In 2014, I felt a lump in my left breast. I underwent a mammogram, but the results were negative. The lab technician advised that it was benign and should not be operated on. However, my brother-in-law, who is a surgeon, suggested that any tumor should be removed. Despite this, I didn't proceed with the operation since it wasn't causing any trouble.
In February, as my daughter was preparing to leave for America, I asked my sister-in-law, a gynecologist, to examine the tumor. At the time, it was very small and seemed harmless. Those two months were stressful as I was busy packing for her departure, and as a perfectionist, I was making sure everything was perfect.
After two months, I noticed swelling in my breast and my gut feeling had it that something was wrong. I detected the change one night, and the very next day, I visited my family hospital. Both my sister and brother-in-law were concerned when they saw it. Routine tests were conducted, and I had the tumor removed on May 5th.
The wait for the biopsy reports was a traumatic 15 days for both my family and me. I was caught in a dilemma, wondering whether the results would be positive or negative. That waiting period was particularly crucial.
When the results finally came back positive for breast cancer, I remember the initial reaction of disappointment and shock while in the car. However, I soon felt relieved that the waiting was over. I resolved to fight this and win the battle.
My treatment journey included a second operation to remove my breast, followed by four chemotherapy cycles, each 21 days apart. Initially, it was supposed to be eight cycles, but after the first four, I was advised to switch to a less intense seven-day cycle to reduce the strain on my health. I also underwent radiation therapy. In total, the treatment cycles spanned almost a year.
Throughout my journey, although both my children were abroad, my husband and my entire family were my pillars of support. Various factors kept me calm, and after the initial days of disturbance, I decided to fight it out.
My daughter, who was abroad, spoke to a friend whose mother had advanced-stage cancer. She sent me a detailed letter on how I should manage my diet and the side effects of chemotherapy. I adhered to her advice, which greatly helped.
Additionally, I received guidance from Dr. Prateek, a renowned urologist whose wife was also battling breast cancer. He prepared me for the potential problems post-chemotherapy and how to manage them. My daughter also conducted meticulous research on specific nutrition guidelines, which proved immensely helpful.
During chemotherapy, I was advised to drink a lot of water to flush out the toxins. My husband stayed up with me for at least 2-3 nights after each session to ensure I stayed hydrated. This was based on my daughter’s advice, and it effectively reduced any burning sensations.
I started taking Wheatgrass in the morning, which I continued for five years. Then, I had soaked Nuts regularly, that included almonds, walnuts, raisins, and fig. Fruits were supposed to be taken in the morning fairly on an empty stomach, so around 9 o'clock, I had sweet fruits, and after half an hour, I had citrus fruits, and again after half an hour, I had watery fruits. After I had my share of fruits, I used to take almost two glasses of vegetable juice, which included bottle guard, green apple, raw turmeric, ginger, lemon, raw tomatoes, and any leafy greens like spinach, Mint or coriander. The whole idea of having fruits is to give you nutrition, but they are acidic, so to remove the effect, you need to have vegetable juice, which is highly alkaline.
After taking the vegetable juice, I would have my lunch. I altogether avoided wheat flour because of the Gluten and used multi-grain flour or bajra more. Then after lunch, I used to have lemon juice to make my body alkaline. I used to take eight lemons a day. In the evening, I used to have a very light dinner, followed by almond powdered milk.
Besides this, I did a lot of exercises; it was tough for me initially because when you have your lymph nodes removed, that specific area gets swelled. My younger brother was very stubborn in making me do exercise, and it helped me a lot. My elder brother is a Vipassana teacher, and for him, the world is his family. But when I got breast cancer, he took two months off to be with me and would take me for long walks. He would guide me in meditation, talk to me about spiritual things, and helped me immensely to pass through all these.
I used to write down my emotions in my diary; it was a beautiful journey. I was confined to a room; I was with myself, so I started looking into the world of words.
During my treatment, I learned paper quilling, which kept me so occupied that it was like a meditation for me. Life after Breast Cancer has changed beautifully, and cancer has helped me to improve and grow.
Don't take cancer as a very dreadful disease; it may be a bit painful, but treat it like a normal disease. Use it as an opportunity to understand who you are. Try to focus on the physical and mental aspects by following a good diet and doing meditation. Do the things you love; enjoy what you do and be mindful of what you do. Try to come out of it and lead a better life and help others.
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Nurture Hope & Healing
with ZenOnco
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Nurture Hope & Healing
with ZenOnco
On Google play India
