Indigestion

November 2010

On the eve of my maternal uncle's funeral, I attended his wake.  The weather was cold and it had rain earlier.  It took me more than an hour to reach there by public transport.  By the time I arrived there in the late evening, I was feeling a little hungry and cold.

I took some of the catered food provided, but I guessed it didn't quite agree with my stomach as I was feeling a little bloated.  However, I stayed for the service, but before the service ended, my lymphedemic right arm was in pain.

I have noticed that whenever I fall sick, especially with fever, my right arm would be the first part of my body to be affected.  And when the fever subsided, my right arm would still remain red and very warm, like inflamed.  And it usually takes a few days for the redness to disappear and the temperature to return to normal.  So, I have resorted to using ice-packs to bring down the temperature of my arm, and this has proven to be very effective.

A cousin helped me with energy-healing therapy and it gave me some relief.  When I got home, I took a cup of hot-boiled milk with ghee and honey, and went to shower.

I wasn't feeling good but had not realised that I was running a temperature.  When the water fell on me, I started shivering uncontrollably, despite adjusting the thermostat to near maximum and staying under the running hot shower.

I was still shivering so hard even with sweater, socks, gloves and long pants on, that my family had to cover me with blankets as well.  After some time, I threw up and the shivering stopped.  It was much later that I broke out in sweat that I felt better.  And as before, I nearly passed out while throwing up, which was why I would always sit on the floor with a waste paper basket lined with plastic bags.

Death of maternal uncle from prostate cancer

November 2010

My mum's youngest brother died from prostate cancer sometime in November 2010.

When he was first diagnosed initially with early stage prostate cancer, either he was not told specifically the consequences of inappropriate treatment or he had misunderstood.

When the cancer spread, he sought treatment at a private hospital as the family felt that he could receive better treatment there. However, despite chemotherapy, the cancer continued to spread.

One of his daughters asked me about alternative treatments, but for some reason my uncle held back.  I had told him about the ayurveda herbal brews that I am taking as well as a doctor at the Thong Chai Free Medical Clinic.  This particular specializes in treating cancer patients and also has his own clinic elsewhere where he charged a consultation fee.  It is for those who could afford to pay and who did not like to wait in the long queue at Thong Chai Medical Clinic.

By the time, my uncle decided that he needed alternative treatment, it was actually too late.  He was already in pain and had difficulty walking.  My uncle had chosen to see the tcm doctor at his clinic as he was also recommended by one of his friends.  After a few doses, his condition still could not be stabilized.  The tcm doctor told him, "then there is nothing I can do for you".

Following that, my uncle asked to see the ayurveda master.  I could not recall how many weekly doses, he went for, but he could not be saved.

One must remember that alternative medicine is not a miracle cure.  That it takes time, and that the earlier one starts on traditional herbal brews, the chances of survival is better, especially before submitting oneself to chemo and radiotherapy.