Of get-togethers and gastric problems

Let's get the updates on Husband's gastric problems done first. Well, he has been taking the relevant meds every day, pain killers have been changed, and he is trying to be good about having a more regular intake of food and drink (though he is STILL NOT great when it comes to remembering to drink water!). So, have there been any improvements? Yes, there have, slow but steady. Not completely gone, but definitely far less painful than it was just 3 days ago. The concern, of course, is whether these gastric problems are going to be long-lasting or not. Let's hope NOT!

And what's this about a get-together, I can hear you ask! Well, believe it or not, Malaysian friends of mine from my days in school in the UK tracked me down via FaceBook, and we met for dinner last night :-D. It was GREAT to see Rozlin and Shereen again - the only ones missing were Marie, Shahida and Maymee. Maymee is also in KL but is outstation right now - we are hoping to meet her after the Raya break. Marie and Shahida both live in the UK with their respective families, but are (hopefully) going to be back in Malaysia for holidays in November and December, and with any luck they will be able to spend at least a few days in KL so we can all meet up again. And in case you are wondering "So, what's the big deal"... well, the last time we actually spent any time together was when we were in school in the UK - from 1974 to 1978!!!! And here we are, 30+ years later, connecting via FaceBook. Rozlin and I have met up in between, once, many years ago, just after she had her first child - but that was more than 20 years ago too :-D

Last night it was great to see Roz and Shereen again. And it was like we had never been apart - just falling straight back into the comfort zone with them again. Lot of catching up to do still, but now that we have found each other again it will be easier! Now I am looking forward to meeting the others soon.

One piece of sad news - our very dear friend (Peng) has told us that her father has got lymphoma (non-Hodgkins) at stage 3/4. Treatment has not been finalised yet as the doctors are looking into the best regimen possible for him - hopefully it should be confirmed within the next day or so. Peng, know that we are holding your Dad and your Mom, and you and your siblings, in our thoughts and prayers. It isn't going to be easy, but if there is anything you need that we can do, we are there for you.

As usual, please keep Husband in your thoughts and prayers, that he should get past the gastric problems, so we can go back to concentrating on beating the cancer.

Till next time, stay safe, stay HEALTHY!

Gastric problems.. on top of everything else!

Took Husband to the doctor today, as the pain in his chest is just getting worse and worse - to the point that he cannot get comfortable whether he is sitting, standing OR lying down! Makes it a bit hard to get any rest like that :-(.

Turns out that, starting from the time he had dengue and could not eat anything but still puked a lot, he has been having gastric reflux, and other gastric problems. That WOULD explain a lot! And, to make things worse, one of the two painkillers that he takes daily also makes gastric problems worse... sigh... sigh... and triple sigh.

So different painkillers have been prescribed for future use, and Husband has been loaded up with loads of other meds to take for the gastric. He took one round before we left the clinic, and is already feeling marginally better. Hopefully he will feel much better this evening, after he has had another 2 rounds of the meds.

Keep him in your thoughts and prayers.

Till next time, stay safe, stay HEALTHY!

Status one day after Chemo #10

The trip to Melaka and back went without any hassles. We didn't actually leave home till 7.20am, which meant it was 9.15am by the time we got to the hospital and registered, then went to get something to eat. Of course, being late meant that the queue at the oncologists clinic had already built up and it was 10.15am before we got to see the oncologist, and 10.45am before Husband was able to start the chemo. He was done by 1.30pm, after which we had lunch with my brother and sis-in-law and my niece and nephew. Good food, good company :-).

Dropped my niece and nephew back at their home on our way out of Melaka.... and were home just after 4pm.

Husband was totally exhausted and today (Saturday) he is in such a lot of pain. The first 4 - 5 days after the intravenous chemo are always the worst. The pain is more intense, and the discomfort in his stomach is much worse, and as a result of both of these issues he can't sleep. Things usually start to ease up after the 4th day, but it is difficult till then.

My parents together with my sister and her husband and two boys are coming over for dinner tomorrow night. Husband is planning on making an Irish stew (hopefully he is up to it!), and we are ordering some pizza's as the 2 boys are great pizza fans, and Sarpino's pizza at Mont'Kiara Plaza really does do good pizza :-D.

Other than all that, both Husband and I seem to have picked up a cold. I think it is from some infected person in Melaka hospital - no fever, just sneezing and the sniffles. Hopefully it will clear up fast.

That's it for now folks. Till next time, stay safe, stay HEALTHY!

Good news! For a change :-p

The last time we went to Melaka for chemo, we asked the oncologist if we could do the blood tests, etc, in KL the day before, so that we don't waste time in Melaka, sitting around the hospital for 2 hours waiting for the test results before the chemo can be done..... and he had said YES. So, as we are going for chemo tomorrow, we went to see our KL doctor this morning, to get the relevant tests done.

We just got the results around 4pm today, and, the first thing I looked for was the CEA (ie, the cancer marker), and I am MOST HAPPY to be able to say that it has gone from 198.7 all the way down to 161.3. It was such a HUGE relief to see that it is down again, after seeing it going up and up the last 3 times. PHEW!!!

So, tomorrow, we wont have to spend the whole day in Melaka. Probably leave KL at the same time as usual, but since we can go straight to the oncologist and start chemo early, we will probably be back by early afternoon.

Ah, there is also ONE MORE piece of good news (Yep, we are extra blessed today!). Husband has just got his MM2H application approved and the visa has been stamped into his passport - valid all the way to June 2018. YIPPEEEEEE, a NINE YEAR visa. And, for those who are wondering what MM2H is - it is the Malaysia My 2nd Home scheme which the Malaysian government has been running for the last few years, to encourage expats to relocate to Malaysia for their retirement. Originally Husband was not able to apply under that scheme, as foreigners married to Malaysians were NOT allowed to apply for it, but that rule changed in Feb this year. We were recommended an excellent agent, and he did all the work - putting in our application in mid-July with approval coming through in the 3rd week August. We had a few steps to be done, following approval (ie, placing relevant FD, getting medical report signed, etc), and once it was all done, we passed everything back to our agent, with the passport, on Tuesday 1st Sept (since Monday was a holiday, for Malaysia's national day), and just got the passport back today... YIPPEEE AGAIN! At least that is another weight off our minds.

OK, that's it for today. Tomorrow we are in Melaka. Till next time, stay safe, stay HEALTHY!

Sept already.. sigh...

Another National Day come and gone (31st August, for those who don't know). Ironically, the day a full-fledged Malaysia was formed was 16th Sept 1963, when Sabah and Sarawak joined. I wonder why we always celebrate 31st Aug??? This year was the quietest N-day I have ever seen. No pomp, no noise, no nothing! Which is just as well, because it looks like most Malaysians, given the awful state of politics (and its fallout) in this country, have nothing to celebrate.

OK, back on topic. We are off to Melaka again this Friday - for chemo #10. Fingers crossed and prayers going that the cancer counter will go DOWN again!! Husband has been awfully tired for the last couple of days. Yes, he is eating and drinking quite well. Sleeping? Hmmm, well, off and on, but it is hard for him to sleep undisturbed through the night. Now that the weekend is over, I have to see if he has the energy to get out of the house for a while, just to take a walk.

Will update again after chemo on Friday. Till then, stay safe, stay HEALTHY!