Journey of a ‘Cancerian’ Mother

“Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it”

How often do we find ourselves acknowledging and appreciating what life provides us with? Instead we complain about trivial issues and immerse ourselves in a world of oblivion.

Losing someone you deeply care about can be extremely traumatizing. People experience pain of all kinds and adopt different coping mechanisms to deal with their internal grief. But, what happens when the thought of losing someone crosses your mind? What if they fall prey to some deadly disease? What if they are diagnosed with a fatal disease, such as Cancer? Our world crumbles down and we feel helpless. What next? What would a teenager do when she finds out that her mother, the most important person in her life is diagnosed with Breast Cancer? Breast Cancer is the most invasive form of Cancer prevalent amongst women everywhere.

This article is dedicated to the heartwarming struggle of a family when they discovered that the most significant WOMAN in their life was detected with breast cancer. The journey with breast cancer started for this Mother when she first had a non-malignant cyst which was removed by a small surgery. Few months went by and she stumbled upon a lump in her breast while having a shower. Without delaying the process of visiting a doctor, the Mother was diagnosed at a considerably early stage. The family felt devastated and scared. It was only natural to feel vulnerable and powerless.

They say, “Where there is unity, there is always victory”. The unified family stuck together to battle against Cancer, where the cancerous cells unify too, but the family emerged stronger to make sure they provided immense strength to that one woman who exuded strength and courage in the most difficult times. Friends and family stood by them through thick and thin. During such times, everybody has their own way of grieving the unknown. It’s a personal experience – an experience that can teach a lot. The treatment commenced with a surgical operation that had to be performed to remove the lump. The Mother was admitted in the hospital for a few days for complete recovery. A session of chemo and radiation continued for a year. The after-effects resulted in vomiting, nausea, dizziness and hair loss. Medical treatment is the first step towards recovery but how does one battle with their diverse emotions?

Acceptance to any change is back-breaking and exhausting. But when exists indomitable will, nothing seems as burdensome. The fearless warrior kept her calm amidst the storm circling around her. She adopted a healthy lifestyle comprising of nutritious food, lots of physical activity and positive thoughts. Inner peace comes from undergoing hardship and not having to surrender to it, which made this beautiful Mother realize that she had to maintain that optimism to keep her on the run. Her routine also constitutes life-long tablets and medical check-ups, once in every seven months. Reading self-help books also helped her in rediscovering herself and restore faith in life and all the struggles that form a part of it. After all, every dark night ends with a rising sun.

As the survivor’s daughter, the girl has only one message to the world that any form of support is crucial in combating any difficult situation life throws at you. So, be that support for your loved ones at all times because that support is the miracle, one needs.

Hence, ‘Grow stronger from the pain and never, let it destroy you’.

Article by Reshma Chatterjee

journey of a ‘Cancerian’ Mother