Its been a while since I last update here....
Not much things has happened that is worth posting.... my mum is ok... now on oral chemo... on 5FU... side effects has been quite mangeable...
The last CT scan shows the tumours in her lungs is stable... that is about 3 mths ago... and she is going for another CT soon.... after cny i think... hopefully it remain stable.... otherwise, she has to go for different chemo drug... which is not as simple as the oral chemo.... more side effects and hair loss....
I pray that my mum will remain stable for as long as possible.... at this point of stage... i really not sure what more i can do except to prepared for the worst and hope for the best....
I do hope i can see more caregivers blog stories to tide me through the difficult times....
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Some Updates
Another week for anxious waiting again.... Going to get results for CT scan and a biopsy test on a nodule near my mum chest wall resection area.....
This waiting scenario keeps going on and on...seems like never ending...
Mum now on monthly Zometa... to help strengthen her bones due to the bone mets... Dr Khoo says it has some anti cancer cells ability... and he also gives my mum daily oral chemo drugs... i think its hormonal treatment...
Mum went to NCC today to see her surgical dr for a nodule near her chest side... she thought its the wound where the blood drainage she had when she had the op... but dr says its unlikely and wanted to test it.... so the biopsy was arranged immediately... before seeing this dr...mum went for her ct scan... cos dr khoo wants to monitor her lungs and liver... to see when to administer chemo treatment....
Will get the results for both the ct scan and the biopsy test.... I feel so sad for my mum that she has to go thru this over and over again... first its the bone mets... now this... it all happen only within a period of 3 mths... hope my mum can have a longer period of remission.....
Side track abit...
Fleur has left us.... its really sad... im so used to checking her blog almost everyday... but now... will never get to see her updates anymore... thou I kind of expected it when I noticed she has not been blogging for awhile...but still its sad.... Molly left us... Shin left us... now Fleur.... I know someday it will be mum's turn... but i really really hope it will be prolong as long as possible....maybe for at least 3 years or more? At least she can he around to hold my baby... which im trying my best to have.... else I will feel so disappointed for not conceiving earlier for my mum to see her grandchild.... but im sure it will happen soon.... mum will be definitely be around to see...
The only best thing to hope if my mum really leaving us one day... to have her pain to the minimal... to leave as peaceful as possible.... no pain... no agony...
This waiting scenario keeps going on and on...seems like never ending...
Mum now on monthly Zometa... to help strengthen her bones due to the bone mets... Dr Khoo says it has some anti cancer cells ability... and he also gives my mum daily oral chemo drugs... i think its hormonal treatment...
Mum went to NCC today to see her surgical dr for a nodule near her chest side... she thought its the wound where the blood drainage she had when she had the op... but dr says its unlikely and wanted to test it.... so the biopsy was arranged immediately... before seeing this dr...mum went for her ct scan... cos dr khoo wants to monitor her lungs and liver... to see when to administer chemo treatment....
Will get the results for both the ct scan and the biopsy test.... I feel so sad for my mum that she has to go thru this over and over again... first its the bone mets... now this... it all happen only within a period of 3 mths... hope my mum can have a longer period of remission.....
Side track abit...
Fleur has left us.... its really sad... im so used to checking her blog almost everyday... but now... will never get to see her updates anymore... thou I kind of expected it when I noticed she has not been blogging for awhile...but still its sad.... Molly left us... Shin left us... now Fleur.... I know someday it will be mum's turn... but i really really hope it will be prolong as long as possible....maybe for at least 3 years or more? At least she can he around to hold my baby... which im trying my best to have.... else I will feel so disappointed for not conceiving earlier for my mum to see her grandchild.... but im sure it will happen soon.... mum will be definitely be around to see...
The only best thing to hope if my mum really leaving us one day... to have her pain to the minimal... to leave as peaceful as possible.... no pain... no agony...
Sunday, August 16, 2009
H1N1
Mum had h1ni... she has fever and slight cough...
She suddenly has vomit and diaheara one night and dad took her to A&E at TTSH...
But luckily the symptoms went away before the blood test show h1n1 and tamiflu was given for 5 days...
The last visit to the medical oncology says that chemo will not be administered first... will monitor the condition in sept...
Dr explained to me that as mum had lots of chemo before...there is not much available agents left for her... so it is not advisable to start so soon since my mum feel perfectly normal now...
Dr also told me that the CT scan show some small spots in the lungs...thou it is not big enough to confirm its the cancer cells....dr says its there... and he told me he will not be able to remove the cells in my mum... the only solution is try to prolong her as long as possible... its sad... but its expected...
Thou i know mum will relaspe sooner or later...but didnt expect it to spread into two areas at the same time... i tot it will at least have the courtesy to spread to one area... then another area in another 1 or 2 years time... with the current condition of it spreading to two areas within such a short time frame... it show how agressive the cells are... but hopefully chemo will be able to get rid most of it and mum can go into remission for a long time....
Side tract a bit... another blogger Fleur has not be updating her blog for quite a long time... i have been checking everyday hoping to see her updates... wonder how is she now... is she feeling terrible due to the side effects of the current chemo regime? hope to "see" her soon...
She suddenly has vomit and diaheara one night and dad took her to A&E at TTSH...
But luckily the symptoms went away before the blood test show h1n1 and tamiflu was given for 5 days...
The last visit to the medical oncology says that chemo will not be administered first... will monitor the condition in sept...
Dr explained to me that as mum had lots of chemo before...there is not much available agents left for her... so it is not advisable to start so soon since my mum feel perfectly normal now...
Dr also told me that the CT scan show some small spots in the lungs...thou it is not big enough to confirm its the cancer cells....dr says its there... and he told me he will not be able to remove the cells in my mum... the only solution is try to prolong her as long as possible... its sad... but its expected...
Thou i know mum will relaspe sooner or later...but didnt expect it to spread into two areas at the same time... i tot it will at least have the courtesy to spread to one area... then another area in another 1 or 2 years time... with the current condition of it spreading to two areas within such a short time frame... it show how agressive the cells are... but hopefully chemo will be able to get rid most of it and mum can go into remission for a long time....
Side tract a bit... another blogger Fleur has not be updating her blog for quite a long time... i have been checking everyday hoping to see her updates... wonder how is she now... is she feeling terrible due to the side effects of the current chemo regime? hope to "see" her soon...
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
What a Day
Radiation Dr Richard Yeo... a nice dr... referred us to a ortho dr to see whether can my mum go for op to remove the tumour at the spine...
So today we went to see the ortho dr... but to my dismay... he cause more harm than good.... first of all...he was not at all tactful in his words... instead of hearing what we have to say.... he just spoke directly to my mum in mandarin.... saying "auntie, your breast ca has spread to the bones, operation also cannot help much"..... ya ya...this we know...do you need to stress this to the patient upfront???? Second.... he just plainly told us that operation is not viable... radiation is a easier way..... Third.... he just send us out in less than 5 mins of consultation....
I really believe its your fortune to be care by a good dr... a caring and nice dr... its a god send gift for cancer patients and their family....
So I called the clinic to check whether can we see Dr Yeo the next earliest time.... dr yeo is nice to be able to slot us in tml at 2pm....
Went to NCC oncology imaging to collect the burnt CD rom for the CT and MRI softcopy to let Dr Khoo has a view of it... cost $100.... and went over to print the actual report...
I got a shock... the report shows suspicious lesion over at the lungs.... Dr Yeo did told us he saw a small white spot at the lings when he viewed the scans in the computer when the report was not out yet.... he says its too small to be conclusive... so we hoping its nothing....
Mum asked me abt the lungs lesion in the report.... I cant bring myself to say anything... i just told her its not conclusive.... should ask dr khoo when we see him later.... but inside me....my heart totally sank.... one bad news is enuff....a second one within a week is really too much for us to handle....
I dont know whether its god will or wat.... dr khoo was unable to retrieve the image on the lungs (other parts were ok).... but he read the report from NCC and explained to me that the spot was not big enuff for them to conclude anything... and he will try to retrieve the image again.... but asked us to go ahead to do radiation to relieve the pressure that is pressing on the nerves causing the pain over a the side of the abodmen... mum lose sleep for nearly 2 months due to this pain....
I guess god feels we have too much of bad news.... so dr khoo is not able to see the image and cant tell us the confirmed news yet.... at least we have a break of 2 weeks (mum needs to have radiation for abt 12 days or so)...
The care from dr khoo is really appreciated.... but the cost is really too high for us if my mum needs long chemo treatment... so im thinking to transfer my mum to ncc for chemo.... but im worried whether the ncc dr my mum assigned to is as nice as dr khoo or not... i wonder can we have consultation with dr khoo and have his opinions conveyed to the dr at ncc and have the treatment there.... but i guess its not quite possible.... would dr khoo only to provide advise to us? would the ncc dr listen to what the other dr has to say? wouldnt it be irrespectful for the ncc dr? i dont know... I wish my mum can continue to be care by dr knoo but the cost is really quite high....
In the first place we wouldnt have gone to a private dr if the dr at ttsh refuse to administer chemo to my mum when she had the chest wall recurrence.... my mum would not have the chance to have the chest wall resection if not for dr khoo...at least we are given a option and a chance for my mum to fight... and not to hear the ttsh dr plainly telling me he cant cure my mum...he will only give chemo when the cancer has spread to a organ.... its our luck to have meet this dr....
So today we went to see the ortho dr... but to my dismay... he cause more harm than good.... first of all...he was not at all tactful in his words... instead of hearing what we have to say.... he just spoke directly to my mum in mandarin.... saying "auntie, your breast ca has spread to the bones, operation also cannot help much"..... ya ya...this we know...do you need to stress this to the patient upfront???? Second.... he just plainly told us that operation is not viable... radiation is a easier way..... Third.... he just send us out in less than 5 mins of consultation....
I really believe its your fortune to be care by a good dr... a caring and nice dr... its a god send gift for cancer patients and their family....
So I called the clinic to check whether can we see Dr Yeo the next earliest time.... dr yeo is nice to be able to slot us in tml at 2pm....
Went to NCC oncology imaging to collect the burnt CD rom for the CT and MRI softcopy to let Dr Khoo has a view of it... cost $100.... and went over to print the actual report...
I got a shock... the report shows suspicious lesion over at the lungs.... Dr Yeo did told us he saw a small white spot at the lings when he viewed the scans in the computer when the report was not out yet.... he says its too small to be conclusive... so we hoping its nothing....
Mum asked me abt the lungs lesion in the report.... I cant bring myself to say anything... i just told her its not conclusive.... should ask dr khoo when we see him later.... but inside me....my heart totally sank.... one bad news is enuff....a second one within a week is really too much for us to handle....
I dont know whether its god will or wat.... dr khoo was unable to retrieve the image on the lungs (other parts were ok).... but he read the report from NCC and explained to me that the spot was not big enuff for them to conclude anything... and he will try to retrieve the image again.... but asked us to go ahead to do radiation to relieve the pressure that is pressing on the nerves causing the pain over a the side of the abodmen... mum lose sleep for nearly 2 months due to this pain....
I guess god feels we have too much of bad news.... so dr khoo is not able to see the image and cant tell us the confirmed news yet.... at least we have a break of 2 weeks (mum needs to have radiation for abt 12 days or so)...
The care from dr khoo is really appreciated.... but the cost is really too high for us if my mum needs long chemo treatment... so im thinking to transfer my mum to ncc for chemo.... but im worried whether the ncc dr my mum assigned to is as nice as dr khoo or not... i wonder can we have consultation with dr khoo and have his opinions conveyed to the dr at ncc and have the treatment there.... but i guess its not quite possible.... would dr khoo only to provide advise to us? would the ncc dr listen to what the other dr has to say? wouldnt it be irrespectful for the ncc dr? i dont know... I wish my mum can continue to be care by dr knoo but the cost is really quite high....
In the first place we wouldnt have gone to a private dr if the dr at ttsh refuse to administer chemo to my mum when she had the chest wall recurrence.... my mum would not have the chance to have the chest wall resection if not for dr khoo...at least we are given a option and a chance for my mum to fight... and not to hear the ttsh dr plainly telling me he cant cure my mum...he will only give chemo when the cancer has spread to a organ.... its our luck to have meet this dr....
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Depressing News
The day we dread has finally come...
Mum's bone scan shows spread of cancer... a white spot is lit at the backbone... its really a very sad moment for the family... At least now we know the reason behind the pressing pain at the down left side abodmen mum has been experiencing since months back.. and at that time the ct scan shows nothing... so i tot its the post op side effects...
The radiation dr says the cancerous cells is pressing on the nerves which may be causing the pain... and mum has to do repeat ct scan again to confirm the bone is the only affected area.... if ct scan is negative... radiation may be used to relief the pain... but i do not know whether chemo is needed....
The results will be out on tues morning... another agonising wait...
Mum is definitely feel hopeless now... i guess more or less she knows with this spread.. there is no recovering... i feel so sad to see my mum has to face this news just months after surgery and chemo... thou i have been warned by mum ocologist that mum has a high chance of recurrence... but dint expect this to come so soon... mum just completed the chemo in jan... only 5 months a part...
Will be seeing Dr Khoo at glen on wed to discuss what is the next steps... i think i will ask him to give me my mum medical history... mum may need to do chemo over at ncc... since all her background info is there...and there is gonna be a long fight ahead so its too exp to have chemo over at glen... and the drug mum used before... is the common drug over at ncc too... so i guess the difference is not that great.... i believe mum will have good care over at ncc too... but not sure which dr is good....
Mum's bone scan shows spread of cancer... a white spot is lit at the backbone... its really a very sad moment for the family... At least now we know the reason behind the pressing pain at the down left side abodmen mum has been experiencing since months back.. and at that time the ct scan shows nothing... so i tot its the post op side effects...
The radiation dr says the cancerous cells is pressing on the nerves which may be causing the pain... and mum has to do repeat ct scan again to confirm the bone is the only affected area.... if ct scan is negative... radiation may be used to relief the pain... but i do not know whether chemo is needed....
The results will be out on tues morning... another agonising wait...
Mum is definitely feel hopeless now... i guess more or less she knows with this spread.. there is no recovering... i feel so sad to see my mum has to face this news just months after surgery and chemo... thou i have been warned by mum ocologist that mum has a high chance of recurrence... but dint expect this to come so soon... mum just completed the chemo in jan... only 5 months a part...
Will be seeing Dr Khoo at glen on wed to discuss what is the next steps... i think i will ask him to give me my mum medical history... mum may need to do chemo over at ncc... since all her background info is there...and there is gonna be a long fight ahead so its too exp to have chemo over at glen... and the drug mum used before... is the common drug over at ncc too... so i guess the difference is not that great.... i believe mum will have good care over at ncc too... but not sure which dr is good....
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
New updates after so long...
Its been a long time since I last posted here....
Mum just completed her radiation treatment at NCC.... did a CT scan and results are clear... phew... its so worrisome in waiting for the results... its like a student waiting for their exam results to know whether they can proceed with their education....hmm...probably worst than that....
Yesterday mum complained abt aches and pain over the back.... probably due to over use of strength while trying to flip the mattress over...but she is worried.... u know... any twinges or ache will make a cancer fighter think of the worst.... so mum went to SGH to see a radiation dr... he assured mum it was nothing serious... its most probably muscle ache than bone pain.... mum ask dr whether she need bone scan not.... dr say not at the moment.... phew... if not it will be another worrisome wait.... i hate when mum got to go scans and xrays.... its so scary.... probably ignorance is a bliss.... so after the dr visit... mum is more relieved.... hopefully the pain will subside...
Next mth will be the first anniversary of Molly.... how time flies.... its coming to a year since she left us... i still remember her as if she has never leave us....
Tml will be a visit to mum ocologist at the gleneagles.... i will ask him whether mum need any maintainance chemo periodly not....cos i heard some patients need chemo once in a while as a form of maintainance to keep the cells at bay... wonder will mum benefit from it....
Mum just completed her radiation treatment at NCC.... did a CT scan and results are clear... phew... its so worrisome in waiting for the results... its like a student waiting for their exam results to know whether they can proceed with their education....hmm...probably worst than that....
Yesterday mum complained abt aches and pain over the back.... probably due to over use of strength while trying to flip the mattress over...but she is worried.... u know... any twinges or ache will make a cancer fighter think of the worst.... so mum went to SGH to see a radiation dr... he assured mum it was nothing serious... its most probably muscle ache than bone pain.... mum ask dr whether she need bone scan not.... dr say not at the moment.... phew... if not it will be another worrisome wait.... i hate when mum got to go scans and xrays.... its so scary.... probably ignorance is a bliss.... so after the dr visit... mum is more relieved.... hopefully the pain will subside...
Next mth will be the first anniversary of Molly.... how time flies.... its coming to a year since she left us... i still remember her as if she has never leave us....
Tml will be a visit to mum ocologist at the gleneagles.... i will ask him whether mum need any maintainance chemo periodly not....cos i heard some patients need chemo once in a while as a form of maintainance to keep the cells at bay... wonder will mum benefit from it....
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