feel guilty because I just watch and let them eat. I should have at least raise the query without worrying I'll sound ridiculous in a premise full with muslim customers.

That's why I'm so grateful that JAKIM has looked into this matter seriously and announce in a local newspaper recently which of the kopitiam in Malaysia actually obtained the certified halal license from them. I'll put the list here since some of us may not be aware.

Pensijilan Halal Kopitiam (JAKIM)

• Secret Recipe Cakes
• Bee's
• West 57th St Cafe
• Roti Delights
• Delifrance
• Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf

Those still in process of obtaining HALAL from JAKIM

• Strudel's
• Oldtown White Coffee
• Bangi Kopitiam
• Pakli Kopitiam
• Pacific Coffee

Source: Berita Harian Wednesday 11th August 2010, page 8

What about the rest of kopitiam in Malaysia? Well, while it is not compulsary for them to apply for the license, but it is our choice and our decision of where and what we eat.

There's also a website where we can check the restaurant and food premise with halal license from JAKIM.

http://www.halal.gov.my/

Transisi

Brrr. Sejuk betul klinik ni. Sejak mula berpuasa makin menjadi-jadi kesejukkannya. Maklumlah, proses metabolisme menurun. Haba pun kurang. Huu.

Ok, sungguh pantas sudah hari keenam berpuasa. Tapi tahun ini rasa paling best. Sebab hari pertama berpuasa rasa macam biasa je. Selalunya setiap tahun saya memang akan lembik semacam pada hari pertama. Sumpah lembik sampaikan terbaring-baring menunggu waktu berbuka. Saya siap pernah terfikir hendak ambil cuti saja setiap tahun pada hari pertama puasa. Tapi tahun ini memang tiada masalah langsung. Mental makin kuatkah atau fizikal makin hebat? Hmm. Apa apa pun alhamdulillah.

Saya sebenarnya sangat teruja minggu ini. Semalam mendapat perkhabaran bahawa kad kahwin telah siap. Maka tidak sabarlah menunggu ketibaannya. Yey! Tak sabar nak tengok hasil akhir dalam bentuk fizikal. Tak sabar juga nak menjemput semua. Hehe. Bagus siap awal-awal ni. Boleh edarkan pada saudara mara masa hari raya. Kurang sikit kos pengeposan. Sekarang ini saya berdebar menunggu hasil akhir baju nikah pula.

Hujung minggu lepas adik saya pulang berpuasa bersama. Tiba-tiba dia cakap kalau ikut bulan lagi sebulan lebih je hang nak kahwin. Tapi kalau ikut hari lagi berapa hari je eh? Erk, saya pun mengira dalam hati. Iye tak iye, lagi 45 hari je. Eh eh, rasa macam kejap sangat je lagi. Betul ke nak kahwin ni? Sudah bersedia ke ni? Aaaaa...

Maka haruslah saya menyemak semula persiapan saya. Bukan dari segi material saja ye, tapi macam-macam lagi. Sebab perkahwinan itu macam suatu transisi dalam hidup. Banyak benda akan berubah. Banyak benda saya perlu belajar. Saya harap saya akan berjaya menghadapi perubahan-perubahan itu nanti.

Oh, tetiba rasa lebih berdebar...

Music for the soul

It's the first week of August and indeed time fly by so fast. We're only few days behind Ramadhan. I just want to share this great album of Maher Zain with all of you. I've mentioned him before in a post when I first heard of him. But now I've found out where to buy his album here in Malaysia. That's why I'm very excited because now more of us can enjoy his great music and enlighten ourselves with the awesome awakening message he delivered through his music. So in the spirit of the coming holy month, why not we push aside the wordly entertainment and indulge in the Islamic music instead. InsyaAllah we would gain more than just entertainment =)

Go on. Get his album here

http://inteammobile.com/shop//index.php

I miss New Zealand

I'll be back. One day. InsyaAllah =)