Month: December 2012

I had been changing a few teachers already. I ask my family said that it is wasting money to see ENT specialist. My psychiatrist in previous post refer me think that I can sing better too. So I ask my vocal teacher about her comment of seeing as this might not be the concern so she said that it is good to see if can sing better as I sound nasal when singing. So I let her know that after the vocal class on Sunday afternoon I need to ward into Hospital tomorrow night to do sleep study so I may not be practicing my singing. So she ask me if is for health first why not just cancel the lesson so I agreed to cancel the lesson. As she is going for vacation soon so the lesson got to arranged again next year when she is back. She is quite concern about when I started seeing ENT specialist to see if my condition to practice singing asking if I could find out my condition from the doctor I see as she claim to know him very well so I given her the permission. When I send her the image of refer letter then she knows I have schizophrenia as written there. I do not know how he got my doctor e-mail so she e-mail him and CC me. So my doctor replied that he cannot disclose my medical history to any 3rd party.

So She SMS me want to ask doctor to let her know the condition. I only can let her know by next appointment when I see the doctor on 28 Dec 2012 as all the report is out. So she Google on Internet to know that sleep apnea does not affect my vocal lesson at all so continue on. Then she go and ask about my schizophrenia as she asked her friend from US that if she is trying some technique and exercise to remove my nasality will cause schizophrenia. I said my doctor knows I am attending vocal lessons so no problem. Even with this illness if I able to sing well more than others then why not. She ask me what medicine I take so I told her I taking 200mg sulpiride and 50mg faverin every night. I let her know that nobody said I have schizophrenia even my doctor also. My doctor said my medication is just like a vitamin need to take for my own good. So I see psychiatrist is because my family will like to receive treatment to be stable in job income. I told her if she keep on showing too much concern then we cannot continue on our vocal lesson. So she ask me to memorize the songs chosen for exam and fix the lesson on next year start she come back from vacation and it is a pleasure to know me and that I had improve a lot.

On Mon 24 Dec 2012 at night I received the e-mail from her that I am suffering from schizophrenia need to check with my psychiatrist how much level of stress that I can take as she does not want to relapse taking exam and performance. She also show me a link from yahoo group and I read about people who reply of schizophrenia and stress question. I replied her that I will have to stop lesson immediately. So on 26 Dec 2012 she wrote to me wish me all the best and want to confirm if I want to withdraw from exam. So I wrote to her by deadline that if she is not teaching me and any refund if possible. I also told her all her reading and find out is totally rubbish to me as I do not all those symptoms happening as what she said and give the link to read so I told her again please stop finding more about my condition right now as more rubbish she will get. She replied that she is not able to refund me S$140 for classical vocal grade 1 LCM exam as it had been processed by the exam center. I decided to make a police report with her house address said that in verbal agreement on Sat 10 Nov 2012 I come to her house for vocal lesson paid cash to prepare me for exam next year 2013 Mar/Apr but now she refuse to teach me and submit it to the exam center representative office to see if a refund can be make by them to me.

She sms me again to recommend me another teacher she know charge same rate as her. I refused as my exam is on Mar/Apr next year and if the teacher she recommend is good it is not possible to prepare I left two months or less on Jan and Feb to attend his vocal lesson prepare for exam and want a refund since she does not want to teach me. So she said she will use her own pocket money to refund me the exam fee. I told her I will not give her any bank account number or my mailing address and payee name to send cheque to me as I had inform the exam center representative office in writing by 04 Jan 2013 Friday if they can refund me so she does not need to fork out her own pocket money. She also said about my condition even if controlled or otherwise she need to discharge me teaching vocal for safety. I told her she is irresponsible and wish her all the best and is hard to find student even. I also can say for safety since her house got dog running around may bite cannot have vocal lesson too so all I can comment her excuse is just make up.   

If by that date there is no reply or cannot refund from exam center representative office I will escalate to member of parliament.

I just see my consultant in the morning. According to sleep study, I sleep very little like 1/3 of an overnight stay in ward for sleep study in Mon 10 Dec 2012. But I snore a lot like over 90 times an hour. So he is suggesting me wearing a mask, if not too much snoring the sleep is no so good wake up day can be tired. So this is CPAP which the cheapest he said will be over S$900 to 2k. He did not said I was suffering from sleep apnea or obstructive sleep apnea.

The blood test result is out, one test shows that the level is not high and another test shows that the level is quite high. So he said that if a level is high he may suspect there might be cancer, but this condition is very normal for most Asian people including himself also have the similar reading like me. Secondly, one of the scope photograph shows the nose airway is swollen so he recommended to cut a tissue from there after the aesthesia is applied to send laboratories for further find out as the cause due to we may need too much seafood like himself as Asian people also. As the cost is over S$200 which need to pay cash cannot claim by medisave so I said let me talk to my family about it first. So the next appointment was arrange one month later but I was not given any treatment any prescription. He also welcome my family member on the next appointment.

So on the first appointment Fri 07 Dec 2012, he done a scope but can pay medisave cost over S$200, the blood test to check for cancer two items cost over S$110 which I paid in cash cannot use medisave. The sleep study will cost over 1K can only done in single bed room A ward which the medisave already deducted S$450 and the final hospital bill I had not received yet now which can claim partially from medishield insurance the rest in cash after all the deduction. I am seeing as private patient not government subsidized. Of course If now got to fork out another S$200 to cut the tissue in cash got to be wait. So I paid for the follow up appointment to see consultant only.

After I talk to my family members, they told me do not waste any money. For my snoring it is very normal as everyone in the house snore a lot. Buying the CPAP to put on mask cannot sleep even so the doctor just talk cock want to earn money and also no need to cut tissue to spend money to find out if there is cancer as blood test shows mildly raised reading. For my nose airway swollen causing narrow just see Chinese physician a few time cook herds to drink sure heal the swelling of nose airway as this doctor earn money go treatment not well make condition worse even as my family said. So I got to cancel my appointment and hope that I explain to my psychiatrist on 05 Feb 2013 Tue she will accept my explanation if I cancel the appointment not to see the doctor anymore.

On the 04 Dec 2012 Tue morning I see psychiatrist for following up appointment. I ask her about two question which I always forgot to ask her during my appointment. First I ask her if I want to go Lasix what is her recommendation. She said that it is waste of money and does not have good vision even after done a while later may need to wear glasses. Glasses is mean to wear it look fashion and to protect eye from dust and infection.

Second question that I ask her was what about my loud snoring problem for many years. She take my blood pressure for the first time, but found that my blood pressure was high. So she ask me to relax took the second time a few minutes later decrease a bit but still a bit high. So she ask me to see ENT. Then I said this is very common problem as everyone will snore. I said I think about it and she said will write a refer letter. So I agreed and she write a refer letter pass to me immediately.

On that letter she wrote that I diagnose with schizophrenia but having stable income job currently that I have loud snoring many years suspect sleep apnea with blood pressure mildly raised. I was so shocked but anyway I scanned a copy of that refer letter those who want it can wrote to me and I will send it to you. I was asking about my condition since many years ago and she said I need to take medication as long term as this is vitamins and a good friend to me is for my own good. I did not know what am I suffering from until I saw that refer letter. So I arranged an appointment to see Ear Nose Throat Specialist. Will let you know another post what going on to diagnose sleep apnea.

http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20121207-388285.html

By Jennani Durai The Straits Times Saturday, Dec 08, 2012

SINGAPORE – One of the ministry leaders accused of conspiring to cheat City Harvest Church of more than $50 million is applying to hire a Queen’s Counsel (QC) – the most elite of British lawyers – to represent him here.

Chew Eng Han, 52, the church’s investment manager, told The Straits Times he is taking the unusual move because he could not find a senior counsel to represent him.

They are alleged to have funnelled $24 million into sham bond investments to further the music career of Kong’s pop singer wife, Ho Yeow Sun.

They are also alleged to have misappropriated a further $26.6 million in church funds to cover up the first amount.

QCs are specially appointed senior barristers recognised for their specialised skills and expertise.

“I’ve gone through the list of senior counsel many times, and most of them can’t do it for various reasons,” Chew said.
He added that he wanted a lawyer who was an elite in his profession and who had experience in cases of this nature, so as to not short-change himself, as he was central to the court case as the church’s investment manager.

“This is the least I need to do for my family, to get the best legal representation to clear my name and to establish my innocence,” he said.

Chew, deputy pastor Tan Ye Peng, 39, church finance manager Sharon Tan, 36, and former finance manager Serina Wee, 35, face between seven and 10 charges of criminal breach of trust and falsifying accounts.
Kong, 47, and former church management board member John Lam Leng Hung, 44, each face three charges of criminal breach of trust.

With the exception of Kong, who will be represented by MP Edwin Tong, all the other accused have hired senior counsel (SC) to represent them.

Chew’s move to get a QC comes after the firm he originally hired, Rajah and Tann, was discharged from representing him in court after the last pre-trial conference in October.

It is understood this decision was made by the firm to avoid any possible conflict in the case, as Rajah and Tann was one of the firms involving in drawing up the original documents for the bond investments. Chew said the other firm involved was Drew and Napier.

Chew was to have been represented by Senior Counsel Francis Xavier, who is overseas and could not be reached for comment. Ms Tan Wen Hsien, a senior associate at Rajah and Tann, confirmed that the firm was no longer representing him.

In addition to the law firms involved in drawing up the bond documents, those representing the other defendants decided they could not represent more than one to avoid a potential conflict of interest, said Chew.

There are 65 SCs in Singapore, 10 of whom are in firms that were involved in drawing up the bond documents and 13 of whom are in firms that are representing the other accused. Another 22 of them are professors or judges or are attached to the Attorney-General’s Chambers.

Chew said he had already met a QC to represent him, but declined to reveal his name. He said he plans to submit his application early next month. A hearing will then be held to determine if a QC can be admitted for the case.

Before the law was changed in April, the main consideration for allowing a QC was whether the case was complex enough to justify one. This is now only one of several considerations.
A senior member of the law profession, who declined to be named, said Chew has a “strong argument” for getting a QC.
“One of the things the court can take into consideration is equality in terms of representation, as almost all the other defendants are represented by SCs. The complexity of the case does appear to indicate that you do need an SC. If he feels he needs an SC to represent him but can’t find one because they are either conflicted or already engaged by someone else, I think it would be a relevant consideration.”

The senior lawyer added that it is mandatory for the application for a QC to be served on the Attorney-General’s Chambers and the Law Society, which will both have the option of giving their views on the matter during the hearing.
The ultimate decision, however, lies with the court.

Representatives for each of the accused will meet in court today for a pre-trial conference. All six have indicated that they are likely to plead not guilty and will claim trial.

jennanid@sph.com.sg