Growing up without doctors

Actually, I was blogging in my Penang Faces blog about arrowroot chips. But something struck me real hard and I have to carry it over here to continue the story.

I never have to consult a doctor until I was in Form Five. Back then, we cannot afford doctors as we only have one single clinic in my whole Bayan Lepas area. Mom has every kind of cure for every ailment. I shall try to recall the kind of traditional treatment I was put under as I recall them. I had measles and all sort of illness and I never need any doctors.

Let's get back to the arrowroot story:


It is call arrowroot in English or siku in Hokkien. My mom used to call it a-lu-lut hoon. (mispronounced arrowroot powder) She made it into a paste for me to eat when I had fever when I was small. Ewwwws.... The powder is mixed with sugar and boiling water is poured on it. It thickens and became like phelgm. She told me this will cool my body down.

I don't know how this a-lu-lut memories came flooding back into my head. It just appears and *sniff, sniff* I MISS MY MOM! I only know this white thingy is called arrowroot because the supermarket label it that way. I made a google search and found that yes, indeed, it has medicinal properties.