Live King Size, Die as Emperor
by Rita Banik
Today, you can be cured of cancer with treatment — provided it is detected early enough. A very high percentage of cancer patients survive. Yet, the disease, once diagnosed, still causes a lot of trauma in the patient's mind. It acts like a whale in the living room, making it necessary to shrink and minimise the whale as early as possible.
The mere thought of having cancer gives rise to spells of depression and negative thoughts. I can boast of having faced the hard times with a broad smile, but the truth is that living as a cancer patient is just not funny. When I was operated upon for breast cancer, my mother was devastated, more so as she had to go through the pain of facing cancer a second time in her life (my father died of the disease).
I was blissfully ignorant of the awful treatment that lay ahead; so I was calm enough until I faced the after-effects of chemotherapy. Breast cancer treatment involves surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, depending on the type and stage of cancer, surgery being the easiest part to cope with. In chemotherapy a set of chemicals is given intravenously either to reduce the size of the tumour or to kill leftover cancer cells, if any. Every cycle of chemo was followed by nausea and vomiting, leaving me pretty weak and drained out. Every three weeks I had to get my blood test done. With each chemo my physical appearance got altered from bad to worse with only one positive aspect — the unexpected rise of haemoglobin.
The most common side effect of chemo is falling hair. I tried to overrule it by shaving off my hair completely. Family and friends made light of my 'latest hairstyle' so that I was not conscious of my bald head — I never felt the need to cover my head. Once when we were getting late for dinner I told my sister: "Tell them that Rita was taking too long brushing her hair". "One day at a time and days into years" — so saying my friend Donna in the US, a breast cancer survivor, helped me cope, step by step. I found my own ways of overcoming spells of depression.
Doing yoga twice a day, especially the breathing exercise, did help me feel lighter and energetic. Talking to doctors in detail regarding the course of treatment was of great help; it made me feel comfortable.
I tried not to listen to tales with unhappy endings and avoided looking at gloomy cancer patients. It is always better to spend time with positive-minded people. Dr Robert H Schuller says: "Negative thinking is subtle and deceptive. It wears many faces and hides behind the mask of excuses. It is important to strip away the mask and discover the real, root emotion.
Positive thinking, on the other hand, makes one happier and healthier. Scientists have shown that positive thinking releases endorphins, which promote a healthier body".
I made it a point to follow Schuller's advice. Once I knew that I had to stay indoors to avoid infection during chemo I found hobbies to keep myself distracted from unwanted thoughts.
Keeping yourself engaged in some flow activity like reading, listening to music, or watching movies acts as a companion treading the path with you.
I decided that I had been gifted with so much free time to learn something new. Being occupied mentally reduced the darkness of the tunnel and days passed faster.
While I can run I will run, while I can walk I will walk and when I can only crawl I will crawl — but I will always keep moving. The toughest time for me and my husband was waiting for the biopsy report and then intimating our relatives and friends. So here I am, taking each day as it comes, each moment utilised in doing something different.
Like Donna, I, too, have come to respect cancer. It has taught me to love and appreciate people around me, to be grateful to them for small things.
It has taught me to cherish each and every moment, observe nature and relish its beauty. These words are meant to encourage all those who are going through a bad phase in life.
I wish to tell them that this is only a bend in the path, it is not the end. They can create time, not just manage time during treatment, and thus overcome all negative thoughts.
Today, you can be cured of cancer with treatment — provided it is detected early enough. A very high percentage of cancer patients survive. Yet, the disease, once diagnosed, still causes a lot of trauma in the patient's mind. It acts like a whale in the living room, making it necessary to shrink and minimise the whale as early as possible.
The mere thought of having cancer gives rise to spells of depression and negative thoughts. I can boast of having faced the hard times with a broad smile, but the truth is that living as a cancer patient is just not funny. When I was operated upon for breast cancer, my mother was devastated, more so as she had to go through the pain of facing cancer a second time in her life (my father died of the disease).
I was blissfully ignorant of the awful treatment that lay ahead; so I was calm enough until I faced the after-effects of chemotherapy. Breast cancer treatment involves surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, depending on the type and stage of cancer, surgery being the easiest part to cope with. In chemotherapy a set of chemicals is given intravenously either to reduce the size of the tumour or to kill leftover cancer cells, if any. Every cycle of chemo was followed by nausea and vomiting, leaving me pretty weak and drained out. Every three weeks I had to get my blood test done. With each chemo my physical appearance got altered from bad to worse with only one positive aspect — the unexpected rise of haemoglobin.
The most common side effect of chemo is falling hair. I tried to overrule it by shaving off my hair completely. Family and friends made light of my 'latest hairstyle' so that I was not conscious of my bald head — I never felt the need to cover my head. Once when we were getting late for dinner I told my sister: "Tell them that Rita was taking too long brushing her hair". "One day at a time and days into years" — so saying my friend Donna in the US, a breast cancer survivor, helped me cope, step by step. I found my own ways of overcoming spells of depression.
Doing yoga twice a day, especially the breathing exercise, did help me feel lighter and energetic. Talking to doctors in detail regarding the course of treatment was of great help; it made me feel comfortable.
I tried not to listen to tales with unhappy endings and avoided looking at gloomy cancer patients. It is always better to spend time with positive-minded people. Dr Robert H Schuller says: "Negative thinking is subtle and deceptive. It wears many faces and hides behind the mask of excuses. It is important to strip away the mask and discover the real, root emotion.
Positive thinking, on the other hand, makes one happier and healthier. Scientists have shown that positive thinking releases endorphins, which promote a healthier body".
I made it a point to follow Schuller's advice. Once I knew that I had to stay indoors to avoid infection during chemo I found hobbies to keep myself distracted from unwanted thoughts.
Keeping yourself engaged in some flow activity like reading, listening to music, or watching movies acts as a companion treading the path with you.
I decided that I had been gifted with so much free time to learn something new. Being occupied mentally reduced the darkness of the tunnel and days passed faster.
While I can run I will run, while I can walk I will walk and when I can only crawl I will crawl — but I will always keep moving. The toughest time for me and my husband was waiting for the biopsy report and then intimating our relatives and friends. So here I am, taking each day as it comes, each moment utilised in doing something different.
Like Donna, I, too, have come to respect cancer. It has taught me to love and appreciate people around me, to be grateful to them for small things.
It has taught me to cherish each and every moment, observe nature and relish its beauty. These words are meant to encourage all those who are going through a bad phase in life.
I wish to tell them that this is only a bend in the path, it is not the end. They can create time, not just manage time during treatment, and thus overcome all negative thoughts.
posted by Aditya at 4:11 PM
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