.: As life continues :.

Yesterday, I just told a dear friend of mine to hang in there. Told that person that I’m not giving up hope and I’m not quitting on things.

But today, I just feel like I need someone to hold me and say “Everything’s gonna be all right..”

Yes, I deactivated my Facebook account. For a while. Since February 4th 2010 @ 14:20, to be exact.

You find this blog either by Google-ing my name..or you already knew about the existence of this non-dynamic blog.. and you cannot be out of my touch. Kidding..! I know, I ain’t a superstar.

Well, I have certain reasons that made me do it.

Today, i realized that I started writing in internet since TEN years ago. I learned a little bit of HTML during my long break after SPM examination (in 1999). Syahiera’s Corner was my first website i created using Macromedia Dreamweaver. My audience were school students, especially my brothers & sister.

Then, I subscribed to a webhosting provided by Budihost . After discussing with the IT consultant (who is also my brother), he advised me to turn the website into BLOG. He explained that managing blog is simpler than managing a personal website. Since i was busy myself finishing my degree at that time, i agreed with his suggestion. Thus, I started Syahiera.com in October 2005. It served the function as a medium for me to write. I dont think people would read what i wrote as I ain’t a famous person. However, i gathered some interested readers with me.

A few years later, I bought the domain Syahierafarhana.com.

Initially, I’m not a fan to blogs. I tried but blogging just makes me feel ‘naked’. I don’t know how to set the limitations on what to write and what not to write. However, I come to this.

Enjoy reading..

(this entry was written exactly a year ago)..

PCM is the most widely used medicine in the world. We, in health-care setting usually called it PCM as a short form for Paracetamol (in US, they call it Acetaminophen). It’s the same thing actually. Here, in Malaysia the brand Panadol is known by everybody. Why suddenly I’m writing about PCM?

I woke up this morning with a headache. I’ve slept since 9pm last night. Am i feverish? I can’t tell that. I don’t keep thermometer so i do the traditional way of putting the back of my hand on my forehead and neck. I didn’t feel any unusual rise in temperature. The question is, should I take PCM now? I got up and stared at the medicine box I own. I keep the basic medicines for emergency. Then, I decided not to take.

Hmm.. I’m thinking by myself. I can say that I’m not very fond of medicines/drugs, though I’m a pharmacist. Most probably because I’m one of those who are allergic to Penicillin group antibiotic. I developed whole body rash after I took Amoxicillin, and it scared me like h***. The second reason maybe as I know the mechanism of side effects of the drugs, I become paranoid enough to imagine how it might happen in my body.

But, I want to tell you that if you take them according to the therapeutic (prescribed) dose, it should be no problem. As medicines have undergone many stages of laboratory and clinical trials before they are approved to be marketed.

PCM overdose/poisoning is one of my favourite topic. Cases of alleged PCM poisoning are very common actually. In simpler words, meaning that people swallowing a lot of Panadol tablets at one time with the intention of committing suicide. I only knew that these cases really happen when I was doing housemanship in hospital.

There were cases of 18 year old (silly) Malay girl doing that as she just being dumped by her boyfriend, and another case I found during the time SPM result was out that year. The girl wanted to commit suicide as she was so frustrated with her SPM result. Hey, it’s just SPM result! The world has not ended yet. Another case I managed is a case of 45 year old Chinese female who did that as she found out that her husband was having an affair with another woman. She was very depressed at that time. I strongly feel that the dramatic action was just to grab her husband’s attention. She doesn’t really want to die as she immediately called her son after she took 20 tablets of Panadol . All these patients are alive, but with some degree of liver injury (In high doses, PCM produces toxic metabolite in the liver).

For general info, if you take like 10 tablets of PCM at one shot, you would not die. Chances of you getting serious hepatic (liver) toxicity is very high. And, surely pharmacist-on-call would be called (if is’s beyond office hour) to analyze your blood level of PCM; to know whether the level is toxic or not and to decide whether PCM antidote should be given or not. See, all government hospitals have the PCM antidote. So, this might be the reason you woke up in hospital bed after that instead of in heaven (or hell) as u intended to

I know how to calculate the toxic dose based on a person’s body weight (meaning, if you weighs 60kg, how many tablets of the 500mg PCM you should take if you wanna commit suicide). But, I won’t dare writing it here. I don’t wanna be the one contributing in that matter of case.

Ok, the take home message:

1. For adult, the recommended PCM dose is 1000mg (2 tablets), 3-4 times a day.
2. Do not exceed 4gram/day (8 tablets).
3. If you take the ‘normal’ daily dosing for a long period of time, you may also get the risk of liver side effects. So, if you take PCM as self-medication and the fever/pain not subside by 3 days, please see a doctor.

Lastly, suicide is haraam in Islam and other religions also prohibit it.

Yes, it is September. 1st day. And it is raining outside. I started writing this entry after Subuh prayer. It’s almost 2 months after my last entry. What I can say is life has been hectic for me for the past 2 months. They were eventful months.

Life has turned 360 degrees for me. I still remember a few months back when i was still struggling to finish my master degree.. And before I realize it, I am now a lecturer..right after I finish my 365-days study leave.

I was too busy adapting at work. Coincidentally, I reported for duty on July 1st and the new semester of this academic year started on July 13th. Perfect timing! Yea, for me to adapt with the teaching environment, to get things ready for the subject I am coordinating before the semester starts etc.

Anyway, as we always realize..time DO flies fast. Today, my students will sit for their mid semester exam. All the best for them (hope they can answer my questions).

This is my last day in KL.

One of my friends once told me.. “You’ll miss KL one day”. Hmm..well, I dunno. I always have this love-hate relationship with the city Kuala Lumpur (no offense ya KL ppl). Maybe I’m not that ‘city girl’ enuf. I love living in KL when I have endless shopping complexes and various boutiques to choose upon. And, not forgetting Isetan with it’s endless sales & promotion. But. I really hate it when I’m stuck in traffic jam and having to pay overpriced parking charges etc (the most i’ve paid for parking at KLCC was RM 20.50…and I felt like crying!) Yeah, we don’t have that in Kuantan / Tganu.

I’m not good in moving places. I mean, when I have to vacant my current residence and settle in a different one. Phew..! It really drains my energy out…esp for people like me, who has tonnes of clothes, handbags and shoes!!

I’m thinking.. whether I need a high dose of caffeine or a SLAP in the face! Reason being.. ngantuk!!

What is happening to me? I take substantial hours of sleep, but still sleepy. My body is aging? I couldn’t deny that, too. I can feel that my metabolism is slower than my youngers years..huhu..

I still have a lot of things to do..I’m at the final part of my master’s program. Have to do major tasks in May..and preparing to submit in June. I only have pieces of them now..here and there. Owh.. Ya Allah.. And it’s May 12th. Only a few weeks before June comes. I’m really behind time.. Isk.. On the contract, my one-year study leave will end soon.. on June 24th, 2009. After that, will start working back.

Ya Allah..please gimme strength and courage..so that I can finish this program.. and after that only I can plan for the next big step in life – kawen start applying to do PhD, maybe.