....it's all good....
Saturday, April 03, 2010
i have a story to tell..
it's about a friend's colleague. he (the colleague) has a relapse of adenocarcinoma lung cancer early last year. coincidentally, me and him have the same cancer.. the same stage.. almost the same time.
i didn't know him personally but my friend shared with me his health condition every now and then. he started chemo early last year. i'm not sure whether he is in remission after chemo but i doubt so. anyway, the cancer continues to spread and he is back in treatment again soon enough. they put him on iressa but unfortunately, he is not receptive. so, he went for another round of chemo.. and then another treatment.. and then another and then another.. till they said i can't do anything for you anymore. by then, which is almost a year now, the cancer cells have spread to his liver, bones and brain. he is semi paralyzed due to extensive treatment that has damaged the nerves of his feet, hands, arms and legs resulting in loss of muscles control. he is hospitalize 2 weeks ago when he has difficulty passing urine. his doc last advice is for him to try alternative approach now. however, according to my friend, he is a true believer of modern medicine and really stubborn.
the thing i don't understand here is that why can't the doc let him go early to seek alternative help instead of keep pumping toxins into his body till it collapsed? not that they didn't know they can't save him anymore after the 1st chemo or even the 2nd chemo.
i don't know to be happy or scared. happy that i'm so lucky that i have medication that was banned in Europe because the success rate is so so low BUT somehow it work like a miracle drug for me. damn lucky!! i'm the lucky hit!
or scared that i might be depending on it... and for how long? clinical trials state that patients stopped iressa when cancer progresses or due to intolerable toxicity.
either way, it's still just a temporary solution. and i still don't like iressa. and given the last 2 blood tests, i'm yet to find out how effective still is iressa. i'll have another blood test in 2 weeks time. so, we leave it till then.
for now, i should just be happy.
be happy that despite being so sick, i'm still physically active and mobile.
be happy that despite being so sick, i don't look sick at all.
Thank God for this miracle blessings.
i didn't know him personally but my friend shared with me his health condition every now and then. he started chemo early last year. i'm not sure whether he is in remission after chemo but i doubt so. anyway, the cancer continues to spread and he is back in treatment again soon enough. they put him on iressa but unfortunately, he is not receptive. so, he went for another round of chemo.. and then another treatment.. and then another and then another.. till they said i can't do anything for you anymore. by then, which is almost a year now, the cancer cells have spread to his liver, bones and brain. he is semi paralyzed due to extensive treatment that has damaged the nerves of his feet, hands, arms and legs resulting in loss of muscles control. he is hospitalize 2 weeks ago when he has difficulty passing urine. his doc last advice is for him to try alternative approach now. however, according to my friend, he is a true believer of modern medicine and really stubborn.
the thing i don't understand here is that why can't the doc let him go early to seek alternative help instead of keep pumping toxins into his body till it collapsed? not that they didn't know they can't save him anymore after the 1st chemo or even the 2nd chemo.
when i reflect that on myself, maybe i'm not that far off from him. just as hell as stubborn but at the other end of the spectrum instead. not that i don't believe in modern medicine. i do. otherwise, i won't go for chemo the first round. just think about the money,time and effort spent on extensive cancer research, trials and all, you got to be convinced. my only hesitation now is that if they can't cure me but just to prolong my life, i don't want to end up like him. instead of feeding the body with poison, the more i should keep it healthy to stay alive.
however, i have a change of mind.. tho not change of heart.
right now, for the first time i look at this red tab in a different light. i'm giving justice to this small tab by telling you this:
OMG!! this teeny weeny red tab is working miraculously on me!!
just one tab yesterday, the pain reduced by half and another today, it's 90% gone.
can this be true? in 2 days? really? really really?
however, i have a change of mind.. tho not change of heart.
right now, for the first time i look at this red tab in a different light. i'm giving justice to this small tab by telling you this:OMG!! this teeny weeny red tab is working miraculously on me!!
just one tab yesterday, the pain reduced by half and another today, it's 90% gone.
can this be true? in 2 days? really? really really?
(average time for iressa to take effect is 3 weeks)
i don't know to be happy or scared. happy that i'm so lucky that i have medication that was banned in Europe because the success rate is so so low BUT somehow it work like a miracle drug for me. damn lucky!! i'm the lucky hit!
or scared that i might be depending on it... and for how long? clinical trials state that patients stopped iressa when cancer progresses or due to intolerable toxicity.
either way, it's still just a temporary solution. and i still don't like iressa. and given the last 2 blood tests, i'm yet to find out how effective still is iressa. i'll have another blood test in 2 weeks time. so, we leave it till then.
for now, i should just be happy.
be happy that despite being so sick, i'm still physically active and mobile.
be happy that despite being so sick, i don't look sick at all.
Thank God for this miracle blessings.
Happy Easter everyone.
posted by lisaOne at 11:00 PM
11 Comments:
my bro is still hospitalized for fever.. his 11th chemo really burn him out.. what is this red pill? did doc recommend this to u? wonder iressa will work for my bro or not.. dont know what they pumped him with.. but as for now, his chemo has to stop till he regained back his strength..
btw, u changed your layout... something unique and special.. like U..
dunno whether can take the pill on and off? like when the body starts to get used to it, you stop so that it doesn't build tolerance to it. and then bring it back on the minute you feel bad, or slightly bad.
that way can prolong the process and allow the body to heal as well as not have full blown bad effects.
i am a bit of a doc's nightmare.
many 'forms of vitamins' he ask me to eat, i don't. because i don't want to grow tolerant to it. so i lapse. and then build back when i feel awful. my colleague thinks i shouldn't. but i am kiasu. i dare not take too often precisely because i think i will grow immune to them.
ok i very longwinded.
big tight hugs to my precious babe.
*kisses* xxx
hey claire,
i'm so sorry to hear about your bro. the red pill is called Iressa. it's a targeted chemo drug that inhibit the growth of cancer cells. unlike chemo, it don't kill cancer cells but just stop it from growing temporarily. usually its the last resort treatment for patients at final stage of cancer to prolong their life by temporary inibiting the growth of cancer cells. it don't work for all type of cancers, only for non-small-cell lung cancer especially adernocarcinoma type. moreover, only patients tested with EGFR mutation will be receptive to the drugs. i was not put on the test when i started on the drugs because of urgency. according to them, i was in my deathbed back then. so, it's hit or miss case.
anyway, chemo may have wiped out Elvin white blood cells, which mean the body immune system is down. fever is an indication of infection and he needs to be monitored closely as the body is defenceless now.
i doubt iressa is going to help him. what i have learnt most is that we should always boost the body with loads of anti-oxidants to keep the immune system strong and especially when Elvin is on chemo, to help eliminate free radical caused by chemo to minimize current and future side effects.
i should really write a post about my supplements soon.
i pray for a speedy recovery to Elvin and do send my regards to him.
Happy Easter Claire.
tuti babe! my onco is gonna kill me if he knows i take iressa on and off like that. according to him, because iressa don't get rid of cancer cells, once off the cells will multiple and grow ..quickly!
anyway sweet, your body don't produce vitamins (except vit D thru skin as expose to sun). vits are usually obtained through foods but given the low intake of nutritional food nowadays, we need supplements, NATURAL but not synthetic form of vits.those vits (vits C especially) sell off the shelf are usually synthetically made and it doesn't work the same. in long term it may cause more harm than good.
please start taking your vits now but make sure it's natural.
big tight hugs back!
nite love. xoxo
baby, what is natural vitamin c? or natural vitamins? everything in pill or capsule form are produced synthetically in a way.
i am taking a multi vit with ginseng. it works for me. there was another which another doctor recommended, also with ginseng. gave me diarrhea because my system is weak. so this other brand at least doesn't.
about iressa. since it works so fast on you, the last bout could have been iressa too, when your markings came down tremendously. i guess we'll never know. but whatever is working, is great news! so keep on building and strengthening your body.
if the bad cells multiply fast on stopping iressa, then got to monitor closely. i know you are monitoring every single day. hugs sweetheart. it is a never ending task to be so vigilant.
long time back when i went to the hospital for follow-ups, the specialist even wrote in his note (to my doc) that i was super meticulous because i wrote everything down regarding my symptoms, etc.
so i understand, lol. wink wink.
take care, enjoy your day. i am holding your hand all the way. and tomorrow morning you hold mine too cos dental!! arrghh lol.
hugs and kisses. xxx
(writing about your supplements is a great idea. there are many who will benefit one way or other. bless your kind heart, lisaprecious!)
thank you Lisa... today he is discharged after his fever went down, blood count went up.. and he is taking iron pills for now. He resists red meat... just want fish and vege....anyway, his chemo has to put on hold till he regains back his strength..
Prayers works.. for now..
God Bless u too, Lisa..
Lisa the new layout of your blog is nice....
Keep it up, be strong and positive...
We will continue to pray for you...
Hugs n more hugs n more hugs...
Sis..u make me nervous reading about yr blogs la ! But am sure u know yr body better then anybody else.
Yr hair really look gd ler :-)
God bless u !!
Hey Lisa, I'm also curious to know what natural supplements are out there...
a few people told me you can take Ling Zhi together with modern supplements ..n it will help reduce pain. I'm sure u hv research on LZ right... just suggestion..
take care..
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