This week
last year I began my treatment for Nasal Pharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) or nose
cancer in layman’s terms. It was a rough
journey and till today it still brings tears to my eyes thinking about the
process I had to undergo towards recovery. It was a total of 7 weeks of treatment, 35
daily blast of radiotherapy together with a weekly dose of chemotherapy, endless
poking of needles, scans and a basket full of meds. I lost a total of 14Kgs in that 7 weeks (and
have only added 2Kgs of that back in the last 12 months).
Neverthless
today, I am thankful. I am officially in
remission and there is to date no trace of the cancer. I do realize however
that the potential of it returning is always there and as such I have been
advised to manage my stress levels and be careful of what I eat.
More
importantly I have learn valuable life lessons I know I would never have learned
if the handbreaks were not suddenly pulled while travelling at full speed. Here
are some;
1) I am not indispensable. The
success of my work, the project I am on, doesn’t depend on me. I do have
giftings that I bring to the table but at the end of the day my giftings is not
what makes or breaks the deal….so chill.
2) There’s always people who were
born to ruffle your feathers. Whether they’re fellow road users or close friends,
acquaintances or colleagues. Don’t fret
the small stuff, just Keep Calm, let the water flow off the feathers, and move
on.
3) I am not indestructible. When I
heard the news – I couldn’t believe it.
Cancer? Me? Really? Cant take my
health for granted. I am in for the long haul – take care of the body!
4) Loving and appreciating my friends
and family. I would not have survived
the cancer if not for my devoted spouse and care giver, Connie who made the
soups, pureed the food, calmed my raging stomach as it nauseated, drove me to
my radiation appointments and watched me helplessly as I banged my head on the
wall in frustration. My 3 kids who watched helplessly, accompanied me to
hospital and gave me the courage to face the darn machine each day.
My church friends who prayed around the clock for me, counted
the weeks off for me and spurred me to go on. The love meals they cooked for my
family- I love the church.
I had friends from all around the world spurring me to go on
and petitioning God on my behalf.
5) God was
silent but He was there. There were nights and early mornings I just sat at my
bed wondering where God was and if He wouldn’t just come and put me out of
misery. (Heal me of course) But I only heard….silence. I know now for a fact He
was there, through the comfort of His Word, through the love I experienced from
all who were praying for me. More importantly carrying me through this ordeal.
I am
constantly reflecting and thinking through this wild journey over the last 12
months. Its strange, I look back and I don’t know where the last 3 months of
2016 went nor the first 3 months of 2017. I spend those days, each day, just trying to
recover and survive. I did nothing and was mainly unproductive but the lessons
I have learned are invaluable.
My journey was recorded here :
