Vimla (Breast Cancer Survivor)

I am Vimla, 40-years-old. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018. Until that point, I was as healthy and as carefree as could be. I cooked, did all the household chores, took care of my daughter happily, and enjoyed time with my family. Breast cancer never crossed my mind. 

How it began

I felt a lump in my breast four years back. Initially, I ignored it. After some time, when I touched it, it was painful. Then I disclosed it to my husband. The next day, we decided to go to the doctor. We had no idea which doctor to consult for this treatment. When I went to the doctor, I found that it was a male doctor. I did not get the courage to tell him anything. I thought that it would vanish in a few days. But when the problem did not subside, we went to the doctor. Here also the doctor misguided me. He said he would prescribe me some medicine, and I will be alright in a few months. But my lump was increasing in size. My friends suggested I go for allopathic treatment.

Misguided by doctors

In the meantime, my brother gathered information from different sources and suggested going for some ayurvedic treatment. I was not entirely confident about it, but he said that he had done excellent research and Ayurveda has a very positive impact on cancer, so we decided to go with this treatment. The Ayurvedic practitioner gave me some medicines and instructed me to follow a strict daily routine which I followed blindly. I also used to wake up early in the morning and do yoga as suggested. I was totally on fruits and some soup. This went on for four months. And there was no sign of improvement. Later, we learned that the self-proclaimed Ayurvedic expert was a fraud. One year had passed. And my condition was worsening.

Finally, we decided to go for allopathic treatment. The doctor suggested going for a biopsy, which confirmed cancer. It was very devastating news for me. I am a very strong person, but I cried a lot. Only one question was in my mind 'why me?'

Side effects of treatment

My mother came to take care of me. We decided to go for allopathic treatment. I underwent surgery, sixteen cycles of chemotherapy and radiation therapy as a part of the treatment. The chemotherapy had very adverse side effects. I was feeling very weak. I did not want to talk to anybody; I just wanted to sleep all the time. The impact was so bad that I decided to discontinue the treatment after four cycles. But my mother helped me a lot in this whole period and encouraged me to continue with the treatment.

I am cancer free

After following all the protocols of treatment, I went for sonography. This time there was no sign of any cancer cell. The doctor confirmed that I am cancer-free. My belief in God is firm. I think that with the grace of God, I am today cancer-free, but at the same time, proper treatment is also necessary.

Message to others

Timely and proper treatment can help cure cancer. " Do not waste time. Follow medical advice and choose the right treatment option at the right time. Never trust doctors who do not have a medical degree."