Year 5 Done And Dusted!

Thursday, 6 July 2023 – what a day!

The boys' school was celebrating its Year-6 Graduation & Speech Day today and someway, somehow, my Year-5-er managed to make me exceptionally proud. 

Although he is in Year 5, we were notified beforehand that he was going to receive a Math award at the Year 6 Graduation and were invited to show up. 

Caden after receiving the Mathematics Award.

However, to our surprise, Caden was honoured with not one,

but two 🏆🏆 (!!) awards this school year! 😱 

He received the ✨Mathematics Class Award✨ for demonstrating diligence and passion for learning in all aspects of Math 🔢, as well as the ✨PE Spirit Award✨ that is awarded to a student whose attitude and enthusiasm for PE and sports had made them a role model to others. 🥰 

Caden who was somewhat in shock at receiving the PE Spirit Award. LOL.

I’m happy he won the Math Award cos, well, he’s always been really good with logic, space, mental calculation and just numbers in general so I'm glad his Mathematical prowess is being recognised and at least we now know that we not just syok sendiri bangga diri. The school actually agrees with us. 😂 

Having said that, as a mom, I’m extra proud of the PE Spirit Award he received because it tells me that this FOBISIA T-Ball Captain and School Council Member is growing up to be a good person, who’s a good role model to those around him. 

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My dear firstborn – Caden, 

Guess today we learned that you’re not all brawn and no brains, and hey, you’re not all brains with two left feet, either! You’ve got the best of both worlds and Mommy is so proud of what you’ve achieved throughout the school year and of the person you are growing up to be. You did well and aced Year 5! 💪 

Your leadership, diligence and hard work has paid off for you this 2022/2023 and I couldn't be prouder and happier for you. 1 more year left in Primary. One last lap. Keep it up! Mommy is cheering you on! 🥳🎉 

Caden and his two certificates from the awards he received.

Hand Squeezes Always,

Mommy

Home Learning Like A Baws

You see? Duduk macam taukeh. 😅

Today we just discovered that JJ's actually in a Year 2 English Phonics class in spite of just being in the first term of Year 1. So proud of him! 👏 He's usually pretty chatty about the going-ons in school but he never mentioned this! And if not for home learning, we probably wouldn't have known either! So I guess home learning... got good got bad la hor. 😅 #consolingmyself #makingmyselffeelbetter

Star(s) of the Week

I'm the Star of the Week!

Aww... JZ got one, too!

Both certificates and angpows, courtesy of JJ. ❤️

(We received some KidZania currencies. 🤣)

Immunotherapy Round 18 – THE GRAND FINALE!

12.56pm – Cocktail lai liao. I'm really looking forward

to my 10mg of Piriton up my line today. #stim 😆 

1.05pm – Fitri's putting in my line – hurray!

He, Taki and Chong are the bestest best! #nomisses

Kautim!

Snagged myself a bed again today. WIN! Bed over armchair any day.

Brought along my mini hot water bottle, too, so I can stay warm.

Ahhh, comfy. Let's get this over quick!

I'm so not going to miss this view!

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I know I've been super slack when it comes to updating Tinki Talks my treatment progress but this is one milestone that cannot be missed no matter how lazy I get. Cos one super-duper, impossibly looooong year and three weeks later, I've finally completed e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g the doctor ordered.

Gosh, I almost can't believe that I'm done! That's right.

DONE!

Hurrah! 🎉🎉🎉

1 ❌ Lumpectomy – CHECK!

6 ❌ Taxotere Carboplatin Chemotherapy – CHECK!

15 + 5 ❌ Radiotherapy – CHECK!

...and of course...

18 ❌ Herceptin Immunotherapy – CHECK!

Of course, this isn't totally the end, in the sense that I still have a good +/- 5-10 years of Tamoxifen pills left to pop, plus a lifetime of check-ups laid out before me but... Hey! One little victory at a time, right? #ImASurvivor

New In RMCO Fashion

Put that mask on 😷 and play up whatever else

people can see – i.e. eyes 👁️ and ears👂!

Me in my super comfortable

NORWEX face mask in Pink Opal.

Damn semangat with the eyeliner today so must take picture a bit. Also my first time putting on earrings again since goodness knows when. Haha. I bought this jewellery set the week after my 6th and last chemo. Decided to get something pink to celebrate surviving breast cancer and completing breast cancer chemo. Immunotherapy still ongoing until now but... ah, well. We'll celebrate that some way, some how, some day later, too. 🥳 Have a great Sunday!

JZ's 1st Swimming Competition @ POWIIS Dragons Splash & Dash, POWIIS Primary

The Husband and I always thought that JZ was made for racquet sports – he has the build for it, and he's good at it. #knowyourstrengths But when the aquatics department at school sent JZ an invitation to represent the school at a Splash & Dash 25-Meter Swim Meet, the #asianparents in us overruled all manner of logic and sense and said, "SWIMMING?? WHY NOT??" 😂😂😂


So a little under 2 weeks later, we found ourselves poolside, sweating our butts off, cheering our firstborn on during his first swimming competition. 😅

List of names and events.

Eager beaver parents.

Supportive Didi.

...but wait until tired. 😅😂

And there he goes!

JZ in action during his 25m Breast Stroke.

I did it!

He also competed in 25m Freestyle but I didn't get good pictures of that.

My champion.

Actually we have no idea how well he did. I think he tanked his Freestyle and maybe got second place in Breaststroke but... we left right after he completed his turn, and didn't stay till the end. HAHAHA. So... 🤔🤷‍♀️🤭

Freedommmmm!!

Finished my final radiotherapy today. Whoopee!

That's 15 + 5 scar-boost – DONE AND DUSTED!

Radiotherapy wasn't horrible, to be honest. But going to the hospital every morning for a whole month was a real chore. Real scary too, considering how the Wuhan virus outbreak got more and more out of hand as the weeks went by. I personally felt that the hospital wasn't doing quite enough to ensure that everyone – especially the immunocompromised like myself – were truly safe from those carrying any germs but... #MalaysiaisMalaysia la, right? Whatever the case, I'm really looking forward to having a break from visiting the hospital. 2 weeks off! Wheeee!! #letsparty

Chemotherapy + Immunotherapy Round 6

1.57pm – Anti-allergy cocktail hour is about to begin!

2.01pm – Hello, Piriton! We meet again!

This drug makes me super loopy and drowsy. 🤪

The beginning of the end...

4.35pm – Having a healthy snack and warm drink in between.

8.01pm – 6 hours later, I'm finally done with all the IV meds.
Phew! Am really glad that the next 12 times will be quicker.
Theoretically la, since it's just Herceptin left.

Biggest, baddest needle in all the land. 💉

So darn painful and the site aches for days after.

So glad this is going to be my LAST Zoladex shot as well!

I can't believe we've finally come to the end of my chemo journey. Taxotere Carboplatin 4 + 2, done and dusted. Zoladex, too! Wheee! Sure, there are still a bunch of stuff that are yet to come (like radiotherapy) and that are ongoing (like immunotherapy) but... the end of chemotherapy is truly a moment to celebrate. I can't wait to say goodbye to nausea, indigestion and extreme lethargy. That deadly trio is possibly the most horrible part of chemo, if you ask me. That and the various stages of hair-loss. 💁‍♀️  Next up, radiotherapy 15 + 5! Woot woot! Bring it on!

THE END

Just finished my last chemo,
Now I feel like a true war hero.
Would live it up and throw a party,
But feeling so tired like an aunty.

Guess I'll celebrate this milestone later,
After these tired post-chemo days blow over.
Just can't wait till I feel stronger,
And my days get better and better.

For today, I'll just lie down and pray,
And thank the Lord that He has stayed,
By my side through good and bad,
And for that, I shall be glad.

Post-Chemo Side Effect Log: Round 2

I thought that logging it the first time would be enough. But as it turns out, the meds and dosages administered were slightly different so the side effects seemed to differ a little, too. So, here's Round 2's log before I start it all again tomorrow.


24 SEPTEMBER 2019 (Tue): D-Day a.k.a Day 1 

• 280mg Herceptin IV + Taxotere IV (Chemo) + Carboplatin IV (Chemo) + Zoladex shot 💉 
• Tired by the time I was done but suffered horribly from insomnia and couldn't sleep till 5.30am. 😵
• Diarrhoea, noticeable hair-fall. 

25 SEPTEMBER 2019 (Wed): Day 2

• Started taking Motilum 10mg (nausea/vomiting) + Kytril (Granisetron) 1mg (nausea/vomiting) + Dexamethasone 4mg (vomiting/swelling) as prescribed, and will continue to do so for the next 2-3 days.
• Constipation, noticeable hair-fall, extreme tiredness, digestive discomfort, weird tastebuds. 

26-28 SEPTEMBER 2019 (Thu-Sat): Days 3-5

• Daily Nivestim immunity booster shots. 💉💉💉
• Wore a holter for 24 hours to monitor my heart rate as Herceptin tends to make it race. Heart gets the all-clear thereafter. YES!
• Constipation, severe bloating, increased hair-fall, extreme tiredness, digestive discomfort, weird tastebuds, body aches.

29-30 SEPTEMBER 2019 (Sun-Mon): Days 6-7

• Constipation, increased hair-fall, sudden onset of tiredness, digestive discomfort, weird tastebuds, body aches, major Kin Chi Bee Hoon craving.

1-2 OCTOBER 2019 (Tue-Wed): Days 8-9

• Diarrhoea, increased hair-fall, sudden tiredness, weird tastebuds.

3-7 OCTOBER 2019 (Thu-Mon): Days 10-14

• Good days. 🎉
• Increased hair-fall, unsustainable productivity (kinda like an old iPhone battery – it depletes very quickly even after a full charge). 🔋

8-9 OCTOBER 2019 (Tue-Wed): Days 15-16

• Good days. 🎉
• Reduced hair-fall, acne (due to Zoladex shot), unsustainable productivity. 

10-14 OCTOBER 2019 (Thu-Mon): Days 17-21

• Bad days 😪🤧😭 – technically not chemo related cos I caught the flu BUT... I also probably caught the flu cos chemo caused my immunity to drop. 😒
• Rate of hair-fall seems to have slowed down (only a few strands come off in the bath and in bed each time – WHOOPIE! 🤸‍♀️🎉🌈), acne, extreme tiredness, unsustainable productivity. 

And that's Round 2, y'all. One more time tomorrow and I'll officially be halfway through chemo. 50% and straight on to the finish line, bay-beh!! Let's do this! 💪

Mother-Son One-To-One Tattoo Bonding Time

JJ decided that this afternoon, we would draw each other dino tattoos with the new Muji colour pens he received from Ah Ma and Ah Kong. So, like the good, tired, chemo-shot-up mom that I am, I agreed. So, draw dino tattoos, we did! I drew his and he drew mine.

I gave him a T-Rex, which I very uncreatively and unimaginatively named REX. 😂 Bagi chan la. It's Day 6 and I'm still aching from my last Nivestim™ shot of Chemo Round 2. This mom is tired max la. Just close one eye and move on, ok? 😅

JJ gave me a velociraptor and named it Travis.

He spelt its name all by himself! #proudmom

All tattooed up and happy
from the quality time spent together.
Just my youngest boy and I. 🙂🙃

Post-Chemo Side Effect Log: Round 1

Jotting down this 3-week log so that I know exactly what happened after Chemotherapy + Immunotherapy Round 1. With this, I hope to be able to establish a pattern and thereafter, plan and schedule the next 4-5 months of my life around the "good days". So that I can at least LIVE LIFE A LITTLE in some way or another la instead of just mope around hoping for the "bad days" to pass cos I have the memory of a goldfish and would probably forget this all by the next cycle. So...

Here we go!

3 SEPTEMBER 2019 (Tue): D-Day a.k.a Day 1

• 370mg Herceptin IV + Zoladex shot 💉 + Taxotere IV (Chemo) + Carboplatin IV (Chemo)
• Long day at the hospital so naturally, by the end of the day, I was totally pancit. 

4 SEPTEMBER 2019 (Wed): Day 2

• OK day.
• Started taking Motilum 10mg (nausea/vomiting) + Apo-Ondansetron 8mg (vomiting) + Dexamethasone 4mg (vomiting/swelling) as prescribed and will continue to do so for the next 3 days.
• Food started tasting a little weird but still felt good, all things considered.
• Insomnia, racing heartbeat, general feeling of anxiety, dry and itchy skin, tiredness on and off – cumulated side effects of the many drugs I received.

5-7 SEPTEMBER 2019 (Thu-Sat): Day 3-5

• Very, very, very bad days. 🤢😪😭
• Daily Nivestim immunity booster shots. 💉💉💉
• Nausea, indigestion, lack of appetite, extreme tiredness, body aches, joint pains, constipation. 
• Insomnia, racing heartbeat, general feeling of anxiety, dry skin – worsening.

8-9 SEPTEMBER 2019 (Sun-Mon): Day 6-7

• Bad days. 🤢😪😭
• Nausea, indigestion, lack of appetite, tiredness – improving veeeeeryyy minimally.
• Diarrhoea (12 times in 2 days!), insomnia, racing heartbeat, general feeling of anxiety, shallow breaths (feels like I'm drowning half the time 😵,  which is a very scary feeling) – worsening at an alarming rate.

10 SEPTEMBER 2019 (Tue): Day 8

• Visit to the hospital to see the Cardiologist 👨‍⚕️ + ECG + Echocardiogram.
• Started on 1/2 tablet Concor 2.5mg daily to manage rapid heart rate and protect my heart.
• Felt a little better thereafter.

11 SEPTEMBER 2019 (Wed): Day 9

• Good day! 🎉
• I started feeling more normal after today. Appetite – OK. Heart rate – OK. Energy level usually dips at about 4pm but, all things, considered, still OK.
• Sore mouth – side effect of Carboplatin but what's a sore mouth compared to everything else I've been through la, right? Pfft. Child's play la, bro. 💁‍♀️

12 SEPTEMBER 2019 (Thu): Day 10

• Good day. 🎉
• Acne starting to flare up on the forehead – side effect of Zoladex.
• Insomnia, mild headache, sore mouth.

13 SEPTEMBER 2019 (Friday): Day 11

• Manageable tiredness, unstable heart rate (cos of insomnia last night, I think).

14 SEPTEMBER 2019 (Friday): Day 12

• Manageable tiredness, unstable heart rate, shallow breath on and off (cos I had to wake up early for JZ's school swim trials this morning after a not-so-good night's sleep). 

15-19 SEPTEMBER 2019 (Saturday): Day 13-17

• Good days. 🎉
• Manageable tiredness. Energy levels dip by evening. 
• Stopped Concor midway cos I started to feel a little better on the cardio front.

20-23 SEPTEMBER 2019 (Saturday): Day 18-21

• Good days. 🎉
• Manageable tiredness. Energy levels dip by evening. 
• Noticeable hairfall. 

SUMMARY a.k.a NOTE TO SELF

• Days 1-7: Don't bother doing anything. Just try to eat and sleep the days away. 🤐🤢😴 #Igiveup #letitgo
• Days 8-14: Diarrhoea and sore mouth. Appetite on the rise. Aside from stuff that can be solved by Concor, things are looking up!
• Days 15-21: Do whatever you can, when you can. Be free! Fly far! Soar, Little Bird, soar! 😂 

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How quickly time flies. 3 weeks have passed; I survived the horror. And with that, it's Round 1 – done and dusted. Tomorrow we embark on Round 2. Here we go, here we go... I'm ready; let's do this!  🙆‍♀️💪😎

JZ's 1st Swimming Time Trials

Today was a big day for my 6.5yo. He woke up bright and early to eat a hearty breakfast of eggs and oats, then shot off to school for his first ever experience at swimming time trials. 🏊‍♂️ #milestoneachieved #bigboyalready

It started raining when we left the house but it all worked out for good because, other than him having to brace swimming in icy, cold water ❄️, the weather was perfect after the rain. Read: NO MORE HAZE! 😷🤧 

Cloudy, overcast skies.

The skies clearing up after awhile.

My brave, little swimmer. 

That's my boy!

The kids were supposed to choose two events to participate in. JZ selected Freestyle 50m and Breaststroke 50m – yup, HIS choice. The two criteria required for today's participation? (1) Know the correct strokes, and (2) Finish the 50m.

We were so fortunate that, in spite of somehow not receiving a heat sheet (is that what those papers are called? 🤭 #noob) to let us know where and when JZ would be swimming, he ended up in the Lane 3 that was just right in front our seat, both times. (Yes, singular. There were not enough chairs to go around. 😩) What a blessing!

You know ah, with all these swimming events, the kids are required to put their swim caps and goggles on so... very difficult to recognise la. 😅 He may have come from my womb but at a swim meet, I really dunno who is who liao. All look the same from far. LOL! 

And here's our superstar in action!

Breaststroke 50m @ 9.37am.

Freestyle 50m @ 10.03am.

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My darling firstborn, JZ...

You did super well today and Mummy and Papa are so, so very proud of you! You definitely inherited your Papa's sporty genes. (Thank God for His grace and mercy! 😅😂) We love your keen interest in sports, your courage to explore the unfamiliar, your persevering spirit, your willingness to go beyond your comfort zone, and your desire to excel in all that you do. Keep up the good work, Son! Here's to more experiences and greater things ahead!

So much love,

Mummy

Celebration In Order!!!

Before I begin, let me first say that Caden is currently 5y6mo and Ethan is 3y8mo. That's 5 years and 6 months since The Husband and I have had a night in bed without mini-hims snuggled up in bed with us. 😑😒😓


Well, I'm happy to announce and proud to say that for the FIRST time ever, in the history of parenting in this household, that spans over half a decade...

THE KIDS SLEPT TOGETHER

IN THEIR OWN BED (in our room 🙄)

THE WHOLE NIGHT THROUGH,

RIGHT UP TILL I WOKE THEM

UP FOR SCHOOL IN THE MORNING!

Woohoo! #milestoneachieved #achievementunlocked
At long last, there's light at the end of the tunnel! 🎉🎉🎉

Wise Young One

Garden Crispy Seaweed Snack (Original). Comes in a pack of 3.

The kids and I have been totally addicted to these little packets of Korean seaweed. So much so that I started buying straight from the local importer at distributor price cos... hey, when can save money, save lah! In stores, they're sold for RM5.90 each. I get about a ringgit and a half off a pack of three when I buy them in cartons 📦📦 so... WIN! 💪💪💪


I gorge on it quite a bit myself but I try to refrain from letting the kids eat too much of it. #doublestandards #doasIsaynotasIdo So this happened today:


JZ: Mama, can we have seaweed? (Yeah, he started calling me Mama a few months back when his Mandarin started picking up. 😅)

Pam Song: Can. But I only have two packets and there are three of us in the car. How?

JZ: Then we share lo, Mama. We share.

At this point, I was pretty impressed

with his maturity and thought process.

But Mommy's smarter 😎💃🏻💁🏻 so... 

Pam Song: Okayyy. Here's what we'll do. I'll give you one box, and give Didi one box... *continues in a sad voice* ...and then... *sighs* ...I'll just take half from you and half from him lah. *cue sad face* #momconinaction #mommytricks #parentingtricks 😏

JZ: *without skipping a beat* NO!

Pam Song: *feigns innocence* What??! Why???

JZ: Then you'll have more than us!

😳😵😱

He said "NO" so quickly ok! What is this??
WHEN DID MY SON WISE UP TO MY TRICKS???

5 years old and he's not to be outsmarted already.

Die la, die. I fear the day he turns 16. 😁😅😂

p/s: A little scared but actually secretly so proud la. Hahahaha.

What Comes After 100?

JZ likes to count. He's got 1 to 100 down pat and that's good enough for me considering he's currently only 4yo and on his first Reception term. He does mention the words "thousand" and "million" sometimes but they're dramatic claims like, "His is a thousand times bigger than mine!" Or questions like, "Mommy, how many is a million?"

So anyway, on the way to school today, this happened:

JZ: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,... 15, 16, 17, 18,... 39, 40, 41, 42... 51, 52, 53, 54,... 76, 77, 78, 79,... 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, hundred, hundrety one...

😱😱😱

Urm,... good try, but... no. 😅😂

1, 2, 3,... JZ's Diaper-Free!

Last night was JZ's first night sleeping without a diaper. And... he didn't wet the bed! Woohoo! My firstborn #bigboyalready! 👏👏👏 #proudmom #growingupmilestone


But truth be told, he's been waking up with dry diapers for awhile now la. And he's been going to the toilet to wee by himself in the middle of the night every now and then before this anyway. #goodboy


Just that Mommy no guts to go diaper-free nia cos the thought of cleaning up wee at 3am is just not that motivating lah. Hahaha. So... Mommy deserves a pat on the back also for gathering her guts! Woohoo! 💁🏻🙆🏻🙋🏻 #tumpangglamour 😂


And and and... Papa deserves a super loud 'woohoo' cos no need to spend money on diaper anymore! So... big WOOHOO for him!!! LOL. 💰💰💰

Now, here's hoping these three woohoos don't turn

into Mommy boohoos anytime soon. 😅😅😅