Category: #sharestrength

Qi Gong for Cancer Patients in Klang Valley

If I can only choose to recommend one thing to fellow new cancer patients who approach me for wellness advice, it would be to practise qi gong. This coming from a mid-20 city girl says quite a lot, doesn’t it?

When I first heard about doing qi gong every day at dawn from a TMC practitioner to complement my conventional cancer treatment, I was skeptical. Skeptical because qi gong sounded mythical — like something done by people who have reached nirvana or sort. Skeptical also because qi gong sounded old — indeed, the qi gong center I went were mostly people above 50. Moreover, who starts exercising in the stadium at 5.45am every day?!

I went anyway for my first class upon his recommendation. After all, when I first started, I was on a 6-week medical leave and I wasn’t sleeping well. Might as well check out this qi gong thing.

Continue reading Qi Gong for Cancer Patients in Klang Valley

A Day at Hospital for Follow Up Consultation with Oncologist

I’m glad I wrote about how I felt 3 months ago when I went for my 2nd quarterly blood test post cancer treatment. Because I feel very different this time round.

I was excited to be back in the hospital for the check up. So excited that when an apologetic colleague called me when I was at the hospital, she commented that I sounded too upbeat for a person visiting a hospital. Continue reading A Day at Hospital for Follow Up Consultation with Oncologist

The Source of #sharestrength

I’ve been itching to write about something that comes to my mind every time someone says this to me when my Big-C story comes into the picture: “You’re so strong.”

Firstly, I’d take credit for that. Yes, I think I’m pretty strong for taking in Big-C into my life and walking out from the battle feeling like a completely normal human being who actually likes to brag a little about that adventure I went through.

Secondly, I’d like to give credit to the people and circumstances that I’ve been through to help put perspective to where the strength came from. Continue reading The Source of #sharestrength

An Open Letter to A Youth Cancer Fighter

Dear Mei Mei,

I’ve only met you a few times during World Vision volunteering experience. I doubt we exchanged more than 20 words but you left a great impression on me — a joyous individual who brightens not just the children and families you advocate for but the team that works with you towards the same cause.

There is no doubt that you are the sunshine everyone needs in life.

Continue reading An Open Letter to A Youth Cancer Fighter

How Post-Treatment Cancer Follow Up Feels Like

So I completed my Stage 3 Colon Cancer treatment (surgery and chemotherapy) 5 months ago, cleared my first follow up blood test 3 months ago, cleared my first follow up colonoscopy 2 months ago and just cleared my second follow up blood test today. I’m still in remission, which is a great news. Yay!

If you are interested to learn how cancer survivors feel about going for check up post-treatment, here’s my experience. Not the same for everyone but I feel this way. Continue reading How Post-Treatment Cancer Follow Up Feels Like

Working Out At Curves For The First Time

Over the weekend, I joined a Youth Support Group activity organized by our National Cancer Society Malaysia Youth Ambassador: Mei Sze. The group gathers cancer patients and survivors aged 18-35 years old. Mei Sze has been consistently organizing fun monthly activities and I’ve joined two so far!

The one that happened in the recent weekend was a workout session at Curves Malaysia. Curves is a female-only gym that focuses on teaching about healthy pre-workout food and aims at strength training via their 30-min circuit. I’ve never been exposed to this before so it was my first time and I loved it! Continue reading Working Out At Curves For The First Time

My Recent Colonoscopy Experience

Many years back, perhaps when I was religiously reading Reader’s Digest during my commuting days to college, I came across an article about colonoscopy. About how a man vividly describes the explosive bowel prep he went through before a colonoscopy that he remembered almost nothing about.

Not very sure why that article left such a lasting impression on me but it definitely came in handy when I went for an unexpected colonoscopy almost eleven months ago.  Continue reading My Recent Colonoscopy Experience

3 Strangers Who Inspired Me To Fight Cancer The Way I Did

Today, I feel like sharing about a few persons that I have been following and are making a difference to me since my cancer diagnosis. These are people that I never knew before the Big-C, whose online advocacy has encouraged me during my treatment days.

They definitely influenced me to fight cancer the way I did.

Continue reading 3 Strangers Who Inspired Me To Fight Cancer The Way I Did