13th February 2009- Day 9 at Room 6051

It's finally the weekend! :) I was looking forward to it so badly.

We get to go home at 4.45pm on Fridays. I got off work slightly after 5pm and arrived back at Subang nearly 6pm. My mum & I went for dinner and she "dragged" me to see my family Dr. The Dr said it's just some inflammation. Gave me medication to release all the gas trapped inside my body. :)

When we went to the hospital, Uncle Kien Ping & Aunty Lilian was there. They bought some organic food stuff for my dad. How thoughtful of them. :)

My dad told us, "I will be discharged tomorrow!" He will still need to continue eating food that are blended for a few days. The Dr needs to see him again on Friday to see his progress.

Praise the Lord for giving my dad so much strength to recover. :)

It is a beautiful day although it's Friday the thirteenth. I'm sure this news is the best Valentine's Day gift for my mummy. We just can't wait to have my dad home.

Well, tomorrow is not only Valentine's day. It's also a big day for the Woo Family! Better go rest and greet the new day with a BIG CHEERFUL SMILE!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

May you be blessed with LOVE every second, JOY every minute, PEACE every hour & GOOD HEALTH all year long!

12th February 2009 - Day 8 at Room 6051

The day started very early for me. I took the 6.55am train to work cause I had to rush a couple of things.

I manage to get home by 7pm. My mum picked me up from Parade then we went for dinner before heading to the hospital.

My mum told me about my dads' day. He vomited, twice! After eating his lunch which contained rice, mushroom, flour stuff and vegetables. So the Dr put my father back to "Fluids Only". Well, we personally felt that my dad was asked to eat solid food too fast. We thought that he would be put on "Fluids Only" for a few days then only go for solid slowly. Perhaps the hospital dietitian is a little more ambitious.

My mum fell down at the hospital today. However, she didn't hurt herself. Probably will just get a bruise on her knee. The nurse measured her blood pressure and it's normal. Praise the Lord!

My dad looked more comfortable when I visit him today. All tubes were removed! Yayy!

However, I wasn't feeling very well. I'm not sure what it is, there's a big question mark to my body. My dad held my hand and started soothing me, made me want to cry. (Well, I am the emo kind) But I don't think it's stress cause I know I have faith in Him. Perhaps it's something that I don't consciously realize. Well, whatever it is, I just want to be sure and don't be careless. At the moment, it's 80% sure that it may be due to stress.

Uncle Kien Ping and Aunty Lilian came by. We said a prayer. After a while, my dad asked us to go home cause he was just too tired from the "drama" he had this afternoon.

When I said good night to my dad, gave him a kiss on his forehead. He held my hand tight, hugged me and told me "Don't be stressed up k? You must take care."

The gesture & words brought slight tears to my eyes. I have to learn how to not cry so easily. 

Daddy, I promise you I will do my best to manage everything. :)

 

11th February 2009- Day 7 at Room 6051

I manage to leave the office on time today. And catch the earliest train that I could and lucky for me, there wasn't any train delay. PHEW!

My mum picked me up from Subang Jaya station and we went for dinner before heading to the hospital. My mum told me about my dads' progress and she sounded happier herself. Firstly, she was happy that her 2nd sister came for a visit. Amongst her 8 siblings, she is closest to her 2nd sister. My aunt comforted her and gave her some emotional booster! :)

Secondly, my dad did an X-ray today and the results turned out GREAT! :) Mum kept teasing dad about being worried before the results came out but I think she has the same worry in her too. 

I'm happy to see her laugh & talk more openly today and also eating a full plate of rice! Kudos to mummy! :)

As much as she projects that she is strong, I know that deep inside her, she is hurting. She has been very strong for my dad and I love her for that. For showing me how a wife should be when your husband needs you to just be there to give him the morale support and to take care of him.

The Dr removed my dad's drips! YAY! That would mean, my dad can now eat anything & everything! (Well, not exactly everything & anything. He has to watch his diet.) However, there are some food that was given by the hospital that my dad don't eat naturally. He call them the "5 whites". 

1) Milk

2) White Sugar

3) Flour

I can't remember the other two whites, I think it's White Bread & White Rice. 

The reason why the above food is white is because it's bleached. Therefore, there isn't any natural nutrition in it. Apparently, if you pour white sugar on the floor, no ants would go near it because it's not "healthy". (You may try the theory.)

These were BIG NO-NOs for daddy!

And the healthier form of sugar, FRUITS! :)

Daddy has one more tube attached to him. The Dr said he will remove the last tube tomorrow! WOOHOOO! my daddy is clear off tubes tomorrow! 

Now he just needs to concentrate gaining weight & strength. The Dr will need to monitor his weight before he can be discharged. My dad is also advised to stay home for a period of time to regain the strength and immune system that he needs.

This is something that he needs to do to strengthen his lungs or "open up" his lungs. It's called "Balloon Blowing". He has to do it every hour for 5-6 times. It's not that easy when you have just undergone surgery as your lungs get tired easily.

My dad has also recovered from his surgical pain. Praise the Lord! It was a miracle as yesterday he still had difficulty shifting himself because of the pain. However, he still had to deal with his coughing today. He hasn't been sleeping well because he kept coughing.

So today, we tried something new.

VINCENT WOO, the Mount Everest climber!

He is determined to solve this coughing issue. My uncle suggested that he wears a jacket and cover his head. So he went home to get this jacket for my dad. I figured that my dad's neck might be cold, so I wrapped a towel around his neck. Hopefully he could catch some sleep tonight.

I was told to recite this Psalm when my dad was undergoing surgery last week. I find it soothing and it is "Thanksgiving for Deliverance from Many Troubles". Here is part of the reading.

Some were sick through their sinful ways,

and because of their iniquities endured affliction;

they loathed any kind of food, 

and they drew near to the gates of death.

Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,

and he saved them from their distress;

he sent out his word and healed them,

and delivered them from destruction.

Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love,

for his wonderful works to humankind.

And let them offer thanksgiving sacrifices,

and tell of his deeds with songs of joy.

~Psalms 107:17-22~

10th February 2009- Day 6 at Room 6051

It's my first day back at work after taking the whole of last week off. Started quite fast as I had to play catch up with work.

It became a habit for me to ask my dad how he is every morning. So I e-mailed him from work. 

He told me that the Dr has removed the Urine tube and one of the blood tube. WHAT A JOY! He now has 2 more tubes to remove! Then he'll be ready to come home. :) 

Great progress daddy! 

I bought a small bottle of Tropicana Apple Juice as a reward. However, we are still unsure whether he is allowed to drink it. Hopefully he will remember to ask the Dr tomorrow.

I miss tending to my dad. However, I know I must concentrate at work. I had to solve my "burping" problem before getting back to stressful stuff. So I went to my company's panel. The Dr prescribed me with liquid & pills to treat Gastric. :)

My daddy received SUNFLOWERS today! It was from my colleagues! :) 

Thank you all so much for this SUNNY surprise! :)

The basket was indeed heavy. It has 10 stalks of sunflowers & 10 fruits in it. :)

I was stuck at the train station after work for about 1.5 hours. I decided to take a train from the opposite direction, all the way to the last station. Take the same train back home. Luckily the last station is only 3 station away from Bank Negara Station.

I was frustrated cause I wanted to see my dad earlier. Wanted to spend more time with him but because of the delay, I only got to see him for about an hour.

When I went into the room, I saw him like this...

Vincent Woo the Musketeer!

He said that the cold air is blowing on his face, making him feel cold. So he decided to cover the lower half of his face. 

We spent the hour talking about corporate stuff & about him wanting to pass on his skills to me, my sister & my husband. (My dad can manage talking without stopping for about 3 minutes now. However, he still had to pause a while to control his cough & his voice is still a little husky.)

Thank you daddy for guiding & loving us. For pointing out our weaknesses, for helping us grow up to be a better person. We will show the same kind of love to our children. :)

I shall wrap up todays' post with a song. I love to watch the movie "Sister Act".  If you haven't watched it before, you should. I find it entertaining, meaningful & re-energizing when I listen to the choir sing. There are 3 songs that I like in this movie: "Hail Holy Queen", "My God" & "I Will Follow Him".

Here's part of the lyrics to the song "My God":

Nothing you could say that could tear me away from My God.

Nothing you could do cause I'm stuck like glue to My God.

I'm sticking to my God like a stamp to a letter,

Like birds of a feather we stick together

I'm telling you from the start, I can't be torn apart from my God.

9th February 2009-Day 5 at Room 6051

My dad made more progress! :) Wonderful news!

When the Dr came in this morning , he said to me with a smile "Hey, you are always here in the morning?!"

Well, I wanted to say "He is my daddy!" haha.. but I just smiled and said "Yup!"

However, tomorrow onwards, I will only be around in the evening after work except for weekends. 

The Dr would always greet my dad with a smile. He checked my dads' stomach today and told me just when he stepped out of the room "OK. He looks good. I'm going to remove the nose tube and he is allowed to drink clear fluids."

I responded, "Very good news! Thank you Dr."

I went into my dad's room and shouted (not very loudly).. "YAYyyy!"

My dad responded with a smile. Seeing him smile means a lot to me. 

Here are photos to show my dad's progress for the day!

 

My dad with one of his favourite toy: his handphone! He couldn't play with his hp for long after the surgery. His eyes will want to shut when he looks down. Today, he made a progress, he played with his hp until he has nothing else to do with the phone! :)

Just before the nurse remove his nose tube. The nurse changed the tag behind from "Sips of H2O" to "Fluids Only". My dad then told me "Do you know what I feel like drinking now?" I said "What is it?" He said "Tropicana Apple Juice!" with a BIG SMILE! :) 

NO MORE NOSE TUBE! Yayy! Spot the "Fluids Only" sign?

Today he also asked whether we brought his laptop. :) My daddy is back to his old ways. Praise the Lord. :) We brought his laptop to the hospital in the evening and he used up the battery. The hospital does not allow us to charge the laptop in the room. We can only use handphone battery chargers. Daddy will have to wait til tomorrow morning to continue surfing the net.

My dad tend to cough more at night and it makes him very uncomfortable because of the surgical pain. We were searching for ways to keep him warm. Turned up the air conditioner temperature. Covered his chest & back with towels and blankets. Rubbed ointment on his back. He used pillows to block wind from flowing to his back. 

After a while, he suggested: "Cover my head!"

VINCENT WOO, The Treasure Hunter! (ARrrrr!)

My daddy, auditioning for a place in Pirates of the Caribbean 4. :P

I was reading the Bible this morning. One of the readings for today touched me.

"When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gen-nes'a-ret and moored the boat. 

When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him, and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. 

And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; 

and all who touched it were healed."

~Mark 6:53-56~

The title of this reading is "Healing the Sick in Gennesaret". :)

8th February 2009-Day 4 at Room 6051

My dad is still struggling with his surgical pain. It's even tougher now because he seem to be coughing often. Every time he coughs, he will have to hang on to the sides of the bed or hold on to his abdomen because it's just too painful.

He begin to look very tired because he can't sleep with the need to cough almost all the time.

PROGRESS! The Dr said that he will remove the tube at his nose tomorrow. HOORAY! One more tube down. 4 more to go!

Dr encouraged my dad to not give up. He said it's normal to feel chesty and to be coughing after surgery. Asked my dad not to hold it back. Just cough it all out. He gave my dad the thumbs up for progressing so well. He said "Just a few more days and I'll send you home. Don't give up!"

My dad responded with his thumbs up! :) The nurse then said "JIA YOU JIA YOU!" (direct translation, "add oil add oil!".  It's a kind of cheer/motivation for people to work harder and not give up!)

We then helped my dad to find the most comfortable position.

We went back to the hospital in the evening. We found my dad sitting on the chair! More PROGRESS! My dad earned 3 bonus points today. 

Bonus Point No. 1) Dr said he will remove the nose tube tomorrow.

Bonus Point No. 2) He could sit on the chair for 3 hours.

Bonus Point No. 3) He passed motion for the first time since surgery.

PRAISE THE LORD! :)

We moved him back to the bed because he was too tired of sitting down. He then fell into cold fever. The nurse said he is not allowed to take any form of medication. So all we could do is use a ice pack to warm him down.

My dad felt very cold. He asked us to rub his hands & feet. After some "magic" touches, he felt warm again. His temperature was back to normal.

Uncle Kien Ping & family then came to visit him. We could see that he is very happy to see them and indeed very happy to have the lil ones holding his hand in prayer.

He then felt feverish again. This time his body was very warm. We informed the nurse to give him a new ice pack. My mum & I couldn't tend to my dad further as the guard has "shoo-ed" us away. (It was pass the visiting hours.)

I pray that my dad will recover from his fever. And that he will get some rest from the tiring day. Heavenly Father, hold my dads' hand and tell him that he will be ok. Have him getting enough sleep to build up his strength.

I came back and found messages on FB & my blog. Thank you all so much for your messages & words of encouragement. :)

One message from a FB friend touched me as I have not known him very well. He is a treasure hunter like my dad. The title of his message "Wishing Vincent Woo a speedy recovery". The title itself means a lot to me. I'm glad that my dad is famous in the treasure hunting world that he has even more friends (known/unknown to him) praying for him.

This part of the message touched me further:

"I felt compelled to write to you because I related very much to your story when I read it. My mum went through the same passage as well after being diagnosed with breast cancer 2 years ago. She too had a successful surgery and is now on medication for another 5 years as part of the treatment.

Your friend's brother in law is right. Take treatment as a friend and continue with daily life is the way to go. And with the support that he seems to be getting from his family and friends, I'm sure it'll be no time before I see him treasure hunting again!"

Dear friend (you know who you are. don't dare to mention your name in case you don't want to be mentioned), Thank you so much once again for these words of encouragement. :)

I shall wrap up todays' post with one of my favourite Psalm:

You who live in the shelter of the Most High,

who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,

will say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress;

my God, in whom I trust."

For he will deliver you from the 

snare of the fowler

and from the deadly pestilence;

he will cover you with his pinions,

and under his wing you will find refuge;

his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.

You will not fear the terror of the night,

or the arrow that flies by day,

or the pestilence that stalks in darkness,

or the destruction that wastes at noonday.

A thousand my fall at your side,

ten thousand at your right hand,

but it will not come near you.

You will only look with your eyes

and see the punishment of the wicked.

Because you have made the LORD your refuge,

the Most High your dwelling place,

no evil shall befall you,

no scourge come near your tent.

For he will command his angels concerning you

to guard you in all your ways.

On their hands they will bear you up,

so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.

You will tread on the lion and the adder,

the young lion and the serpent you will trample under foot.

Those who love me, I will deliver;

I will protect those who know my name.

When they call to me, I will answer them;

I will be with them in trouble,

I will rescue them and honour them.

With long life I will satisfy them, 

and show them my salvation.

~Psalm 91:1-16~

For those who believe, when you are in doubt, recite this Psalm. This is God's assurance of His protection.

2nd February- The day that has changed my life

My dad has been diagnosed with Stomach Cancer on 2nd February 2009. The news came as a shock to us.

Dr. Robert P. Jalleh, my dad's saviour, advised him to do an operation to remove his stomach & spleen. My dad then called my mum to inform her and they both made a quick & wise decision to follow the Dr's advice.

My dad, being his practical self, then called our insurance agent to come over to discuss about insurance and his last will. 

My dad was then admitted into the hospital on that very evening. The surgery was scheduled to be on the next day.

My first thoughts when I heard the news, "Oh Lord, please help us."

Han came back that night from PD and I thank him for doing so. He is a very loving husband who understands my need.  I took the rest of the week off and Han was on emergency leave for a day.

We slept in fear that night. Praying for the best. 

3rd February- The Surgery Day & Day 1 at HDU

At 1pm, my dad was wheeled into the operation theatre. Tears fell from his eyes and so did mine. There were plenty of mixed feelings. We put our trust in God but at the same time we were fearful.

I texted my friends, in-laws and family to pray at 2pm. That's when my dad's surgery started. I believe in the power of prayer.

7pm- Our prayers were answered! My mum received a call from the hospital and was told that my dad came out of the OT safely. :)

The surgery was successful! The Dr removed my dad's stomach & spleen & as many cancer cells as he can. However, there were some left that he could not remove. He told us not to worry as my dad will undergo treatment once he has regained his strength. The Dr told us not to think about Chemo just yet. We should just focus on helping my dad regain his strength.

My dad was admitted into the Highly Dependancy Unit (HDU). He was conscious when we met him. Making jokes, talking. After a while, he was tired. So we left him so that he can catch some sleep.

My feelings: My dad is a HERO! :) He made it through with God beside him and all the Saints protecting my dad from any harm. After the surgery, we know, God is here with us to go through these tough days and my dad will fight this battle with God's guidance and with God & our love and care. :)

4th February 2009 - Day 2 at HDU

We were only allowed to visit my dad at 11am-1pm & 5-8pm. My dad had some post operation pain on his left shoulder. Told the Dr. and he explained why there is such a pain. The Dr gave 2 reasons:

1) During the operation, my dad's hands were lifted up high so that the Dr could see everything clearly. His hands were in that position throughout the operation which lasted 5-6hours. Therefore, the pain.

2) The Dr removed the spleen as well. The spleen is located below the left side diaphragm. During surgery, there may be blood clod at the diaphragm and the nerve is connected to his left side collar bone. 

The Dr recommended pain killers. My dad was a little reluctant to take it initially but the Dr told him not to reject the idea immediately. He then gave in. The drug made him drowsy and he couldn't feel his limbs. He don't like that feeling. He then told the nurse not to give him anymore. He will just bare with the pain.

My feelings: It was heart breaking to see my dad in pain and helpless lying down. I know he will fight through this. I pray every day that he will be stronger and that he will progress.

5th February 2009- Day 3 at HDU & Day 1 at Room 6051

By this time, my dad was B.O.R.E.D! it' understandable. For a person who is always active, suddenly stuck on the bed 24 hours with nothing to watch, nothing to do. He eventually fell into depression. He told us he felt like vomiting cause he is so freaking bored. 

We of course, told him to hang on in there. When the Dr came to check on him and said that he'll be moved to the normal ward, the news immediately brighten up my dad's day.

However, the hospital took nearly 8 hours to locate a vacant ward for him. His spirits went down again.

When we visit him in the evening, he was still in HDU. We went there to cheer him up. He said he can't take it. He felt like vomiting. Then the nurse came with good news : "The room is ready. We are going to push you up to Level 6 soon."

We had to wait for about 30mins before the porter came. Then my dad told us to go up first and ask us to switch on the tv. He wants the tv to be switched on before he's there. haha. Yup, that's how depressed he was.

The TV saved my daddy! Immediately, he tuned in to CNN and Barack Obama was on. He didn't even answer us when we spoke to him. His eyes & ears were glued to the tv. 

My feelings: I'm happy to see my dad to go back to being himself the moment he was moved to the normal ward. 

6th February 2009: Day 2 at Room 6051

My dad had some discomfort because he has been lying down too long. His left shoulder is still giving him pain and also the left diaphragm. It is also the day that they removed the epidural. My dad can now feel the surgical pain.

Progress! My dad was asked to drink more water. From 10ml to 30ml.

When my mum & I visited him, he was still glued to the TV.  My dad received a lot of messages from his friends, sending their regards & wishes. 

He also received a basket of flowers & fruits from his company. :) His company HR is very nice. They wanted to visit him but my dad is not comfortable to receive guests at the moment.

We have a visitor! My mum was just walking around outside the room and she bumped into my dad's treasure hunt friend, Carol! She came by to say "Hi!". However, my dad was struggling to talk because of his surgical pain. 

He was also struggling to find the best position to lie down as he is afraid of getting any bed sore.

At night, my parents' neighbours came by to say HI!. They brought along a basket of fruits.

My feelings: I'm glad that my dad is progressing well day by day. Praise the Lord for healing my dad. I was in pain when I saw my dad struggling to control his surgical pain. Immediately, I prayed to the Lord to give him strength.

7th February 2009: Day 3 at Room 6051

We did our routine, going to the hospital in the morning after breakfast.

My dad received his 2nd bouquet of flowers from his Treasure Hunt mates. :) It was very nice and the nurse told my dad: "Uncle, your flowers are all shining so bright. You must be strong & cheerful like the flowers."

Suddenly, a guy walked in. He introduced himself: "Hi, I'm Carol's brother-in-law." Carol told him about my dad and he decided to walk in to motivate my dad. He is a cancer survivor for 10 years. He reassured my dad that medicine is so advanced these days that we don't have to worry. At whichever stage my dad is, it doesn't matter. The most important is for my dad to keep praying and receive the treatment like his friend. Don't allow other people to bully him. He then told us that he wrote a book on his journey and has a website that we could view : www.geocities.com/ejsoo

We then found out that he is a journalist for the Star and his name is Soo Ewe Jin. (His name sounds familiar, perhaps from the articles that he wrote for the Star.)

My dad was very happy to have him. He was very thankful to have such a person just dropping by to give him one push of motivation!

In the evening, our insurance agent (one of my dad's close friend), came with her family. My dad knows her husband too. Her husband came and it put a big smile on my dad's face. He cheered my dad up and I was so happy to see my father, talking (i mean whispering) and laughing (though he had to control himself).

My feelings: Very thankful to have the two surprise visits. Thank you so much for cheering up my dad. :)

Photos:

My dad watching TV. He has now switched to watching more channels rather than just CNN, ESPN & Discovery Channel. :)

The messages & best wishes from his Treasure Hunt mates & his company, AIG.

The flower bouquet from his Treasure Hunt mates.

The flower & fruits basket (the fruits were removed when this picture was taken) from his company, AIG.

Special Thanks & Appreciation:

To Uncle Kien Ping & Aunty Lilian: Thank you for coming by every day just to say a prayer for my dad. Thank you for touching my dads' heart and for guiding him through his journey in Christian faith.

To Susan (our insurance agent): Thank you for handling the financial matters for us and for being there immediately when my dad called you. You have been of great help & we are glad that we don't have to worry about financial matters. Thank you for bringing Uncle Simon & your children over. It was indeed a cheerful day for my daddy.

To those who have prayed for my dad: I thank you for your prayers and for keeping him in your daily prayers. May you continue to pray for him.

To my relatives & in-laws: Thank you for being such a supportive family. The sms-es and calls touched my heart and I am truly blessed with such a wonderful family. Thank you for your encouragement and for praying for my dad every day. 

To my mum-in-law and dad-in-law: Thank you mummy & papa for taking care of Han when I had no time to. And I thank you for praying for my dad every day. I thank you for asking me every day how my dad is doing and also your care & concern.

To Syaza, Sulo & Tuty: Thank you for coming over on Friday. It was indeed a good "break" for me. I'm sorry to have canceled our plans on Monday. I hope that Friday made it up. Will see you girls soon for a drink/catching up!

To my husband: Thank you for being so supportive throughout these tough times. I'm truly blessed. No words can describe how much you mean to me and I thank God every day that I have you in my life.

To my mum: Although she won't read this, but I would like to thank her for being such a strong woman. She was there to tell me to hold my tears. She was there to tell me to be strong for daddy. 

To my friends, my mums' friends & my dads' friends: Thank you for motivating us to be strong and for praying for my dad. There is no chance for us to be weak with such strong support from all of you.

To my Saviour, Heavenly Father: I thank you for blessing me with so much love and care. I pray that you will bless these beautiful people with love, joy & peace and all that they have been praying for.

Note: This post is written for my dad and my sister in Japan. (I will continue to publish post on my dad's daily progress.)

My dad, so that he would read it when he is well enough to go online. May he be reminded of the support that he has when he is fighting this big battle against cancer. 

My sister, it's tougher for you since you are far away. May the posts on daddy's progress keep you updated and assure you that daddy is in good hands. Your prayers are the strongest support that daddy can have. Just be strong for him and keep yourself healthy. When you are home, you will be able to contribute more. :)

As Liverpool Supporters would shout & sing: 

"YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE!"