Cancer stigma is a great problem in South Africa, it touches all groups, ages and genders and impacts cancer patients daily.
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Diagnosis: CA Brain Astrisitoom Grade 3 in 1998 Picture it . Goodwood, Cape Town, 1997. Christmas eve ,8pm, I’m in the local hospital in severe pain. On account of rainy weather; I had an accident with my motorcycle. I cracked my collarbone. The doctor booked me off-sick for a month for the reason that my...
Diagnosis: CA Brain Astrisitoom Grade 3 in 1998
Picture it . Goodwood, Cape Town, 1997. Christmas eve ,8pm, I’m in the local hospital in severe pain. On account of rainy weather; I had an accident with my motorcycle. I cracked my collarbone. The doctor booked me off-sick for a month for the reason that my collarbone needed to heal and my trade was of such a nature that I couldn’t work with heavy machines (i am a press operator for a printing company).
They do not facilitate a light duty in my trade. In the last week, I went to doctor because I contracted the flu. After further tests, my GP sent me to a neurologist suspecting that all is not well. The neurologist had tests performed and the next day (Thursday) contacted me with the results. All was not well, and a MR scan (catscan) was performed to estimate the damage to my brain. The day after, I was referred to a neurosurgeon (Friday) and upon his prognosis, I had surgery the next Monday. The operation was a success which was gift from the Lord above.
I started radiation therapy immediately in order to give other doctors time to evaluate the growth that they have removed from my brain. They could not remove all the growth for the reason of damage control. I was diagnosed with a grade 3 brain cancer and I grinned to the doctor bringing me the news. Laughter is my gut reaction inside my body but the feeling wears thin after an hour or so. “This isn’t happening to me, it can’t, not to me” thought to myself. So, what can I do? I started chemotherapy and continuing radiation therapy at the same time and that combined was a potent mix for me!
In May ’98, I had a relapse. I had a double epileptic fit (nice hey!). I was comatose for four weeks from all the drugs they pumped into my body. And drugs don’t come cheap!! In the comatose state I was in, you dream – some clear as day – some very foggy and some that you don’t remember often, but creates a feeling of dé-jà vu. Some of the dreams is very positive, some negative. That is what made me change my views on life and it got me closer to God.
As the years progressed, a couple of ailments crossed my path such as Type 2 Diabetes, Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis.
Ask and you shall receive. Life is too short and precious to waste. That is the assumption that I have made. Now I take it one day at a time and enjoy life to the fullest.
If there is one thought of advice I can pass on to someone who heard that he or she has cancer or any other disease, it is only this : Stay positive and put you trust in The Lord.
