An inspiring Message to a question posted in Quora. Many good points of wisdom to reflect upon.

1. 1
InspIrIng AdvIce
From A dyIng person
to the lIvIng

2. 2
An Answer to the
Question posed at Quora:
“As a dying person,
what is your advice to the living?”
Inspiring Advice given
by a surviving
Cancer Patient,
Ossama Suleiman

3. 3
“I can give you a first hand answer here.
In 2009 I was diagnosed with glioblastoma,
a grade 4 brain cancer. After surgery the
oncologist came back with the sad news that
the statistics looked quite ugly. He gave me
treatments for 9 months, and said that
I had 6 months to one year to live.

4. 4
I was engaged preparing to marry in a
few months. We broke up; I didn't see
why I would leave a widow behind
and break her heart.
I had no desire to pursue anything
further in life…
It was a time of complete shutdown.

5. 5
I wanted to quit my job, however my managers
managed to convince me
to stay with a relaxed schedule…
They started to teach me statistics again.
An average of 1 year, means some people die in 3
years, while others die in 6 months.
I should have the positivity to assume
I'm on the long term survival side.
I want
to
Quit.
Doctor

6. 6
By continuing to go to work, I kept myself busy, not thinking too
much about my cancer… I traveled , did some of the stuff I always
wanted to do, visited places I always wanted to go.
I started to revisit my friends, hang out with those I really liked, got
rid of those who made me feel sad, or felt pity. There are those who
just don't know what to tell you, then it gets awkward…
It is not something you want to talk about with everyone.
You want to feel good, and not be down all the time.
I started to be more of a minimalist.. I had no desire in all the nice
stuff I had always dreamt of, as my life seemed to come to a stop…

7. 7
However over time, I started to realize that I'm happier ...
I had special concerns for my parents, I started spending
more time with my parents, with my family. They are the
joy of my life. Too sad I never realized that earlier.
8 years later I'm still around, although the cancer hit back
several times, and my left side is now paralyzed. I'm still
active going to work, participating in charities,
trying to keep myself busy and active.

8. 8
I was 32 when I was diagnosed, now hitting the 40’s I
feel more mature. I guess age is an important factor
in how we take such news.
After all life goes on, and it is how you take the news
that makes all the difference.
Keep busy, don't let your mind wander too much.
No one knows when you are going to die.
There's a shock at the beginning, try to pass it, embrace
the news and you will feel the tranquility after a while.

9. 9
My key messages would be:
1 No one knows when you are going to die.
All doctors have are statistics.
“Man lives and then he will die.
No one knows the time of Goodbye”.
“The only
is Uncertainty.
The Wise ones live a life that
is worthy.”

10. 10
2 Happiness is in the small and little things …
Time with family, reading a good book, listening
to nice music, enjoying a movie, spending time
on the beach, watching a sunset, nature,
forests , a bird…

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3 Through charity work I started to
appreciate what I have; there are so
many underprivileged people who
would dream of what we take for
granted… running water, electricity,
food, medicine, family.

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4 Each night I count at least 10 things
I'm grateful for in my life.
5 I also started to keep a journal of the things that
make me really happy and doing more of that.”
Ossama Suleiman

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The End
“Life has much meaning
and purpose when we
develop in the mind,
filling it with love, wisdom
and freedom time after time.”
Bro. Oh Teik Bin
With Metta, Bro. Oh Teik Bin