It's been almost a week since my surgery last Wednesday. I am doing well and feeling good.
I was admitted at Mt Elizabeth hospital on at about 7.45am on Wed. My mum and Reuben accompanied me to hospital. We were shown to my ward on level 5 and the super efficient nurses came to ask questions, fill up forms, tag me, got me to change, sign consent forms etc.
At 8.30am another nurse and an orderly came with the "trolley" (?) and wheeled me to level 3 where the operating theatres were. I was wheeled in to OT at about 8.45am. Dr Karen Yap came and we had a chat while waiting for the anaesthetist, Dr Lai. He administered the anesthetic at 9.15am and I woke up about 12.45pm. My Dr, Karen Yap said the surgery went very well and I was in a very stable condition throughout.
After I was fully awake, they wheeled me back to the ward. A few friends came to visit but I was not able to manage much of a conversation. The IV drip with painkiller was left in my arm after surgery and removed only at 4 pm. Because of the drip, I was very groggy and drifted in and out of sleep. My mum woke me at 6 pm for dinner - I managed to eat the light meal of macaroni chicken.
My friend Nancy Ang who is an Occupational Therapist came and gave me some brochures and instructions on exercises for my arm. Karen Yap came to check on me, re-bandaged a part of the pressure dressing and checked the level of fluid in my drainage bottle. The family came to visit around 8pm - the kids, having checked that I was fine, settled down to watch TV - they left before 9pm.
During the night I was able to get up and go to the toilet assisted by the nurse. I managed to go to the toilet by myself in the middle of the night and again in the morning to brush my teeth and wash my face.
Thursday morning, Reuben and mum came at 7.30am and Karen Yap came about 8 am. After examining me she asked how I felt (I felt fine) and asked if I would like to go home! And so I was discharged at 11am and reached home 11.45am.
The drainage tube was removed yesterday and i only have to go back for a check up on Friday.
Thanks for your prayers.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Surgery Tomorrow!
My mastectomy is scheduled for 9 am and will last about 2-2.5 hours. It will be at Mt Elizabeth Hospital which is where my surgeon Dr Karen Yap usually operates. I will stay in the hospital for 2 nights and should be home by Friday afternoon.
Tonight, Reuben prayed with the boys - David prayed that the Lord will get me through the surgery and Jonathan prayed that I will be healed. I prayed with Alisha and Janice - Alisha prayed that the surgery will go well and nothing will go wrong, Janice prayed that I will not be afraid... Aren't they precious?
I was reading Genesis chapter 3 with David and Janice a couple of weeks ago and we spoke of how Eve found it hard to believe God knows best. They both felt that my cancer was one of the things which made it hard to belive that God knows best. I was able to share with them God's good purpose and sovereignty.
Last week when I went to visit Dr Karen Yap to discuss the surgery. She explained what the mastectomy involved, options for reconstruction etc. With surgery imminent, I suddenly felt anxious and emotional about losing a part of my body. It took a couple of days to reconcile with it.
On Sunday a young man in church approached me after service and said God had prompted him to pray for me. Teck Tee is a medical student whom we don't know. I had met him once at the playground in church and the second time during friendship time. So we sat down and he read for me Psalm 23 and prayed for me. Reuben and I were very touched.
We know many of you are also praying for us - thank you!
Tonight, Reuben prayed with the boys - David prayed that the Lord will get me through the surgery and Jonathan prayed that I will be healed. I prayed with Alisha and Janice - Alisha prayed that the surgery will go well and nothing will go wrong, Janice prayed that I will not be afraid... Aren't they precious?
I was reading Genesis chapter 3 with David and Janice a couple of weeks ago and we spoke of how Eve found it hard to believe God knows best. They both felt that my cancer was one of the things which made it hard to belive that God knows best. I was able to share with them God's good purpose and sovereignty.
Last week when I went to visit Dr Karen Yap to discuss the surgery. She explained what the mastectomy involved, options for reconstruction etc. With surgery imminent, I suddenly felt anxious and emotional about losing a part of my body. It took a couple of days to reconcile with it.
On Sunday a young man in church approached me after service and said God had prompted him to pray for me. Teck Tee is a medical student whom we don't know. I had met him once at the playground in church and the second time during friendship time. So we sat down and he read for me Psalm 23 and prayed for me. Reuben and I were very touched.
We know many of you are also praying for us - thank you!
Psalm 23
You, LORD, are my shepherd. I will never be in need. You let me rest in fields of green grass. You lead me to streams of peaceful water, and you refresh my life. You are true to your name, and you lead me along the right paths. I may walk through valleys as dark as death, but I won't be afraid. You are with me, and your shepherd's rod makes me feel safe. You treat me to a feast, while my enemies watch. You honor me as your guest, and you fill my cup until it overflows. Your kindness and love will always be with me each day of my life, and I will live forever in your house, LORD. (Contemporary English Version)
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Birthdays!
In the month of September we celebrate 2 birthdays in our family. David's on the 1st and and Janice's on the 20th. They are almost exactly 2 years apart. 
This year, David invited 4 friends to celebrate with us. We all went out for dinner at Marche in Vivo City followed by viewing of the movie Wall.E. After the movie, we came home for his ice-cream cake from Island Creamery. Then the boys played X-box until about 10pm when their parents picked them up. His classmate Justin was able to stay over until the next morning.
Today, 20th September, we celebrated Janice's birthday and invited 5 of her friends. We had a cooking party and the girls baked and decorated cupcakes and made individual servings of baked rice for their dinner. It was quite a fun party but a bit of a mayhem with excitable, screaming girls running around. Thankfully everything went well - no burnt food or fingers!
I am thankful for our friends Angeline & Nam from church, and Ling Ling who were such a help. Ling Ling brought her daughter Joshann who's the same age as Janice and she fitted in really well with the other girls.
This year, David invited 4 friends to celebrate with us. We all went out for dinner at Marche in Vivo City followed by viewing of the movie Wall.E. After the movie, we came home for his ice-cream cake from Island Creamery. Then the boys played X-box until about 10pm when their parents picked them up. His classmate Justin was able to stay over until the next morning.
Today, 20th September, we celebrated Janice's birthday and invited 5 of her friends. We had a cooking party and the girls baked and decorated cupcakes and made individual servings of baked rice for their dinner. It was quite a fun party but a bit of a mayhem with excitable, screaming girls running around. Thankfully everything went well - no burnt food or fingers!
I am thankful for our friends Angeline & Nam from church, and Ling Ling who were such a help. Ling Ling brought her daughter Joshann who's the same age as Janice and she fitted in really well with the other girls.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Update on Surgery
Last Thursday 11 Sep, morning I went to see my surgeon Dr Karen Yap at Mt Elizabeth Medical Centre to discuss about surgery. She also did a physical and ultrasound examination on the lumps. They have all shrunk and no new tumors have been discovered. PTL! We have scheduled my mastectomy on Wed 24 Sep 08 at Mt Elizabeth Hospital.
The surgery will remove my whole right breast, lymph nodes in the arm-pits and chest walls. After surgery I will need to do exercises to relieve the stiffness in my arm.
In the afternoon I went to see Dr Karmen Wong about my lingering cough and also to do a blood test. On Friday 12 Sep. Dr Wong called to say that the results were out and my white blood count and red blood count were both low.
This is cause for concern as white blood cells are important for immunity and a low level increases the risk of infection. Red blood cells are essential for carrying oxygen to parts of the body. A healthy level will minimise the need for transfusion. The level of platelets are also important for blood clotting after surgery.
So I went in for an Eprex injection (red blood cell booster). Normally our body (kidneys) produces erythropoietin which signals the bone marrow to produce red blood cells (RBCs). Eprex is a synthetic form of erythropoietin. I will have another Eprex injection this Friday, 19 Sep.
On Monday 22 Sep I will have a blood test again to assess fitness for surgery.
Please pray for:
The surgery will remove my whole right breast, lymph nodes in the arm-pits and chest walls. After surgery I will need to do exercises to relieve the stiffness in my arm.
In the afternoon I went to see Dr Karmen Wong about my lingering cough and also to do a blood test. On Friday 12 Sep. Dr Wong called to say that the results were out and my white blood count and red blood count were both low.
This is cause for concern as white blood cells are important for immunity and a low level increases the risk of infection. Red blood cells are essential for carrying oxygen to parts of the body. A healthy level will minimise the need for transfusion. The level of platelets are also important for blood clotting after surgery.
So I went in for an Eprex injection (red blood cell booster). Normally our body (kidneys) produces erythropoietin which signals the bone marrow to produce red blood cells (RBCs). Eprex is a synthetic form of erythropoietin. I will have another Eprex injection this Friday, 19 Sep.
On Monday 22 Sep I will have a blood test again to assess fitness for surgery.
Please pray for:
- my body to produce the necessary amount of red blood and white blood cells;
- mental and emotional preparation for surgery for myself, Reuben and our kids;
- recovery and healing of wounds;
- adjustment to the physical changes after surgery.
Thank you for your encouragement, prayers and support.
We never give up. Our bodies are gradually dying, but we ourselves are being made stronger each day. These little troubles are getting us ready for an eternal glory that will make all our troubles seem like nothing. Things that are seen don't last forever, but things that are not seen are eternal. That's why we keep our minds on the things that cannot be seen. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Holidays
Last week was our Term 3 school vacation and we decided to go to a beach resort for 3 days.
The forecast was for storms but thankfully the weather held up and we were able to spend 2 1/2 days out on the beach and poolside. In fact, because it was cloudy and overcast, the weather was relatively cool. It was deceptive though, because the sun was behind clouds so much of the time, the children refused sunblock and got sunburned. It was painful to see them burned and red the next day but it was a good lesson for them...
I walked with the kids on the beach, picked shells, read & napped on deck chairs under the shade. Reuben and the children enjoyed swimming and kayaking. They rowed all the way to a small island about 1km (by my estimation) away. They even went sailing - we paid RM30 for one of the staff at the water sports centre to take them. Digging in the sand, burying each other in sand, catching tiny sand crabs and hermit crabs kept the kids thrilled.
The forecast was for storms but thankfully the weather held up and we were able to spend 2 1/2 days out on the beach and poolside. In fact, because it was cloudy and overcast, the weather was relatively cool. It was deceptive though, because the sun was behind clouds so much of the time, the children refused sunblock and got sunburned. It was painful to see them burned and red the next day but it was a good lesson for them...
The only eventful thing was my falling sick on the second day. I had a slight cold before the trip but on our second night I woke up at 4 am with chills, coughing, and blocked sinuses. I had packed my thermometer, panadol, standby antibiotics so I took some panadol straight away. I'm much better now, just a slight post-nasal drip and cough.
5You, LORD, are all I want! You are my choice, and you keep me safe. 6You make my life pleasant, and my future is bright. 7I praise you, LORD, for being my guide. Even in the darkest night, your teachings fill my mind. 8I will always look to you, as you stand beside me and protect me from fear. 9With all my heart, I will celebrate, and I can safely rest.
Psalm 16:5-9 (Contemporary English Version)
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