Yvonne Foong

Tomorrow is Merdeka Day, a day to celebrate Malaysia’s independence for the 49th year. I’d like to take the opportunity to highlight my realization in the past year. It may sound simple, but resounds deeply in my heart.

Since young, I am used to hearing racist remarks by some adults, who are fond of degrading other races, but God is always fair. While he has allowed me to understand the truth behind Malaysian politics in the past year, he also brought many people into my life to prove that the truth does not represent Malaysia as a whole.

By raising funds for surgery, God allowed myself to come in contact with helpful Malays who treat me as an equal citizen. They come with all kinds of help. From selling t-shirts, publishing advice, to monetary means. Even some kind Malay nurses in the hospital, Malay salesgirls, and government servants cause me to be at the brink of tears. They make me fuzzy and warm inside.

These are the people I want to celebrate Merdeka Day with, because they sincerely welcome me home. They accept me despite the different ethnicity. This realization seem to mock the racist comments made by authoritative politicians in the press, making them sound like a lame joke.

To think of this, I realized how much I love this country. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be bothered to take note of the huge contrast between reality and how our politicians try to segregate the people of this country. If things could always go my way, I’d like to gather up the non-racist Malays and store them in a treasure box beside my bed. They can be so kind, so loving. Why must they be given a false identity?

Hello, hello everybody! Sorry to keep you guys in anticipation. There is finally something substantial about my book to announce. This morning, I signed an agreement with MPH Distributors! It won’t cost exorbitantly because I want the book to be affordable for everyone. Heh… now you have a rough idea how little authors earn. Even Lilian Too who sold millions of copies of feng shui books worldwide, admitted at last Sunday’s Local Author’s Hi-Tea at MPH 1Utama, that she makes money from publishing and not much from writing.

So ladies and gentlemen, you may start prying for a book entitled, “I’m not sick, just a bit unwell”, at all major bookstores, hopefully next week. I’ll definitely announce again when you may start buying. So excited!

Meanwhile, the hospital in LA is making arrangements for my surgery. The surgery counsellor is seeking confirmation from the hospital president if the reduced price package still stands. Please pray for me!

Do you know how much you words of encouragement mean to me? It may have caught me at the depths of mellow, it may have caught my mind and heart occupied, but God knows no matter what, your words of love and care remain engraved deep inside.

I’m feeling extremely mellow tonight, because I realized thar no matter how much I love and care, I’ll always remain second best to someone who doesn’t care at all. Why do we keep looking at the wrong places?

So tonight, I awoke with an aching heart that would not retire for rests, Going downstairs to make myself a cuppa, I caught sight of a pile of new mails on the table. They must have been mine. I’m the only house occupant to receive mail in bulks these days.

The first envelope has a cheque of RM100, with a note praising me for being brave, but apologized for the small donation. I receive such humble apologies all the time, but today it almost made me cry. In this world, there are two kinds of people. People who are fast to judge but do nothing to help, and people who are always too humble to receive praises for being generous. Such stark contrast.

The second came from a Malaysian student abroad who sent me £10 in blessing. It also came with a note. The sender read my story in The Star newspaper last Sunday. In this world, there are another two kinds of people. People who are always too close to do anything, and people whose generosity cannot be dampen by sheer distance. This blessing came from a faraway person across the sea, whose £10 worth of sacrifice wrestled through airmail to reach a distance person in need.

The third mail came from a Malaysian woman in her seventies. She was diagnosed with Acoustic Neuroma three years ago, and has sought consultation with Dr. Derald Brackmann, a senior associate of House Clinic in LA. Therefore, she can empathize with my sentiment in removing my tumor there. Even at her advance age, this woman struck me as someone unwilling to give in to the poor medical facility in Malaysia. This reminds me that there are another two kinds of people in this world - Apathetic young adults who submit to thw whims of fate, and people whose belief in dreams will never be affected by age.

It’s either you are, or you are not.

Attention to all kind supporters in the Klang Valley. You can now support my cause by buying HEART4HOPE t-shirts at Memory Lane, 1Utama, New Wing!

Picture taken from http://www.1utama.com.my/

The very kind female boss is helping to sell at her shop, and even bought one for herself. How sweet of her. I hope more people would come forward to help promote and sell the shirts at their retail shops, especially those at very strategic locations like KLCC, MidValley, Sunway Pyramid, and Berjaya Times Square.

Above all said, please go and grab yourself a tee at 1Utama!

Lot No: LG302

Location: Lower Ground Floor

Call: 03-7710 8797

The best thing in the world for an NF2 patient is to be treated fairly. Throughout my fundraising endeavour, many people have come and go. Some appear for a reason, some for a season, and some are still here until today. Year 2002 was a major transition. The diagnosis proved that I am different from others; the realization of a hidden truth. Since then, many events followed that helped me find my own unique identity.

Who am I? Why am I different? Does being sick and needy make me any less of a person? These questions may sound rhetoric, but they are capable of causing serious bewilderment.

My friends play an influential role in shaping my identity. They do not just come to help. They come with a keen desire to know me as a person whom they perceive as normal like themselves. Over the times, I learned to distinguish between people who help out of love, and those who help because they’re told that being helpful is only right.

Being on the receiving end, the difference in both kinds of help is evident. You would either feel loved for who you are, or feel rejected by receiving help from people who think little of you.

Normal people would not realize that being sick makes us extra sensitive toward our surroundings. I’m eternally grateful for friends, whose initial intention to lend a helping hand cultivated true friendships.

I had fun eating lunch with David, and his friend, Shi Wan last Sunday.

Look at the little counter on the sidebar. The amount raised to date (as of 23rd August 2006) is RM118,129.70. You might have wondered why the previous update remained unchanged for some time, but that’s because there were outgoing transactions from my bank to the cover the cost of printing t-shirts and running around for fundraising sake.

Here comes my heartfelt note of thanks to all who have donated and bought t-shirts to support my cause. Last Sunday’s article on page 2 of The Star newspaper generated a lot of awareness. E-mail orders and wishes kept coming in, even until today. Bring it on! My living room is half jammed by heaps of unsold shirts, so please consider buying one for a friend’s coming birthday!

And for those who have ordered and paid, but still don’t receive anything from me after two weeks, you are very welcomed to send me an e-mail enquiry. I promise to check it up!

Meanwhile, please spread the word about the rock concert. You can also sponsor tickets, and we’ll arrange for members of a charity home to benefit from your contribution!

This evening, I received a kind e-mail from a Malaysian abroad, who is finding ways to donate to my cause. He also suggested that if this amount is only to save my hearing, then I should consider keeping the money for more acute and dangerous surgeries in the future.

I’m very touched, because he advised me without being judgemental. I’m open to constructive opinions. In fact, I am already considering his advise. There are, indeed, dangerous tumors along my spine that can render me paralyze very quickly.

Maybe I should just remove this tumor in America without acquiring the Auditory Brainstem Implant.

But no matter what, the Acoustic Neuroma has to be removed in America, because only they can remove it entirely, once and for all, without scarring tissues, the sacrifice of the facial nerve, and causing cerebrospinal fluid leakage. This tumor is adjacent to vital brain centers, making it the most dangerous of benign tumors.

The tumor removal costs USD28,600, and the ABI is an extra USD30,000. Now, now, I see your eyes popping out. But it’s not too late to make a change of plans.

USD28,600 would be around RM105,000 (depending on the exchange rate). That’s another RM40,000+ to go.

If I manage to raise more than that, then I can save them for a spine surgery abroad, which is the next most important surgery. The previous spine surgery to remove several tumors at GHKL in year 2002 caused nerve damages and because of that, I can no longer run or jump now. It will be worse to have another one done locally, since now, the amount of tumors has doubled, all the way from my thoracic to my lumbar spine!

This reminds me of an odd conversation I had with my neurosurgeon at GHKL one day.

Doctor: I have removed an Acoustic Neuroma in an NF2 patient before (he might as well have mentioned about the complications involved)

Yvonne: Oooh… waahhh…

Doctorr: But she is now paralyzed, after a spine surgery done here.

Yvonne: Speechless

Ofcourse, I also asked him if he manage to avoid sacrificing the facial nerve and causing spinal fluid leakage. He answered me with silence.

I actually lost track of how many NF2 patients became paralyzed after undergoing spine surgeries in Malaysia. My friend, Keisha, is now suffering from Kyphosis, since having her spinal tumors removed at SJMC few years ago. According to her, it was a ridiculous accident by the doctor. She went into the operating theatre with a healthy spine except for the multiple tumors, and came out without the tumors, but with a bone threatening to penetrate the spinal cord!

Many doctors in Malaysia still aren’t aware that our tumors are stickier, thus much harder to be removed.

I just had an MRI done on 2nd August at UMMC, and when they were scanning my spine, I felt like I was having a time of reunion. Oh dear dear spine. You’ve been through so much!

Many thanks to the kind blog reader for enlightening me. You see, everyone deserve good advises especially 20-year-olds like me, who are NOT as stubborn and ignorant as some indifferent adults.

Why those people don’t see the potential of learning and growing? Strange.

I received a not-very nice comment today, and upon reading it, I can only giggle and shake my head. The commenter, who chose to impersonate my friend, made a lot of baseless accusations.

I am not even afraid to share it here.

I feel disgusted by your article Yvonne Fong. You keep on complaining about your life, “Oh everyone look at me, I’m in pain, I got tumor in my head, please donate money for my surgery!�. Please, this has gone too far.

I had enough of your no-brain complains and naive attitude towards your so called “unfortunate life�.

So what you have tumor? So what you are in pain? Like everybody is not in pain, everybody is perfect except you?

I can see that you have pretty nice laptop. Where does your money comes from? Oh yea, the donation… I wonder what car you’re driving, or your family is driving you around with some S class imported car, have installed furniture bought from IKEA, go coffee beans surfing net and tell everyone how PAIN you are right now, and ask people about the stupid question like “Do you know what is suffering?�

I woke up one day and realise this has to be stopped.

How about writing a book titled: “How to use tumor and make loads of cash online� or “101 ways to manipulate other’s sympathy and suck their cash online within 30 days!� I believe this will become No.1 top seller in Amazon and Malaysia MPH.

Hiralous right? hehe! I was not scared nor was I intimidated, because his accusations are not true at all. My parents obviously don’t drive imported cars. My mom drives a proton tiara, and my dad drives an old junk Honda inherited from his late sister. You can even have a look at my house title and see who owns it!

The impersonator also questioned where I got my laptop from. I will tell you very frankly. The laptop was a gift from a distant aunt to aid me in studying. And in case you ask me where I got the money to study, I received a full scholarship from Life College.

Ikea? what for? You think I don’t know basic economics? Surfing net at coffee bean? What for? I’ve got internet at home. Sigh…

No prizes for guessing that those who choose to criticize my cause do not know me at all. You are only believing in what you think is true to be true You are hallucinating! I’m not some toad hiding under a shell. I’m a very public person. When mailing out shirts to people who order online, I put my real home address. It’s even on my blog. Just this morning, a group of malay ladies popped over after their morning exercise at a nearby field, and bought some shirts from me. They met me, met my family, and they definitely saw what cars my parents drive!

I think life is still kind to me, you know. In college, I am being accepted even though I am disabled and needy. At blogger gatherings, I’m never an outcast among the gang comprising of people from varying age and ethnic groups. Oh, I can go and on about the places where people understand my financial situation. They accept me, because they’ve met me and know my true self. They know that I am very real and that I’m not just some publicity idol.

It’s not very fair to judge a person based on one or two blogpost alone. In fact, it’s not even fair to judge a blogger by her blog. The previous post about suffering, was meant for the enlightenment of two particular blog commenter, who, like you, chose to criticize me without bothering to know me better.

I’m smiling while writing this post, because I know, for sure, that your accusations are not true at all. Your IP address reveals that you’re not even LIEWCF.COM.

Here’s a list of events for this Saturday, 26th August 2006. It’s quite an exhaustive list.

Book Talk and Signing Session by Book Project 2 writers

MPH MidValley courtyard
1pm-2pm

You’ve probably heard enough of this one. Project pilot Karen-Ann and a several writers will be there to entertain you with tips to creative writing.

Dark City by Xeus

MPH 1Utama
1pm-2:30pm

I’m pretty keen to meet this talented author behind the current bestselling book, Dark City. I may not read detective thrillers and mysteries, but the author’s passion in writing is so overwhelming, I am so tempted to go!

Author Appearance By Lim May Zhee

MPH 1Utama
3:30pm-4:30pm

Who doesn’t want to meet the 15-year-old self-published Malaysian author for the very first time?

Hi-Tea With Local Authors 2006

MPH 1Utama
2pm-5pm
27th August, 2006

Meet your favorite local authors and take part in a discussion forum that will focus on “Virtual Books” and its impact on the book industry in the future. The question is, will people prefer to buy and read without holding a book in years to come?

Also, don’t miss out on a special acoustic performance by local rock band Stone Bay.

Big names and new authors will be there. Among them; as Lilian Too, Renesial Leong, Azizi Ali, Chong Sheau Ching, Yvonne Lee, Prof. Dato Dr Koo Khay Kim, Lim May Zhee and many more!

Adapted from the MPH website. You wanna go?

Okay, now I need to decide whether to just stick my bum at MPH 1Utama this Saturday, or hop over to MidValley for the book reading session with the rest of my fellow contributors. One of my short stories was published in Book Project 2, and it makes good sense that I should be present to give a speech. But I want to meet Xeus too!!! 26th August is such an auspicious day, even the kind Dewgem invited me to her friend’s Merdeka celebration. I’m so greedy, I want to go for everything!

But maybe I should just go 1Utama during the day. I need to pass some shirts to Memory Lane, anyway. They will be helping me sell at the shop! How sweet!

As most of you might have known, I made a speech at The One Academy last Saturday. My ex-lecturer, Pinky Khoo, and the organising committee had been very kind to invite me. I had great fun watching the interesting performances, from ballet dance, singing, panthomime, to breakdancing. Children, teenagers, and old folks of Ti-Ratana welfare society were also invited.

here are some photos taken by my new-found friend, Cecilia Chau.