Thurs.
April 9
Today
we went to see the doctor, and he reported that the scans show that the cancer has progressed. It seems that it has
not spread to major organs. The targeted therapy no longer works, which is common, the doctor said, so he discontinued
it.
Rev.
Tsang is still receiving antibiotics for his respiratory infection. This is the third antibiotic the doctor has
given for his infection. Please pray that this will cure the infection.
This
week there have been physical and occupational therapists coming to help him exercise. They encouraged him to sit up
more. As a result, he has had more energy.
Fri.,
April 3
He
is on an IV antibiotic for 10 days for his cough. He is still very weak and sleeps in bed most of the day. He
has lost a few pounds from a month ago when he was 107 lbs. Now he is 105 lbs. We are trying to give him more nutrition.
Please pray that he could tolerate the additional food.
Tuesday,
March 31
He
is scheduled to have a CT scan and an MRI this Thursday evening after his supposed targeted therapy. And then the following
morning he will have a PET scan. He has been up more in the past few days. Thanks for your prayers! His
coughing is still the same.
Thurs.
March 26
He had his 9th dosage
of targeted therapy today. The nurse practitioner noticed more swelling on the
right side of his face, and he has some pain there. The doctor decided to order
a PET and a CT scan to be done before his targeted therapy appointment next Thursday.
Because he is still coughing up thick mucus, they did a culture to see what kind of antibiotic he needs. Today while he was walking, we noticed he does not have very good balance, probably because of lack of
exercise. Today he got the mail, opened them, and then sat in the living room
for about 1.5 hours. Please pray that he would have motivation and energy to
get off the bed during the day.
Sun.
Mar. 22
Last
Thursday he had his 8th therapy session. He is still on antibiotic for his cough. He is still very tired and sleeps
almost all day. In the past week, he has got out of bed maybe three times (for 15-30 min. each) to watch TV or
receive a visiting nurse.
Thursday,
Mar. 12.
He had his seventh dosage of targeted therapy today.
The nurse practitioner prescribed an antibiotic for his cough. The nutritionist prescribed a different kind of milk
for him and he started having that two days ago and he is not having diarrhea. He is still very tired and sleeps almost
all day. We are slowly increasing the amount of milk, so hopefully he will have more energy in a few days.
Sunday,
Mar. 8
He
was discharged from the hospital today. He stopped bleeding on Friday. He is very tired and still has diarrhea.
Pray for wisdom to know what to give him for the needed nutrition.
Thursday,
Mar. 5
He
has been having diarrhea about twice a week for the past 3 weeks. He seemed to not be able to handle the milk he
has been having. So, we have been giving him soy protein instead. However, this soy product does not have enough
calories for him. For the past 3 weeks, he has been very tired and in bed all day. The nutritionist recommended a slow
feeding using a pump or gravity system instead of feeding a can of milk five times a day. She explained
that this slow feed is easier on a patient's digestive system and may help him receive the milk without having diarrhea.
Today he was admitted to the hospital due to stomach bleeding. Also, there is more mucous in his throat, and the doctor
will treat this infection.
Thursday,
Feb. 26
The
doctor decided to continue treatment but has not decided when to have another scan.
His skin cancer is better -- the nodules have become smaller. His facial
swelling is gone. His doctors, nurses, Rebecca and I are encouraged by the progress.
The swelling was a combination of an infection and the side effect of the medicine. We thank God for the good report.
He has been very tired the last few days probably because he has not had much food because of his diarrhea. Today he received some fluids and potassium, and he regained some strength. His coughing was likely due to catching a cold or flu.
Sat. Feb. 21
He received his fifth application of
targeted therapy on Thursday. He has been having diarrhea for a week. The facial swelling has decreased noticeably.
Thurs. Feb. 12
He received his fourth application of targeted therapy today. It was
a lower dosage than before because the doctor wanted to lessen the side effects. The doctor thinks that the swelling on his
face is partly due to a skin infection. He prescribed a topical antibiotic.
Tues., Feb. 10
He has gained weight. He now weighs
115 lbs compared to around 107 a few weeks ago. His scars on the head are also healing. There is only one spot
on the left that is not fully healed. His hearing is much better too. Today he was able to talk with someone over
the phone without turning on the speaker phone to make it louder. Praise the Lord!
Mon. , Feb. 9
In the past few days, he has been coughing more. Please pray that he
could get rid of the stuff in his lungs, so he could sleep better. His hearing has significantly improved. He is now
more able to understand us and converse with us. He was able to hear the sermon at church yesterday, which he was not
able to do before. His right eye is more swollen than the time he left the hospital.
Thursday, February 5
The doctor saw him today and decided to wait one more week for the side effects to get better before giving him the
next dosage. The test of the cerebral fluid showed there is no cancer there. The scan showed that the cancer has not spread since the last scan on December 22. Given the previous rapid rate of cancer growth, the doctor says that the medicine
seems to be working.
Sun. Feb. 1
Praise the Lord! He returned home tonight. He is still on antiobiotics.
But he is feeling OK and has no pain but his head is still itchy. His head still has some unhealed sores from the
surgery.
Sat. Jan. 31
The lungs are clear and the blood test shows no signs of infection. However,
he is being given antiobiotics as a precaution. His energy level is good.
Thurs. Jan. 29
He had 3 times of the targeted therapy with Erbitux so far (The drug just targets
the cancer cells and does not harm healthy cells). His face was red and the swelling had not gone down so the doctor
admitted him to the hospital for observation. The doctor will order a scan to see if the drug is working.
Mon. Jan. 19
He is beginning to have rash on his face. The doctor thinks this might
be a sign that the medicine is working. He has not picked at his scabs very much since the targarted therapy began.
He is keeping a daily schedule of Bible reading, exercising, reading, and checking email. Recently he was very happy
to watch the Christmas program of the church in Bulgaria. Even though he cannot eat with us, we often ask him to bless the
food before we eat. He seems to enjoy serving us in this way. Praise the Lord!
Thurs. Jan. 8
The doctor decided to give him targeted therapy instead of chemotherapy due
to a change in his physical condition. He will have this therapy for six weeks. Then he wil have a scan to evaluate the treatment.
One side effect is skin rash. Today was his first day of taking that drug, and he seemed to tolerate
it well.
Sunday Jan. 4, 2009
His PET scan showed that the tumor grew back where it was removed in July. It is slightly larger than the one taken out.
The tumor is in the cavity behind the nose with extensions to the right eye.
The cancer has not spread to the brain or the lungs. Therefore the doctor
says the cancer is still local. The most difficult issue for his care right now
is his scar from the last surgery and the skin on his neck where there is cancer. It
is very itchy, so he scratches it and it bleeds. He will receive chemotherapy
beginning this Thursday. However, if his wound does not heal it may delay the
chemotherapy. The doctor will give two rounds of chemotherapy and then scan to
see if it shrinks the tumor. Pray that the chemo drug will be effective and that
he will not have severe side effects. He has some discomfort from swelling on
the right side of his head, but he is not in great pain.
星期日1月4日， 2009年
他的PET扫描结果，肿瘤回到七月取出的原处且长大。这是略大于取出的肿瘤。肿瘤在鼻腔背后且朝右眼扩展。癌症并没有蔓延到脑部或肺部。因此，医生说，癌症仍然是局限在已发现的部位。目前最困难的问题，他关心他的脖子那里过去癌症手术的疤痕皮肤，现在非常发痒，因此他一抓，就流血。医生预订本星期四将开始接受化疗。但是，如果他的伤没有痊愈，将推迟化疗。医生将注射两剂的化疗，然后扫描，看看它是否有效的缩小肿瘤。祈祷，化疗药物将是有效的且对他将不会产生严重的副作用。他头部的右侧仍有一些不舒服的肿胀感觉，但他并没有痛得太厉害。
Wednesday, December 24
The tests showed that he did not have an infection, so they discontinued the antibiotics. The fever was gone and
the swelling got better. He was discharged in the evening. Guess what? He and Rebecca headed directly to church
and were in time for the Christmas Celebration. What a surprise!
Monday, December 22
Today he had a PET scan
and because he has a fever and his face was swollen he was admitted to the hospital.
The doctors are trying to figure out the cause.
Tues. Dec.16
He saw the medical oncologist today and was given information about chemotherapy treatment.
This is the remaining traditional treatment method for his case, since the cancer has spread to the skin on his neck.
He will be admitted to the hospital today for the removal of the trach in his
throat. He will be there for 2 or 3 days.
Sun. Dec. 14
He went to church today and ate a whole plate of rice at lunch, though VERY slowly.
This really surprised us for he normally "eats" through the feeding tube attached to his stomach.
Tues. Dec. 9
He saw the pulmonary doctor today. He said that his last chest X-ray taken at the
hospital was clear. He listened to his lungs and said that everything was good. He suggested that he should continue
to use the G-tube for his nutrition.
Mon. Dec. 8
Thank God! He was able to go to church yesterday and there he met a former short-term
missions team member from New York.
The therapist came today and taught him some exercises for strengthening his
leg muscles.
Fri. Dec. 5
Today he saw the ENT surgeon who removed his lymph nodes and the tumor in
his head. On 12/16 he will remove his trach (the hole in his neck for breathing). Starting next week for 3 weeks,
a physical therapist will come twice a week to help him strengthen his muscles. Thank you for your continual prayers.
Mon. Dec. 1
He was discharged from the hospital today. He needs 24-hour care.
Saturday Nov. 29
Sorry about the delay in updating. We had some technical difficulties with the
website. By the way, in the future, if you don't see any update here, try checking http://joshuatsang2005.tripod.com/joshuablog
He has improved much since the last update. He has moved out of the ICU to a
step up, which is a room with medical attention in between that of the ICU and a regular floor. The physical therapists
have walked with him. He has been listening to sermons.
Sun. Nov. 23
He was nonresponsive yesterday, and they realized that he was not tolerating the lumbar
draining of his spinal fluid, so they took the drian out. (The draining is so that the area of his surgery would not
have too much pressure and break again). After that he began to move his hands and feet again. Praise
God! He is able to understand what we say to him now. His head is still very swollen though his face is no longer
swollen (since yesterday). Please pray that now that his drain is removed, the pressure would not be too great for the
new patch on his brain lining. God is good and we trust in His perfect plan.
Fri. Nov. 21
The swelling got much better. He was awake the whole day. Praise the Lord that today
he had a Christian sitter who read passages of the Bible to Him for about 45 min. The doctors came by and checked on
him. It seems that there is no more dripping from the nose.They will do a routine MRI this evening.
Thurs. Nov. 20
He is off the ventilator, sedation & pain meds. His color is better because
he was given some 'blood products.' His head and face are more swollen today than last night, but the swollenness is
normal. He is conscious, clear-minded, but cannot open his eyes because of the swollenness. His main surgeon came
by and said he's doing well. He's getting fed through the tube attached to his stomach.
Wed. Nov 19 (Latest update)
Surgery completed at 9 something. It was close to 4 hours. The surgeons opened up his skull, dissected through
the brain, took a peice of 4x6 inches tissue from his thigh to place over his brain lining and closed up the incision.
Everything went well. Praise the Lord!
We saw him at the recovery room at 10:45 pm and he was sleeping. His head was all swollen like a full moon.
His vital signs were good and he would later be transferred to the recovery room.
Wed. Nov. 19
The surgery will be late this afternoon. We know that God is in control and
will work out everything for the good of those who love him. Thanks for your concern and prayers.
Tues. Nov. 18
He will have an operation tomorrow to fix the brain lining.
The surgery will be some time midmorning or afternoon -- the surgeons are looking for an available operation room. It does not seem to be an emergency here; it just may be that the two surgeons' schedules
happen to be free tomorrow. He was admitted into the hospital this afternoon
at 3 p.m..
Sat. Nov 15
The doctor is testing whether the fluid dripping from his nose is brain fluid. If it is, he will need to reopen his skull. Apparently the scale
at home is measuring a much lighter weight because he weighed 114 lbs at the doctor's office. Pray that Rev.
Tsang would remember to follow his doctor's orders concerning self-care.
Thurs. Nov. 13
We received the beautiful flowers with the teddy bear yesterday from FTD. He's
been pretty active in the past few days and has been reading books and connecting with friends through email.
Tues. Nov. 11
He's eating regularly through the feeding tube as prescribed by the nutritionist. Four
times a day: 8am, 12pm, 4 and 8pm. Praise the Lord! He weighs 106 lbs. which is a lb. heavier than a few days ago. Still
coughing a bit and nose is still dripping.
Sun. Nov. 9
He has more energy in the last few days. He went to church today. He's still
coughing. His nose is still dripping fluid. This Friday he will see his doctor.
Wed. Nov. 5
He was discharged from the hospital today. He still has three days of antibiotics
left. His next doctor's visit is 11/14. He's glad to be home.
Tuesday Nov. 4
He was awake and watched the Election news. The physical therapist said that he could
walk by himself. Everything looked good.
Sunday Nov. 2
He was a bit tired today, but he did not cough as much as yesterday. He is probably
still very sore from coughing due to his pnemonia, because when the nurses slid him up a bit on the bed, he looked
like he was in pain. He threw up last night, but the nurse did not change his dirty blankets. Please pray that
he would get good care there.
Friday Oct. 31
He was transferred to a regular room today. He was awake and communicated by writing.
He even joked with us! The doctor said that they found nothing abnormal and that he was doing quite well. Praise the Lord!
Thursday Oct. 30
He was much better today. His vital signs were good. He sat in a chair for about two
hours and he was mostly awake. The ICU doctor said that yesterday's episode did not cause any damage. His CAT scan and
MRI results were fine. Today, they recorded his brain waves to see if there was any abnormalities.
Wednesday Oct.29
The nurse found that he was unresponsive for about an hour today. They sent him
to do a CAT scan and a no. of other tests. He is in the Intensive Care Unit now.
Monday Oct. 27
He has pneumonia and is on antibiotics. It makes him very tired. But he was happy
to receive cards from his daughter and son-in-law and also from church friends.
Friday Oct. 24
He was sleeping mostly today and getting nutrition through tube feeding.
Thurs. Oct. 23
The surgeon found two holes the size of the end of hair clips in the brain lining
that he filled with tissue from the nose and glued together. He's put packing in the nose (to keep everything in
place for proper healing). He's also replaced his trach with a different one that does not allow airflow between
the mouth/nose and the lungs, so that he would not damage the repaired lining while coughing. So, he will not be
able to talk for 5 days. He will be in the hospital for 5-7 days, during which they will observe whether or not the
surgery worked.
Wed. Oct. 22
He's surgery is at 10:50AM tomorrow. We'll arrive around 8AM. We'll spend
tomorrow night at my aunt's place nearer the hospital. God is with us, and we're peaceful. Thanks for all
of your prayers!
Sat. Oct. 18
It turns out that he's not going to preach tomorrow. I was not aware of this
yesterday, but he had already decided not to earlier in the week. Please continue to pray that he remembers not to follow
the doctor's instructions on self care. He has maintained a good schedule for his meals today. PTL!
Fri. Oct. 17
He plans on preaching this Sunday. Please pray that he will not over exert himself.
Next Thursday his surgeon will put a tube in his back to drain the brain fluid.
It should take about 2.5 hours. If this does not promote healing of the brain lining, then he will have to open his
skull again.
Mon. Oct. 13
Since last Thurs. he's been more energetic, probably because there was a New England
District pastors prayer meeting, which our church hosted and which he attended and because his brother and sister's families
and other friends came to visit. He arranged for his sister to lead a thanksgiving and testimonial musical service on
Sunday. Even though this service was not announced ahead of time, it was well attended and the Lord touched many hearts.
Rev. Tsang went to church for service for the first time this Sunday since his surgery in July. His face is less swollen.
The dripping from the nose continues. He had a sonogram last Thursday, which was tiring for him. The next step
is to schedule for an operation to fix the brain lining. Pray that he will gain weight for this operation. He
sometimes peels the scabs on his head, causing it to bleed. He also blows his nose. Please pray that he would
remember to not do things his doctor prohibits. He's coughing a bit. We pray that he doesn't have pneumonia
again. Joshua is a bit sick with cold symptoms. Pray that he won't infect Rev. Tsang. Thanks so much!
Our God is good for he is always with his people. He cares for us all -- even the squirrels and the birds and the flowers.
Wed. Oct. 8
He's had a little bit of fever these past few days. The doctor suspects that he has
sinus infection and he is on antibiotics now.
Fri. Oct 3
He has been taking in more nutrition by mouth and gaining back some strength.
However, the brain fluid is still dripping from the nostrils. He saw the surgeon today. The doctor will repair his brain
lining soon. The first step is to do an ultrasound next Thursday, Oct. 9.
Sat. Sept. 27
He was discharged from the hospital on Friday. He is eating a little bit by
mouth but mostly through the tube feed.
Mon. Sept.22
He was started on tube-feeding yesterday. He regained a few pounds and has more
energy. He got up and walked twice, hoping to return home soon. Praise the Lord!
Fri. Sept.19
The surgeon put a feeding tube in his stomach this morning. It can be used after
48 hours. He was tired after the 2-hr. surgery. Some friends came to visit in the afternoon. He was happy and
chatted with them a bit. But after that he was exhausted and slept till evening. He was too tired to get up to "drink" his
dinner.
Wed. Sept. 17
He had a number of tests today to see if he really has a brain fluid leak, so he was
quite tired. A few friends of Joshua from school came to visit him. They brought some gifts. He was pleased
to meet them and he also said a prayer.
Tuesday Sept.16
He's getting some energy back today. He's able to talk, read and walk a bit.
Praise the Lord!
Monday Sept. 15
The brain fluid leak seems to have stopped. He is still on antibiotics and is
very tired. He hasn't been taking in enough nutrition, so the doctor will possibly be putting a G-tube for his feeding.
Friday Sept. 12
The doctors confirmed that he has pneumonia, and he is on antibiotics for it and any
other possible infections. He also has a brain lining leak. They will have to repair it but will wait until he
gets stronger to do this. Please pray that he has a better appetite. Thanks!
Thursday Sept. 11
His condition is stable. He is on antibiotics
and waiting for test results. The ENT team will decide on the next steps.
Wednesday September 10
He is being admitted into the Boston Medical Center hospital because last night he
had a fever. The PET scan result came back showing there is another lymph node on the neck with cancer. The lungs
lit up on the image, but they think it may be pnuemonia. So, it seems a bit inconclusive concerning the lungs.
The hospital is going to test whether he has brain fluid leak because his nose has been dripping.
Monday September 8
He is up (out of bed) more of the time now. Pray that he will have a better
appetite. Tomorrow he will go see his surgeon.
Wednesday September 3
Yesterday the retina specialist said that his eye sight is even better than before
the surgery, because they removed the tumor from behind his eye so the pressure has lessened. Today he had his PET scan
which tired him out a lot.
Sunday August 31
He has more energy the last two days or so. So, he has been more active and writing
more emails. Relatives came to visit us which brought him much joy. His head, eye, and ear on the right side
still hurts. Please pray that he would have a normal eating and sleeping schedule. He has not regained the weight
he lost from the surgery.
Wednesday August 27
He will have the PET scan next Wednesday September 3rd. Praise God for
this early appointment, Also, he will see a glaucoma specialist next Tuesday September 2nd.
Tuesday August 26
We went to see his surgeon today. Praise God! His brain lining looks intact
and the other parts of the inside of his nose look good. The doctor was not alarmed when we reported to him that he
has been having some dripping. We were relieved to hear this. Today the surgeon went over the risks of the next
surgery, which he will do if the PET scan comes back showing there is no cancer in the lungs. Since he has had previous
surgeries in the neck and had radiation, the risks are much higher this time around. There is a 50% chance of one side
of his face becoming paralyzed. There is a 20-30% chance that he could lose the ability to talk and swallow,
and a 20-30% chance he could lose strength in his shoulder. We agreed to proceed, and he signed the consent form today.
The surgeon complimented on mom and I for being so supportive. We know that we need to rely on the Lord for
his strength and wisdom, and His grace is sufficient. They are scheduling dates for the PET scan and the surgery.
Friday August 22
He woke up early again and had breakfast. He has been having some dripping
in the nose. Please pray that his reconstructed brain lining stays intact, so he does not contract Meningitis
and does not need to be operated on to fix a rupture. He is not supposed to blow his nose, pick it, or exert force in
general. Sometimes he does these things probably because he is uncomfortable. Pray that he will not pick the scabs
on his head. Thanks!
Thursday August 21
He had a lot more energy today, He woke up early, ate at normal times, and even
went out for a walk, which he had not done recently. We went out for lunch at a local Chinese restaurant today.
Monday August 18
On Friday, his surgeon thought he is healing well. They decided on the
following approach. He will have a PET scan on Aug. 26 to see whether the cancer has spread to the lungs.
If not, he will go through another surgery to take out some cancer on the right side of the neck near the salivary glands.
His hearing seems to have worsened compared to before the surgery.
Tuesday August 12
He is improving steadily. The nurse comes every other day now, because Mrs.
Tsang is able to handle his care. He has a follow-up appointment with his surgeons this Friday. His daughter flew
back to her home this morning. She has been a great help.
Tuesday August 5
He is eating food that has been blended. He seems to have difficulty drinking
it for he takes long breaks between swallows. He takes a walk several times a day, but his energy level is low.
Today we bought carry-out dimsum for his four doctors and the staff on his hospital floor. We also brought DVDs of his
testimony 'Deserved To Die', which were enthusiastically received. Praise God!
Saturday August 2
A visiting nurse came and will continue to come daily to our house to show us how
to care for him.
Friday August 1
He was discharged from the hospital and returned home. Praise God! Thank
you for your prayers.
Thursday July 31
The case manager in charge of discharging him said that he would likely be discharged
Monday August 4th. He has been doing very well--he could eat puree, he could walk on his own, and he was talking
a lot. They still need to monitor him for signs of confusion and his ability to do some self-care to decide whether
or not he would go home or to a rehab facility. He does not need physical therapy. Praise God! He was very
happy to see several people from church and a relative today.
Tuesday July 29
God is good and answers prayer. He had a superb nurse today.
He was very sharp; no confusion at all. Mrs. Tsang accompanied him to walk several hundred feet!
Monday July 28
The nurse said he was a little confused this morning, but he was very clear-minded
to us. He still cannot drink or swallow. The speech pathologist said that they will try to test his swallowing
again on Friday. We took him for a walk, but he became tired after a little while. We have been sometimes
concerned about the care he is receiving. Please pray that he would have good nurses.
Sunday July 27
He was calm today. His mind was clear. He was happy to hear about the
happenings at church.
Saturday July 26
He was sitting on a reclinable chair for the first time since the surgery.
He had taken a walk with the nurse earlier--also the first time. Praise God! The doctors tested his swallowing and found
it was still not safe for him to drink or eat on his own. So, he remained on the feeding tube.
Friday July 25
He began to talk a little. Some Rhode Island church members and friends from
State College, PA came to visit. He was very happy. The doctors and nurses said he is doing very well.
Thursday July 24
He got better compared to the previous day. He could express himself in writing.
He was taken off the ventilator and was given an oxygen mask. An eye surgeon came to check and said his
eyes are fine. Praise God!
Wednesday July 23 (visited for 7 hrs)
He was moved
to a regular room. He was a little confused and thinks that he has to do ministry. So he tried to struggle out
of bed, so the nurses finally had to sedate him. He was coughing a lot.
Tuesday
July 22 (visited for 6 hrs)
A doctor
from the main surgeon's team checked his stitches, his palate and his ability to drink. She found he could not drink
yet. She planned to have the drian for brain fluid taken out. The ICU doctor planned to put an additional IV in
his arm which meant his condition was stabling.
Monday
July 21 (visited for 3 hrs)
He was
just taken off sedation when we visited, so he was somewhat sleepy. A team of endocrinologists tested and found
no problem with his pituitary and adrenal gland's ability to make steroids. A residency doctor who was part of the surgery
team said his brain fluid draining was going well.
Sunday
July 20 (visited for 1-2 hrs)
Much better skin color; head less swollen, hands and feet
still swollen. Off sedation. Lucid, watching TV. At night, got confused, back on sedation (somewhat).
Saturday
July 19
He was pale and his entire head was swollen.
He might have been sedated. The doctor put some drops in his eyes and found the pressure was OK.
Friday
July 18 (Visited for 1 hour)
He was
sedated.
Thursday July 17
By God's grace Rev. Tsang's surgery was successful. It lasted 14 hours. The surgeons took the tumor out that
was behind his brow. The tumor was extensive.
.
