My Fight With Lymphoma Goes On - Still A Survivor

My Fight With Lymphoma Goes On - Still A Survivor

By Francisco C. Tang, MD a.k.a Huang Nung Yang, MD

             After my first round of 6-cycle chemotherapy with R-Chop for my terminal Lymphoma in February of 2013, I was cancer-free for almost 18 months, with continuos regular monthly follow up. I was over confident, and became careless.  I stopped my regular exercises, didn't follow my dietary restrictions,  until July of 2014 when my hallmark symptoms of scalp itch recurred plus two enlarged lymph nodes, the size of yellow beans, were palpable in my right inguinal area. I went back to my Oncologist for confirmation and he ordered an array of laboratory blood tests, diagnostic PET scan, and an excision biopsy was done confirming that my lymphoma, indeed,  recurred and right away I was prepared for repeat chemotherapy with new anti-cancer drug combination of Rituximab and Bendamustine; at the same time, I was included in a world-wide trial of oral Idelalisib. 
             In early October of 2014 my second round of chemotherapy was restarted.  The first cycle of my new infusion chemotherapy was divided into two days and went without any untoward incident except for the low grade fever I experienced on the 2nd day after my chemotherapy that lasted till my next cycle which I didn't pay much attention.  Praise GOD! On the he night of the first day of my chemotherapy, my scalp itch was totally relieved. On the 2nd night, the two palpable lymph nodes in my right inguinal area were gone and no longer palpable. It was a miracle and I know GOD's hands are working in me and I received HIS amazing grace. That's the first miracle.
             The second and third cycles went by as the first cycle with no untoward incidents except the low grade fever became remittent moderate to high grade fever and I called the attention of my Oncologist, telling him that it could be due to the new oral trial drug which could be too strong, or due to side effects. He advised discontinuance and advised hospitalization in late November for further observation and started on IV antibiotics and antipyretics .  Early  in December, after more than a week in the hospital, suddenly, I was grasping for air,  and could not breathe in spite of having an oxygen cannula in my nostrils. With GOD guiding and directing  the doctors, they immediately brought me to the adjacent treatment room, intubated,  wheeled to ICU and connected me to a lung machine. Doctors suspected PJP (Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia) - a deadly lung infection caused by fungi (germs) which is commonly seen in people with weak immune system, an opportunistic infection with a very high rate of mortality.  X-ray was taken and it showed my whole right lung  was collapsed with density as white as snow, confirming their suspicion. They changed my antibiotics specific for PJP and by the grace of GOD, my condition slowly turned from worst to  good.  I was snatched from the snares of death and was given a second chance to life. GOD is good. " GOD will make a way when there seems to be no way. HE works in ways we cannot see. GOD will make a way for me. " HE has a purpose for me. That's the second miracle
               I stayed in the ICU for 5 days and at one time, I saw a vision of my parents  praying for me,  instead of calling for me and had  been hallucinating seeing a 'real'  live chicken in the ceiling's  air conditioner's exhaust duct,  and according to my family members, many times, I had been talking in a dialect which I had not spoken in years and doing a lot of actions which I never did. During those critical moments in my life, my  whole family was there, supported and took care me, many relatives, friends, colleagues, came to see me.  A Catholic priest came to give me the last sacrament while the pastor and my D Group members from the Chung Shiao Presbyterian Church in Taiwan baptised me. Showing and signifying that the old me had died and the new me had risen.  Now I do not live for myself but Jesus lives in me.  My D Group members  from CCF, and Ptr. Peter Kairuz and the entire casts of The 700 Club Asia in the Philippines continued to pray for me from afar. They were the source of my strength and inspiration in my times of need.   GOD heard their prayers and touched me with HIS healing hands  and healed me.  I stayed in the hospital for 45 days and was discharged in mid January of 2015. I lost almost 20 kgs., was bone and skin, unable to walk, unable to feed, unable to bathe, and unable even to get up to go to the bath room to relieve by myself and needed the help of  my ever caring, understanding and patient, caregiver to assist and take care of me.   It took me 3 months to learn how to walk again,  to be able to take care of myself independently and 6 months to nurse myself  back to my normal self again.  Now I learned to value life that aside from salvation,  being able to walk, eat, and enjoy life are the greatest GOD-given gifts to us.
              Since after I was discharged from the hospital in mid January, I re-started taking HemoHIM,  4 sachets twice daily initially down to one sachet thrice a day now. I also took Atomy Probiotics,  1 sachet thrice daily,  Atomy Alaska E Omega 3, one capsule thrice daily and Atomy Red Ginseng, 1 sachet daily  and  E. Excel International's food supplements - Milleneum, Refresh, Nutrifresh, Encore, Nutriact, DNP Morning and Evening and Stresgon, all at the same time, up to this date as part of my Nutritional Immunotherapy,  to help boost up my immune system to keep me cancer-free.  Losing that much weight, my skin became dry, wrinkled and dead skins were peeling off.  I learned to use Atomy cosmetic products: Evening 4 Set, Calming Care Special Set,  Body Wash and Body Rich Lotion to revitalise my skin,  Shampoo and Hair Conditioner to smoothen and soften my hair, Tooth brush and Bee Propolis tooth paste for my oral hygiene.   
              In April - June of this year, my hallmark symptom of scalp itch plus constant dry cough recurred knowing that my Lymphoma and aftermath of my pneumonia had recurred and  in July I had another PET scan taken and to my amazement, the result was negative for cancer cells. My Oncologist can't restart my chemotherapy basing on the negative result, but deep in my heart I know the answer.  GOD is with me, and is in me. To GOD be all the glory.  HE heard my prayers. Another possibility could also be from the food supplements I was taking. Even the symptoms had manifested,  my Nutritional Immunotherapy is working to suppress the cancer cells. It has been 15 months now that I have been in remission even though I underwent only 3 cycles of chemotherapy compared the the 18 months remission after my first round of chemotherapy. 
My Oncologist told my wife that since I was not able to complete my chemotherapy, my Lymphoma will recur in six (6) months time but I have proven him wrong. 
In the last appointment with my Oncology in mid November of 2015, exactly one year after I was hospitalised, all my blood tests were normal, better than the previous results.  If by November of next year in 2016, I will still be cancer-free, then this is again a miracle and I can attribute this to GOD's amazing grace and to  my Nutritional Immunotherapy.
              The third miracle happened when I was back home with my family in the Philippines. I fell asleep on a couch while watching TV and all of a sudden I was awakened by a thunderstorm with heavy rain and heard the rain splashing into the open window. My instinct reaction was to get up and run to close the window not knowing that the floor of the living was already wet and as I ran toward the window without wearing my sandals, all of a sudden, WHAM, I slipped backward and my whole body-back and head slammed on the floor. I was motionless for few minutes feeling if I have any fracture or head concussion. Again, my guardian angel, supported me and not any sign of fracture nor concussion was found except, amazingly, for a sore left wrist. A slipped like that at my age of 70 results in catastrophic fracture usually hip, back or shoulder, and skull fracture.   GOD is good!
              As I said, I was snatched from the snares of death and given a second, no, a third chance to life for GOD has a purpose for me - to serve HIM and let HIM use me to spread HIS words and to share my living testimony of HIS healing touch to all  cancer patients, that,  there is life and hope beyond cancer as long as we have faith and totally surrender, commit and entrust ourselves to Jesus and invite HIM into our hearts to be our LORD and SAVIOR. GOD IS GOOD.  ALL PRAISE AND GLORY BE TO GOD!  Amen!