Kooi (T528) is a sixty-seven-year old female. She and her son came to see me on 11 March 2007. Her well-built, big-sized son appeared subdued, confused and was unusually quiet. He was told by the doctor that his mother “has only three to six months to live.” Adding to this anguish, his mother suffered pains all night long and was unable to sleep well. Her appetite was poor and she was constipated. She suffered all these in spite of paying so much money for her medical treatment.

Kooi’s problem started a few months before her visit to our center. She lost her appetite and her normal strength. One day, she had a fall. This episode prompted her family to bring her to a private hospital for a medical examination. A CT scan revealed features suggestive of infiltrating type of pancreatic cancer, involving the body and tail of the organ. The cancer had also spread to her liver as evidenced by the numerous lesions found in her liver. There was also a solitary lesion in her left lung, again indicating a possible metastasis. Her blood works showed CA 19.9 = 10,161.4; CA 15.3 = 25.9; CEA = 3.5; Alpha-fetoprotein = 2.4 and GGT = 178.0.

Kooi was referred to an oncologist of another private hospital for palliative chemotherapy. According to the doctor, with chemotherapy Kooi would have six months to a year to live, without chemo it would be three to six months.

Kooi received two cycles of chemotherapy, each cycle costing RM 1,000 plus (US$300.00). After the second cycle of chemotherapy, Kooi suffered unpleasant side effects. Her chest felt tight and she had difficulty breathing. She was nauseous and constipated. She was unable to sleep at night due to constant pains. Her fingers were numb and she appeared “worn out”. Her entire body felt uncomfortable. She had difficulty walking and needed to use a “walking frame”.

After seeing us, the family decided that Kooi discontinued with the remaining four cycles of chemotherapy. The family wanted to try our herbs instead. One week on the herbs, Kooi was not constipated anymore. She had more energy but her pains persisted. Two weeks on the herbs, Kooi was able to walk without the aid of her walking frame. The headaches which she had earlier had disappeared. However, her pains and abdominal discomfort persisted.

Kooi’s condition had improved with the herbs but the pains did not go away even after taking our herbal Pain Tea. After a month, I suggested that Kooi seek the help of Hospice for prescription of a painkiller, while taking our herbs. Kooi was prescribed morphine. Her pains vanished but she suffered constipation. She was given laxative by Hospice but this caused severe purging and drained off her strength. She stopped the laxative and switched to our Constipation Tea. With that, Kooi was alright. I met her son soon after. Everyone in the family understand that her cancer is incurable but what matters most is that Kooi is able to lead a pain-free life. As for now, she is living a pain-free life. She is able to walk, eat and sleep. These are all that matters to the family. In fact, she can now take care of herself and doing house-whole chores without help -- preparing her own herbal teas and cook.

Comments

In medical literature, we are told that one of the reasons why terminal cancer patients are asked to undergo chemotherapy is to palliate their symptoms. Chemotherapy is said to improve quality of life and in medical jargon such treatment is “well tolerated by the patients”. I am indeed baffled by such statements. From my observation, chemotherapy hurts! Some patients went through “hell” during chemotherapy. How could we say that quality of life is improved? Undergoing six cycles of chemotherapy may mean “hell” for six months or more for some patients. And if life is extended for only six months or a year, such treatment is hardly a bargain at all. Also, chemotherapy hurts the pocket! The entire treatment could cost anything from RM 8,000 to a few hundred of thousands, depending on where one receives the treatment. At the end, the result is the same -- death. Of course to the rich, extending even a day of life is worth all their money, but to the poor (in the developing countries) every dollar spent counts. I know of patients having to sell their home or land to pay for their elusive cure. One person whom I know spent up to RM 1.5 million trying to save his wife. Unfortunately, she died while undergoing the treatment.

In this story, herbs used for terminal cancer provided “real” quality of life. The patient leads a pain-free life at a cost that does not make a hole in the pocket.