Friday, February 29, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Monday, February 04, 2008
In 2003, discovered a growth in pitituary gland that caused diabetes insipidus(DI).
growth was stable and ate drugs to replace the hormone(DI)
In end 2005, growth grew in size abruptly to cause multiple hormone defiency:
tyroid stimulating hormone, hormone to control stress, hormone for absorbtion of water(DI), sex hormone, growth hormone
Ate all other 3 replacements except sex and growth hormones.
In 2006, decided do operation since growth reaching optic nerves and too dangerous(don't want take such risks)
tried everything like steriods but to no avail
On 16 jan 2006, had operation to remove some to clear danger in mount elizabeth by Ho Kee Hang
Biopsy states that is germinoma tumor( germ cell tumor), cancerous
Through 2006, completed chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
Chemotherapy= 4 cycles of 1 wk drug, 3 wk rest
Radiotherapy= 5 weeks daily radiation
2007, happy and starting school! But still under life-long hormone replacment
In 2006, I went for a surgery to remove a growth from my brain. After recovery, I experienced chemotherapy which made me weak, tired and caused my immunity to drop. I also had radiotherapy that will eventually lead to side effects which may affect my life in the future. Since then, I have lost my stamina and my strength. My immunity is low and I am capable of contracting sicknesses and viruses more easily than others. Due to my multiple hormone defiency, I have to live being short for my age until I receive treatment which will only be sometime soon. Not just that, but I must be on tablet medication for life.
All these have affected my life so much. I cannot do things which I could do earlier before. I used to be able to run fast, now I cannot even go up the stairs. I used to be able to swim multiple laps in the pool, now I can only do a few with muscle pains at the end. My stature has affected me greatly too. It is common to hear people calling me ‘primary three’ or ‘little girl’. I feel insulted all the times even though I knew it was not on purpose. Shortness has led to many disadvantages, too numerous for me to recount.
With all these problems in my life, excluding additional ones from time to time, I feel that I do not want to live such a life, with sickness and disease. With people that do not understand and give rude comments that I take to heart. I just wish that I can be like others, normal and healthy. I will be able to run, skip, jog, interact, swim and many more without fear and difficulty. I can go out without negative comments from anyone and without the ‘primary three’ talk, but instead the ‘secondary two’ talk, a talk I have never heard anywhere else, except in school.
Now, I hope you know how I feel, the pain and difficulty I experience in my life, the ignorance and fear I receive. Now you know why I dream such a dream- a dream of being able to become a healthy, unsickly person. I know that if I do my best and take care of myself, this dream will come true. But with your help, I am more encouraged to fight on. So, I hope you will want to help me achieve this dream, a dream that seems easy and pointless to you but difficult and meaningful to me.