2.5 Weeks Without Mum

August 16th, 2008Family, Vietnamese

My maternal grandfather, whom I call 公 (pronounced Ah Gong in Teochew), was diagnosed with lung cancer a few months ago.

As such, he had extreme hemoptysis just after my two-week holiday break. Knowing that his condition was starting to worsen, Mum and her siblings haphazardly visited him in Soc Trang.

I didn’t go to church during this time because I was mostly home alone on weekends. I kept in contact with Mum via email (it was very difficult to read without diacritics). Reveilles at 7:20 every morning, I awoke early to make breakfast and lunch, then straighten my hair (usually Mum does it for me). To make matters worse, I got robbed of $15 from the girls’ changerooms (yes, we are talking about selective girls here).

On the fifth day, Mum went with Ah Gong to Can Tho because “Soc Trang hospital was horrendous”. Ah Gong said he felt better after the blood transfusion.

She returned on the 11th, with the following items worth mentioning:

Cousin Mina gave me this: ;) Plush phone holderThese will surely come in handy for Vietnamese Continuers: DictionariesGuitar booksYou can’t find whitening products (which actually work) in Australia!Nivea whitening creamHair straightening chemicals, including an instructional DVD:Hair straightening chemicals
Mum also took some photos:

My uncle is the big boss of Minh Chau Construction and Trade Co., Ltd. He owns a guarded village, living in a three-storey mansion within it. It’s like a suburb — replete with a bank, restaurant, swimming pool and a few tennis courts. (Please tell your relatives to buy a few investment properties from him.)
EntranceLooking down from the front balconyCorner of gardenExtent of mansionLooking down from the third floor
He even has an office:
Minh Chau's office

Mum says Soc Trang — or Vietnam in general — has changed a lot. There are no more cyclos due to cacophonous congestion, bikers are now forced to wear safety helmets and raffle ticket sellers have largely replaced vexing beggars.

(I’m also very glad to hear that my cousins are fatter than me.) ;)




24 Responses
  1. August 16th, 2008
    robo

    awww! im sorry to hear about your grandfather! hope he is doing well and getting better! God bless him!!!

    and LOL at the things your mum brought ahahaha funny!

  2. August 16th, 2008
    iluvbarney

    I really wish I had bought more stuff there before the inflation became so high. They have the weirdest products. Like Jessica’s naked dolls. And your mum went to my dad’s hometown, and he’s teochow too (I am not related to you…). I didn’t know it even had a hospital. My grandmother didn’t go to it, so she had to go to the one in the city. And yeah, it didn’t really help. But hopefully your grandfather will be up and well soon.

  3. August 16th, 2008
    Jenny

    Oh, so that’s what you meant when you told me you were going to permanently straighten your hair at home!
    LOL @ your last comment about your cousins.
    & I hope your grandfather gets better, best wishes to him~

  4. August 16th, 2008
    Elora Mariel

    Thanks for the comment in my site. :D

    and hopefully your grandfather gets better. :)

    16/08/08 – Thanks, I’ve changed it. :D

    Anyway, I was wondering how you managed to have pages in your site that doesn’t have the “comments part” ? You’re using wordpress right? ’cause whenever I create a new page, the page will always look like it’s the same as a post.

  5. August 17th, 2008
    Theresa

    Ooh your uncle’s house looks really nice.

    && Whitening milk? Does that make your skin lighter? You should suggest that to Jenny Nguyen, she’s obsessive about white-ness.

  6. August 17th, 2008
    Jen

    Ah, I’m sorry to hear about your grandfather. :( And the fact that you lost some money — I don’t think being ’selective’ girls has anything to do with whether they’d steal money. It happened at my high school quite a bit too, although if the principal found out it was you, then you’d be suspended and then expelled from the school. Seems extreme, but then it’s deserved.

  7. August 18th, 2008
    Crissy

    I am so sorry about your grandfather. That’s terrible!! Hope he gets better ;)

    Oh the things your mum bought are awesome! the cell phone holder thing is adorable! :D

    Crissy

  8. August 18th, 2008
    Eunice

    I’m sorry to hear about your grandfather; that’s really horrible :( I’m sorry about how you lost some money as well, evil thieves x_x But awh, the mobile phone holder is ADORABLE! Lucky you :)

    31/08/08 – I only get that many comments because I leave a blog on for a long time without making new ones :P I don’t really get that many comments nowadays, which is cause I’m not very good with comment-replying. Haha.

    xx

  9. August 18th, 2008
    SQUK

    your last aside about your cousin is typo’d (”hear”, instead of here) – fixed, thanks :P

    soo many sympathetic comments, im just gna be optimistic and say that im glad to HEAR your ah gong is feeling better after the transfusion. ;D

  10. August 19th, 2008
    Dawn

    Thanks for the comment :] The U was calculated by a lack of answers to the questions, hehe. The phone holder is so cute- I want one! ;) & I hope your grandfather gets better soon chick.

  11. August 22nd, 2008
    Ru

    AH KYM O_O I MISS YOU!!
    aaah anyways; hic I’m sorry about your Ong Ngoai :(
    Mine had a back problem this May and he had to be hospitalized too T_T’
    2008 is a scary year x_x
    anyways How ARE YOU!
    ah seeing those pic make me miss vietnam so much (:_;)
    Trung Thu is coming xD
    ~~~ Hello <3
    Let’s continue friendshiping yes? haha

  12. August 23rd, 2008
    vance luin

    Am I the only one who has not heard of your robbing story? And I’m one of your close friends (or so it seemed..) AND someone who was at the change room when the crime was exposed (apparently, I am selectively and in your grade..).

    Jokes dude, but I was seriously about never hearing your mugging story, and in your grade thing..

    I will be praying for your grandfather tonight, Kym.

  13. August 24th, 2008
    jhaye

    Im sorry to hear about your grandfather. I hope he gets better!
    and also sorry to hear of your robbing. Why cant people learn to keep their hands to themselves..or get a job?

  14. August 24th, 2008
    Rachel

    Hey,
    I’m so sory about your grandfather. My grandfather and grandmother have both died from cancer. I really hope he gets better soon.
    And I’m sorry about the robbing too, I hope everything works out!

    Rachel x

  15. August 25th, 2008
    Christina

    I’ve commented several times but it never went through :(

    I think it was something along the lines of ‘OMG I MISS VIETNAM!’ haha, and oh I like the gifts! I didn’t see those hair straightening chemicals - I only found a dodgy brand at the supermarkets!

  16. August 25th, 2008
    Marie

    Hello there.
    You have a nice blog, and thanks for the comment on my blog.
    It’s much appreciated.
    Aww, sorry that you got robbed.
    That’s just stupid of the people who did it to you.
    Whoa, whoa, whoa.
    Your uncle is so so so rich!
    The mansion is so huge and just spectacular.
    Oh wow!
    Anyway, I’m really sorry about your Ah Gong.
    :(

    PS: How did you get your domain? :O

  17. August 25th, 2008
    Shen

    I’m really sorry to hear about your grandfather. I’m glad to hear though he’s doing well since the blood transfusion. I know someone as well who has lung cancer and it’s quite tough battling the disease. I guess all you can do is hope and pray for the best.

    You got quite a lot of amazing stuff. I absolutely adore the cellphone holder thing. It’s so cute

  18. August 26th, 2008
    Vai

    Sorry to hear about your grandfather :( hope he’ll get better soon. Well, my sister have a cancer too, but still in a low stadium. Hope our family will be okay :)

  19. August 30th, 2008
    Lan Pham

    wow, u’re soc trang ppl, i live in can tho. wish best wishes for ur ah gong. by the way, dis is Lan from sat skool 6_6

    why did you stay at the government house?

  20. September 1st, 2008
    Electronics Forum ASIA

    sorry to hear about your grandpa, i hope he recovers well.

  21. September 4th, 2008
    Jess

    It’s always horrible to hear about ill-health. Your grandfather is lucky that your family is able to visit him in perhaps his last days (I know that sounds harsh though =( ), and doesn’t have to be alone.
    You got a lot of really cool and useful stuff - funny how Asia is full of these type of things eh. My dad brought back some stuff like… sponge things to wash dishes with, that require NO SOAP. Sounds unbelievable but it gets things SQUEAKY CLEAN, it’s seriously the most astounding piece of little sponge you could ever find lol. Darn Australia and it’s efficiency impaired-ness =P
    I don’t even know what that poofy monkey thing is really for (it looks like a tissue box, but it obviously isn’t lol) but it’s cute as.

  22. September 6th, 2008
    Jenchu

    Sorry to hear about your grandfather :( I wish him a swift recovery.

    And yes, I’m so gutted that the Moon Festival has been cancelled! I actually look forward to it every year… Omg the food…

  23. September 17th, 2008
    The ASIAN Health and Medicine Forum

    well i never thought that robbery is also rampant in australia.

  24. September 21st, 2008
    cinn

    Hey Kym,
    I’m really sorry to hear that about your grandfather.
    I wish your grandfather, your family and yourself all the best.

    Meanwhile I’ve linked you and I wish you luck with SC and TRIALS: KICKASS :)

    Much Love,
    CINDY.

    PS. ROBBERS SUCK :@:@


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