A Support Circle Needs Support Too!

Mom has had shortness of breath lately, and we were concerned that she had asthma. She went to the doctor and to our surprise, the doctor said it wasn't asthma but instead was stress-related! It turns out that over the past few weeks, Mom has not been breathing properly. Thankfully, yoga, meditation and breathing exercises will be sufficient to address the issue.

But it's worth noting that caregivers need support from family and friends. Mom has made a gargantuan effort to reshape Dad's and her own life to fight their battle. Logistics are a full-time job in themselves, let alone the barrage of emotions that need to be acknowledged and addressed.

While I will always see her as Supermom, we mustn't forget that Supermoms need their rest too. Give your Supermom a hug today and remind them what an important part they play in your life.

2nd Round of Chemo & the Oncologist gives great news!

I started the 2nd chemo today - Cisplatin, Alimta and Avastin in one day. We spent 7 hours in the clinic. Thanks to Stephanie and mom's company, the time went by very fast. They were able to enjoy a long two hour lunch break. Jonathan joined me on the following day for my 2-hour hydration.

Before the chemo Dr. Dormandy gave us the good news on my 1st chemo cycle. Blood lab report showed tumor index at 5.7 > 3.0 (normal stage), but we will need to wait for the report from the 2nd chemo cycle report to do a comparison as the numbers itself doesn't provide enough information. Some patients see numbers in the 100 or 1000 range. Besides this, all my other organs are functioning perfectly. 

More great news from Dr. Dormandy was the biopsy report which showed my cell mutation was suitable for EGFR targeted treatment. I can use Tarceva after my chemo is complete as prophylaxis. Thanks to God, this was phenomenal news for mom and me as the last two months have been an emotional roller coaster for us. We both felt cheered up.

Side effects have been manageable so far but even the small ones are irksome! Last night I woke up at 2AM and felt itchy on both arms. I put some lotion on, which worked a charm. I had hiccups twice in the night but thankfully did not feel nauseous. No mouth sores but I started using mouthwash this morning to prevent it from happening. I'm having problems sleeping, which may be caused by the steroids, so I took a half dose of the sleeping pill that Dr. Dormandy prescribed. After that I slept like a baby but woke up again around 4AM! After taking another 1/4 dose I was able to sleep until 6:30AM. It wasn't a restful night but sufficient to gain my energy back. Phew! Glad to have passed the first night alright.

I feel good compared to how I felt before the 2nd chemo. Hopefully the medicine is doing its work. Again thanks to our Lord for the latest miracles. We will conquer and win the war!

-Gohan

Timely encouragement

The chemo infusion took 7 hours this time because the preparation of the drugs took longer.  It has been a long day.  Exhausted and at the same time anxious.  Wonder how Dad's body will react to this cycle.  So many unknowns.

When we returned home, we found a beautiful bouquet waiting for us.  It was from Swanny and Rif, Jeff's parents, our new in-laws.  Looking at the flowers and the card, we got teary.  Swanny being a cancer survivor, knew how it felt receiving the treatment.  Since the day of diagnosis, they have been giving us the most timely support.  We are so thankful for a wonderful in-law family who is always there for us.

A few minutes later, my good friend Jamie sent over her home made meals.  I can't describe the feelings of having a meal ready after a dreadful day.  As we sat down to enjoy the meal, we can feel the love of our friend.  Thank you!

Well wishes from the homeland

My sister Carol and my Nephew Kai came from Taiwan to visit.  They brought snacks that we like, music CDs and a get well card that was hand crafted and signed by our relatives. We were very touched and encouraged.  Their visit brought back so many fond memories of the time that we had together.  It was always joyful and loving.  

佳蓉和凱凱從台灣來看我們。也帶來了在台灣的親戚所寫的慰問卡和音樂。我們看了好感動，也很被激勵。

Spirit of Love

Dad has been resting a lot as his body fights off the side effects of the first round of chemo. Some days he has to take multiple naps to keep his energy up. But he's a fighter! Dad even snuck out and headed to Costco to help Mom with groceries. A few laborious hours later, he came home exhausted but triumphant. 

Every year, for the last 30 years, Dad has brought home flowers for Mom on Valentine's Day. He was not to be foiled this year! Here they are in their glory.

Nothing Like Home Cooking

One of the most important things to do before stepping into any battleground is a great meal. Mom has been painstakingly making breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, and dinner every single day! She also has to be wary of the type of foods Dad cannot eat and the foods Dad should eat, to improve his health. If this is hard to fathom, the schedule below gives you an inkling of the work involved.

Seriously, this is no easy task.

Thankfully, my parent's friends have been dropping off cooked meals for them once in a while to alleviate the burden and cheer them up with conversation. I can tell that it's incredibly uplifting for both my mom and dad. They're lucky to have the support of such a strong community!

My dad is also very lucky to have my mom looking after him. I would think it quite a treat to get served the lovely homemade plate below. There's even apples in the salad for color! Rock on Mom!

- Christina

Top of this Hill!

After two days of fatigue, occasional palpitation, feeling low, and some minor side effects from the chemo, Dad is feeling much better today.  Seeing him going around, lighten up my spirit as well.  He went to his office to have a lunch meeting with his coworker Michael.  Interacting with people energizes him.  Dad was very touched that Michael prayed for him. 

We saw Dr. Dormady for a one week follow-up. The doctor was very pleased to see that Dad rebounded quickly after the chemo. Dad can go in to receive the third drug, Avastin, tomorrow. One more blow to the cancer cells!

The gene testing from the biopsy samples will return in two weeks. 


- Jacqueline

Craving for a big meal

GwoHann lost some weight, therefore, several people including a couple of cancer survivors told us that we shouldn't focus so much on eating healthy, GwoHann should feel free to eat whatever he wants, at least once in a while. With that suggestion and having endured the biopsy #2, GwoHann wanted to reward himself with a big meal. Thus, we dined out last night and had Chinese beef rolls, Xian Bing, and ZhaJiangMian. It was satisfying, flavorful and tummy-full. However, the feelings of fullness came with a price. During the night we each had to get up several times, drinking water for the MSG, and alka-seltzer for GwoHann's heartburn. Evidently, the chemo drugs damages the cells in the digestive track, compromising his ability to eat regular size meals. A lesson learned. But, this morning GwoHann said 'I don't think alka-seltzer is a medicine. I think I should take it so I can eat more food and gain weight' 
What do you think?

- Jacqueline

Biopsy #2

Time for a big breakfast! We arrived at 6 am and were ready for the 2nd CT scan guided biopsy at the El Camino hospital. Blood work, x-ray, and CT scan both before and after the procedure. At least 8 nursing staff came to do different things. We wish that Dad didn't have to go through this, but are thankful we have modern technology. Fortunately, the procedure turned out to be short and successful. We just need to wait for 1.5 hours to take the final x-ray to make sure there are no air leaks. - Jacqueline

First Round of Chemo

I'm with Dad at the El Camino Hospital while he gets his first round of chemo. It will take 6 hours for him to get the full dosage of his first two meds - Cisplatin & Alimta. First 1.5 hours is saline solution to keep him hydrated, along with other pre-meds to combat the side effects. Anti-nausea, steroids, etc.

Mom told him last night that while you're in the hospital, you can make friends with other patients. As you come in regularly, you'll start to form relationships. When Dad got situated he immediately asked, "With these curtains between us, how are you supposed to make cancer friends?"

He's still the same Dad. Always wanting to be with people.

Dad's also such a fighter and once he puts his mind to it, will do everything 100%. The nurse mentioned it's helpful to drink plenty of water. He has had at least 32 ounces of tea in the first 1.5 hrs, and gone to the restroom three times.

He's gonna win. :)

- Steph

Results from MRI Scan

Great news! Dad's MRI results were clean! There were no cancer cells detected in his brain, signifying that the malignant growth is not wide spread.

- Christina