My family and I are originally from Surat but reside in Mumbai. My grandfather was 76 years old when he was diagnosed with cancer. The first signs were his reduced weight and deteriorating health. When we consulted a doctor, he had liver and esophagus cancer. It came as a shock to all of us. I began talking to my medical friends and got their support in understanding the situation. It was tough for us to accept.

The Bitter Truth:

We decided to consult an oncologist, but we still had to break the news to my grandfather. He had no idea that he had been diagnosed with cancer. We consulted a doctor, and he met my grandfather and did some checkups on him. After this, he told us that the cancer was in stage 3 and had a low life expectancy. That was very difficult for us to comprehend, and we were determined to keep the life expectancy hidden from my grandfather to reduce his stress.

Tryst with Ayurveda:

The doctor suggested chemotherapy, but my grandfather wanted to try ayurvedic treatments instead. Our family extensively researched ayurvedic treatments and felt it was the best fit. We went ahead with the ayurvedic treatment and prepared a schedule for his care. After a few weeks, he lost a lot of energy and stopped going to the office since the whole day was extensive and tiring. However, he cooperated with the treatments very well and never argued.

He would drink the juices and exercise, though his appetite was small, and his sleep was quite disturbed. Despite the ayurvedic medicines helping him, his liver started reducing productivity. After a few months, it became quite tricky. We saw that it was getting difficult for him and decided to bring his mother and my great-grandmother to Mumbai from Surat to meet him once before any adversities took place. We told her about his cancer and the situation.

Heavy Throat:

A family member went to Surat and brought her to Mumbai. She came and met him, but she never cried, except when she saw him for the first time. She stayed with him the whole day and prepared food for him. My great-grandmother stayed awake the whole night, sang lullabies to him, and reminisced about old times. We were so happy to see the mother-son reunion; she knew she would never see him again. It was very emotional.

The Final Good-Bye:

The next day, she gave my grandfather a beautiful and heartfelt message. She left happily for her native village. After one week of her visit, my grandfather passed away. My family and I believe God wanted my grandfather and great-grandmother to meet again. Though we had heavy hearts, we were happy to know he passed away without suffering and was at peace. My only advice is to get all checkups done and remain healthy!