Li Po says: "Hang in there Mama Mi......we are all praying for you to be well soon. Miss you.
When are you coming back to Melaka to see us. We miss your Tuna Special....yummiaow...!"
May 5 (Day 3 Cycle 2)
Just a quick round up today, the lethargy was quite significant and moving around caused giddiness. But Syukur Alhamdullillah, I did not expel anything that I had eaten although I was belching all day like Gunung Merapi belching smoke. Today was the last dosage of Emend and the Dexamethasone, the anti-nausea medications. That was probably why everything was under control.
I was so tired that I did not have the energy to take an early morning shower. Breakfast was milo and oats, followed by green apple that I dipped into some salt. Not a good habit the salt with apple, but something I need to do when I take Emend. I couldn't take in the Ensure, just one look and my throat lurched. The same with ice cubes, I wanted to suck ice just to ensure that I keep my mouth hydrated, but the act reminded me of the chemo session when the nurse was administering the Epiribucin and I had to suck a cupful of ice-cubes to cool the lining of my mouth so that I won't get blisters.
One ice cube and I felt like throwing up, so I gave up the attempt. Maybe after day 5 when the nausea is supposed to ease.
Syukur Alhamdullillah that I managed to retain the goodness from the Laksa Johor and stir-fried asparagus, and bayam that SMM brought over for lunch. For tea it was just green tea and fruits (dragon fruit and pineapple slices) while my friends (RJ,SNA and son) munched titbits (dried fruits and nuts)which in my situation looked like alien stuff to me even though they are my usual favourite snacks. Despite a heavy head and trying to control my nausea, we had a good laugh listening to SNA's story about her 80+ brother's wedding to a 60+lady many years ago. Very graphic and illustrious, I am smiling now remembering SNA's tale(?) about their wedding night. Priceless story.
As RJ was going to visit her family in Alor Gajah which is very close to Masjid Tanah, she offered to bring back anything that I need to send home to Melaka. Giddy head or not, I found myself going to the Vet at Desa Hartamas with RJ to get a month's supply of catfood for my babies in Melaka. That should ease the burden of my brother having to buy small packs every now and then. The Vet commented that I look fine ( he indicated with his gestures that I have put on some weight) for someone undergoing treatment. He was being kind because he was comparing me with his M-I-L who is also undergoing chemo-for ovarian cancer. She is 65 and has completed 4 but is not eating very well and is constantly confused and tired. I suggested they let her eat what she felt like eating during chemo and not to "pantang" too much unless the craving is totally hazardous to her health. I know how she must be feeling - "loya" and totally off food that she's used to eating, might be appetising to try something different. I sure hope she will have the inclination to eat, otherwise how to gain strength to withstand the treatment?
I got Kakak to fry some meehoon with plenty of shredded vegetables (carrot, sawi,spring onion,chinese celery) and fishball to be sliced thinly so that they wouldn't remind me of fish. Simple but tasty when eaten warm, so I had that for dinner. I am good for the day and will try to manage that everything I consumed today will be digested and ready to be expelled tomorrow, through the right channel, Insya Allah. As a natural remedy, I will try to drink half a glass of prune juice before retiring tonight. This is certainly similar to what was experienced during days 2 and 3 of Cycle 1 when I had nothing to flush for 2 days. Only then it was because I kept being sick and throwing everything up and out that there was nothing left in my colon. This time I think my colon had become a bit sluggish because I wasn't very active over the last 2 days.
We packed some meehoon for SMM to take home when she turned up with a Pomelo from my Uncle. Pomelos are alkaline fruits and are reportedly nutrituous and also good for fibre. It can be taken raw or prepared into a kerabu or savoury salad.
I can't help feeling a bit down today after reading about cancer casualties.
It sounds like there is a cancer epidemic. We all have to go one day but cancer affects not just the host but also the people around as well, it seems unfair. It is a great test by the Almighty on the strength and ability of his ummah to rally and help each other. Blessed are they who passed the test, and may Allah guide and pacify those currently being tested. Only You can show us mortals the way , Ya Allah, please show us the way. Amin.
6 comments:
azmi,
i make a point to read yr writing evryday. i have retraced from yr first posting.
i find yr posting very informative. i used to look up the internet and grab any bit of literature i could on cancer, specifically on breast cancer when Kak Piah was diagnosed with breast cancer. but you know what, i only went for a mammogram in 2005, after Kak eda successfully (at that time) nderwent her full course of treatment. At that time, Kak Eda insisted Kak Ton (Mariah) and I went. Azmi, I have four other sisters (besides Kak Oiah, Kak Ton an Kak Eda). We have a family history of BC. Yet, we had to be persuaded to go for a mammogram. Frankly, I was really scared of the mammogram (and I was married to a medical specialist! can u beat that?)
finally, i pulled myself together and, accompanied by arwah Kak Eda, we went for the mammo.
Aaah.... what had I been afraid of? It was not as painful as people had made it out to be. The results were obtained quite fast. And I was clear. so far. I o need another one, i think either this year or next.
oh dear, azmi. sorry for taking too much space. what i wanted to say was nothing beats getting information and advice first hand.
take care. hope your colon gets re-activated.
azmi,
oh... i wanted to also (actually this was what I had very much earlier wanted to) say that perhaps you started the posting on Friday but did not publish it yet and continued on Saturday. so the post date would still be May 4. whn you do that, then u can change the date under the post option at the bottom left of the post box, when u're ready to publis yr posting.
OK... that's all.
Hi Nuraina,
thanks for the tip-I fixed it. I usually download the pix(s) first on a few drafts and journalise later...
You must be younger than I am, but if you are still around my age (I am 53), it might be prudent to do mammo sooner rather than later..had I done that my case might have just been a DCIS, no invasion and no chemo. Of course, takdir, Qada' dan Qadar comes into it, tapi kita cuba. At the very least, go for a Clinical Breast Examination whee the Breast Specialist does the examination and if there is a need for follow up mammo, she would know it. Dr Pat Gomez at Pantai is good. So is Proff Yip at UMMC/UMSC. My sister did hers at Pantai when she came back from the UK to be with me during my lumpectomy operation.
Pergi lah...better sooner than later. I promise myself that if I make it through this, my birthday gift to myself is annual clinical breast examination. Im my case, mammo is a must, annually esp to ensure the other breast is ok. They may even want e to do it twice, I haven't really asked.
Salamz,
Dear Azmi, so you sent all your cats balik kampung? Funny, while I was on chemo, June last year, I bought Tutti, persian, and now guess what I've got? Three very pretty babies of Tutti, now 6 weeks old. Hubby don't want to let go, so I said myself, be it if the cat multiplies, but not any micrometstasis. Who knows, I may get some of the 9 lives that are multiplying fast.
Si Tutti pula, anak baru satu bulan, dia dah menrengek dan angkat bontot, minta carikan laki lagi, kah, kah, kah.
Hi Proffs,
yes, I have to send them to kampung as it will be difficult to care for them if I am tired and need to watch out for infections, sometimes they gave me playful little scratches...I miss them a lot though. They have all been spayed so memang tak multiply lah.
Will visit them when I feel better. I will bring them back to KL when my maid arrives.
Poor Tutti, anak kecil2 lagi boleh ke breed another litter? Kesian dia...
azmi,
mmm. younger than you, but not much. i will be 51 this august.
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