Renovation: Legate vs Blindexpert

We engaged Legate to do up our invisible grille, main gate and window grille and blind expert for zip track. Let me share my experience.

Legate:

• Sales is a China Chinese lady, who shared with me her past experience in this condo with whats'app pic and video. Very transparent.
• The wait from confirming the order to installation are about 1-2 months. They are busy, no doubt.
• The sales lady submitted the drawing and colour quote etc to the management office directly and informed me when the permit is approved.
• The installer (2-3 Indian) came on time and installed the gate, window but refused to install the invisible grille as the sales had submitted the wrong colour. He says will reschedule and bring back to redo the right colour. He says he knew the colour very well cos he did many in this project. I gave him a thumb up, very responsible, not to leave a headache for me. The installation takes about 2 full days.
• After-sales: the sales came over and make sure everything is in place for us before collecting the last payment.
• Overall, I'm pleased dealing with them.

8 months later, I wanted to install zip track, i called them up again for a quotation. Price range is the cheapest of all, but the one thing I don't like is about the wiring. They had a policy that for safety reason, the wiring has to be install outside the blind and kind of too expose. Hence i looked around and found blindexpert. 

Blindexpert:

• Sales is a Malaysia young chap, bringing all the materials up for the first meeting. He shared with me some points that the legate sales missed out that may cause some drainage problem. I'm quite happy with his proposal of the wiring and setting that he proposed. So decided to go for it even the price is higher than legate.
• After confirmation, The Salesperson keeps changing the installation date. From Friday to Sat to Monday then back to Friday. Their wait time after installation is about 2 weeks or less.
• I have to apply for the permit from MO myself. When I requested for drawing, he told me that he did 2 units in this project, and none asked for drawing. So he won't have any drawing. When I checked with MO on the other units, then realised the so call two units either did not submit to MO or its a bluff  deal, hence no records. I don't care, I insist the drawing else will have to change vendor. I don't care how ppl do it, I don't want to have any headache with the MO after installation.
• The installer came later from the appointment time, 2 Malaysia man and 1 china chinese took about 2 hrs to complete the job the installation of the metal bar WITHOUT the BLINDS. WHAT? yes, then they tell me that there is no stock of the blind. Worst is the installation and size i requested is different. This made me boils, scolded the sales and the manager, and they got the blinds for me the next day, another 6 hours job without rectified the size. Haiz. 
• After-sales: never heard from the sales other than collecting money. 

Finally, we got a diagnosis...

After 10 years of many trial and tests, not knowing what's the root cause of Janelle seizure... finally we have a diagnosis for Janelle. The last visit Dr Chan asked if we are interested to send Janelle's blood sample to the US for another round of genetics test. Hus not very keen, as if it a DNA/Genetics issue, nothing much we can do. But on the other side of me, I would like to know. After 6 months of pondering, I decided to go ahead without my hus knowing.

We went KKH to draw blood sample, and they arranged it to send over to US for genetics test. After about 1-2 months wait, we received a result from them. With their more advance in technology and research, they came back with a diagnosis for Janelle. Positive result is found on CDKL5. In layman term, their processing system to convert protein to normal brain development is not working.

Source: https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/epilepsy-due-specific-causes/cdkl5-disorder

What is CDKL5 Disorder?

CDKL5 disorder is a rare X-linked genetic disorder first identified in 2004. An x-linked disorder means that the gene carrying the problem is found on the x chromosome. CDLK5 stands for cyclin-dependent kinase-like 5 and is a gene located on the X chromosome. A woman contributes two X chromosomes to her child and the father contributes one X chromosome and one Y chromosome.

• The CDLK5 gene tells the body how to make a protein that’s needed for normal brain development.
• Most people affected by a CDKL5 disorder have seizures that begin within the first months of life. Problems with the baby’s development then occur, leading to severe developmental delay. Medically, the term used to describe this combination of problems is epileptic encephalopathy.

What other medical issues are seen in people with CDKL5 disorder?

Children with CDKL5 disorder can have many problems and typically cannot walk, talk, or feed themselves.

• Respiratory (breathing), cardiac (heart), gastrointestinal (stomach), visual (seeing), and sleep difficulties are often present.
• Speech is limited or absent.
• Scoliosis (curvature of the spine), apraxia (difficulty making purposeful movements), and low muscle tone are other symptoms seen.
• Poor fine motor skills and hand wringing movements or mouthing of the hands are common.
• Feeding challenges and grinding of the teeth are also present.

How are seizures in treated?

Seizures in CDLK5 disorder are difficult to treat, but it is important to note that some people do well on anticonvulsant monotherapy (one drug at a time), while others need adjunctive therapy (more than one medication).

• No single seizure medication has proven to be most effective in controlling seizures in these children. It is fairly typical for a child to require many medication trials.
• Steroid treatment and the ketogentic diet have been used in the treatment course of some children.
• Vagus nerve stimulation is also often considered with CDKL5-related seizures.
• If all other therapies have failed and a seizure focus can be isolated, surgery may be an option in some situations.

I added myself to Facebook CDKL5 support group and saw many are on wheelchair bounded. I'm counting my blessing for Janelle which she falls under the higher function of 1/3 group. Keeping praying that there will a treat to alter DNA or some medicine to feed protein to their brain directly to normalise real soon.

How to start a low carb or keto diet?

This is how I started my low carb or keto diet:

1. This is the most important point, Cut all obvious carbs intake. For example Rice, Noodles, Bread, Cake, Coca Cola and fruits. I don't stop immediately on the very day that i decided to be on keto. I tried to remove carbs from 1 meal (dinner) then 2 meals (lunch and dinner) then none. Initially, I felt hungry easily, it's like not filling from my main meal, but slowly the feeling goes off by the 4th/5th day which then I can fully go without obvious cabs.
2. Download app to track the carbs that in the food. This is to build awareness of what you are eating that may contain carbs. It does surprise me with the carbs level that I had been eating every day. I used carb manager, and some recommended cronometer.
3. Drink lots of water. Why? Because when eating carbs, the body stores the extra as glycogen in the liver, where they are bound to water molecules. But when eating low carbs our body will use up the glycogen to move into ketones which to allow burn fat. It means that we will be storing less water and making us easier dehydrated.
   
   The recommendation was using your weight in lbs / 2 = the amount of water in ounces you required to take. For example my weight was (59kg * 2.2 to convert to lbs) / 2 / (0.02 to convert to litre) = 1.3litre of water. This is the minimum, I try to keep about 2 litres of water a day. Still trying.
4. Increase fats intake. This is really a mindset change from taking all the low fats to high fats, but we need fats to get into ketones and start burning fats as energy. Roasted pork, cheese and prawns become my best friend in the diet. 

Once I can handle the above 4 points about one week later, I started 

1. to watch the macro percentage to see if I earing the right amount. Keto Diet : 5% carbs, Protein: 20% and Fat 75%. Of cos, I not following strictly, but as a guideline from the carbs manager app, and adjust my meals sightly to match. For example: if my fat intake is not enough, then my dinner I will go for high fats, plus-minus and adjusting to it.
2. Take Electrolytes. I have a bit of keto flu (feeling floating, constipation, dehydrated) in the early days so got myself with some electrolytes from iherb and take as and when I think I need it (not daily)
3. Take MCT Oil, one of the challenges I have was taking enough fats so I added MCT oil into my coffee to create bullet coffee in the morning, and i don't have to force myself to eat fatty meats all days. One key on the keto diet is that fat is a lever, fat is the one you increase and decrease to gain and lose weight. Just need to have enough fat will do.
4. Replaced my snack to almond nuts, walnuts and seaweeds. I'm a snacker, I love to snack not because i feel hungry but just feel like to munch.
5. Exercise. many say it's not required but recommended. I feel good when exercising in ketones because the thought of it's burning the fats now.. right now, and next day you will see the fat percentage drop when on the weighing machine, but it will come back if didn't maintain. Love and hate relationship.

Ok. These are what i can think of for now. 

After 5 weeks on keto diet.. Result

This is my result of 1 month of keto diet.. I have to admit not very good as compared to those you can see online cos I only keto on a weekday which I can better control my food intake without my husband around. When he around, my determination is weakened and will have cheat meals with the sugar and carbs food he tabao.

4th week - i lost about 1.9kg. First week dropped the most and fastest, but that's water retention. I started keto on 24aug at 59.1kg. I did not immediately stop all carbs on 24aug, but it's more on gradually reducing 2 main carbs meal to 1 main carbs meal then to no carbs meal over 3-4days. 

5th week - i lost about 2.5kg

Tips: its best to workout or exercise when in ketones body, cos its burning off the fats.. you can see it next day on the weighting machine where the fat % dropped the most.. 

What to eat for keto diet?

When I just started keto, I'm having some headache on what I can eat at the coffee shop/hawker centre near the office. Here's some recommendation gathered online and also own experience:

Economic Rice Stall

- No rice

- choose eggs, green vegetable 

- fatty meat or chicken (without flour-coated preferred)

Slice Fish/Seafood soup without rice

Bak Kut Teh

Pig's/Beef's mixed Soup

Kuey Chap without Kuey (mixed)

Roast duck/pork belly, chicken add eggs

Xiao Wan Mee without the noodle

Yong Tau Foo - Choose the green vegetables, eggs; don't choose fishball, fishpaste, dumpling and soya bean made items. Can go for laska gravy but don't drink too much.

Korean BBQ pork/beef/chicken (without rice)

Chicken/Porkchop without sauce preferred but usually, i choose black pepper sauce

- no fries change to lettuce, coleslaw or eggs

Steak/Salmon/Saba

Ma la Xiang Gou (request not to add sugar)

Curry Chicken without rice and potatoes

Ayam Penyet without rice

I still go restaurant from Timsum, but I eat chicken feet, pork ribs, fried salmon fish skin, fried beancurd skin with prawns, siewmian.

I still go Deng tai fend for lunch, but I eat mainly are the cold dish cucumber, drunken chicken and pork chop.

These are some photos are what I had been eating:

 

 

  

Prawns had become my best friend, no carbs and high protein.