Cancer: You don’t know what lies around the next corner or what you’re going to face tomorrow

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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No one knows the story of tomorrow's dawn. But for a cancer patient his or her story can make him or her worry because they notice every ache, pain or sign of ilness. They may think about dying and have thoughts about how to focus on living. Cancer patients who survive are never the same after their the cancer is cured. Oyetimes spoke with tree cancer patients about their story.

Meghan Ross, a 42-year old dentist, was vacationing with friends in Greece when she noticed a lump around her breast. Meghan was diagnosed in September 2012 with breast cancer, stage 2. ''I never suspected it was anything close to cancer but it was. My first appointment in the hospital was a week after I saw my physician, and a week after that I went to the surgeon for biopsy. It took 3 days before I heard those final words, you have cancer. Though my husband was there with me when I heard the news'', said Meghan.

''In addition with my husband I decided that mastecomy, removal of one of my breasts, was a must in this case. It was needed if I was going to have any hope of long term recovery. After healing of the surgery they started with chemotherapy as well'', continued Meghan.

These days were were horrible for her but it was a mark for her after each chemotherapy treatment. ''As I experience emotional and physical changes, I learned to accept support and care from those around me. I always was in controle in my life but now I had lost control over my life. I noticed people began to withdraw, and I started asking myself where my friends have gone''

''Breast cancer changed every aspect of my life, even love life. I started to hate my body and was scared of being intimitate with my husband. I want affection but becase I have mood swings, sex might become a challenge. My husband tries to understands me and my feeling. We went through a lot and are even in relation therapy to deal with it'', she admits.

Marc Pererra, a 38-year old banker, was diagnosed with brain cancer in November 2011. Marc was working in Toronto when he suddenly couldn't speak for 15 minutes, whilst giving a presentation to financiel investors, and ended in the hospital. Marc was diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer. ''When I heard the news, I wanted to set a gun against my head. My life collapsed in front of me'', said Marc.

''After a month I had surgery. The surgery went well and his treatment continued with radiation and chemotherapy. I had no one near me, not family or friends. I moved to Toronto for work after my break-up with my ex-wife and was all alone'', he continues. Though, Marc was thankful for the rapid and coordinated care they gave him in the hospital. ''It was like I was having my own family in the hospital, though I was missing my own family.''

''My distant family visited me after the surgery and called me when they went back home but I was all alone after they're gone. One of the hardest parts of my cancer experience has been going through it alone, because I don’t have any immediate family. Friends I have, in abundance; but there’s a big difference between even the most devoted friends and someone who’s bound to you by ties of marriage, blood, or partnership'', Marc admits.

''This disease makes me depressed. I foud a social worker to talk about my cancer two hours a week. The attention and understanding gives me hope, but doesn't make me smile.''

RJ Singh Oberoi, a 34-year old entrepreneur, was diagnosed with heart cancer in May 2012. ''Well, I hid my diagnosis for more than a month from my family and friends. I was vomiting blood and having chest-pain from on December 2011 but I thought it were the side-effect of stress or something'', said RJ. When he heard the news he couldn't believe it but was scared at the same time. ''I love a woman, who was like my soulmate, she was in Istanbul on vacation when I heard my final diagnosis but I insisted her it was nothing serious''.

''After two months I had surgery to remove the tumor. I was wavering in emotions. I even thought of ending my treatment because there was no believe in recovery'', he continues. I lost my mother and in the middle of my battle I had to cope with the loss of my Dad. I regret the fact, he died because he couldn't see me bare pain. My family and friends are there for me, but when you have someone to share it with, you are in a rollercoaster. No matter what it is like, you face it together. Family may be there, waving sometimes, but if you sink or swim, you are out there on your own'', RJ admits.

''I am having radiation treatments. But still, cancer can be cruel. It may come back and hit me double. When it's a fact only 12% of the patients survive and get cancer-free it scares the hell out of you. All I can do is try to survive because I have a 3-year old son who is my life.''

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