MY Son's Operation in 2 Days time

Holiday is great!!! Counting down to the last week which is after Christmas, when work and meeting began to come in. ARGHHHHHHHH........!!!!!!!!!!

But in two days time, my son will be going for a minor operation to remove his port-a-cathe in his right shoulder, about one and a half years since he was diagnosed with Wilm's Tumor when he was only three months old. PRAISE GOD!! HALLELUIAH!!!!

On 09/06/2004, my son went to KK hospital to be treated for diarrhoea, but a x-ray discovered a mass in his stomacke, which was diagnosed to be Wilm's Tumor (a childhood cancer that affects children from 0 to 14years with no known cause. Worse, it is a maglinant cancer, which will spread of not discovered early.) Thank GOD that the KK hospital was so inefficient about it that we took him out of the KK hospital and found a really wonderful paediatric oncologist and surgeon in private practise for our son. The paediatric oncologist really put us to ease by explaining to us about the cancer and the treatment process. Praise GOD!!! And from the x-ray film, it seems to affect only the right kidney, which has become a tumor becasuse the cells were unable to differentiate to form the kidney, so became a lump mass.

Within 2 weeks, our three month old boy was scheduled an operation to remove the tumor and was in ICU for two days. MY wife and I prayed. As a father, my heart cry for my child. It has to be the will of GOD to allow this to happen for His purpose as GOD is a good GOD. The histogram (meaning the report after they slice up the tumor in the Lab to diagnose the tumor further) came back with good report that it is stage1, meaning cancer cells only found in the right kidney. (Higher stage , max,5, will mean the cancer cells have spread to other parts of the body) PRAISE GOD!!! HE is merciful to allow us to discover it early. on our part, we also did some research and read stories of other children of different stages and the trials that they go through and the strong chemo drugs that was injected into the children.

By the way, the surgeon was good enough to also place the port-a-cathe (cost S$1000) under the skin at the right shoulder during the operation too, so that only operate once. This port-a-cathe is where the chemo drugs will be injected into the body through the port-a-cathe because the veins of baby is small and difficult to find when need to administrate the chemo drugs, which can be so strong that it will burn the skin. My son went for chemotherapy till Nov 2004, but the port-a-cathe is not taken out, in case of relapses, so throughout the one year, my boy has to go for regular flushing of the port so that it does not clog and regular utlrasound scans to ensure no relapses.

In two days, my son will clear the next hurdle, removal of the port-a-cathe from under the skin. After this, it will be ultrasound scan for the next four years, then my son is free.

I thank GOD for His grace and mercy over my son and his provision in terms of finances. It is when I am weak, then GOD can show that He is GOD to give strength.

Son, I am proud of you. You have been tough and resilent by going through things, which I may not be able to go through myself. I hope that you can be a living testimony for GOD, a disciple of GOD and carry the gospel to the ends of world. Amen.

To my students, appreciate the good life that GOD has given you, do good works and don't waste your life away. Health is a gift from GOD.

After I have seen the children in ward 76 in KK hospital, which is the ward for all the children suffering from cancer, I count my blessing that I am healthy. As for the children of ward 76,

24The Lord bless you and watch, guard, and keep you;

25The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious (kind, merciful, and giving favor) to you;

26The Lord lift up His [approving] countenance upon you and give you peace (tranquility of heart and life continually)

Numbers 6:24-26

Amen.