1. Introduction, and my 2010 Brain Scan

I have mentioned in my last book, sometimes called my 3rd book, with the title "Surviving my Benign Brain Tumor", that I had a tough life living alone in my adopted country Singapore when after a happy and eventful marriage since 1973, my late wife passed away in 1999 leaving no children. To top it all, in 1997, I was diagnosed with a benign brain tumor that slowly grows in size causing worsening symptoms. ... I tried to keep my life in control by keeping to a number of my well-tried practices with my life as listed below. ... 1. For my well being, I continue to stay and eat mostly at home. Home is a two-storied house that is well looked after by the same hard working and trust-worthy Philippine helper V.. ... 2. Mentally, I avoid negative attitudes and continue to keep positive and open attitudes...   3. Health-wise, I continue to try and stay healthy. .. A... by keeping a strong body immune system, sometimes called body resistance, ..B.. to go for self-treatment of health problems .., and C.. to avoid going to doctors and taking prescribed medicine many of which have undesirable side-effects that require more treatments and medicine. ..4..  To avoid myself feeling lonely, I call up relatives, friends and ex-colleagues to go for private lunches. ..5. To take up my free time, I go for creative activities that I enjoy, like A.. seriously learning to do sculptures and oil paintings, ..and B.. taking part in local art exhibitions. ... But then, after feeling exhausted taking part in two sponsored solo art exhibitions, I changed to do writing and self-publishing books about my life since young... ..   My 3rd and last book was published in 2010. ..This blog is intended as a draft for the subsequent 4th book.. .But I changed my mind and am going to leave this as a Blog.

At that time, like a drunken man, I could not walk in a straight line. This problem is to do with my left leg... Also, my left leg is afraid of getting cold.  At night it has to be well covered otherwise it gets painful in the morning. I was puzzled. The earlier symptoms of my benign tumor are all on the right-hand side of my face... But these new problem are both on my left leg.... Are they also due to my brain tumor or to something else ? . .. To find out, I consulted my previous brain surgeon Dr C who arranged a brain scan called MRI scan. ...   These scans I had not done for ten years... Ten years ago, this surgeon was quite understanding of my conditions and my lifestyle.. But this time he took on a different attitude towards me. ... He was only interested in me saying YES to surgery by him as the surgical team leader. .. .This brain surgeon Dr C was going to use an outdated technique called craniotomy for my tumor that is location at the base of my skull or skull-base. ... But at least I got his reply to what I wanted to ask, that nerves coming out from the brain at the skull-base location do cross over to the other side at the top of the neck spine. . Finally I left his office asking fora copy of my scan CD, saying I would seek a second opinion. . But actually I didn't until years later, see post no. 4.