| tion_start --> | | | | human being but that was the way I was treated. |
| Johnny (not real name), 46-year-old male, was | | | | He even had the guts to tell me that I need to |
| diagnosed colon cancer. He underwent a surgery | | | | go for the third operation! Imagine me undergoing |
| in January 2006. Unfortunately, things did not | | | | three surgeries within a month? |
| work out well. After being discharged from the | | | | As a person I knew that he is a good man. He |
| hospital Johnny had severe hiccups and he had to | | | | was unable to sleep because of my case. He |
| undergo another corrective surgery. According to | | | | visited me a few times in the middle of the night |
| the surgeon, his intestine had to be "rearranged". | | | | - at 3 a.m. He came with uncombed hair, wearing |
| After the second surgery, Johnny was unable to | | | | inside out shirt, etc. |
| move his bowels for some days and the surgeon | | | | Q: Why did he come and see you? |
| suggested a third operation! The surgeon said: | | | | J: He told me: "I really cannot sleep because of |
| "Because within five days you have not moved | | | | you. My shoulder is feeling heavier and heavier. I |
| your bowels or did not pass out gas, you need | | | | think you need to go for a third operation." |
| another surgery." Johnny asked: "Did you ever | | | | Q: After the surgery, did you suffer any side |
| come across a similar problem like mine with your | | | | effects? |
| other patients? What is the longest time such | | | | J: No, except that at one point along the operation |
| patients take to be able to pass out gas?" The | | | | scar, there is a bulge or protrusion (medically |
| surgeon replied: "Ten days." To this Johnny said: | | | | referred to as ventral hernia). I think it was not |
| "But, in my case, it is just five days - why are | | | | properly done. That is the only problem I have |
| you so worried about it? Give me two more | | | | now. |
| days." Johnny declined further surgery. | | | | I went back to see the surgeon again for my |
| In October 2006, about eight months after his | | | | first review. The surgeon arranged for me to go |
| botch surgery, Johnny related in great detail the | | | | for chemotherapy. |
| "agony and frustration" about his cancer | | | | Q: After you have your surgery, you decided not |
| experience. The transcript of our video-taped | | | | to go for chemotherapy. Did you know that there |
| conversation is as below. | | | | are other options? |
| Q: Before you had cancer, did you know anything | | | | J: Yes. I know of alternatives but I did not know |
| about cancer? | | | | where to go. I knew that if I was not going for |
| J: No, not in the sense of medical knowledge. But I | | | | chemotherapy, I can take herbs. I knew there |
| know of many people who had cancer, like my | | | | must be another way but I did not know where |
| former boss. He was only 41 years old and he | | | | to go for this. So I stopped at that until I found |
| died of colon cancer. He went to our hospital here | | | | someone whom I could trust. I am not the sort |
| and then went to Singapore for chemotherapy. | | | | of person who would pick up any information |
| After that he went to China for more treatment. | | | | here and there and then start trying them out. So |
| Within two years he was dead. Since his death | | | | for two months (after the surgery) I did nothing |
| (three years ago) I began to realize that cancer | | | | but was hoping to "find" a way out. |
| was serious - no joke, it could kill people. I began | | | | One week after I went to see the oncologist at |
| to wonder what the cause of cancer was | | | | the cancer hospital I came to see you. When I |
| although I knew I could do nothing about it. I also | | | | came here I felt that this was the way to go. |
| noted that seven or eight of my friends also died | | | | Q: You took the herbs. Did you benefit from |
| of cancer. After chemotherapy and radiotherapy, | | | | them? |
| they did not live long. At most they survived for | | | | J: After I took the herbs for one, two and three |
| two years and they died. A week after my | | | | weeks I felt more comfortable and felt like |
| discharge from the hospital after my operation, | | | | everything was going back to normal. I felt I was |
| my sister-in-law also died of cancer. She had six | | | | getting better and my body was coping well. |
| cycles of chemotherapy and she died. | | | | After taking the herbs for less than a month I |
| Q: Why do you have to undergo a second | | | | went back to work (on 15 April 2006). At that |
| operation? | | | | time I was still quite weak but with time I |
| J: After the first operation I felt okay and was | | | | became better and better. I told my friends: |
| subsequently discharged from the hospital. Then | | | | "Herbs helped me a lot. I don't care if it is Chinese |
| something went wrong. I could not eat and had | | | | or Indian herbs - for as long as they help me. |
| severe hiccups - in one minute I hiccupped 30 to | | | | Herbs really helped me." |
| 40 times until I could not even breathe. I was | | | | Q: Before you started taking the herbs, did you |
| discharged at about 2 p.m. and by 4 or 5 p.m. the | | | | believe in herbs in the first place? |
| hiccup problem became serious. The next | | | | J: I believe in herbs. After I came here, there |
| morning, I was brought back to the hospital again. | | | | were many other people who told me the same |
| Four days later, I had my second operation. Then | | | | thing - "Go to CA Care for help." They all seemed |
| I stayed for another two weeks before I was | | | | to recommend me to do that same thing - to |
| discharged. | | | | come and see you. They knew about CA Care |
| Q: The surgeon who operated on you. How did | | | | herbs. |
| you feel about him? | | | | Q: Our last question: do you have anything else to |
| J: In the first instance I have high confidence in | | | | share with cancer patients? |
| the surgeon who operated on me. But after the | | | | J: There is nothing we can do once we are |
| second operation, I totally lost confidence in him. | | | | diagnosed with cancer. Just accept it and learn |
| When he came to tell me that I had to go for a | | | | how to live with it. But there is a way out. In my |
| third operation I was very upset. Until today I | | | | case, I would not go for chemotherapy. I have |
| have not seen him again. In terms of percentage, | | | | seen many of my friends suffered with |
| I gave him 50%. I am not happy at all. To me he | | | | chemotherapy. I would not want to suffer like |
| did not really look at the problem. I was like an | | | | them. |
| experimental animal - the first operation did not | | | | You need to change your lifestyle. That is definite |
| work out, I was cut up again the second time and | | | | that you must do. Those who don't change have |
| the second time seemed to have problem he | | | | a slim chance to survive. |
| wanted to cut me up the third time. I am a | | | | |