1 Year After, My CancerVERSARY

Sg Palas Tea Plantation

Hello ~! ,

Today is the day when I had gone to the operating theater & came out renewed. 

Lost in her drama world

Just cant believe it. Its exactly a year now. 

In fact, its more than a year the day I was diagnosed with cancer. 

I know I have been lagging on my blog... need to buck up ~!                  


Below is just part of what I had wrote during my retreat to Cameron Highlands during Christmas.
Stayed there for a week with my family.

I'm in Cameron Highlands again, writing this blog, while my wife is in the room with her computer & my son running around with his scooter.

Xmas present fr GodParents

Its been more than 1 year since I was diagnosed with stage 3 trachea cancer.
I celebrated it with Mimiko & Ryusei by spending a week at Father's Guest House in Tanah Rata Cameraon Highlands. 

To think about the minute I was told "I'm sorry, but you have CANCER", I just can't believe its already 1 year now.
I have made very good progress, had some hiccups but overall, it has turn out to be a GREAT 2011 year ~!

Below were the events during my journey to well being.

Just got up fr Ops at HDU

17th Dec 2010 - Found a mass in the trachea

18th Dec 2010 - Went for a bronchoscopy test with Dr Jurina at Columbia Hospital

21st Dec 2010 - Was informed that I have cancer

22nd Dec 2010 - Went to SDMC to meet oncologist, Dr Foo Yoke Ching

23rd Dec 2010 - Went for a PET scan at Wijaya Medical Centre

27th Dec 2010 - Went to Singapore, Raffles Hospital(Dr Donald Phoon) & Mt Elizabeth(Dr T.Agasthian) for 2nd opinion

My Souvenir

28th Dec 2010 - Had my 1st chemotherapy at SDMC

18th Jan 2011 - Had my 2nd chemotherapy

8th Feb 2011 - Had my 3rd chemotherapy

28th Feb 2011 - Went to Singapore to get ready for my operation by Dr T.Agasthian

1st Mar 2011 - Had my operation to extract the cancerous portion from my trachea

29th Mar 2011 - Had my 4th chemotherapy

19th April 2011 - Had my 5th chemotherapy

10th May 2011 - Had my 6th chemotherapy

28th Jun 2011 - Back to work

During my journey, I have changed & saw many things which I have never realize to be of such importance.

Look at the COLORs !

Regular CT Scan chk-ups

Even though the journey was painful, it had made me STOP & LOOK around at the people & beautiful things (look at the flower which I had captured).
Every part of me felt thankful that I'm able to open my eyes & enjoy another beautiful day ahead.
I'm so happy to have my wonderful wife@caregiver, son, parents / in-laws, brother & sister, nephews, family members, friends, colleagues, bosses and many more whom had played a BIG part in my road to recovery.

My Resolution
The incision from the surgery on the chest does not hurt anymore now. 
But the foot long scar serves as a reminder to lead a positive and healthy lifestyle.
I take care of my body... making sure it gets the proper nutrition and exercise.
I still go for my routine morning walks & weekly acupuncture. I practice my Qiqong twice a week.

I'm able to control my emotion much better now, especially when I'm driving.
I look at things from a new perspective.
I have new objectives to keep myself going. New goals to achieve every year.
 

Mt Kinabalu

My next one will be conquering Mt Kinabalu. Scheduled to be on early Jul 2012.
My brother had asked me to join him for the Singapore Marathon at the end of the year. Will probably go for the half marathon(20km).

I would like to help as many cancer patients as possible. Assist them in their war against cancer.
What every cancer patient needs to have is the courage & emotional support.
The road to recovery is difficult but not impossible.
I have seen & heard many remarkable recoveries. People whom did not give up eventhough diagnosed at the 4th stage & advance stage.
They are the real CHAMPIONS whom have strong spirit & look at things positively.
They had beat the odds & came back stronger than before. 

I miz this place !

I will do my best in whatever that I do. I cherish all the people around me.
I look into the details off the things around me.
Frequent excursion trips will always be in my mind.
I shall also continue my acupuncture treatment with Dr Cheung, Dr Zhao & staffs at EverHealthy Care Centre..

I have always wanted to run my own small business ... Hope to materialize this in the very near future.
Need to slow down my pace & take things slowly.

What ever it is, DO NOT BE AFRAID OF CANCER.
Face it with courage & outrun it. You are not alone & many people will run with you.
All you need to do is to ask. Many will share their experience.
Many will tell you that its not hard, just do not give up.
Drive yourself with strong determination.

Love everyone around you.

I know just how hard it is to do rather than to tell you the above things.

Nevertheless, I have every right to tell you so as I have went through the process myself.

Time waits for no one. The seconds tick away even as we speak. Live your life to the fullest.

Take care of yourself & cherish all the loved ones around you.

Till then, Cheers ~!

TERRY FOX RUN 2011 - Working Together to Outrun Cancer

Terry Fox Run 2011, just right before the race

Good day,
I have just participated in a run at Padang Merbok.
It was a non competitive and in commemoration of Terry Fox.
Terry Fox is a Canadian cancer activist & is famous of his Marathon of Hope in the early 80s.
He was 18yrs old when he was diagnosed with bone cancer & had his right leg amputated.

When he was hospitalised, he was overcome by the suffering of the other cancer patients, especially the younger ones. It was then that he decided to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research.

At the Starting Line

His run was called "Marathon of Hope".
His run started in 1980

The Sea of People

Below is a short write up which I had copied from the Terry Fox Foundation website.

http://www.terryfox.org/Foundation/index.html


The Terry Fox Run is an annual non-competitive charity event held in numerous regions around the world in commemoration of Canadian cancer activist Terry Fox, and his Marathon of Hope, and to raise money for cancer research.
The event was founded in 1981 by Isadore Sharp, who contacted Terry in hospital by telegram and expressed his wishes to hold an annual run in Terry's name to raise funds for cancer research. The event is held every year on the second Sunday following Labour Day. Since its inception, it has raised via the 'Terry Fox Foundation' close to $500 million dollars. The run itself is informal which means that the distance often varies, usually between 5 and 15 kilometres; participation is considered to be more important than completing the set distance. There are also runs set up by schools of every level, often with shorter distances than the "official" ones.
Unlike other major fund raising events, the Terry Fox Run has no corporate sponsorship. This is in accordance with Terry Fox's original wishes of not seeking fame or fortune from his endeavour. During his cross-Canada run, he turned down every endorsement he was offered (including from major multinationals such as McDonald's), as he felt that it would detract from his goal of creating public awareness. The Terry Fox Runs have no advertisements on any race related materials (such as t-shirts, banners, etc).

2011 T-shirt

3 of us had done it, have you?

Participation is easy. Just turn up on that day, get a T-shirt, mingle around and start running once it starts.

This year, the distance was set at 3.6km
It varies based on the route which the organizing committee had chosen.
Importantly, its the participation that counts.
There are many cancer survivor groups whom participated too. Its very encouraging to see all of the survivors so energetic and positive. If you are one whom are still in the fight, come join the run. Its like getting a steroid jab onto your arm.

At the Finish Line

                   Come & join me next year !
       Tag your self to the their Facebook page.

Emotions Feed Cancer...for Better or Worse?

Hello Dear Readers : )

These 2 months had been very hectic.... I have so much to do since I recovered from the therapies.
There was work, hard decisions to make, guest, dinners, weddings, chauffeuring, my son, my parents, house work.... It feels like everything came all together.. all cramp into a small nicely packaged box couriered to me.
                                                          
When there is so much to do, so many times that we forget about our emotional control.
Deep inside myself, I know that it's bad & not what I had hoped for.
I needed rest. I needed peace in my mind. I needed a healthy body to produce good antibodies.


With so much thunderstorm in the evenings, the thought of missing my qiqong most of the time made me felt worse.
This created a BIG sense of guilt in my road to be healthy. 

With all these pressures & 'things to do', does it make sense?
I say STOP!
Look around~...., do I need to press myself forward again? To gain materialistic wealth?
To change my car & to shift to a bigger house? To be a higher position manager?

                                                                                                                              

All of these physical wants & needs trigger various positive & negative emotional feelings.
Like for eg, Fear, Greed, Anger, Hate, Sadness, Depression, Despair, Revenge, Powerlessness, Resentment, Happy, Love, Thankful, Appreciation, Joy, Freedom & many more.

Do I resent on how I feel now?
NO! In fact I'm glad that it happened.
It gives me a chance to test myself and control my emotions.
Controlling our emotions are one of the hardest thing to do as it comes very naturally before our mind can judge whether its the right or not.

I found the below phrase. Its the link between our 'emotions vs cancer'. 
http://www.alternative-cancer-care.com/Cancer_Survivor_Program.html

"This prolonged emotional stress causes stress-hormone cortisol levels to spike within your body, depleting important adrenaline reserves, causing a breaking of the cells 'oxygen krebs cycle', leading to cell-mutation and cancer."

In short, the below emotional examples are good to our body in fighting cancer & avoidance of recurrence case. 

We should have lots of the below.

                                                                                                                    

Happy - More of these ~!
Cheerful - Smile when you see a stranger. Wish them Good Morning~.
(It always worked for me. Chances are I know that the person whom I wished will feel cheerful today.)

Serenity           Joy                    Cheerful
Admiration      Freedom            Please
Trust               Appreciation      Delightful
Acceptance     Thankful
                                                                                                                    
Avoid the BELOW....

Anger            Disappointment

Hate              Shame

Grief              Sadness
Revenge         Stressful
                                                                                                                    


Having said the above, its so much harder to put it into practice.
I will just quote a few examples of what I'm doing now.

IF my ANGER flares, walk away & avoid fights, especially when I'm driving.

TRY not to not hold GRUDGES. Let bygones be bygones.

TRY not to STRESS myself during work. I have done my best & shouldn't feel guilty of things beyond my control.

DONT think too far, be HAPPY & GRATEFUL of what I have now. Look around the people around me.
They are the ones whom were with you & cared for you. Cherish every second with them.

If you feel tired, DROP the things that you are doing & go rest. Take a day off.
Go shopping, go for coffee, go buy a book & relax. Look around the city. When was the last time you had been there?

Go for EXERCISE. Its a good way to de-stress the body. Go for a walk in the evening after dinner. It will make you sleep better.

Be THANKFUL everyday. Everytime I open my eyes in the morning, I am grateful that I am able to spend another day in this beautifully created world.

EXPLORE the things that you wanted to do. Go to those place which you had always wanted to go.
Go for a picnic. 

                                                                                                             

There are so many things that you can think of & do.
Its all within your own imagination.
As long as you have all the positive energy & none of the negative energy.
Things will get better & have a positive mindset.
The next time you want to erupt, think again.
Why not save your emotion & energy to be HAPPY & CHEERFUL? 

We can OUTRUN cancer. ~!