Laughter with Cancer

Injected by needle has never made me laugh this hard... One day, I'll look back and remember the time where hugs were banned and being injected by needle is the first physical contact (with outsider) you had in weeks. I want to give a shout out for Lauren my imaging nurse. She did an amazing job (no bruise and no pain) on the cannula insertion for my CT scan. As a hugger, I'm finding it strange to not be able to have no physical contact with the people I meet. We both laughed as I crack a joke about the physical distancing, "This is as good as it gets, isn't it?" She chuckled,"Alcohol swipes and injecting needle." Today, I didn't feel a prick in the needle. I feel a tug of joy from hearing laughter with a real person in front of you. I feel a touch of humanity through a face to face human connection. I'm lucky I have someone to hug at home. But even then, it made us realise we are a social creature. I think of those who live alone. Make sure you reach out and know you don't have to go through this alone. Today, I thank all the hospital staffs that I met. I thank our humanity, may we be kinder to each other and hold stronger together. #kindness #ctscan #needles #storyofmylife #gratitude #laughter #thankyou (at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre) https://www.instagram.com/p/B_1mDFRFjOP/?igshid=2izd5u0367gr

I'm going in for my scan today. It'll be my first visit where I won't be hugging anyone at @petermaccancercentre . Thank you for all healthcare workers who are working and caring for us during this time. Five years on, it gets better each time. Here is a reflection on my book writing. Cancer revelation #13 SCANXIETY TO SCANXITEMENT : Turning anxiety into excitement One of my favourite TED talk on "How to make stress your friend" shows how anxiety and excitement both have similar symptoms: sweaty palm, increased heart rate. The idea is rather than seeing it as a sign to be anxious, the better way to cope is to reframe it as excitement and put a new positive meaning to it. What if your scanxiety is actually a scancitement (scan + excitement)? What if we can adapt this mindset it as a way to move forward. What if we can anticipate the outcome with gratitude? Believing, whatever it may be, it is a win-win situation. We have 50% chance to get an amazing news on either outcome: if it is clear, you get to live. If it isn't, you get to experience life intensely and spend it with people you love. Que sera, sera. Remember worrying will not change the situation. I get it. Going through chemo was though. No one is ever ready to do it all over again. Even I have to keep reminding myself how I didn't know how I could do it but I did...we did. I surrender and trust the process. Believing our path is carved to bring out the best in us. No matter what happens, we can still smile through it all. One day. One breath. One smile at a time. Love and hugs, Nat PS: Please send healing, light and positive outcome this way and even more for my cancer friends as well. #gratitudeattitude #scanxiety #cancerfree #wecandothis https://www.instagram.com/p/B_0nR-cF3NE/?igshid=1mrskmn650ikh

The storm will pass. Have faith in impermanence of life. If good things has to ends, bad things will have to end too. Cherish every moment you get to spend all this time with your loved ones (yourself included). This won't last forever. #cherisheverymoment #gratitudeattitude https://www.instagram.com/p/B_lUocHFHj-/?igshid=ttv8pramkuqj

Let's keep sharing kindness in our life. What act of kindness have you witnessed today? What act of kindness will you give today? #kindness #kindnessmatters #humanity #actofkindness #gratefulheart #thankyou https://www.instagram.com/p/B_gH-EyF2rz/?igshid=1y22kr0rbnpms

Always find laughter between your pain....even in pandemic we can still laugh about it. #laughterwithcancer #lesson https://www.instagram.com/p/BX4bXo4FYyw/?igshid=voy2zuy5w48u

Have a Happy Homey Easter. This is one kind of easter we will never forget. Here is something to make you laugh 😁 Wishing you a different kind of gathering filled with love. Stay safe, keep well and lots of warm hugs. #easter2020 #easterbunny #laughter #rolls #😅 #happyeaster https://www.instagram.com/p/B-4WR6llHcg/?igshid=1gojc7b18itr

Day 13 of self-isolation: 10.000 steps & 10.000 Thank Yous I haven't walked an inch outside the hotel door since 22nd of April. I want to dedicate my last night of isolation to health care workers. I will go live on facebook at 3pm AEST today until I completed my 10.000 steps in my isolation den. I will be thanking them in each step that I take. We must stay home, so they don't have to risk their life and their family through this pandemic. I would love you to join me live to give thanks to our amazing health care workers too. Drop a video of you clapping or tag healthcare workers and I will give a shout out. I also give a call out if people would like to donate PPE for them. I had my fair share of being in hospital after my two cancer diagnoses. Since then health care workers have my utmost admiration for the work that they do. Give a thumbs up if you are thankful for our healthcare workers too and hope to see you joining me later at 3pm! :D Thank you health care workers for the amazing work that you do. Lots of love and hugs! Nat xox #selfisolation #10000steps #thankyou #healthcareworkers #grateful https://www.instagram.com/p/B-ikyndFlQ4/?igshid=177ktqhi52fz4

Day 7 of isolation: A SOCIAL DISTANCE SMILE What I'm grateful for today is having a cyclist and his friends smiled and waved at me acknowledging my existence in an isolation den. It takes a while before anyone notice 🤣 It makes my day. I'm grateful I still have access to see outside world through the windows. I'm grateful my brother Eko Ariyanto dropped me some fresh fruit and salad and my sister in law Diana Salim for bringing a home baked scones, home made sambal and fruit salad. She knows I love spicy food. I'm loving my yummy meals and treats👌 It was strange that for the first time, I couldn't hug my brother. But that is what we need to do right now. I wouldn't risk his family, even when I feel perfectly fine. And, I left a note to the staffs who brought linens to my door ( I have to change them myself). Usually, he would just call and let me know once he left items for me. This time, he knocks on the door. It's nice to see the person on the other end of the phone. I gave him a social distance smile as he picked up my thank you note 😄 He would be the fifth person after Kim, my brother, and the two random cyclists whom I had given a safe distance smile since isolation. Once this is all over, I will go binging on hug I tell ya 😄😄😄 Be grateful if you are currently in isolation and can hug your loved ones. Stay home, hug them tight and let's fight this together. 29.03.20 #stayathome #selfisolation #staywell #stayhome #stayhealthy #bevigilant #lookaftereachother #family #food #gratitude #inthistogether #kindness #smiles #socialdistancing #thankful #thinkpositive https://www.instagram.com/p/B-UKYYalJG9/?igshid=1r1ugh4yx7gvd

If you are currently staying home, remember that you are not alone. What will get us through this is hope for humanity. Distance separates us but kindness bonds us together. After this, I hope we will never take for granted the importance of human connection. We are in this together. Love and hugs, Nat 😍❤😍 #selfcare #selfisolation #kindness #inthistogether #stayathome #dirumahaja #coronavirus #socialdistance #spreadkindness #love #hope #humanityhealing #faithinhumanity #wecandothis https://www.instagram.com/p/B-O2Kz4FXB_/?igshid=1v6kuqycl212t

Day 4 of Self-Isolation (26.03.20) Note: Your how to fast track on gratitude is at the end of this post. 🙌 Every second day, I'll get a call to check in on my welfare and asked if I need anything. Today, I requested for toilet paper, milk and tissue box. The no contact protocol means they had to leave it on my door. I'm not sure why I had to wait until the staff leave (maybe the corridor is less than 1.5m?) . I'm looking forward to finally seeing the staff delivering once this is all over. If there is something we can all learn here is to learn how we often take things for granted. Prior to this, how many of us would think that we would be grateful for a toilet paper? That being able to have a roll would make our day? Our lives are full of abundance. The little things we take for granted are now become obvious to us: just to be able to shake someone's hand, give someone a hug, and even the privilege to go to go to work, eating out in a restaurant and having friends over. Let's not wait until something is taken away from us before we learn how to appreciate it. 👍Here is the fun part to fast track your gratitude exercise inspired by toilet paper. Everytime you go, count how many squares you of toilet paper you use. That would be the number of times you must list the things/people you are grateful for. In every shitty situatuon, there is always something we can be grateful for...literally :) The more you do this gratitude exercise, I can guarantee you'll become happier. If you do it for 7 days straight and you don't feel happier, I'll give you 7 rolls of toilet paper 😀😁😀 #gratitude #toiletpaper #lifecoach #coronavirus #socialdistancing #selfisolation #fun #games #gratitudeattitude #happier #choosehappiness #mindsetiseverything #practicegratitude #mindfunness https://www.instagram.com/p/B-MvFfzFrfJ/?igshid=1xj0nmu1q3z2c

Day 4 of Self-Isolation (26.03.20) Note: Your how to fast track on gratitude is at the end of this post. 🙌 Every second day, I'll get a call to check in on my welfare and asked if I need anything. Today, I requested for toilet paper, milk and tissue box. The no contact protocol means they had to leave it on my door. I'm not sure why I had to wait until the staff leave (maybe the corridor is less than 1.5m?) . I'm looking forward to finally seeing the staff delivering once this is all over. If there is something we can all learn here is to learn how we often take things for granted. Prior to this, how many of us would think that we would be grateful for a toilet paper? That being able to have a roll would make our day? Our lives are full of abundance. The little things we take for granted are now become obvious to us: just to be able to shake someone's hand, give someone a hug, and even the privilege to go to go to work, eating out in a restaurant and having friends over. Let's not wait until something is taken away from us before we learn how to appreciate it. 👍Here is the fun part to fast track your gratitude exercise inspired by toilet paper. Everytime you go, count how many squares you of toilet paper you use. That would be the number of times you must list the things/people you are grateful for. In every shitty situatuon, there is always something we can be grateful for...literally :) The more you do this gratitude exercise, I can guarantee you'll become happier. If you do it for 7 days straight and you don't feel happier, I'll give you 7 rolls of toilet paper 😀😁😀 #gratitude #toiletpaper #coronavirus #selfisolation #fun #games #gratitudeattitude #happier #choosehappiness #practicegratitude #mindfunness https://www.instagram.com/p/B-MupT8FUMS/?igshid=oy6hpfibp005

Day 3 of self-isolation Exercising your mind and body. Everyday during my isolation, I've been going live on @laughterwithcancer fb sharing tips on happiness and sharing positivity online. I will schedule time to go live on instagram too. Today's tips is on practising mindfulness the easy way. Yes it is easier than you think. I'm ending it with my promise to do a plank challenge. YaY for being able to last for 2 minutes I'll go live tomorrow at 11:11AM daily until I am done with my isolation on 5th April. Join me live and let's share positive vibes together. Tomorrow's topic is on how to let negativity go. #selfisolation #happiness #mindfunness #mindfullness #practicemakesprogress #exerciseismedicine #selfcare #funtime #winningattitude https://www.instagram.com/p/B-KB9V4FfQA/?igshid=1gbqsavdkqlk

Day 2 of self-isolation The apartment called to check on me today. Before I stayed I had to sign a form to acknowledge self-isolation protocol. As the policy stated I'll be contacted every second day to check on my welfare. I got asked if I'm well and whether I've shown any symptoms. I have been spending my time calling friends and family. And, doing live videos to spread some positivity. Please don't take this lightly. There is something we can do and that's to help slow the spread by social distancing (minimising physical contact), practice good hygiene and look after our health. I've asked one of my nurse, the lovely Ammu, asking how the nurses are doing and whether we can do anything to help them. She replied with," Thank you! We all good. Best thing anyone can do is stay home! That's all we ask! Hope you are okay :)" Let's fight this together. Look after our health. Stay safe everyone. Love and hugs, Nat xox #stayathome #selfisolation #coronavirus #staywell #lookafteryourself #stayhealthy #bevigilant #stayhome #14days #stillsmiling #inthistogether #wecandoit https://www.instagram.com/p/B-HNpqolhLX/?igshid=1fwtreruls3lk

The empty gates series. @soekarnohattaairport international is like a ghost town. Took photos from gates 1-4, see if you can spot anyone in the photos 👀 So many flights are cancelled. It is confronting to see. Never in my lifetime, I'd thought to witness this. It shows, how connected we are and we must fight this together. Stay safe, keep well. Love and hugs, Nat xx #airport #staywell #besafe https://www.instagram.com/p/B-AXCB8F-Hs/?igshid=150uvekrrviy3

Looking forward to spreading happiness and sharing simple practical tools to fend off stress with a smile for @petermaccancercentre staffs. Hugs are most welcome if you see me around in my yellow hug hoodie! Have a smiley Monday! #happiness #smiles https://www.instagram.com/p/B9NavpqFcC6/?igshid=1e145zenmvubt

Blessed to be receiving kind words to inspire to spread happiness to many more places. Thank you, Keren. Let's bring happiness to your workplace/organisation too. It's not just a story but also simple practical tools you can do to make yourself happier. #onebillionhappy #behappy😊 #workplacewellness #mentalhealth #gratitudeattitude #breathingexercises #mindfunness #mindfullness #meditations #stressfree #inspirationalspeaker #happiness #publicspeaking #kindwords #lifecoach #joyful https://www.instagram.com/p/B8LORw2l9y-/?igshid=t2az1i8ns4ra

Every month, I've been coming in to present at Orientation Day bringing laughter with cancer. Today, I'm back to inspire more smiles; if you see me around, hugs are most welcome. Look at those lovely smiles to end my presentation at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. It brings me joy as I know those smiles will be passed on to many of the patients and staffs there, bringing light in our darkest day. I passed on the magic of mindFUNness : 3 deep breaths, 2 arms and 1 smile to bring happiness and humanity at work. Those attending have promised to embrace one smile a day. I know these smiles will make someone's day not just for patients but also the staffs. Thank you to @petermaccancercentre staffs for your hugs and smiles Let's bring these smiles to your workplace too. My wish is to speak and share happiness in 100 events in 2020! #laughterwithcancer #happiness #motivationalspeaker #inspirehappiness #onebillionhappy #happinessmatter #smiles https://www.instagram.com/p/B8H5p16lY9d/?igshid=1m4td3jp9rm1v