The Infantry

The Infantry is the foot soldier. I had discussed combat power in my previous post and I had deliberately left out the basic foot soldier as an element of combat power. The Infantry foot soldiers are awesome fighting troops. They are always organized into sections, platoons, battalions, brigades and divisions. The Infantry Division is the most complete and self- sustaining formation in any army. It is always battle ready and is organized to advance, attack, defence, or tactically redeploy at will. Most importantly, the Infantry is the only combat power capable to hold ground. I know, as I was the Ketua Staff (Chief of Staff) of the Malaysia Fourth Infantry Division.

Our body cells are our Infantry foot soldiers. They live and fight to destroy our body enemies daily in all parts of our bodies. Every second and every minute of the day and night. Every terrain, every ground of tactical importance and every vital ground is held by our good body cells, particularly the cells known as T cells. Our body combat troops cannot sleep nor rest. And our good body cells need bullets, food and protection to perform it vital role to destroy the enemies within our bodies. Our good body cells need to be immune to the counter attacks by our body enemies, It must be particularly immunized to withstand the proliferation of cancer cells.

We cannot overlook the importance of getting our good body cells to be strong and vitalized at all times. It needs all the proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to be strong and vigilant. A sick person has poorly nourished body cells. He will succumb to the enemy in time. The sick person’s body gives up the battle easily. We cannot compromise a healthy body. A person with cancer cells is not unhealthy and need not be unhealthy. He has cancer to be dealt with. A problem to be solved. He needs his good body cells to attack and destroy the cancer cells. Our body cells are the best fighting troops against cancer.

My earlier posts have described various approach to make our bodies strong and healthy. We must have a plan to provide good food, nutrition, minerals, antioxidants and rest for our body. I basically eat 80% fruits and vegetables and 20% of meats. I also particularly eat my fruits before meals, as digestion of vitamins are better on an empty stomach. I take my medication and supplements on a regular scheduled basis. I make sure to have regular rest time at night for my body cells to reorganise and recuperate. I am a good commander. I know my troops better than their mothers do.

Allen Lai

Combat Power

Happy New Year 2011. It has been a full year since the detection and my treatments for the prostrate cancer in me. I survived a year to say the least. Thanks to my Oncologist, staff of HUKM, Friends in NCSM, my family and all my friends who had cared and helped me along in my fight against Cancer. We won the battle together. It wasn’t an easy year, particularly in the first 4 months or so. But we are ahead and maintaining full momentum towards full recovery. Along the way I had met many wonderful new friends, learnt a lot more about cancer, our immune system, diet, nutrition, QiGong and God, and a bit of everything else. Looking back I am convinced that my career in the army had played a very significant role towards achieving this success. I may have left the army, but the army have not left me. My fight against cancer is very much the same as fighting the war against our enemies. It needs strategy, combat power, decisive actions, momentum, speed and discipline. The hype word in combating cancer today is to take a holistic approach. But this means many things to the Oncologist, advocators and patients, but by and large, the holistic approach is a singular approach to most practitioners. I am of the opinion that it is not so. The holistic approach is very much a multiple approach for synergy and effectiveness. In my fight against cancer, I had employed everything and anything. It is an all out war and there is no runners up, only the victor. Perhaps most unfamiliar to all people, except to soldiers, is combat power. What is combat power in the military? Combat power is essentially firepower. It means troops, guns, tanks, aircrafts, ships etc etc. Combat power should be used to its fullest at the most opportune time. Combat power has been the core doctrine throughout my military training. I have to employ all the combat power available to me to combat cancer. What do I have? Military hardwares are no good for my fight against cancer. But I have more. I would like to table out my combat powers available for me to fight cancer in the list below. I will also assign a weighted combat power value to each power. The value of ten being highest strength and power. They are awesome. Ser Combat Power Value Remarks 1. God 10 Prayers and blessings daily 2. QiGong 9 Zhineng Qigong at least 1 hr per day 3. Radiotherapy 9 Prescribed by Oncologist 4. Hormone Therapy 9 Prescribed by Oncologist 5. Exercises 8 At least 40 mins per day 6. Care givers 8 Spouses / Children / Immediate family 7. Diet 7 As 80% fruits and Vege, 20% meats 8. Friends 6 Not sympathizers 9. Internet 6 Dedicated sites and blogs 10. Books 6 Relevant books on cancer 11. Chinese Herbs 5 As recommended 12. Nutrition / Supplements 5 Inadequate as shown in blood tests 13. Sunlight 4 At least 20 mins per day I have been blessed to acknowledge the strength of the above combat powers. I employ these combat powers daily to great satisfaction and good health. Employing all the Combat powers daily gives me a strong force multiplier throughout the day. Cancer cannot sustain my daily bombardments. It will die. Let’s fight cancer. We will certainly win, with all the combat powers available to us. I was, and still am a soldier. I can amass my combat powers to full force with discipline. Allen Lai

Merry Christmas

Hi all,

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2011.
Good health and blessings always.

Enjoy the festive seasons.

Allen Lai

NCSM QiGong Class of 2010

 Dr Borhan

 Master Yap

 Last session

 Group photo

 Full stretch

 Me 

QiGong food

Hi all,

QiGong Class of 2010 ended its last session for the year with simple ceremony and buffet. We had enjoyed ourselves learning new QiGong movements under Master Yap.

Happy practicing QiGong, See you all next year. Class starts on Sunday 02 January 2011.

View more photos here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/paceputrajaya0


Allen Lai

QiGong Testimony

Hi all,

I am both surprised and pleased that Mr Bob Ellal had responded promptly to my last post on Zhineng QiGong.  Mr Ellals’ respond is a classic  testimony that QiGong works miracles for us.  However he is correct to advice that QiGong should only be used as an Adjunct Therapy to professional medical treatments. It is also to be noted that QiGong is a not a onetime session.  QiGong should be practiced daily and mindfully.

Thank you Mr Ellal for sharing your success with us. God bless you.

I quote his response below:

 

Qigong—Chinese mind/body exercises--helped me immensely in my successful battles with four bouts of supposedly terminal bone lymphoma cancer in the early nineties. I practiced standing post meditation, one of the most powerful forms of qigong--as an adjunct to chemotherapy, which is how it should always be used. Qigong kept me strong in many ways: it calmed my mind--taking me out of the fight-or-flight syndrome, which pumps adrenal hormones into the system that could interfere with healing. The deep abdominal breathing pumped my lymphatic system—a vital component of the immune system. In addition, qigong energized and strengthened my body at a time when I couldn't do Western exercise such as weight-lifting or jogging--the chemo was too fatiguing. And it empowered my will and reinforced it every day with regular practice. In other words, I contributed to the healing process, instead of just depending solely on the chemo and the doctors. Clear 14 years and still practicing!

Bob Ellal
Author, ‘Confronting Cancer with the Qigong Edge’

Read Mr Ellal’s  full post here:

http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/Standing_Post_Meditation.html

Allen Lai

Zhineng QiGong

Hi all

I have being practicing QiGong for the past three months under Master Yap with the National Cancer Society  Malaysia. Now almost on practically a daily basis. The form of Qigong I practice is Zhineng QiGong.

There are as many forms of QiGong as there are masters of the practice. In the book The complete idiot’s guide to Tai Chi and QiGong, master Bill Douglas  (Founder of World Tai Chi and QiGong Day) explained that Tai Chi is a form of QiGong, and they are essentially the same. They stem from the same roots for concepts and movements. However whilst Tai Chi is totally QiGong, All QiGong is Not Tai Chi.

Huh? Whatever.

Do not be confused and disturbed by the mysteries and myths of these ancient sciences of healings and wellness regimes. Just practice QiGong or Tai Chi.

Just practice.

I do not wish to dwell on the benefits and cures by practicing QiGong. Suffice to say it cannot do you any bad. There are just too many benefits to pen and too many explanations to explain. I’ll let you go to the QiGong Institute to find the answers you are looking for. The institute has loads of studies and clinical trial’s reports for your answers.

Enjoy QiGong. You will love it like me, and all others.

Visit the QiGong Institute at:

www.qigonginstitute.org

Allen Lai

Happy Afiq

 Afiq

 The occasion

 Me and Afiq

 Games

Having a blast

I was very happy to have received an email from Afiq's mother  last week. Afiq is well and is on his last leg of treatments for Consolidation. It means Afiq's prognosis is good and that he has responded well to the chemos administered over several months in HUKM. Thanks to all the doctors, nurses and staff who had help to get Afiq to get better.

Afiq can now go home, but needs to be on day care treatments in the hospital for maintenance of medications and observations.

I was with Afiq, his 2 siblings, Nenek and his parents last Sunday in a Telematch party organised for cancer kids in three major hospitals in KL. The party was held in the closed stadium in Titiwansa, KL.

Afiq was beaming and very happy to see me. We high fived and hugged. Afiq looks very good in his T shirt and jeans with a red bandana scaf on his head. How cool and handsome.

I am glad to note all the participating kids were having a bast in games organised. This is what all kids should be doing all the time. Thank you to CARES for all your care.

I am glad Afiq and I bonded well,We we look forward to more gatherings together when he is more recovered. I promised to see him next at the Putrajaya Night Run in mid January 2011.

Welcome home Afiq. You made all of us proud seeing, you so happy and courageous.

Allen Lai

High Tea

An occasion for high tea was held by two prostrate cancer support groups on 5 December 2010. It was a first time joint get- together held at the Lake Club Subang Jaya. In previous years, our prostrate support group from the National Cancer Society Malaysia has held their annual party in a member's home.

About 60 participants from both groups attended the sumptuous lunch/high tea. There was lots of chatter, laughter and good food to eat for the whole afternoon.

Thanks to Mr Das and Mr Liew and all those who had made this occasion possible and enjoyable.

Hope this will be an annual affair.

Allen Lai

The China Study

The China Study is not about China. It is about you and me and what goes on inside our bodies after we have eaten. There are books on nutrition’s and there are books on nutrition’s. In fact too many in the bookshops to confuse us.

The China Study is a medical scientific study undertaken by the US for the past 40 years. The title of this book is taken from the China-Oxford-Cornell Study on dietary, Lifestyle and disease Mortality Characteristics in 65 Rural Chinese Counties.

The project covered 12 kinds of cancer in over 2400 countries and 800 million people. This report should be worth your while to read and to have a basic understanding of the relationships between diseases and the foods/nutrition we eat.  The China Study is the most comprehensive study of nutrition ever conducted.

I do not wish to write a review about this book. Suffice to say that is had been the best seller in its category. The book is written by D Colin Campbell, and it is available in all major book stores and libraries.

Read it as it may save your life later on.

Allen Lai

The Antioxidant Miracle

I take antioxidants too to fight the free radicals in my body. Just like everybody else I am perplex as to what are the best antioxidants to take, its true effectiveness and cost of course.

We all know antioxidants comprise the vitamins, minerals, acids, akalines, flavonoids and including the whole works in biochemistry.

Dr Lester Packer is the foremost scientist in antioxidants, having spent his whole working life in the Packer Lab in Berkeley. He wrote the book The Antioxidant Miracle in 1999 and today this book remains relevant in the studies in antioxidants. This book is a must for every home as it is very comprehensive and detail in telling us the functions and roles of antioxidants.

The two very important things highlighted in his book are one, our cells are either water based or fat based as such antioxidants can only work in either type of cells, but not both.  And two, There are antioxidants that networks. Dr Packer had discovered that some antioxidants actually network to achieve  synergic levels.

These networking antioxidants can actually overcome the water/fat barrier by being able to work in either types of cells. They are also able to recycle each other when expanded in our bodies.

These networking antioxidants are Vitamins C and E, Lipoic acid, Glutathione, and CoQ10 enzyme. They are the antioxidant micrale.

Read more yourselves. The book is available in any major bookshop or library. This knowledge is worthy and may enhance your life in many ways.

Allen Lai

High Fives

Afiq receiving the TNF medal

I visited the Pediatric Ward HUKM again on Friday 29 October. Almost all the children were still in the ward. The only signs left of our event were some kids had actually hung their medals on the beds and on the wall behind them. Only one purple balloon was still on one of the bed albeit about the size of a tennis ball. Kids do love balloons.

Visiting the rooms

 Karen giving the medals

Kooky and Afiq

As I entered the ward, Afiq cheerfully waived to me. He was actually happy and glad to see me. We high fived. I also met Afiq's parents and had a long chat with them. Afiq was the kid who had received Kooky's TNF medal. I am very pleased to hear from the parents that Afiq had responded well to his treatments and would be discharged soon.

Little things mean a lot, even High Fives. I append below Afiq's mother's note to me the next day. Afiq's happiness had made my day.

Hi uncle,

sorry dah lama i tak buka email. thanks uncle atas info yg u berikan.We all memang mengharapkan bantuan dan bimbingan from u. terima kasih sebab uncle sudi datang pagi tadi.Afiq sangat gembira dengan kedatangan uncle.Last time uncle datang pun dia asyik cerita pasal uncle "give me 5 ". keep in touch yea...

Remember to High Fives kids when you see them.

Allen Lai

Video on visit to HUKM

Hi all

Below is the video on our visit to HUKM. Curtesy and thanks to Pueh Tian.

Enjoy.

Allen Lai

Follow up visit

Afiq all smiles like a champ

Happy father Encik Fairul

I made a followup visit to the Pediatric Ward in HUKM yesterday to see that everything is all right after our activity last Sunday. I had met the sister incharged, Puan Siti and all the nursing staff. They were really pleased to see me and conveyed their heartfelt thank you to all of us.

I also made my "round' to visit all the wonderful kids in their beds and cribs. All of them remembered our party and their parents were by their sides giving their thanks to us.

I met young Afiq Danial who had received Kooky's TNF medal. He is now much better and have moved into the main ward from his restricted room. I talked with his father Encik Fairul and he was very grateful to all of us. We had made the difference.

So it was a very successful event and we had really touched their hearts. We should all now be feel good feeling good. Ala mak! even one parent asked me Bila esok ada satu party lagi ? I just smiled.

Let's do it again. Jom?

Allen Lai

A visit to the Pediatric Ward HUKM

Partytime

Kooky Kash is one kool Kooky. On the trails, in her races and in taking up the most challenging projects. Her eye for concepts, details and creativity are unbelievably spot on. You got to meet or work with her to actually see all her  traits. Just believe me.

Kooky had cued to me that she would like to do an event with unfortunate kids. She would like to present them with race medals so that they would be encouraged and be one day able to pick up the sport. I agreed but with some apprehension. I really foresaw a lot of problems and obstacles ahead. Who would want to help us to do the event at the Pediatric Ward in HUKM? Did we have the time frame?

We would have to start dealing with the kids who are frail and fighting for their lives. This is no normal kids party. That would be chicken’s feed. Our target participants are located in the hospital’s ICU, bedriden in individual rooms and in a ward highly restricted to visitation. Can we get enough runners to donate their medals for the kids?  Admittedly I did not offer to part with my medals too, but parted with two.

A basketful of medals

It takes Kooky to get things moving. She quickly rounded up a great team to get things done. All amazingly through her blog, emails, sms, telephones calls and Facebook. Soon I had emails coming from strangers in respond to Kooky’s call. I’ll do this and I’ll do that. My friend can do this and my friend can do that. Wow. Soon enough even Kooky got help, contribution and donations from total strangers. Help and precious medals poured in. Unbelievable, in about 10 days our email thread was so long and deep that if it was yarn we could have weaved a running vest. We had only one brief meeting at my house two days before the event.

Who says there must be a team leader in teamwork? Our team did not have a leader per se. We were all peers; all of us took on our responsibilities and tasks without much of a fuss, question or doubt. Critical decisions were made by each team member.  Our teamwork was slick like clockwork, all cogs moving smoothly forward. We had over come all the obstacles in time management, resources, floor space management and event management.

Happy birthday all

We hosted 25 kids from age just over 1 year old to about 12 years old. All were with Leukemia or Lymphoma. Some were in wheel chairs and some still had IV/ drip tubes still attached. All were accompanied by their parents. Five were confined in their own rooms.

Our programme included interactive singing, a magician, a clown, board games, face painting, sand art, balloon sculpture, a birthday celebration and a big feast. The event finished with medal and gift presentations to the kids. All cramped into 2 hours and done within a floor space of about 20 X12feet. Whew, do we have a tight ship. We also had to do a side activity to visit the kids who were confined to their individual rooms. They were also not left out as we were determined to bring cheer to them by giving them medals and gifts as well.

Kooky's team

Kooky was accepted as our Ketua, I was as usual SiTua and I took on as floor manager and troubleshooter.  Julie was MC, Karen Loh took care of the visit to the kids in their rooms. Tina was Music Director, Nita was in charged of the cakes and Rais and all others were crew and deck hands. Our own spouses and kids contributed just as much in organizing the space and more importantly cleaning up the place after the event. A big thank to you guys. Soon more of the gang came to help out. Ijam came in time to clown around. He said to me that he did not have any training as a clown. He was just himself. No need to play act. Pueh Tian and Yim took all our photographs. Gerald and two lovely ladies from the Sacred Heart Church Peel Road came with a guitar for our sing-a-long. The Church also kindly donated biscuits, food and goodies to the Hospital. Thank you Gerald.

Young Danial volunteered to perform amazing magic tricks and card tricks. We salute and thank Danial’s father Dato Bala  for allowing him to perform despite young Danial was to sit for his school Assessment Test the next day. We had Chai working with the balloons, Anne did the pretty faces with colours and stickers, Wai Wan brought some interesting board games for the kids and Kelvin and June provided the sand art. Khairul Anuar, Azza and Syah and their families were also with us for the event.

Everybody enjoyed themselves, kids, parents and of course we had a blast. Julie  and Maymun were born frogs, having demonstrated their skills in Lompat Si Katak Lompat. They will win hopping races hands down. Ijam obliged me with a short stint of Joget; and boy, was Tina a singing sansation. So much hidden talent in her. Watchout Academy Fantasi wannabes.

I must add that everybody had held their composures well. Well almost everybody. Presentation of the medals was a hyper emotional itinerary. Both in the games room and in the individual rooms. A handicapped boy was brought to center stage to participate with the magician. He had refused any assistance by Julie to return to his wheel chair. He struggled back all by himself. I am not a very tough guy either and had shed a tear discretely. It was unbelievably touching.

 Only poor Junebaby had to miss the event as she was scheduled to visit Taiping on Sunday. Junebaby was in the original team. Thanks for all your help and encouragements; and for keeping yourself in the loop throughout. There will always be a next time.

The PRO and hospital staff on duty were great hosts to the event. They were most helpful to all our requests, including Baca Doa by the resident Ustaz. HUKM staff did not believe that we are a bunch of good friends, quickly assembled by Kooky and gang; of which most had not even met before until at the event. I still don’t believe it myself, why should they. They thought that we belonged to some slick NGO. Ha Ha. We became instant event consultants for HUKM’s future projects.

I wish to thank everyone who had contributed to the success of this wonderful event. We couldn’t have done it but for Kooky. We had achieved our aim to bring hope and cheer to some unfortunate kids and had touched many hearts. Most of all the event was fun, like participating in a race.

A medal for you

I’ll direct you to Pueh Tian and Yim’s the FB and photo galleries for more photos of the event. (Thanks for the above photos PT.)

Take care

Allen Lai

Wellness Classes and Support Groups

The NCSM is housed in a fairly large building in Jalan Raja Muda Aziz,Kuala Lumpur. One of its key facility is the Resource and Wellness Centre. The resource centre conduct classes and workshops for those diagnosed with cancer, their families and caregivers. All activities are free of charge, but donations and volunteers are welcomed.

The following classes are conducted:

Qi Gong. Every Sunday morning 10.00am to 1.00pm.

Yoga with Relaxation. Saturday morning 8.00am to 10.00am.

Massage And Aromatherapy. Wednesdays and Thurdays. By appointment.

Post Mastectomy Exercise Classes. Tuesdays. 11.00am to 1.00pm. By appointment.

Dietary Advice. Online. Email to contact@cancer.org.my

Lifestyle changes workshops. Every 2^nd and 3^rd Tuesdays of each month. 10.00am to 2.00pm.

Prostrate cancer support group. Every 3^rd Thursday of the month, session conducted bi-monthly. 2.00pm to 4 pm.

Pink Unity. Last Saturday of each month. 11.00am to 1.00pm.

For more information or registration for the above activities. Please call 03-2698 7300 or email to contact@cancer.org.my

I attend the Qi Gong class and attend the Prostrate Cancer Support Group session. You may catch up with me there.