Father Cancer Fight

49 Days Prayers

Today is the 49 Day Prayers for my deceased Father. The prayers start at 1245PM and the session last for 2 hours. The tablet is placed on the 善莲堂 2nd floor and the location is 948.
The next prayer will be the 100 Days Prayers which will take place at 善莲堂 on 17 Dec 2008.
Thanks for all relatives who have attended the prayers and help to made the preparations for the prayers.
We have made $50 of donation to 善莲堂 building funds on the behalf of my late Father.

Euthanasia for Patients

Euthanasia has been the biggest debate topic in Singapore for the past 2 months. It has been defined a way to end life for Patients who are suffering pain due to illness like Cancer. It is a painful decision for both family and the patients itself.
But there is another option to explore, which is Hospice Care. This is heavily subsidized by the Singapore Government for the Citizens. It allow the patients to live with dignity in a environment for terminal ill patients.
Hospice Hospital is a place for terminal ill patients to stay. They will ensure the patients will be able to live with joy and happiness. Social Workers and Medical Staffs will work closely with the family in taking care of patients.
Euthanasia should be a last option for the Patients or Family. May God Blessed all of US.

Niche Inscriptions by Singapore Casket

I am settling my Father Niche Inscription with Singapore Casket. Singapore Casket have only one staff called Roger who is well versed with Chinese Inscriptions. We need to have a fax machine so that the art work can be fax to us for confirmation or we have to come to the office to view it. We are living in high technology world and yet the art work cannot be view on a computer.
I also submit the niche location to Singapore Casket. It take another 1 to 2 weeks for everything to be settle and we will be able to store the ash at the Yishun.

14 Days Prayers

Today is the 2nd series of the prayers for my late Father. There is a feeder bus near our home which will bring us to Admiralty Street.
The master conduct the praying ritual for my late father. Everyone at the temple are busy as it is schedule to open next week. There will be a slight adjustment to the prayers next week due to the offical opening next week. The master will made arrangement with us after sorting the schedule.
We have made $50 of donation to 善莲堂 building funds on the behalf of my late Father. 善莲堂 will be offically open next week and lots of activities has been planned for all worshippers.

Father Seven Day Death Praying

We went to 善连堂南海观音佛祖 in the morning to pay respect and pray for my Father Seven Day. A priest will perform a ritual for our Father. The temple will prepare vegetarian food and drinks daily until the 49 Days for my deceased Father.
I and my wife will attend the 2nd and 3rd seven day and the final 49 day praying for my deceased father.

Funeral 3rd Day

Thanks many friends and relatives for visiting the funeral. Special thanks for all those who have help in the preparations for the funeral.
There were smelly water flowing out from the bottom of the toilet and we activate the contractor. The contractor inform us it was due to the man hole got stuck and have to inform the Town Council. Response was fast today as they know a wake was taking place.

Change of condition

My father condition has taken a change over the last 2 days. He is feeling more breathless and the doctor has increase the medication to relieve his pain and breathless.
Early this morning he complain difficulty in breathing, the nurse increase the oxygen level from 2 litres to 4 litres. They also ask him to calm down so that he can feel the air is entering into his lungs.
It really pain us seeing him trying to breath to keep life going. Morphine has been administered to let him not feel any pain.

Thanks for your Concern

I would like to thanks all friends and relatives who have visited my father. Thanks for all your gifts and foods that you have bought. You do not need to bring anything when visiting my father as he will not have the appetite to consume. Your visit is very important already as it helps to boast his morale.
Currently my father is getting weaker some time. He has also been disturb as some of his room mates had left for the other world. Only our encouragement helps to appease his mind and emotions.
I was unable to visit this weekend as my wife and son have fall sick at the same time. They have now all recovered and I will be able to visit my father tomorrow again.
The staffs and volunteers at Dover Park Hospice are great as they help to made my dad to have a wonderful time. Thanks a million.

Hospice Stay Update

I have realized that even with modern medicine and technology, doctors are still helpless against Cancer. Two weeks ago, a new patient who sleep beside my father with nose cancer was admitted. He complaint of pain last week and the doctors just gather feedback regarding his pain and apply the necessary medication.I visited my father today and found out that he has passed away.
My father condition is still good. He nows look older than previously and getting thinner. He love lunch time as he get to enjoy a small tub of cold ice-cream.
The volunteer has help to cut his hair. There are volunteers working to help the nurses to feed the patients during their meal times. They also spent time talking to them. Volunteers help patient families as most of them need to work during week days.

Hospice Updates

I am working night shift these few days and will be unable to visit my father. My mother will be visitng her. His condition is quite stable and is well taken care by the Hospice doctors.
He has some cough today and my mother has ask the nurse to give him some cough mixture. There is less intake of food but he will always finish the small tub of ice-cream given to him during lunch. The nurse also give home COKE everyday as it is his favourite drink.
I have received the letter from Dover Park Hospice on the payment matters. The charges is $210 per day. After going through the MEANS Testing of the Ministry of Health, 50% of subsidy is given . In addition, we also get $90 deducted off daily from the donors fund and so we end up paying $20 per day and is deductible by Mediasave. I would like to express my sincere Thanks to the Singapore Government and the Donors.

Dover Park Hospice Update

My father is used to the hospice lifestyle. He has been given diaper as he has diarrhea. He looks bright and is able to communicate well with us.
My mum sister has slowly prepare my mother mentally if there is any drastic change to my father condition. Coke is now my father favourite drink especially with ice added. He insisted on eating medicine with it and we did not stop him also.
Today Dover Park Hospice is much alive with many patients family members and alive. Volunteers will visit on week days to help out as many family members are working. Thanks for all visitors and the concern u have shower our family.

SGH DAY 6

My mother has finally shed tears today after going strong ever since my father contract the cancer. It is not really easy to console her as they have brave through the up and downs of life. My father have not really enjoy life much as he is a simple and down to earth person.
My father has been transfer to the Dover Park Hospice this afternoon. We took a private ambulance to the hospice and it cost $40 for the trip and $20 for the oxygen. It is a brand new environment for him. He wanted to change to Ren Ci or Ang Mo Kio community hospital but it is not possible at this stage. Communication with the staff was the reason he gave. The doctor predicted that he will have a couple of weeks or months. They will tried to let my father feel less pain with the proper medicine administer to him.

SGH Day 5

The doctor has once again inform us that my father need to be sent to the hospice. I have inform him that I have selected Dover Park and the doctor will proceed with the application. It is a difficult decision but is needed as there are professional care available for my father.
My father is no longer on the MORPHINE drug after completing the dosage. He is looking well and vibrant today. I even get tick off by him by not adjusting the bed to his requirement. Ironically, he ask the nurse to do the same thing and he said thank you to her. Neverthless, his voice is louder and has no pain.
The Dover Park has accepted my father admission. He will be transfer tomorrow at 230 PM. The hospital has arrange for a private ambulance and cost $40 for the trip. This is half the cost when my father took it to the hospital for admission.

SGH Day 4

Firstly, I would like to express my THANKS to all relatives and friends that have visited my father during his stay at the hospital. It has been a difficult time for our family at this time but we are still coping with it.
My father condition has been quite stable after removing of the fluids near his heart. He is still able to talk but softly or it will cause him to be breathless. Currently, the doctor has prescribe MORPHINE to him already as he complaint of sereve pains. The dosage is 0.5ml per hour and he is given 10ml which will last about 20 hours. There were no pain after the drug was administer for the rest of the day. His stomach is still very bloated and hard.
The doctor has also advise us to let my father stay at a Hospice so as to better manage his condition. He has recommended four Hospice locations for us to consider. It cost around $160 to $210 per day stay excluding subsidies. We will have to go through a MEAN TEST before we know how much subsidies we can qualify for?

SGH Day 3

The procedure to remove water near to his hear has been a success. A total of 600ml of water was drain out and he is feeling better as the pressure on the heart has been relieved. He was transfer out of the CCU(high dependency) to the normal ward for recuperation.
May relatives visited him during the evening and that made him really happy after a stressful day. Thanks for all the concern that you have shown for my father and our family. My father was able to take some fruits and water during the meal time. It was a great improvement as he was not able to take any drinks and solid food previously.

SGH DAY 2

The doctor has informed us that my father condition is complicated and critical. The water are present both at the lung and the heart area. A decision will need to be make later on whether to remove the water as there are some risk involved. A Cardiologist will be checking his condition in the afternoon before we are ask to make a decision.
If his condition can be stabilise, he will need to be move to a step down facility like a hospice or community hospital.
My dad underwent a simple procedure to remove water near the heart in the evening time. It took 1 hour and it was a success. He will be staying at CCU(high dependency) for at least one night before going back to the normal ward.
My advise to all my friends who are smoker to quit now before anything happen to you. My dad was a smoker for more than 30 years and only quit after diagnosis of lung cancer.