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Saturday, 31 January 2015

Cancer a killer or a life saver?

Cancer is called the ' Emperor of Maladies.' It comes in many ways, many forms and in different parts of the body. Where it attacks is unknown. It is astonishing one multiplying cell can end up in a storm of anxiety. But when cancer attacks, it makes one realize the value of life and living in its full potential. “All cancers are alike but they are alike in a unique way.” ― Siddhartha Mukherjee, how true it is. It makes you fall in love with yourself in a very unique way. Though it gifts you with a lot of pain for life, it makes you realize that it is the pain which keeps you alive. The day, pain becomes an unknown factor, and then you cease to live in its full sense.

The rapport and understanding that I have witnessed between the cancer patients and survivors is immense. Probably they understand what pain is and what it is to be threatened with an illness that has the power to overpower you if you are not willing to give it a fight. They have a smile of understanding for the other, which is rarely seen in daily life. Each patient or survivor feels it is a ghost of a cell, which mutates and threatens behind dark curtains. I have heard many of them say, that it is a disease that none should get. It could be because they know the trauma of going through all the treatment and facing all the pains with a smile to defeat it.

Today, again I felt the irony of life and mused over it. A diagnostic center that would be seeing innumerable cancer patients and survivors daily, are surprised at the quirk of fate, gifted to me. I was amused at the thought of having an IV set on my leg, but they preferred fixing it on the side that was operated upon first. Talking to me they were surprised that I had three surgeries for cancer in three years and most of them had come for a routine scan. One man even told me, "Probably cancer has fallen in love with you." I smiled at his statement because I always say that to all.

 Cancer was the best thing that happened to me because I got back my lost self who was always one with nature. It gave me the time to do all that I had left out in the rat race of life. In spite of everything I feel blessed in many ways. I had the will to endure and celebrate my pain; make it a beautiful one that keeps me alive with a bounce in my step, a song in my heart, a burning fire in my soul and a beaming smile on my face.

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