Blood pressure

My blood pressure reading shows 155/105. My doctor told to control my food and to see her again in two weeks. Looks like suddenly my pressure has short up not that I am stressed at work or with other matters. Anyway need to see whether I can control it naturally or go on pills. I have just become a bit lazy and have not been mediating or doing my breathing exercise.

On 11 September 2009, the Pink Unity has a “Buka Puasa Dinner”. We occupied to tables and it was fun to meet up with the ladies again. I had taken some photos and hope I will be able to post them soon.

I received two emails from BCWA on Stand Up For Pink. As it is on a working day I will not be able to go for it.

Details of the event are as follows:
Date : Thursday, 1st October 2009
Time : 10 am
Venue: Espressamente Illy, First Floor
Bangsar Village
No. 1, Jalan Telawi Satu
Bangsar Baru
59100 Kuala Lumpur

The other email was on that BCWA now has their Professional Counsellor available every Mondays 10am - 4pm for those who need psychosocial or emotional support during their breast cancer journey.

Walk for World Pink

I read in the papers recently about Estee Lauder’ Walk for World Pink which will be held at KL Tower Base, I thought of participating and then was very disappointed when I found out that the the event will be held on 3 Oct 2009.

I am the Organising Chair for Division C Toastmasters Humorous Speech Contests and Evaluation Contests which are being held on the same day. So I definitely cannot make it. Hope to join this exciting evert next year.

The Pink Unity is organising a Buka Puasa dinner at Bukit Kiara on this Friday . Since it is near my office I will joining the ladies again. We will definitely feast ourselves and enjoy the festive atmosphere.

My recent check up

I have become too lazy and to busy to blog. Even my cousin Padma from Washington whom i spoke to over the weekend commented that i should post more often. Oh dear...should endeavour to do so.

I went for my 6 months once check up last week at UH. As I was there very early, I was the first few to see Prof Yip. Usually I will have this sense of trepidation while waiting for my turn but this time around my thoughts were elsewhere. As I was waiting to see Prof Yip, I meet a breast cancer survivor of 30 years! Wow I was really impressed. Although in in her early 60’s, she looked good and ver stylish.

Prof Yip said everything is fine and my next check up February next year. I will also have a mammography done.I went home in a cheerful mood.

Here is an article i wrote about the Pink Unity trip to Cameroon which was not published.

PINK UNITY CAMEROON HIGHLANDS TRIP
BONDING AND SHARING “TOUCHING HEARTS PROGRAMME”

The Pink Unity organized a trip to Cameron Highlands between 17-19 July 2009, the first project of its bonding and sharing programme for a couple of days. It was a fantastic cool treat for about 33 lady survivors and one still undergoing treatment. It is amazing as 4 ladies from Melaka joined us and we picked after 2 more ladies Ipoh at Simpang Pulai.

Before checking in to Rosa Pasedanan Hotel we were accompanied by a district officer to visit the Diado Hana Chrysanthemum Farm. We were greeted with sweet fragrance from the flowers and it was really soothing to see so many colourful and beautiful types of chrysanthemum. The farm is a producer as well as manufacture for fresh cut chrysanthemum. The ladies wished their husbands and boyfriends who give them a bouquet of beautiful flowers like this..ha..ha!
On our way, we stopped at the Cameroon Bharat Tea Farm along the road. To take a group photo. The scenery was fantastic, the tea plants covering the valleys and very way was so serene.

Before checking in to the hotel, we also visit the Orang Asli of Sg Ruil. The officers from the Jabatan Hal Ehwal Organg Asli and the Tok Batin (orang asli community head) was there to greet us. We then had a sharing session with the community. What really took us by surprise was that the ladies and young girls of the community was not really aware of cancer. Luckily one of fellow survivors hails from orang asli community was able to speak in the language and touch base with them. The ladies and some young mothers were briefed on how to do breast self examination. It was an eye opener for us on the tour on the ways of living of the local community and was breathtaking was we were all able to smelt such fresh and crisp cool mountain air on the settlement.

The next day we enjoyed the famous red, juicy, succulent, a bit sour strawberries of Cameron. We visited KHM Strawberry farm in Tanah Rata and was briefed by the owner on strawberry farming. While listening to him we feasted to delicious strawberry ice with strawberry topping, it cold, yummy and refreshing. Many of us bought authentic strawberry jam mad from freshly squeezed strawberries.

We continue our journey to the Cactus Gardens. We walked around the gardens to view a variety of cactus of different shapes, colour and sizes. So many photos were taking by the ladies amidst of very strange looking cactus plants. In the afternoon we had another quick sharing session at the Mardi Agrotechnology Park with representatives of Puspanitha and enjoyed tea with them cool serenity environment.

At night we had a grand nite called the Idol Night… a night of letting our hair down. All the ladies we beautifully dressed looking forward for a night of fun and laughter. The night start off by a short speech by the President of Pink Unity Datin Azura and then followed by performance. Some ladies sang Karaoke and there were 3 belly dancers that night. The glamorous performance came from the Dikir Puteri group. Everyone was enthralled with each other performance and everyone was having a jolly good time, with bonding and camaraderie. Everyone was either dancing or singing at their places or on the floor. Prizes were given away but the best prize was that everyone felt a sense of happiness… like being on top of the world. The night ended celebrating our remarkable journey in life.

Third day before leaving home we went to Mardi again but this time to see the botanical gardens which include the herbs, roses, orchids, and the research centers. We were also brief on the latest development by a Mardi Official.

As we headed home, it was a wonderful trip to remember. For some the 3 days were relaxing, for some it was a first time experienced such gaiety among fellow survivor and for all us it is a awesome experience on top of the mountain.

Jamuan Teh Malaysia

I got invitations for Jamuan Teh Malaysia from NCSM and BCWA. I was curious what it was all about and found a blogspot dedicated to this event. Fund raising event Organized by National Cancer Society Malaysia (NCSM) and the Breast Cancer Welfare Association (BCWA) with kind cooperation from the Australian High Commission.

I am going to miss the events as i have commit teed to be judged for some toastmasters humorous and evaluation contests.

I am sure the ladies will have a wonderful time and hope coontribution of money pours in.

The details of the Jamuan Teh Malaysia are as follows:

By BCWA
Date: 15th August 2009 (Saturday)
Time: 10:00 am (sharp)
Venue: BCWA premise
The fee is RM10.00
Contact: BCWA 03-7954 0133

By NCSM
Date: 13 August (Thursday)
Time: 2.30 - 6.00pm.
The fee is RM10.00/pax.
Contact: NCSM 03-2698 7300

Pink Unity's Trip to Cameron Highlands

When i saw a miss call on my handphone from my faithful blog visitor Uma i knew it has been quiet awhile i had posted any thing on my blog. So when i called he, she wanted to know how i was keeping and i told her i was fine...just a bit busy and lazy at the same time to blog...ha..ha.

So i thought i will write about my trip to Cameron Highlands 2 weeks ago. At the last minute i joined the Pink Unity in their Cameron Trip, Bonding & Sharing "Touching Hearts Programme on 17-19 July 2009.

What can i say about the trip. Contrary to what i thought i thoroughly enjoyed the trip with 30 odd lady cancer survivors and we all had a jolly good time at the mountains with beautiful scenery, cool and fresh air. Here are some of the photos that i managed to take before i became too preoccupied with the activities.

At the Cactus Garden.Me and the wild cactus plants. I am not a fan of cactus but i saw some real cute small plants and bought 3 small pots, which i am keeping it indoors.

All of us at the KHM Strawberry Farm, Tanah Rata. It was cold and surrounded by strawberries.

I was so tempted to pluck the strawberries, and eat them immediately but alas i dare not!

I love ice cream and I indulged in the strawberry ice cream with strawberry sauce. Hmm.So Yummy...Delicious!!. And to eat it on top of cool mountain, it was really a chilling experience.

The trip was an interesting and educational experience for many of us. We had good bonding and sharing among us and discovered new friends as not all of us know each other. Will post more pictures and write at Part 2 of this trip.

Standing Ovation

Recently, I witnessed 2 standing ovation given to 2 two people which I felt I needed to share my thoughts. I have always believed that a standing ovation should be given by the audience to show the approval and appreciation for a performance/ project or leadership which is outstanding or which had touched their hearts and made them feel good, happy or even special.

In the first incident which was a training session for new members, I witnessed the moment the new Organising Chairman walked on stage, he zoomed in to how grateful he was to his predecessor and talked about her remarkable achievements. The he asked all of us in the audience to give her standing ovation. I really found this very odd. Firstly not everyone in the audience knew the predecessor and secondly a standing ovation was demanded. It was not given by way of honour. And guess where the predecessor was, she was seated some when in the audience and was not even asked to come to stage to be recognized properly as some of the audience at the back could not even see her..ha..ha! Of course I adamantly remained seated while the others stood up against their better jugdement.

Actually it is for the audience to decide whether they want to give a standing ovation or not. But most times some members of the audience may be surrounded by people standing and clapping their hands and instead of letting their feelings known that they were not over impressed by the performance , they too join the crowd reluctantly.

The second incident was in another meeting, the chairman praised his predecessor and asked to give a standing ovation to the predecessor who was not even there but away in another town!

I suppose nowadays the meaning of standing ovation and its etiquettes are interpreted differently.

If I am speaker and I do receive a standing ovation, personally that would be an indicator that I have somehow touched the audience. I would then be totally elated of my achievement.

My Sister's Keeper

My just finished the book My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult. It was superbly written and at the end of the book, my eyes were teary. It was about unconditional love, sacrifice, family bonding, human grit and the ironies of life.

Although reading this book brought flashes of my treatment, i did quickly read those paragraphs..ha..ha! but was anxious to finish the book because of how the story was spin with each character portraying their emotions, feelings, thoughts and pain.