Living with cancer

Well, Living with cancer similar with living healthy as normal. Only living with cancer i need to have an extra afford to use my time wisely. Here my kind of living with cancer

As our purpose in live to have balance lives and to be happy :)

Love,
Flora tjhong
https://www.instagram.com/28shadesofpink/

hormonal and targeted side effect

 Targeted therapy i took concurrently with chemotherapy regime. And the therapy continuously until my  operation, then as i remember my treatment comes to stop. While hormonal therapy i took until my early day start working if i am not mistaken. The hormonal pills i took by mouth while an injection administered myself in your stomach area.

 

Love,
Flora tjhong
https://www.instagram.com/28shadesofpink/

targeted and hormonal theraphy

After all the therapy has been taken. I have given targeted and hormonal therapy.

Targeted therapy given by similar procedure like chemotherapy.

While hormonal therapy i inject my own self in my stomach area and orally taken.
 

Love,
Flora tjhong
https://www.instagram.com/28shadesofpink/

side effect

Every action i take there was a side effect comes with it,  same with all treatment i have taken. However you can still happily living with the effect by living happy and healthy.

Love,
Flora tjhong
https://www.instagram.com/28shadesofpink/

working experience

For almost 2-3 weeks i worked in Singapore, then i being transferred to Bandung.

and I had stated in remission for cancer for almost 2/3 years treatment for cancer in my breast. I flied to Bandung, Indonesia and worked as QA Executive majorly in Food Safety at PT Perusahaan Industri Ceres now become Delfi. I stayed in Braga with my colleague.

Living in remission i stayed healty and happy with my colleague.

I work 9am - 5 pm monday to friday but many times until 6pm or 7 pm.

Going back sometimes dinner with the bosses then go for gym, do yoga. hot shower then sleep zzZZ....

Ladies before you are being diagnosed you can reduce the risk getting breast cancer by having a healthy lifestyle
 

Love,
Flora tjhong
https://www.instagram.com/28shadesofpink/

first day working and radiation

Come the day which  my first day working in Singapore, before they sent me to Bandung, Indonesia. Since i still need to settle my cancer treatment. I went to radiation session everyday during my lunch time for 1 or 2 week if not mistaken. My oncologist suggest me did radiation after mastectomy. Before doing radiation, i got tattooed near my chest area to making a mark ensuring placement during each session. My working place near my hospital, it just 3 station away from my working place.

Love,
Flora tjhong
https://www.instagram.com/28shadesofpink/

breast nurse

After mastectomy i had meet a breast nurse whom teach me how to take care the effected area so i still feel normal after surgery. She told me about prosthesis. i wear it under my bra, so nobody can notice unless got people want to touch it :) of course i will not allowed it.

Breast prosthesis is an artificial breast form.

and due to operation, i also high risk of getting lymph edema, she also teach me how to reduce the risk by getting exercise and wearing compression sleeves when i do traveling by plane.

Lymph edema is swelling that’s caused by a collection of too much lymph fluid. since some of my lymph node near effected area also getting taken.
 
On top of that, blood and blood pressure can not be taken from my right hand forever.

She gave me ball compression, to do the exercise use by squeezing it.

And sometimes i also use 1 kg dumbbell to reduce the risk of getting lymph edema.

Love,
Flora tjhong
https://www.instagram.com/28shadesofpink/

Job and Mastectomy

Well ladies, even though i went through cancer treatment. I still seeking for job as a food scientist. i search a job in Singapore.

In the similar period my oncology also suggest me to do mastectomy, which is removal for my infected breast. Well it was not an easy decision, as i am still young and could not make any decision, probably i do not know what is it. and my parents very worry about me. well if your parents face a similar problem also will do the same, i think. what do you think?

Then i went to meet the breast surgeon, and discuss regarding to the surgery. He give me option, whether i want mastectomy it self, or with reconstruction. Reconstruction also got many type.

Mastectomy it self took 3 hours if not mistaken. While with reconstruction will took longer time.

After discussing long time, me and my parents deciding to get the surgery. We set the operation date.

It's 1 day surgery. During the surgery time, i got a call for job interview. I am so happy, then i bravely ask them to wait and postpone the interview after i done my surgery. Surprisingly they agree with it. Then come the surgery time.

3 hours

The surgery done, i think i stay in the hospital for a day or two, woke up with a blood bag in my surgery area. then came the day i could back home (not a home it was a rent room).

I rest for a few day if not mistaken,then i went for interview with the blood bag still hanging with my parents accompany me. I remember i bought a white coat for interview.

My interview in somerset, which is chocolate company based in Bandung, Indonesia.
I did interview with COO and her secretary. I honestly told her that i got cancer, surprisingly i got accepted.

Love,
Flora tjhong
https://www.instagram.com/28shadesofpink/

Hairstyle

Hi ladies,

In my last post, during chemotherapy, i mention that i lost my whole hair and become bald :) then i wear head scarf, beanie and wig.

In this post i will let you see my rocking style :)



1. beanie cap

2. head scarf

3. Wig 

What do you think ladies? Which one you think suit me best? :)

Love,
Flora tjhong
https://www.instagram.com/28shadesofpink/

Chemotheraphy

After i done my biopsy, I start my chemotherapy.


Chemotherapy experience was not as bad as i know. usually i eat healthily, eat more protein food to keep my white blood count good as chemo drug will kill your fast growing cell as well, like your hair, that you can see clearly. My hair drop one after one. When i was sleep, in the morning i could saw the hair dropping in my pillow. However, you can make fun of it by wearing a wig, beanie head, even a hair scarf. Yes, it was not as comfortable as my own hair. But it was a fun experience.i will post my hairstyles in my next post.


Each time before chemotherapy, my blood count will be checked, then after everything approved by my doctor, my chemotherapy would be given. i will be sit in chemotherapy seat then my nurse will given me the drug by iv.

It will be taken 2-5 hours depends on your regime. After done, i will given a couple of jab for 2  or 3 days  as my white blood cells booster for my next session. Each of my drug has different period of time and interval.

Love,
Flora tjhong
https://www.instagram.com/28shadesofpink/

My biopsy experience

Biopsy is a procedure taking part of suspected tissue as a sample to discover the presence, cause, or extent of a disease.

Is biopsy painful? Yes, it was. However you still can endure it.

I did fine needle aspiration  which minimally invasive technique that uses a thin and hollow needle to extract a few cells from tumor mass.

When i did biopsy, i receive local anesthetic in my breast (infected area) then as i remember my breast was put in a place like a desk and  i felt a pressure, a needle was inserted of course and got a click sound

I could back home after that.

Then they bring my sample to be analyzed in the lab...

I forgot how long it took for a result. After got the result, my doctor know the type and what drugs suit my cancer.
 

Love,
Flora tjhong
https://www.instagram.com/28shadesofpink/

Worry and Anxiety

Hi girls,

Of course even though i was positive enough. i just a broken human, I also have worry and anxiety.
In addition, as i got mention that point of time i also got others worry :finding a job.
Since i just graduated, and got a responsible to finding my own money while others of my friends had found theirs. I got many interview in Jakarta however i did not manage to get any. I really feel devastated about what happened to me.



 Then after sometimes..



Both of my parents discuss and ask others, we went to Singapore. During that time was my 21st birthday. We meet my oncology there, Prof Dr Alex Chang at John Hopkins clinic. He was old. He ask me for biopsy, then i did biopsy.

Have a good weekend :)
 
Love,
Flora tjhong
https://www.instagram.com/28shadesofpink/

8 of 10 lumps are not cancerous

Hi girls,

do not be afraid to ask and go find and seek professional  medical practitioner. 8 of 10 lumps are not cancerous. Probably your finding is just a normal lump or benign. By seeing professional medical practitioner you can feel ease and more security. :)

be brave and be positive everything will be good 

Love,
Flora tjhong
https://www.instagram.com/28shadesofpink/

check your self

Hi girls, well, actually you also can check yourself by checking your breast yourself using your own hand and eyesight. This process done so you can prevent more serious matters.

It's important to know your own breast. As we know it is better to prevent than to cure.  Before and during menstruation usually most women will feel their breast firmer than usual.

The best time to check your breast is a couple days after your menstruation ended. This period your breast will less firm since your hormone level will be drop. 

Girls, you can check your breast during:

1. In front of the mirror

2. Shower

3. Lying down

 Girls, you can check by feeling your own breast using this method 

 if there's any abnormality be positive and go seek a professional medical practitioner.

Love,
Flora tjhong
https://www.instagram.com/28shadesofpink/

finding

One fine day, during my internship in PML Milk Malaya (F&N), Malaysia i notice a lump in my right breast, a little small lump, On the afternoon i went back to my apartment, on that period of time i am still an university student. I called my mom and let her know what i found. Then i was planning meet a doctor  there, however i am just 20 years old that time, in addition i am not in my own country. I did not know how to do. In addition of that my parents want me to went back to Indonesia. But i almost finish my internship and just want to start looking for a new adventure in life. I really want to work in food industry and overseas.

At the end i went back to Jakarta, here both of my parents did not bring me to meet a doctor else they bring me to acupuncture, of course they thought i still young, probably due to irregular period or else. However i felt insecure and did not really care about it. I kept looking for a job. They forced me to diet, while i, food scientist graduated which need to taste a flavor during interview. it was really devastated period for me.

Love,
Flora tjhong
https://www.instagram.com/28shadesofpink/

welcome

Hi girls.

Welcome to 28 shades of pink.

A motivational, empowerment and education about living happy and healthy with cancer in adulthood time. I would like to share my story in having breast cancer during 20th. Hopefully this article can be a light for each lady who read this pages.

Well, every title got philosophy:

28shades of pink

28: my age start this blog

shades : variety of a color, which my ups and down in living with cancer

 pink : a colour represent breast cancer 

i, flora tjhong, ordinary lady who just lucky enough to get cancer in her life time. She notice got lump during her internship in Malaysia. Lucky enough she:

manage to finished her degree in food science and nutrition before jumping to battling cancer, during her my cancer journey i managed to get her dream job, even though for 2 years,working in singapore, chocolate company :) nyummmyyyy...  being a baker, florist wannabe and now blogger. i also help my dad in running her small cozy shoes workshop. 

Love,
Flora tjhong
https://www.instagram.com/28shadesofpink/