11th December 2006
We have moved to Mount Alvernia as of this morning. Mum has been fighting the infection all ten days. She had fever up and down every six hours and we watched her like a hawk. Last night I was with her but I had a really swollen throat and my sugar is up. I went to the doctor yesterdy morning and was informed because my sugars are so high that I have to be given more medication. The stress does not help at all and my fingers are numbed. All ten of them because of my diabetes. I will be a rabbit for the next two weeks and walk away the sugars. But today I failed. I had chicken rice! Sigh...Thank God, though my blood pressure is not too bad.

Please pray for me because I had some chest pains early this morning and now I am trying to sleep as my mother is wheeled out of the operating theatre. I will do that after updating the blog.

On Saturday, one of mum's church leader came to visit her. Mum cried. She was just tired of the fight. This is a worship leader who visited her and she sang to mum and prayed with mum. One hour later, when I came to check on mum, her jaundice went down a little and she glowed. Just like Moses did when he was with God and God spoke to him in the burning bush.

On Sunday, the church's deaconess and two other church friends came and they too sang and reached out to touch her and with outstretched arm proclaimed God's salvation upon my mum.

My friend Corrine, also visited mum yesterday. It was quite a good day because mum was just prayed upon. She likes people to pray with her. She said the more the merrier.

Dr Teo Ngee was on vacation in New Zealand when I called him. He is the gastro radiologist who put in the stents for mum in June. Before he went in to work on mum, we told him we prayed for him. He prayed with mum the last time she came out of the theatre with the stents.

Richard was already at Mt Alvernia this morning and he checked out the best liver surgeon and doctor for mum. When we arrived, we were introduced to Dr Liao. What a good doctor! Mum recognized him as the specialist from NUH she saw some 8 years ago. So it came full circle. Dr Liao ended up being her surgeon and doctor again. She was very much at ease with Dr Liao. Was happy to see Dr Teo and she waved hello and smiled the broadest smile.

The stents were put in. Richard called to tell me that the procedure was successful. They had to extend the stents so that the cancer cells around the bile duct cannot reach and grow and cover the stents. But they have found deposits in the pancreas and this we will have to treat after her jaundice and fever is down. She will rest for two days and onward towards another battle.

As we listened to the doctors, we are educated more about the disease. I also began to realize that I have a great team of doctors. They know each other and were play mates since young and even went to school together. They trusted each other. I must thank Dr Heah for all his connections. It is because of him that I ended up with caring doctors who are doing their best to make mum comfortable. I called him when I was at a lost at what to do. He was on vacation in Canada, a place I really want to be and he phoned to speak with me because I left him an email. I thank God for all these caring doctors He so wonderfully gave to help us along the journey. I can only say God is with us and truly Emmanuel is his name.

This morning my cousins came from Ipoh to visit. She had a good chat with them before we packed and left Singapore General Hospital. The nurses at the Oncology ward48 were really angels. They came with a smile each day to cheer their patients. They were patient and kind. One of them, named Girlie even sang mum a morning song today. I told the CEO to ask the doctors of this ward to learn from these nurses. They may not have a degree, but they have a heart for their patients. I also did not save my comments on how to improve the quality of services in public healthcare.

Do you notice the sun is out today for a long while?

Christmas, just two more weeks. This christmas will be different. We will be celebrating at Richard's. Mum will be recuperating there. We told the kids that the gift will be Mum's health. We sort of prepare them that we are playing it down. For me, I might just join the mass carolling downtown and sing my heart out. I will probably end up singing carols in my brother's. Who knows?

Theodora prayed in the car when we were on our way back from lunch to the hospital. She prayed for po po's health that she will be good. Amen to that.

One of the carols that we so often sing during this season brought new meaning to me while I sang in the bathroom (poor neighbours and good thing I do it only in the morning). Joy to the world....but this verse struck me so clear...
" He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove the glories of His righteousness, and wonders of His works. "

Look around you and see how this is so true. How God used the nations, political, physical, biological to prove He reigns and He will continue to reign. And all these to prove God's glory. This will allow us to marvel what He can do and will do when we trust Him.

Pray for us all as we continue to run the race. Pray that we will be calm.

I asked my doctor if I was getting a heart attack since my fingers were numb. Dr Richard Lee told me that my job was not done so I could not go home so soon. He is another Christian doctor whom we met along this journey. I thank God for him.

Continue to pray that we will be able to testify of the Lord's goodness to those around us. I try to count my blessings and name them one by one before the Lord.

Pray that my mum will rest well tonight so she can recuperate fast. Also pray that God will bless Dr Toh Han Chong with wisdom on how to treat the cancer. He is the chemo man and I was informed the most compassionate one in NCC.

The fight that rages on is not just physical. It is spiritual as well as emotional. We need to draw closer to God. Pray for my dad that he will behold the goodness of our Father in heaven and will trust that God knows best.