Be Free Again

After the last check-up at National Cancer Centre about a month ago, Dad is ready for this afternoon's appointment with his Medical Oncologist, Dr. Lo SK.

Since Dad's last radiotherapy session, he had pain in his throat when swallowing. That prevented him from eating properly, so he limited his intake of food and fluids altogether to escape the pain. It drastically reduced his weight further another 2 Kg from the last weight check.

More about it in my "Hard To Swallow" post end June 2009.

It was painful to see him going through it, but I am aware that it is definitely not as painful as what he was experiencing... in silence. His forte... to endure hard life as he had lived all his life, and in silence to avoid being "sent to the hospital."

After some coaxing by Mom, he confessed his problem.

An urgent appointment made to consult Dr. Lo was worth every effort.

His throat was treated with Lidocaine to numb it before every meal set him eating and enjoying his food again. The pain subsided and disappeared after a few days of medication.

It was a side effect from the radiotherapy session he had a week before.

His appetite came back and sounded from Mom is now healthy again after a month of taking Megestrol Acetate tablets once daily after breakfast.

The most significant improvement is the coughing. It has stopped so much and the phlegm that always got stuck in his chest that caused him to strain to force it out often and resulted in specks of trace blood has gone too.

The Rhinathiol Promethanzine Syrup that Dr. Lo prescribed for Dad is like a miracle medicine.

Dad does not need to use the Oxygen Concentrator at home any more to aid his breathing in order to improve his sleep.

This afternoon's consultation has Dad increased his weight by 1.70 Kg to 53.70 Kg. I was happy when I read the display on the weighing machine before we went into Dr. Lo's consultation room.

In fact, Dr. Lo was pleasantly surprised to see that Dad's health has improved. She cautioned though, the blood test that Dad takes each time before every consultation will not monitor its CA count as much, but to monitor Dad not to be anemic.

"I feel much better and energized now." Dad retorted while we went down the escalator, flicking his hands like he was warming-up before exercising.

We left NCC and went straight to Sheng Siong Supermarket, Dad's favourite place for groceries. He missed his independence going there on his own whenever the kitchen needs stocking up.

"I think I can start coming here again." Dad said while he was choosing some ginger. I could see how happy he seemed going from isle to isle shopping for groceries.

He knew where all the stuff were and wasted no time getting them. It is his territory.

Mom had a list of stuff to buy at the supermarket before we left for home. It was so much, I had trouble carrying the bags and bags of groceries up the bus and all the way to their home.

I do pray that Dad's health will continue to improve and that he will be able to regain courage to get out of the house again and become the independent man he has always been... free again.