Hello everyone,
I’ve been reading through Shin’s posts in her blog since the day she was diagnosed for breast cancer up to the day she died. It seems to me that we absolutely have no control over the disease. Shin had done everything necessary to avoid a recurrence but to no avail. She changed her diet totally, took up exercises (boat paddling and jogging), had a very positive outlook towards life and she did not sulk about her cancer. Her cancer returned a year after treatments with a vengeance. It was stage IV. She fought the disease until her last breath. Her final entry was on Jan 17 09 and she passed away on Jan 27 09. It is really depressing to read about how much a person suffer from this dreadful disease.
I’ve been also reading quite a lot on cancer cells and what you should do when you are diagnosed with cancer and also how to avoid cancer. Your diet should consist mainly of fruits and vegetables, preferably raw. There are quite a number of websites which advocate consuming raw vegetables which contain anti-cancer properties such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery and cucumber. Another thing is that you must complement the diet with enough exercise preferable in the morning because exercises promotes deep breathing and your body will get a lot of oxygen. Cancer cells cannot survive in oxygenated environment.
The thing is, there are so many theories and ideas about cancer. In my case, oral cancer is said to be caused by smoking, drinking and betel leave and nut chewing. I don’t fall in any of the categories and yet, I am struck with oral cancer. And there are people who smoke like a chimney and live healthily up to old age. The same goes to other types of cancer. There are so many factors that come into the picture.
For a person like Shin who did everything suggested where cancer is concerned, it is
really mind boggling when cancer returned anyway and consumed her at last. I suppose there is really no hard and fast rule. We just try our best to fight, do a lot of research to get as much information as possible, learn from other survivors, change our lifestyle and pray hard and hope for the best. Then, leave the rest to the Almighty.
May Shin rest in peace.
Bye, for now.
“Life is full of uncertainties”
3 comments:
Sharifah,
U r right about each and everyone's experience and fate being different. There is no fixed or blanket way. It may appear that Shin had done all the right things, yet succumbed, and readers/survivors may feel helpless or hopeless. That is the danger. The feeling of losing control is not good. It is BAD.
Also we may believe that we have done everything. But fighting cancer is a journey. Take me for instance. I am a doctor, thinking I've learnt well in med school and while practicing in the past, and yet I am clueless of how to overcome the growth of candidiasis until now. Other people’s experience in getting over it did not work for me. My oncologists are no big help either.
Spending time and money reading book and websites, and experimenting on my body and being patient with trials and errors eventually helped me. Eventually it is creating wisdom of our body.
Overcoming cancer is about balance and harmony. Eating and exercising and yet having unresolved resentment or conflicts my tip the balance. It is as bad a parasite as an overgrowth of candida.
Also about inherent vulnerabilities, like being type A blood group and genetically weak may not work as well with all the healthy lifestyle and eating. We don’t thoroughly know what is really true about Shin. She may have not known it herself. As I have not known what was sabotaging my fitness before, or as I still am not knowing certain things about my cancer and my body. Being open and willing to work hard is part of successful living.
Having done all those as Shin had done, and yet cancer still want to overrule, then it is God’s work. Hopefully survivors don’t feel helpless and losing even before starting the battle.
Salam Sharifah...
I just went through Shin's blog too. She's a fighter and that's a good characteristic of a cancer patient. Soal mati itu bkn urusan kita, rasanya. After all what we have done, the efforts and if we succumb to the disease then itu yg terbaik yg Allah tentukan untuk kita...selagi belum sampai ajal, kita continue du'a, usaha, ikhtiar dan tawakkal kita...
yg sedihnya bila dah sampai ajal, ada jugak yg kata we haven't done good enough... walhal no one advice fits all... kanser mcm individu itu sendiri unique... cara serang pun unik, reaksi to rawatan pun lain2.
we have each other, to support each other and to push each other. most important thing is we must always ask from Allah the best for us and always berlapang dada battling this big C. InsyaAllah we are calmer...
take care sis and hugs.
Dear Sharifah,
Saya sempat run tru very fast tru Shin's blog. The danger signs were too many even at initial diagnosis.
Kanser semasa menyusu, dan di urut pula. Banyak kes macam ini, baru semalam seorang ibu muda dirujuk kepada saya....sama, menyusu, baru habis kimo pertama, kanser ke mana-mana dah...air mata bercucuran.
Tapi ada kes yang seperti itu pada wanita Barat yang berusaha cara pemakanan yang pulih. Cuma, bila saya cuba memotivasikan pesakit kita, terlalu kerap yang menjawab..."Malas saya doktor..."
Bila malas, habis cerita. Kerap saya ingatkan diri saya yang kerap malas juga.
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