Category: Personal Health

Over the years dealing with cancer patients, I come to realize that to know the truth you need to see and search for truth yourself. Don’t expect everything to be served on a silver platter for you. Don’t have the misconception that the final decision you made (based on what you “like or don’t like”) would be the best and right decision you have made.

In my case, I have made my final decision, based on my own personal beliefs and practical experiences. I know that there is no such thing as a right or wrong decision. With due respect, I follow what my heart says not what others around me say or want me to do.

When I had the fall, my 2 children wanted me to be treated in Singapore. I did not want to argue with them. My two loving children wanted to take care of me – so that is the only reason why I came to Singapore!

At first, we were very concerned about my newly discovered diabetes. According to MedicalNewsToday (https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/317074#is-it-curable)

• No cure for diabetes currently exists, but the disease can go into remission.

When diabetes goes into remission, it means that the body does not show any signs of diabetes, although the disease is technically still present.

•  A person with type-2 diabetes can make relatively simple lifestyle and dietary adjustments to bring their blood sugar levels back into the natural range.
•  Dietary intake and obesity both play a critical role in developing type-2 diabetes. As such, people can reverse the symptoms of type-2 diabetes by adhering to specific lifestyle changes – improving their diet and exercise regimen.

(Note: Can this is an empty dietary advice? For the past 25 over years, I have been on a “healthy diet” like above. We don’t take sugar! There is NO sugar in my house! I spent at least an hour a day exercising. Thirty percent of my daily diet consists of fruits and vegetables.

My Final Words – Medical Costs

A total of 7.5 days in 3 hospitals cost my family RM 51,963. In addition, a similar amount for the follow-up surgery. So, it needs RM100,000 plus, just to repair the damage caused by a simple fall in the early morning of June.

You may wish to ask if this cost is cheap or expensive? Is it worth? I would NOT try to answer this question!

As I was writing this article, a friend forwarded me an article written by Fina Leong, a daughter of a Singaporean lady who had cancer. Read carefully what she wrote:

• At the end of the day…there are a ton of what ifs and grey areas. What is right? What is wrong?”
• 10 doctors,
• 58 days in the ICU,
• SGD1,018,469.29 medical bill,
• SGD350,000 in medication,
• Over a thousand doses of drugs.
• I felt so helpless when mum’s kidneys failed.
• Looking back, it is all a lack of the right knowledge that cost my mum’s life.
• The painful unknown is … whether we did the right thing … to send mum (for suchtreatments).

Read more: HEALTHCARE OR NIGHTMARE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smdPx8UuFbg&t=72s         https://theindependent.sg/healthcare-or-nightmare-one-singaporeans-s1-million-medical-bill/

As for my case, the doctors prescribed me many drugs, 5 of them have toxic side effects.

• My concern is how are these supposed to help me?
• What happen if I turn out to be an unfortunate victim of those side effects?
• Are we here for real or in the business of selling drugs?

Now the truth is: I am off these medications, and my situation has improved after the surgery. How long can I last? No one knows! But this I know. I don’t want to be another Fina Leong.

My sincere apology: I have written 7 articles on my hospital experiences. Most of you may conclude that I am a very fussy and difficult patient. I do not want to dispute that, but  I wrote all these to share my own experiences with you all.

I am not trying to be difficult – I went into the hospital to get help, and I must be out of my mind trying to pick a “fight” with the very people who were trying to help me to get well. My problem is I have read far too many books written by medical experts themselves, and I am made aware of the many dangers which many people do not know about.

For example, read what Dr. Richard Smith, former Editor-in-Chief of the prestigious British Medical Journal wrote. I have great respect for this man.

• Science can be corrupted in order to advance particular argument and how money, profits, jobs and reputation are the most potent corrupters. 
• Many people are killed by the industry … indeed hundreds of thousands are killed every year by prescription drugs.
• The benefits of drugs are exaggerated … the drug industry has systematically corrupted science to play up the benefits and play down the harms of their drugs.

• The industry has bought doctors, academics, journals, professional and patient organisations, university departments, journalists, regulators and politicians. These are the methods of the mob (or mafia).

 Here are more quotations for you to reflect on.

• Hospitals can be dangerous places – protect yourself at all times ~ Edward Creagan, Mayo Clinic cancer specialist (in: How NOT to be my patient).
• (Our) perception of a hospital is that it’s a safe place … we are surrendering ourselves to the loving care of substitute mommies in an all-protective environment where we will be treated for a disease and make well again. The reality is that hospital-related errors in treatment kill an estimated 180,000 Americans each year and injure hundreds of thousands more ~ Sheldon Blau, professor of medicine, SUNY Stony Brook (in: How to get out of the hospital alive). 
• Robert Medelsohn said:

When I first read the opening pages of this book, I was taken aback. I wondered if I was reading the correct book. The author, Dr. Robert Mendelsohn was a senior medical doctor – known to millions of Americans. He was an associate professor at the University of Illinois Medical School and the director of Chicago’s Michael Reese Hospital. He was also chairman of the Medical Licensure Committee of the state of Illinois. Read what he wrote.

• I believe that …the greatest danger to your health is the doctor who practices modern medicine…
  • I believe that more than ninety percent of Modern Medicine could disappear from the face of the earth – doctors, hospitals, drugs and equipment – and the effect on our health would be … beneficial.
  • I believe that modern medicine’s treatments for diseases are seldom effective and that they’re often more dangerous than the diseases they’re designed to treat.

Be aware of the following:

1) Beware that you may be used for purposes other than your own. You may be subjected or asked to undergo certain procedures for the doctor’s own good.

2) Beware of the doctor’s self-interest.

3) If you are given drugs to take, ask questions and study the side effects of the drugs. Take note that there are numerous documented side effects related to the drugs. Dr. Mendelsohn asked: what kind of person will take that drug after reading the information? 

Unfortunately, many of us feel helpless. We are frightened to death. In haste, we just don’t think long or far enough. We swallow anything that is given to us. We do not have the slightest inkling of what these chemicals are going to do to us.

4) Dr. Mendelsohn gave this amazing advice, If you are sick … your first defense is to have more information about your problem … You’ve got to learn about your disease and that’s not very hard. You can get the same books the doctor studied from. Read them. It is most likely that after reading you will be more informed than the doctor himself.

5) Dr. Mendelsohn said, Ask the doctor questions. In some cases, he’ll answer the questions. That’s the rare exception. It seems that doctors are extremely busy people and if you ask too many questions, he may just throw you out of his office.

Patients told me these were what they got if they asked too much: Why do you want to know so much? I am doctor or you are the doctor? 

Dr. Mendelsohn said, Ask questions anyway. From his attitude and his response, you can judge him as a human being and get an idea of his expertise.

6) This advice is indeed hard to swallow. Dr. Mendelsohn said – Doctors in general should be treated with about the same degree of trust as used car salesman. Whatever your doctor says or recommends, you have to first consider how it will benefit him. 

Make no mistake these words came from an experienced and senior doctor – chairman of the Medical Licensure Committee of the state of Illinois. The privilege was his to say. In his book he even said that if you don’t like the drug prescribed but you still need to be goody-goody with your doctor, then dump the drugs in the waste chute on the way home!

Some of you may want to accuse me of having evil motive by trying to “bad mouth” the doctors and the medical profession. No, I am sharing what I know with those who want to know! If you don’t want to know – it is ok.

As I am writing this, 13 August 2024, K. Parkaran posted a report in FMT – Private hospital called out over questionable consent, billing. https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2024/08/13/private-hospital-called-out-over-questionable-consent-billing/#:~:text=been%20diagnosed%20 with%20a%20medical%20condition%20that%20could

Right on the dot! You don’t want to go to such surgeon no matter how good or famous he is.

On the other hand, I was indeed blessed to be able to meet a very compassionate and caring surgeon to operate on me. He was humble and honest and was prepared to answer all my questions. He did not “push” me to go for surgery. He left it entirely to me to decide. Thank you again doctor!

My Overall Health Based on Blood Test Results

After being discharged from hospital C, I did a more detailed blood tests in a private clinic. This is to give me an idea of what other problems I could have. Below are the results:

16 June 2024

Cardiac Profile:          Creatine Kinase   35   U/L  (46-171)

• Creatine kinase (CK) is an enzyme that’s found in the skeletal muscle, heart muscle and brain. When any of these tissues are damaged, they leak creatine kinase into the bloodstream. Elevated CK levels may indicate muscle injury or disease (from Cleveland Clinic).

Liver Profile:     Alkaline phosphatase, Total bilirubin, SGPT(ALT), SGOT(AST), GGT – all of these are within normal limits. My liver is healthy.

Renal Profile:

• Creatinine is a reliable indicator of kidney function. Elevated creatinine level signifies impaired kidney function or kidney disease.
• Normal sodium levels are usually between 136 and 145 mmol/L Blood sodium levels below 136 mmol/L means hyponatremia, i.e. low blood sodium. Blood sodium levels greater than 145 mmol/L means hypernatremia – highblood sodium levels.

Hypernatremia typically causes thirst. Severe hypernatremia can lead to confusion, muscle twitching, seizures, coma, and death.

Symptoms of hyponatremia include: weakness, fatigue, confusion, seizures. Without treatment, extremely low levels of sodium may lead to a coma and become life threatening.

• eGFR (glomerular filtration rate) measures the level of kidney function and determines how well the kidneys are working. In adults, the normal eGFR number is more than 90.

Lipid Profile 13 July:         Cholesterol     323  mg/dL     (up to 200)

                                              Triglycerides   282 mg/dL      (up to 200)

                                              HDL cholesterol  48 mg/dL    (39 – 58)

                                              LDL cholesterol   219 mg/L    <130

• LDL (“bad”) cholesterol can contribute to the formation of plaque buildup in the arteries (atherosclerosis). This is linked to higher risk for heart attack and stroke.
• High cholesterol has no symptoms. A blood test is the only way to detect if you have it.
• Because of my high cholesterol level, I was started on a low dose cholesterol drug, Rosuvastatin starting 17 July 2024.

Rosuvastatin works by blocking an enzyme that is needed by the body to make cholesterol, thus reduces the amount of cholesterol in the blood.

What are the most common side effects of rosuvastatin? The most common side effects are: headache, nausea, muscle aches and pain, weakness, constipation, stomach pain

Other more serious side effects of rosuvastatin are: low energy levels or feeling easily tired, especially with activity, dark coloured urine, fever, liver damage or hepatotoxicity, severe allergic reactions. 

Am I really a sick man?

For decades, since I started CA Care, I have been asking patients to take care of their health mainly by taking care of their diet. Eat healthy food. Diet is very important for your healing and for you to stay healthy all your life! That was what I taught my cancer patients and that was what I personally believe and practise at home. Indeed, I was well and healthy (looking from the outside). Everyone who met me had expressed the same opinion – you look healthy and strong! But in early June 2024, this turned to be a myth

Based on medical reports:

1. I am a diabetic. My Hemoglobin A1c was at 13.6%, which was a very high value indeed. An ideal HbA1c level is not more than 6.5%. My glucose was at 20.5 mmol/L. The healthy range is 3.9 – 5.8 mmol/L.
2. My cholesterol was 323 mg/dL The maximum level for a healthy person is 200 mg/dL.
3. My blood sodium was 133 mmol/L which was critically low. Normal range is 138-146 mmol/L. I have a condition called hyponatremia.
4. Blood tests on 17 July 2024 confirmed that my PSA was at 7.35 ng/ml. Healthy person should have a value not more than 4.0.

If you were to ask me (before my fall in June 2024) if was going to end up a diabetic or a person with high cholesterol, my reply was probably — You must me joking! I am a healthy man!

For the past 25 years I have been on healthy diet.  I rarely eat meat. I rarely eat the famous Penang hawkers’ food. I prefer home-cooked food. There is NOT a grain of sugar in my house because we never buy such stuff.

We minimize our intake of oil in our cooking. We also reduce / avoid fats and meat in our daily food intake. Our diet consists mainly of rice, fish, vegetables, soup, etc. About 30% of my diet consists of a variety of fruits – papaya, apples, grapes, bananas, etc. I don’t drink any alcohol. I don’t smoke either.

Almost every day my wife and I spent about an hour walking in the park, besides doing tai chi.

That leads me to wonder, where does the cholesterol come from?

The website of Johns Hopkins posted the following:

• The cholesterol in your blood comes from two sources:
• The food that you eat.
• Your liver makes all the cholesterol your body needs.

According to Mayo Clinic website the factors that can increase the risk of unhealthy cholesterol levels are:

• Poor diet. Eating too much saturated fat or trans fats can result in unhealthy cholesterol levels. Saturated fats are found in fatty cuts of meat and full-fat dairy products. Trans fats are often found in packaged snacks or desserts.
• Obesity. Having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater puts you at risk of high cholesterol.
• Lack of exercise. Exercise helps boost your body’s HDL, the “good,” cholesterol.
• Smoking. Cigarette smoking may lower your level of HDL, the “good,” cholesterol.
• Alcohol. Drinking too much alcohol can increase your total cholesterol level.

You may want to ask, where do I go wrong here? I learned from this June episode that what I did all these years was right, there is nothing wrong.

According to Singapore Heart Foundation (https://www.myheart.org.sg/health/risk-factors/familial-hypercholesterolemia/)

• Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a genetic condition in which high LDL cholesterol levels are passed down in families, increasing the risk of premature heartdisease (i.e. chest pain, heart attacks, strokes) by up to 20 times over people without the condition.

So my condition is a genetic problem, inherited from either farther or mother. My brothers and sister also had this condition. My two sons also have familial hypercholesterolemia.

What do I do now?

According to Health Department of Victoria State, Australia https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/genetic-factors-and-cholesterol

• There is no cure for familial hypercholesterolaemia.
• Treatment aims to reduce the person’s risk of coronary artery disease and heart attack, and may include (a protocol which I have practising for years):
• Dietary changes – recommended dietary changes include reduced intake of saturated fats and cholesterol-rich foods, and increased intake of fibre.
• Plant sterols and stanols – corn, rice, vegetable oils and nuts – can substantially reduce blood cholesterol. These substances are structurally similar to cholesterol, but aren’t absorbed by the cells.
• Exercise – regular exercise has been shown to reduce blood cholesterol levels.
• Weight loss – obesity is a risk factor.
• Avoid smoking. 

Do I have prostate cancer?

The website of the National Cancer Institute (

https://www.cancer.gov/types/prostate/psa-fact-sheet#:~:text=There%20is%20no%20specific%20normal,have%20prostate%20cancer%20(1)) had this message:

• There is no specific normal or abnormal level of PSA in the blood.
• In the past, PSA levels of 4.0 ng/mL and lower were considered normal. However, some individuals with PSA levels below 4.0 ng/mL have prostate cancer and many with higher PSA levels between 4 and 10 ng/mL do not have prostate cancer. 

Mayo Clinic issued this statement:

• Misleading results. The (PSA) test doesn’t always provide an accurate result. An elevated PSA level doesn’t necessarily mean you have cancer. And it’s possible to have prostate cancer when you have a normal PSA level.
• Overdiagnosis. Some prostate cancers detected by PSA tests will never cause symptoms or lead to death. These symptom-free cancers are considered overdiagnoses — identification of cancer not likely to cause poor health or to present a risk of death.

Despite the negative data against me, I don’t panic but at the same time I would not ignore my elevated PSA test result. When I am home in Penang I shall start taking my herbal tea for Prostate. I shall keep you posted in the months to come. Let the truth be told!

There are 2 more issues to be addressed.

• My blood sodium was 133 mmol/L which was critically low. Normal range is 138 – 146 mmol/L. I have a condition called hyponatremia.

After undergoing intravenous (IV) sodium solution and taking sodium chloride pills I believe the problem is almost resolved. It is almost back to normal.

• My glucose was at 20.5 mmol/L – frightening high!

After receiving treatment in the hospital C and at home (without medical drugs) I am inclined to believe that I don’t have this problem anymore. I have written what I did in Part 3 of this story.

Let me give you an example of how my glucose levels fluctuate each day. This case was recorded on 10 June Wednesday to 11 June Thursday. The average glucose of the day was 7.3 mmol/L. The previous day was 6.2 indicating that I was normal.

However,  I need to remind myself that even though “blood wise” I have almost overcome my problems, I need to be careful and need to monitor my situation every day. Things may turn worse instead of better.

In general, food that cause blood sugar level to rise are those that are high in carbohydrates, such as rice, bread, fruits and sugar – which are quickly converted into energy,  Next are foods high in protein, such as meats, fish eggs, milk and dairy products, and oily foods.
(https://www.otsuka.co.jp/en/health-and-illness/glycemic-index/glucose-level/#:~:text=In%20general%2C%20foods%20that%20cause,dairy%20products%2C%20and%20oily%20foods.0).

• Glucose levels vary throughout the day. They tend to be lower before eating (A, C) and after exercise and are higher (B,D) an hour or so after meals.
• A blood sugar level less than 7.8 mmol/L is normal.
• A reading of more than 11.1 mmol/L after two hours means you have diabetes.
• A reading between 7.8 mmol/L and 11.0 mmol/L means you have prediabetes.

Part 1: Imaging procedures & Blood Tests

In my earlier 3 articles, I have written on what happened in the 3 hospitals that I went to for my problems following a fall. In those articles, I have promised not to offer my opinions. Let the “treatment” process takes its natural course.

In this article, I change my approach. I am writing about what it was like to be a patient in the hospitals. I must emphasize that what I wrote here are just my own opinions and you need not have to agree with me. By writing this, I am not trying to criticise the medical profession. I salute you – doctors and nurses – for your dedication in helping the sick based on what you know or are trained to do.

1. Imaging procedures

4 June 2024: On admission to Hospital A in Penang, I did an X-ray and learned that my bones were all intact – no fractures and my shoulder joints were normal.

A CT scan of my brain showed no acute intracranial bleeding and no skull fracture. The swelling of my head was outside the skull. According to the doctor this episode does not pose any immediate danger or the need for surgery. However, there is bilateral chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH).

6 June 2024: CT was done in Hospital B (Singapore) and demonstrated evidence of bilateral subdural hygromas. A subdural hygroma (SDG) is a collection of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), without blood, located under the dural membrane of the brain. They are commonly seen in elderly people after minor trauma (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subdural_hygroma).

MRI Stroke Screen was done on the same day. The result confirmed that the fall was due to a mild stroke.  There is a small acute infarct at the right lentiform nucleus. Multiple foci of susceptibility are seen in both cerebral hemispheres, worse at the frontal regions, likely representing hemosiderin deposition.

11 June and 12 June 2024: I was admitted into Hospital C in Johor. I did an X-ray to my lumbar to confirm once again that the bones in my lower back were okay.

I did a CT scan of the brain. And this was repeated the next day as a way of monitoring my progress. My situation had stabilized and there was no more bleeding (this was after my second fall).

• Blood tests

4 June 2024: I did two blood tests in Hospital A (Penang) that gave me an indication of what had gone wrong with me:

1. My HbA1c (Hemoglobin A1c) was at 13.6%, which was a very high value indeed. If you have diabetes, an ideal HbA1c level is 6.5% or below. If you’re at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, the target HbA1c level should be below 6%.

• i-Stat Chem8. This is a single-use cartridge and requires 2 to 3 drops of blood. The cartridge measures sodium, potassium, chloride, total carbon dioxide, anion gap, ionised calcium, glucose, urea nitrogen, creatinine, lactate, haematocrit and haemoglobin.

The results of my blood were:

• Na = 133 mmol/L – range138-146 mmol/L
• K = 3.9 mmol/L – range 3.5 – 4.9 mmol/L
• Glucose = 20.5 mmol/L – range 3.9 – 5.8 mmol/L
• Urea = 4.6 mmol/L – range 8.0 – 26.0 mmol/L
• Creatinine = 51 umol/L – range 53 – 115 umol/L

A note from the American Stroke Association of US said:

• Over time, excessive blood glucose can result in increased fatty deposits or clots in blood vessels. These clots can narrow or block blood vessels in the brain or neck, cutting off the blood supply, stopping oxygen from getting to the brain and causing a stroke.

Here are some facts about the effects of low sodium in the blood:

• Normal sodium levels are usually between 136 and 145 (mmol/L). Blood sodium levels below 136 mmol/L means I have low blood sodium (hyponatremia). Blood sodium levels greater than 145 mmol/L may mean you have blood sodium levels that are too high (hypernatremia).
• Symptoms of hyponatremia can include nausea and vomiting, loss of energy and confusion. Serious hyponatremia can cause seizures, coma and even death. 

6 June 2024

Blood test results done in Hospital B in Singapore returned the following results:

• Troponin T  14.6 High Sensitive.  Result is critical.
• Sodium  133  Low                           (135 – 150 mmol/L)
• Uria, serum  8.1   High                   (2.8 to 7.7 mmol/L)
• Glucose, fasting   13.4   High        (3.6 to 6.0 mmol/L)
• C-Reactive Protein    14.38 H        (<=9.99 mg/L)

Take note of the following:

Heart attack – Troponin T blood test

• In general, a troponin level of 0.40 ng/ml or more can indicate a heart attack. Wow. I had mild stroke and this test showed I had a heart attack.
• According to Apollo Diagnostics, the normal value of troponin T in the blood is generally less than 0.04 ng/ml. A value above 0.40 ng/ml may indicate elevated risks of an individual having a heart attack.

Relax! MedlinePlus (https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/troponin-test/) cautioned us that: 

• Higher than normal troponin levels don’t always mean you’ve had a heart attack. They can be caused by unstable conditions that can damage the heart, including:
• Irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia), especially a heartbeat that’s too fast
• Heart failure
• Heart valve disease
• Infection or inflammation of the heart muscle (myocarditis)
• Intense exercise over a long time,
• Chest injuries
• Chronic kidney disease
• A blood clot in your lungs (pulmonary embolism)
• Sepsis
• A severe COVID-19 infection

Low in Blood Sodium – Hyponatremia

• Hyponatremia can range from an asymptomatic condition to a life-threatening condition. There are many causes for low sodium level – including consumption of too many fluids, kidney failure, heart failure, cirrhosis, and use of diuretics.
• Chronic hyponatremia can lead to neurological complications that affect a person’s gait or walk as well as their ability to pay attention …. these effects lead to a reduced reaction time and an increased susceptibility to falls and injuries.
• According to Mayo Clinic, the most common reason for hyponatremia is having too much fluid (water) in the body. This dilution (watering down) effect on the blood makes the amount of sodium seem low. Another common cause is when the body loses too much sodium in the urine and/or sweat.