I was diagnosed with Inoperable Aggressive Small Bowel Adenocarcinoma, stage 3 on Oct 26, 2018. With 4 more months remaining before my wedding, I went to my hometown for shopping. But with continuous episodes of abdominal pain and backache every day, my mother somehow convinced me to go for a checkup and that's when we got to know about the diagnosis.
We were stumped to hear the word cancer. This feeling became even more intense when we got to know that I was diagnosed with a rare type of cancer which had no standard Chemotherapy drugs for it. So after a failed Surgery attempt and also a failed chemotreatment, the doctors were clueless about what could be done to manage this disease.
Due to such uncertainty concerning my diagnosis, I was told that I didn't have much time left (the maximum I could stay alive with this progressing disease is 23 years). And this is when I thought of not just depending on the doctors and so I started learning more and more about my disease.
At that time, I came across Dimple Parmar, she is a real angel. She further told me about how important it is to be one's advocate. And thus I became my advocate, driving the course of my treatment.
I devoured a lot of books that came across how off-label medicines are used for starving cancer cells. I would like to mention some of the books which helped me a lot during my journey:
Initially, I was so scared to try off-label drugs (drugs not meant for Cancer Treatment but other illnesses) and supplements but then I was more scared of just waiting for some sort of miracle to happen. So, I started taking action through various approaches and then monitored the improvement in my reports.
Despite all these events, I would consider myself very blessed with an awesome family, an amazing fiance and a supportive set of friends who have been constantly supporting me throughout this journey.
With all my research and experience in surviving through the disease, I found some common areas, that generally play a significant role in causing this disease. Stress, neglecting one's health or taking it for granted topped the list. And I do admit that this has been true in my case.
With this research and advocacy that I have been doing for several months, I strongly feel that with the right approach, cancer can be treated as a lifestyle disease and one can learn to live with it eventually.
I'll give you an example of how I follow some things regularly in my routine:
Finally, now after 6 injections of Keytruda (after chemo failed) for 8 months from diagnosis, my family found a surgeon in Tokyo who was ready to take my case. So leaping in the name of God, I had my second Surgery.
And it turned out to be highly successful!
A Biopsy of the tumour then showed no active cancer cells. As of now, I am being monitored, but don't have any conventional treatment going on, as such. But, I continue with my juicing and supplements every day, which has made me write this Survivor Story today.
Respect the way your life is, anytime things could take a downturn. It is imprudent to predict or analyze certain events in your life. Live every moment of your life to the fullest. Believe in hope but also have a strategy for life in place. Try to be a better version of yourself every day. Don't hold grudges against anyone, life is too short to even consider such events.
It's difficult when life throws lemons at you, but then accepting and making peace with the existing circumstances could make things much better.
Be like a river, which keeps flowing even when there are boulders on its way. And to stay in a flow, you have to remain open and be fluid towards anything that comes your way.