Reading and Learning ... is Part of My Life!

I did not remember precisely when I started reading. It probably started when I was at grade 2 or 3. There was a library located next to the playground where I would do some ball games with other kids. Then, after the ball games, wet with sweats, I would then stay under the fan of the library just to dry myself up before going home (I know it may sound strange now, but considering this 40 years ago back in Hong Kong). Then, during the dry up time, I would pick a few books pretending I was reading them (as it's the regulation there inside the library that you were there to do reading), and later on, it's interesting development that I slowly become fond of going to the library to read books rather than going to the playground for the ball games. There were another interesting observation made that when I read the books, I read them one by one by section. What I mean is, I will go for a section, e.g. Second World War, and then I would start reading from the first book on the shelf, then the second, then the third, etc. Yeah, I know it may sound wired (that I did not only choose those that I would enjoy reading), but then this can also be simply "part of me" that I wanted to read everything and that I enjoyed reading everything!

Most of my friends who visited my house would notice I love books. I have thousands of them and they range from antique publications, old books reprints (my favorite), business, management, medical & professional publications, biographies and autobiographies (second favorite), histories, spiritual & philosophical stuffs, collection items (i.e. books that I borrowed and read and I like it so much that I would buy them for my collection), etc. I always like to recommend to people books that I enjoyed reading and I also like to give away books as gifts, or loans (of sometime no return) with the expectation that the guy would read it and then pass on to others. Good books should always be shared!

Being in Vancouver, we have one of the best library system. (*Thanks to this system, the amount of money I spent on books have significantly reduced, despite I still hold on to my Chapters' Club Card.) You can go on to the internet library to browse and search for those books that you may like to read, order it through the internet and to be picked up at a library nearby your home, and upto 25 books at a time! You can loan it for 1 months (30 days), and it costs you nothing ... yes, nothing (except you are late in return or did not pick up what you have booked for)! In the above picture, the middle pile of books are those books that I got from the library. All about cancer, from survival guide to Chicken Soup's Stories, from diet suggestion to life after recovery (see how pro-active I am)! Then, there were a few others, on the left side of the photo, one was sent in by a friend of mine in Hong Kong, second one from my sister (bought in England written by a cancer survivor offering practical tips) and third one is the one I actually read it 10 years ago which then go into my "collection items". It's a book written by a cancer patient at his last three months of life. A very direct, honest and sincere account of the author's last three months' feeling and views on issues!

Nowadays, we receive our information from internet, then TV, newspaper, magazines, and possibly books (though I am not sure how many of you still read books). I don't know where should I insert "hear-says", "gossips", or "repeated forwarded messages through emails" at the above chain of information source. Personally, I find I can ONLY learn by reading books (and the other sources of information are really meant for supplementary, and I must admit internet makes information so assessable which is great!). Books are usually well organized (assuming they are of good quality) and thus easy to be read and understood.

Knowledge is power, and to gain knowledge, we need to read and to be educated! Reading and learning is part of my life ... and I really enjoy reading and continuous learning ... until the last day of my life! Why not?

Knowledge is Power!

Since the day that relatives and friends are aware of my relationship with lung cancer, a lot of information were flogged in. Anything from life styles changes, diets and food choices, treatments and alternative approaches, extra-ordinary skills and people, supernatural powers and senior masters who are still living legendary on this planet Earth, to very expensive/luxurious treatment institutes geographically locating at northern India to Kansas City (USA), in additional to web-links, books, forums and support groups, etc. etc. "Overwhelmed" is the right word to be used here. (*Keep in mind they are all provided with the best intention.) Everyone was eager to help, one way or another. Some were hear says and most of them were "forwarded messages" from the internet. At the beginning, I read every single piece of the information very carefully, as I don't want to miss any chance, not even the slightest chance, of an important information that may help my situation. Meantime, as you can imagine, this can also be a very stressful process to swim through this ocean of information, especially (actually quite a few of them) are controversial, i.e. one say good and one say bad! Then, what do you do? ... Hahahah! You are now back to Square One!

Among other cancer patients, I considered myself very lucky because I worked in the pharmaceutical field my entire professional life (>25 years). I call myself a semi-professional as I am not a stranger to those medical and pharmaceutical terms, actually in certain occasions, I am at an advantage over the clinical staff as they don't have the indepth knowledge of a specific issues, e.g. how long-acting sustained release capsule works, or when will a drug reaches it's maximum blood concentration level, etc. For same background reason, I was able to communicate with the professionals and discuss with them at length my treatment plan, especially the pros and cons, before a final decision is taken. More important, all these knowledge help me to better prepare and appreciate what is going to happen, e.g. drugs' side effects, body reactions, etc. In certain issues, we can actually take pro-active measures to reduce the impact. Knowledge indeed is power! 

It's obvious that I am still unable to control the outcome (though I would argue that I shall be in better position than those that do not have the same knowledge level, at least psychologically)!

Another source of information which I find extremely useful are from other cancer survivors. They are usually practical and almost work instantly. Keep in mind that we may not have the same type of cancer, neither are each human body reacting the same way. From simple suggestion of how to park the car at BC Cancer Agency, to how to make your salad more tasty and with variety, to how to manage vomiting and constipation (and other undesirable side effects), to how to exercise and rest in the day! Most important of all, using their exprience and spirit, they are charging you up with super energy, they are a walking model for you to follow and say "If you think you can, you can ... and this is what we have gone through and ... look at us today!" Simply be with them is already a charging up process, it gives you the power of almost like immediate recovery!

Knowledge is power! Cancer Survivors is super power! I cannot control the outcome, but if I am able to walk through all these and "survive" (and yes I will), I am going to be an active Cancer Survivor and I am going to provide everything I can to make other cancer fellows to live and enjoy everyday of their life!