Sunday, July 31, 2005

Recovery mode... and jazz fest!

I'm on the road to recovery from the dengue fever I had almost a week ago. I'm still not 100% yet, but I'm definitely feeling better today, compared to the last week. The after-effect of the dengue fever, was the low white blood count, and also low blood pressure. What this does is that it gives you the feeling of being spaced-out, and detached from the world. The last two weeks I felt like I was on another planet. It's like getting high from smoking weed, but minus the smoking weed itself!

Also, I think I lost at least 6kg the last two weeks since I got sick. Ask KNN-man, Kenneth. He saw me on Friday at the Sunrise Jazz and Rhythm Fest and get his testimony on how I lost a lot of weight. Not to say I don't enjoy being the slimmest ever in my life for the next couple of weeks/months, at least. But losing weight out of sickness... wow... not a nice thing to go through! But then again, I hope I can maintain this weight after I get better.

In fact, the past week was a pretty busy week for me. I had to get up back on my feet and gone for rehearsals for the jazz fest, as I was playing with Alonso's Jazz Latino, featuring Amir Yussof, on Friday 29th (which was yesterday night). Also, I had to do play a property developers' award night on Thursday, and also rehearsing for a gig I did today with Farid at the Malaysian Tourism Centre. The early part of the week, especially for rehearsals, was slightly tough for me, as I still felt slightly week from the low white blood count and low blood pressure. So I got tired really fast, and lethargic. Even doing the Jazz Latino show at Sunrise on Friday night was quite a task, as I was feeling really out of form, feeling tired from the low blood pressure. I had to muster up as much strength I had to play with such a power-house latin jazz band. Trying to recover after that gig... now, that took like almost an hour, man! I was feeling so light-headed, I thought I was going to faint!

Today, was much better. Although still NOT 100%, and I still didn't have the playing strength I had before I got sick, but I didn't feel light-headed and weak compared to the last couple of days. I did a workshop thing at Avanti's in the afternoon, and then went to MATIC for the soundcheck with Farid's band, and later on play the gig at night. In fact, after the MATIC gig, which was really a food fair organised by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, I went over to Sunrise, Plaza Mont Kiara, to check out Groove Unction. I was even called up on stage to jam with them, which was sort of a surprise for me. But I still felt alright to play, and didn't have that light-headed, woozy after effect. So I guess, I'm feeling a little better now. Yay!

I'm looking forward for next week's shows: Greg Lyons Nonet on Friday, 5 August, and Farid Ali, "Mr. Gambus" on Saturday, 6 August. All this is happening at the Sunrise Jazz and Rhythm Fest next week. Will be posting more on that as the week progresses.

Lastly, I would like to extend my thanks and appreciation to all who showed me kindness and well-wishes when I was sick with dengue, and also well-wishes for my recovery. Thank you very much for your kindness and concern! I'm glad to say, again, that I'm feeling much stronger today, and I'm getting some energy back as well. And I'll try to play with my best for next weekend's shows!

Hope to see you all there, then!

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