Saturday 14 June 2008

No, Not Again.

I only got to know him somewhere in the middle of last year. Initially he was teaching in a Primary school and like me he decided to further his studies. After getting his degree he was posted to KL where he worked for a few months and somewhere in the middle of last year he managed to get his transfer to Penang.

He is a very soft spoken man, in his mid thirties, married with young kids and I dare say one of the closest friends I have in the school. He sits right opposite my table and we whenever we are free we would be talking away about life in general. He is indeed one of those people whom anyone would call a 'nice man'.

Recently he started getting pains in his left thigh. The niggling pain would come and go after a while. Then it started staying for longer periods of time. He has been to many clinics and was often diagnosed as having 'urat' problems. Deep heat lotions, massages and pain killers could not get the pain away.

I told him to get specialist opinion. He did just that and after a MRI, he was told that a disc in his spine had lost its elasticity. The doctor said that it could be this rigidity that is causing the disk to touch a nerve.

It seems that the doctor told him that this could happen if someone had experienced epidural. He told me that a few years back he had that procedure done on him when he had surgery to remove a growth in his colon, so, he thought that could be the reason.

Near the end of the recent holidays, I SMSed him that school is starting soon. Then I received a reply from him saying that he won't be able to make it to school because he was admitted for already 6 days then. He told me it was not because of the thigh pain or the bad disk but because he suddenly experienced dizziness and non stop vomiting.

He didn't tell me earlier. As school reopened I spoke to the PK Petang to get some teachers to help him mark his script since he was really unwell. We are a close knit unit and help was not difficult to come by.

Today at about 5 in the evening I received an sms from my PK Petang who visited him at the hospital. She told me that the doctors told him that he has cancer which has spread to the liver. When I asked what stage, she said that she did not have the courage to ask him.

I wanted to call him but was afraid that I could break down and that would not be good for him so I SMSed him and he told me that he had colon cancer and it has since spread to his liver. I was stunned when I read that it is at stage 4. Apparently he is experiencing a relapse of the old case.

Memories of what I had experienced with my late brother who suffered from identical ailment came flooding back and I could not hold back the tears. I could only tell him to not lose hope, be positive and that there still is hope.

I could still visualise how my brother deteriorated from a healthy and hefty man into a picture that pains me to even think. I can't take the strain of losing a loved one again so soon. He is very close to me. I pray that somehow he would overcome this because stranger things have happened.

20 comments:

Keang said...

Sad to hear anyone ravaged with cancer. My late brother died aged 39 in 1999 of lung cancer which spread to his liver and kidneys.

Recently I suffered a "mini" heart attack and am now recovering though integrated therapies of ECP and chelation. I highly recommend these non-invasive treatments for those above 40 years old as a preventive measure.

Unknown said...

Keang,
Thanks for the reccomendation. It is indeed a sad thing. I still can't get over it.

bayi said...

I always dread to hear that the Big C has affected yet another loved one. I had this dreadful thought as I started reading your post. The Big C ravages a man not just physically but also mentally, emotionally and financially. His family members and loved ones, including his close friends, are similarly affected as they watch the deterioration of his well-being almost helplessly.

A few years back I suffered from a liver condition with high levels of enzyme shown in a routine blood test. My doctor panicked and admitted me into a well-known hospital immediately. The liver specialist did test after test and kept saying that I had hepatitis but the results showed no virus. I was discharges 3 days later (and some RM3,000 poorer, if not for my insurance) and we were no nearer to knowing what caused my condition. I was resigned to a slow death by eventual liver cancer. You see, Cikgu, I was a non-smoker and neither did I drink. By all counts I was a "good" guy. :)

Like Keang, I chose to visit a alternative medical practitioner who eventually diagnosed that I had a very weak digestive system, and that burdened by liver. The high levels of liver enzyme were a sign of protest from my liver. Like Keang too, I opted for some of the integrated therapy treatment and I recovered quickly. Of couse, I need to watch what I eat nowadays to help my liver and to accommodate my weak digestive system. I take probiotics, chew my food more carefully, eat more veg, etc.

But, Cikgu, you are hearing stories of patients who have yet to reach a critical stage and a cure is still viable. Alternative medical care is expensive and unlike established hospitals, alternative medical practitioners are not governed by a board who monitor their ethics and practice. If one decides on this mode of treatment, I would recommend that he go to one who is a medical doctor practising alternative medicare.

But back to your friend. He has my utmost sympathies. My mother-in-law died of cancer under similar conditions. She was paralysed when cancer spread to her spine and it was an agonizing 3 years later when she died. My heart was broken when I saw her struggle with the pain.

Be strong so that you can support him emotionally and spiritually. And pray, naturally.

Unknown said...

Bayi,
This is the second time that I am hearing about alternative medical care and it sounds very promising. I will have to talk to him about it. Thanx a lot for sharing your experience.

aliya said...

Gosh,I'm numb with the news. Although I've only had the chance to get to know cikgu R for maybe 3 weeks, he's really a great guy, and a good friend to have. Please send him my regards. Never give up hope.

Unknown said...

aliya,
You are right about him being a great and a good friend. Yes, its indeed sad.

bayi said...

Cikgu

Do let me know if you need a reference for alternative medical care. I can be reached at bayibhyap@gmail.com. But as a word of caution, a cure is not guaranteed and it's best the patient be aware of the costs.

For a start, the patient must cut off all sources of sugar possible. Sugar feeds cancer cells. Take very little carbo. If rice is necessasy, take a little unpolished rice. No teh tarik, etc.

Unknown said...

bayi,
Thanks for the offer and the info about sugar and rice. I would surely pass the msg over to him.

Ydiana said...

Cikgu

Sorry to hear about your friend. If you can, please get him a book by Dr Ray Strand, "What The Doctor Doesn't Know About Supplemenet May ..... You". Available at any MPH or big bookstores. You should read it too for your own health. And I know which product that Dr Strand uses, so you can ask me later about it.

bayi said...

ydiana

That is a very interesting and useful book. Full of informative tips that doctors seldom tell us.

Unknown said...

Yd and Bayi.
Thanks a lot. The 2 of you have been very helpful.

Keang said...

Yes bayi's correct - do seek the integrated therapies from a medical doctor practising alternative medicare. As to the cost, it's only a fraction of what you pay at an allopathic doctor BUT the most important thing is that it's effective and safe.

However, Cikgu, there's no guarantee in your friend's case but it's worth a try. When my brother was down with cancer, my family members and I will go to any places that's recommended, even to Ipoh to look for a certain root!

Email me at gikoee@gmail.com if you want my integrated medical doctor's contact number.

Talking about books - read this free online book on heart disease at http://www.oralchelation.net/heartdisease/index.html

Unknown said...

Keang,
Yhank you so much. Blogosphere sure is a fantastic new world.

Kerp (Ph.D) said...

salam cikgu,

we can only hope for the best, insyaAllah. having said that, i'm not the best person that can provide anyone with words of comfort but there are millions of survivors who had beaten the cell and lived to share their ordeal. Raden Galoh is 1 but i dont need to go that far bcos my mom's a survivor herself.

sama2 kita panjatkan doa kepadaNya your friend will pull through.

Unknown said...

Kerp,
Thanks. I didn't know you mother was a victim? Maybe you could blog about it?

Kerp (Ph.D) said...

not aure abt bloggin about it tho but yea, she was diagnosed but that was more 25 years ago. the docs gave her all the usual 3-months living period and stuff. alhamdullilah she pulled through. please tell your friend not all is lost.

cakapaje said...

Salam Cikgu,

After our communiques earlier, now I am lost for words. But as I mentioned, as a close friend, you have to be strong and brave for him and his family. May Allah s.w.t. enlighten his pain.

Anonymous said...

please checkout http://www.irah-healing.com
Its a free alternative healing centre and they have a high success rate of healing cancer.

Unknown said...

Kerp,
Its okay if you don't want to blog about it, it still is positive news.

Unknown said...

Shah,
Yes, at school I met some teachers who visited him yesterday. They said that he is in good spirit though physically weak. He is ever hopeful. Thats good as long as he doesn't give up.

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