If there is anything I have learned from this experience it is that prevention is key. They say: better late than never, I don’t know if that applies in my case, actually there are no rules that nature follows and in my story I am hoping that nature will take its own course and undo what it has done. At this point I still don’t know the end I only know the beginning, and it feels really absurd.
Every day that has passed since we discovered the presence of the tumor has been a very long day. It was on Friday, the 30th of January, when the doctor called my mom to tell her that she had: a pancreatic cancer. He was very calm and so was she; it was as if he was announcing the beginning of a terrible tragedy. We didn’t have any details, even though we tried to, he refused to give us any more information claiming that it is not his field of specialty and that from now on her case would be passed to a cancer specialist. That first weekend was torture, the waiting, the discovery of the sickness, the research about it on the internet, the books we bought and the ones we got from the library…we were totally lost. We didn’t have enough information to fall apart nor to have hope to go on, waiting was nerve wrecking but then again it was our only option.
After receiving the files, the specialists (the surgeon) made it clear for us that the situation was very serious and had to be taken care of very quickly. Three options were available surgery (where she had her biggest chance to get rid of the tumor and thus live for 5 years or more), chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
That was long time ago today I know that there are more options, I know that surgery was never an option for my mom due to the high incidence of metastatic disease at diagnosis. Also the administration of chemotherapeutic agents for the treatment has failed so we are looking at non standard treatments and luckily we have found a few.
I keep reminding myself and my mom that the fight is hard but worth it.Death is more universal than life; everyone dies but not everyone lives. - A. SACHS
Rania,
ReplyDeleteAfter reading your post, I started thinking "how am I using my time? am I doing something useful or to make this world a better place?".. who knows how much time is still left for each of us, we tend to live as if we are never going to die.. I had the chance to talk to Amina several times about this subject, she told me that she feels alive now more than ever. I admire your courage and your faith, no fight could be won if you don't believe in the outcome. Keep your faith, we are with you in this battle.
Love,
Pascale