LS is a 64-year-old Indonesia lady from Surabaya. For the past 5 years she had been having problems with her stomach. The doctors said it was gastritis. She was prescribed medications. The problem persisted. In July 2016, she came to Penang for further consultation.

• A blood test showed her GGT and AST were at 81 and 37 (high) respectively. And her CEA 125 was at 46.0 (high).
• A CT scan showed features compatible with gallbladder carcinoma.
• The cancer had already spread to her liver, portal and para-aortic and mesentric nodes.
• There are multiple masses in her liver. The largest being 67 x 75 x 60 mm in size.

LS went to another hospital in Penang. Another CT scan was done. The results were the same. Her gallbladder was distended with a lobulated enhancing soft tissue lesion measuring 77 x 34 x 57 mm.

The doctors suggested a biopsy to be followed by chemotherapy. She refused.

LS then went to Singapore for further opinion. The doctor gave LS the same advice!

Chris: You were asked to do chemo and you refused. Why?

Patient: My son had lung cancer. He was only 39 years old. He underwent 5 or 6 cycles of chemo. And he died.

C: Is this the reason why you don’t want to go for chemotherapy?

P: Yes.

C: Did you ever ask the doctor, if chemo can cure you cancer?

Daughter: No, he cannot guarantee.

C: Then, why did he ask you to do chemo?

D: Just to prolong life.

C: But you know — chemo prolongs life or shortens life? In the case of your son, chemo killed him. The doctor did not tell you that even if you undergo chemotherapy, the treatment would not cure you? I am sorry but I have to be honest with you. I don’t want to mislead you. There is no cure for your cancer. Even if you take my herbs, these will not cure you. But if you take these herbs for a few weeks and they help you, then continue taking them. But if they do not make you feel better, then you can stop taking my herbs. I cannot cure you.

Cannot cure does not mean you die soon. I don’t mean that. There is this lady from Surabaya. She had a tumour in her chest. The doctor said without chemo she would die within 6 months. If she goes for chemo, she would live for another 2 years. No cure. She refused chemotherapy and came to seek our help. It is more than 4 years now and she is still okay. The irony is her sister is a medical doctor and was angry at her for coming to see us. Lately, she brought her sister to our centre! Her sister brought along another medical doctor who needed our help!

But you need to also accept that eventually we all have to die. I too have to die, you have to die and she (daughter) has to die. So Ibu, take life as it comes and don’t worry too much. That is how we all should look at life.