What I did to lose 20kg in 6 months (& sharing the workout videos I followed)

If you have been following my Facebook and/or Instagram accounts, you will know that I had exprerienced pretty significant weight loss - and in a good way.

The truth is, I have been overweight for the most part of my life, probably since secondary school days. Yes, back in those days when there were still TAF (Trim and Fit) physical exercise sessions - or if you flip it around, it spells FAT... makes me wonder who in MOE thought of this back in those days 🙄. Anyway, fat just hung around with me since then, through army, through university, through dating, through marriage, through parenthood, until now.

Don't get me wrong, being fat didn't really bother me - fat jokes and all.

But I think there comes a point in time when I want to be healthier for my family.

And COVID happened.

Forced to stay at home for a good 2 months, I grew bored and restless. Sure, I was relishing in my new role as Canteen Uncle and preparing recess food and lunch for my kids but I was looking for something else to occupy my time with.

Then the wifey started exercising.

She played fitness exercise videos on TV and followed the trainers. For the first week or so, she was exercising alone. Me? I just sat on the sofa and surfed on my phone. 😅 Then one day, I decided, "Ah what the heck... let me just join in and give it a go."

And that was how it all started.

Thanks to COVID... and my wife of course.

So to all wives who are reading this, let me just say it is no use nagging your man to start exercising and losing some weight. YOU have to set a good example and do it yourself first, or begin exercising with him. You're welcome.

So that fateful day kick-started my journey to weight loss. Every morning, together with the wifey, we followed workout videos on YouTube for a good 45 to 60 minutes. We started with simple cardio and core exercises in April and subsequently, we have been doing cardio kickboxing workouts. And we are still doing it now consistently.

In fact, we have grown so used to sweating it out on a daily basis that if for some reason, we can't workout in the morning, we will make it up with a session in the evening.

In addition to exercising, these are what I did during the past 6 months:

- For meals, I try to avoid carbs for at least 2 meals a day. This isn't set in stone but if I do eat carbs, I only finish half the portion now. Rewind one year ago and you will see me finishing all of my food AND finishing the leftovers from my kids too. LOL.

- I eat a serving of fruits every morning after each workout, mainly low sugar fruits like jambu and guava. They contain a lot of fibre too, so that keeps me full for a longer period. 

- Pre-COVID, I have breakfast at hawker centres because I drop my wife off at work after sending the kids to school, so we usually have breakfast together. With COVID and WFH, that has stopped so my breakfasts for the past 6 months usually consist of rolled oats, muesli... and sometimes bread - but only if the wifey bakes them at home. For muesli, I go for those with low sugar content and avoid those with dried fruits.

- I also started jogging in August but I only jog about once or at most twice a week, and I cover about 4km to 5km each time.

- Ever since Circuit Breaker ended, I embarked on a weekly visit to a nature park in Singapore together with the whole family (no matter how unwilling the kids may be 🤣). We have visited numerous parks and even off-the-beaten-track places so far, and you can see our weekly adventures on my Facebook and Instagram accounts. So this also forms part of my exercise regime because I belive trekking in nature weekly helps not only in increasing activity but also invigorates the mind at the same time.

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Eldest son's exams done and dusted, still two more monkies to go. But since their exams are still more than a week away, it's the perfect excuse to resume our weekly date with Nature! Because trudging along uneven trails and skipping over muddy puddles are exactly the kind of memories I want to create with my kids. 😁 . We visited the South Loop of Chestnut Nature Park last month so it's time to complete the North Loop. The North hiking trail is 3.5km long and actually consists of 2 trails. The longer one (orange in map at the park) leads you to the Chestnut Observation Tower and beyond, lies Zhenghua Nature Park. If you don't want to venture so far, you can turn back after reaching the tower and walk back the same path back to the carpark. . Which was what we did, because there lies another trail, a Nature Trail (red in map) which brought us to the central rustic part of the park, with a stream flowing through it! Water definitely looks inviting but our growling tummies won the day. 😜 . After hiking through both North and South Loops, I say Chestnut Nature Park is certainly a gem. The trails are not your usual tarmac surface but rather, they are rustic muddy pathways with varying terrains and lots of plants, insects and animals to spot... if you look hard enough. 😉

A post shared by Kelvin Ang (@cheekiemonkies) on Oct 11, 2020 at 6:18am PDT

Frankly, if you had told me about all these 5 years ago, I would have laughed my head off. It's amazing what a little discipline can do.

So there you go, it took me 6 months to go from a bloated whale to this.

And in the process, I lost 20kg. I didn't actually think I lost that much weight - you know how the whole self-perception thing is always skewed - but when I placed earlier photos of myself beside current ones... Ok, I can see the change. 😅

A lot of my readers had since messaged me to ask me on my daily routine as well as the workout videos that I follow. So I thought why not do a blog post too so that I can embed the videos here as well.

First and foremost though, let me stress that I'm NOT a trainer, I'm NOT an athlete, and neither am I a fitness blogger. And I sure do not have any koyok to sell.

I'm just a regular guy with a (huge) Dad bod, decided one day to do something about it and just went about doing it. So what had worked for me might not exactly work for you in the same manner.

But I can guarantee one thing though - if you can do it CONSISTENTLY, then you will succeed too.

(Boy, I sound like a life coach now)

But it's true: if I can do it, you can do too.

Some of you might say that it is tough to get started, or can't sustain exercising, or too tired, or no time, I can tell you those are just excuses. And I know... because I told myself the exact same things pre-COVID.

But guess what, you can start by just wanting to exercise. It doesn't have to be a long session; just commit to putting in a good 15 to 20 minutes daily is good enough. And NEWSFLASH, scrolling through your FB or IG feed takes about the same time too. 😂

All you have to get your ass off the floor and get into a routine. 

All you have to do is START.

UPDATE (MARCH 2021)

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A post shared by Cheekiemonkies (@cheekiemonkies)

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A post shared by Cheekiemonkies (@cheekiemonkies)

So... can exercise or not? 😜

Jiayou! 😊

EXCERCISE VIDEOS THAT I WORK OUT TO:

The wifey started out with Coffee Lam, who is a qualified Yoga instructor based in Hong Kong.

I have to say her videos are pretty good. If you follow her core exercises videos, I can almost guarantee you will feel sore muscles the next day. If you are looking to indulge in some intense burn in the muscles, do check out her other videos!

Then, we started to follow Emi Wong's videos after a month. Also based in Hong Kong, I would say her exercises are a little simpler and not as strenuous. So if you are thinking of starting somewhere, her videos will be good. And because I do not want to think what exercise should I do every day, we started on her 4-week Transform Challenge where there is a set of exercises that we had to do every day for 28 days.

For close to one month, we worked our various parts of the body, from arms and upper body to the back to abs to the legs. And there's a one day rest after 6 days of workouts too. 😁

If you like a trainer who keeps quiet most of the time, then you may check out Pamela Reif, who is based in Germany. Her workouts are GOOD! Pretty intense and very effective. I love her Intense playlist because it really targets the specifc area and the workouts are kept short and sweet. But even though the videos are short, the burn is real because she never takes breaks in between each excercise.

Or if you love to include more fun in your workouts and dance at the same time, check out Maddie Lymburner, or more popularly known as MadFit, who is from Canada. Her claim to fame is her workout videos created to specific songs from popular artistes like Billie Elish, BTS and BlackPink. One of the videos we loved are the TikTok dance ones... because we even got Ale to work out together with us!

By June, we decided to look for something different and found PopSugar Fitness. They have an extensive selection of fitness videos, catering to different people of varying fitness levels. If you are short on time, just follow a different 30-min workout video from its 30-minute workouts playlist.

The above video was the first video from PopSugar Fitness that we worked out to, and it is perspriation-inducing!

My personal fave is the video below. Very intense and the day after I first did it, my abs and arms were aching like mad! But I have since worked out to this video five times already. 😆

Now, the wifey and I are into cardio kickboxing because not only does it get the heart rate up, the exercise routines don't feel monotonous. We are both fans of Christa DiPaolo's kickboxing workouts because they are relatively easy to follow and boy, they can get intense too!

Along the way, we also interspersed the kickboxing workouts with resistance band trainings too (Decathlon sells them pretty cheap) and we followed HASfit's videos.

 

GOT ONLY 5 MINUTES TO SPARE, YOU SAY? 

Then no excuse, just follow this 5-min pre-fight warm-up video:

Nothing too intense but you can get your heart beat up in that 5 minutes and that can make you feel more energetic for the rest of the day!

I hope to have provided you with enough motivation to get started. Oh, and here's a final workout video that I do sometimes - the wifey doesn't like it because it is very siong!!! LOL. The first time I did it, I was panting like mad after 5 minutes. 🤣😂🤣 But I find it very fun so I am sharing it here as well.

Tell me which workout video is your fave, ok?

10 Free Online Resources for Kids & Parents during COVID-19 Stay Home period

With the current escalating Covid-19 situation in Singapore, I guess bringing the kids out probably isn't a good prospect... especially if you are thinking of heading to the attractions, shopping malls or playgrounds. If you absolutely must head outdoors, then it's best to go somewhere ulu (remote) or nature boardwalks.

But if you are stuck at home with the kids - whether you are working from home or over the weekends - then it will be best for your sanity if you keep them ocuppied with ample activities. Fortunately, because of the worldwide virus outbreak, plenty of companies and organisations have made their resources online for FREE. And trust me when I say there are A LOT TO CHOOSE FROM!

You can just do a simple Google search for 'free online resources for kids' and you will find endless amount of activities and ideas to keep the kids entertained at home - be it homeschooling resources, eAudio Books & eBooks, Math & Science tutorials or music & foreign language lessons.

What I have done is picked a few of the more interesting ones and compiled them into this handy list for you. Hope it helps you and your kids through these challenging times! 🦾

1. TIME FOR KIDS

For 23 years, TIME for Kids has published a weekly magazine for students providing age-appropriate stories kids are excited about, information just for kids that explains the world around them, and high-quality, trusted journalism that teaches news literacy.

And for the rest of this year, TIME for Kids is granting free access to its library of four grade-specific digital editions of TIME for Kids and Your $ financial literacy magazine. Simply sign up with your email address to get your child to start reading!

LINK HERE

2. PIXAR IN A BOX

Always wanted to learn about animation? Now’s your chance! Dive into Pixar in a Box, a free online learning tool for aspiring filmmakers, artists, and more!

Pixar in a Box is a behind-the-scenes look at how Pixar artists do their jobs. You will be able to animate bouncing balls, build a swarm of robots, and make virtual fireworks explode. The subjects you learn in school — math, science, computer science, and humanities — are used every day to create amazing movies at Pixar. It's great for older kids who are fascinated with animation.

LINK HERE

3. audible eAUDIO BOOKS

Kids everywhere can instantly stream an incredible collection of eAudio stories, including titles across six different languages, that will help them continue dreaming, learning, and just being kids. There are books for various ages, from little ones to tweens to teens. All stories are free to stream on your desktop, laptop, phone or tablet.

LINK HERE

4. NLB eBOOKS

You can borrow eBooks from National Library Board - and more than 3.5 million titles in 4 languages at that! - and download them into your electronic devices. In fact, the kids will be able to search for the books themselves and borrow them effortlessly without having to leave home.

Borrow up to 16 eBooks (including eAudiobooks) which lasts for 21 days each and the beauty of the system is the eBook will automatically expire after that so there are no fines to worry about for overdue items!

LINK HERE

5. CARING FOR EACH OTHER
by Sesame Street

To provide support during this period, Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, is offering a broad variety of free resources to help children and families during the coronavirus pandemic through a new Caring for Each Other initiative.

The resources have been designed to help parents provide comfort and manage anxiety, as well as help with creating routines, fostering playful learning at home, and staying physically and mentally healthy. This marks the beginning of a commitment to support families for the duration of this crisis, with brand new content featuring the Sesame Street Muppets sharing messages of love and kindness, playful learning activities, and virtual play dates launching soon.

LINK HERE

6. CODEMANCER GAME

Originally US$10, the game is now available for FREE! Codemancer brings the mystery of magic and the exhilaration of learning to code together in a fantasy universe that uses spell casting as a way to teach and learn programming skills.

Codemancer’s fantasy universe is filled with rival sorcerers and their minions for players to encounter along their journey. Designed for 6 to 12 year olds as an educational game that teaches the magic behind coding, it is a non-violent, entertaining, and educational game which is accessible to learners at any stage... and can be fun for grownups, too!

Available for download for Windows, iOS, and Android.

LINK HERE

7. SCHOLASTIC LEARN AT HOME

If you prefer to follow a schedule, this will be perfect. Scholastic Learn At Home features day-to-day projects to keep kids reading, thinking and learning. Great for kids from pre-kindergarten to 13-14 year old teens, the site includes daily reading quests as well as virtual video tours!

LINK HERE

8. THE KID SHOULD SEE THIS

TKSST is an unprecedented collection of over 4,500 kid-friendly videos, curated for teachers and parents who want to share smarter, more meaningful media in the classroom and at home. Focusing on science, art, technology, and more, the selections are grown-up-friendly too and it's ALL FREE!

LINK HERE

9. KHAN ACADEMY

Khan Academy is a free resource for students, teachers, and parents. The site offers free lessons in math, science and humanities from kindergarten through the early years of college. Students can use its exercises, quizzes, and instructional videos to learn and master skills... and get immediate feedback and encouragement.

LINK HERE

10. explore LIVE CAMS

Can't travel? No sweat, you can explore the world together with your kids from your home by checking out explore, which has a variety of live cams from seeing hummingbirds up close, to trying to spot gorillas in the wild, to seeing African wildlife, to even the Northern Lights (minus the cold)!

LINK HERE

Or if you prefer museums, you can take virtual tours of these 12 famous museums too.

BONUS!

PLAY MINECRAFT FOR FREE!

The original, classic Minecraft is now playable for FREE. Originally released as part of Minecraft's 10 year celebration, the original 2009 version of Minecraft can be played by everyone. No downloading required; you play on the web browser and you can play with up to nine other people. You can't save the game (since it's on browser) and it only has Creative mode but hey, it's free. So if you have been wanting to check out Minecraft and play together with your child, it's worth to check it out.

LINK HERE

Be an 'unfiltered' parent today (& you may just win vouchers!)

Sponsored Post

There is no other job in the world like being a parent.

It can be immensely fun and nothing swells me with more pride than seeing my kids reach a milestone in every stage of their lives. On the other side of the coin, it can also be extremely messy and brutal.

Because let's not kid - pun fully intended - ourselves here: Parenthood is the most complicated thing we have ever done in our lives because there is no handbook to follow. Raising our children will forever be the hardest endeavour we will ever undertake in our lives. It IS hard work.

But if you are a parent, you already know that, don’t you?

And it sure doesn't help that social media has played a huge part in shaping the way we parent our kids. The thing about social media nowadays is we often see picture perfect moments other parents post of their kids - together with feel-good captions about being a parent, and idyllic photos of their lives, their meals, their homes, their vacations and their fitness regime. Sometimes insta-filtered to the max.

Well, there isn't exactly anything wrong in doing that especially in this day and age where being visually appealing helps. A LOT. But there is also nothing wrong in showcasing the truth behind parenthood.

Behind every smiling baby, there are less than 4 hours of sleep, tons of diaper changing, and never-ending messes to clean up.

Behind every posing school-going child, there are the endless homework, revision and trying one's best to solve those Math problem sums.

Behind every teenager in a family photo, there are the constant eye-rolling, emotional outbursts and thoughts of running away. And that's just the parents. 😂

Truth is, we all have our 'no-filter parenting' moments - moments that happen frequently on a daily basis but we don't usually put them up on social media because you know, they are not exactly 'insta-worthy'.

And I have just the perfect example. See the photo below?

This was taken on Langkawi island last year and it constitutes what you will probably acknowledge as a great family portrait to share on social media.

But this is what you do not get to see.



Hey, where did Ayd go??? He somehow managed to lost his footing just when the camera shutter snapped and this was the 6th unsuccessful attempt in taking a smiley family portrait… hence, the sian-ness, or frustration, written all over my face. Oops.

But this photo probably sums up what parenting is really like – moments of irritation that happen on a daily basis. Just because we parents do not post such ‘unglam’ shots on our social media accounts doesn’t mean they do not happen.

Or maybe a moment of spontaneous fun when the monkies decided to pile on top of one another?

I would have joined in but I didn’t think they could support my weight. 🤣

Again, this photo shows another side of parenting – moments of spontaneity rather than kids all lined up in a single file and asked to smile & pose for the camera. And for every shot of fun in this photo, there are plenty of not-so-fun moments in our parenting journey as well.

Like having to study for exams.

At the end of the day, parenting isn’t as easy as it looks. But we still continue to plod on, for the sake of our children – IG-worthy photo or not. Because no matter how hard it gets, we parents will never stop trying to give them the best... in all its unfiltered parenting glory.

Which is why OCBC gets it and wants to reward all you long-suffering 😜 new parents out there.

You will have definitely heard of the Child Development Account (CDA) where the Government matches your savings ($6,000 for first and second child, $12,000 for third and fourth child and $18,000 for fifth and subsequent child) over 12 years.

Today, Singaporean newborns will also receive the CDA First Step, an initial balance of $3,000 upfront, in the child’s CDA, without parents having to contribute anything first! Definitely a great ‘starter kit’ for all dads and mums. Do note, however, that the amount will count towards the existing caps, meaning that first-time parents who receive the grant and then save $3,000 in their child’s CDA will hit the $6,000 co-savings ceiling.

The money in my monkies' CDA account definitely came in useful. Besides using the funds to pay for their kindergarten school fees, the money also came in useful at hospitals, clinics, pharmacies and even optical shops!

And if you really want to maximise your CDA benefits, open a CDA with OCBC, because they have been providing both parent and child with a lot more than just interest earned for 10 years and counting!

2% per year interest with OCBC CDA
Enjoy 2% interest per year on the first S$36,000 deposited in your child's CDA and 0.05% per year thereafter.

Enjoy up to 50% off with the OCBC Baby Bonus Card
Save on learning courses, kindergartens, party catering and more. View all OCBC Baby Bonus Card offers, including their 10th anniversary specials, HERE.

0.8% per year interest with OCBC Mighty Savers® Account
Open the account with your child to join the OCBC Mighty Savers ® Programme. Deposit S$50 per month with no withdrawals to enjoy 0.8% per annum interest.

S$108 credited into OCBC CDA with purchase of MaxMaternity Care
MaxMaternity Care protects expectant mothers (from 13 weeks) against 8 pregnancy-related complications, and protects babies from 18 congenital diseases.

S$100 credited into OCBC CDA with purchase of Endowment Plan or Protection Plan
With purchase of Endowment Plan (annual premium between S$3,600 to S$11,999) or Protection Plan (annual premium above S$1,200). More details HERE.

40% off PA Protect for parent, child plus child rider bundled plan for the first year
PA Protect is a comprehensive personal accident protection plan that protects you and your child against accidental death, total permanent disablement and accidental medical expenses. Your child will also be covered against animal bites, and infectious diseases such as chicken pox, and hand, foot & mouth disease. If you want to know more, you can provide your contact details HERE.

BONUS!
In addition, share your imperfect parenting moment on Instagram from now to 25 November 2018 and you could be one of 40 winners to receive S$20 worth of FairPrice Gift Vouchers each!

Here's what you have to do:

1. Post a photo of your imperfect parenting moment on Instagram (account must be public)
2. Write a caption about the moment
3. Include the hashtag #OCBCnofilterparenting

Now, who says being an 'unfiltered' parent cannot be rewarding too?



To find out more about OCBC CDA, please visit HERE for more details.

Terms and conditions apply. SGD deposits are insured up to S$75,000 by SDIC. Insurance plans will be underwritten by The Great Eastern Life Assurance Company Limited or Great Eastern General Insurance Limited.

Being a Dad or a Father: What's the Difference?

With Father's Day around the corner, it got me thinking:

What is the difference between being a Father and a Dad?

Both titles may mean the same thing on surface - Both Father and Dad go to work to provide for their families. Both of them play, talk and discipline their kids. Both of them bring their families out to the malls, parks and try their best to bring them on holiday trips.

But yet, there is a difference... because if Dad and Father were the same, why then bother with separate words?

Personally, the word "Father" sounds more formal and serious. When you fill out a form, it is always "Father’s Name' or if a kid gets in trouble, it is always "Wait till your father gets home”. In fact, the term describes more of a biological role than a relationship. Fathers need only contribute the biological components necessary to produce the child.

A father doesn’t need to be present to have a child.

A father doesn’t need to be present to be a father.

Dad (or Papa), on the other hand, conjures up the element of fun. Being a dad means being in a relationship that spans time. Being a dad is a position of responsibility, one who is the role model and contributes to the life, growth and feelings of his child. Being a dad means being there for them, in good and bad times, physically and spiritually and even beyond in memories.

Because anyone can be a father.

But being a Dad?

One can only truly become a dad with years and years of hard work, commitment, sacrifice, love and action.

For me, even before I assumed the title of ‘Dad’, I had resolved to be there for my children wherever and whenever I could. From diaper-changing, bathing to playing and putting them to sleep, I was there. And I can tell you it was well worth it for sure.

I still recall the time when I had asked a then 5-year-old Ale to practice writing her numbers and while she did complete her task, she gave me an added bonus.

Obviously, she did not have to practice anymore after that. Heh.

Of course, life does change after children but I have found that the delight that comes with being a Dad to three monkies far outweigh the sacrifices. The first time they grab my finger, smile at me, take the first step, say the first word and then “I love you,” write their name, go to school, sing the alphabet, use the potty and many, many others. If someone were to tell me before the birth of my children that I would willingly change clothes for Barbie, serve tea to Hello Kitty, Dora and my daughter, I would have LOL-ed.

Today, I do all of that willingly because I am a Dad.

Because being a Dad enriches me, and makes me learn something new every day…even those from my own monkies.

When I hear music I love, I self-consciously sit still to listen as I will probably be too embarrassed should I go out of tune, or rhythm should I sing and dance. My monkies love to sing and boogie to the music, and even if they don't know the lyrics, they make up their own words.

When I see a puddle, I go around it. I see wet shoes and dirty carpets in my car. My monkies jump into it. They create splashes, get their shoes wet and squeal with laughter. Because it is harmless fun.

When I find empty cardboard boxes lying around in the storeroom, I see piles of junk and envision cockroaches having a field day scurrying through them. My monkies see tons of fantastic art and craft materials and celebrate these little things in life as the best days in their lives. Ever.

When I feel wind on my face, I feel it messing up my hair and making my eyes squint when I walk. My monkies close their eyes, spread their arms and fly with it.

When I see a pile of twigs lying in the park, I see ants, dirty hands and accidental poking of one's eyes. My monkies see swords, guns and other creative stuff one can only imagine.

When I hold my monkies' hands, usually it is because we are crossing the road or in a crowded place. My monkies simply long for the sense of comfort felt through the touch of someone's hand.

Truth is, I am often humbled by the lessons that my monkies dish out. They stop me in my tracks, make me appreciate the moments in life and remind me to embrace the relationships and all other blessings that come along with it.

So what does being a Dad mean to you?
To me, it is all of the following:

A Dad smiles in the face of adversity. Even though he hasn't put on his running shoes in years, let alone run 800m. Even though he will pant and run after you like a bumbling elephant past herds of children. Because you ask him to.

A Dad does not always know the best or the right way to do things. In fact, his way is downright embarrassing sometimes. But he is always there to figure it out together with you. Because you expect him to.

A Dad makes the difficult look so easy. He may be in pain or just plain wilting in the heat, but he will put on a facial expression that makes him look like the coolest and meanest cowboy on this planet. Because you inspire him to.

A Dad gives you a little push, picks you up when you are down and carries you up on his shoulders - despite his aching back. He is always there for you. Because you need him to.

A Dad wants other people to ask his child, “What on earth does your dad do for a living? How is it that he can be at school to watch you perform every time? How can he drop you off at school every day? How can he bring you out to places every weekend? Doesn’t he have to work?”

For the record, I do have to work.

But being a Dad is work too. It is hard work, but it is rewarding work.

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there who get the job done, grit their teeth and wait till the kids are asleep to apply the Deep Heat cream.

You guys are awesome!


This post was written in partnership with Hey Baby SG.

Ash's potentially life-threatening bacterial blood infection - all because of an open wound

During the March School Holidays, we had an unplanned staycation.

At Mount Alvernia hospital, no less.

It all began with an open wound, a seemingly innocuous one (or so we thought) that Ash had gotten in school on the last day of the school term due to a fall. That weekend started on a fun note which saw us heading to Sentosa for the giant bouncy inflatables.

But Ash soon developed a fever that Saturday afternoon. We gave him paracetamol and packed him off to bed for an early night. His body temperature then fluctuated between 37 and 39 degrees throughout Sunday so we thought we had better pay the GP a visit.

At the clinic, his fever had completely subsided. However, his body still felt very warm to touch... which made the GP very suspicious. Ash's body also appeared pinkish - like a mild sunburn - and on closer inspection, his upper torso was actually covered in tiny rashes.

The doctor then took his blood pressure and heart rate, with both results at contrasting ends of the spectrum. His BP was pretty low (about 75/50 at one point) while heart rate was high at 118. This set the alarm bells off as "something was definitely brewing inside his body".

The doctor then advised us to bring Ash to the hospital's A&E department immediately. Which we did and to cut the long story short, Ash was diagnosed with cellulitis and an early stage of sepsis.

Cellulitis is a bacterial infection of the skin and tissues beneath the skin, caused by staphylococcus or streptococcus bacteria. Symptoms include:

- Skin rash that begins suddenly and spreads quickly within 24 hours
- Areas of inflamed red skin that grow larger
- Tenderness in the affected area
- Pain
- Fever

Yes, ALL of which was experienced by Ash. The bacteria most probably entered through Ash's open wound. Sigh.

But that was not the end.

When Ash's blood report came back, it was found that the bacteria had entered his bloodstream... which to put it simply, can have fatal consequences. This is because the bacteria can then spread to one's lymph nodes and become life threatening.

And then there is also the issue of sepsis.

Sepsis is a potentially life-threatening complication of an infection. Sepsis occurs when the body's response to infection causes injury to its own tissues and organs, causing them to fail.

Symptoms for early sepsis include fever, low blood pressure and high heart rate (more than 90 bpm). Again, ALL of which was experienced by Ash.

So as you can probably guess, the wifey and I were genuinely worried. Because should sepsis progress to septic shock, blood pressure can drop dramatically, which may lead to death.

Fortunately, he was diagnosed early and given a two-day worth of antibiotics through drip during his staycation.

By the third day, he was deemed to be recovering well and able to progress to oral antibiotics, which meant he could be discharged! But not before savouring his steak in hospital - yes, they serve steak in hospital.

Overall, it was an harrowing experience over 3 three days!

And to think this was not the first time Ash has put the wifey and me through a roller-coaster of emotions.

NOT FUNNY AT ALL LOR.

Anyway, thank goodness he is alright now.

Moral of the story? Take proper care of scrapes and cuts to prevent cellulitis.

Always wash wounds with soap and warm water, apply an antibiotic ointment if needed, and cover with a bandage to prevent bacteria from entering the bloodstream. And should fever, rashes on the body, or signs of infection (and pain) on the cut occur, NEVER ignore the symptoms and head to the doctor immediately.