Tahe (M319), a 75-year-old male from Bogor, Indonesia started smoking since the age of eighteen. In 2000 he underwent a heart by-pass surgery. In 2005 he had flu-like symptoms and had difficulty in breathing. These problems persisted for about three months. He then went to a hospital in Jakartaand was diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB). He was put on TB drugs. However, after taking medication for a week he had more coughs. Not satisfied, he went to a private hospital in Singapore.

Tahe, his wife, daughter and son-in-law came to see us on 29 February 2008 and related the story of what happened in Singapore.

1. The doctor thought he had lung infections. Tahe was put on antibiotics. After two weeks the coughs still persisted.
2. A CT scan was done and there was a big tumour in his lung. According to the doctor it was an aggressive tumour.
3. Tahe underwent chemotherapy, each cycle every three-weekly interval. He received a total of six cycles. The tumour totally disappeared.
4. Four months later another tumour was found growing on the other side of the lung. Tahe again underwent six cycles of chemotherapy. The tumour disappeared again.
5. Four months later, a tumour recurred. This time it was at the site of the first tumour.
6. The doctor wanted Tahe to have more chemotherapy, but at that time Tahe suffered bleeding at the anus. Chemotherapy was not indicated.
7. Since the tumour in the lung grew bigger, Tahe underwent twenty-eight times radiation treatments.
8. In spite of all that were done, Tahe’s problem still persisted.
9. The result of the CT scan of the thorax and liver done on 21 February 2008 indicated:
   • There is a small new left-sided pleural effusion.
   • There is extensive volume loss demonstrated within the left hemithorax. This is secondary to left upper lobe collapse.
   • There is mildly heterogenous pattern of enhancement to the collapse lung at the perihilar region.
   • There is a possible recurrence of a left hilar pulmonary mass causing bronchial obstruction.
   • There is a 8 mm pulmonary nodule in the right upper lobe.
   • There is an enhancing mass adjacent to the falciform ligament.
   • There is a 12 mm hepatic density within segment 6 of the liver.
   • There are several subcentimetre hypodensities scattered throughout the liver which are too small to characterize.
   • There is a left adrenal mass measuring 3.7 cm.
   • There is a right adrenal mass measuring 2.7 cm.
   • There is no destructive bony lesion identified.

It is obvious that the treatments thus far had failed to cure Tahe. The doctor suggested more chemotherapy. But Tahe declined further medical treatment. He and his family came to seek our help instead. Tahe was prescribed Capsule A & B, Liver Tea, Lung 1 & 2 Teas, LL-tea and Kidney Tea.

Below are excerpts of our conversation of the night of 29 February 2008.

Chris: Okay Bapak – do you want to undergo more chemotherapy?

Tahe: No. I don’t want any more. My body is already weak. I am already old and have no more strength.

Wife: All his bones ached.

Chris: You must have spent thousands for your chemo?

Wife: Yes, so much.

Son-in-law: He spent a lot of money!

Chris: I have written this before – People who have money and who think they are educated, often die sooner. From my experience, in the case of lung cancer the tumour may shrink or even disappear after the treatment. But this does not mean that the cancer is gone or cured.

Tahe: Ya, correct.

Chris: Now Bapak, you seem to agree with what I have said. But if I were to tell you this before you had your chemotherapy, you would not believe me.

Tahe: I did not know this.

Chris: Yes, even though you know this after I have told you this, you would not have believed me!

Tahe: No, I believe you.

Chris: No. Those who have not experienced what you have experienced or who had not taken the same road that you took, will never believe me when I say that:  after the chemo the tumour would come back.

Wife: The doctor told us before that his medication can only help 80%. No, the cancer would not go away totally.

Chris: Yes, this is what I have seen happen very often. After the surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy, the tumour may go way but after four or six months the tumour comes back again. And when it comes back, the cancer is going to be more aggressive. This is because the body is already weak. How can a weak body fight the cancer?

Wife: Now this is the time for God. Earlier on we were experimenting. The radiologist did tell us that doctors can only help 80%, the remaining 20% is due to God.

Comments: At CA Care we tell patients:  it is our hands but God who heals. We claim no credit. But in this world man believes that he is smatter than God! The fact of the matter is scientific medicine has failed Tahe. Let us be humble enough to accept that. The doctor suggested that Tahe go for more chemotherapy. What do you think could be the outcome – success or death?