Symtom och diagnos

My name is Alka Bhatnagar. I am a Bröstcancer Survivor. I am also an active member of Anuradha Saxenas Sangini Group. It was around 2013 when I first got diagnosed and noticed a lump in my right breast. It was an emotionally draining experience. I feel devastated and helpless. Every time I would go for a check-up, the doctor would use words like Inflammatory, Malignant, and they used to put me under a lot of stress by giving me long consults full of guesses, which were mostly wrong. The results were inconclusive.

Men vi fortsatte att gå på några tester på ett sjukhus med flera specialiteter och läkaren där fann att det var bröstcancer i mitt högra bröst. Jag genomgick kemoterapi och operation direkt. De tog bort knölen och kollade om några andra knölar på mitt bröst var cancerösa eller inte, tack och lov var det ingen av dem. De gjorde också ett immunterapiprotokoll som heter Herceptin, utan vilket överlevnaden hade varit 50 procent även med cellgiftsbehandling, men med detta gav de mig en överlevnadsgrad på 70 procent med minimala biverkningar.

The doctors there seemed more educated than most other doctors in this city. It is not just about being well versed with medical terminology or having gone to a good medical school; it is about how one picks up on patterns and symptoms and actually connects the dots to make sense of things This is what matters most when it comes to treatment options.

Biverkningar & utmaningar

Throughout my journey of beating Breast Cancer, I was unable to find bras that fit by the time I had lost all my hair. When a woman loses her hair from chemo, its a sign of strength and courage. Its also those changes that make you feel like an outsider in your own skin. This bra represents survival for me and for many women who have gone through what I did. To add After treatments of chemotherapy and radiation, my skin was pale, my eyes were dark and I felt like a stranger in my own body.

Det var dags för en extrem bokläsning. För att komma tillbaka till att känna mig som mitt gamla jag igen övergick jag till att göra mina hobbyer. Det hjälpte mig att se bra ut, må bättre och till och med hjälpte mig att känna mig oövervinnerlig när jag behandlades för cancer.

Kemoterapi can be an isolating experience. For most people, it makes you feel invisible. When I was bald and lost my eyebrows, I made a choice to fight back and wear make-up. It wasnt just about vanity; it was about getting to know myself again. Cancer made me feel like I couldnt face the world without a mask!

Supportsystem & Vårdgivare

Sometimes life isnt easy. People get sick and that is a sad truth of life. They might have an accident and someone needs to take care of them. This can be hard because the family members may feel confused and they dont know what to do in order to help the person to recover quickly.

Min familj var alltid där för att stötta mig under min nöd. De skulle lyssna på alla mina problem och göra sitt bästa för att lösa dem. Sjukhuspersonalen var både kärleksfull och empatisk. När jag började uppleva intensiv smärta gjorde de allt som stod i deras makt för att ta hand om mig.

I am grateful to have a support system thats always there for me and lets me share my experience with them. That made the recovery process after cancer much easier to deal with, because I started feeling better and thanks to the doctors and nurses. They also helped me recover from my aches at a faster rate!

Post Cancer & Framtidsmål

I feel great today. I have bounced back so well from surgery that I can scarcely believe it! The incision is healing beautifully, and I am so happy with how things look now, even if its a little different than it was before. Its important for me to appreciate all the good things in life, no matter how big or small they may seem. I know this experience has been really tough, but the good news is, I get to work through it doing things that I would love to do regardless of what happens!

Några lektioner som jag lärde mig

Life is too short to be lived with regrets. Acknowledging that hard lesson and choosing to move forward give me a sense of deep gratitude for what I have. Cancer has taught me many things. And, a cancer diagnosis is a moment of terror, but it can also be a chance to stop and re-examine one life. Its forced me to be patient and kind, its made me more empathetic towards others; its encouraged me to rise above even when the world comes crashing down around me, and most importantly, its taught me about love redefined as an idea and feeling.

But as I scrolled through my memories and the rough times, I realized that without this horrific experience, I wouldnt have where I am now. Heres the thing. In order to progress, you have to have a few lessons to pull from the side-lines whether they are learnt from school, people you know or things that happen.

Avskedsmeddelande

Äntligen är jag en bröstcanceröverlevare. Jag delar min historia för att hjälpa andra genom deras behandlingar med mod, styrka och hopp. Mitt råd är att prata med din läkare om biverkningar och om du behöver mer information om mediciner.

Ha alltid någon som kan hålla dig sällskap under behandlingen. Jag var en av de lyckliga; efter en lång tid är jag nu cancerfri. Min historia är dock inte ovanlig. Så många kvinnor lider av bröstcancer. Och effekterna av cellgifter kan vara svåra att hantera. Ibland undrar jag om det var värt allt. Men så tittar jag på den vackra kvinnan i spegeln och ser all styrka hon har fått på vägen, och det vet jag att det var!

Always remember one thing Theres no such thing as timeless when it comes to eradicating cancer. The battle doesnt stop after treatment ends. You continue the search for all options available to you, so that your body, mind, and soul are healthy as they can be.