Cancer Survivor Stories: Kimberly

In December 2010, Kimberly noticed a bump on her back. She thought it was a harmless cyst and wasn’t overly concerned about it, but her husband didn’t like the look of it and suggested that she have a doctor examine it. A trip to the dermatologist led to a biopsy of the site. Later, a call came from her doctor with the difficult news: Kimberly had stage 4 melanoma. There was no known primary site for her cancer; she had a subcutaneous tumor.

Kimberly was shocked and devastated. Her first thought was of her two children, who were ages 2 and 5 at the time. She didn’t want her family to have to live their lives without her, and that became her biggest motivating factor.

When Kimberly was first diagnosed, the scan revealed that she had more than 15 tumors. Though none were found on her major organs, the survival rate for her cancer still was not good – nor were the treatment options. Kimberly’s first doctor told her to go home, pray, and look for a clinical trial. As a result, she and her husband scoured the internet for clinical trials while playing with their small children. Kimberly found the research exhausting at times, but the experience taught her to advocate for herself and increased her knowledge of her disease. They ultimately found clinical trials that she qualified for in both Texas and Tennessee.

Kimberly officially started treatment, as part of a clinical trial, in January 2011. The hospital was located more than 3 hours away from her home, but she was determined not to let her treatment regimen interfere with her kids’ daily routine. On the days she received treatment, she got up around 5:30 a.m., drove to the hospital, and then rushed home for bath and bedtime.

Kimberly’s treatment led to tumor shrinkage in some areas, but she also experienced tumor growths in other parts of her body. She started a new phase 1 clinical trial in June 2011 with an immunotherapy drug, in the hopes that all of her tumors would shrink. Her doctors advised her that she could have a delayed response to the treatment, she could have immediate growth or shrinkage, or she could see no results at all. Her first scan showed a positive early response, and while Kimberly made sure to celebrate every milestone and accomplishment, she remained guarded, in case the next results weren’t as positive.

In late 2011, Kimberly had an MRI – she was experiencing back pain and had started to lose the ability to walk. The scan revealed a 3 centimeter tumor pressing against her spine. She had emergency surgery, and while her surgeon was able to remove some of the tumor, the medical team was unable to get it all. Kimberly had to learn how to walk again after the procedure. Once she recovered from the surgery, Kimberly was able to stay on her clinical trial for 6 more weeks.

In the summer of 2012, Kimberly’s white blood cell count was high, and she was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). She had to stop her melanoma treatments and switch to targeted therapy treatments for CML. During that time, Kimberly’s medical team kept an eye on her melanoma, as she still had some active tumors.

In the fall of 2012, two years after her official diagnosis, Kimberly’s melanoma PET scan was completely clear; and by February 2013, her CML was in complete remission. Kimberly’s survival odds didn’t look good at the start of her treatment journey, but she notes that she never gave up hope, faced all her obstacles head-on, prayed consistently, and relied on her support system.

Kimberly shares that she has never been a very good sick person, and she refused to allow her loved ones to sit around and be sad. She tried her best to make the most of her situation and kept trying to live her life. She went on trips where she would explore and eat, always taking someone with her. Her support system enabled her to continue living despite her health issues. Kimberly’s mother had passed away a year prior to Kimberly’s diagnosis, and the relatives who were able to help did not live locally. Kimberly’s husband, friends, and community members rallied around her to provide the support she needed to get through treatment. She had a close circle of friends who were willing to take care of household needs, handle pickup and drop-off schedules for school, consistently gather at Kimberly’s home for dinner, and drive her to treatment sessions. “The day-to-day things … [were] … one of the biggest helps—just providing a support system and [keeping] a sense of normalcy.” Kimberly and her family also relied on their church community to help them cope, and she believes that she would not have gotten through treatment without their support and prayers.

Though Kimberly is in remission, her diagnosis still impacts her today. Her life is planned around when her next scan will be. “You don’t just walk out of that and you’re done. I always describe it as cancer is the lowest hanging fruit in your life. It is always kind of over you. You always wonder if it will come back, what you will do if it does.” As a result of her experiences, Kimberly and her family have made a point to become involved in the cancer community: she has participated in fundraising efforts, including hosting multiple 5Ks for melanoma research, and she has shared her story with other individuals going through treatment.

Kimberly says that she found her purpose in life when her son was diagnosed with osteosarcoma at the age of 12. She was able to share her experiences with her son, to comfort him while he was going through his own treatment journey. She became an advocate for him, making sure that his concerns were addressed through treatment and beyond. Today, Kimberly’s son has been cancer-free for four years, and she helps support others going through similar situations.

Kimberly lives her life very intentionally now. She recognizes that every day is a gift and doesn’t want to waste the time that she has left. She wants to be a good mother, wants her kids to grow up with good values, and when difficult things come her way, she tackles them in the best way that she knows how. Kimberly makes a point to notice others who may need support, shows up for people when she can, and displays empathy and solidarity for those who may be suffering silently—especially mothers. She also makes sure to tell people that they are doing a good job, something she needed to be told frequently during her treatment journey.

Kimberly doesn’t know how long she will be in remission, but she and her husband make sure to keep up with the latest research while self-advocating for their family. “You know yourself, your own body, your health. Conveying that message only helps.” Kimberly’s life goal hasn’t changed. She still wants to be the best wife, mother, and friend that she can be. If someone is inspired or given hope due to her story, she considers that to be a bonus. The message that she would like to share with others is that cancer “is tragic and devastating, and you don’t get to choose .… There will be grief involved, whether it is the life that you knew, or what. [But] you can get through that.”

‘More Than Chemotherapy, It Is Stigma Against Cancer Patients That Hurts More’

“Sruchi Oza was in the second year when she fainted. When the reports came, she was diagnosed with a brain tumour and had just a few more days to live. She resolved to address the main cause and has planted over 45,000 trees.”

After I completed my Higher Secondary Education with a good score, I got into one of Mumbai’s most reputed colleges for my graduation. For the first time, I was out in a different state all on my own, and anxiety and excitement rushed through my veins. It was a Saturday, and I was in my second year when I was hanging around with one of my friends. Suddenly, there was only darkness in front of my eyes, and I could not see anything. I fainted. Initially, I brushed it as a sunstroke, but later, the worst news of my life came with the diagnosis. I had a brain tumour, and the doctor said that I had only a few months to live. My heart sank suddenly. Everything seemed uncertain, and I had so many goals to achieve. I was not ready to give up so soon, and I was never a quitter. Moreover, I had to keep a smile on my face for my father because he is very emotional.

My Memory Was Fading

I was very adamant about completing my graduation and juggled between studies and treatment. Nonetheless, it was not easy, especially after the chemotherapy began. It was heartbreaking to see so many people face the life-threatening disease, and even children undergoing the same was nerve-wracking. My parents saw their daughter transform from a pretty girl to a weak and skin that turned black. It was not very good for me to look in the mirror and lose my hair. However, the worst part was the experience that my memory was fading. When it was exam time, I could barely sit for five minutes because 36 radiation and 36 chemotherapy had taken my toll. I would put my head on my mother’s lap and try to memorize the content. However, the following day, I could not even remember what subject I had prepared for. My mother would encourage me to still go for the exam and write whatever I could remember. Finally, I was able to complete my graduation with first-class grades. I have always wanted to be like my mother. She has played several roles in my life, and she inspired me to help others suffering from the same condition. So after my graduation, I dropped a year to focus entirely on my health. I had lost my self-confidence because of seizures, nausea and memory loss. I tried all sorts of medicines, and with the help of doctors and others’ blessings, I was finally on the path to recovery.

People Look At Me As I'm An Alien

I applied for my Master’s and started studying again with complete dedication. I cleared my Masters with a good score. I always wanted to create something of my own, but I needed some experience first. However, whenever I sit for an interview, the people look at me as if I am an alien. I understand that I have memory issues, which makes me unfit for several jobs. Some people also ask how could they take me as I had cancer once, which hurts more than any chemotherapy or radiation. It is disheartening to see that the world is happy to post about Cancer Survivors on social media or run Marathons for them. Still, nobody is willing to work with them, help them survive and encourage them through their post-traumatic journey. Finally, I did land a job, but the experience made me even sadder. Whenever I would enter the office, people would walk away. When I entered my boss’s office, my colleagues would come out. When I started researching the causes of cancer, I found that one of the major causes was Air Pollution. To reduce the effects of Air Pollution, I started a ‘tree plantation’ mission to bring about awareness about the importance of trees. I started with my society and helped industrial workers from breathing harmful chemicals. Until today, I have planted nearly 45,000 trees and will continue to do so till my last breath. Even after I am gone, I want to live in the air people breathe through the trees I plant.

https://thelogicalindian.com/my-story/my-story-cancer-survivor-35859

Life before, during, and after Cancer

A loving wife, a doting mother, a good daughter-in-law, a great daughter, sweet mother-in-law, proud grandmother, happy cancer-survivor…..there are many epithets that fit Uma Srinivasan. While all the other epithets elicit happy and positive images, ‘cancer survivor’ evokes a grim picture to some people. Although, it need not be that way! And it certainly wasn’t for Uma! That is why the word happy here is a deliberate prelude…

The year: 2009. Like any other 45-year-old woman, Uma too was enjoying the best of domestic bliss, along with being a conscientious citizen and a socially-aware person, based out of Liberia in Western Africa. One morning, while showering, Uma felt a small lump on her right breast. Given the better quality of healthcare in India, Uma chose to fly to her native Chennai to undergo a full round of tests on the lump.

A highly experienced and qualified surgeon put Uma through an ultrasound, a mammogram, and an FNAC (Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology) which is a kind of biopsy. The reports followed a few days later. While the ultrasound and mammogram results showed everything was normal, the FNAC was crystal clear: Uma did have carcinoma of the breast or breast cancer in short. What was surprising to the doctor and Uma herself was that she never showed any of the symptoms typical of breast cancer.

While anybody else in her place would have gone into a shell or wallowed in pathos, Uma was made of sterner stuff. Boldly and with a lot of positivity, Uma went through the surgery. She was diagnosed with Stage II-A Carcinoma Breast and had to undergo a lumpectomy – where-in the cancerous lump is removed surgically (as against a mastectomy where the entire breast is removed). This was followed by 6 cycles of chemotherapy and 28 sittings for Radiation spread over a period of 9 months.

Like other cancer patients who have undergone chemotherapy, Uma too went through the typical side-effects such as nausea, acidity, mouth ulcers, hair fall, and constant fatigue. But more than her bald pate, what shone was her spirit. Throughout the treatment, Uma faced every day with a positive, bold, and cheerful outlook to ‘life beyond cancer’. She proved yet again like many cancer survivors have done in the past, that the human spirit is far more powerful than any disease that ails human society today. Like many before her, Uma too understood that in life, our outlook can decide the outcome when it comes to disease or disaster. Concepts such as pain and suffering are purely notional and not always for real.

All through the treatment process, Uma was fortunate to have the love and support of her husband, daughter (then a law student at the University of Gujarat), her ‘two mothers’ as she calls them, and innumerable friends, relatives, and acquaintances.

In her words, some of the take-aways or real-life lessons from the experience have been:

  • Never take anything for granted: Never assume things will go your way. Be prepared for surprises in life – both pleasant and unpleasant.
  • Be thankful for the people in your lives: You will know how much people love you when you are in a crisis. And when they show it, love them back. Appreciate the nice gestures. Overlook the small things. Make some time for them.
  • Take care of your health: It’s good to be careful about health at any age in life. But when you are on the wrong side of 40 years, it’s imperative. Get a medical check-up done every year or every 6 months as you age.
  • Make time for yourself: Even as you make time for your near and dear ones, it’s important to make time for yourself. Indulge in your hobbies, stay in touch with friends, spend more ‘me time’ and do everything that makes you genuinely happy.
  • Enjoy life: Yes, indeed, being happy should top the list of your life goals. Don’t wait for that ‘one fine day’ to do something nice. Do it now. Live in the present. Live. And not just exist.

Afterword

Uma went through chemotherapy bravely, but a few years later, she was pained to see a couple of friends and family members choose not to go through chemo and opt for naturopathic and alternative treatments. Unfortunately, they didn’t make it. While chemo cannot help those who are in the final stages of their condition, it can definitely help those in the early stages, like it did for Uma. This taught her the importance of introspection and correct decision-making in life. Article Sponsored Find something for everyone in our collection of colourful, bright and stylish socks. Buy individually or in bundles to add color to your sock drawer!

Every year after the treatment, Uma undergoes a thorough breast check up as part of her annual health check to rule out any recurrence of the condition. She has been cancer-free till date.

Even as cancer evokes a range of emotions in people, it’s good for patients and their near and dear ones to remember one thing – there is always hope. There is always life beyond cancer. Cancer research is a multi-billion dollar industry, so there are always new drugs, new therapies, new treatments, new procedures, and new instruments that are emerging all the time.

So one should keep a level head and reach out to a reputed hospital. Rest assured, the specialists there will diagnose your condition precisely and decide the best course of treatment for the best outcome. So that one day, your dear one can also wear the badge of ‘cancer survivor’ proudly and tell his/her tale that will inspire hope in others. Precisely what Uma Srinivasan has done!

Credit- https://kauveryhospital.com/blog/cancer/life-before-during-and-after-cancer/