Visiting dad at the hospital…

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A Patient in Ward 63

I have been visiting my dad at the hospital everyday since last Sun when I came back from my holiday trip. Yesterday evening he looked much better, especially after we combed his hair and helped him shave. I believe he is getting better and I looked forward to the day he would be discharged. But that would mean another challenge of how to get him back to the regular life routine again. We are definitely getting an extra hand to help him around the house since my parents are staying on their own. And certainly to ease my mom from the house chores and taking care of my dad. There are many things to think about, but I am quite positive about things getting better in the days to come for the Lord is with us.

Anyway here’s a sketch of a frail looking elderly man resting on his bed in the hospital ward. When he later called out to the nurse, I realized he is not that frail after all. Sketch done with Hero on brown paper, painted with Photoshop.

Frailty of Life

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Dad resting on hospital bed

Two months ago, when I received news from my wife that my dad was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, my heart sank real deep. I was still on my way to school for a morning class, driving on AYE. My mouth muttered a few prayers but my mind was running amok. The news came too fast and too soon too. Dad was warded so he could have a biopsy and CT scan done. Doc said he was turning yellow too as his bile duct was blocked by the tumor growth measuring 4cm (disc shaped) at the tip of his pancreas. Prior to biopsy the doc inserted a stent through the bile duct to clear it from the blockage. No complication. It was a smooth procedure to our relieve. But the process took its toil on my dad’s overall health.

Several days later, even though there wasn’t any infection, he was feeling generally weak, lost his appetite for food and complained about bloating around his gut area, and has difficulty in passing motion. He decided to try TCM but the medicine was causing some gastric pain. Then it was another 2 weeks later he went back to the doc again for constipation. He was then warded for observation and for clearing of his bowels. Doc advised to do a colonoscopy and he consented even though we tried to persuade him not too as he would be sedated during the procedure. We reckon it would weaken his body further.

True enough it did. At the same time he decided to take up radioactive treatment for an additional growth in his rectum. Doc suspected the additional growth was metastasis, which has narrowed the passage through his anus. At the same time, he stomach is distended due to liquid retention caused by malnutrition and low proteins level. A tube has to be inserted to help drain the fluid from his gut. Another catheter is inserted to help him pass urine too. These are just signs and conditions that suggest he could be gone in a couple of months.

I have been grappling with this hard truth for some time now. Not long ago, my sister’s mother-in-law passed away from pancreatic cancer. So was my friend’s mother. My grandmother was gone now from pulmonary disorders due to old age. Now my dad is lying in the hospital bed waiting…. but I still believe he would be well for the Lord said so that he would be well.

My Art Supplies

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Messy Work Top

Looking through my collection of photos on Flickr, I was pleased to find this picture of my work desk when I was in the States. Most materials were bought in the flea market or during those times when the art suppliers were having clearance sales. It’s students’ heaven! My best buy was an electric sharpener which I carried back when I returned to Singapore. It is hard to find one here, and if you could, it is really expensive. I am so glad I could live in a foreign country for a good amount of time to explore the place and to explore and learn art too. I found myself growing so fast with the right exposure and guidance. If there is another chance, I would do it again. This time I would major in painting.

Blessed Christmas! Yes it’s Christmas already!

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And I thought we just celebrated Christmas not long ago.
The world is chaotic, economy is not doing very well but we would always find out place in Christmas when everyone stops to find that badly needed peace in our lives. Whatever happens around me, I find my peace in my all loving God in heaven and in the LOVE and COMPANY I find in my wife, Kat.

Blessed Christmas everyone!!

Ice Cream Peddler @ Clarke Quay

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Ice-Cream-Peddler @ Clarke Quay

11″ X 15″ 4B Pencil
Backside of Strathmore Watercolor Cold Press

A pencil drawing that is waiting to be filled with color. I drew this with the reference to an photo I took of the ice-cream peddler parked along the river bank at Clarke Quay. I tried drawing this with a long continuous line so I could save out on the details and would eventually rely on the painting process to suggest details. The dilemma is, I like this pencil sketch so much I have second thoughts about adding color.

Kampong Buangkok: Last Surviving Kampong

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Kampong Buangkok Watercolor

Going back to Kampong Buangkok brought back lotsa memories. I was there first time last year and was astonished to find the last surviving kampong in Singapore. Noone would imagine that such a place exist at all. It was well hidden among the big trees, while driving there, you would see towering state housings along the way. Who would think urban Singapore could tolerate such a rustic place like this. A friend of mine wanted to paint the kampong too so we set off with our gears just to find that the weather was wet and raining. We weren’t detered and settled underneath a shelter while the rain pattered away. I did a few sketches before I decided which composition to paint. I painted to the sound of rain and to the sound of hindi movies playing in the background. The feeling was out of this world. I took about 1.5 hours for this.

I have also been trying to paint without the pen lines. This would be my third or fourth attempt to do just that. While still trying to get use to painting without the lines, I have also been trying to be more experimental with watercolors. For this I was a little nervous at first but got better and loose with the painting as I progressed. The outcome, I am quite satisfied but I could be more bold with the shadows and to be less literal with the details.

Strathmore Watercolor Cold Pressed, 11″ X 15″