Madhu Khanna (Breast Cancer): The Power Of Will

An Explosion of Energy:

My mother, Madhu Khanna, was an emotional lady. She used to worry a lot about things happening around her. Being a typical Indian mother, she believed she could mend things out of her hand. She had the energy to get involved in everything, and when the results did not pan out, she became perplexed.

Too Little, Too Late:

My mother, Madhu Khanna, was fearful of dire situations. She was also cautious not to bother her family because of her problems. This habit tested her to the core. She knew she had Breast Cancer but didn't reveal it to anyone. Call it God's grace or an accident; we learned about her condition and admitted her. But it was too late. Doctors had given up hope as the Cancer was at its fourth stage.

Diagnosis:

It was the year 2013 when she was diagnosed. As I had braved the disease, I knew it could be cured, and the cells could be stopped from multiplying. However, it was her will that needed to act. The dreaded disease had resurfaced in my family, and I was shocked. But my mother had her reasons. She had accepted that the condition was her last call.

Healing, as a term, has been misinterpreted for a long time. It is not always the treatment, but it is the patient's acceptance of the treatment which matters. The healing should happen comfortably. But my mother was facing her daily ordeals. By 2015, she was doing fine, and her hormones were acting as they should. However, in August, we learned that there was a thirty per cent chance of her being alive, and by September, this figure had increased to forty per cent.

My helplessness:

I was helpless as I lived in Mumbai, and she was in Delhi. I was also pregnant and conceived in August. So, the doctors had advised me to stick to the west rather than travel up north. I tried to counsel her by giving her excerpts from my struggle with the disease. But those were up to no avail.

My mother succumbed to Cancer in May 2016. Her death did leave a long-lasting imprint on my life. As a daughter, I had lost the woman who had brought me up. But her sad demise also taught me the power of will. She did not have the right mindset to tackle a disease as significant as Cancer. She was fidgety and feared the repercussions of Chemotherapy and other treatments. Though her mindset did not affect her then and there, she had to bear the results eventually.

She taught me valuable lessons of life before her demise. As a survivor who had braved the deadly disease, I could understand what was going through her mind during the treatment. But every individual is the heir of their will. I could not change how she took the medication herself. I regret that I lost her to something I had defeated. But it is always the soul's call.

Lessons:

Her demise also taught me the value of life. As I was working as a wellness coach, my experiences with her during her tough times made me see Cancer from a different perspective. I look forward to preaching and inspiring patients fighting for their lives. I also wish to tell them that the disease is curable, and the most significant cure lies in the brain!