I have been receiving calls and sms text messages from friends from last week. My new found fame is because I am appearing on the NCSM’s Relay for Life 2009 advertisement on ASTRO. Even my parents have been receiving calls from friends after they had watched the advertisement. Wow! My instance found fame. Ha..Ha!
I want share one sms text message I received from my good friend who is in Johor that made me totally exhilarated. After I thanked her for her well wishes, she texted me this message: “M truly happy 4u. U made me feel so so +ve. Kp it up fren seing u on tv made my day. No it is I should shld TQ u”.
Many a times, I have asked myself, when many cancer survivors keep their cancer a secret and not speak about it at all, why must I go around advertising myself I a cancer survivor. When I read that wonderful message sent by my dear friend, I feel truly justified in doing so with conviction.
Thanks a lot to all my friends who have always been very supportive of me. Right now I feel very good about myslef. Cancer has made me appear on TV which I would not have dreamt off. Last week too, I took my mother for her mammography and ultrasound. She is fine. At the same time I also registered both of us for Relay for Life KL 2009.
Wow it going to be 3 weeks from my last posting! I have been extremely busy at work and had to deal with other personal matters...the ups and downs of life.
Looks like the cough has visited me again. But this time only occasionally do i cough. Today i visited the Indian Ayurveda doctor to seek treatment because of my cough. He gave me some herbal medicine which i will try for 2 weeks and the treatment will be for about 3 months. I am to keep away from spicy, chill or cold food during this time. I would miss my ice-creams and curries.
I also seem to have problem with my thinking cap lately which is becoming very a problem. I forget things so easily and now have started using my mobile phone more frequently to remind me of thinging that need to be done. I would like to think that it is because i am growing old and not because of chemo brain..Ha...ha!
My stint as a Master of ceremonies was an interesting experience for me as i not been an MC for treasure hunt before. I did receive praises which i am really happy about.
I have not registered for the Relay for Life KL this year yet. I hope to do it soon for my mother and me.
Friday, April 17, 2009
I got a call yesterday from my faithful blog visitor Uma to find out how i am doing as she did not see any post by me recently. I told her i am fine..it just that too many issues to deal with recently. Thank you Uma for checking on me and in way you act as a reminder...ha..ha!
When i saw my blog this morning, i realised i have not blogged for for more that 2 weeks. Ooops!
I have volunteered to be the Master fo ceremonies for the Hospice Klang treasure hunt over the weekend. I have been a master of ceremonies for many corporate events such as convention, MOU signing ceremony, award presentation for my company but this is the first time where a motor treasure hunt programme is involved.
I have been a volunteer with Hospice Klang since 1998. But after i had cancer myself, i was not much interest and did not do any voluntary work. So when i recently went to meet the new committee members including the President Dr Micheal Yoong, i found a lot of new faces.
When i became a cancer survivor, my focus of doing voluntary work changed. I rather talk to people about cancer and create awareness to larger group of people than having to meet cancer patients often and to be reminded of the past. Even i have stopped becoming a hospital vounteer now. I just want to live out of fear of cancer and sickness.
Of course there are survivors who now volunteer so eagerly to do voluntary work including dealing with patients and my hats off to them.
Hope my first attempt as emcee for a treasure hunt turns out to be success.
At a spur of a moment, I joined the ehomakers as a member recently. I received their first newsletter for 2009 yesterday which was informative. I just wanted to discover the various opportunities available working from home.
After all, because of work, I cannot be leaving home at 6.30 and coming back at 7.30pm and traveling by public transport for the rest of my life. Eventually I was to find something closely to home so that I do not spend half my time of the day traveling.
March was an interesting month. Lastly year during my birthday I was arriving from New Delhi and this year on my birthday, the whole family was on our way back from Cherating after a short holiday. Because of the heat, I had bad stomach pain in the morning then as we reached home after several hours of traveling, I came down with a severe headache. What a way to celebrate a birthday…ha..ha. But still I had lots of presents and well wishes from so many good souls…to me these are priceless.
And now I have been suffering from a bad cough since last week, of course it is much better but still I have been missing a lot of sleep. Even with this cough I was able to take part in a speech contest but was unlucky as I did not win any awards. This is the first time actually I have entered the final round and did not win anything. It was definitely a disappointment.
I am currently reading the book The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga which was given to me as a birthday present. I am really quite pleased with myself as I have been able to read a number of books lately. I also have several books I have not read yet.
Congrats to Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan to be recognized for her contributions to women and human rights advocacy in their homeland…being the receipt of the International Women of Courage Award.
Being a former member of the BAR myself, I am extremely proud of her achievements and to be recongised internationally. I just managed to read her speech given at the grand award ceremony amidst many distinguished ladies. Receiving the award from two dynamic ladies US First Lady Michelle Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is beyond anyone’s wildest dream.
We women can do anything it if we put our mind to it. May many more Malaysians rise to international recognition and do themselves and Malaysia proud.
A colleague of mine point to this article by Terence Fernandez on the Sun daily today titled “When it’s not from the heart”. It is about a people’s degrading attitude about doing charity and gaining publicity.
I am not really surprise on how scrupulous people can get if when they are doing charity. As my brother remarked a week ago if you do good deed while expecting something in return then it not called charity. I just read an article sent to me via email that because of global financial crisis, many cancer patients had to change their treatment plans and in some cases, had to stop cancer treatment all together. Those who have not suffered any disease, would know no how expensive each medical treatment is. So if big corporate giants do not come out to do more charity, a lot more patients have to forgo getting treatments at all. This is the time for health organizations and non governmental bodies to be supported in a big way by people and corporation with money.
I took a taxi to work this morning and had an interesting conversation with the taxi driver.
I always have a tendency to have conversations when I am on a taxi as it helps me to kill time and take my mind off things. This morning I started my asking my usual questions to the driver
He shared with me that he is an Indian but converted to Islam after marrying his wife. He is now divorced, children do not care for him and he has just recovered from the chickungunya.He suffered terribly from the disease alone and in silence for almost more than a month. Only his brother came down from Melaka several times to take him to the hospital for treatments and follow-ups. A neighbour, an elder woman helped him by buying food for him. He drives the taxi long hours as he does not want to go to an empty house. He said he has few friends. He really sounded pathetic and haggard.
He told me his brother has been advising him to come to back to Melaka and start afresh there.I advised him that it really a good idea to do so.He should just forget his past and move on. He should take up new hobbies and do new things which will interests him and deviate his thoughts. It is better for him to be surrounded by loved ones though not his wife or children but with of his brothers as he would need their strength and encouragement.
He told me that his brother advised him to marry again. He said he in not in favour of that idea at his age of 55. I told him that happiness could come in so many forms beside marriage. He should take care of health first and venture into other things.
He said whatever I said is true and wished there were people around him to motivate him like this.
He asked me whether I was married and I told him I am not. To his further question I told him I lived in Klang with my parents but work in KL.
To add more creditable to my advise, I told him I am a cancer survivor and now live my life the way I want it. I do not give too hoods for what the society thinks. God had given me a second change and I must make full use of it. I said I go for short holidays and engage in activities that gives me simple pleasures.
When I revealed this, he actually turned back and had a good look at me. I said God has given him a second change and he too must be grateful and live to the fullest. I said that he must love himself first and be positive as only then good things will come his way.
As we had reached the office, I wished him all the best and he thanked me once again for my advice.
Well I hope what ever I said will do some good for that poor chap.
There are times when we are so low in self esteem and feel so lost, God sends us messages even through total strangers. It is up us really whether we want to take the advice and move on with our lives.
Only when we look at others are we thankful and grateful for the things we have. And not to forget this God in HIS own way sends people to us to constantly remind us we should be content with what we have..
