August 9, 2005, 5:10pm

Auditorium. This is one of the few buildings in the historical district.

I found the Johnson & Johnson tape in Walmart! It's right there. Now, when my Strappal tape is used up, I can easily find a replacement for my knees.

It took me one year and four months since my knee pain began, to be introduced to McConnell's knee taping in the Prince of Wales Hospital. This just works so well for me unless I have the tapes on me too long that I develop allergy.

The idea is simple. The tapes help hold my knee caps in place. It was so frustrating before I tried on this taping technique and acupuncture. Nothing had worked to reduce my pain. The doctors in CUHK gave me pain killers that didin't work. Done various physiotherapy treatments: laser, interferential therapy, ultrasound, electrical stimulation... just a showroom of equipments that look professional but don't work.

I was also instructed to do exercises but my knees were in such pain that I could hardly walk. I just couldn't lift up my legs. Then I was introduced to knee taping but it's nowhere to buy the 3M tape. I called the 3M salespeople but they could only gave me a sample because they only had businesses with the hospitals and healthecare institutes. No retail.

The Physiotherapy Unit at the University of Hong Kong has Strappal to sell, which is a German brand. It works even better than the 3M tape. Vincent, my physiotherapist, actually told me the name of this technique so that I could look for information about it online and in the medical libraries.

Yes, I was very privileged to have access to the two medical libraries in Hong Kong. (I could go to PolyU for physiotherapy stuff too though I didn't.) Compared to the average people I met in the Prince of Wales Hospital, I guess, I could have access to journals, books and Strappal but most of them don't.

Actually, most of the time I didn't know what I was reading. I can understand the research design and get to know which technique works better. I just can't remember the knee anatomy. And I simply don't know how to do the techniques, even though sometimes there're pictures in the books. But at least, I have a starting point and I can ask my physiotherapists.

But you see, Johnson & Johnson, another brand that produces knee taping, has their tapes right in Walmart. You just don't need to be associated with the universities to have access to knee tapes. The tape and the technique can be accessible to everyone and not only the privileged. And why make things like this a privilege in the beginning? It's about to minimize people's suffering!

Hm, anybody will consider to do social policy of health? I would recommend LSE social policy.

Today, Pam, Ross (Shirley and Larry's son, that is, Pam's husband), and Shirley helped me to set up my apartment. I was actually doing the move-in inspection to record the tears adn damages in another room. Everything was set up when I came back: the bed, the fan, the bookshelf, the table... just everything.

The remaining things I have to do is to wait for my social security number and the card. Take the tests and learn to drive. Or at least I will have to try on a bike and see how my knees react. I'll only try when I find the knee protection equipments. Just in case I fall. I can't imagine my knees to hit the ground. I just couldn't kneel for 1.5 years.

August 12, 2005 2:07am

Got to keep up and maintain my momentum. Or I'll begin to procrastinate and not write. Actually I have been with my computer for 60 hours already. I just couldn't find the time to update my blog.

I disappeared for days, not that I didn't want to write, I was bluntly stopped because my HP didn't work. It's got sort of invaded by websites that make me to download and install their softwares. Come on, programmers make softwares to make a living. How on earth there could be softwares coming to me for installation?

I declined but still, my Windows couldn't boot up. So, I had to panic. I couldn't install Symantec Internet Security OEM and for like a lifetime, I reinstalled Windows three times. Then Symantec works again.

Still, good enough that Larry helped me with the reinstallation. He advised me to get Spybot and Drive Image. So, I was there looking around, comparing different adwares and backup softwares.

Anyways, my part is almost done. Need to wait for replies from teh software companies until I decide which one to buy.

School is only four days away and I will need to find a way to reduce the risk and damage of this sort of tragedy to happen again. I can't imagine myeslf spending 60 hours to go through the installations during the exams. Let me check out for the counseling services. I may need help to manage computer breakdown anxiety. (Mark, please help~~~)

The other day, Shirley said it should be aluminum and not aluminium. She didn't know why British people said aluminium when there's no "i" between "n" and "u." True, there's no "i" there in the Coke can she showed me.

But ever since I learnt Chemistry, it's aluminium. Al, atomic number 13. I was thinking, perhaps the Coke can is made of an alloy and not the element Al? Then, I just found in the web that it's spelled both aluminium and aluminum. How confusing. So, what about platinum and titanium?

August 12, 2005, 9:26am

As I didn't write in the two days when I was in a panic with my computer, I have a need to compensate and write more. Just record what happened when things comes up into my mind again.

I saw a hummingbird in the backyard! I'm about to fall in love with Florida!!! It's a little greenish one.

Shirley just happened to find a hummingbird attractor last Saturday in the yard sale. It's only one day after she put the sugar solution with red dye in the yard and here's the little honey coming. Fantastic! Magnificent!!!

I was just thrilled to see the hummingbird, as much as I saw the black-faced spoolbill near Mai Po 2.5 years ago. (Winston and Frankie, that was an unforgetable moment.)

Xu Xiake (1568-1641), the Chinese geographer and traveller, went all over China and studied the rivers, rocks etc, things that I have no clue about. Well, the important thing to me is that, we may be from teh same ancient family! (Xu and Chui and different translation of the same surname.)

The sad thing is, I can understand Bill Bryson's travel writing but not Xu's. It's the old-style Chinese, which is said to be of very high literature and science values. What's worse, he had leg problems after years of travelling. Then he died. Oh, my knees. I want to get well again.

August 12, 2005, 10:10pm

I bought a bike today. I'm not quite sure if I can actually ride to school with my current knee condition. It's just not well after I tried the bike for only 30 seconds. But I just got to have something as I still haven't got my social security number. So, I can't take the online courses to learn about substance abuse and driving. No test either.

Got the used bike for $49.9. Then the accessaries cost more than that: knee protection, helmet, front and back lights, and the U-lock. But you see, my safety and my knees worth much more.

Now, I'm in a state of anxiety. (Clinical psychologists, I need help!) I actually rode the bike only a very little bit to have a feel before I decided to get it. I forgot how I could turn! Or I was too anxious about my knees and I just couldn't turn. Just need to see what's going to happen. Will need to practice riding.

Went to the Dean of Student's Office and asked about disabilities resources. Made an appointment to talk about it next Tuesday afternoon. I was actually asking about temporary disability but the officer there asked how long I had had my knee problem. I said 1.5 years. He said, this is permanent disability as it's already over one year.

My heart sank. He said, "It's nothing bad about it." I don't know how he can say that as he's in the wheelchair himself. Anyway, Shirley said I just don't like the words "permanent disability." But it's just how they classify it and I may actually get some services that I will need. I hope so.

How can my knee problems to be "nothing bad about it?" It can hurt so badly at times. And the bike...

Shirley, Larry and I went to the Bible study in the Gainesville Chinese Christian Church again. Hm, is this redundant? Is there any church that's not Christian? I don't know...

This evening, a bunch of new Chinese students came. Like a dozen of them, all speaks Mandarin but Christy, who's from Guangzhou and speaks Cantonese. (Of course, she speaks both Cantonese and Mandarin. I know I know, it's my problem. I just don't learn Mandarin well.)

I actually bumped into her earlier this afternoon when I left the computer helpdesk to reset my email password. Then she came to me and asked if I could help her call her friend in the public phone. I couldn't. That phone just didn't seem to work and later she found another one. Anyways, she's the first student I met who speaks Cantonese. Good. Very good.