I am on the way back to Penang as I write this. I’m going back to Penang to finally do an MRI scan. At this point you’re probably thinking: “Why go back to Penang for an MRI Tim? KL don’t have meh?.
Well here’s the thing.
1) The first doctor I saw regarding my pancreatic cyst recommended I do a Endoscopy Ultrasound where I put this scope down my throat to look at my pancreas. The whole procedure would cost RM4K. I thought that was overkill for my tiny cyst so I went to get a second opinion.
2) This new doctor I saw at University Hospital agreed that an endoscopy was indeed overkill for the size of my cyst. He recommended I do a CT scan first and then only if it turns out to be something suspicious that I do an endoscopy ultrasound. My parents were super against the whole CT scan because of radiation and preferred that I do an MRi. So I asked the doctor if I could do an MRI too and he said I could but he prefers I do a CT Scan for no particular reason. He said I’m not doing it regularly so I don’t have to worry about radiation.
To my parent’s disapproval I went ahead for my CT Scan appointment and when I got there the radiologist told me that since I’m asthmatic they need to first give me some medication before I can take the contrasting dye they want to give me. So I couldn’t do the CT scan that they and my parents told me to just do an MRI.
Problem was that i can’t do an MRI without going back to the doctor, paying him a consultation fee just so he can write me a piece of paper to refer me to the radiologist for an MRI. My Dad however knows a radiologist in Penang who can do it for me.
So tadaa here I am in Penang.
I hope my cyst isn’t anything serious but I like how it has changed my lifestyle. Because of my previous health test I have significantly cut my sugar and snacking. I just realized that my weight also has dropped from 73-74 to 69.5. I don’t think I have been this light in a long time.
I also notice my belly has come down significantly. You know the typical middle age Asian man belly. So I feel fitter.
My Dad used to say that the best motivation you can have to change your lifestyle would be to find out you have a problem. If my cyst comes out to be nothing, I guess amid all the trouble I’ve had to go for all these tests and doctors… it did motivate me to change my lifestyle.
Timothy Tiah – Co-Founder of Colony, Kuala Lumpur Co-Working Space