After i gave the talk at the Tamil School, i was invited to give another talk to the Rotary Club in Klang. This was definitely a challenge to me! Why? Because most of the Rotarians were men with only a few ladies among them.
This is my first time dealing with a majority men crowd. I showed my usual slides which included breast self examination and in the end i touched on the importance on husbands and boyfriends giving their full support to their wives or girls friends when they are diagnosed with breast cancer. The audience had many questions to ask and it was an interactive session.
Rotarians listening to what i had to say about breast cancer!
Receiving a certificate of appreciation.
This month of October, i have been quiet involved with NCSM on creating breast cancer awareness, particapting at roadshows and attended a sharing session at the Hospital Serdang. I have posted some pictures at my facebook.
I have not been posting for nearly two months now and i only realised this when i saw my blog...wow how time flies.
I have been busy with many things and including going through a career change. My high blood pressure is not stable now cfontrary to what i thought that by leaving the corporate world it would stabilise but it has not. I have recently starting going to university hospital to address the issue and the attending doctor has changed the prescription for the medicine. I just had a blood test taken and I am waiting for the results.
Last week i also had my mammography done which is the normal 6 months routine. I was told everything was normal and the date for the next mammography is a year from now. Thank for God for that!
Towards end of last month i did two presentations in creating breast cancer awareness, firstly to the teachers from the SJK(Tamil) North Hummock, Setia Alam. My cousin's wife who is a teacher there organised this talk.As this is a Tamil type school, for the first time i had to do my presentation in Tamil. My cousin said i did quite well...hurray hurray as i thought my Tamil is not that fluent! After the presentation i began to realise that many women folk beyond the town and cities are not aware of many aspects of breast cancer. I touched on the myths & symptoms of breast cancer and breast self examination. With many inquisitive questions from the young teachers i was glad i did my part in creating breast cancer awareness that day.
I am presenting my talk before the teachers.
Teachers in discussion after hearing the myths of breast cancer.
My audience listening tentatively to me ..ha..ha!.
My contribution to well being of women folks get paid in kind.
Today was my mother's six month check up with Prof Yip. The good Prof said my mother was fine and we with her for less than 10 minutes. There were may ladies waiting to see her. Unlike other times, i could not pick a conversation with anyone as both of us were seated at a corner...ha..ha!
Yesterday was a day that proved to be a motivating. I go this reflexology centre at least once a month. And yesterday I went to the reflexologist and as i was having a conversation i found out about his wife. Firstly he is blind and his second son is a slow learner which i knew earlier. What i found out yesterday made me feel really proud of having known him. He told me that his wife developed a mental disorder 5 years ago. So she is under strong medication and he is always watchful of her as anything can trigger her mood swings. He seem to know alot and i found out he is also well read on this topic. He has always appeared to be cheerful and talkative. So with all these challenges he can smile at life.
Many people these days, have actually got many of their perceptions in life wrong. To me yesterday the reflexologist amazed me and motivated me to meet challenges ahead with determination and confidence in this journey of ongoing of adventure.
I am back after some break. It not that i did not want to do any posting but suddenly over the view months since my last posting i have become some what very busy.
Many of my blog visitors who i have recently meet as me why i have not blog recently and ere are some of the questions asked by them:
Have you got a job and gone back to the corporate world? No i have not got a job. I am now a risk management consultant working from home dealing in various financial and estate planing products. I am slowly but surely getting a grip of this new adventure that i have taken on. It has been slow but i am learning about new skills especially dealing with people and getting to know about the outside world especially when i meet people from all walks of life. The first few months were not easy after years of working in an office environment to suddenly being in a home environment. Many who know me to come from a legal background are at first surprised and when they hear what i have gone through they understand....and say you had guts! Ha...ha! Has it been easy doing something totally new to sustain one self? Well it has been a challenge but it is something new and give me the excitement to do something new. Initially i have to cut my corner and live within my means.
What has happened to the issue with your previous company? I can now proudly reveal that i had taken the matter to industrial relation dept and the matter did not get settled there. So i am now progressing with the next course of action. I am lucky that i met the right set of people to give me good advise in dealing with this matter. So now you must have lots of free time? Since July 2010 i have been elected the Division C Governor for District 51, Toastmasters International with 33 clubs under me. So i have been really busy visiting clubs , attending installation ceremonies and being judge for speech contests. Toastmasters has always given me the self confidence and self esteem over the years and it will continue to push me to greater heights. It is an atmosphere surrounded by warmth, positive energy and people that appreciate you. As toastmasters is a non profit organisation, our contribution is on a voluntary basis. How is your health now? My high blood pressure is much under control now that i am not in an office environment..ha..ha! Well the above are a few common questions asked.
During this few months, i am also very sad that my fellow blogger Dalilah passed away as she lost her battle with cancer. She was a very gusty and couragerous lady. May her soul rest in peace. I had been caught up in my own world and had not been following her blog for some time. So it was total shocked to me when i received the news.
Two weeks ago i volunteered to be an emce for the IEM Family Day. It was the first time, for me to be an emcee for a family day and I enjoyed it tremendously. At one of the booths, i was asked to donate blood. When i told them i cannot, they wanted to know why. I told them i am breast cancer survivor. Oop! They just looked at me speechless!..Ha..ha!
Wondering what’s become of me! Well I walked off my job early this month. After working for ten years with the same company and now with lots of indifference taking place, I decided that enough is enough. I value myself more and thus made a decision on what was best for me.
I have taken this bungy jump, I not know how long I will swing in mid air but I know that in the end when I complete my jump I will have no regrets for I would be proud of myself.
Of course going back to the corporate world will be a challenge now due to my age and as a cancer survivor. Considering all aspects I know I have come to a cross road in my career and I have made certain choices…to try new things and to excel with all confidence and self esteem.
In the midst of this, last week we, some members of Pink Unity had a swell of a time in Langkawi. Visiting the general hospital and having a sharing session with a big group of ladies from the civil services , the 31 odd members of Pink Unity were involved in. I for the first time emceed the event in Bahasa Malaysia and was proud for now I could provide master of ceremonies services in both languages…ha..ha!
Of course, we also had great fun and camaraderie. We also proved that no outing is fun without shopping just like most Malaysian women. I will post more on the trip in the next post.
I have been busy with other things at home, very involved in my toastmasters' activities and decided to take a short break before making up my mind on my career plan.
When ones self- worth and self- esteem are tested then it is time to rise to the occasion.
I turned 44 last Tuesday. I took off from work for the day and visited temples and friends. My resolution where birthdays are concerned is to celebrate in many different ways that i can. I received many birthday wishes and gifts from many good hearts. They wishes and blessings made my day.
My birthday wish is for life to be filled with lots of laughter and joy..ha..ha. It the midst of many challenges for God the bestow on me the inner strength to face all type of situations and to more on.
Two weeks ago i went for my did my mammography The radiologist report states that there is many calcification on my right breast. She wants me wants to me to do any mammography in 6 months. Oh well! As usual doing a mammography is a uneasy experience.
This Valentine's Day, was the 5th anniversay of having had the mastectomy done. As i always say Valentine's Day is a celebration of life for me.
Like everyone else the journey had been challenging yet fulfilling. I am really proud of my achievements and who i am today, regardless of what the people around me think.
I always tell some one who is down emotionally to "love thyself first" which i think is very important.
My high blood pressure is under control thanks to the medication. But then sometimes when i get upset, the reading show the pressure being high.
I am now facing new challenges in my life surrounded by negative vibes. But then after having gone through cancer these vibes can be overcome. I like to share these few words that i receive on my mail and would like to share them.
Your Best Year
Like in everything we do, in life there is not a second chance; every moment, either we lose or win! Everything is mental; we bring to our life what we think about most of the time.
The road has two ways, one toward light and other toward darkness. Life is a choice! Everything and Everybody starts from zero; it is your choice in what place you finish. If we accept mental poverty, all kinds of poverty is what we get.
Change your attitude to win now! Be happy and relaxed, regardless of any circumstance. Always focus only on the solutions; don't let anybody rob you of your happiness. Don't allow challenges or circumstances to defeat you.
Do the right thing. Demand from yourself whatever it takes to win - clarity, focus, effort, persistence, sacrifice, discipline and love - not just to survive but also to win!
Life is a give and take; we stop receiving as soon as we stop giving the best of us!! That's the balance of life!!! If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door. Every tomorrow you will do even better.
Yes you can do this. Make this year your year; just you have to believe in you
As i have shaved my head, i use scarves to cover my head when i am go out of the house. Of course i get alot of people starring at me and with some Indians knowing why i have shaved my head it being in conjunction with the Thaipusam celebration.
Last week a lady who who works in my office building asked whether i am going through chemo. I said no sharply and added on that i shaved my head because of Thaipusam and i am also a breast cancer survivor. Then she was surprised and said that one of a colleague told her that i am going through chemo. I told her if I was going through chemo, no way could i make the journey everyday from Klang to Kuala Lumpur. To that she agreed because she has several friends who had undergone chemo and knew that it would be difficult to come to work. I ended our conversation by saying that to think that everyone wearing a scarf because of their head is clean shaven is a "Silly presumption". She was apologetic after that for asking so and i just brushed her aside.
When i got back to my work station i though how sensitive i have become and took offence to people asking me whether i am going though chemo. Actually I cannot explain why i took offence to that statement.
So the next time i ask some one the same question i must be mindful of their reaction.
I conveyed my homage to Lord Murugan of Batu Caves for Thaipusam this year. The Thaipusam festival falls on 30th Jan this year but I went to Batu Caves over the weekend.
As this is the 5th year of surviving cancer, I shaved my head as a form of gratitude to the Lord.At the same time I carried paal kuddam or the milk pot on the 200 something steps to reach the hill top temple.
The barber at the shop at the bottom of the hill only took less than 5 minutes to shave by hair with a small blade. He did not leave any mark on my head at all. I then washed myself in the newly built toilet owned by the Barber’s Shop, changed myself into new clothes. I rubbed sandalwood paste on my head to have a cooling affect on my head.
I proceed to carry the milk pot up the steps and was surprised at myself that I did not stop much while climbing the steps panting as I usually do.Probably I am more fit now or just got the energy after shaving my head…ha..ha.
My aunt and uncle from Washington were there and so were my parents, brother and two little nephews. When an event like this takes place, it is a further blessing to have loved ones around you.
Am I brave to cut my shave my head? Yes I am because I did not have hair at all for some months when I was undergoing treatment so I do not feel uncomfortable at all. Some ladies who saw me at the temple smiled at me when they saw my head and I smiled back at them.
Outside home I am wearing scarves which I still kept from my treatment days. People may get uncomfortable seeing me without hair so I resorted to using a scarf. But of course even with a scarf people get confused whether I am an India or a Malay and then they see me using a pottu on the forehead. Some of my friends take some time to recognize me.
Hair will always grow. The most important thing in life is always to be grateful to Lord for all blessings HE has showered on us.
My little nephews, brother , parents, aunt and uncle.
I am carrying the milk pot climbing the steps accompanied by mother and aunt.
Wishing all my Tamil blog visitors Happy Ponggal. Here is my greetings in Tamil.
"Tai piranthal..Vali pirakkum...Pirakkum intha tai maasam tanggal vaalvil yella selvanggalaiyum kondu selithu valara..Endone anbana Ponggal Nalvalthukkal" 2 weeks of the new years have passed ...wow! I must thank my friend Uma (my faithful visitor) who called me to say it is high time i posted and so here i am today.
My high blood pressure with the tablets is under control, looks like i have to be on them for the rest of my stay on planet earth..ha..ha. I am slowing accepting this fact and moving on,
Lately i seem to be mentioning this statement. " Do you love yourself?" Many of us go about our daily lives not loving ourselves but loving all and sundry out there.
It is really important to "love thyself first". I will continue with subject in the next posting hopefully by this week.
Receiving a certificate of appreciation.
