Better
While waiting for Monday's appointment, I discovered that, once again, my dad had acted as "doctor": few days ago, he decided to discontinue taking Gabapentine without consulting with any oncologist. Reason? Wanted to reduce medicine. The funny thing was that he had forgotten what it was for. Yet, he confidently stopped taking it.
I chided him (once again) for being naughty and told him that it was for his pain, so that he could sleep better at night. Guess what? Slept much better on the very night he resumed taking it.
Also, since letting out gas gave him much relief from his tummy pain, I suggested domperidone to him: a medicine that Penang GH's oncologist prescribed to him before. Fortunately, that helped a lot.
He remarked that his tummy ached after dinner but it wasn't the case after one particular dinner. The difference? Absence of rice was the obvious answer. So he would be trying to cut down on rice and increase intake of protein (on oncologist's advice) or substitute rice with other grain or carbo.
Summary of Monday's appointment with Dr D:
(1) PET/CT scan showed not much changes compared to the one taken at SJMC. In fact, some cancer spots have shrunk or disappeared. However, this means that the cancer on his left leg would need to be treated eventually (previously was treated with radiotherapy).
(2) It was not definitive that the 2 lumps are cancerous. They aren't highlighted in the scan. Probably need biopsy.
(3) Since currently my dad's pain is manageable (in fact, the leg pain is less now), Dr D believed that he can wait until his appointment with GH's oncologist, scheduled in less than a month time. She believed that GH would order a biopsy and then decide the next course of action.
(4) Dr D's recommendation: radiotherapy for the leg and minor surgery to remove the two lumps (they are superficial i.e. not deep inside affecting muscles). No point undergoing chemotherapy just to treat these two. Incidentally, my dad prefer not to undergo chemo again.
(5) If dad's pain worsens, he's advised to go to GH's emergency, give explanation and ask to consult an oncologist with the PET/CT scan results. It will be much cheaper to undergo radiotherapy and minor surgery at GH. Of course my dad can also go back to Dr D, something that we will let him decide as he will be the one suffering in pain.
(6) Dr D asked dad not to be "naughty" again i.e. unilaterally discontinuing medicine. Hahaha.
Oh, by the way, the cashier refunded me in cash the amount they overcharged me the last time :)
I chided him (once again) for being naughty and told him that it was for his pain, so that he could sleep better at night. Guess what? Slept much better on the very night he resumed taking it.
Also, since letting out gas gave him much relief from his tummy pain, I suggested domperidone to him: a medicine that Penang GH's oncologist prescribed to him before. Fortunately, that helped a lot.
He remarked that his tummy ached after dinner but it wasn't the case after one particular dinner. The difference? Absence of rice was the obvious answer. So he would be trying to cut down on rice and increase intake of protein (on oncologist's advice) or substitute rice with other grain or carbo.
Summary of Monday's appointment with Dr D:
(1) PET/CT scan showed not much changes compared to the one taken at SJMC. In fact, some cancer spots have shrunk or disappeared. However, this means that the cancer on his left leg would need to be treated eventually (previously was treated with radiotherapy).
(2) It was not definitive that the 2 lumps are cancerous. They aren't highlighted in the scan. Probably need biopsy.
(3) Since currently my dad's pain is manageable (in fact, the leg pain is less now), Dr D believed that he can wait until his appointment with GH's oncologist, scheduled in less than a month time. She believed that GH would order a biopsy and then decide the next course of action.
(4) Dr D's recommendation: radiotherapy for the leg and minor surgery to remove the two lumps (they are superficial i.e. not deep inside affecting muscles). No point undergoing chemotherapy just to treat these two. Incidentally, my dad prefer not to undergo chemo again.
(5) If dad's pain worsens, he's advised to go to GH's emergency, give explanation and ask to consult an oncologist with the PET/CT scan results. It will be much cheaper to undergo radiotherapy and minor surgery at GH. Of course my dad can also go back to Dr D, something that we will let him decide as he will be the one suffering in pain.
(6) Dr D asked dad not to be "naughty" again i.e. unilaterally discontinuing medicine. Hahaha.
Oh, by the way, the cashier refunded me in cash the amount they overcharged me the last time :)
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