Family and Friends

I just want to take every opportunity to thank my family and friends especially my parents and Felicia who have been so supportive and helpful. My mum has been running around like a headless chicken doing this and that. Organizing almost everything from my medication, food to my clothes etc. Felicia who's always checking up on me and also researching my diet, I love you so much and appreciate all your help and prayers very much. Don't worry a bigger post will be up for you, my love! :) Felicia's family thanks for the meals and support!! I truly appreciate all of that. I hate food restrictions. 😣 My brother Adrian thanks for being there and taking care of me post surgery in Australia as well as getting me the anti nausea thingy. My friends you all know who you are. Fish gor, Kevin, Huihun, Bea, Bry, Kai, Hong Yen, Kam Yew, Master of Assholes, Jay, Kaj, June, Val, Viv, Zyoung, Von, Joyce, Asheela, Shenay, Julia, Janey, Mari, Penny!!!, Sath, Jackson, Pearl and Jono love you guys so much for remembering me and keeping me in your prayers and mind.  Fuad and Ahmad thanks for helping me from Australia! Thanks for all the support guys. From laughter to clubbing to gossips to assholeness to dota. :') To helping me with stuffs and everything.

On a side note, I also thank you guys for still treating me normally and not some terminally ill patient. hehe. ANNNNNDDDDD I know some of you guys are busy so you cant continuously check up on me. That is all good guys. Dont feel bad that I miss you out sometimes because no matter what I know you are supporting me. xoxo :)


Hi those silent peeps! Hahahaha. Ern Ying, Shin Yin, Phebe, Lichun, Sneaky. Hahahha. Anyway make yourself known yo!!!

First Visitors (From left to right : Ju the master of assholes, me, Fish gor <3)
Sorry I holding his hand ><

(space for visitors tonight) :D JAGGEH, HUN, JAYYYY

My Story Up to Now

I had this lump in my left neck since Dec 2014 and did not think much of it. Even reading in books about how to recognise lymphoma did not scare me to think that what I had was anything that serious at the time. It was just one lump which started growing bigger as time passed. Eventually, I started feeling a lump on my right neck as well. During this time, I was doing my medicine/surgery semester in University of Newcastle and I was also a bit caught up in work to actually bother checking it. I guess the blessing in disguise was to inform my parents and Felicia about it and they eventually coaxed me into checking it albeit later than we all would've liked.

So around the end of July 2015 just before I was planning to go home to Malaysia for a 2 week mid semester break, I decided to see the GP on a Friday. Initially, he did not think anything of it but still sent me for an ultrasound scan (the one they use to listen to the baby in movies). The very next day, I went with Felicia to the centre to do my scan. We entered thinking nothing of it but I said to her if it was something, it would be lymphoma. 😂 While they were scanning, I was looking at the screen and I saw the lymph node. It was around 27mm and then the technician moved the probe further up my neck and I saw more. The report said I had a few enlarged lymph nodes but I reckon I had 3 or 4 in my neck. The technician went out to ask for the radiologist. She was really professional to not say what she thought I had and said that she will ask the radiologist to inform us. The radiologist came back with her and told me I had lymphoma. I was shocked and speechless but I'm not a very emotional person. Felicia was crying though and I was comforting her. Haha. I don't even know if it was supposed to be that way or the other way around. Hahaha. Anyway, we went out of the room. And I called my parents and brother to inform them. My mum cried over the phone and was still in disbelief. My brother just asked questions to understand more of what I'm having. I did a chest x ray at the centre then I went home. I guess I was calm throughout I dunno why. Maybe it's just me or that's how I handle stress but yes I've always been calm. In most cases. 😂

Eventually, we decided to go Sydney that very same day to stay with my brother. Felicia went back on Sunday and my dad came over on Wednesday. The next following weeks were just a flurry of tests and investigations done on me which I have posted previously. I took a 6 month leave of absence from uni. I am in my final year of medicine. Almost 2 and a half weeks later, I came home to Malaysia where I was in a bit of a dilemma to find a doctor. We had suggestions of a Dr Ng or a Prof Gan. After weighing out the options of both as well as the hospitals capabilities, we decided with Prof Gan. However, she decided to ask us to seek Dr Ng for a PET scan and a bone marrow biopsy because it would be done faster there. We eventually did all that and in the process discovered that I am in stage 4 of Hodgkins Lymphoma. This was a mighty blow to me and my family but we have to stay hopeful and strong.😁 At the start, I was still in the state of calm as I had the thought that I was in stage 2a which is very good prognosis. After finding out I was in stage 4, I panicked and was unsettled for some time and was about to make rash decisions to go to SJMC to undergo faster treatment.

Thankfully, my parents managed to keep level-headed and we stuck with the plan. I have no regrets and am currently having my chemo supervised by Prof Gan and her team. So far I am very contented with all the staff, doctors and nurses in UH. And i'll be here for 5months of treatment!!

P.S. I have absolutely no clue how to write blogs. I hope you guys enjoy it and can tell me what to improve on. 😁 Till next time! 

Lymphoma Info

I have never thought of starting a blog solely for the purpose of writing about my life. My belief is that I do not need more people judging me on how I live my life and judging me on my need to write out my own memoirs. This is going to be a long boring technical introduction. The real reasons for this blogging epiphany is for people to :

1. Get a brief overview on what is Hodgkin's Lymphoma and who it affects
2. Actually know what to do when you're diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma (i guess this would apply to Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma as well)

3. Have a sneak peek on how I actually live my life with lymphoma (guess I have looked past the judging part, haha)

4. Read some of my ramblings

5. Know how important your family, friends and your partner's support is in fighting this disease

Now let's start with the easy part. What actually is lymphoma?? It is a cancer of the lymph nodes. Lymph nodes are part of a separate system in your body which is called the lymphatic system. This system is responsible for draining lymph which is kind of a proteinaceous substance that is leaked from your capillaries. Lymph nodes are part of this system as immune centers to clear infections and it is concentrated with lymphocytes (which are like your fighters against infection). Lymphoma is divided into two families, Hodgkin's Lymphoma and Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma is the more common type and also has a higher danger potential (means it has a wide range from a mild disease to an extremely aggressive cancer). Hodgkin's Lymphoma on the other hand is generally a milder disease than Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Generally, Hodgkin's is quite rare but it is quite prevalent in the young. Teens to 30s would be one of the peak age for Hodgkin's. What you would be looking out for is a painless lump in your chest, groin, armpit or neck area(if it grows its even more urgent to get it checked) and any signs of weight loss, getting tired easily, night sweats, intermittent fevers or getting sick more often than usual.

What to do when you're diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma? Firstly, try to maintain a positive mindset and don't panic. Everyone needs to be level-headed to get your tests all done quicker. NEVER go for a Fine Needle Aspiration biopsy and CT scan first. Go for an excisional biopsy (which is a surgical procedure to remove the lymph node involved so that they can look under a microscope and can tell what you actually have). The reason for this is the fine biopsy has a less than 40% chance of finding the definitive type of lymphoma you are having. A CT scan will only tell you the size of the nodes that are enlarged and not the nodes that are affected. What you should be doing is a CT/PET scan which will show your lymph nodes or organs affected. Besides that, a bone marrow biopsy and a complete blood test should be done (including VDRL, HIV, Hep B and Hep C test done for the eventuality that you would need to go for sperm banking).