Last chemo (hopefully) and Pink Diamond Band

Today is a GREAT day. Mum is having her last chemo for her cancer treatment and I hoped this would be the last one she would need to endure. She is quite cheerful about the fact that this would be the last chemo although she really hated the side-effects from chemo. I know for sure that her fighting spirit is up again because she started to wear jewelry again and today she wore an Italian set which I have not seen since the diagnosis of cancer. By the way, I hated this Italian set my mum has – I always joked with my mum that this particular jewelry set would go to my sister when my mum is not around. I would get ‘the rest of the jewelry’. Mum and I share our jewelry and shoes. I love rings and my mum loves to ‘borrow’ them. So I tend to have my ring 1 size bigger so that my mum could wear my rings. As for shoes – for those who follow my shoe-rant – I inherited my shoe size from my mum – size 4-5.

With each chemo, the side-effects are getting progressively bad. For this last session, we are expecting the side-effects to be really bad. I have taken one week off from work so that I can keep an eye on my mum. This is the time where mum needs her family most. It has been difficult the last few years.

2002 – Father suffered serious stroke. Doctor told us to prepare for the worst but dad pulled through. Doctor predicted that father would be bed ridden for life. Father proved doctor wrong.

2006 – Father diagnosed with 4th stage voice-box cancer. Went through major surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. Permanent side-effects – unable to close mouth, drooling and difficulty in eating/drinking

2007 – Father’s cancer relapsed. Doctor gave choice of surgery – this means removing the tongue and permanently unable to eat and talk. Father refused. Passed away few months after refusal of treatment in March 2007.

December 2007 – mum diagnosed with 4th stage ovarian cancer. Started chemotherapy in December. Surgery in Feb 2008. Suffered (and still suffering) from depression. Post-surgery chemo – entire treatment ended 24/4/2008.

I am not sure what to think of today. I thought that I should be elated but I am not sure. When my mum was going through her last session of chemotherapy, a patient sitting next to her started her first session of chemo treatment for relapse of ovarian cancer after 2 years of remission. This sort of dampened any elation as there is always a fear of relapse which is notorious for ovarian cancer. In the last check, all visible cancer is gone and the CA-125 test for the cancer has reverted to normal. We would not be sure whether mum is officially in remission until 15 May 2008 where she would need to go for a CT scan and CA-125 blood test.


On a totally OT-issue, I have finally picked up my courage to call up Diamonds by Lauren, an internet company who specialized in coloured diamonds to order a pink diamond band. This is one of the ‘cheapest’ item on the site. I always admire the rings at their website but I swear that fate conspire against me getting anything from them. I actually wanted to get them to make a ring for me but somehow I got side-tracked because I was either overwhelmed by work or my parents getting sick. And I am actually quite leery of making a big purchase over internet. But I really want a ring from Diamonds by Lauren with a pink diamond halo. I love all those pink diamond rings and occasionally the blue diamond rings. Each time a ring was sold, my heart broke, especially those blue diamond rings.

Getting this diamond band would be a ‘test buy’ for me without breaking the bank. It would give me a chance to examine the craftsmanship of the rings – I do not want an expensive mistake when I commissioned my dream ring!  Ok – none of my jewelry friends is aware of this blog so they would not kill me for getting a diamond from an outsider. And also – if they know, I would airily point out that they do not sell pink diamonds melee so I have to sick the help from an ‘outsider’.  The owner of Diamonds by Lauren is called David. He is very obliging over the phone although this diamond band is probably one of the cheapest ring he sells compared to the other really fabulous rings on his website. David is so kind to allow me to post the pictures of his rings on my blog. With his permission, I would be posting pictures of some of the rings I love from time to time.  But – please do not copy them paste them elsewhere, they are copyrighted and if you want to use the pictures, please seek permission from David at http://diamondsbylauren.com/

I am still doing research for my dream ring. I have something in mind but I am not totally sure. If everything goes well, I should be able to commission my new ring from Diamonds by Lauren Mar/Apr 09. I know it is a long time away but I want to be triple-sure that I could live with my ring.

Shaking my fist at the Hand of Fate – I am going to get a pink diamond halo diamond ring from Diamonds by Lauren.

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