DanielYKL

It took me 5 long years and now I finally done it - upload this song that I have written on You Tube and share it to the world.

I have written about 15 songs and this is one of them which I have done as a home recording project. I wanted to do a album but then, in 2005 I was diagnosed with throat cancer. To be precise it’s cancer of the larynx (voice box). In 2007, I had a surgery to remove my larynx and since then I am unable to talk again let alone to sing.

This song was recorded at home on a ZOOM Mini Recording Studio (MRS) which I bought for about RM1300. Everything you see and hear on this video is done by me, from writing the song, singing, doing the music, mixing, video editing, etc,  except for the help of a good friend, Su Mei who did the harmony. The song was recorded at the time when I was going through a 32 courses of radiation (radiotherapy). I still was able to do a bit of singing then, so I quickly recorded this song and few others, knowing that soon I will have to lose my voice completely for good.

And just a month ago I picked up some basic video editing. Took out some of my old video clips and started editing to produce this video.

Now you know why it took  me 5 long years to do this video.

If you have been a regular visitor to my blog, I guess you may not know that I do sing, at one point of my life. Even while writing this article, a tiny teardrop rolled down my cheek. Yes, I once could talk, shout and sing but now I can only listen to my own voice.

If you enjoy this song, and do wish to use it in anyway, please do contact me. Thanks.

I drove a Kelisa and I overtook a Ferarri. Read more. Frustration And Ferarri!

 

Exactly two years ago today I had my laryngectomy surgery. Today is the 2nd anniversary of that 10-hour surgery to remove my larynx , also know as the voice box.

I was diagnosed with laryngeal cancer, commonly called cancer of the throat, at the end of 2005. I went through a 33 courses of radiotheraphy (radiation),  but the treatment didn’t work. In fact it seem to grow the cancer more aggressively 6 months dow the road. I was given another diagnosis and it was confirmed that the cancer has reached stage 4, which is fatal.

I have made significant progress since that faithful day. I have learned to adapt to this “new” lifestyle.  Each day when I wake up, I thank the Lord for yet another day.  There is a reason why the Lord kept me alive here on earth. This is something that I have yet to discover. And looking forward for more fruitful years ahead!

Even though I can’t speak now, God gave me a channel to speak to the whole through this simple blog.  I started blogging a couple of weeks  after the surgery.  And I started to learn to do the stuff I’m doing in my blog (eg. photoshop). Prior to that, I know next to nothing about blogging or “photoshopping.”

“Give thanks to the LORD because He is good, His mercy endures forever!” -  Psalm 107:1

At the DAP Victory Dinner I had the privilege to have my photos taken with some of the Yang Berhormats.  NO, I do not know them personally.  Maybe just bumped into them here and there.  And since I blogged, I thought the photos would be something interesting to blog. I just “tumpang gaya” a bit lol!!! Hehe!!! Nothing’s wrong with that, I guess.

The pictures don’t mean that I rub shoulders with the Yang Berhornmats. Anybody can go up to them and have their photos taken.

Again I would like to emphasize: I DO NOT KNOW THEM PERSONALLY and neither do they know me personally! And I don’t rub shoulders with the Yang Berhormats. I wish I do, lol! Ok, I hope I’m clear. Afterwards, people will think I’m “Ai Bin” lol!! Just another picture for the album, lah.  Thanks!

YBs Chong Eng and Dr Ramamsamy, DCM of Penang.

I’ve met Chong Eng way back before she became a politician. Back then, she and her husband were very active environmental activists. I have attended a couple of social and community works seminars/workshops with her. 

I met Dr Ramamsamy a couple of times at an Indian restaurant in Little India. Yes, he just fold up his sleeves and dig into the biryani and tosai with his fingers.  I guess that’s the only time he forgets about politics and just concentrate on what’s on the table.. There is no air about him.

YB Jeff Ooi

He just reached out his hand and said, ” The last time I saw you was during the GE ‘08 campaign period” Man, he got such a good memory. He must have met thousands of people at that time, yet he still recognized me. He is like Horton! He remembers faces. I guess that’s what makes him a good, likeable and popular politician!

Teresa Kok

She is just charming. I admire her courage and commitment. Never met her ever before and this is truly an honor. She is very approachable and gives you a very warm smile when she talks.

Note: When I told Jeff Ooi and Teresa Kok that I could not talk due to my Laryngectomy surgery (cancer of the throat), and the first thing they say was, “i’m sorry to hear that” And Jeff Ooi started to talk to me by showing signs instead of words. haha!!! That’s just the natural reactions of most people I met. I have to tell them I can still hear, just that I could not talk lah! hehe!!!

Note again: No, I’m was not holding a walking stick. It’s an umbrella. Just in case you guys think that I walk with a walking stick!

 

When I was in the hospital right after my laryngectomy surgery (I had cancer of the throat), a good friend, Teh suggested that I should start a blog as a mean of communication since I am not able to talk due to the surgery.  He said he will set up the blog for me and asked me to suggest a name for blog. The first name that came to my mind was DYKL but then the name has been taken. So I settled for DanielYKL,  it sounds pretty cool anyway. So with that  www.danielykl.com was born.

I have no idea how and what blogging is all about. I don’t even know how to post up my articles. So for the first couple of weeks I have to depend on my friend to do the posting. He was very patient with me, taught step by step on how to blog and manage my blog. I was never a computer savvy. I just know how to do the simple stuff on my notebook but of the blog I have to force myself to learn and experience through trials and errors about blogging. Now after 14 months I think I am getting the feel of it.

I started writing about myself and about the progress of the post-surgery. And I have plenty of time to do that, as I spent about a month at home recovering from that 10-hour surgery.Then I realized that after a while, people or friends are not interested to read about you. They get tired reading the same old thing about how I have recovered and my progressed. And not only that, I ran out of topics to write, hehe!!! Read the rest of this entry »

 

Here are more photos of proof on my earlier posting on Disabled/OKU Parking Lots Invaded! This time I was at Carrefour Seberang Prai (Butterworth) around 8.30pm last night. When I got there the parking lots were full. I have to drive around the car parking lots twice to look for a parking spot. I saw a total of 8 Disabled Parking Lots with huge and bright clear signs that read: “Reserved For The Under Privilege Patrons Only!” - in malay, english and chinese languages. That really looks and sounds great! But the problem again here is that, all the cars that were parked there were not ‘the under privilege patrons.’ All the cars did not display the Disabled car’s stickers.  So I can safely presumed that the cars did not belong to ‘the under privilege patrons.’ . I waited at the side for a parking space, then I saw this guy (definitely not the under privilege patron), pulled out from the disabled parking lot. So I pulled in, parked there and took some pictures to validate with what I wrote in my previous article. And I am sure if I go around every establishments the situation will be the same.  See photos below.

The two cars parked here are without the disabled car stickers

Notice the huge, bright signs above. Too bad it does not serve its purpose

I have been wanting to write about this for a long time and keep holding back. Now I cannot “tahan lah,” so have to say something.

I don’t know whether you noticed this or not. Maybe you have not, because I guess all of you if not 99 percent of you are considered ‘normal abled body,’ if that could be the term. And of course this thing is in material or does not concern you. I’m talking about the Disabled/OKU Parking Lot! Tom, Dick and Harry - Ahmad, Ah Seng and Muthu just parked there like nobody’s business!

Men are so good in implementing ‘rules and regulations.’ But when come to enforcing them – that’s another matter altogether. Now I know the law requires that every building, shopping mall, public places must have parking lots for the Disabled or OKU (Orang Kurang Upaya). So to fulfill the requirements they just set aside usually two lots for them just to comply to the requirements set by local councils. Of course I must admit that I have seen some places with more than two lots  – good for them though! But if you go to most shopping malls you will find that cars are parked on these lots. (Look at photo below). People just don’t respect or bother to observe that the lots are meant for the Disabled/OKU! Please your cooperation is appreciated. Even if there were no cars parked there – you will find shopping trolleys parked there. And when the Disabled wants to park his car, he has to come down and removed the trolley by himself. I also noticed that the guards don’t bother to tell the car’s owner not to park there. I really wonder do they know that those lots are for the Disabled ONLY!

This is a call to all the establishments concern: Please enforce the rules. Don’t just fulfill the requirements and then close one eye and don’t bother who parked there. This is just as good as not having the Disabled Parking Lots. I am not making a sweeping statement here. I know some establishments do uphold the rules. PLEASE RESPECT THE DISABLED! We don’t chose to be what we are but the fact is that we have accepted it. You just do your part! We are still God’s creation just like anybody else.

WEll ok, I am an OKU but in a different sense from what you understand OKU to be. I lost my ability to talk due to my surgery from cancer. My larynx (voice box) has been removed. Now even though I have a Disabled Car Sticker I don’t use or park my car on the Disabled Parking lot. Why? Because I still have an ‘able body.’ I can still walk or do things like you guys - just that I can’t talk.  Actually I can park my car at the lots as I am also considered an OKU but I don’t use that right. Anyway for the sake for proving my point, I removed the shopping trolley from the lot and parked my car there – so that I can take some photos as proof.  These pictures were taken at Tesco Penang.

  This car just don’t bother whether the lot is for the Disabled only. And the guard don’t bother either!

  If you notice, trolleys are collected and parked near the disabled parking lot. Now also notice that the Macdonald’s delivery bikes are parked next to the the lot. Look how close the bikes are. This bike’s lots are approved by the manangement. And if you notice I have to move my car away from the bikes because when they want to move the bikes out they will scratch my car - so I parked as far away from them as possible. In fact when I was there, one of the bikes wanted to come out and the delivery boy asked me to move my car a bit so he can move out! So what if a disabled was to park his or her car there and go shopping how are the bikes going to move out? How are the bikes going to come out?

 

Get the picture?