How to Survive When You Get Struck by the Lightning of Life

The storms in Life are horribly unpredictable. Sometimes you know a storm is coming and you are able to seek shelter from the lighting. Sometimes, it just hits you with no warning whatsoever. And it isn't in the form of Thor. And most of the time, we are blindsided.

Many people have written to me asking me for help to how to overcome ailments which have struck them very suddenly in life. First and foremost, I am not a doctor. But I can share with you what I had adopted in my life to overcome the salicylate sensitivity which resulted in an anaphylaxis (which also caused my life to come to a screeching halt).

1. Keep Calm

I know, it's easier said than done. A thunderbolt just struck your life. How to be calm??? "You are INSANE for even suggesting this Evelyn!" you say.

If you're not calm, how can you plan your next step? It would be running around like a headless chicken.

So, my two cents worth of advice would be this:

*picture taken from HERE

*picture taken from HERE

OR, you could try this:

OR this:

*picture taken from HERE

2. Research, Research, Research

You need to research until the information oozes out from every single pore that you have, from your eyes, your nose, your ears.

You cannot ask another person to do the research for you. Did you ask someone to study for you and sit for your driving exam? Or your school and college exams?

YOU did all the studying and research for your exams! It's the same now. Don't ever ask me to READ and SUMMARIZE all the information in the links that I gave you. The time that you spend researching about the ailment that has struck your life will give you understanding to what you must do and how to do it. You need to internalize the information.

3. Patience

Rome was not build within a day. Thus, your immune system will not be 'normal' overnight. It takes time. And it takes patience. And sometimes, it may take forever.

This isn't a 50 or 100 metre dash. This is a marathon race. So if you think you can outrun the ailment, you'll be in for a very great disappointment.

I would say that the anaphylaxis chose the right person to strike. I was a very impatient person. You can ask my mother. Having this medical condition has taught me much patience.

4. Know Your Limit (Will POWER)

Just because you are now finally able to eat the food you've not eaten for so many, many, many years, it does not mean you can now gorge yourself like a glutton pig. Just because you can now smell some fragrance, it does not mean you can expose yourself to the Eau de Parfums (a.k.a. Little Miss/Mister Stinky) all around you.

You need to have the will power to hold back.


OR, you can do this:

*picture taken from HERE


5. Use Common Sense

If you know you cannot eat a certain food or smell a certain smell, why must you go and eat or expose yourself to it? What are you trying to prove? Have some common sense.

*picture taken from HERE

6. It's OK to Fall Down and Fail

I've lost count of the times I fell down and failed throughout these 8 years plus. If a person tells you that they've never failed or fallen down in life, that person is full of shit.

*picture taken from HERE

*picture taken from HERE

7. Keep on Moving

Once you've picked yourself up from where you fell down and failed, you need to move on. And to keep on moving forward.

*picture taken from HERE

8. Get Help

If you're unable to pick yourself up and move on, get help. Talk to people who can help you. Seek help when you need it. There's nothing to be ashamed about in needing help.

*picture taken from HERE

9. Be Happy

Find that one thing in your life that makes you happy even though life truly sucks generally.

It could be your family or your child.

10. Last but not least, SWEAR LIKE A SAILOR!

*picture taken from HERE

*picture taken from HERE

A Trip to an Island (Part 3 - Beautiful Skies)

T-Rex in the sky!

A powerful light in the sky.

Rays of Light!

Armageddon at our doorstep.

A spectacular show of lights. 

The Monsoon Season That Came One Month Early

We have been having storms EVERY SINGLE DAY!

It can be freaking hot with bright, clear skies in the morning. But by 11 am or 12 noon, you can see the storm brewing on the horizon. 

I have been driving in lashing rains, with extremely poor visibility every single day. We have been stuck in 1 hour plus long traffic jams. I even tried detouring as we were stuck in a standstill traffic jam as the flood was so bad that no car could pass. Not even lorries. I ended driving into a wrong lane on the OPPOSITE direction in the rain!!!

Joel said this to me, 'Mommie, even though I am not driving the car, I am extremely stressed out sitting at the back here!' 

It was very stressful as we had to even drive through flash floods. I really am very grateful to be driving a four-wheel drive. I am VERY thankful to have discovered WAZE, which is a GPS system. Yesterday, we took a road which I had only used once, back in March. I roughly remembered the road but in the rain, and with some road closures, WAZE was indeed a comfort.

The river which is next to the road to Joel's school rose to a very scary level. It has not risen to this level at all.

Thus, we stayed at home today. And yes, the lashing storm came again today and I was very glad that we were not on the road. Besides, my blood pressure was low in the afternoon and I sort of collapsed on the bed and fell into a drowning sleep. Joel was amazing, played by himself and as usual build his inventions and told stories. 

The current was very strong and fast. We could see the rubbish flowing along at great speed. And many tall trees which were at the bank of the river were all submerged. Only the tip of the top leaves were visible.

The river looking very ominous!

I felt like the river was going to burst onto the road and sweep us away! Definitely too many Hollywood movies! Haha!

Click here to read more about our current monsoon season. We were caught in two of the flash floods that happened yesterday.