Mar 08, 2017 at 11:35 pm

Update 4: Love, Hope & Peace

Update posted by Lynn Tok

Dear friends & family,

Sorry for the late update.

Since my last update I've been feeling a bit better. It seems the drugs are working and my heart function is slowly improving. I still don't sleep very well but it is a bit better now. I have a follow-up appointment with my cardiologist in a few weeks and I hope he'll have better news for me. Hopefully I'll be able to resume work soon. I will have to pace myself cautiously so I don't over-burden myself physically - something I'm not good at! Please remind me to do so when I resume work! I also need to stay away from crowds as much as possible. I have a bug-friendly immune system right now and any form of viral or bacterial infection can potentially adversely affect my heart function. A recent bout of flu lasted longer than 2 weeks and it was pretty nasty. It takes a long time for my body to recover from any infection.

My neck pain has been annoyingly awful. I'm back on strong painkillers which I have to take daily. I'm not a fan of the painkillers but I don't have a choice. I do still go for acupuncture which helps a bit. Recently, I was blessed with great birthday gift - a neck & back shiatsu massager. It helps to relieve some tension in my neck muscles. I've been using it a few times a day. This helps save me some money on tui-na massage. While the painkillers, acupuncture and massage do not help with the cause of my neck pain, they do help me manage the pain that can be debilitating at times. I hope to undergo the excruciatingly painful radio-frequency denervation procedure as soon as possible. I'm still trying to raise funds for that.

Apart from my own medical issues, I've also been pretty stressed over my mom's kidney failure. We have been raising funds and preparing to send my mom overseas for a kidney transplant. However, tissue-typing test results reveal a big problem. My mom's body has a lot of antibodies that will cause rejection of any foreign organ. That makes it much harder to find a matching kidney donor. It also increases the risk of complications and rejection. Without a suitable donor, my mom will not be able to undergo a kidney transplant surgery. That will be very devastating. Over the past months, we have been on an awful emotional rollercoaster and it really has been rough-going. It's one thing for me to suffer the medical problems that I have but quite another to watch a loved one suffer.

While I don't expect life to be a bed of roses, I do wish sometimes that it can be a tad kinder and a wee bit easier for me. There is no time to wallow in self-pity though. I thankfully have a great group of friends and family who have provided wonderful support and encouragement to help me move forward. I'm also blessed with a beautiful 2.5 year-old niece who always cheer me up! I'm trying to live one day at a time. I also take comfort in the hope and peace I have in God.

Do spend as much time as you have with your loved ones. Life is too unpredictable and fragile for us to not do so.

Thank you for all the support and encouragement! You've been a great blessing.

Please continue to pray for my family!

With love,

Lynn

Back to campaign page