Papa’s Fight Against Cancer

Around March 16, my birthday, papa started feeling abdominal and back pain. It was the time when the lockdown in our country started. Prior to it, papa has no illness at all. He does not need medicines for any maintenance at all. We thought it was something minor but still we decided to check the doctor. He went through various tests (ct scan, cbc, potassium, creatin, etc) to check what was going on. The doctor said that the liver and the kidney was fine. That there was just a little fatty liver and that his blood sugar level was a tad above the border line. He was given medicines for these and restrictions on his diet. On the second visit, he was advised to do a colonoscopy to further understand the situation. However, it was hard to find a hospital that would do this operation under the lockdown. As time passes by, my father's condition started detoriorating. He started losing weight because of the lack of appetite from the pain he is feeling. Pain medicines can only handle it for a certain period of time and it becomes worse as the day passes by.

When the lockdown became less strict, we decided to persistently push through with the doctor's checkup. We were able to make an appointment with a Gastroenteritis hoping that we can get cleared for a colonoscopy. However, the doctor immediately notices jaundice as the yellowish color in my father's skin and eyes so he wanted us to do some lab tests and see a kidney doctor. He also advised to get a clearance to do a ct scan from the kidney doctor. Instead, we ended up being advised to admit papa to the hospital to have him checked as his jaundice is starting to get worse. My father was also getting weaker and weaker.

We then have him checked by several doctors. They had to do mri, ct scan, and various tests. After a few days of lab tests and monitoring, the worst news of our lives came. There was a tumor in his pancreas located in his bile duct. My father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He was brave enough to ask about how long is he expected to live. The doctor answered with 6 months. He mentioned that it might be another 6 months if he undergo bypass surgery and chemotheraphy.

June 29, he was suppose to undergo the bypass surgery but he suddenly had a high fever. The doctors decided to postpone the surgery because of it. Instead, he is now under antibiotics to kill the common bacteria. Fortunately it was caused by the dextrose and not a spread of infection from the tumor blockage.

Today, as a palliative treatment (to alleviate/lessen the symptoms) he underwent double bypass surgery, nerve blocking, biopsy and port catheter placement. He is now in the recovery room and we are waiting for his release. Post treatment advise is to have him undergo chemotherapy for 6 months.

The cost is unbearable for us but we want to do everything we could to make papa's condition a lot better. We want him to have a fighting chance.

Any donation of any amount would be very much appreciated. I myself am doing everything I could, extra work and selling stuff but I don't think that I can reach the amount that the hospital need.

My father is the best in the world. He might have lost his job early but he never lost his care and love for us. He took care of my niece and nephew and never failed to make the family laugh with his jokes. He also served in our local government as a "barangay kagawad". He helped people when there is trouble late at night. He actively participated in clean up drives. He was doing a lot for me, our family and the local community.

I remember when I was young and we have literally no money I would just tell him I'm hungry and he will come back with food.

He is the best there is. Please help us in our fight as we need to pay the hospital bills and we need to put him in chemotheraphy.