After several difficult days in the hospital, we were finally allowed to go home on June 27.
Walking out of the hospital should have felt like a victory.
Instead, it felt like we were entering another unknown chapter.
The vomiting had finally stopped, and for that, I was deeply grateful. After the frightening experience that led to her emergency admission, simply seeing her keep down a small bowl of rice porridge felt like a miracle.
But recovery after cancer surgery is never as simple as going home.
New Challenges We Never Expected
Since the heart surgery, my wife has been struggling with things that most people never think about.
Walking has become difficult.
Every time she lies down or tries to sit up, she feels pain across her chest where the surgery was performed.
Another unexpected problem appeared as well.
She suddenly found it difficult to control her bladder and often could not hold her urine long enough to reach the bathroom. Because of that, she now needs to wear protective diapers whenever we go out, and sometimes even at home.
These are the kinds of changes that no one really prepares you for.
They are not dramatic enough to appear in medical reports, but they quietly change everyday life.
A Small Improvement That Gives Us Hope
Her weight remains around 47 kilograms, much lower than before everything started.
But at least one important thing has improved.
The nausea is gone.
The vomiting has stopped.
She is slowly eating again.
A little rice porridge.
Some fruit.
Protein supplements.
Small meals.
For many people, that may not sound like much.
For us, it feels like progress.
Right now, our goal is simple:
Help her regain strength through nutrition, gentle exercise, and patience.
Staying Positive Is Harder Than People Think
People often say,
“Stay positive.”
I understand why they say it.
I truly want to believe that tomorrow will be better.
But there are days when positive thinking feels almost impossible.
Cancer does not only attack the patient.
It slowly exhausts the caregiver as well.
The fear.
The uncertainty.
The waiting.
It never really leaves.
The Financial Reality of Cancer Treatment in Singapore
There is another side of cancer that many people outside Singapore may not fully understand.
Medical expenses.
Singapore has an excellent healthcare system.
We are grateful for that.
But excellent treatment also comes with significant costs.
One important lesson we learned is this:
If you are living in Singapore, having only a basic Integrated Shield Plan may not be enough.
A Shield Plan together with a Rider can make an enormous difference when facing major illnesses such as cancer.
Without adequate coverage, many treatments, hospital stays, specialist consultations, and unexpected admissions can become a heavy financial burden.
I sincerely hope no family has to learn this lesson the hard way.
The Emotional Weight of Endless Tests
As caregivers, we often face another difficult reality.
The doctor recommends another scan.
Another MRI.
Another PET-CT.
Another blood test.
Another biopsy.
Of course, every recommendation has a medical reason.
And of course, we want to do everything possible for the person we love.
But after months or years of treatment, something changes inside you.
You begin to wonder whether your loved one is becoming physically exhausted from all the testing.
At the same time, saying “no” feels almost impossible.
Because what if that one scan discovers something important?
So we keep going.
One appointment after another.
One test after another.
Always hoping.
Always worrying.
The Words That Broke My Heart
Then came another conversation with the doctor.
She had been taking Tagrisso (Osimertinib) for more than two years.
The doctor gently explained that if resistance to the medication had developed, we would need to look for another treatment option.
I knew this day might eventually come.
Still, hearing those words was heartbreaking.
It reminded me that cancer treatment is often not a straight road toward recovery.
Sometimes it feels like moving from one battle directly into the next.
We Continue One Day at a Time
Today, I am choosing to focus on the small victories.
She is eating a little more.
She is no longer vomiting.
She is home.
Those may seem like ordinary things.
To us, they are precious.
We still have unanswered questions.
We are still waiting for important test results.
We still do not know what tomorrow will bring.
But today, we are together.
And for now…
that is enough.
In my next post, I will share how we waited for the results of the genetic mutation and resistance testing, and why those few days felt like some of the longest of our lives.
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