Tuesday, 1 Jul - Appt with Dr Tan E H at NCCS. He reviewed Dad's CT scan results and compared with the previous one done in April. Fortunately, there was no sign of any increase in the cancer cells in the lungs. However, some fluid retention was seen in his right lung. Though there is no cause for concern now, but will hv to be careful as it means more prone to lung infection. Dad was very excited to hear that there's no changes to the cancer cells. He kept asking me to confirm what he heard was right. Doc confirmed he can proceed to hv his first round of chemotherapy, then back to see him again at the end of the month. Pray all will go smoothly for Dad.
Today we went down to NCCS' Jasmine Suite for Dad's first chemo treatment. Dad looked a bit tense while we were waiting, even though he kept telling me he's fine. He kept 'comforting' himself by telling me that there're a lot of others 'suffering' the same fate as him. Many are even younger than him. So he's not alone, and we should not be too worried for him.
We waited for about 45mins before Dad's queue number was flashed. Accompanied him into the treatment suite. It's big, with individual 'cubicles' with recliner chairs, and a small area with a few beds. It's quite cosy and the staff are friendly. We were attended by this young nursing staff, Looi W T. A soft-spoken, bubbly young lady whom I find sounds a bit like Seth's gf, Joey, and looked a bit like niece Qian Hao. Dad agrees too! She was very patient and explained the procedure to us and advice us on symptoms to look out for, when to call for doc's advice and what precautions to take.
She proceeded to set the 'plug' for Dad, at the same time advising him what 'exercise' to do to prevent his veins fm collapsing after a few treatments. First she 'ran' some saline thru the plug, then she started injecting 2 medicine thru the plug to help prevent nauseas. Dad didn't feel anything fm these medications. Finally came the main 'dish'. It's a pack of 1560mg of Gemcitabine, connected to a machine and introduced into the blood stream at a speed of 650ml/hr. Sounds technical. Next time I'll take a picture of the machine. Dad felt a little bit of burning sensation at the beginning, then it became like ants biting (he described it that way). Nurse Looi quickly gave him a hot pack and laid it at his forearm where the drip was flowing in. It soothed the area and shortly after Dad said the ant bite sensation was gone. The pack of drug took about half hour to finish. The removal of the plug was done so gently and swiftly, we were out of the treatment suite within 5mins after the drip finished. She's good! Hopefully we'll get the same nurse again next week.
As we walked out of the treatment suite, I can feel the lightness in Dad's steps. It feels like a heavy burden was removed fm his shoulders. I guess he must hv been worrying and 'guessing' how the treatment will be like the past weeks. Now that he's gone thru the first session and things aren't as bad as we thought, the burden is off. He could even walk directly to the car park with us!
He requested for pork kidney mee-suah for lunch. So we fetched Mum, Drew and 4th sis & Fenru and proceeded to Tampines Mall for lunch. He seemed happy and was chatty during lunch. After we went home, he had some cough and then had a nap on the sofa till about 4+pm. When he woke up then he told me that he was quite breathless and coughing quite badly when we came back after lunch. But after the nap, he felt his chest 'loosened' and he's breathing better. so he guessed it must be the medicine that's working on his lungs already. Is this psychological?? or really the 'battle' has started betw the med and the cancer cells?? Whatever it is, it's good that he's thinking positively.
Anyway his appetite was still alright at dinner. And he was quite energetic and could stay up till about 9pm chatting with 3rd sis, BIL and Dehao.
Pray pray pray....pray all will be smooth and he'll hv minimum side effects fm the treatment. Pray pray pray pray..............
1 comment:
don worry...me and my husband has been chanting for him all this while.but it'll be better if u could chant with us:D
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