Beautiful Scars 3: Her Journey

This week's blog features an amazing lady's story who went through the traumatic, the difficult but her faith, strength and hope kept her going. May Chacha's story encourage and inspire you. 

On June 16th 2014 I was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma, grade 3, stage IIA. Gulp, that's some scary sounding stuff right?

Where it all began when I found a lump in my breast in 2012, worried I went to the doctor and had a scan, the doctor advised me not to worry as it was just a fibroadenoma. 1st lesson learnt, never keep a lump whether malignant or not. Get it taken out! Request a breast biopsy to be sure. A scan may not pick up a malignant lump as in my case. Knowledge is power. If I had known earlier when I found the lump , my cancer could have been treated in the early stages using less harsh methods. Anyway everything happens for a reason. I do not believe in regrets but in learning from your mistakes, please learn from my experience.

Fast forward a year and a half later, the lump became painful. By this time I had moved jobs and was now working for pathologists. As soon as I told them about my painful lump they immediately ordered me to have a breast biopsy. I got the shock of my life to find out the lump was malignant. I was 27, led an active and healthy lifestyle, hardly a candidate but it just goes to show that statistics are just that STATISTICS. You can always fall on the other side of the stats, don't take anything for granted. 

Thankfully my employer was very supportive. Second lesson learnt, God puts you in the place he needs you to be. A few weeks before I was diagnosed, one of the pathologists asked me what I was doing working for pathologists, she expected me to be working for some big corporate seeing as I am a professional. I now know God placed me there for such a time as that. In a big corporate I would likely not have had access to the financial resources and knowledge my employers, specialists in the medical field had for me to tackle this monster. They took me under their wings and ensured I had access to the best treatment. I was also fortunate to be on a good medical aid plan that covered treatment outside the country, which sadly most women who find themselves as victims cannot say. I thank God for this privilege and though I sometimes suffer from survivors' guilt, I know surviving means I must do my part in helping those who do not have the same privilege I have been accorded. To whom much is granted, much is expected.

After my initial diagnosis, I went for a second opinion. I met with a breast surgeon, from there things happened fast, next I was in hospital having a lymph node biopsy which confirmed the cancer had not spread outside my breast, thank God! After that I saw the oncologist who prescribed my chemotherapy regime. From there I was back home to face life with cancer. I started 6 months of chemotherapy, 6 sessions of 3 weekly cycles which were grueling to say the least. I lost my all my hair, yes even down there, lashes and all! Never in my entire life have I missed shaving my legs and armpits but this time I definitely did! The things we take for granted in life. Everything on me turned black my nails, hands, soles, tongue and even my complexion. Add to that I put on 7kgs of weight, devastating I tell you. I felt unpretty in the words of TLC but I guess it was a small price to pay to stay alive. My cancer was o estrogen positive so I also had to take a drug called tamoxifen. This induced menopause meaning no periods and terrible hot flushes, the worst thing ever to happen to a woman. There were moments I thought I would die if I had to have another hot flush. When you think you'll die, chances are you won't!

To help me prepare for my chemo journey I got my eyebrows tattooed on, a nice little secret Prof M let me in on. I was even lucky enough to go when they were on half price special, "whoohoo" nothing like a good bargain.  I also got a lovely wig, which was the envy of many. This brings me to lesson number 3, never envy the next person you don't know their story. Very few people who stroked that wig longingly knew what lay beneath it. I always had to have my nails done to cover the black mess they were. It may seem vain, but these small things helped to lift my spirit and make me feel feminine and beautiful during this difficult time. Chemo was a monster of sorts! The smell of food made me sick. I craved weird things like sadza and maguru, Schweppes orange and pineapples. I indulged myself though because eating was difficult so if I found something I could tolerate, I ran with it.

When you have everything all planned out, life is what happens next. Just before I was diagnosed I had booked myself and some friends on our first big trip off to Mauritius, now how was I going to go to the beach weak and hairless?

 Lesson number three you are stronger than you think and you are what you say you are. I decided now way was I going to miss out on my already paid for holiday. I would make it by hook or crook and I did exactly that! We went on holiday shortly after my  3rd round of chemo even though I was progressively weaker by that time. I spent two days in bed whilst on holiday but I made every other moment count and summoned all my strength to paraglide, sea walk, raft and snorkel in the Indian ocean, something I never imagined I'd be able to do under those circumstances.

Not only had I planned a big holiday, I had my registered for final qualifying exam. The chemo was causing my memory to fail me slowly but surely (they call it chemo fog). I barely had energy to study as most of the time I was very tired or just plain nauseous. My prayer to God was he would give me wisdom to recall all I had learnt over the 5 years I spent preparing for this exam. 

Lesson number four, what a mighty, miracle working God we serve, not only did I pass that exam, I passed in the top 10 nationally! Something I had never imagined. I give all honor and glory to God and take no credit for this achievement.

The last two rounds of chemo were really bad, at this point the minute I sat in the chair at the chemo unit, I started to have panic attacks because my body just couldn't take it anymore. My veins and my arm were permanently swollen because of the intravenous needles used to administer the drugs (no they do not burn you during chemo as I always used to hear). I had to be sedated to get through my sessions but by the grace of God I made it. I responded well to the chemo and went for a mastectomy, reconstruction and breast lift all in one go, yeah that's a mouthful and another testimony here. Whilst I was busy organising finances for my treatment, flights, accommodation and medical aid admin my breast surgeon emailed me not to worry as she had put my name forward to be considered for their breast excellence centre programme and I was accepted. This meant my operation would be done for free! Everything was covered including my breast implant. All I had to do was show up. The only charges were for hospital consumables, a nominal fee which my medical aid covered in full post operation. My operation was successful. No further traces of cancer were found. I healed well, the remaining scars simply there to remind me that God fought for me to be here.

On the day I was diagnosed as I sat on my couch crying, I was overcome by an overwhelming peace and God whispered that I would be ok. God watches over His word to perform it. I was more than ok, I was victorious. I thank Him for the peace to accept my situation and strength to soldier on even when I was at my lowest and did not think I could carry on. He blessed me with wonderful people who helped me through a very difficult time. He made a way in the wilderness. God came through for me in more ways than I can explain. His favour located me and surrounded me as a shield. Those who knew me could not believe I was sick because I was glowing and radiant throughout. The anointing of Jehovah Mkaddesh .My prayer was this sickness will not end in death but will be for the glory of God and I stand here today as a testament of Jehovah Rapha's grace and faithfulness. The balm of Gilead healed me.

May my story encourage  you today in whatever situation you face, we serve a living God. Cancer is not a death sentence.