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Monday, April 03, 2006
Another cancer victim braces for surgery
A 35-YEAR-OLD woman, whose grim battle against cancer touched Samaritans, has completed her three-day internal radiation therapy (brachytherapy) and is bracing herself for the next stage - hysterectomy, or removal of the uterus.
"Tapos na brachytherapy ko (I've already undergone brachytherapy)," said Cynthia Miguel in a text message from Nueva Ecija, where she repaired to rest after being weakened by the procedure done at the Philippine General Hospital.
She will return to the PGH for check-up next week before being admitted again for the operation in an attempt to check the spread of cancer cells initially diagnosed last September.
Meanwhile, doctors continue to monitor the progress of Rheyvien Jave Villanueva, the 11-month-old kidney patient who was scheduled for surgery last month at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute in Quezon City.
The surgery, first recommended last year, was called off after a final check showed his condition for vesicoureteral reflux, or the retrograde flow of urine from the bladder, dramatically improved.
Notwithstanding this, the tests showed scarring of the kidneys, requiring regular medication and monthly urine culture, aside from kidney scan and voiding csytourethrogram test after six months.
Samaritans, including Cordillera expatriates now living in the US, came up with a total of P59,000 and US$421 to support the two patients' treatment. The amounts were broken down to P42,500 and US$221 for the boy and P17,400 and US$200 for Miguel.
Relieved by his being spared from going under the knife, Rheyvien's mother Emilia turned over P5,000 of the donations to Miguel.
To avoid further delay in the radiation treatment of Miguel, a lawyer lent P10,000 to complete the amount needed for the procedure and pre-treatment tests. Payment of the borrowed amount was guaranteed by folksinger Conrad Marzan of Philamlife.
Rheyvien, who will be one year old on April 12, is the youngest of four children of a jeepney driver while Miguel, a nursing graduate, served as caregiver to former journalist Noney Padilla-Marzan who died of breast cancer in May 2004.
Also last Friday, surgeons at the Baguio Hospital and Medical Center, led by Dr. Paul Ponadon, performed an emergency operation on Caroline Lynette Factaek, another woman suffering from breast cancer.
Ponadon recommended immediate surgery prior to chemotherapy. "I guess I'll also have to rely on support from Samaritans after mastectomy, Factaek, from Pinsao Pilot Project here," he said. (RD)
(April 3, 2006 issue)
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