Playing Doctor

I played the role of a doctor this week. My mother and I went to visit this family friend of ours. She is 76 years old. She told my mother that she could feel a lump on her left breast and it was painful. My mother quickly asked me to examine her. So she removed her blouse and I felt a lump there on her tender skin. What a new experience that was! My mother too felt it.

I did not want to raise an alarm so I just told her it may be nothing serious but it is best to get her physician to have a look. A mammography should be done immediately. Panic can be seen on her face even though we assured her there is nothing to worry about. She has never done a mammography in her life.

On our way home, I told my mother if it is cancer, would she be able to withstand surgery and treatment.

Two days after this my mother accompanied our friend and her husband to the medical center. A mammogram showed everything was normal….thank god for that. In fact the lump has disappeared.

She called me that night to tell me what transpired that day, sounding happy and cheerful.

Well! I was glad everything was alright.

2-Year Survivor-Valentine’s Day

As everyone celebrated Valentine Day, I too celebrated it for the love of life. Two years ago I has my mastectomy done on Valentine’s Day.

Last year I came down with flu so could not do anything and was on medical leave at home.

This year was different…not that I had a romantic candle light dinner…ha…ha!
My colleagues and I celebrated the day by going to MacDonalds. Fastfood…a no..no but then I just felt like it.

After work, I had toastmasters' meeting and so I had lots of laughter and had valentine chocolates. My mentor gave me a valentine’s gift. As the meeting finished and I was about to leave, a relatively new member came up to me and gave me a "sweet" gift and told me how I have inspired her so much. She remembered about my mastectomy as she had read it on my blog.

I was extremely touched by their gestures. It was a happy finished to a day for love...of many things...including friendship.

I can now declare myself a two-year-old cancer survivor.

Joy of Sharing

My last Saturday was very hectic. My brother serves food every quarterly to the some families of orang asli near Telok Panglima Garang, Selangor. My parents and I usually join him in making the visit.

They are treated an Indian vegetarian mea for lunch. My mother and I prepared tahu sambal where else other friends of my brother prepared other dishes. The group is quite used to Indian vegetarian food by now as my brother has been making this visit for the past 4 years





On a makeshift table, among wooden huts, rubber trees and rustic living, we served the food to about 30 children and 50 adults. . We could feel the scorching sun on our heads as it was a very hot Saturday afternoon.







The children always wanted a second helping for papadams and cold drink. They could not wait for the adults to finish and for us to clear the tables. This is because they know at the end, they will be treated to a bundle filled with sweets, chocolate wafers, biscuits and buns. The look at this children’s face…words are not needed to describe the happiness on receiving these goodies.

After finishing saying goodbye, I had to zoom from the wildness to the concrete jungle. My insurance friend who is also my childhood friend had invited me to Hotel Singhasana in Petaling Jaya. I had been asked to share my experience as a breast cancer survivor to a small group of women. The talk was held in conjunction with an insurance product for women.

Of course after the speech, everyone said how brave I was and I had someone come up to me to give me a hug.

Well I suppose when you share something so personal even total strangers get connected to you.