kyension

#sharestrength – Chemotherapy #3

I was aiming to blog about each of my chemotherapy cycle at the end of my chemotherapy weekend but I missed the third cycle. I’ve already completed my forth cycle but here I am trying to recollect the experience of my third cycle because as a chemotherapy patient, I enjoyed reading the progress of each cycle of other patients; it gave me a glimpse of what to expect at different stage of the journey. It’s reassuring so let’s do this.

During my third cycle, I learned that I’m just quite hopeless when it comes to productivity during chemotherapy and that hair fall is something I need to deal with at least until my treatment ends (FYI, colon cancer chemotherapy does not cause hair loss).

Besides that, RK learned alongside me that life is as usual even with chemotherapy, just like what my doctor told me prior to treatment. We went to the mall after my hospital visit. We caught a movie 2 days after finishing my third cycle. And I went for a 3d2m shopping trip to Bangkok a week after! This explains why I have less time for my blog now. Continue reading #sharestrength – Chemotherapy #3

Why I Decided to Film for AXA and National Cancer Society

The response received after the release of AXA’s sponsored video for National Cancer Society has been overwhelming. Mei Sze posted the video and article on her blog and Facebook page on Thursday and encouraging messages have been coming my way non stop since the posting. I’m glad that the video and article are making an impact even though I wasn’t expecting anything when I signed up for it. In fact, I didn’t know what I was signing up for when I got the email and SMS from Mei Sze one fine day.

No one asked me why I had decided to be featured in the video. Was it obvious? Or it’s just a no-brainer to take part in the project?

Continue reading Why I Decided to Film for AXA and National Cancer Society

Why I Decided to Film for AXA and National Cancer Society

No one asked me why I had decided to be featured in the video. Was it obvious? Or it’s just a no-brainer to take part in the project?

Canopy Walk at KL Forest Eco Park (Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve)

I thought there’d be the typical nature walk or hike at KL Forest Eco Park (formerly known as Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve) because that’s the usual case when there’s canopy walk, plus the place’s called a park. But nope.

We learned online that KL Forest Eco Park is opened at 7am; the signage at the park stated 8am onward though. Anyway, we only arrived at 9am and learned from the information counter at KL Tower that we need to get the free tickets from the ticketing counter for a canopy walkway tour at 10am.

We got our tickets, went to the entrance of KL Forest Eco Park located within the compound of KL Tower and discovered that the management of the park is a total haywire.

Continue reading Canopy Walk at KL Forest Eco Park (Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve)

#sharestrength – Chemotherapy #2

My first chemotherapy felt like forever. My second chemotherapy felt like a blink of an eye. Seriously, I don’t know where time flew. I didn’t realize I have been away from work for almost a week until late this morning.

I have to say that the second cycle felt less intimidating because I already had a gauge of how my body would respond to the drugs. What I have forgotten however, was that I now have increased dosage of drug in my body. What this means is that side effects will be worse because of cumulative effect.
Continue reading #sharestrength – Chemotherapy #2

#sharestrength – Chemo Port Surgery & Chemotherapy #1

So it happened. 7 weeks after my colectomy surgery to remove 26 cm of my colon, I went for another surgery to commence my chemotherapy. This, however, was a minor surgery. So minor I was fully awake throughout the whole 1-hour procedure.

Awake? Yes, I was awake.

For my colectomy surgery, I was unconscious at the waiting ward. I did not see the operating theater. I did not see my surgeon’s face before the surgery.

For this minor surgery to implant a chemo port in my chest, I climbed onto the surgical table myself and even chatted with the surgeon during the surgery. It was surreal. It was scary just because. Continue reading #sharestrength – Chemo Port Surgery & Chemotherapy #1

Donating via Gifts of Hope by World Vision Malaysia

Sometimes, people walk up to you and say they are collecting funds for a certain orphanage somewhere. How do you respond? As much as there’s a good chance there are legitimate fundraisers out there, I’m normally skeptical. I feel that it’s either I go to the orphanage myself for donation and charity, or I trust the works of established NGO, like World Vision Malaysia.

World Vision is an international Christian humanitarian organisation dedicated to working with children and families to overcome extreme poverty and injustice. We work to promote human transformation, seek justice for the oppressed and demonstrate the love of God for all peoples. World Vision serves all people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender.

Today, World Vision is helping more than 100 million people through its various development, humanitarian and emergency relief programmes. With more than 45,000 staff in 100 countries, it is one of the largest relief organisations in the world.

Taken from World Vision Malaysia website.

Continue reading Donating via Gifts of Hope by World Vision Malaysia

#sharestrength – Back to Work Post-Surgery

It has been a while since I updated my blog, hasn’t it? That’s because I got back to work (finally) after 6 weeks of Medical Leave. The 6 weeks flew by quite fast though. Didn’t notice that I was away for so long until I filled up my MC form.

car selfie — Driving on the first day back to work.

Anyway, getting back to work makes my days pass even faster. I wake up at 5am for qi gong at 5.30am. I’d be home at 7am and need to leave for work ASAP. I’d try to leave work at 5.30pm so that I can be home for dinner at 6.30pm but I never made it in time. I’d normally be home at about 8pm and my bedtime is supposed to be at 9pm.

So yeah. No time for anything. My day feels so short. Continue reading #sharestrength – Back to Work Post-Surgery

Nature Walk at Taman Bukit Kiara Feb 2016

Long before, RK told me about nature walk at Taman Bukit Kiara: shaded and tarred walkway with pretty steep ascent; not only good for casual walk but also great for cycling. There are hiking routes that look pretty challenging to me too. And I’ve learned that over the years the park has been improved with exercise amenities.

taman bukit kiara sign — Here’s a signage at the entrance of the nature walk at Taman Bukit Kiara that I explored.

I was there over the last weekend with RK and 3 other friends — 2 adults and 1 6-month-old baby! We were there for the easiest course of course. It was the baby’s first stroll in the park (literally because she was in the stroller) and it was my steepest ascent since earning my 5-inch-long battle scar. Continue reading Nature Walk at Taman Bukit Kiara Feb 2016

#sharestrength – Thoughts on Chemotherapy (Pre-Treatment)

“Chemotherapy” is a scary word. It’s probably the most dreaded treatment of cancer because of its infamous side effects and damages done to the body. Fyi, chemo kills fast growing cells regardless if they are healthy or unhealthy cells; cancer, hair follicle, lining of gut, bone marrow, etc.

Before chemo was prescribed to me, I’ve heard many chemo success stories so when I first saw my surgery report stating that I need chemo, I thought, “If everyone else did it, why can’t I?”

The hopefulness and strength didn’t last long though. Once news about me being prescribed with chemo went out, somehow stories of people avoiding chemo or of people being devastated by chemo started surfacing and alternative treatment started taking center stage. Fear engulfed me every time I thought about undergoing chemotherapy and this was evident through my mood swing. Continue reading #sharestrength – Thoughts on Chemotherapy (Pre-Treatment)