3rd cycle of R-GIFOX
Was admitted on 21st Feb & just discharged for home on Tues, 6th March.
This 3rd round of chemo has again taken its toll on me.
These drugs must be real strong cos I've been getting fever after EVERY cycle of this new regime.
There was a point the fever reached 39*C plus!
Again, they had to put me on a antibiotic drip for a week.
I slept thru round the clock the next few days from morn til nite......
On at least 2 days I went without any food & didn't eat at all.
The nurses were worried..... they propped me up on the bed & weaned me on Ensure milk supplement to make sure I still get some nutrients.
Over the next few days, the fever went away & my temperature dip to normal.
But my cell count also dipped extremely low..... which made me neutropenic again!
Same protocol.
Transfered to a Isolation room.
Continue to monitor body temperature.
Wait......and wait somemore... for cell count to increase before I can be released for home.
They also did a CT scan on me to see how I am responding to the drugs & also to see the condition of the lung infection.
Thank God it was a favourable report from the scan!
The 3 tumors have somewhat decreased in size and the lung infection seems to be clearing up.
BUT.....(the catch here) is I need to be on this drug called Voriconazole* for the next 6 months.
The fungal infection in my lungs, my Doc says is serious, and may take me out faster than the cancer itself.
The issue now is that this drug costs $250 a tab. (I'm Not Joking)
I need 2 tabs a day, so that's $500 a day.
Do your maths and you'll know that it'll cost me $15,000 a month.
Multiply that by 6 months and you'll have $90,000.
$90K for a drug just to clean up the lung infection....... or my life.......
My MSW (Medical Social Worker) is not confident that LLF is gonna cover such a huge amount.
LLF has helped me last year with $32K and another $30K this year so far...
That's already more than $60K.
We've put in another application for the upcoming 2nd transplant and that's still pending approval.
LLF has already helped me a lot but they also have other patients to help too.
There are also issues about pharmaceutical companies producing a drug like Voriconazole that has such a small demand.
Only a very select number of patients need these drugs.
Therefore only small quantities are produced.
But they need to cover the costs of Research & Development that goes into it.
Panadol.. is a different story altogether.
It is produced in large quantities cos there is a high demand for it all the time.
You can buy a whole strip of tabs off the counter for like.. a dollar or so.
And everyone consumes them & they have surplus stored in their drug kit just in case.
Its all about supply & demand.
My other option is to look for generic drugs by other pharmaceutical companies that may be cheaper alternatives.
I was told by a friend that some generic drugs in Bangkok or Malaysia can be cheaper by almost half of the original.
Its like.... you buy a $2500 Chanel handbag but you find the same thing in say...Zara for about $250.
(You get the idea)
These generic drugs are not fakes. Its still the real deal though only God knows if they work as well as the original.
Just like paracetemol is manufactured under many different brand names.
Panadol may be the preferred choice of most, but we can still get cheaper alternatives by Guardian, Watsons or watever.
At this point, I am being tested to the extreme
- physically, emotionally, financially, spiritually.
Morale has dipped a bit & I've become battle weary.
(Though I know there's still a fighter in me. One who still wants to live Life. One who still believes he will get healed)
God knows how long this whole ordeal is gonna last....
I really don't know what God's plans are for me.
But I only know that His plans are always best.
Each day, each moment... (It's not easy but) I try to continue to trust in my God.
His word says "My Grace is sufficient for you"
and He says He will provide.
I Amen to that!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Voriconazole is originally manufactured by Pfizer under the brand name V FEND.
This 3rd round of chemo has again taken its toll on me.
These drugs must be real strong cos I've been getting fever after EVERY cycle of this new regime.
There was a point the fever reached 39*C plus!
Again, they had to put me on a antibiotic drip for a week.
I slept thru round the clock the next few days from morn til nite......
On at least 2 days I went without any food & didn't eat at all.
The nurses were worried..... they propped me up on the bed & weaned me on Ensure milk supplement to make sure I still get some nutrients.
Over the next few days, the fever went away & my temperature dip to normal.
But my cell count also dipped extremely low..... which made me neutropenic again!
Same protocol.
Transfered to a Isolation room.
Continue to monitor body temperature.
Wait......and wait somemore... for cell count to increase before I can be released for home.
They also did a CT scan on me to see how I am responding to the drugs & also to see the condition of the lung infection.
Thank God it was a favourable report from the scan!
The 3 tumors have somewhat decreased in size and the lung infection seems to be clearing up.
BUT.....(the catch here) is I need to be on this drug called Voriconazole* for the next 6 months.
The fungal infection in my lungs, my Doc says is serious, and may take me out faster than the cancer itself.
The issue now is that this drug costs $250 a tab. (I'm Not Joking)
I need 2 tabs a day, so that's $500 a day.
Do your maths and you'll know that it'll cost me $15,000 a month.
Multiply that by 6 months and you'll have $90,000.
$90K for a drug just to clean up the lung infection....... or my life.......
My MSW (Medical Social Worker) is not confident that LLF is gonna cover such a huge amount.
LLF has helped me last year with $32K and another $30K this year so far...
That's already more than $60K.
We've put in another application for the upcoming 2nd transplant and that's still pending approval.
LLF has already helped me a lot but they also have other patients to help too.
There are also issues about pharmaceutical companies producing a drug like Voriconazole that has such a small demand.
Only a very select number of patients need these drugs.
Therefore only small quantities are produced.
But they need to cover the costs of Research & Development that goes into it.
Panadol.. is a different story altogether.
It is produced in large quantities cos there is a high demand for it all the time.
You can buy a whole strip of tabs off the counter for like.. a dollar or so.
And everyone consumes them & they have surplus stored in their drug kit just in case.
Its all about supply & demand.
My other option is to look for generic drugs by other pharmaceutical companies that may be cheaper alternatives.
I was told by a friend that some generic drugs in Bangkok or Malaysia can be cheaper by almost half of the original.
Its like.... you buy a $2500 Chanel handbag but you find the same thing in say...Zara for about $250.
(You get the idea)
These generic drugs are not fakes. Its still the real deal though only God knows if they work as well as the original.
Just like paracetemol is manufactured under many different brand names.
Panadol may be the preferred choice of most, but we can still get cheaper alternatives by Guardian, Watsons or watever.
At this point, I am being tested to the extreme
- physically, emotionally, financially, spiritually.
Morale has dipped a bit & I've become battle weary.
(Though I know there's still a fighter in me. One who still wants to live Life. One who still believes he will get healed)
God knows how long this whole ordeal is gonna last....
I really don't know what God's plans are for me.
But I only know that His plans are always best.
Each day, each moment... (It's not easy but) I try to continue to trust in my God.
His word says "My Grace is sufficient for you"
and He says He will provide.
I Amen to that!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Voriconazole is originally manufactured by Pfizer under the brand name V FEND.