The first time we got to know...

Dear readers,

Among many questions that are always address to us;

• How did you first detect about the cancer?
• What was your reaction?

This happened almost 2 & 1/2 years back, so we would not be able to tell the exact date on how we first found out about it. We are trying our best be as accurate as we can...

[Mid May 2011]

Hubby first complained about pain behind his left thigh. I still remember at that time we were at IKEA Damansara. We thought it was just a minor muscle pain; which as most people normally do; we just ignored it thinking that it would go away after awhile.

[Early July 2011]

Somehow the pain was still there (on & off) until July'11. First week of July we went back to hubby's hometown because my late father-in-law was not well. Since one of hubby's uncle is good in alternative treatment (or most people called "cara Melayu" - Malay style), we asked his uncle to give hubby a massage. His uncle said, "Owh.. this is just muscle pain (salah urat)".

I flew to Algeria somewhere on 11th July'11. Without having me next to him, hubby went to clinic to check on his pain. At first he went to nearby GP that we normally go, the doctor said, "It's not liquid" and advised hubby to go to the nearest hospital for further check".

[29th Jul 2011]

Hubby went to see Dr Luqman, a general surgeon at DEMC Shah Alam, whom then referred him to Dr Mahamud; orthopedic and trauma surgeon. Dr Mahamud did an ultrasound and found lump on hubby's left thigh. He then instructed for MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) to be done on the very next day. Since the scan was covered by medical card, hubby was admitted at DEMC for one night.

[30th Jul 2011]

MRI result came out on the very same day the scan was done. The result showed a sign of 6cm X 8cm tumor on hubby's left thigh, which unfortunately was located near to main blood vessel. Because of the tumor size and location, Dr Mahamud told hubby that DEMC was unable to take his case (if we wanted the tumor to be removed there) due to the fact that they did not have vascular team and sufficient blood bank to cover in case of any emergency during the surgery. Dr Mahamud gave two options; either we wanted hubby to be referred to PPUM or PPUKM (formerly known as HUKM). We chose PPUKM.

[02nd Aug 2011]

It was also 2nd day of Ramadhan (Muslim's fasting month). Hubby went to PPUKM with abah to see the orthopedic team. Hubby's case was referred to orthopedic specialists, Ms Hazla & Dr Yazid. They straight-away arranged for biopsy to be done on the very next day.

[03rd Aug 2011]

Biopsy was done at PPUKM. Doctors had advised that the result would only come out one or two weeks after. If the result came out with no alarming findings, there was no need for immediate surgery to be done.

[10th Aug 2011]

Hubby received call from PPUKM a week later. The biopsy result was out stating that the tumor is a type sarcoma. I couldn't recall the full details of the result (will try to post if I managed to find the report from hubby's file). Hubby went to PPUKM and specialists instructed for immediate surgery. Since I was thousands miles away (I was in Algeria), we asked the surgery to be held until my return. I managed to catch my flight on Friday, 12th Jul 2011 and reached home on Saturday, 13th July 2011 late evening.

[14th Aug 2011]

Hubby was admitted to PPUKM on the evening. I was planning to stay with him; which then denied by the staff nurse saying that I could only stay after the surgery.

Today was the day when orthopedic specialists told hubby on the complications that might arise during the surgery and what actions would be done to save his life. Since the location of the tumor was very close to the main blood vessel, there was a chance while removing the tumor, his blood vessel might be ruptured. If this incident happened, bypass would be performed on his left leg. The ruptured blood vessel would be replaced with blood vessel taken from below the left knee.

[15th Aug 2011]

Hubby was ready for the surgery. Around noon (or was it after lunch time), we were informed that the surgery had to be postponed due to unavailability of vascular team (another urgent case).

[16th Aug 2011]

The surgery went smoothly. Since I was aware of the possible complication; first thing that I did was to check on his left leg. "Syukur Alhamdulillah", I recited when I saw only one bandage on his left thigh; means no bypass was done.

Hubby was in the hospital for another couple of days. Orthopedics, nursing lecturers, physiotherapists, etc etc were among many visitors that came to check on hubby.

[19th Aug 2011]

It was my 33rd birthday, and the best birthday present for me (and him of course); hubby was discharged from the hospital. Next follow up with orthopedic was arranged few weeks (or a month) later. Next treatment would be planned based on the biopsy result done on the resected tumor.

[In between of August until January 2012]

The lab report came out very late (maybe it was due to festive seasons). Hubby was referred to oncology based on the biopsy done on 04th Aug 2011. Oncologist then started to plan for follow up treatment @ radiotherapy (RT). At the beginning, 24 rounds of RT.

Hubby went back and forth to PPUKM for checkup with RT team, molding and etc. RT was officially started somewhere mid of Oct 2011. Hubby went to PPUKM daily from Monday to Friday for his RT. Somehow after 1-2 weeks, hubby had chicken pox. His RT was put on-hold until he recovered. After hubby completed all 24 rounds of RT, doctor added another 12 rounds to make it in total 36 rounds.

Overall, RT was OK except when hubby had his chicken pox. RT made his skin very very dry; hence making his chicken pox scars worst. Staff nurse at RT gave him some iodine and told him to apply on his left thigh. But the iodine somehow make it worse :'(.

We went to nearby GP, our doctor told us to use saline (the one that is used to clean contact lenses) instead of iodine. That's how I started my 'career' as a private nurse (errrkk.. only to clean his wound daily).

Hubby completed his RT mid of January 2012.

Aside from hospital treatments, people might wonder whether my husband took any supplements, medicine, herbs as alternative treatments.

The answer is yes. My husband took:

• Apricot seed (not B17, only apricot seed)
• Sour-soap juice

Hubby religiously took both of these for at least 6 months. Then only left apricot seeds; which was also being abandoned from time to time after one year.

There was one time after hubby had his surgery, one lady came and passed me 4Life Transfer Factor's brochure. Unfortunately, unwise Intan (yours truly) took things for granted. My thought was, "Certain people just want to take advantage of others' less fortunate situation and try to make money out of it". The brochure was left on the side table after hubby was discharged.

[In between of January 2012 until January 2013]

There was no treatment. Only regular checkups and scans (MRI/CT/bone) alternately. Another biopsy was done on hubby's left thigh in March 2012 after a capsule was found from latest MRI. The biopsy result came out clear; only normal liquid found.

So, that was a long history huh? We let the story stop until January 2013. We will have another post to tell how and when we found out that hubby's cancer has spread to his lung.

If you also notice, there was no where up there mentioned about sarcoma, MFH, etc etc. Why do you think nothing was mentioned? We just realized it too. You will get your answers soon.

What was hubby's first reaction? And what about me? Frankly speaking, because I was far far far away from him, hubby didn't really talk about his feeling to me. Maybe he didn't want to make me worry. I was worried sick of course!!! But since it was happening too fast. I was in Algeria and frantically in hurry to get my flight ticket changed to the earliest date. I was not allowed to over think about it until I got the plane.

Whatever it is, everything happens for a reason. Until now, we are trying our best to stay calm and face the fact that the cancer is there. We are leading our lives as before; with extra precaution of course. Being sad, depressed and frustrated (with our fate) lead us to nowhere.

OK.. it's quite a long post we have got here. We will share more information in coming posts.

Till then... take care!!!

Cheers,

Intan & Naim

Shah Alam

26-Nov-2013