LET'S TALK ABOUT CANCER TODAY!!

This has been the hardest episode on #letsbreakthesilence to write about.

I have been thinking a lot about these terms’ ‘survivor’ and ‘thriver.’
They are frequently used in the cancer community. And as someone who witnessed a cancer experience, I find myself dissecting and deconstructing the use of the terms. How about we use the word ‘rebel’ as @saralous.writes put it.

Cancer is a disease caused by the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the body.
This abnormal cell growth can damage normal cells around it and in other parts of the body.
The effects of cancer disease can be devastating, and it’s important to stay informed about its risks and prevention.
A minority of cancers are due to inherited genetic mutations. Most cancers are related to environmental, lifestyle or behavioural exposures.

Cancer is a disease that everyone can suffer from. And there are different types of cancer.

·       Bowel cancer

·       Bone cancer

·       Bladder cancer

·       Brain tumors

·       Breast cancer

·       Cervical cancer

·       Colon cancer

·       Endometrial cancer

·       Fallopian tube cancer

·       Gallbladder cancer

·       Kidney cancer

·       Leukaemia      

·       Liver cancer

·       Lung cancer

·       Lymphoma

·       Melanoma

·       Pancreatic cancer

·       Prostate cancer            

·       Skin cancer

·       Thyroid cancer

·       Ovarian cancer

·       Vaginal cancer

There is no standard treatment or protocol for any cancer.
Rebels of cancer may be permanently immunologically suppressed.
I read an article by a ‘rebel’ which got me to have flashbacks from years ago. She narrated her journey with breast cancer. She was starting her 25rounds of radiation after just recovering from a double mastectomy and 6months of chemo due to stage 3 breast cancer. She narrated how she forgot what it was like to feel ‘normal’ both mentally and physically. She felt to have been stuck in a world where she dreaded leaving her home or making plans out of pure discomfort. She could barely move her body or keep her eyes open.
This note came as a message of hope and an inspiration. Not just to me but to everyone who is currently battling with cancer, those whose relations are battling with cancer and even those who are advocating about cancer.
I feel joy and happiness regularly when I read stories about cancer rebels.

 

Having cancer is never fun.

But when your partner/parents/sibling/friend have been diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, all you can be is to concentrate on being by their side doing everything you can do to keep them comfortable and happy as possible.
It is now that I get to understand the pain he was going through. His illness was never explained to me to a better understanding. Years later, whenever I stumble on the world cancer, grief envelopes all around me. Grief once again, peeks out from between the cracks that formed in my heart as I learn exactly what it was that took that jovial young man away.
There was a time I spent day by day praying and hoping, keeping high levels of expectation that someone I dearly loved would get better.
With him not picking calls or responding to my text messages and not wanting me to go see him, I didn’t know exactly what to expect. I just knew that “it wasn’t good.”
I was led into believing that after he’s done with his chemo, everything was to get a whole positive. To get back to normal life. That was not the case for him, for me, for the both of us, for his family.
Even when he was going through chemo, he still looked exhausted and could barely talk or open his eyes for long. He was worn out day after day.

‘The cause of his increasing pain was not the chemo but actually the cancer growing aggressively.’ The palliative care nurses said. They said his ca125 had tripled in the last two weeks and chemo had stopped working. The roller coaster. After chemotherapy and radiation, his cancer kept returning and continued to engulf his body. His tumors came back and was given months to live (which I didn’t know of). Unfortunately, due to the failed medical system and adequacy, he passed away. He was only 23 years old.

At times, I am angry he died. Death is scary. Grief is scary too.
If love is said to grow more deeply with time,
then shouldn’t it make sense that yearning for someone we are missing would as well?
I couldn’t get over the call that came through of his demise.
But even when the arena is empty, I am eternally grateful for every second we spent together.

 

AFFIRMATION FOR YOU TODAY

·       Don’t stop living.

·        Don’t stop dreaming.

·       Don’t stop making plans.

 

RECOMMENDATIONS

Books about curing cancer naturally

·      When Natural Cures for Cancer Became Illegal by Harry Hoxsey.

·      The Grape Cure by Johanna Brandt.

·      Healing the Hopeless by Dr Max Gerson.

·      Your Own Perfect Medicine by Christy Martha.