Father Cancer Fight

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.

Admitted to Singapore General Hospital

My father feel very breathless after cough early this morning. My wife call me and I rush back home from my work place.
I call for a private ambulance to fetch my dad to the Singapore General Hospital. The civil defence ambulance will not send him to the SGH but to the nearest A & E only. I only learn about this when I call 995 and in the end I need to call 1777.
It took 45 mins for the ambulance to come and the journey took us another 40 mins as it is the morning rush hour. Some drivers were good enough to give up way. It cost $80 for the trip and $20 for oxygen service and payable in cash or cheque on arrival at the hospital. More updates will be made when available.

Discharge from trial

My father has been discharge from the clinical trial medicine. There has been no improvement to his condition and the tumour size is still about the same as previously. The trial medicine dosage has been reducing as my father complain about fatigue and pain.
The doctor has advised that we can either stop the treatment or try the chemotherapy. But he do not think the chemotherapy will help in this case. In other words, he meant to let the patient enjoy life. So the doctor is also powerless against this cancer and it is now up to the patient will power to fight the battle. Abbott ABT 869 trial medicine has finally still not help to win the cancel battle.

Stop medicine for one week

In view of the pain the patient is incurring and the tiredness, the doctor wanted him to stop the trial medicine for a week. The doctor wanted to know whether the trial medicine is causing the pain to the patient.
My father went to the scan this morning as the doctor want to evaluate whether the tumor has reduce in size. The doctor will reduce the dosage to 10mg for the trial medicine next week at the review. This is the final reduction of the dosage.
My father weight has drop to 55kg. He is still getting the cough and this made him unable to have a good night sleep. Generally he is still able to eat but the intake is lesser.