Author: kyension

Bukit Wawasan, Puchong Hiking

I’m not gonna lie: My fitness level is lousy and I found hiking at Bukit Wawasan, Puchong challenging. To give context, this was my first hike in 5 months since my hike at Setia Alam, first hike since completion of treatment 3 weeks ago and second hike this year.

Prior to the hike when I read blogs and reviews about this hiking trail, I was under the impression that it’s an easy hike. I found it easier than Ah Pek Hill (which was a killer to me) but harder than any other hikes I’ve blogged about so far. Continue reading Bukit Wawasan, Puchong Hiking

#sharestrength – Chemotherapy #12 (Final)

So. I’ve finally completed the 6-month chemotherapy journey. As I’m writing now, it has been 3 weeks since my final treatment that started on 14 Sept and ended on 16 Sept (Malaysia Day).

I felt like a veteran chemo patient by the final cycle. The chemo needle felt so normal. Going to the washroom every 20 min during chemo (because I was prescribed with med to make me pee more) felt normal. Leaving the chemo ward with needle on my chest felt normal.

Continue reading #sharestrength – Chemotherapy #12 (Final)

#sharestrength – Chemotherapy #11

I can’t believe that just a cycle before, I said that I was starting to feel numbness on my fingers and feet because by the end of my 11th cycle, the numbness has escalated pretty quickly.

I’ve started to feel less grip on my fingers and feet (not sure if it’s due to lack of sensation or I did indeed lose grip). I started wearing sandals to work because work ballerinas were causing blisters to my numb feet. I couldn’t feel my feet 100% and felt like they were getting weak too. Continue reading #sharestrength – Chemotherapy #11

#sharestrength – Chemotherapy #9

It has been 3 weeks since my 9th chemotherapy cycle. As usual, the side effects were never the same. After administering so much drug into my body for 9 times since March, I was finally confused which cycle I was at. Every time I got confused, I visited my blog to check the latest update on my chemotherapy treatment. Hehe.

Another remarkable (and depressing) experience during this chemotherapy cycle was numbness or tingling in my fingers and toes. At times, I felt it in my entire arm and foot too. According to Cancer Research UK, nearly everyone undergoing FOLFOX chemotherapy gets this side effect due to oxaliplatin drug. In worst case scenario, I’d have trouble buttoning my shirt, etc. Sadly, unlike other side effects that usually go away by the time I have my next treatment, this numbness and tingling feeling seems to persist. I still have it as I’m typing 3 weeks after my recent treatment. It’d take months to heal apparently. I hope it doesn’t get worse in my remaining 3 treatments. Continue reading #sharestrength – Chemotherapy #9

#sharestrength – Chemotherapy #8

I spent a long time (maybe an hour or more) with my oncologist during my first consultation before deciding on doing chemotherapy. But that’s only once. Ever since then, I may have held the record for the shortest consultation among the other patients, pretty much every round of chemotherapy.

I think chemo hasn’t started yet because I see no tube in this pic. Anyway, it was taken on chemo day regardless.

Here’s kinda what I told my doctor about my 8th cycle…

“Hello!” Continue reading #sharestrength – Chemotherapy #8

My Personal Expense in 2015

Do you know where your money go? I kinda know where my money go because when I graduated college, I was like “Oh no. No more allowance. Will I have enough every month?” I remember during that period, personal financial management was a hot topic among my peers as we embarked on this new journey. We started off with how to do budgeting and in order to stay within budget, a few of us frantically recorded our expenses every day.

So I did that with the help of a mobile app (I use Expense Manager by Bishinews) every single day for quite some time. I get lazy from time to time and probably miss out more transactions as days pass but at least I have some clue of where my money go; and touch wood, I haven’t need to borrow money from anyone yet to make ends meet even during this Big-C treatment journey. Continue reading My Personal Expense in 2015

#sharestrength – 6 Months After Surgery

I’ve been anticipating for this date: 26 July 2016. I can’t believe I pretty much forgot about it today because I was so distracted by my chemotherapy side effects! Anyway, I hit my 6-month mark post-colectomy surgery today! *pops confetti and champagne*

Going through chemotherapy made it felt like eons have passed since this Big-C adventure started. But looking back at the surgery, I’m feeling like “half a year already?” Clearly, the experience with the surgery and chemotherapy is very different. Continue reading #sharestrength – 6 Months After Surgery

What Religion Means to Me

I caught up with a friend who came back for holiday from her medical school in UK. Since my cancer diagnosis, she has been very supportive as a high school friend who is now very equipped with medical knowledge to help me in times of needs.

She told me about her medical incidences when she was alone in UK and how her new religion helped her to miraculously heal her in two instances. This made me think about religion and what it means to me. Continue reading What Religion Means to Me

Things Not To Say To Cancer Patients

The polite title is “Things Not to Say to Cancer Patients.” The honest title is “Things I HATE Hearing as a Cancer Patient.” In all honesty and as a disclaimer, this is a challenging article to write simply because I’m trying hard to be polite while sharing what frustrates me a lot during my experience as a patient of Stage 3 Colon Cancer. So if I sound harsh, please allow me to use my “chemo moodiness” card to pardon myself.

“You should have (fill in the blank).”

Continue reading Things Not To Say To Cancer Patients