Part 2 of Jay Weerarathna's courageous battle against cancer

'I will fight, I will succeed'

part 1

Soon I began my treatment and as it progressed so too did my rapport with my oncologist Dr. Jayantha Balawardene.

Just as I was about to begin medication an old friend suggested that I should also do some meditation. I had heard of meditation but it was like Greek to me. I asked him how it could help me.

"The body functions according to the commands it receives from somewhere in the brain. The body can do nothing without a command from the brain. So control the brain and then the brain controls the body," he said.

The meditation I follow is self-designed. I had no teachers or books. I just did what I thought was right. So do not take me as an example. I do not sit cross-legged, nor do I go under Bo Trees or to the jungle caves.

Each day before I go to sleep I lie on my bed and relax first. Thereafter I only concentrate on my breathing-in and out, in and out. (some call it Anapana Sati Bavana). It took me a little time to cultivate this habit, but once I developed it, I found it to be extremely beneficial.

It was in such a frame of controlled mind that I ventured into the next phase - medical treatment.

I have seen hundreds of cancer patients at Maharagama N.I.C. It was a pathetic sight. Many of them are walking corpses.

I believe it is not cancer that has overtaken them, but that with limited knowledge of the disease and the lack of knowledge of treatment available, they have just caved in. Even those who accompany them appear to have given up.

At times I wondered if some organization should set up an information and counselling centre for patients who seek treatment at this hospital to give them hope and teach them to adopt a more positive approach. It would serve a much bigger cause than other forms of external manifestations of generosity and kindness.

My doctor adopted a radical attitude in treating me. Palliative treatment was miles away. That made all the difference.

In addition to my doctor I found all the staff at the hospital kind and concerned. They performed their duties well under trying circumstances. First I was given a dose of chemotherapy followed by 20 doses of radiotherapy over a month. This was followed by another five doses of chemotherapy. The combined process of treatment was over on December 28, 1997.

Radiation had very little or no side-effects on me. I drove the car daily for treatment from home or office.

But chemotherapy was different. I suffered weeks of vomiting. No food. Halfway through I lost all my hair (I hardly had any to lose) and could manage for days without a shave.

I was told that due to extremely severe side-effects many patients give up treatment halfway only to fall victim to the disease.

Meanwhile each time I took a chemo dose my blood count dropped sharply. It had to come up to the minimum required level to get the next dose. Once I had to get a blood transfusion and my wife and son and another friend donated blood on my behalf. As my group was rare we had to wait for a long time for a donor to appear.

Next I had to take an expensive series of injections, which was beyond me.

On one occasion, the blood count was not going up and we were wondering what to do.Quite by surprise I got some money due to me and with that I saved the calf which we had vowed to do.

A random blood count next day showed my blood count had risen. And I was able to take my next injection. While this treatment was going on, a strange thing happened.

One night in 1997 Lord Buddha appeared before me in a dream and asked me how I was progressing. He assured me that I would fully recover. He then asked me to share my experiences with others who were sick.

I woke up in a bath of sweat.

By the end of December the first phase of my treatment was over.

The doctor asked me to wait for some time and come for check-ups with X rays.

Then in March '98, the doctor thought I should be ready for surgery and referred me to a cardiothoracic surgeon.

I had been lucky with my doctors. I found Dr. Nimal Rajapaksa ever so willing, understanding and ready to help. So were his deputies.

I was admitted to his ward and a bronchoscopy was done. His report said, "As an unhealthy area is next to the carina, the healing of the bronchial stump is going to be difficult."

So it was back to my oncologist.

He said I would have to undergo further radiation treatment as surgery was not possible, but it could not be done here. I had to go to Apollo hospital in Madras. On my doctor's reference I made arrangements to go to Madras for brachytherapy - a specialized radiation treatment administered internally.

But from where would the money come? It would cost a tidy sum by my standards.

My daughter chipped in with some money, my son got two air tickets for my wife and me, and my sister-in-law came up with some money. But yet I was short by a large sum.

I went to my bank - the manager was only too willing to help me. He gave me an overdraft. Meanwhile I had to make arrangements to run the office. Both Priyantha and Amila undertook to do it.

So on April 19, '98 we went to Apollo and the next day to Dr. T.K. Padmanabhan, senior consultant in Radiation Oncology.

Didn't I say I was lucky with my doctors?

Here too I found Dr. TKP helpful and understanding. It was not a convenient time for him - his daughter herself having been operated a few days back.

But even in such a worried frame of mind, he attended to me as if everything was normal around him. But he wished to have some fresh tests. I was directed to their chest specialists who took new CT scans and other tests.

A bone scan revealed that the disease had spread to the bones too.

The discharge report by the doctor said:

"59-year-old Mr. Weerarathne presented with a history of haemoptysis in June 97. Investigated in Sri Lanka. Diagnosed to have adenocarcinoma of the right lung. It was evaluated to be inoperable, as there was erosion in the right main bronchus. He had one course of chemotherapy with FC (cisplatin, adriamycin and cyclophosphamide) followed by radiation therapy 40 GY in 20 fractions and again five courses of chemotheraphy. He has come for endobronchial brachytherapy as he continues to have the erosion in the right main bronchus. On examination no pallor or supreclavicular lymphadenopathy, cvs, rs, adb, - normal. Treatment - patient was planned for two applications of endorbronchial brachytherapy under bronchoscopic guidance. Applicator was introduced and positioned first.. Therapy for right main bronchus using HDR Microselectron for length of 6 cms was done. Dose delivered was 6 GY at 1 cm and repeated one week later. For further management in Sri Lanka."

Time passed and I was seeing my doctor regularly. On all occasions after examination he said I was doing fine.

But Dr. Balawardene is a man who leaves nothing to chance. Accordingly he sent me to Dr. Rajapaksa again for another bronchoscopy. After examination in July '98 he said "Sharp carina. No tumour seen within the reach of the bronchoscope in the right bronchial tree".

Time passed with monthly examinations. In September he ordered another CT scan.

The report said:

"Axial scans were done after IV contrast. There is a mass of soft tissue density in the right middle lobe adjacent to the right heart border. When compared with the previous scan done in April the mass remains unchanged in size. The lymph node mass seen in the sub-carnal region too remains unchanged. Smaller enlarged lymph nodes are present in the right hilum and retro carinal region.

"Comment:- The mass lesion in the right lower lobe remains unchanged. No new masses."

So, the doctor was correct in his assumption. The primary tumour remained static.

Back to Dr. Rajapaksa.

He said this was a serious operation and that he would do it if I insist but if I could avoid it, the better. Instead he did something else to help me.

He ordered a Computer Tomography (CT) guided fine needle aspirated biopsy. I developed a phneumothorax and had to be warded for two days with a catheter to drain out the air.

The biopsy report came. And it was still positive. But by now I was so accustomed to these that I did not even take much notice of it. But I knew it was serious.

What next?

Back to Apollo.

Dr. Padmanabhan had supplied me with all the details , including costs. Dr. Balawardene was sorry he had to ask me to go, but there was nothing much to do.

But I had to find a large sum of money as the treatment was going to last nearly a month. I appealed to the President's Fund and was granted relief of about Rs. 65,000/=. My son again came up with two return air tickets.

And my Rotary friends too chipped in. Yet I needed another large sum and here again my bank manager came to the rescue. We flew to Madras on October 30. This time Premani took her patchwork to keep her busy.

As for treatment, the doctor was kind and more attentive. After examination he said he would give the maximum amount of radiation possible - three dimensional irradiation on the linear accelerator to cover even the enlarged lymph nodes.

His report after treatment read: "Patient was given external beam radio therapy with 6 mv photons in linear accelerator. A dose of 36 GY in 18 fractions as delivered from 3/11/98 to 26/11/98 after simulation and computer treatment planning.

Patient tolerated the treatment well.

Advise: Review after 2 months."

Dr. Balawardene took a CT scan two months later and it was found that appearances were suggestive of a tumour recurrence or a residual disease.

The Doctor was pleased. I faxed the report to Dr. Padmanabhan who replied:

"Going through the CT scan report the disease seems to be more or less static. And you are also relatively free of symptoms. Hence I do not think you need any active treatment now. However your doctor should be able to decide after examining you. Please keep me informed."

Dr. Balawardene sent me to Dr. Rajapaksa again for a check up on June 10, 1999.

He reported that the right bronchial tree was examined in detail, both upper and lower lobes upto segmental bronchial orifices. "Definitely no tumour seen within the reach of the bronchoscope. Almost normal bronchial findings."

On a lighter note he said that even the traces he noted in the previous bronchoscopy were not there this time.

The same day he had reported his findings to Dr. Balawardene.

I faxed this report to Dr. Padmanabhan.

He commented: "I am happy to note that Dr. Rajapaksa has said that everything is clear on the bronchoscopy. You will have to undergo periodic check ups and as it is, no future treatment will be required."

Periodical check ups, I will always do. But I know my doctor - he takes no chances.

The last time I spoke to him on the phone he said that Dr. Rajapaksa has told him that my bronchus is now normal. I know what he is thinking - he will not give up.

Meanwhile it is end June '99, when I finish writing this.

I come to work daily. I come earlier and go later than usual. My craving for work is growing. I will fight and I will succeed.

- Concluded

More Plus

Return to the Plus Contents