Hepatitis B & C

I tested negative. This is good news according to the oncologist whose name I did not or could not grasp. Another liver function test was called for.  Off to the dreaded needle once again. This time they inserted the needle into three different spots before they call it quits.

Later in the afternoon, Dr WhatsHerName (the oncologist) called to report that my liver enzymes are up again.

I'm due for another test in a months time.

Curly hair and groovy nails

Despite what was being said by those who seemed to be in the know, post chemotherapy DID NOT give me dark curly hair. It's been a year since my treatment and I have more or less given up hope.

The dark lines on my toenail had been pushed to the outer peripheral and removed by now. What followed the dark lines were rough grooves on both my finger and toe nail. I guess those are part of the deformed cells discarded by the body.

Fatty Liver

Dr Lim is one of the oncologist on Dr Rosita's team. She is soft spoken and thorough in her investigation. I told her about the excess liver enzyme in my blood stream. She offered the following possibilities, none of which is conclusive without further tests:-

1. Hepatitis B or C virus is known to lie dormant in some people until activated by a lowering of the immunity system which can be a consequence of treatments like chemotherapy. When triggered the virus hits the liver. This could cause an increase in liver enzyme in the blood.
2. Cholesterol Medication which are statin based is also known to adversely affect the liver.
3. Fatty Liver which is a reversible condition where triglyceride accumulate in liver cells.
4. Tamoxifen, the hormone pill I'm taking to tame my Beast, is also known to damage the liver.

There is no two way about it. A blood test was ordered to check for Hepatitis B and C plus liver function. That was in early August. Blood tests sent the chill up my spine. You'd probably remember that the chemotherapy had damaged most of the veins in my good hand. I've never had issues with blood tests before but post chemotherapy changed everything. In my last blood test, my GP (Dr Choo) had had to stick a needle into a vein on my leg to get the blood because the veins on my good hand were blocked.

At this point, we need to talk about Faith. It doesn't matter what your religion is. Faith mattered. Notice that when you're in trouble, your last resort is always God? Watch those Hollywood blockbusters. When the world is in trouble, the President of the United States called out "God help us all!" Faith. Hope. This is what kept people from Despair.

So I prayed. Oh boy, did I pray. I prayed for my God to bless the hands of the nurses or doctors who were trying to find my veins. And Hallelujah! The staff nurse found a wayward vein and got my blood at the first prick. It wasn't even painful. Faith! See what I mean?

I discovered the liver trouble some time in early July when I wrote THIS POST. Dr Choo (my GP) advised me to stop my cholesterol medication to ascertain if it was the cause. He recommended BG 22 and I've been on it since. Some say BG 22 is not everyone. There were reports of people getting an increased incident of mouth sores, constipation, skin problems ... the whole shebang. Fortunately I'm okay probably because I drank lots of water, close to 2 liters daily.

Later, on the same day, the oncologist Dr Lim (bless her soul) called me to tell me the result of my liver function blood test.

"Your liver enzymes are on the downward trend. The cholesterol medication is a probable cause. I would recommend another blood test in two months time to confirm this. Then, you'd probably want to speak to your GP about a change in medication."

And what do you say to something like that?

You say "Praise the Lord!" is what you say.

Aunty Blur

Aunty Blur (not her real name) is a Chinese woman of about 70. She went to the Cashier's counter at the hospital and asked if she could pay. The Cashier told her she had to wait for her number to be called. In this time and age, little old ladies who did not understand numbers are a rarity. Aunty Blur is one of them.

"My son is not here with me," she lamented. (This was supposed to explain her trouble with the numbers.)

Now I'm a kindly old soul, am I not? I explained the system to her. She was too distracted to listen, disturbed as she was by the absence of her son and whatever will she do all alone at the mercy of the hospital.

Puan Aisha, aged 54 (who sat next to her) was the most patient patient I've seen. In simple Malay, she explained to the distraught woman, one word at a time and strangely got her attention.

I liked scenes like this. When you are in trouble, racism is the last thing on your mind. All of us, whatever our race is that close to meeting our Makers so what's the point in harboring all manner of racial prejudices?

Sitting next to me and waiting for our numbers to be called was Puan 65. (not her real name) Now Puan 65 is sixty-five years old (obviously) and had had a mastectomy two years ago. Since she had entered the menopausal stage her hormone medication was different from mine. You will recall that I'm on Tamoxifen which is prescribed for pre-menopausal patients. Post menopausal patients are prescribed something called "AI" which is known to rob you of your calcium. She was here to have her bones checked. 

We exchanged notes, she and I. (She spoke fluent English by the way.) She was especially depressed when she lost her hair.

"At least you have your tudong to cover you so nobody knew. For us, people stare once we start wearing head scarves." I whined.

"What tudong? I never wear tudongs before." She added as we laughed. I liked her. She had a keen sense of humor. We could have been best buddies at another time, at another place.

By the way, I was there for my follow-up with the oncologist.