Cancer Diaries: Carrying around a bottle of blood and other hospital horror stories
Facetiousness aside, as per usual my hospital escapade was a horror-comedy.
Let me list down the funny (or not funny) bits:
1. Being asked if I had my mammogram and ultrasound documents with me... at 10 minutes to four, the day before surgery, when they could have just asked me to bring them last week, maybe?
Was not told by radiology to bring said documents but I guess, dear reader, just bring all your documents to every visit where they might be useful lest you be me and have to call up my hapless housemate to rush over to HKL in the middle of rush hour.
2. The general surgery unit was unaware I had a CT mammogram as well as an ultrasound last Friday by radiology.
Apparently the departments do not talk to each other, which means It's my job to update them.
I did not sign up for this.
3. Being unable to sleep in the daycare ward because it is uncomfortably warm, your pyjamas are rather thick (though decent quality), another ward occupant is playing loud videos on her mobile phone while another occupant is busy throwing up.
I also did not sign up for this.
4. The ward bathroom is stuff of (my) nightmares — no soap dispenser, the one soap bar placed on the sink on top of its wrapper ended up being stolen, one toilet was broken, some stalls are too small and the floor is full of puddles, some ankle-deep.
If you end up being warded, have someone bring you soap because you'll want it.
5. Due to a sudden influx of patients, I got a free ward upgrade on my second night to the first class ward where I had a nice time chatting with two occupants and another occupant just happened to be the mother of an old friend.
I also got to sleep peacefully for a blissful, uninterrupted four hours until I got woken up multiple times to be fed pain medication, then have my drain bag emptied, then be told to prepare for my surgeon to see whether I was fit for discharge.
6. My surgeon looked at my wound for 15 seconds before declaring: 'OK boleh discharge.' (OK she can be discharged.)
After my worries over the weekend that my lesion was too large (my radiologist declared it was rather long and had 'legs') I guess it didn't prove to be worrisome to the surgical team?
So I was rather surprised to wake up with more of my boob than I expected but perhaps it will shrink once the swelling goes down.
7. I take back what I said about men being worse at blood draws.
Three women junior doctors attempted to stick me with a needle for IVs but failed to the point I was screaming in the middle of the night — and by most people's standards I have ridiculously high pain tolerance.
Hours before my surgery, another junior doctor tried... I have never had my veins slapped as violently, as though their refusal to give into the needle was a personal affront.
Alas, it was also unsuccessful until a male junior looked over my veins and somehow inserted the needle around the site where a previous doctor had failed without blowing my vein.
'You owe me one!' He told one of the other doctors.
I probably owe him too, as by the fourth needle stick attempt I was telling the doctors that if they failed again I was walking out of the hospital, surgery be damned.
So far, so good. The wound cleaning session went well though next week will be a challenge getting to the hospital as KL roads will likely be in a gridlock — Picture by Erna Mahyuni
How am I now? Well I caught a throat infection and the right side of my jaw refused to unhinge, even with muscle relaxants.
My wound is healing nicely (according to the private GP I visited on the third day due to paranoia and being unable to open my mouth properly) though no one told me that it's perfectly normal to have fluid seep from my wound randomly.
You can imagine my horror on waking up and discovering wet spots on my night clothes, thinking my drain tube had dislodged while I slept.
The hospital's dedicated breast cancer nurse changed my dressing on Monday to waterproof ones — I can shower like a normal person now, huzzah — and said no, miss, you can't have your drains out yet, come back next week.
Next week is also when a big Asean event is happening so pray for me as I attempt to get to HKL, on a Monday morning, with multiple road closures and diversions.
Stay tuned for next week's update.
* This is the personal opinion of the columnist.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Free Malaysia Today
8 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Bolder health reforms needed in 13MP, says think tank
Strategic actions remain imperative for the well-being and resilience of Malaysia's healthcare system, said the Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy. PETALING JAYA : A think tank has urged the government to execute bolder reforms for the health sector under the 13th Malaysia Plan, tabled yesterday, saying it falls short in several key areas. The Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy said the government could show more ambition in areas like healthcare financing, health workforce, and non-communicable diseases. Galen CEO Azrul Khalib said reforming healthcare financing was especially critical as the current tax-funded system was unsustainable. He also said the Rakan KKM programme, offering 'premium economy' services at selected public hospitals, and the proposed basic medical and health insurance and takaful (MHIT) product from the government were insufficient initiatives. 'What is needed is compulsory national health and social insurance to provide complementary funding to support health and aged care. 'Adopting a (salary deduction) rate similar to Perkeso contributions, we could raise at least RM6 billion annually to complement the annual health allocation under the federal budget,' he said in a statement. Azrul said the government should have also announced a health services commission under the 13MP, which would take over the task of managing public health workers from the public services department. 'This commission would potentially enhance governance, improve accountability, and better manage human resources, leading to improved service delivery, and stronger confidence by the public and healthcare workers,' he said. He said there was no clear vision or plan on how to stem the rise in non-communicable diseases, of which treating them takes up about 70% of the billions in Putrajaya's annual health expenditure. Azrul also said that failure to increase investment in effective treatments and care for NCDs could lead to more patients dying from suboptimal treatment. 'The 13MP should represent a bold and ambitious vision to ensure that the country's healthcare system continues to be fit for purpose. Strategic actions remain imperative for the well-being and resilience of Malaysia's healthcare system. 'We cannot afford to be timid,' he said. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Putrajaya will allocate RM40 billion for the health sector under the 13MP. Apart from building and upgrading health facilities in several states, he said, a framework for professional development will be developed to ensure talent retention in the health sector. Yesterday, Azrul said the RM40 billion should fund long-term investment in healthcare infrastructure, modernisation of medical equipment, and improvements to the workplace environment. He also said more must be invested in health literacy programmes that inform and empower people to take charge of their health.
Free Malaysia Today
10 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Period poverty not just about pads, says expert
About 46% of girls in rural areas in Malaysia lack regular access to sanitary products, according to a study by an NGO. (Envato Elements pic) KUALA LUMPUR : Period poverty in Malaysia goes beyond the affordability of menstrual products to matters such as social stigma as well, says a women's health expert. Obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr Hannah Nazri said menstruation was still associated with stigma and cultural taboos by many, especially in Malaysia. To overcome this, she said Malaysia must confront the systemic challenges women face in accessing menstrual care, including inadequate education, social discrimination, and even misdiagnoses at health facilities. 'About 46% of girls in rural areas in Malaysia don't have regular access to sanitary products,' she said, citing data from women's rights NGO Peduli Merah. 'Some would even rather get pregnant than deal with menstruation due to the costs and stigma,' she added at the launch of Suhakam's Period Poverty Report today. Hannah, an academic clinical fellow at the University of Warwick, also highlighted the 'gender pain gap', saying women's pain was often not taken seriously. She called for greater attention to the intersection of period poverty with women's issues like child marriage and female genital mutilation. The Suhakam report, co-authored by K Sahanah and Sharifah Fatimah, framed menstrual health as a human rights issue, linking it to Malaysia's constitutional guarantees of dignity, equality, and non-discrimination. 'Once menstrual health is recognised as a human right, it opens the door to framing policy around access, equity, and legal protections,' said Sahanah. The report outlined six key barriers to menstrual health: financial hardship, poor sanitation, lack of privacy, inadequate education, undiagnosed health issues, and a lack of psychological support. It drew on engagements with vulnerable communities such as the homeless, Orang Asli, and girls in rural Sabah and Sarawak. The report made 14 recommendations, including calls for the free distribution of menstrual products at public schools, hospitals, and clinics; stronger national data collection and research on period poverty; age-appropriate sexual health education; and the consideration of menstrual leave at the workplace. In her address, education minister Fadhlina Sidek described the report as timely and crucial. 'We can no longer minimise the importance of menstrual health education,' she said, adding that the ministry had already introduced initiatives to raise awareness on menstrual health in schools and communities. She also urged researchers and advocates to continue gathering data and sharing lived experiences to push forward policy change. 'This report should not just sit on shelves. It should guide action across ministries and society,' she said.
Malay Mail
14 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Vape monitoring council not a government initiative, says Health Ministry
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 1 — The Health Ministry has denied claims that it plans to set up a Malaysian Vape Monitoring Council, saying the proposal originated from players in the vape and electronic cigarette industry. Health Minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad said the government has a responsibility under Article 5.3 of the World Health Organisation's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) to shield public health policies from the influence of commercial interests related to tobacco products. 'The Health Ministry did not establish, nor does it intend to establish, any Vape Monitoring Council to oversee or address issues related to e-cigarettes or vape devices,' he said in a written parliamentary reply published on the Dewan Rakyat website. He was responding to a question from Kuala Kangsar MP Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid, who had asked for details on the council's formation. In June, it was reported that vape industry representatives had proposed forming the council to tackle the misuse of vape products among youths, including students. They said the central body could operate under government oversight and allow more coordinated regulation of the vape industry, covering manufacturing, distribution, product control and enforcement.
