Returned to office 2 days ago after more than 3 months of absence. The desk is still there, wiped clean with all electronic-based system switched on at 9am as welcome. Like to think it was not done to avoid delay in my having to deal with the tumultuous conditions in the financial markets. The past months of rest have the effect of making feel somewhat detached from the on-going crisis, a surprising departure from my usual immersion in similar events that have dotted my career in the past 25 years or so. Yes, I saw the volatile price movements on the screen but yet felt strangely calm. Perhaps my medical condition has unconsciously made me more philosophical about what's happening currently.
My work routine is going to be flexible, thanks to an understanding boss. Working hours will fit how my body feels in the day. Hopefully, work pressure will be kept at bay until I'm fitter to cope with it. If not, the appeal of early retirement beckons.
My 5th cycle starts tomorow. The week following it is one that is gastronomically delightful. To start off, one of my long-time friend from our Golden Girls Club is here in town to have her cousin whip up a 'not-to-missed' Hari Raya brunch. It is followed by daily lunch appointments with work associates who can't wait to catch up with me.
Health-wise, trying hard to stick to the straight and narrow path of healthy eating, yoga and walks. As the chemo treatment comes to an end in mid Oct, I'm starting to prepare myself to return to a fuller social life in museum-guiding activities.
sunnybunny
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Friday, September 12, 2008
Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel
The 4th chemo cycle which started yesterday was a breeze. Drug used was no longer the hard-hitting Epirubicin administered in the first three. Instead, Taxotere, a lighter drug in terms of after-effect discomfort was given; it will be this for the 5th and 6th cycles. I spent today much in rest, awaiting the expected after-effect of slight fatigue. It came but went off after a short nap in the afternoon. No nausea.
Back to Epirubicin. It was indeed strong going by the falling haemoglobin level (red blood cell count) since the start of the chemo session. I used to be a high 12 on haemoglobin and has since seen the level lowered steadily to the latest count of 8+. Any lower, blood transfusion has to be introduced. The attendant risks of this are high enough to prompt Dr Khoo to give me an iron injection. It certainly cost a lot ($1500) to bring back some colour to my cheeks. Hopefully, this, like the white cell booster shot, will stave the need for blood transfusion. It was comforting to know that the chemo drug's suppression of red blood cells is temporary. I should be able to return to my normal levels by Dec. What a relief! Meantime, food rich in iron is to be eaten in greater quantity.
My kind boss in HK has given me more days for medical leave by allowing chemo sessions as time off work. So, instead of reporting for work on Sep 10, I need report only on 21st, which is to be extended, much to my annoyance, by yet another week on account of the F1 race taking place during that period. Roads and car-park inaccessibility means that I'll have to take public transport to work, a prospect I do not relish given the almost sanitised atmosphere I'm subject to in the past 3 months. Having come this far I'm not risking infection to derail my chemo program. No wonder they say that women come from Venus and men from Mars. Cannot see what this excitement from testerone-laden car racing fanatics is all about.
Now that I'v passed the half-way mark, am looking forward to the completion of the course and am thinking hard the past days on how to celebrate its end.
sunnybunny
Back to Epirubicin. It was indeed strong going by the falling haemoglobin level (red blood cell count) since the start of the chemo session. I used to be a high 12 on haemoglobin and has since seen the level lowered steadily to the latest count of 8+. Any lower, blood transfusion has to be introduced. The attendant risks of this are high enough to prompt Dr Khoo to give me an iron injection. It certainly cost a lot ($1500) to bring back some colour to my cheeks. Hopefully, this, like the white cell booster shot, will stave the need for blood transfusion. It was comforting to know that the chemo drug's suppression of red blood cells is temporary. I should be able to return to my normal levels by Dec. What a relief! Meantime, food rich in iron is to be eaten in greater quantity.
My kind boss in HK has given me more days for medical leave by allowing chemo sessions as time off work. So, instead of reporting for work on Sep 10, I need report only on 21st, which is to be extended, much to my annoyance, by yet another week on account of the F1 race taking place during that period. Roads and car-park inaccessibility means that I'll have to take public transport to work, a prospect I do not relish given the almost sanitised atmosphere I'm subject to in the past 3 months. Having come this far I'm not risking infection to derail my chemo program. No wonder they say that women come from Venus and men from Mars. Cannot see what this excitement from testerone-laden car racing fanatics is all about.
Now that I'v passed the half-way mark, am looking forward to the completion of the course and am thinking hard the past days on how to celebrate its end.
sunnybunny
Monday, August 25, 2008
Halfway there
Can't believe that I'm done with three cycles and that I'm halfway through the entire course. The following three are expected to be less taxing with the change of medicine to be administered. After effects were minimal this round or perhaps my tolerance threshold has been raised.
Life is taking on a greater semblance of normalcy. I did not feel like I was on medical leave in the past 3 weeks. Went to office to tend to some work issues, interview candidates and did midyear reviews with staff. Cannot take a type A woman out of a patient I guess.
Now that diarrhoea is no longer a problem, at least immediately after the chemo shots, I can resume my juice routine. During the time when I was less fibre-tolerant, spray-dried barley green and beet in powder form was a good alternative source of anti-oxidant.
Had my first snow-skin mooncake today and it was bliss to taste it. Sure glad that Christmas is after my course.
Sunnybunny
Life is taking on a greater semblance of normalcy. I did not feel like I was on medical leave in the past 3 weeks. Went to office to tend to some work issues, interview candidates and did midyear reviews with staff. Cannot take a type A woman out of a patient I guess.
Now that diarrhoea is no longer a problem, at least immediately after the chemo shots, I can resume my juice routine. During the time when I was less fibre-tolerant, spray-dried barley green and beet in powder form was a good alternative source of anti-oxidant.
Had my first snow-skin mooncake today and it was bliss to taste it. Sure glad that Christmas is after my course.
Sunnybunny
Sunday, August 3, 2008
The 2nd cycle came and went with less discomfort
The 2nd cycle ended last Saturday with very much reduced discomfort. Besides the expected tiredness on the 3rd and 4th day, nausea and appetite loss were minimal. Looking forward to being up and about soon.
The marvel of modern medicine. I had booster shots to increase my white blood cell (WBC) count and I termed them 'reinforcements' in my previous blog. It's more like the national guards being called in. The blood test report revealed a significant improvement in my WBC from 1.42 to 9.66, a necessary morale-boosting sign to tackle the coming regimes.
The best decision I've made in my preparation was to shave my head. Loss of hair occurring from 2nd week onwards was manageable and I had so much fun trying on combination of wigs and scarves, hats.
The drive to the hospital for jabs is a welcome break from being house-bound. The scenery along the way is refreshing and in some way, comforting to give a 'glad to be alive' feeling.
Starting too to work longer hours from home in between rest and relaxation before Korean soap operas. Don't know how long I can last viewing such drama before boredom sets in given the typical 'Pride n Prejudice', 'My fair lady' or 'Pretty Woman' story-lines.
sunnybunny
The marvel of modern medicine. I had booster shots to increase my white blood cell (WBC) count and I termed them 'reinforcements' in my previous blog. It's more like the national guards being called in. The blood test report revealed a significant improvement in my WBC from 1.42 to 9.66, a necessary morale-boosting sign to tackle the coming regimes.
The best decision I've made in my preparation was to shave my head. Loss of hair occurring from 2nd week onwards was manageable and I had so much fun trying on combination of wigs and scarves, hats.
The drive to the hospital for jabs is a welcome break from being house-bound. The scenery along the way is refreshing and in some way, comforting to give a 'glad to be alive' feeling.
Starting too to work longer hours from home in between rest and relaxation before Korean soap operas. Don't know how long I can last viewing such drama before boredom sets in given the typical 'Pride n Prejudice', 'My fair lady' or 'Pretty Woman' story-lines.
sunnybunny
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Settling down to the routine
It's been a few days since I last blogged. Kept busy with activities previously considered mundane but now appreciated as chores that make me feel normal. Continue to comb the city for healthy food as my appetite returns to normal. Today am hosting a small tea party for some friends who have to declare perfect state of health before joining. Looking forward to it as it is the first serious encounter of the personal kind in more than a month.
The series of booster jabs to build up my white cells has ended with minimal side-effects save for some back muscle aches on the 3rd day.
Spirit is up and staying positive. The next treatment starts coming Thurs. Keeping my fingers crossed.
Sunnybunny
The series of booster jabs to build up my white cells has ended with minimal side-effects save for some back muscle aches on the 3rd day.
Spirit is up and staying positive. The next treatment starts coming Thurs. Keeping my fingers crossed.
Sunnybunny
Monday, July 21, 2008
Reinforcement called upon
Had my first blood test today to determine if my white blood cell count is low enough to require a booster shot. Result was as expected and the first booster injection was administered. It will be followed by another 3 to be spaced out over the week. My body needs these reinforcement to wage successful war against potential virus attackers and to rebuild immunity after recent toxic invasion.
Dr Khoo, my oncologist, was satisfied with my progress and ability to handle side effects of the chemo injections and has assured that the next round would be similar in dose and body response. What a relief!
My body seems to be getting back to normal. Appetite has returned, nausea has taken a back seat and tiredness is much reduced. Now I need to nap only once a day. So far, no mouth ulcers too!
Increasingly, boredom should be setting in as I mope around the house for lengths of time to which I'm unaccustomed. But then I remind myself that soon I'll be adjusting to the 2nd cycle of injections all over again.
Sunnybunny
Dr Khoo, my oncologist, was satisfied with my progress and ability to handle side effects of the chemo injections and has assured that the next round would be similar in dose and body response. What a relief!
My body seems to be getting back to normal. Appetite has returned, nausea has taken a back seat and tiredness is much reduced. Now I need to nap only once a day. So far, no mouth ulcers too!
Increasingly, boredom should be setting in as I mope around the house for lengths of time to which I'm unaccustomed. But then I remind myself that soon I'll be adjusting to the 2nd cycle of injections all over again.
Sunnybunny
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
A funny thing happened on the way to the clinic
The last thing I expect at a time like this is to appear on some MediaCorp CNA programme on breast cancer, sans face. The real star of course is my breast surgeon, Dr Wee Siew Bock. I'm there as part of the props. In fact only my hand and lip movements while in consultation were shot. So much for my matching bandana and outfit.
It all started with the clinic asking if I mind being filmed during the consultation. I thought if this is my way of contributing to the enlightenment of all females potentially at risk, why not. What could have been a 20-min check-up lasted more than an hour after several takes of the same shot. By the end of it all both doctor and I felt exhausted having to repeat the questions and answers to get that perfect shot. We even thought of talking about the weather just to stretch time. Well it finally ended with both of us agreeing that we cannot make a serious living in front of cameras.
The Hollywood trip aside, the side-effects of nausea have subsided significantly although they do have a mysterious way of revisiting when least expected. Appetite is returning although portions still meagre.
Planning to go for my first walk later this evening to check on neighbours' garden plants and irritate their dogs.
sunnybunny
It all started with the clinic asking if I mind being filmed during the consultation. I thought if this is my way of contributing to the enlightenment of all females potentially at risk, why not. What could have been a 20-min check-up lasted more than an hour after several takes of the same shot. By the end of it all both doctor and I felt exhausted having to repeat the questions and answers to get that perfect shot. We even thought of talking about the weather just to stretch time. Well it finally ended with both of us agreeing that we cannot make a serious living in front of cameras.
The Hollywood trip aside, the side-effects of nausea have subsided significantly although they do have a mysterious way of revisiting when least expected. Appetite is returning although portions still meagre.
Planning to go for my first walk later this evening to check on neighbours' garden plants and irritate their dogs.
sunnybunny
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