Her husband’s rare cancer has shattered the happy life of a Singapore mum of 3…
“I didn’t remarry to be a widow!” she says…
Mummy Ju-ann Thong recently took to Facebook to pen an emotional note about what the family is going through…
Marrying him…
Ju-ann reveals that she was a single mum when she first met her hubby Brian Lim in 2015. With tattoos, and “red dyed long hair”, he hardly seemed to be husband material.
However, she soon found herself falling for his loving ways.
“What can he give you?” her friend once asked her.
Ju-ann writes, “He said – 我不能给你大车大屋，可是我可以答应你有饭吃，有床睡。”
“I can’t give you big cars and big houses, but I can promise you that you will have food to eat and a bed to sleep on.”
“Silly as it may, I fell for this simple statement and dated him. My nights were never lonely again.”
Their relationship progressed and soon, Ju-ann was expecting their baby.
PHOTO: FACEBOOK / Ju-ann Thong
The couple got married, and Ju-ann’s heart filled with happiness when she saw how good a step-father Brian was, to her son Mathias. Brian also bonded well with her mother.
She writes, “For whatever Mat wanted, Brian has never said no. He always tells this growing boy, if this is what you want and Daddy can give, I will give to you.”
“Mat has got his long lost fatherly love from Brian.”
Family grows from three to five…
In June 2016, their daughter Meagan was born. And very soon, more good news was to follow!
Ju-ann reveals, “Meagan was 6 months old when I got pregnant with Mikel. I never had to wake up for any night feeds since then. He (Brian) handed Meagan through all her fussy nights. Mea was his 小情人。”
PHOTO: FACEBOOK / Ju-ann Thong
In Sep 2017, they welcomed their third child, Mikel. There was love and happiness all around until that fateful day…
As Ju-ann shares, “We were all so engrossed in loving the family. Then cancer came knocking on our door. “
“Many say having cancer is like a death sentence. Symptoms showed and our precious Papa had to go for tests after tests after tests. When everyone was happily celebrating Xmas 2017, the specialist confirmed his diagnosis that Brian had a rare cancer.”
“We had no choice but to make a fast decision to go for surgery, so to be in time for CNY.”
Ju-ann told Stomp that Brian was diagnosed with transitional cell cancer of the renal pelvis. It is a rare type of kidney cancer.
Shattered by husband’s rare cancer
Brian has already done surgery to remove one kidney.
But, that hasn’t slowed down this man one bit. He continues to work hard for the family.
Ju-ann shares, “Brian though supposed to be recuperating wanted to continue work for the family. He didn’t stop and even suggested to make CNY crackers to sell.”
“This man just doesn’t rest or rather doesn’t allow himself to rest. He had only discharged from a 5 hour surgery 2 weeks ago then.”
And now, it is time for Brian to go through chemotherapy, and Ju-ann is unsure of the road ahead…
PHOTO: FACEBOOK / Ju-ann Thong
She writes, “Our lovely head of the family has to go through Chemo. A treatment which horrible stories are said, side effects are known yet unavoidable in his condition.”
“I don’t know what will come along, but I know one thing for sure is he won’t stop fighting.”
“No one, including doctors can guarantee anything but I know he can guarantee that for as Long as he lives, he will love us all with his heart, his life and his body.”
“Is there fear? Is there anger? All these emotions cannot be ignored because this horrible disease creeped into my precious family.”
“Like I told some friends, I didn’t remarry to be a widow!”
“But I know all the negative feelings will subside because we will be strong.”
Ju-ann has faith in her prayers…She hopes that we can all pray for her husband, “so that he has many more happy days to be a happy man, a giving Son, a loving Father, a great Husband.”
“Your encouragement can help let him know he is not going through a lonely battle.”
“May God bless you and your family too.”
We hope and pray that Brian recovers soon, and the family emerges stronger after this crisis…
Here is Ju-ann’s full post on Facebook:
Also READ: Singapore dad loses his wife to cancer