Concernfusion

In between the days where friends and family are concern and heard about your health situation, there are always a lot of hearsay remedies and alternative treatment offer or instructed to you. I understand their worries and concern and how they meant it well but most of the times it confuses me, that’s why I choose what the doctor recommends and of course after analysis and considerations between financial and reality check of what’s best for me.  

There are always pros and cons, but for me what decision will lead to my objectives and in what ways and whose opinions are justifiable.

Initially, I was confused with everyone asking me for second opinion. For me, it’s not about wrong diagnosis. I have accepted the fact that I have cancer. I’m skeptical only on the treatment especially the number of radiotherapy sessions I have to undergo. I question because of 2 things

1)Dr Tham said in the beginning regardless how small or big the tumor is, every patients goes through the 33 sessions of radiotherapy and in between chemotherapy, I can’t help but to wonder the reason why I have to go through 33 sessions, is it a standard procedure the doctor practicing without blinking and analyses more?

2)I called the private hospital, Mount E, to check the difference on the price if I take up private hospital treatment. The radiographer told me the radiotherapy package is estimate to be $26,000 – $28,000, it’s inclusive of 26 – 28 sessions generally, so I can’t help but to question whether 33 sessions is too many.

At last, my radiographer friend, Melissa, works in SGH, NCC whom I met and develop a good relationship with when we volunteer as Buddhist guide in the temple together untie my knots.

She spoke to her doctor friends in NCC, she said the Dr Ivan Tham whom used to work in NCC is a very responsible doctor whom specializes in head & neck cancer treatment so that means his recommendation of 33 sessions should be appropriate.

Also, if I’ve accepted with the diagnosis as Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Cancer (NPC) then there is no real need to seek for a second opinion.

With that in mind, also knowing at the age of 33, maybe 33 sessions does sound a good way to cure my cancer...