New Delhi, November 2-In a world where a myriad of diseases and ailments are gripping mankind, only a few are brave enough to deal with their illness head-on and face it with exemplary courage and perseverance. Ritu Monani, a housewife, is one such person who shares her journey from being diagnosed to being cured of breast cancer.
“I came to know about my breast cancer in 2014. I could have detected it 7-8 months ago but I’m a housewife who has been confined in my own room, taking care of the family and hence I never never paid attention to my own wellbeing which I should have,” she said recalling the early days of her diagnosis.
“By November that year, I felt that the the lump in breasts had grown so I finally told my husband about it. Next day only we went for the check-up and there I got to know that I had breast cancer, then a biopsy was done to confirm it. After it was confirmed that I had cancer, it was all the more difficult for me to accept it,” she says.
Ritu reminisces her state of mind after being diagnosed. “My condition that day was such that I had cried a lot. I cried that day more than I had cried in my entire life. But my husband consoled me and told me that he wouldn’t let anything happen to me and there is nothing nowadays which can’t be cured.”
“The same day I visited Dr. Ramesh Sarin based on a recommendation. When I came here, the first thing Dr. Sarin did was that she held my hand and asked to me calm down. Her touch brought a sense of motherly feeling in me. After calming me down she told me that my breast cancer can be cured, that I could lead my life as before and I should stop worrying too much. But for all that I will have to be mentally prepared as I will have to walk through a 6-8 month long phase of treatment in which cooperation would be needed and to follow the treatment properly,” Ritu recalls her visit to Dr. Sarin.
“Dr. Sarin’s words and her touch filled me with such positive vibes that it can’t express it. From there on, I sincerely followed her instructions on all the matters including what to eat or what kind of medicines I had to take or al the overall treatment. No matter how much trouble I felt, she helped me through. She gave me so much support that she is a like a mother for me. It is a feeling that I may not have been able to express nor I could hug her even but I always had that wish to give her tight hug and cry infront of her to thank for everything for she has done for me,” she fondly remembers.
For Ritu, her treatment went as planned and she received great care at the hands of Dr. Sarin which filled her with hope.
“My treatment went smoothly. Whether it was my chemotherapy, radition or surgery, Dr. Sarin made sure that I wouldn’t feel any difficulty during my treatment. She took such great care of me. Any problem which occured during phase, Dr. Sarin would eventually solve it.”
After her successful treatment, Ritu’s life has changed for all good reasons. She has finally discovered that life is colourful and that she should venture out of her home to experience the bounty of the gift of life.
“My successful battle with breast cancer and my surgery and treatment changed my life for good by filling me with a renewed and positive energy. Before I caught cancer, I would prefer to stay within the confines of the four walls of my home but. It has been 20 years since I had got married but the definition of my life was only my husband, kids and children. I hadn’t stepped out of the house, but now I have. Now I’m familiar to places in my neighbourhood and I venture nearby areas. This new step has made me what I am today.”
“Throughout this journey I have learnt that it is very important to know and recognise yourself and never neglect your own wellbeing. I’m saying this because I had neglected my own health. I feel now that I should have immediately gone to a doctor when I had felt the lump for the first time it atleast told my family but I didn’t do that either. In that sense, I was lucky that I was cured as my cancer was detected early,” Ritu shares what she learnt from her fight against cancer.
“There is nothing more important than your own health. It is only by taking care of your own health, that you can look after the wellbeing of your family. How would you effectively focus on your family by ignoring yourself? Fix your routine and be social. Don’t remain confined in your homes like I was. Make sure you venture out and know things and new developments around you as it is very helpful,” she stresses on the importance of one’s own health and wellbeing.
Ritu mentions her hobby of cooking which is practising nowadays with renewed zeal towards life.
“My hobby is cooking. I keep trying new recipes at home by taking help from the internet. I love supporting my family. Now I pay attention to my health and wellness and that is why I think that I’m able to focus on my kids’ health.”