This timeline is to detail where I've been these past 4 weeks (2013 Jul, 01 to 26) from my discovery of the cancer to the surgery op and then back home. Chemortherapy will probably be in another Blog entry.
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Week 1
01 Jul 2013, Mon
The 1st Consultation. Doctor's Appointment for Gastroscopy & Colonoscopy.
In the morning, went to see Specialist for Gastroscopy & Colonoscopy. This is our first consultation so I only had to do the scan. The Gastroscopy & Colonoscopy was scheduled for the coming Frinday. Doctor called me back saying scan does not look good and he wants me to go in Tuesday, to do the Gastroscopy & Colonoscopy instead of our planned Friday. I agreed with him . He said no need to diet and to just do the Bowel Prep that night and see him the next day.
02 Jul 2013, Tue
Doctor's Appointment for Gastroscopy & Colonoscopy.
I checked in to TTSH in the morning. Gastroscopy & Colonoscopy was not as bad as I had always imagined. Results confirmed that there was a growth in my Colon. Whether it was Cancer or not, it still had to be removed. I was warned to look out for the undesirable effects of Gastroscopy & Colonoscopy. One of which was 'perforation'. If this happens, I was to admit myself to hospital via A&E. I was given the next 2 days MC.
03 Jul 2013, Wed
Gastroscopy & Colonoscopy, the day after.
The whole day went fine until just before dinner when I felt that there were some pain. After dinner at Nasi Lemak Kukus with the whole family (father, mother, daughter and son), I decided to check in to TTSH A&E. The night Doctor decided that it was better to play "Kia Su" and admitted me. The wait for a bed at a ward went right through till morming.
04 Jul 2013, Thu ~ Hospitalized at TTSH Class C-Ward for tests.
05 Jul 2013, Fri ~ Further Tests for Lump in Adrenal Gland
06 Jul 2013, Sat ~ Discharged from TTSH.
07 Jul 2013, Sun ~ Church as usual.
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Week 2
08 Jul 2013, Mon
MC this week beginning Jul 8, Mon. During the course of this week, I travelled to and from TTSH for more tests. The tests were more to find out if the Cancer had spread to the other parts of my body. Two main concerns were, the Adrenal Gland and my Back Bone as I was always complaining of nagging backache.
11 Jul 2013, Thu
Daughter's trip to London. Sent Daughter to airport. Reached there around 9 pm. Had dinner at Quiznoz at T1 Arrival. Some days earlier, daughter asked should she cancel her trip to London -- me, knowing that I will still have other people in the family to rely on, and this is a trip of a lifetime ... and besides, I expect to still be around for her help at the later part of this Colon Cancer journey of mine -- and I said, "no need lah". Anyway, in her absense.... her Ward-6A, Nurse colleagues were on hand to pop-in throughout my the whole stay in TTSH.
14 Jul 2013, Sun ~ Church as usual.
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Week 3
15 Jul 2013, Mon
Bowel Prep Day for tomorrow's Surgery to take out 4 cm of my Colon.
16 Jul 2013, Tue
Surgery Day for Colon Cancer. Operating Theatre and High-D. All I did was sleep and sleep during Surgery and the same thereafter in the High-Dependency Ward (High-D)
17 Jul 2013, Wed
High-D/Ward B2
Met 2 Physio Therapist in High-D. They showed me that I could stand up and walk a little with their help.
18 Jul 2013, Thu
Ward B2
Yay! My son, will be able to visit me more often now.
However, this Ward-B2 is very hot. There was no aircon... but I knew that. Class C had no aircon and I felt fine with that. There was a huge ceiling fan right above my legs, but I was perspiring on the bedsheets. I was so uncomfortable, and angry that I stood up and walked on my own. This was the beginning of my many battles. Another battle, I was also angry that my movements were hampered by tubes to Morphine, Drip, Cathetha & Drain. Even turning the bed around so that the ceiling-fan was right above me, though bettter, was still... very, very hot. I was told that if I am able to NOT use the morphine, I could loose 2 of those tubes, the Morphine and the Cathetha... another battle to conquer.
19 Jul 2013, Fri
Ward B2/B1
# Ward B2 ~ In the morning they had to take away my Morphine and Catheter. 2 tubes down, with 2 tubes to go. I was moved to B1 at my request. # Ward B1 ~ Now at B1, in the middle of the night, I was shivering with my teeth chattering. But I welcomed the cold feeling; it was a significant shift from the hot I was feeling earlier. Another reason why I liked it was, I felt that my insides were shaking up in a good way. I could feel the gas starting to form and was rewarded at the end when the fever broke with loud rip, and along too came a little stain. Adult-Dipers are now necessary for me.
20 Jul 2013, Sat
Ward B1
Doctors up the antibiotics via drips because the previous night high-fever was due to me developing a Lung Infection… Pnemonia… probably the Hopital induced type for lying too long in bed.
21 Jul 2013, Sun
Passing Lots of Gas and Motion. Got my first bath from a nurse in TTSH. Although there were a lot of miracles along the way… this, is my favorite. I was told I was going to get my Drainage Tube out today. I was happy, but a little scared because I was told it was very painful. I prayed for no pain... then I prayed that if there must be pain, help me bear it. The nurse came and as she pulled it out... I felt nothing at all. I was told, nobody has experienced this yet. I looked upwards and said thanks. It was a Sunday too.
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Week 4
22 Jul 2013, Mon
My daughter (a nurse) comes back from London and proceeds to give me a bath every morning from Mon to Thu, all of them right after her Night Shift in another Ward.
23 Jul 2013, Tue
Fever keeps spiking during the night. During the day, the Physiotherapist teaches me to get out of bed on my own. This will be one of my tickets out of here.
24 Jul 2013, Wed
The urge to pass motion is more often, like 6 times per day. I've got to find a way to manage this.
25 Jul 2013, Thu
Visit from CEO TTSH. This was a surprise for everyone, even for the nurse that was dressing my wound... she was doing a fantastic job but when she saw him, she just froze and stopped what she was doing. When the CEO asked her "How's his wound?" she just stood there suspended in time... poor girl.
26 Jul 2013, Fri
Back home again.
This is the day I will go home. At 3:30am this morning, I just found a method that I can use to "cebok" whenever I "kagak" in the condition that I am in. There will be other challenges along the way, but now… it is clearer that I'm going to get better.
Warning. The pictures are gruesome for most, but if you're up to it....
click HERE for pictures of the surgical wound uploaded daily as it heals.
http://enterarena.blogspot.sg/2013/07/pix-wound-of-post-op-colon-cancer.html
Next... my Chemo Stage... wait for it.
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By the way... in...
I saw a Colon Cancer Check List, found in TTSH Toilet which said that Colon Cancer is one of the commonest cancers in Singapore. I made a note on my To Do List, "Time for a check". I had always wanted to do this since my Dad had Colon Cancer but never got round to it.
It took 2 years to actually do the much needed Cancer check... so to those you have yet to do it... DO IT NOW!
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By the way... in...
2011 Oct 12 at 0945 hrs ~ Colon Cancer
I saw a Colon Cancer Check List, found in TTSH Toilet which said that Colon Cancer is one of the commonest cancers in Singapore. I made a note on my To Do List, "Time for a check". I had always wanted to do this since my Dad had Colon Cancer but never got round to it.
It took 2 years to actually do the much needed Cancer check... so to those you have yet to do it... DO IT NOW!
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