About Me

Hello! I am Raomal Perera, 54 year old Sri Lankan/Irish man living in Dublin, married to a fabulous lady from Blessington, County Wicklow, Ireland with four lovely children ages ranging from 18 to 27. More about my family later on.

I’ve decided to keep a diary about my journey, starting from where I am right now. I am in hospital about to undergo a Non-myeloablative Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation (put in simple English, we call it a bone marrow transplant).

This is my journey, my world, as I see it ( or as I saw it). There may be instances, where it may look very different from someone else’s eyes and their version may be equally valid and true. I do not wish to offend anybody, but only to use this platform to talk about this particular journey (transplant) of mine first, and from time to time look back to my complete journey as a method of communicating with my children. Are there lessons to be learned here? Do we impart knowledge through pure osmosis? I am trying to take them with me on this journey so that they get a chance to get to know me better.

62 replies on “About Me”

Hi Raomal, just read your blog and Thank God everything going so well. We are all continuing to pray for you. Will follow your blog as you add to it every other day.
Love and God Bless, Miriam & Joy xx

Hi Raomal
Well done on the blog.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Glad to hear that things are going well.
Liam, Ann & boys.

Thank you for the blog – it helps us keep in touch! You are in our thoughts and we send lots of love.
Lee-Anne, Malcolm, Dani and Jenna xxxx

Hi Raomal – just caught up with this via Bernard – we are thinking about you and send you and your family many good thoughts and wishes – what a wonderful idea to start this blog – a real gift to us all – thank you for sharing this journey with us. Love from Rowena & Pete

Hi Raomal,

Following your blog and glad to read you are in good spirits. Wishing you speedy recovery. Thinking of you and Pat and the kids.

Regards from Paul, Loli, Caelainn, and Oran

Hi Raomal,
Bumped into Pat in Dunnes Cornelscourt and she told me about your blog. It is a wonderful idea, not least because of the benefits you reap in being able to put your thoughts down, but also for all those others who must be going through the same procedures as you. As with any illness, unless you have experienced it yourself, it is impossible to imagine how it might affect you, so your words will bring comfort to many out there.

I have read most of what you have written, but skipped the medical bits…….I can’t even watch hospital programmes on telly – have to leave the room. I hope your discomfort lessens as the days progress and you move towards full recovery.

Glad to hear the kids are giving you gip and not taking any nonsense…… Lesley Anne has you sorted!

All the best Raomal, get well soon. Gaye
(PS: Pat was buying more soft toys/dust collectors – don’t say I told you.)

Raomal,
I think you’re heading for the 2012 Christmas best seller list. Excellent stuff, you’ll be taking up text cricket commentary next! You could have said more about Australia’s excruciating defeat to NZ though – I’d say Ricky Ponting would be glad of 3 weeks isolation right now!
I met a friend last night who’s back from Sydney and he was telling me about his nephew who moved over there recently. He is an Ireland under 19 opening bat, and played for Leinster until he left. He joined a club in Sydney last month and got his place – on the 8th team! Competition a bit stiffer. . .
Gave Pat some of my speciality green lentil daal last week, she’s probably kept quiet about it as it was so good and she doesnt want the competition. I’ll get some smuggled in to you.
I was amazed to see Mahesh strolling around the house after the transplant, like he’d just had a day at the office. Obviously made of tough stuff these Pereras.
Enjoy the saline mouth washes – maybe if you had a few chips with them? – hopefully you’ll be out of the other side of that part very soon.
I didnt realise that you were into fluid dynamics by the way, forward momentum and drag coefficients? Think I’m going to have to look at your Insead course notes, must be lots of stuff I can rob and recycle to clients.
All Vaughans send their love and I have already visualised you playing for the Cabinteely Slammers next summer with a bit of leg spin.
Antoinette’s bakery in full Christmas production at the moment, it had to recruit Gaye as a helper on the stall today, but as she isn’t fully trained she was only allowed to refill the cake stands, not let take the money.
Looking forward to your next installment,
Regards,

Neil

Hi Raomal !
Blessington gang calling.
We were just talking to Miriam (before she went to bingo to win more dosh!!) and asking how you were when she told us about your blog. Its great. As an outsider looking in it seems to me it is giving you and the family strength to get through your journey to Plan B.Anyway we will keep praying for you as it seems to be working. Will continue to be updated now by your blog.
ps. if your country men need any lessons on the old cricket front – have a word with the Irish lads!!
God bless and all the best from Eileen, Colin, Fiona, Jennifer & Edwin

Hi Raomal,

It’s great to hear you are on the road to recovery. You are in my thoughts and prayers.
I think what you are doing on this blog is a fantastic way of expressing and sharing your thoughts and feelings. I would have wished, more than life itself, to have know how my father felt and understood what he was going through during his illness. This is like a window into your world of feelings and thoughts.
I wish you all our love and support during your recovery.
Talk soon.

Raomal, this blog is really great and as with everything you do it is so informative and positive it is so fantastic to have this update on how you are doing. I am looking forward to catching up with you and Pat early in the new year when you are back home . Take care and my thoughts are with you all. Dara

Raomal, just read your blog for to-day. Its late but I wanted to see how you were. Please God the sore mouth won’t last much longer. Its great to read all the messages from everyone. Everyone I’m talking to I’m asking them to pray for you and the family. I hope you have a good nights sleep. God Bless, Miriam

Fantastic blog, Raomal!

Your room may be 10×14 but we’re all there with you! Wishing you a speedy recovery.

Declan

Raomal, wonderful news to-day about your blood and Please God it will get better every day. I hope you have a good night’s sleep and your mouth will be a little better in the morning.
Happy Christmas and we will be thinking and praying for you as usual.
God Bless, Miriam

Christmas greetings Raomal,

We are all thinking of you, and you are always in our prayers. Your blogs have been a source of wisdom and humour for us all over the last few weeks. It has clearly been a very challenging time. But, now that you have made it to the half-way point of the marathon treatment, you can start to look forward to coming home in the next few weeks and crossing that line. Who knows, we may even see you out gardening in the future!!!

Lots of love and prayers from all of us

Pat, Siobhan, Killian, Diarmaid, Anne Marie and Davy. xxxxx

A very Happy Christmas to you and all the family. We will be thibnking of you today at the Goal mile today ( walking it !!!). Wishing you a speedy recovery and delighted the the progress is so good. Your blog is inspirational.
As always takd care
George,Sile,Julie adn Aoife.22

Apologies for my mother’s bad spelling. She claims it was because she had no glasses on. I’m not sure if Shereen told you but we are currently making our way through all of your Lord of the Rings films. It’s brilliant for me because they are the extended versions so even though I have seen them before there are extra scenes which I havn’t seen before. Anyway I just wanted to wish you a happy christmas and I will hopefully see you soon.
Best wishes,
Aoife

Raomal, Glad to hear your mouth has improved and the good news about your blood. It was a lovely suggestion by the staff that Pat could join you for Christmas dinner. Hope it went well. Have a great evening with the family. Rohan will miss going to see you, but you will see him on Skype. We are having a lovely Christmas Day. Joy is here with us, as you know.
Delighted to hear that things are going so well and will be reading your blog again to-morrow.
God Bless, Miriam & Joy xx

Dearest Raomal, I wish I had the courage you have. All my love and prayers as always. I find it difficult to read your blog out aloud. You are the greatest Champion from among the four of us. Looking forward to be around in Ireland as soon as possible.

Raomal, great to hear that things are beginning to happen. Don’t worry about your new look, it’s Raomal we love and admire, not your hair. Hope Sri Lanka do well in the cricket. Be in touch again to-morrow.
God Bless, Miriam xx.

Raomal, wonderful news, everything happening so quickly. Just speaking to Joy and she was delighted also. Please God everything will keep getting better every day.
Enjoy the cricket to-morrow. Good luck to Sri Lanka.
God Bles, Miriam xx

Hi Raomal,
we are both very happy to hear you’re doing well, Brid just told us about this site and we Will be checking it regularly.
We hope you Will be home soon and that you Will be feeling more like yourself soon. Thank god docs seem happy. Will keep on with the prayers.
Lots of love to you,
Orlagh & Geraldine x

It is so good to read that you are doing well and there is the possibility of going home early. What wonderful news!

Noeleen here. Out in Pauls reading your blog. We are all delighted with your wonderful news.Looking forward to a game of poker in the not too distant future. Paul;Louise and I send our love and best wishes and you continue to be in our prayers. God Bless Love Noeleen.

Hi Raomal,

Amal just told me about your blog and I have to say I’m very impressed. You are an inspiration!
You are always in our prayers in the Ahern household. I’m delighted to hear that you got home today – It looks like all of the candles my mum has been lighting are paying off!! 🙂

Talk care,
Michelle

Great news Raomal, delighted to hear that you are recovering so well and could make it home for a while! Lesley-ann told me about your blog, it’s excellent to read how you are getting on. Thinking of you and hoping you continue to get better each day 🙂

Hi Raomal

Delighted to hear all is going so well and that you are going home on visit.

Love to all
Liam, Ann and boys.

Raomal it is so great to read your blog and travel with you down the road to full recovery. You and Pat are very spiritual people and it is this, together with the excellent care you are getting that will pull you through. May God bless you and your family at this time. You are in my prayers. Kathy.

Hello Raomal, this is Bill, Kathy Kehoe’s nephew. Very happy to read that everything is going so well. Tess and I will keep you in our prayers. Keep up the great work and stay strong, beating leukemia is as much mental as physical as i’m sure you know. Happy holidays!

Hello Raomal, Michael told us about your blog. Thank you so much for allowing us to follow both your progress and your thoughts. Your words reveal so clearly both your sense of humour and your courage. We are all so pleased that all is progressing so well. You, Pat and the family are very much in our thoughts and we look forward to meeting up again in 2012 celebrating your recovery. All our love Sheila and Peter

Raomal, Its great to hear your at home to-night and that you should be home full time to-morrow or Monday. It’s wonderful to think that everything is going so well that you can come home earlier than expected.
God Bless, Miriam xx

Great to hear you’re doing go well, Raomal.

Wishing you a happy AND HEALTHY New Year.

Declan, Evanna, Eoin and Aoife McMahon

Raomal,
Delighted to hear you’re back on the streets, obviously making all the difference to Sri Lankan cricket! Hope you watch all 5 days of the Capetown test from your own front room – you’ll have to let me in on a few of those betting scams.
So boiled water and green lentil daal for the next 100 days – sounds like the new diet for 2012.
Happy new year to you, Pat and all the young Pereras, see you soon (although presumably in a Michael Jackson style bubble?)

Raomal, wonderful news everything going so well and getting home far earlier than you thought possible. Wishing you all a happy, healthy and a year full of sunshine and laughter in 2012.

God Bless, Miriam and Richard xx

Hi Raomal !
Happy New Year to you and all the family!
Firstly I think your glass is almost full not half full. Your great news on the health front , you have managed to get home to see the new year in, you had all the family with you and to top it all you won a packet on the cricket with Sri Lanka !! I bet Pat can,t wait to get her hands on all that dosh !!
As my old boss used to say , on a more serious note keep up the good work, you are in our prayers and here,s to a healthy and happy new year.
Ed and family

Roamal, Great to read such great news of your progress. The blog is inspirational and a fantastic way to keep in touch with you. I really liked your New Year wishes – Looking forward to catching up in person when its allowed. Happy New Year to you and Pat & the Family. Kieran.

Hello Ray – when I had flu in 1981 you bought me a Kentucky Fried Chicken meal back to Sunningdale Road. So I am sending you a Pizza voucher – because they deliver.

Love you

Clive and Gill.

Dear Raomal

First and foremost may we all wish you and your family a great new year, may you will be healthier now on.

It is great to see all goes well for you – your blog tells us more insights about you. It is a great way of communicating and sharing your experiences. So inspirational, full of love.

Raomal, I wish to meet you in person soon, you’re a great leader and a great father.

We always love you!

Take care
May tripple gem bless you

Anura, Nirosha, Mehansa, Venura and Ayansa

Raomal, great to be reading your blog again. Please God your creatanine level will be sorted out soon.
God Bless, Miriam xx

Hello Raomal,
I was amazed when I spoke with Pat yesterday and she told me you were at home, I thought you would spend a much longer spell in isolation.
It is so interesting to be able to follow your Journey and follow all the details and now I won’t have to be calling Pat and asking her all sorts of questions. Your intro “Do we impart knowledge through pure osmosis?” – no, we need to communicate our “feelings” and that is the only way for our family and friends to really know us. This is a wonderful opportunity for your children to really know their Dad – Lifegiving; Fr. Martin Tierney used to ask the question? Are you a Lifegiving person ? So many people will be inspired with hope and joy by your sharing Raomal………
The Pereira’s are in our Prayers

Ps. sorry just cannot share your passion for cricket…….the boys in blue that about sums up my sporting interest.

Marian

Hi Raomal!
Just a note to say we are all still thinking and praying for you and hoping your creatanine levels sort themselves out fairly quickly. Say hello to Pat and all the gang from all in Blessington (Westpark)

ed

Hey Raomal,
I was delighted to see on Sunday albeit through a window but it was really great to see you back home. I loved your last blog entry. You might not remember but you leant ‘Playing to the Enemy’ to my dad and I read it (this was the main reason why you didn’t get it back for months sorry about that). It was a brilliant book and I really enjoyed it. Looks like you have great taste in books and movies. Looking forward to finishing Lord of RIngs with Shereen soon.
Hope alls well,
Aoife

Raomal,
For some strange reason I have tried many times to find your Blog without success ..At Long Last !! .
Raomal, You are an inspiration to us all and we are all truly delighted to hear you are doing so well !! . we are all praying and thinking about you .We hope that you will continue on the road to recovery and will be back to full health soon . We look forward to seeing you back at Ten O’Clock mass as you are very much so missed .
Take Care and God Bless .
Lawrence, Gail, Ian, Sarah and Emma Connaughon

Hi Raomal,

Just heard of your blog last week, have spent the afternoon reading it. You have such courage, strength and believe, I have no doubt it will get you through this “100 days”. You have been in my thoughts since the beginning of this journey last year. This is a wonderful way of keeping us up to date without asking Pat or the children. You should be a writer – you make it so interesting – I am looking forward to your next entry.
Love to Pat, Amal, Lesley-Ann, Rohan & Shereen. Shereen I loved your email, can see you take after your Dad in the writing stakes!

Thinking of you always
Roy, Gill, Katy & Conor

Raomal,
Greetings from the Hanly family, great to read your blog, and that you are making a good recovery. You are blessed to have your family around and supporting you at this time. We will continue to keep you, Pat and family in our prayers.

Best wishes,
Dermot, Liz, Catherine, Sarah & Peter

Lovely to hear from you again Raomal.
It’s great to hear how you are getting on and making us aware of all the ups and downs you and the family are coping with for the past while.
Every day is a day closer to you being well and strong again.

Love and God Bless, Miriam xx

Raomal,

Lovely to see you back here again. Delighted to hear everything going so well. Loved the story. As you say. it is easy to imagine Shereen bouncing into the room and saying exactly the same thing and you sitting at the computer reading your email.

Love and God Bless, Miriam xx

Hey Raomal,
Happy to see the blogs back. I got so used to reading it every few days I’ve missed it these last few weeks. I can’t believe you are nearly there. Less than 3 weeks til your 100 days are officially over. I’d say you are all delighted. I completely agree with your vision of Shereen dancing into the kitchen although in my head she’s also singing some song she’s invented haha.
Looking forward to seeing you and the family soon.
Best wishes,
Aoife

Hi Raomal,
As my daughter says – happy to see the blogs back. Even happier to see that you are doing so well so far into your 100 day journey.
As always thinking of you and all the family – these last few days must be nearly as difficult as the begining.
All the very best,
Sile Geroge Julie and Aoife.

Raomal, I am delighted to hear of your progress. The blog is absolutely fantastic. You are in my thoughts and prayers and I hope to see you at a poker table in the near future.

Raomal, it is with great interest that I read your blog. I must admit I skipped the medical bits. It was your thoughts and your childrens’ messages to you that I read with most interest. Also I am glad to know that you have progressed well and I wish you, Pat and the children all the best.

Raomal, loved your blog. Listened to the choir of men and it was beautiful. Thank God you are doing so well. Will keep you in our prayers.
Love and God Bless always, Miriam xx

Dear Raomal, Pat & family. It has been over 20 years since we worked together at Artist Graphics Ireland. Donna & I are praying for complete and permanent healing for you. May God bless and keep you and your family always, Horace & Donna Beale, Afton, Minnesota, USA

Great to hear from you Raomal. Your blog has been great so informative and educational. Bet you will be celebrating Pat’s birthday this year, much differently to last year. Thank God. Love Roy, Gill Katy & Conor. xxxx

Hi Raomal, I see from the blog that you are on the mend and will be back terrorizing the cricketing community very soon! It seems like you have opened another career path – as motivation guru! Best wishes, Dermot.

Hi Raomal and Pat
Love and best wishes to you all for Lesley-Ann’s wedding on Saturday. We remember your own wedding all those years ago in Blessington. It was a beautiful occasion and we know that this Saturday will be an equally happy and joyous occasion. All our love Clive and Gill

Hi Raomal,

Thanks for the mail! I was thinking of you many times but especially because I listened to an astoundingly well researched thesis on investment by a TCD MBA group, that I think would complement your own activities in that area….

Best wishes, Dermot. 086 811 6339

Raomal, Just finished reading your blog and would just like to say how lovely it was to hear about your thoughts on Lesley-Ann’s wedding day. Wonderful idea putting up the three beautiful singers on the blog and well as the wedding photos. Also your thoughts on your own progress. Still praying. Love and God Bless always. Miriam xx

Raomal, Delighted that everything is going so well for you, and Thank God Mahesh was there for you when you needed him. It must have been a scary experience for him also. Hope to see you soon. Love and God Bless always. Miriam xx