Cancer Is The Damnedest Thing (2008-07-15)
My best friend's husband I-san, who is also KL's hairdresser for the past nine years, is struck down with end-stage stomach cancer which has spread to other organs. He has experienced no symptoms whatsoever until just a month ago when he felt "discomfort" in his belly, but not pain. The fact that he never felt any pain might have spared him tons of physical agony, but it also prevented him from seeking medical help at an early stage when there's still a good chance this cancer could've been treated.
No one would ever imagine him getting stomach cancer, not the way
he's been monitoring his diet
and weight. You wouldn't think a person whose diet consists of
90% vegetables and grains and healthy stuff would fall victim to
stomach cancer, hardly anything "bad" passes through his digestive
system his whole life. But he does drink. In fact he drinks
like a fish and smokes heavily for over 40 years. However his
liver and lungs are perfectly fine. All I can say is that cancer
is the damnedest thing.
We went to see him on a weekend when he was first admitted to the
hospital over a week ago. It was before his radiology and
treatment began so he wasn't ravaged by any drugs and such which would
be pumped into his system. He looked normal then, just like the
I-san we always knew. He took us to the waiting room/canteen on
his floor where we spent a long time chilling. I hope he had a
good time with us.
Have you always wanted to do or say something that you can do and say today? I think it's best not to put it off any longer.
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