last entry?
About the blog
This blog, entitled “I Will Survive”, is written by Sandee, a mother of 3 children, who has been diagnosed with breast cancer since 1998. Part of her breast was surgically removed, and she started receiving chemotherapy, which was “worse than the cancer itself”. After three years of treatment, while thinking that she had beaten the cancer, she was told that the cancer had spread to her bones. Two weeks later, three 1cm lesions were found on her liver that have the appearance of cancer mets, which were impossible to remove. Once again, she had to return to chemotherapy. Early September 2004, the cancer took a turn for the worse. More bone mets in the lumbar area were found. Also, a new lesion in her liver and three new lesions in her lungs were growing quite rapidly. Once again, chemo was ordered.
When Sandee first knew the horrifying news, she was devastated and cried all day. She was extremely worried that her three young children would soon lose their mummy. Luckily, after gradually meeting more unfortunate yet tough people, she was influenced and become more positive. In each of her entries, she is thankful for something or someone.
The blog has regular entries by Sandee, and is her place to escape from the ruthless reality. By writing her feelings and what she is thankful about in her blog, it keeps her mind off her cancer. The blog also allow her to meet people with similar situations or have gone through similar experiences. This provides mutual support and sharing of experience, which is essential to patients undergoing such a prolonged battle. Hence, the encouragement from her friends through the blog has been “a major key to her survival”. Sandee intends to write about life and survival, so as to encourage others to appreciate their lives more. She is now very involved with breast cancer research, also intending to raise awareness and funds for as long as she can. She emphasizes the importance of early detection, hoping to educate women to have regular BSE (breast self exams).
Reasons why I like this blog
I found this blog very inspiring and encouraging, and have learnt to think positively. Sandee, the blog writer, was at first devastated by the bad news that she had cancer. Yet she was tough and strong enough to get over her emotion, and started to think in a more optimistic way. By doing so, she eased the worried of people who cared about her, and also influenced them positively. Also, even at times of hardship, she always put her children in top priority, and always considered her children’s benefit. She attended her children’s school activities despite her frail and weak condition, trying to show her love towards her children. Besides, she was tough and determined that even her sickness did not hinder her active participation in volunteer work, so as to spread her care to the needy. She also helped in breast cancer research and education, hoping to benefit other people. Her consideration for others is admirable.
Her determination and toughness is also worth appreciating. Chemotherapy had tremendous detrimental impact on her body. Her nails fell off; she had chemo-induced diabetes, meaning that frequent insulin injection is needed; she had to undergo extra surgery to fix her blocked tear ducts due to chemotherapy; her nose and throat were also thinning and thus bleeding due to chemo… However, despite all the horrible and torturing side effects she had to go through, Sandee still had a very positive attitude towards life. She never complained or gives up, but instead, she was thankful to many simple things around her. The most impressive thing was that, she was “Still bald & very bloated from decadron but smiling cause there are wonderful people & things in my life that keep me happy!” Her incredible determination is a major reason why I liked reading her blog.
What I have learnt
After reading Sandee’s blog, I have learnt several things. First of all, I have realized the importance of showing care to people around you. Diseases, including cancer, are prevalent in our world today. It is not uncommon to have friends and family members to be diagnosed with fatal diseases, and we might be losing them in anytime. By then, it would be too late to regret and mourn over how little love and care we showed to people around us. We should treasure people around us by simply showing your appreciation, or perhaps as simple as throwing a big smile and genuine greetings.
Also, we need to treasure our health. Although causes of cancer are broad and somewhat gene-linked, we should do pay more attention to our health and develop good life styles. It is a pity that while people like Sandee struggle in the battle against disease, many others do things that harm themselves and bring them closer to disease or even death. Every day, there are numerous reports on self-suicide. Also, bad habits such as smoking, drug abuse and alcohol abuse are also common in our society today. Despite education and warnings of the detrimental effects of these habits, people still take the risk and get along with the health-damaging acts. Clearly, these people do not realize the extent of damage they are doing to their bodies, and are not treasuring their health. City-dwellers today also forgo their health for work and money. When their body is functioning well, people would not realize that health is a valuable asset. Hence health is often neglected, and no action is taken to enhance health until problem emerges. For instance, during SARS incidence in Hong Kong, people paid more attention to improve hygiene, like washing hands frequently and covering their mouth and nose when sneezing. However, after the pandemic, people gradually forgot and neglected their good preventive habits, and personal hygiene generally decreased. In conclusion, we should always pay attention to our health, and treasure what we have. We could all enjoy our lives more by learning to be thankful and not to take things as granted.
Ref: http://www.day-without-rain.org/sandee/
This blog, entitled “I Will Survive”, is written by Sandee, a mother of 3 children, who has been diagnosed with breast cancer since 1998. Part of her breast was surgically removed, and she started receiving chemotherapy, which was “worse than the cancer itself”. After three years of treatment, while thinking that she had beaten the cancer, she was told that the cancer had spread to her bones. Two weeks later, three 1cm lesions were found on her liver that have the appearance of cancer mets, which were impossible to remove. Once again, she had to return to chemotherapy. Early September 2004, the cancer took a turn for the worse. More bone mets in the lumbar area were found. Also, a new lesion in her liver and three new lesions in her lungs were growing quite rapidly. Once again, chemo was ordered.
When Sandee first knew the horrifying news, she was devastated and cried all day. She was extremely worried that her three young children would soon lose their mummy. Luckily, after gradually meeting more unfortunate yet tough people, she was influenced and become more positive. In each of her entries, she is thankful for something or someone.
The blog has regular entries by Sandee, and is her place to escape from the ruthless reality. By writing her feelings and what she is thankful about in her blog, it keeps her mind off her cancer. The blog also allow her to meet people with similar situations or have gone through similar experiences. This provides mutual support and sharing of experience, which is essential to patients undergoing such a prolonged battle. Hence, the encouragement from her friends through the blog has been “a major key to her survival”. Sandee intends to write about life and survival, so as to encourage others to appreciate their lives more. She is now very involved with breast cancer research, also intending to raise awareness and funds for as long as she can. She emphasizes the importance of early detection, hoping to educate women to have regular BSE (breast self exams).
Reasons why I like this blog
I found this blog very inspiring and encouraging, and have learnt to think positively. Sandee, the blog writer, was at first devastated by the bad news that she had cancer. Yet she was tough and strong enough to get over her emotion, and started to think in a more optimistic way. By doing so, she eased the worried of people who cared about her, and also influenced them positively. Also, even at times of hardship, she always put her children in top priority, and always considered her children’s benefit. She attended her children’s school activities despite her frail and weak condition, trying to show her love towards her children. Besides, she was tough and determined that even her sickness did not hinder her active participation in volunteer work, so as to spread her care to the needy. She also helped in breast cancer research and education, hoping to benefit other people. Her consideration for others is admirable.
Her determination and toughness is also worth appreciating. Chemotherapy had tremendous detrimental impact on her body. Her nails fell off; she had chemo-induced diabetes, meaning that frequent insulin injection is needed; she had to undergo extra surgery to fix her blocked tear ducts due to chemotherapy; her nose and throat were also thinning and thus bleeding due to chemo… However, despite all the horrible and torturing side effects she had to go through, Sandee still had a very positive attitude towards life. She never complained or gives up, but instead, she was thankful to many simple things around her. The most impressive thing was that, she was “Still bald & very bloated from decadron but smiling cause there are wonderful people & things in my life that keep me happy!” Her incredible determination is a major reason why I liked reading her blog.
What I have learnt
After reading Sandee’s blog, I have learnt several things. First of all, I have realized the importance of showing care to people around you. Diseases, including cancer, are prevalent in our world today. It is not uncommon to have friends and family members to be diagnosed with fatal diseases, and we might be losing them in anytime. By then, it would be too late to regret and mourn over how little love and care we showed to people around us. We should treasure people around us by simply showing your appreciation, or perhaps as simple as throwing a big smile and genuine greetings.
Also, we need to treasure our health. Although causes of cancer are broad and somewhat gene-linked, we should do pay more attention to our health and develop good life styles. It is a pity that while people like Sandee struggle in the battle against disease, many others do things that harm themselves and bring them closer to disease or even death. Every day, there are numerous reports on self-suicide. Also, bad habits such as smoking, drug abuse and alcohol abuse are also common in our society today. Despite education and warnings of the detrimental effects of these habits, people still take the risk and get along with the health-damaging acts. Clearly, these people do not realize the extent of damage they are doing to their bodies, and are not treasuring their health. City-dwellers today also forgo their health for work and money. When their body is functioning well, people would not realize that health is a valuable asset. Hence health is often neglected, and no action is taken to enhance health until problem emerges. For instance, during SARS incidence in Hong Kong, people paid more attention to improve hygiene, like washing hands frequently and covering their mouth and nose when sneezing. However, after the pandemic, people gradually forgot and neglected their good preventive habits, and personal hygiene generally decreased. In conclusion, we should always pay attention to our health, and treasure what we have. We could all enjoy our lives more by learning to be thankful and not to take things as granted.
Ref: http://www.day-without-rain.org/sandee/
posted by michael tung at 6:03 PM
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