Latest news with #musicteacher
CNA
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNA
CNA938 Rewind - Tech Talk: Behind the music of NDP 2025
CNA938 Rewind - A Letter to Myself: Hazwady Nazran bounced back from rare disease, thanks to his wife's persistence — and his guitar Hazwady Nazran, a singer-songwriter and music teacher, shares his road to recovery from an exceedingly rare autoimmune condition — anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis, which upended his world. Delusions, seizures, and personality changes almost led doctors to diagnose him with a psychiatric condition. But his wife, who's a doctor, suspected something deeper and insisted on further tests that eventually led to the correct diagnosis and effective treatment. The road to recovery was long — but it was paved by the unwavering love and persistence of his wife. Hazwady also shares the remarkable story of how they fell in love, including how he proposed to her just one day after their first meeting.
CNA
18-07-2025
- Health
- CNA
'Playing Russian roulette every time I eat': What living with allergies is like in Singapore
In February this year, a typical day for Ms Teo Ying Ying turned into a distressing hospital visit and a confronting new chapter of her life. The 27 - year-old music teacher had enjoyed her favourite Indian rojak for both lunch and dinner, ending the day with a bowl of her mother's herbal soup. It wasn't long before her eyes started to itch and water uncomfortably. Then, she began sneezing uncontrollably, broke out in hives and struggled to breathe. She had never experienced an episode like this. She was rushed to the hospital, where doctors found that her oxygen levels had fallen to 93 per cent, a level where medical evaluation is advised. She was given an injection of epinephrine, administered steroids and placed on oxygen to stabilise her condition. Epinephrine, also known as adrenaline, is the first-line emergency treatment for severe and immediate allergic reactions such as anaphylaxis, which can affect breathing and blood circulation. Doctors told Ms Teo that she was most likely having an allergic reaction, but they were unsure of what caused it and advised her to carry an EpiPen until she could be tested for the condition. An EpiPen is an emergency injection that delivers adrenaline to stop a severe allergic reaction. Ms Teo said that in those initial months before she was tested, she was filled with anxiety and uncertainty, sticking to eating food she knew would not trigger a reaction. She said she carried her EpiPen with her, even if she was just going to buy food near her housing block. Beyond the fear of what might trigger another reaction, what unsettled her most was the sheer unpredictability of it all. "Suddenly, I'm allergic to something. It feels a bit unfair. All my life, I've been eating all these food items … and I was perfectly fine, and suddenly it decides to happen." Allergy tests later revealed that Ms Teo was allergic to storage mites, a type of microscopic insect commonly found in dried foods such as grains, flour and spices. She was told to wash rice thoroughly and avoid consuming food that has been left out too long, as a way to minimise the risk. "It's definitely great knowing what I'm allergic to, but I can't control (what gets into the food) when eating out," she said. Unlike a seafood allergy, where she could ask for ingredients to be omitted, storage mites are harder to avoid or detect. They could be present anywhere, whether in flour or food that has been left out for a while, making it nearly impossible to eliminate from her diet. Ms Teo is not alone in developing an allergy later in life. Ms Tan Hui San, 32, discovered she was suddenly allergic to nuts seven years ago, despite having eaten peanut butter regularly without any problems. It was not the public relations professional's first encounter with a food allergy. Years earlier, as a teenager, she had a reaction to chicken rice that contained salted fish, which led to the discovery of her shellfish allergy. "In 2018, I ate some cashew nuts and I started to feel an area of my tongue at the back of my throat starting to swell," she recalled. Ms Tan also has asthma, so she often feels a tightness in her chest that usually takes a few days or up to two weeks to subside whenever she has a reaction. Over the years, her nut allergy has worsened, she observed. At first, she avoided only tree nuts; now, she cannot eat chocolate that might contain trace amounts of nuts. "It's strange because it never used to be so bad. I used to be able to eat, for example, a brand of chocolates and I never had issues with them before. A couple of months ago, I ate some chocolates I always eat and suddenly, I needed my inhaler," she said. "It feels like a very small thing and it might not seem severe, but living with it is stressful. "There is this sense of the unknown. Sometimes you eat certain things and you feel like you're okay – and then you're not okay." As a precaution, Ms Tan carries around her inhaler and doctor-prescribed antihistamines, which are stronger than over-the-counter ones but leave her feeling lethargic. "I feel like people just don't realise the mental, emotional impact of it (living with allergies)." DOCTORS REPORT RISE IN ALLERGY INQUIRIES Doctors from both private and public healthcare clinics told CNA TODAY that they have noticed a steady increase in allergy-related consultations. The majority of allergy cases in Singapore continue to involve children, but there doctors have noted a growing number of adults developing new allergies as well, although there is very little public data on the trend. Dr Phang Kee Fong, consultant at the division of rheumatology and allergy at the National University Hospital (NUH), said he has seen "an increasing number of referrals to the adult allergy clinic". "We are also seeing patients who do develop new food allergies in adulthood, most commonly to shellfish such as prawns and crab," Dr Phang added, noting that studies in adults with allergies are lacking. "The nature of allergic diseases in adults may be different from what is seen in young children; hence, extrapolating paediatric management to the care of adult patients may not be entirely appropriate." Dr Tan Wei Jie, a general practitioner (GP) at DTAP@Orchard clinic, sees around two to three patients a week who ask for allergy tests and treatment. He said that the numbers have gone up over the past two years. His patients are mostly children and teenagers, but there are adults as well. Many of these cases are mild, but he has observed a broader range of conditions, from skin rashes to more severe allergic reactions, particularly among children. At KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH), Dr Chong Kok Wee, head of its paediatric allergy service, noted a rise in the incidence of food allergies among children, with the prevalence at 5 per cent. Between 2015 and 2022, the hospital's emergency department saw nearly 2.5 times more visits for food-induced anaphylaxis, he said. He added that the growing number of cases was "likely due to a true rise in disease prevalence", which was compounded by heightened awareness and improved diagnostic tools. Dr Chong is the co-investigator of a new clinical study announced last month that aims to answer questions about the prevalence and impact of food allergies among children in Singapore. The four-year study is being led by NUH and the National University of Singapore (NUS) Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, in collaboration with KKH, National University Polyclinics (NUP) and NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health. Named the Singapore Food Allergy Story, it is the first and largest study to provide a holistic overview of the burden of food allergies in Singapore, a media release by the health institutions stated. ALLERGIES CAN OCCUR ANY TIME OF YOUR LIFE Although allergies are often associated with childhood, doctors who spoke to CNA TODAY said that these can develop later in life and sometimes in response to substances previously tolerated. "There are cases where individuals may develop an allergy to a product that they have used for a period of time," Dr Tan the GP said, adding that this could include familiar foods, skincare products or pets. He also said that many people wrongly assume long-term exposure guarantees safety, but this is not so because the immune system can suddenly change its response. Dr Phang, who sees patients at Alexandra Hospital and NUH, said: "A patient could have been exposed to a substance without issue for years, but a combined effect of environmental factors, infections and genetic factors can cause the immune system to now recognise it as a threat." Dr Uma Alagappan of TDC The Dermatology Clinic said that for patients with severe eczema, a skin condition, they may develop more allergies over time. This may occur later in life and treating the eczema will help to reduce the number of allergies. She also said that shellfish and avocado allergies usually develop due to cross-reactions. Cross-reaction (or cross-reactivity) in allergies happens when the immune system mistakenly identifies one allergen as another because their proteins share a similar structure. This can cause allergic reactions to substances even without exposure, simply because they are biochemically similar to the one already causing an allergy for the patient, Dr Uma explained. Dr Chong from KKH said that the cause of food allergies is likely multi-factorial and a result of the complex interplay of genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors during early childhood. He said allergic conditions tend to follow a progression known as the "atopic march", where eczema in infancy may give way to food allergies and eventually, to respiratory conditions such as allergic rhinitis, a type of inflammation in the nose, or asthma. Dr Lee Hwee Chyen, a dermatologist in private practice at Epi Dermatology & Laser Specialist Clinic, said that urban living, changes in dietary habits and reduced exposure to natural environments in early childhood may play a role in increasing allergy sensitivity. Agreeing, Dr Chong said one key theory that might explain the rise in food allergies in Singapore is the "hygiene hypothesis". "Our modern and cleaner urban lives have reduced our early exposure to microbes that are crucial for training a child's immune system," he added. "Ironically, a more sterile environment may inadvertently be increasing our allergy risks by not allowing the immune system to learn what are harmless or harmful." LIVING WITH ALLERGIES IN FOOD-OBSESSED SINGAPORE Although 29-year-old civil servant Rae Teo has lived with allergies since childhood, she said her allergies escalated rapidly in adulthood. She had been allergic to nuts, shellfish and bananas from birth, but she began developing new allergies during her university years, including reactions to mushrooms, brinjal, parmesan cheese, most fruits, as well as dust and storage mites. She makes it a point to avoid cuisines that are likely to contain allergens, but dining out can be challenging because not all workers at eateries are equipped to manage food allergies. She recalled an incident when she was dining out with colleagues and had asked a staff member to confirm that a pasta dish did not contain mushrooms due to her allergy. Despite assurances from the restaurant, including a check with its head office, the dish was served with mushrooms that are clearly seen. When she pointed this out, the staff member insisted that it was mushroom-free, much to her frustration. "It's kind of like playing Russian roulette every time I eat," she said. "Sometimes, I worry I'll wake up tomorrow and I'm suddenly allergic to something that I like. "I used to really not enjoy eating in general, because it was such a stressor. The uncertainty is quite burdensome, but I've also learnt to live with it." Mr Joshua Shih, 34, who has a gluten and dairy intolerance, said looking for food options in Singapore can be an ordeal. Gluten intolerance is a sensitivity to foods containing wheat, barley or rye, including sauces such as soy or oyster sauce used in Asian cooking. "I went to Raffles City shopping centre because I know most gluten-free options tend to be in the central region, especially around City Hall," the administrative executive said. "But it was so frustrating, I went from Basement 1 to Level 5, checking menus non-stop. I was exhausted. I just wanted a simple meal, but I couldn't find anything that was purely gluten-free. Eventually, I broke down in public." Beyond the physical toll, having allergies in Singapore can result in social and cultural isolation. Human resources director Julie Lee, 54, said there were times at previous workplaces where she felt left out and "not welcome" because of her allergies. Ms Lee has eczema that is exacerbated by various allergens, including beef, prawns, dairy, alcohol and nuts. "One of them (a colleague) said to me: 'It's hard to include you because of the kind of food you want to eat. You're so different and we have to cater to you'." When travelling for work, Ms Lee often informs organisers about her food allergies in advance of group dinners. However, her dietary requirements are sometimes oversimplified or ignored, and they simply order vegetarian food for her. "But I'm not a vegetarian. I can eat pork, chicken or fish. I just need them to understand my specific allergies," she said. For those living with allergies, there are times when even loved ones fail to recognise the seriousness of their condition. Ms Teo said that her godmother once tried to sneak in peanut oil in one of the dishes she was cooking, hoping that gradual exposure might cause the allergy to go away. "I remember feeling extremely hurt," Ms Teo said, likening it to how some people would often dismiss mental health conditions by not taking them seriously. However, not all allergy sufferers face negative experiences. One standout experience for Mr Shih was at Jumbo Seafood restaurant, known for its iconic chilli crab, a favourite dish of his. While the dish typically contains gluten, a staff member offered to make it gluten-free for him, because the chef was well-versed in preparing dishes for customers on gluten-free diets. "It was awesome. I got to enjoy the dish with my friends. It was a really pleasant experience." Ms Ainul Razib, in her late 20s and who works in the technology sector, has a peanut allergy and eczema. She said she initially felt left out because she couldn't enjoy dishes central to her cultural identity, such as nasi lemak and satay, due to the risk of cross-contamination or the use of peanut oil in cooking. "From a cultural perspective, when you're not able to eat foods that are quintessential of your cultural identity, it feels like you can't relate." All her family members love satay and they now make it a point to double-check whether it has been prepared with peanut oil, as a show of support and care. "I hope people will be more open to those of us who have allergies, and to know that we have to avoid things that you might love not because we want to offend you, but simply because we cannot eat those items," she added. Ms Rae Teo the civil servant said that some of her close friends take her allergies seriously, maintaining a list of "Rae-friendly" eateries and proactively shortlisting places where she can dine, relieving her of the constant burden of deciding where to eat. "It's already difficult enough, having to think about every meal in such a way," she added. "So if you could take some of the mental burden away, or also assure your friends with allergies, that it is not a burden, it's just another form of care. I think that's something that I will appreciate, or I think people with allergies will appreciate."
Daily Mail
17-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Music teacher allegedly challenged underage girls to kiss each other during game of truth or dare
A music teacher allegedly instructed two underage girls to kiss each other during a game of truth or dare before she sexually abused one of them, later telling the teen she was 'so in love with her' but would have to wait until she turned 17. Adelaide educator and flautist Janelle Colville Fletcher is standing trial in the South Australian District Court over the allegations regarding the teenage girls. She has pleaded not guilty to one count each of sexual abuse of a child and communicating with intent to make a child amenable to sexual activity. Prosecutor Chris Allen told the court Fletcher allegedly dared the two girls to kiss one another while in her early 30s, the Adelaide Advertiser reported. After one of the girls went to sleep, Fletcher then allegedly continued to engage in sexual acts with the other girl, the prosecutor told the court. Mr Allen accused Fletcher of engaging in 'two or more' sexual acts with the girl and continuing a relationship with her for several months. He referred to text and email exchanges between Fletcher and the teen, which allegedly included the teacher telling the girl she was 'so in love with her'. She is also accused of actively attempting to conceal her behaviour by allegedly instructing the girl to disguise her name in her contacts list. She also allegedly told the teenage girl not to speak about her. 'Right now we can't be open,' she allegedly wrote in one text. 'We have to continue as we are, in secret. I don't know if that is fair on you.' Mr Allen also accused Fletcher of giving the teenage girl several gifts for her birthday, including underwear, and taking her to a photo booth. The girl ended the relationship with Fletcher a few months later, the court heard. Both of her alleged victims are expected to give evidence at trial.
News.com.au
15-06-2025
- Health
- News.com.au
Brutal truth behind family Mother's Day photo
As a busy first-time mother, Emma said everything 'happened so quickly'. One minute she was breastfeeding her baby girl, the next, she was being wheeled in for a mastectomy. At just 35 years old, and an otherwise healthy young woman, the Northern Beaches local said there were no warning signs to alert her to the silent killer growing inside her – until that fateful day earlier this year when she found a lump in her right breast. Emma, a music teacher, was quietly nursing her little girl, Chelsea, when she felt a small lump and assumed it was mastitis, an inflammation of the breast tissue, which can be caused by blocked milk ducts. 'I felt a lump and assumed that is was going to be mastitis because I'd had it quite a few times,' she told 'But then it kind of lingered around, didn't turn into anything and I seriously just thought I was about to get the world's worst case of mastitis. 'I didn't think it was anything sinister, I had no other signs and it's not really on your radar, thinking that it's breast cancer.' The Sydney mother said she booked an appointment with her GP out of 'an abundance of caution', but never expected anything to come from it. 'I had a scan and knew something was wrong straight away,' she recalled. 'The technician kept popping out and I thought, 'this is not good'.' Emma said everything happened within an eight-hour window. A mammogram was ordered and then her GP called her into her office at the close of business day, confirming it was breast cancer. She then had different biopsies to determine what type of cancer she was facing, as well as an MRI at the surgeon's request. These biopsies of different areas of the breast tissue both came back cancerous, so Emma explained what was initially due to be a lumpectomy – a surgical procedure to remove a tumour or lump from the breast, while preserving the rest of the breast tissue – wasn't an option. It would need to be a mastectomy, or removal, of the right breast. 'When they came back with the tissue pathology, it actually came back with 20 individual cancers, so they were very shocked and also very grateful that we did the mastectomy and not just the lumpectomy because it would have just been a ticking time bomb really,' Emma explained. 'And then the rest of the tissue was all precancerous too, so it (her breast) had to go.' Emma's doctor made sure to explain that the breast cancer wasn't caused by her pregnancy or breastfeeding, however it was likely that the cancer grew very quickly because she was breastfeeding, as the hormones were probably 'feeding the cancer'. 'Because I was still breastfeeding, we had to wean (Chelsea) cold turkey because they can't operate while you're still breastfeeding,' she explained. Emma said a friend suggested she and her husband, Phillippe, mark the occasion of her final time breastfeeding her daughter. So the young family packed the champagne, headed down to the beach, and sat on the sand while Emma breastfed Chelsea for the last time. After her mastectomy last month, Emma was in hospital for Mother's Day and was visited by her own mum, sister Hannah and daughter Chelsea. Trying to make light of the situation, she said she joked with her husband that she'd like a 'boob job' for Mother's Day. 'You've got to laugh sometimes. If you don't, you'll cry.' Despite the huge ordeal, Emma said she considers herself very lucky, as they caught the cancer early, before it spread to the nodes. 'Fortunately it's Stage 1 and Grade 2 in aggressiveness, which again is really lucky, because for a lot of young women they often get more aggressive types of breast cancer so I'm fortunate that it's not.' The Sydney mother admits the health scare has thrown their plans to extend their family into complete chaos. She underwent an emergency egg retrieval last month, while awaiting one test to come back from the US which will determine her need for chemotherapy. 'If I have to have chemo, that's it for fertility, but if not then I'll start hormone therapy immediately which puts you into medically induced menopause,' she said. After only managing to get one embryo during last month's egg retrieval, the couple has now started the process immediately again, with 'just enough time' to try one more time before Emma's treatment continues. 'The idea that we might not have another child is really sad, especially when my egg retrieval didn't go well, I felt pretty sad on that day. I've been pretty upbeat otherwise,' the brave Sydneysider said. 'The first time we were struggling to fall pregnant, it was about our identity – will we ever be parents? Will we have a family? Now it's not so much about that because we are parents and we are so lucky. But we want to give her a sibling, and I think when you go through a serious health thing, you don't know what's ahead and so to have a little buddy for our daughter to have by her side, is more what we want, it's not so much for us,' Emma said. Breast cancer cases increasing at a 'concerning' rate Emma's story is similar to that of thousands of Australian women every year. Breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting Australian women and the second-most-common diagnosed cancer in Australia. According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, 58 people are diagnosed with breast cancer in Australia every day. That equates to over 21,000 people each year. Around 1,000 young Aussie women aged under 40 are diagnosed with breast cancer each year, equivalent to about 3 young women each day. Approximately one Aussie woman under the age of 40 is expected to die each week from breast cancer. The Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) has called the increase in cases among young women 'concerning' and 'indicative of a national trend'. Worldwide, there are now an estimated 528,018 young adults living with breast cancer, and with more young women being diagnosed with the deadly disease than ever before, women have been urged to speak up wit their doctor if they have any concerns. Emma's sister, Hannah, is completing her first half marathon in September, taking part in Sydney's first-ever Carman's Fun Run to raise vital funds for BCNA.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Woman Is Upset Her Boyfriend Isn't Being 'Proactive' About Finding a Job: 'I've Been Covering Most of Our Expenses'
A woman wrote in a post on Reddit that she is upset with her boyfriend because he isn't being "proactive" about getting a job The man is a music teacher finishing his degree, but he lost his main source of income months ago in March, as students stopped booking classes "I've been covering most of our expenses, including gas and outings, and I've even lent him money a couple of times," the woman saidA woman's relationship with her boyfriend has hit a rough patch because she said he isn't being "proactive" about getting a job. Writing about her situation in a post on Reddit's "Am I the A-----" forum, the woman, 26, said she and her partner, 30, have been friends for over 10 years but only became romantically involved in February. 'In the beginning, things felt great,' she wrote, detailing that she and her boyfriend share similar interests in religion and family. Further explaining that she's a lawyer with a stable income and a car, the woman said her boyfriend is a music teacher finishing his degree, but he lost his main source of income months ago in March, as students stopped booking classes. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. "He's applied to some jobs and had a few interviews, but nothing has worked out yet," the woman wrote, adding: "I've also sent him job listings, but I'm not sure he followed up on them." "Meanwhile, I've been covering most of our expenses, including gas and outings, and I've even lent him money a couple of times (which he always pays back quickly)," she continued. The woman said she is now starting to grow weary of the situation because her boyfriend doesn't seem to be 'proactive' in finding another job, and also isn't attentive to their relationship. 'We haven't gone on a proper date in a while, and I feel like I'm the one putting in most of the effort," she explained. Then highlighting that she and her boyfriend "both attend church and are involved in community activities," the woman wrote, "I'm volunteering and teaching music to kids, even without a degree." She continued, "I thought he might want to help with that or support me more, given his experience and our current dynamic, but he doesn't offer unless I ask directly." "He used to drive me to church to help me rest, but lately he goes to his friend's church to play music and hasn't offered in a while to drive me," the woman further stated. Concluding her post, the woman said, "We've had some tension because of this. I'm wondering if I'm being too harsh on him?" The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now! In the comments section, many other Reddit users pointed the finger at the woman. 'You're already propping up his lifestyle. You clearly have high standards for yourself in other areas of your life, please raise them in your dating life,' one wrote. Another agreed that the woman should 'be less available, stop organizing things he can't afford.' Others also weren't so quick to put all the blame on the boyfriend, reminding the woman that everyone goes through hard times. 'Three months in the current day is a perfectly normal amount of time to be jobless while actively looking for work,' one user said, then urging the woman to put more effort into the relationship and talk with her partner. 'Make sure he understands how you're feeling, that you understand he's struggling right now but you want a bit more effort towards you. As long as you both support each other, it should work out," they wrote. Read the original article on People
