Documenting His 21-Day Chemo Experience

On 25 March 2022, I received this email.

Doctor, I need your help. My 15-year-old son has lymphoma, 4th stage. Diagnosed last year October (2021). I did NOT send him for chemo or radio in hospital. None at all.

Currently he is taking some anti-cancer products. Initially it worked. But in the past two months, my son’s condition had worsened.

• His face was swollen, starting 3 months ago.
• There are a lot of tumors in the mouth.
• The gums are swollen and painful.
• His teeth are loose, and he can’t bite food.
• He can only swallow liquid food for two months. 
• These few days his right eye started to swell.
• His ears can’t hear clearly.

I am from Penang Island. My son is now at home. Please advise me, what should I do to help him.

I told the patient’s mother the best option to take care of the swelling is to go for chemotherapy. She flatly refused.

Our herbs would not be able to cure her son’s lymphoma. However, since she still wanted to try our therapy, I prescribed herbs for two weeks and  we shall monitor the progress. If the herbs do not help her son, then he should stop taking our herbs and go to the oncologist for help.

Patient was on our herbs for about 3 months. His problems did not go away.

16  June 2022

7:20 PM. Mother: He wants to go Hospital. Now at General Hospital

Chris: Okay, let him decide. Doctors will chemo him and the lump may reduce in size.

8:23 PM. M: Hopefully, thank you doctor.

17 June 2020

C: What did the doctor say or do?

1:23 PM. M: In hospital, admitted since yesterday. Doctor still checking, most probably do chemo, high dose.

6:46 PM. M: Doctor said lymphoma stage 4. Spread to brain, sinus and lungs. Other parts of body not sure, need further checking.

C: Already long time went to lung. Brain? Something new. Usually he would have headache and even vomit in the morning if brain cancer.

9:36 PM. M: Got vomit once, every day headache. Doctor said spread to brain behind his right eye. He can’t open his eye.

9:52 PM. C: They are not going to start chemo yet?

9:56 PM. M: This Sunday start. Today start oral medicine for chemo – Prednisolone.

18 June 2022 (Saturday)

C: That medicine is a steroid — trying to reduce the swelling

11:29 AM. M: Last night only doctor inform me my son going for chemo tomorrow. 2nd dose will be a week later. They said better stay in the hospital until 2nd shot. . After that he will have chemo every 3 weekly shot.

C: In the ward got many people stay?

11:30 AM. M: Yes, full of chemo patients, all children. This is the children’s cancer ward.

.19 June 2022 (Sunday)

C: How is the chemo? Can he take it? How long it takes to finish the chemo? You know what drugs combination?

3:16 PM. M: Viscristine 20ML /30 minutes.

 Mesna 100mg

Cyclophosphermide 100ML/ 1 hour

He feeling numbness – left hand and leg. Chest pain.

Got another chemo injection to his back side.

4:32 PM: Now on drip. Sodium chloride for 24 hours.

20 June 2022 (Monday)

11:19 AM. M: Doctor, 1st chemo normally ok. My friend said normally after 2nd chemo has a lot of side effects. What I should do?

Doctor come over to explain the need to draw the bone marrow blood to check whether brain got cancer or not and mention injection of chemo at back to protect the brain.

C: Good if they allow you to stay in the hospital. In case of emergency, they know what to do.

Is  the condition in the hospital okay?

11:55 AM. M: Yes, hospital ok.

21 June 2022 (Tuesday)

C: How is he today? Did you see if the lump gets smaller?

3:12 PM. M: This morning fasting.  Doctor injected chemo to his back bone. Now not feeling well.

C: You know what drug they use?

3:49 PM. M: MTX (Methotrexate).

C: Do you see if the swelling is smaller or not?

3:51 PM: M: Got small a bit.

22 June 2022 (Wednesday)

C: Is he doing okay? Any pain anywhere? The chemo helps him or not?

7:08 PM. M: Waist pain, because inject chemo from his back bone. His swelling face – size smaller.

C: What about the inside of his mouth?

7:19 PM. M: Smaller a bit.

C:  Can see better, can hear clearly?

7:22 PM. M: Cannot see better, cannot hear clearly.

23 June 2022 (Thursday)

C: How is he today?

4:33 PM. M: Another IT injection.

Swelling face reduced a lot.

He wants to vomit.

Eyes sights still not ok.

Doctor said next week will give higher dose of chemo.

Will be suffering.

24 June 2022 (Friday)

2:56 PM. M: Dr mention later do immunotherapy – Rituximab. Medicine to boost his own immune to fight his cancer cell. 

C: What about the lump today — smaller? what about the inside of his mouth?

5:30 PM. M: Small a bit, inside mouth also smaller.

8:43 PM. M: Chemo 5 hours already.

9:11 PM. M: GH doctor said after one month, want to do operation to put chemo pot. Currently cannot operations because my son’s nose blocked, cannot breathe.

C: Chemo ports make it easier for him, but the danger is INFECTION.

9:13 PM. M: Yes, many had infection. Yes, doctor said many died because of infection and fever.

GH said my son need to stay till 4 July 22. Another 10 days.

Today he feel very weak

26 June 2022 (Sunday)

12: PM. M: IT injection to his back. Tomorrow 2 am start fasting. 4 pm 2nd chemo

Yesterday he vomit, stomach pain, can’t eat much

7:39 PM. M: Past 2 days already stomach pain.

The son of my wife’s friend ….kena skin problem. Now doctor also gives MTX

27 June 2022 (Monday)

1:03 PM. M: Fixed PICC line for this afternoon chemo.

C: For first chemo also like that? PICC?

2:35 PM. M: 1st chemo not like this.

Dr said last week they do the check and found the cancer already spread to brain, kidney and lungs (lung got see 2 big lump insid.).

C: Now what drugs are they giving him?

5:10 PM. M: Vincristine -20ml.

Rituximab – 420ml.

Methotrexate –  500ml.

28 June 2022 (Tuesday)

9:43 AM. M: This morning he diarrhea 2 times.

Tired

Swelling smaller — outside and inside. Both sides.

4:15 PM. M: Chemo again Cyclophosphamide – 100ml

Doxorubicin – 50ml.

5:01 PM. M: Doctor said will do IT on Wednesday and Friday. Next week Monday only can go home.

C: Now they give him R-CHOP,  normal chemo for lymphoma. R-CHOP stand for R – rituximab. C – cyclophosphamide. H – doxorubicin (hydroxydaunomycin) O – vincristine (oncovin).

8:00 PM. M: Diarrhea, vomit.

C: Anyway, by Monday next week, he can go home already. We see what happen in the next few days.

8:10 PM. M: Thank you Doctor

29 June 2022 (Wednesday)

1:12 PM. M: This morning fasting, on drips, diarrhea nonstop. Now very weak.

Doctor said will do blood test whether the chemo toxic got too high in his body or not.

His urine acid.

2:57 PM. M: Now he has fever.

Just done IV injection.

IV chemo — Methotrexate + cytarabine + hydrocorp

3:30 PM. Ok. No fever already.

His stomach very pain.

8:28 PM. Doctor said he diarrhea because of methotrexate toxicity.

Now inject medicine to reduce the toxicity.

10:24 PM. No lao sai (diarrhoea) already,The rice + red dates water really work. Doctor gave medicine also helps.

C: What you prepared the rice and red dates — brought to the hospital?

10:56 PM. M: My aunty cook.

C: Very good. I hope he is not suffering too much.

10:57 PM. M: Ok, thank you very much

My son’s body feels a bit heaty.

How to prevent vomit?

C: Aya. Fever is a bit difficult. I have tea forAppetite & Fever …also good…but it is a bit messy. How to drink in the hospital? If at home okay.

.30 June 2022 (Thursday)

4:41 PM. M: Now start chemo Cyclophosphamide – 100ml for 1 hour

Today he feeling ok

Doctor said this Monday will do CT scan to compare with the 1st CT scan. His face tumor size reduce 68.7%.  His lungs tumor size smaller than that day.  Kidney tumor smaller than that day. Blood test results – everything normal. But still need to take bone marrow to check when he ok

C: Very good. We wait and see the CT scan again.

5:25 PM. M:  My son sore throat, tonight chemo postponed.

8:57 PM. After chemo with cyclophosphermide – 100ml for 1 hour, had diarrhea nonstop again.

C: Aya, not good. Drink rice water again!

1July 2022 (Friday)

10:04 AM. M: Whole night lao sai (diarrhoea)  nonstop till now

C: Hope his lao sai improved?

9:20 PM. M: Nope, very serious.

Today whole day nonstop, and sore throat, ulcer

C: Did you give him the rice water?

9:23 PM. M: Gave. Can’t help.

2 July 2022 (Saturday)

3:34 PM. M: Today every hour lao sai, mouth ulcer

C: The doctor cannot help? What did they say?

6:30 PM. M: Wait for his stool results

C: Has the lau sai improved compared to yesterday?

6:30 PM. M: More serious.

C: I hope he gets over this problem.

11:44 PM. M: Hopefully.

3 July 2022 (Sunday)

12:04 AM. M: Doctor gave him morphine to reduce his pain.

He has fever.

Doctor gave antibiotics.

His white blood cells drop to 0.5.

Doctor gave stronger antibiotics.

12.20 Injected strongest antibiotics.

Inject anti-vomiting drug.

Inject medication to increase white blood cells.  

12.45 PM.  Give oxygen.

12:52 PM. Blood pressure drop to 77/42.

1:39 PM. Going to ICU, waiting for bed in ICU.

C: Has he gone to the ICU? His condition getting worse?

3:19 PM. M: Yes.

His heart beat too high.

Blood pressure too low.

White blood cells 0.

Every hour diarrhea .That’s why sending to ICU.

C: Okay, better in ICU. If you have a chance to talk to any friendly nurse, ask what they say about this?

3:24 PM. M: They said don’t worry. In ICU 1 nurse taking care 1 patient.

9:27 PM. Just now doctor injected 3 dose to increase his heart beat. His blood pressure suddenly down after diarrhea.

4 July 2022 (Monday)

11:25 AM. M: Last night doctor called to say it is critical. His heart beat stop. Doctor did CPR for nearly 5 minutes. Now still in ICU.

C: Is he recovering? Is he conscious?

7:28 PM. M: Nope. Unconscious.

Need support

His condition very serious.

5 July 2022 (Tuesday)

C: Is he recovering and is conscious?

1:20 PM. M: No.

Diarrhea stopped.

Now he needs oxygen support.

Needs heart medicine support.

Needs blood support.

C: What did the docter/nurse say? Your son can recover or not?

8:21 PM. M: His heart already weaken. No power or unable to contract and expand fully to pump blood to sustain the blood pressure. Currently use medicine to force the heart to pump at high frequency 167/min,. Will try another medicine these few days. Doctor mentioned the only chance is to try.

6 July 2022 (Wednesday)

Is he improving today? better than yesterday?

1:03 PM. M: His eyes turned yellow. His liver got problems already

Doctor said his pulse stopped few days ago course his liver could not function properly.

C: Are they giving him any treatment?

4:20 PM. M: Not yet.

They use nutrition use drip directly to his blood.

Stomach empty.

Unconscious.

Cannot move his hands or legs.

Cannot open his eyes at all.

C: I am sorry. What about the swelling in his face — has it gone smaller?

4:37 PM. M: Yes, smaller.

7 July 2022 (Thursday)

C: How is he today? Any improvement?

4:20 PM. M: Still need all the support. A little bit improvement.

8 July 2022 (Friday)

2:12 PM. M: His internal organ weaken.

Got bleeding.

They added blood.

9 July 2022 (Saturday)

2:44 PM. M: My son passed away at noon today.                                                                                        

C: I am sorry and sad to know this news.