Sujata believes that every woman should be aware and careful about her body
Ever since I turned 35, my elder son who was studying medicine kept telling me to begin with my regular breast checkups. Today when I think about it, I feel stupid that I did not take it too seriously. Moreover, I had heard that mammography was a painful process so I tried to avoid it.
Just imagine the horror when one day in May 2013, I discovered a lump in my breast. I wasn’t particularly scared as much as I was annoyed at myself. I quickly called my son who lived in a hostel at that time and asked him to come home.
I work for State Bank of India and don’t get leaves easily. But I managed to take a holiday and went to Fortis Hospital with my son. The doctor quickly arranged for a sonography and a biopsy. My husband is an engineer and has a busy schedule too so I didn’t get a chance to tell him. After my visit to the doctor, my son took the initiative to tell my husband about the situation.
This all was happening the same week I was to leave for a 15 days vacation to Ladakh. With my reports due in the next two days, I chose to go ahead with the Ladakh trip and face the realities in that report later. I requested my sister not to tell me anything till I got back and she kept her promise. Deep down I still believed maybe it was a false alarm. But unfortunately those reports back home carried bad news.
I was back on June 30 and scheduled another appointment with a doctor at Hinduja Hospital on July 1. On July 4, I was operated for stage one, grade three breast cancer. As of today I am done with four chemotherapy sessions. Throughout my chemotherapy sessions I took extra care about my diet and health. I remember getting very weak after my initial session but it isn’t all that bad now. I began meditation which made me feel better. I began going to office too. I don’t go regularly but I hold an important post so I try to go whenever I’m okay.
From the day I was diagnosed till today, I try to keep calm. My family took care of me and supported me, and I stayed strong for them. I remember feeling ugly when my hair fell but my husband assured me that he still felt the same way about me and a temporary change like hair fall shouldn’t bother me. I believed in myself and in God’s plan. He gave me the will power to survive.
A woman is the pillar of a household; she should never take her health for granted. However busy she may be, she should be aware and careful about her body. She must encourage other women to do the same. Make an extra effort to understand the disease better. Do it for yourself and your family.
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