Book review - A dog's way home

A Dog's Way Home by W. Brune Cameron.

It's about this guy Lucas Ray who found an adorable puppy in the den where there are cats inside the den which he pass by every day.

He's staying at an apartment which he shares with his mum and the apartment doesn't allow dogs, but he can't resist bringing the puppy whom he name Bella home. 

Bella is inexplicably drawn to Lucas.  When it becomes difficult to hide Bella from the neighbour, Lucas has to sneak Bella into his workplace.

As Bella is a pit bulls, it's being ban in Denver where Lucas luves.  Left with no choice, Lucas has to send Bella to a foster home till he can figure out what to do.  

Bella, distraught at the separation, set off on it's own to make her way back to find Lucas.

Book review - When Breath becomes air

Book review - When Breath becomes air

Paul Kalanithi, a Neurosurgical Chief Resident, was on the verge of completing his training as a Neurosurgeon, when he started losing weight and having ferocious back pain. 

He went to see his primary care doctor and wanted to get an MRI to confirm his diagnosis.  But the doctor suggest X-rays first as MRI for back pain is expensive.  

The X-rays looks fine and they chalked the symptoms up to hard work and an aging body.  A follow－up appointment was scheduled.

A few weeks later, Paul Kalanithi began having bouts of  severe chest pain and some nights, he woke up on soaked sheets, dripping sweat.  His weight began dropping again. Paul Kalanithi was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer.

After medical school, Lucy, Paul Kalanithi newly married wife whom he got to know in the first year of medical school,  headed to California to begin their residences.

Paul Kalanithi and Lucy had always planned to have kids at the end of Paul residency.  They went to the sperm bank, to preserve gametes and options.  Cancer drugs would have an unknown effect on his sperm, to keep his chance of having children, they have to freeze sperm before he started treatment.

Paul was now no longer the man who loved hiking, camping, running, who expressed his love through gigantic hugs, who threw his giggling niece high in the air.

Five stages of grief :

Denial -> Anger -> Bargaining -> Depression Acceptance

First-line therapy (Tarceva), Second-line therapy (chemo)

Just before nine o'clock on Monday, March 9, 2015, Paul lids apart and eyes closed, he inhaled and released one last, deep, final breath.

Paul was survived by his large, loving family, including his wife, Lucy, and their daughter, Elizabeth Acadia.

Paul was buried in a willow casket at the edge of a field in the Santa Cruz Mountains, overlooking the Pacific Ocean and a coastline studded with memories - brisk hikes, seafood feasts, birthday cocktails.

Book review - Love without Limits

Love without Limits

* Archive photo - TM had ask me to write a review of the book, I am not good in writing, so rough story of the book.

Nick Vujicic, an Australian, is  a Christian evangelist, an inspiration speaker, professional speaker who communicate for a living, is born without limbs.

As a teenager, he dreamed of getting married and having a family some days, just like most people.

His first serious relationship began when he was nineteen.  He met the girl at a Church camp in the United States.  They began as friends and moved quickly to the point where they wanted to be together all the way.  Till one day, seemingly out of the blue, the girl told Nick Vujicic that she need space and not ready for a serious relationship.  Nick struggled to give her space.

After four and a half year of giving the girl space, Nick had an opportunity to see the girl again when he spoke at a Church near her home.  She went to Nick speaking engagement.    They talked through their feelings and decided to try again, but in secret as the girl father had opposed to the relationship and they hope the father would come around one day if it was God's will.  

As Nick was traveling constantly, most of the communication were long distance and the girl father found out about the phone bill one day that she racked up hundreds of dollars by taking Nick's calls from Australia. The girl father made it very clear that he was not on board with their relationship.  Both of them broke off and he mourn the losses for eighteen month.

Kanae and Nick met when Nick was giving a little talk to a small group of supporters and friends in Southern Dallas. There was a spark and a strong attraction from the first moments Kanae locked eyes with Nick.  After their first meeting, Nick didn't see Kanae for three months as he was travelling but he couldn't stop thinking about her.  

He send poetry to Kanae through their mutual friend Tammy who mistakenly play matchmaker with Kanae sister, Yoshie, instead of forwarding the poems meant for Kanae to her.  At that point of time, Kanae has a boyfriend.

But Nick and Kanae did get together and got marred. 

Initially, they did not plan for a child in their first two years of marriage.  But three months into their marriage, Kanae got pregnant and gave birth to a baby boy Miyoshi a day after their wedding anniversary.

An aspect to their relationship that is different from many marriages is that addition to the usual work and responsibilities of being a wife and mother, Kanae has to help Nick deal with the challenges of having no arms and no legs. 

Nick, Kanae and Miyoshi lives in South California.

Week 12 (Part 2) - Book review

21st Mar (Wed)

I manage to finish reading the book - When God doesn't Fix it.

* Archive photo

This book is about a couple Martin and Laura.  They met at a fellowship of Christian Athletes.  Barely one year into their marriage, Martin has been experiencing unusual symptoms.  Nope of the doctors they saw could determine what was wrong with Martin.

Laura has a new job at a Church as a worship leader.  Her job included choosing music for the congregation, leading volunteers, and developing worshippers. And also the Church is looking for somebody who can write worship songs.

A friend recommended them to a General Practitioner who got Martin to do a CT scan and MRI.  The scan shows that Martin has brain tumor.  It took one year to determine Martin has brain tumor.

Martin went for a surgery, where he was in the hospital for more than two months.  2 1/2 weeks at the original surgery, another 4 weeks in ICU for the repair of the graft and the resulting meningitis, and then 2 more weeks in a regular room.

The Doctor then released him to an impatient rehabilitation facility where he could get the kind of concentrated therapy and life skills he needs to return home.

Life then has never been the same for Martin and Laura.  Martin has to rely on Laura and Laura becomes the sole breadwinner.  Laura has hope to start a family and have kids.  She was blessed with a daughter Josie and twins Ben and Griffin.

In between, had a bowl of tau suan @ $1.50 at a neighbourhood coffeeshop.

Joke of the day

I was at Corporation Place for Healthy Workplace Ecosystem, Zumba workout for the month of March.  When I reach, I saw a guy sitting there, since I was early, I went to sit nearby him.  Usually, the facilitator wears dark blue t-shirt.  It so happen the facilitator is not there yet and the guy sitting there also wearing a dark blue t-shirt.  The instructor for this month suppose to be a female Instructor and usually the Instructor wears orange t-shirt.  So I never expected the guy sitting there to be the Instructor.  We started a conversation.  Halfway through the conversation, I won't write grandmother story about the conversation, then I realise that he's the Instructor and not the facilitator.  So embarrass of me.