Symptoms & Diagnosis

My name is Sangita Jaiswal. I am a breast cancer survivor. I am also a member of the Sangini Group. I was detected in 2012 with first a nodes appearance in my left breast. I didnt give much notice at first. Later I started developing fever and vomiting. My family took me to the hospital, where the biopsy was conducted and diagnosed breast cancer.

Then I was subject to a test, which was taken from the left breast, then the next day, another MMG from the right breast followed by an ultrasound and FNAC. In this process, my health condition went down as well as my mental state due to high medical bills and my family's reactions to my sickness. After all the tests, I had surgery and chemotherapy treatment which lasted for six months. During that time, I had no appetite, could not sleep well and felt very weak overall.

Surviving cancer was the hardest thing that I have ever lived through. There were times when I wanted to give up on life and just lay down and die. But then I realized that fighting for my life didnt mean that I had to fight against it. Sometimes, surviving cancer meant that you had to live in fear of dying or simply let go of the things that made you scared.

Side Effects & Challenges

The day I found a lump in my left breast, I went to see my doctor and had a biopsy done, it was confirmed I had breast cancer. After the initial shock, I was determined to get treated as soon as possible so that I could get back to being one hundred percent healthy and get on with my life.

After being diagnosed with breast cancer, I then underwent surgery and eight chemotherapy cycles. Following this, I started radiation therapy for five weeks. During the chemotherapy part of my treatment, I experienced complications due to the drugs used in treating my cancer and as a result of this, I had to be given a pacemaker.

My treatment plan is now over and it has been four months since my last chemotherapy cycle. The next step for me is to have a mammogram every six months for five years and an ultrasound every twelve months for five years. In addition to this, I have another three years of hormone therapy through medication to help stop any further recurrence of cancer cells in my body.

Support System & Caregivers

It is a well-known fact that cancer is a serious, life-threatening condition. It is also known that the treatment for cancer can be painful and unpleasant, not to mention the effect it can have on one's mental health.

However, I am happy to say that I have been able to overcome all of these issues thanks to my family, who supported me morally and financially throughout this journey. I would also like to thank my doctors and caregivers for being prompt enough and helping me feel good during surgeries and treatments I went through with.

If you are dealing with breast cancer, please don't lose hope, as it is possible to overcome this disease with the right attitude, support system, and medical care.

Post Cancer & Future Goal

This experience has taught me a lot, but I have to say that one of the most valuable lessons I've learned is the value of enjoying my daily habits. While we're often told that "life is short" and "we only get one chance," this battle has really made me realize that life is long, and we get many chances. As a result, I've decided to start taking advantage of the present time. I'm going to enjoy my daily habits and just take them as they come. That's how I want to keep going on with my life!

It is important to overcome the fear of death. Youll be surprised by how much strength you can have even when the situation seems hopeless. Once you go through what I went through, youll realize that it is never too late to take control of your life and make positive changes in it.

Some Lessons That I Learned

I didnt want to share my experience with breast cancer until it was over. However, as I began to talk about my journey, more and more people told me that they had also had cancer. It was then that I realized that every persons battle with this disease is different, but we all have something in common: a desire to live.

I learned that I have been blessed with the family and friends who supported me through this disease. Ive found a good doctor, and the right treatment helped me survive the worst parts of breast cancer. No matter how much you love someone with cancer, it is hard to watch them go through all of this treatment, but it is worth waiting for their full recovery.

Survival is not about beating cancer, but about living with it. Some people are able to bounce back stronger and healthier than ever before, whereas others never recover from the stress of the ordeal. Its important to be open and take care of your mental health as well as your physical health.

Parting Message

I remember the day when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I couldnt believe that this was happening to me. I was shocked and felt as if my world had just turned upside down. But the doctor said that it is a curable disease. This is what made me feel better, and I started the fight against it in order to get back to my normal life. During my treatment, I had chemotherapy and radiation sessions mainly for several weeks. But I didnt lose hope and continued my treatment procedures with a better mindset.

And then, I had my regular check-up every month to figure out if there are any recurrence signs of breast cancer after treatment. No matter what went through, I always stayed optimistic. The best thing was I let myself live every moment to the core. It was all getting harder, but evolving as I was getting the best treatment and support at the same time. Thats how I can share my personal story here to help other patients surviving breast cancer battling day and night to get back to living a normal life.

This cancer was not something I expected to happen to me. I never thought something like this could actually happen and it did. It was hard for me to accept the fact that theres no cure for this type of cancer. Fortunately, for me, my treatment was successful and I survived it. Nothing can change the fact that there are millions of cases of breast cancer each year, but we can bring awareness by speaking up about it and taking action by performing self-examinations regularly in order to detect breast cancer in its early stages before tumors form.

The best part is I am a breast cancer survivor now. Its all a win for me and my family!