The hope is within us|Revitalize life with therapy and loving care There is always light at the end of a tunnel
—— Bert McCoy
Lim was supposed to be dashing and confident at the age of 22. But his youth turned pale as he was told he was attacked by colon cancer.
A difficult and rocky path to seek solutions
In the spring of 2021, Lim was diagnosed with intestinal obstruction when he sought medical attention because of hiccup, vomiting and abdominal pain. Then he received a surgery that revealed his condition was triggered by the tumor inside intestines. So quickly a right hemicolectomy and intestinal fistula surgery were performed. Unfortunately, pathology report indicated moderately differentiated and poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma in his right hemicolon(moderately differentiated and poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma mentioned above means that the degree of differentiation of colon cancer cell is relatively poor, which indicates higher malignancy of these cells.).
4 rounds of chemotherapy enabled him to receive surgical closure of intestinal fistula and hopefully he recovered from this procedure.
It seemed that everything got back on track. But good times didn't last long. He was forced to see doctor again with a piled pain in upper abdomen and vomiting after supper in November 2021. Medicine prescribed didn’t work out and surgery turned out to be the only choice for the family.
Lim’s mother was heartbroken at the thought that there would be another scar on her son’s body, let alone those complex and exhausting preoperative talks. But they didn’t have choice but accepted another surgery.
However, metastasis, their major concern following the surgery, still came up. They were told this might be Metastatic poorly differentiated Adenocarcinoma that would necessitate another round of chemotherapy because there were massive white nodules in the walls of small intestines and mesentery.
Metastasis and new round of chemotherapy eroded Lim’s will. Adverse reactions also pestered him: nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, icteric skin, malnutrition, listlessness and insomnia. Lim’s family finally followed a friend’s advice to travel a long way to Guangzhou RoyalLee Cancer Center for better treatment and pleasant environment.
Lim’s mother could still recall the day Lim was referred to RoyalLee. He felt unwell and was confined to wheelchair with a nasogastric tube inserted in his body.
Dr. Ma of medical oncology (the ward Lim was admitted to) soon organized a multidisciplinary consultation to clarify the diagnosis: right-sided colorectal cancer(T4a) coupled with Severe Hepatic Insufficiency. A personalized treatment plan was formulated through discussion and Director Lee of Nutriology department was invited to form a nutrition plan. All these efforts sought to improve quality of life as existing conditions were alleviated.
Whole-hearted and Considerate Care
Lim was referred to RoyalLee from Shanghai so he should be isolated for one week based on quarantine policy. Nurse Hsia offered to handle the care of Lim during the quarantine.
“Initially the light was all day off in his room. He fell into slumber throughout the day and shut himself away. First it was because he didn’t feel himself with a nasogastric tube inserted in his body and previous rough journey. Then he didn’t feel he belonged, both in Shanghai and here in Guangzhou. This place was not the one he got used to and he didn’t know how to adapt to it. But being self-enclosed was not helpful for recovery.”
To cheer him up, Hsia shared her interesting stories besides nursing tasks. Thanks to her goodwill, Lim gradually opened his heart and shared his stories and feelings. Sometimes he sneakily ate something that doctors frowned on and got stomachache next day. That made Hsia and his mother laugh and weep all at once.
Lim was the only child. Attending physician Cheung’s memory about Lim’s mother’s reddened eyes was fresh when they just arrived here. Then Cheung gently mentioned in their talk whether Lim’s mother had ever considered conceiving a baby. Yet she replied that Lim was irreplaceable.
Cheung was touched. Once she heard that if someone could trade their life for another person’s life, then there must be a lot of mother standing at the rooftop of hospitals.
Facing this strong yet desperate mother, Cheung was very sure that she would try her best to help this family.
Dr. Ma, physician Cheung and nurses chatted with Lim’s mother in spare time and tried to console her as a good listener and a medical professional.
“The perseverance of Lim’s mother is heart-touching, ”Hsia said, “Although she is always upset by bad indicators on Lim’s report, she still replies ‘I can handle it because Lim is my greatest faith’ when she is asked if she ever fears.”
Since then, when the testing result turned out to be good or Lim felt better than yesterday, Hsia and his mother would say good job!
“For patient’s family, nothing is better than every step patients made and good change observed. Nurse may not be able to alleviate patients’ suffering through deeper research into medical technology or technique. But our words and actions ease their anxiety and nervousness. Every time patients need recognition, nurse could offer assurance immediately to encourage them to fight disease more positively.”
Lim’s condition improved as physicians, nurses and nutritionist worked closely. He was better nourished and had better sleep. To his mother’s relief, nasogastric tube in his body could be removed and Lim was even able to eat porridge while earlier before he fully fasted and was allowed to sipped water and rice soup step by step.
Lim’s mother felt calm as her son got better. “Nurse tells me Lim can be discharged soon if things stay on the right track. My first thought is that discharge is too soon for us. Staying here reassures me”, she said.
Hearing this, Lim sitting on the side of the bed cut in, “You are right! Dr. Ma and nurse Hsia are being so kind. They often share something they find tasty with mom.” During Lim’s stay, Dr. Ma and physician Cheung elaborated on treatment plan and medication and answered their questions with patience, as well as dos and don’ts during medication, e.g., no exposure to draught.
Medical Oncology:
Protectors dedicated to improve patients’ happiness
Medical Oncology crews aim to assess patients, formulate and coordinate treatment plan. They focus on comprehensive assessment of patients, formulation and coordination of treatment plan, follow-up visit, consolidation of efficacy, diverse treatment method, prevention and treatment of short-term and long-term adverse reactions. In this light, its mission is to offer physical and psychological care to patients from all aspects and all the way.
Medical oncology of RoyalLee Cancer Center is committed to improving life quality for all patients by providing targeted and personalized treatment plan. It steps up its effort in conducting multidisciplinary consultation presided by intrahospital experts or through collaboration with other counterparts.
The benevolent heart of medical practitioners lies in their empathy for the ill. For all the achievements we have made in modern medical field, there always leaves a breakthrough to make. But in Dr. Ma’s belief, a doctor ought to fight to the last moment because their mission is bring hope to patients and make their life count for every second. To fulfill this mission, doctors should rack their brains to design treatment plan and meet requests of patients.
This was the first time Lim visited Guangzhou. Maybe his memory was all about RoyalLee when he recalled this journey. But he and his mother clung to the belief that one day Lim got back on his feet, their trip in Guangzhou would get colorful.
What medicine can do is finite. But care can reach places that are far and profound. It’s like a pearl in the dark box. The light pearl shed may be dim but it calms anxious soul.
Medical oncology of Guangzhou RoyalLee Cancer Center will always be the protector dedicated to improve happiness of patients with its patient-centered concept and high-quality medical service.