Toxicity Level of Vegetables & Fruits

I really got upset when I read the recent reports of farmers using banned pesticides. It is important for everyone to eat healthy and fresh veggie and fruits, especially us the cancer survivors. According to these reports these tainted vegetables and fruits are so easy available in wet markets, supermarkets and pasar malam. What then do we do anyway if all these vegetables which looks so beautiful from the outside because so much illegal pesticides have been sprayed with the banned pesticides. One consumer group claims that the illegal farms are so prevalent in Malaysia that almost half the produce of vegetables like cucumbers, brinjals, ladies fingers, chillies and leafy vegetables contain dangerous amounts of pesticides.

After all the treatments, I already have enough alien substances in my body. The irony is, I have to eat more servings of nutritionally rich food but yet at the back of my mind, is the level of toxic each vegetable contains. This fact really bugs when I make myself a bowl of salad from raw vegetables, which I enjoy alot.

Well, farmers do not realize that all these illegal pesticides are also a serious health hazard to them too beside the consumers.

Alternatively I can go for organic food but then I am not on organic food due to cost and availability. I seriously wish there will be more ethical farming practices and awareness among farmers on the use of illegal pesticides. They are used so as to reap higher profits…but then what good is it there if people do not live long enough to enjoy it.

For now, I will continue to buy vegetables which have signs that they have been eaten by insects and have leafy veggies soaked in water before eating them.

Hospital Visits

I read an article written by an oncologist on bed manners which touched on how not to visit a cancer patient. This brought to mind my own experience when I spent 2 nights at the hospital when I had the mastectomy .

I personally felt good when my relatives and friends came to see me…after all I told all and sundry that I was going for a mastectomy.

It was nice to have them, bringing flowers or boxes of ikan aruwan among others items. Most importantly was the fact they brought with them lots of laughter and cheerfulness. That made me forgot the pain and uneasiness of the surgery, the fear and anguish of having breast cancer.

Friends whom I have not seen for ages came to visit me and I was really pleasantly surprised. To me, all their visits showed me they cared for me and I cherish that.

Well, each of us have of own perspectives of people having visit us when we are in hospitals. I know some friends who rather not have visitors as they just want to be left alone to rest and recover. Of course to those friends, I respect their privacy and would make enquiries from their family members on how they are recovering in the hospital.

I now recollect the encounters which I had heard from patients when I used make my hospital visits as a volunteer with the general hospital in Klang. Patients’ grouses included people had tried to sell them health products, strangers approaching them to preach about religion, family members do not coming often enough to visit them or worst still family members have not come at all but have left the maid to look after the patient.

That is the reason why when we volunteers visit them, they would be chatty or at least make an effort to smile. We had spent time with them talking to help them overcome their boredom or assist them in any other way.

Recently, I have a few people whom I know (friend’s friend or family member) diagnosed with breast cancer. As I was unable to visit them in the hospitals, I had endeavored to speak to them via handphone to motivate and to give them confidence. I think this I important as one lays in bed worried about life after surgery due to breast cancer.

Aromatic Massage & Reflexology

My friends and I decided to drive to Melaka last Saturday, just to get away from the rigmarole of the weekend life at the Klang Valley.

As did not book any hotel rooms early, we finally found empty rooms at the Melaka Straits Hotel. We checked into our rooms and took a walk in the scorching sun around the town and had our lunch at the Indian street. At night we had dinner had the Portugis Settlement. We took a table near the sea wall and could hear the small waves beating against the rocks.

We feasted ourselves to some Portugis cuisine. Beside our table was a stall which sold all kinds of sea nails and cockles with were barbequed. Some of the shell thingy…I have not seen in my life! Of course, we were not adventurous with our sea food so we did not try them but other customers were really enjoying the shells which were sold like hot cakes. We restricted ourselves to “sotong sambal” and “Portugis Fish Baked” and we thoroughly enjoyed.

Many of the people at this settlement looked like to me are fishermen during the day and at night they operate the food stalls.

After dinner, as it was still early we just drove into town again and the shop with the sign reflexology caught our attention. So we went into the shop and at a reflexology session for 30 minutes. As the reflexlogist applied pressure at my soles almost every point was painfully. He said I had lot of air in my tummy among others. It was supposed to relax me but it was a realization for me that most parts of my body were not in good shape…ha….ha!

As we completed our session and was driving away, another sign board got our attention. All types of massage. I think we were in the area of the town which was a centre for all these massages and therapies. Since we did not have anything planned and since we would not find the time to indulge ourselves in the therapies when we were back home, we decided to try out the aromatic massage. We had a good one hour session. I have never had experienced aromatic massage before so I was quite reluctant at first because of my hand.

I told the young girl therapist that I am a cancer survivor and warned her nicely of course not to touch my left hand at all. She said she had never had a cancer survivor before and I am her first. Of course in between massaging, she would check to see whether I am alright. She also said I had lots of wind in my veins and I wanted to tell her that was old news! With the pains on my sole, I had more pain to my body….what away to spend a holiday ah!

The brisk stokes and the relaxing movement lulled me into a state of semi sleepiness though I was conscious of the hard pressure from the therapist hands. I allowed the therapist to massage the left back shoulder, but she did not touch my left hand at all.
I was tempted to ask her to do a gentle massage but the thought of any chances of having numbness on the hand prevent me from doing so.

We all slept well that Saturday night. We returned back on Sunday, and with me still complaining of soreness on my soles, hip and thighs.

I suppose the next time I go for any of these therapies it would not be so painful as I hope there will be less wind /air in my body!

Lift Etiquette

I just got hit by the lift doors because 3 selfish people who went into the lift first did not have the courtesy to the press the button for the doors to remain open until everyone was in.

Well this is the selfish attitude of people these days. For a change after being hit by the doors, I raised my voice and said “Jaga sikit lain kali!” Of course the three dumb fools just kept quite and did not even have the courtesy to apologize. What a bunch of nin-com-poops!

This has happen to me several times and after the lift door hits, my left arm is painful and some times it is numb for days. That is why I am usually careful when I enter the lift these days.

I was surprised at my own outburst. With more self centered people lurking around, in every nook and corner, it is time to be vocal!

My Sunday Discoveries

I just found out this morning, two of my neighbours a few houses away have been hospitalized for dengue fever. When people came yesterday to spray the insecticides in our housing area, we were wondering why all of a sudden the town council has sent their men to spray. After hearing the news this morning, it explains the men’s presence. Hope the insecticides have eradicated the mosquito population in my housing area…that is the last thing we need, is to be down with dengue fever.

My 4-month old nephew had his head shaved at Batu Caves today. I climbed the 272 steps to reach the hilltop, panting and catching my breath at several stops on the way. When I reached home, I had a muscle pull at my right leg and my heart was still beating fast as it was going to pop out of my chest. Looks like going for Tai-Chi does not change the fact that I am getting old…ha…ha!

As I was resting my legs this afternoon and reading the papers, I came across this article on how a number of people have signed up to have their bodies frozen after death in the hope of being thawed and brought back to life some day. It is about the world of cryonics. These people are convinced that if they were frozen carefully and quickly soon after their death, their bodies could be maintained indefinitely until science found a cure for whatever illness that claimed their lives.

When the time comes, they hope the future generations would be able to take them out of cryogenic suspension and jump-start back them into a second life. It was interesting article to read on how people are willing to pay lots of money for a second life.

That made me think, what about those suffering from breast cancer. Would they want to be put in cryogenic suspension and brought back to life many years later when there is medicine advancement? Among other issues, that is an interesting, expensive and morally ethical thought to consider as it creates revolution for human existence.

Punching Bag

I represented my area in the Toastmasters International, District 51, Division C, International Speech Contest last weekend. The title of my speech was “punching bag”. The speech was for 5-7 minutes. I spoke about when challenges coming knocking at our doors at once, how to cope with such adversities. I associated adversity to be a boxer and we the punching bag

Of course, I said the first thumb rule was self confidence. To believe in oneself of our inner strength and willpower. The second rule was to find alternatives. I related how my first chemotherapy was really bad and how I found ways to reduce the effects by going to tai chi. The final rule was the phrase chemotherapy taught “this is only for a few months”. I spoke how I lost my crowning glory, my eye lashes fell on my blouse, my eyebrow thinned and nails turned black. I said I was an image of a sunflower with no petals! But this image was only for a few months and how I look stylize after that.

I concluded my saying how when life gives punches, we must the punching bag to bounce back.

I was declared the 1st runner-up of the contest. I was naturally disappointed and bruised by the result. I thought I did well but the judges must have thought otherwise. My club members were encouraging as they said I should take this defeat in a stride and with humility and this will make me a speaker in future.

Contesting was a great experience for me. I would not like to dwell too much on the defeat but remember the fact that many people who came to me and said it was inspiring and a good speech. So I guess I am a winner in other ways!

A Small Celebration

We had a small celebration 2 weeks ago. It was the ear piercing ceremony for my 3 months nephew Theenesh and a small celebration of my father's birthday. After all it has been some time that we had merriment after all the life's adventures we experienced in recent months.

My relatives and close family members graced the occasion. Of course my father wanted the celebration to be a surprise so only close family members know about it.

Food was prepared by the The Big Rajah Caterer where my cousin works. As usual the food tantalized everyone’s taste buds. We also had instantly cooked kuey tow for the vegetarians. Guests indulged in ice kacang, which was great for a hot night.We also had lamb chop...my favourite...but then i only took one piece this time around. Regretted it later, should have taken one more...he...he!


I too showed my creative talent that night. Since I have my own garden with flower plants, I decided to use them. I took small bowls, filled them with water, put some coloured flowers and put tea lights into them. I wanted to have green colour too…guess what I did…I plucked some curry leaves from the garden and added the dark green into the array of coloured flowers. Ha…ha…that’s my creative juices working.When everyone is showing off their inner talents, i too decided to take the first step of having it captured for the blog!

Then I had used Bel Air Fragrance Green Tea to give fragrance around the house. I was given this by a friend who came to see me during my chemo days. I got hooked to them. Whenever i use them it always reminds me of the chemo days for a few seconds.

Since it was Sunday night, the celebration ended early. The weather to was very accommodating, although it was hot, it did not rain...thank god for that.I must say everyone had a good time. The baby got hugged and kissed by almost everyone. It was a great day.