How am I doing 6 months after cancer treatment?

It's almost 6 months since I completed my radiation treatment on 30 Oct 2006. In the language of cancer patients, I am a "six-month-old cancer survivor". Compared to 6 months ago, my condition has definitely improved many times except for my weight which has gone down from 47.5kg (22 Jan) to 42.8kg (18 Apr), a drop of 4.7kg or about 10 pounds. My weight remains my biggest challenge & concern.

My saliva is back about 50%, although not sufficient to enable me to eat solid food. But that is a great improvement compared to 6 months ago when I could only take liquid food, Novasource. I am thankful to God for the little improvements each day although it is human to wish that things could move a bit faster! The day I could begin to take chicken rice or beef rendang would indeed be a day for celebration.

Follow-up consultation is a must after cancer treatment. I see the oncologist once every 2 months, ENT specialist once every 3 months & TCM physician once every 2-3 weeks. Cancer treatment may take only 2 months but recovery may take many months.

Last Wed (18 Apr) was my ENT appointment. Lately, I had been experiencing occasional echoing in my left ear. According to Dr Tham, there is some water in the ear & this could have caused the echo. Since this echoing problem does not happen all the time, I will just leave it alone for the time being & learn to live with it, just like I've learned to live with the ringing sound (tinnitus) in my left ear since Jun 2006.

There are permanent side effects of radiation that NPC survivors have to learn to live with. From the talks that I've attended, I learn that late side effects might occur months or even years after radiation. They are :

* oral complications
* ear & eye complications
* swallowing problems
* pituitary problems
* neck stiffness & ache
* numbness of hands, neck, face
* loss of sense of smell
* radiation-induced cancers

Knowing this will not instil fear in me for I know that God is my Creator who "created my inmost being & knit me together in my mother's womb" (Psalm 139:13). My Creator God is the One who knows & understands my body more than even the best doctor. Shouid my body fail to function normally or should there be any defective parts, I trust my Heavenly Father will know what to do. Father knows best. "My flesh & my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever" (Psalm 73:26).

I was reading 2 Corinthians 1:3-11 during my Quiet time this morning & Apostle Paul's testimony about the hardships he suffered encouraged me :

"We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts, we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raised the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and He will deliver us. On Him we have set our hope that He will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers."

Yes, the problems I am facing are far beyond my ability to endure so that I despair even of life. Indeed, in my heart, I sometimes feel as if I were sentenced to death. But this happened that I might not rely on myself but on God. God has delivered me from the deadly disease of cancer, and He will deliver me. On Him I have set my hope that He will continue to deliver me, as you, my brothers & sisters in Christ help me by your prayers.

thanks for journeying with me,
tsk tsk