old post - 3 March 2009

Is 55:10-11 Thus says the LORD:Just as from the heavensthe rain and snow come downAnd do not return theretill they have watered the earth,making it fertile and fruitful,Giving seed to the one who sowsand bread to the one who eats,So shall my word bethat goes forth from my mouth;It shall not return to me void,but shall do my will,achieving the end for which I sent it.

I want to thank everyone for their fervent prayers and community getting together is such a wonderful sight. I missed Fr. T last night and hope he gets better fast.
Just to give you more updates on my adventure (may become too much for some...but others may want to hear of my adventure)

God works in funny ways, the first chemo session,before I was to start I had a high fever (38.6). I had to get another blood test done, and the Dr Kong went through a very methodolic process to confirm, negate and validate. He was confident of his decision and expected outcome but the test result will confirm his decision, he was not prepared to make risk decision. This made me believe that the doctors that have come my way were Godsend. I told you what happened last week, Praise God that He has provided good help, reaction to the medication and much Love. Since I was taking antibiotic for the fever, he said that we will do the test on Monday 2 March instead to get a more accurate result. Norbet dropped me off at the blood lab and I was number 12 in queue, and I was 15 minutes early, lab opens at 8am. waited 30 minutes and it was my turn, the lab tech said they were not sure what one of the test was, they tried calling the clinic but it is way too early, the doctor don't open till after 9am. They asked if they could take the samples first(2 tubes) but if one of them is wrong to come down again and get another hole pricked and draw sample. I said ok, since it was wait another hour in the lab or go for a walk. As it turned out, they got the right samples, one less hole today.

Saw the doctor at 10am and in high spirit, he reviewed the result and said that the blood count was good but the kidney function result is out. Here it goes again, the urea is good but creatinine was 139 (limit 115). so he was suspicious but wanted to be safe, since the kidney is key in the chemo process to flush the toxins. Previous reading on 23 Feb was 103. So we worked out path forward, he is so much like working in the office with engineers, weighing possibilities and plan of action. I have been drinking at least 3 litres of water a day and about 1 litre through the night (going to toilet 3 times a night!!) Long story... He figured it could be a lab error or insufficient water, so put a drip for 1 litre of saline, take blood test for creatinine and see the result in 1 hour. if good proceed else wait for the saline to flush in my body and take another sample after lunch. Chemo will wait depending on the result. It beats coming back on Tuesday to take the test. after Divine mercy and rosary, the result came back and it was even better than last week's reading, It was a an error. so the 1 hour of saline was not wasted it , was part of the 1 hour for the chemo treatment. I felt that God just wanted these 2 episodes to show me that he has sent caring doctors and competent doctors to handle me, no mistakes no chance for his precious child, the doctor was not taking any risk. It all builds the confidence in the doctor i have. Thank You God for the caring hands.

It was lunch time and some old school friend came by intending to take me out for lunch (had to cancel twice already), but since it was another 2 bags of drips to go, the nurse allowed 5 minutes with each other. It was amazing that these guys would go out of their way and see me, give me encouragement, Jo encouragement too on their busy schedule, I am also amazed that these guys are catholics and are praying for us (hard to imagine since we got into so much mischief in our upper secondary school days).

What I miss most now is going for daily mass, the lunch time mass by CPS on Friday does make up for some of the loss. Last Sunday when I went to church, there were people sniffing and coughing infront and behind me. I was so conscious, I tried not to focus on them but it was hard. Well I only moved to a isolated corner in the stairwell after communion. Didn't want to miss mass for anything. Maybe I am paranoid.. should believe that Jesus in the Eucharist will keep me from being infected, just don't shake the hands of those coughing and sniffling.

Went through work Wed to Friday last week, my daughter Nicole had a good time with Jo's cousin taking her out for Catechism class and dinner, My sis Rose spent half a day clearing Nicoles' bedroom/study!!! (close eyes and throw). Thankful to Jo's old friend Fr Anslem (not sure if I spelt it right this time) Carmelite priest had squeezed me into the door (literally) to have Fr Gino pray over me after the Triduum at St Peter and Paul on Saturday. He had such a peaceful voice and face, he asked for my name and looked at me and said he would pray for me. I am proud of my son Gerard on his strong belief and faith, he told his mother to be strong and God is calling us to ministry and one day we may be asked to pray for people with cancer. My other son has a good time in Ho Chi Min, came back on Saturday and entertained his brother and Jo's cousins, while I took my sleep.

Friday night we attended the CTK charismatic prayer session, I gave my testimony and thank God for the people he put in my life and those that are popping up to support and pray for us. Noticed a new face, looked weak and scared, his wife was turning back looking at us several times during the evening. It was his first time attending. at the end of the session, realized that Vincent was due for a heart surgery for a defective valve. He was scared and cried hard after the group prayed over him. Jo & I prayed for him that he find peace with God.

The events this one week has opened our eyes that there truly are Angels and Saint walking here on earth, the famcamp divine mercy novena, the fellow pilgrims, the shunfu neighours, the CTK charismatic, Colin Seet and altar boys, the HS family life, ME, priests and so many others.

I keep getting the message of repentance and the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Please pass this message on.

Fr T, God is great, looking back at the Advent preparation and the prompting of messages on the Advent candle, didn't quite make consistent sense then but reading it altogether now REALLY is powerful and He had given me direction and what he wants me to focus on the Faith Response.

Old update 19 Feb-23 Feb 2009

Adventure for 19 Feb to 23 Feb 2009

Got the X-ray done and it was not good. Saw a lung specialist and did blood and PET scans. Got the result the next day and did a biopsy of the lung cells. Friday result came out and confirm that I have stage 4 lung cancer (Adenocarcinoma, typical of non-smokers, female. Past large majority of males smoke and women don’t).

It is limited to the lung and no other organs or bones. (as this can be transmitted in the blood, there are 2 small cells in the right side of my brain, which don’t look active, no swelling around it., what the doctor termed you have a gangster in your neighborhood but he is co-existing)
This Adenocarcinoma reacts well with oral medication base on studies especially for Asian and women. Tissue samples taken will be tested in the NUS lab for study and if this oral medication will work well. .Doctor recommend that do chemotherapy first and then follow up with Oral. Shrink the cell first. Beside knowing the reason for the cough I am still quite healthy, there isn’t any recognizable difference today or some months ago. . There isn't any loss of energy, appetite or weight loss. I believe that God has put many good doctors in my way to treat me. They are confident that treatment will work.

I started Chemo yesterday afternoon(on my 47 birthday). I will be doing Chemo for the next 18 weeks, one cycle is 3 weeks and total of 6 cycles, monitor progress at end of cycle 2. Then either tweak the medicine, stay or do head radiation if the ‘gangsters ‘ start misbehaving. There will be regular blood test and CT scans in between the cycles. I feel fine today(Thank You Lord).
I am alright, still hopeful, know that God is the all power healer and he will be with me. I have a strong faith community, like last Sunday’s Gospel the 4 men that went through much difficulty to lower the paralytic man stretcher from the roof, done out of faith and love. And the first reading on Sunday really hit me in the face; Thus says the Lord: Remember not the events of the past, the things of long ago consider not; see I am doing something new! Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? (Is 43: 18-19)

As all the 4 doctors in their interviews ask me if there were any symptom or reason I did the X-ray that led to this finding, I mentioned that an office colleague was sick/coughing and X-ray found micro plasma infection in his lungs & he suggested I go do an X-ray, Doctors were all very surprised and concluded that I have done everything in my power to do regular screening. It was just something that could not be explained.
I don’t intent to be defeated and will plan to continue working. My oncologist is a very sharp guy HL Kong(teaches at NUS, consults, was deputy director at AStar and has many publications and studies in cancer especially lungs.) He was a Youth award winner some years back. He is 43 years old but hard to tell that is, anyway many papers written about him tell that is a 'doctor with a heart'

I also like to thank my wife Jo (I love her very much) for being a pillar of strength and taking the endless sms and calls.