Husband has cancer :(

[chocnats]

Hi mga sis...

Not sure if ito yung right venue for this pero gusto ko lang kasi ilabas ang lungkot na nararamdaman ko. My husband and I have been married for 4 months now. Asa honeymoon stage pa kami kaya masaya naman kasi pareho pa kami nag-aadjust sa buhay mag-asawa. What's even better is binigyan kami agad ng early blessing; 19 weeks preggy na rin ako ngayon.

But then eto na yung pinakamatinding pagsubok na dumating sa aming buhay. Two weeks ago, my husband was diagnosed with stomach cancer. Sobrang nashock kami kasi he's super healthy. As in wala siyang symptoms na naramdaman except the usual kabag. I've been researching about stomach cancer and the prognosis is usually not good.

I know I have to be strong, not only for my husband, but also for our unborn child. Pero minsan, di ko rin mapigilan maiyak at isipin na napakaunfair ng buhay. Bakit ngayon pa? Bakit kami pa diba? 4 months pa lang kaming kasal and magkaka-anak pa kami, and yet, this disease is threatening to ruin our lives together.

We decided not to seek chemo or radiation kasi I don't want my husband to suffer from its side effects. Instead, we decided to go herbal and try other alternative medicines. Also, we became more religious, praying the rosary every night and the novena to Padre Pio. I still believe that there will be a miracle. So please help us pray for a miracle for my husband. Thank you.

[mooncake and leaves]

i'm very sorry

if i may and you may not want to hear this but i would give chemo and radiation a try. wala lang. exhaust all possible means to get better. although the negative side effects are a turn off, i'm afraid your husband has a better chance of beating cancer with this route.

[snowberry]

Please sis, see an oncologist. I also think chemo will be better. I have nothing against herbal meds pero much better siguro ang chemo. My sis who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002 is a cancer survivor. She really underwent all the routines- surgery, chemo, radiation therapy , meds etc. Now,  she is doing good at buhay na buhay . Whereas yung mga kasabayan nya  sa hospital nag try ng alternative medicine ay wala na. If you have the means , inquire nyo rin yung hospital sa China specializing in cancer, mukhang modern .

Prayers really help and I will be including your hubby in my prayers. Lakasan mo ang loob mo. The support of your family is also very important, financial, emotional, spiritual ,psychological support. Lahat yan importante to both you and your husband and to your baby.

[jojo2978]

Pray, Sis. I don't know if anything I'll comment here will be of help or it might just discourage you. Sis, you and your husband are blessed still because of the child you are carrying.

Your story is similar to what happened to my cousin.  After two years of becoming an engineer, my cousin worked in the Middle East. A year after, he went back to the Philippines to marry her gf. He goes back to the Middle East again and after a few months, he got sick and have no choice but to go back in our country.  He was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer.

Nakikibalita lang ako sa nanay ko on what is happening sa province (in my thought, devastating yung pinagdadaanan ng cousin ko) but he and his wife together with their families make the most out of the situation. They shared memories together. Happy memories together, though unlike yours, they were not blessed with a child.

It is good that you agreed on how your husband should be treated. In my cousin's case, there has been clashed on whether to go herbal/organic vs. the doctor's prescription.  Medical doctors will say that chemotherapy should be done (but according to the doctors I've spoken, if they will suffer from cancer, they will not subject their person to such procedure, they will just accept their fate).  I believe I have heard that another option presented to them is a group handling such patients will take care of the patients everyday needs for an X amount in a good environment for such patients but since their is a doctor in the family, the chemotherapy prevailed.

Be strong. Always ask His guidance. Everything will be according to His plans.

[jojo2978]

Yung namention na sis snowberry sa China, I think if was featured sa TV. Tama siya, if you have means you should try it.  I met a patient in Cebu 2 years ago, I just don't know how it ended up but he is flying monthly or as needed to China.

[purplegravity]

Hugs, sis!!! Will pray for your husband's speedy recovery. Keep on praying.

Search for doctors who specializes on stomach cancer, so that they can give you the best medication.

[chocnats]

Right now, he's not experiencing any symptoms at all; he's eating healthy and he's positive that he will get better. That is also my mindset now because I believe that positive thinking will always be helpful in fighting the Big C.

[iwannabeasupermodel]

^ well sis if things go bad there's always palliation, at least he'll feel better. But dont lose hope, i have onco professors give stories about how they have a patient who didn't follow up and he knows na bad prognosis yung cancer then after some years he'll see them all good and dandy. Naamaze siya kay God everytime. 

[chocnats]

^sorry if I have to modify my message. May mga kakilala kasi ako rito na friends rin ni hubby, so baka lang mabasa nila ito eh mahirap na.

Yes, ganyan rin pinagdadasal namin. Na pagbigyan kami ni Lord ng isang miracle para makasama pa namin siya ni Baby.

Thank you for your replies. Kahit papano gumagaan loob ko...

[zanabee]

I pray for your husband's healing in Jesus' Name. Amen.

Sis if you really don't have plan to seek for chemo, better see dr. tan of binondo. i saw lots of cancer patients there and they are getting well after trying western meds.

sis, they say guyabano leaves can cure cancer, there's no harm in trying sis, try nyo. it doesn't taste bad at all.

GOd Bless You! Take care of yourself and your baby too.

[aquacharly]

If you opted for the herbal route -- everything he  eats & uses/touches his skin must be chemical free. 
No swimming in pools -- sa beach lang.

I will pray for your husband, you both.

Prayers work miracles.

[chocnats]

@zanabee: actually, dami rin nag-advise sa aming ganun. So yun ang iniinom niya ngayon. nagboboil siya ng guyabano leaves tapos yun ang ginagawa niyang water. we added some blessed rose petals rin for added divine intervention. So far, okay naman daw pakiramdam niya.

@aquacharly: thanks for the advice. Sabihan ko si hubby about it.

Prayers really do wonders nga. I keep on asking how he's doing and lagi niyang sinasabi na normal pakiramdam niya, lalo na he changed his diet totally. Puro vegetables na lang siya and fish. No more red meat. Nagpadala rin yung tita niya from the States ng isang supplement na sinasabing magandang alternative treatment to cancer. Cellect yata yung name nun.

[TysLolakins]

sis TS, I'm so sorry to hear about your family's struggle.  I too went thru a similar thing,  last year, my dad was diagnosed with liver cancer.  bec of his age (73) and the size of the tumors, there was nothing that can be done for him.  but my dad won't hear none of that, he wanted a chance to fight it, he cannot just wait it out.  so he participated in a clinical trial for a new med.  even with all the side effects of the drug, he was grateful and hopeful with some pride that we is trying, that maybe it might work on him.  don't be fooled by the reprieve that he's feeling better, cancer does not hurt acc to my dad.  If not for the weight loss, you won't tell that he was very sick inside.  my point is, no matter how grim his prognosis was,  he still wanted to try everything available to extend his life.  Unfortunately he lost, he died just before Christmas.
anyway,  no amount of words from us can help you and your husband.   just make sure that there are no regrets,  he has options right now, good options, some had worked on other people.  my dad was devastated when told that he cannot have chemo or radiation or surgery.  I'm sure he'd make a deal with whoever just to be able  to undergo any one of them.
I apologize to you if whatever I have said here have  caused any more heartaches than you already have.
I feel really really sad reading your post.  I hope God hears all the prayers and blesses your family.

[chocnats]

Hi sis.

Thanks for the kind words. I asked my husband before if he wanted to try chemo and he was firm on his decision that he doesnt want chemo or radiation. He also didnt want surgery nga kaya when he learned that we wont do surgery na lang, parang nabuhayan siya ng loob. And i didnt want to discourage him even further. I dont know if its bad to think, pero minsan iniisip ko rin na Id rather let him go than to see him suffer. Id rather see him leave in peace than to see him alive pero hinang-hina na. So yun na lang rin prayer ko kay God, to help ease his suffering na lang, kung dadating ang panahon na lalala sakit niya. So far, he's feeling great so Im hoping that somehow, nasesense ng katawan niya na he is fighting.

[TysLolakins]

Sis, you are one very unselfish and courageous wife,  I really admire you even more.  Sometimes it's us who's not ill that is not ready to accept the card that is dealt to us.  But with you, you are willing to forego your own happiness of wanting to be with him longer just so he won't suffer any more than he had to.  Continue being strong for your family, take care of yourself too.  I for one will continue to subscribe to this thread just so you know that even if we are only your virtual sisters and brothers, we will always think of you and listen to you and talk to you. God bless.

[sugardrop]

When my dad was diagnosed with liver cancer 14 years ago, we sought alternative means and went herbal. From stage 4, it went down to stage 1 and was close to beating cancer when he decided to stop taking meds. So we lost him to cancer. However, effective naman the herbal meds kasi he almost beat cancer if he decided to stay on medication.

But I agree with the other sisters, do chemo IF going herbal doesn't improve his condition (keeping my fingers crossed na hindi). Exhaust all means para sa husband mo.

I know this shall make you stronger as an individual and as a couple as well.

[chocnats]

Thank you mga sis...

Nakakatuwa nga kasi sa tuwing nalulungkot ako, bigla ko na lang nararamdaman na gumagalaw si baby sa tiyan ko. And bigla na lang nawawala lungkot ko. Minsan pinaparamdam ko pa iyon kay hubby kaya lalo siyang nagpapalakas ng katawan para daw siya ang sasama sa akin sa aking panganganak.

Kahit anong mangyari, I will forever be thankful that God has given us this blessing. If worst comes to worst, at least I will have a piece of my husband with me.

[Len0523]

This story makes me feel sad, very sad. Ang sakit sa puso basahin. Its not the actual situation I have now, but I am just being paranoid I guess, I am 36 weeks and 1 day preggy and just last week hubby had this "kabag" daw. Pakiramdam daw nya full na full sya when infact bread pa lang kinain nya. And the whole night nagsuka sya hindi nakatulog. Heartburn daw sabi nya. He did not go to work just to rest the whole day and observe. Pero ganun pa rin the whole day and night. So next morning we went to medical city for check up according to the LAB Result, ok naman daw lahat. Walang malalang problema except nga dun sa hyper acidity na iniinuman nya na ng gamot until now. Pero mas nag aalala ako ngayon kase until now everytime na kumakain sya sumasakit pa rin yung tyan nya. Plus, his mom died from colon cancer just year 2010. 

[chocnats]

Hi sis!

I suggest to go to another hospital and magpacheckup ulit. Ganyan rin kasi ang nangyari kay hubby. June this year niya nafefeel ang kabag, and pabalik-balik yun kahit umiinom na siya ng gamot for hyperacidity. Ilang beses na nga siya bumalik sa doctors niya, pero wala silang maprescribe except yung usual na pain relievers. Until pina-CT Scan siya and doon nakita na may thickening na sa stomach niya. Nag-endoscopy and biopsy and it was confirmed na it was malignant.

I've read na pangit ang prognosis ng stomach cancer because it is usually detected pag mga later stages na kasi nga yung symptoms parang sa normal ulcer lang. So go to another hospital na lang and magpacheckup ulit. It never hurts naman to be paranoid.

[Len0523]

Oh yes sis. On friday, we will go to cardinal santos naman and have lab test din to make sure lang talaga.

Anong stage na ba hubby mo?