Page 18 - Mangwanani Magazine - June2017

INTERNATIONAL CANCER SURVIVORS’ DAY 4 JUNE
other than debilitating
nausea, fatigue and a
general sense of
sorrow for myself. I do
remember that my
wife took me to my
favourite game
lodge. Bakubung, in
the Pilanesberg. I
managed one
game drive. I
remember a
woman sitting on
front of me who
was wearing an
entire factory of
perfume. I was
so nauseous. I
could eat a cheese omelette
and promptly deposited it in the commode. I slept most of
the weekend. I didn’t even think of beer as the yummy vise it used to be.
Yuck! The folowing two weeks were to be just Monday sessions of only
around two hours. I felt that I could handle that and was quite positive. Even
after realising my oncologist clearly had NO IDEA how the chemotherapy
makes you feel. I felt horrid. The Monday was, thankfuly, short and not so
bad. I stil felt nauseous but I was in good spirits albeit exhausted. Al the time. results. The days leading up to “test” day are normaly quite difficult.
I spent my days watching DSTV (so many repeats!) and doing what work I
could, at home. There was no way I was even going to try to drive. I was a
cancer patient who felt tired and sick. Scuba diving was out. My research
revealed the Bleomycin affects the lungs and therefore eliminates Scuba
diving from any future adventures, forever. For the rest of my life. No more
Scuba diving. If I do dive, I run the risk of adult respiratory distress
syndrome. My DAN insurance was promptly canceled. So just for anyone
who may stil be wondering, beer and scuba diving is off the program for
anyone undergoing BEP chemotherapy.
At the end of the second week, my hair fel out. This is not a big deal for a
guy. It is a “milestone” though, for any cancer patient. I do sympathise with
the women who must endure this. The loss of a beautiful head of hair must
be devastating over the diagnosis of a possible death sentence. It came
out in clumps. I shaved my head. My hair fel out of my head, body, face.
Everywhere. Al I had left were some straggly eyebrows. The upside was
that I didn’t have to shave. My face was so smooth. I loved that. I lost weight
too. Lots of it. 8kgs in the first two weeks. I was approaching my ideal
(Discovery Vitality) goal weight of 75kgs. (although I was stil 12kgs above
that goal and would rather have lost it by running or swimming or some
other, slightly less painful than chemotherapy manner.). I lost the rest over the
course of the next couple of weeks not by my preferred manner. At the
end of my treatment, I weighed 81kgs. This might not seem so much to
some but It was a lot to me. I was freezing! I now felt the cold weather
more than ever before. Remember, it was Winter and without my layer of
whale blubber, I was very much disadvantaged. (I have since regained
most of the weight and now must endeavor to lose it again. Naturaly.)
The psychological issues were mounting. Any bump or pimple was a
tumour. Any headache or dizziness was a tumour. Any cough was a tumour.
These issues were exacerbated by the side effects of the chemotherapy.
I had peripheral neuropathy. This condition affected my fingers and toes.
Sometimes causing numbness, sometimes pain. The pain was not nice at
al. My fingertips felt like raw open blisters (those hikers or runners wil know
the feeling). I also had pain in my esophagus as wel as some difficulty
pg 18 www.mangwanani.co.za
swalowing. This is apparently caused by nerve damage. Chemotherapy
causes several side effects but the benefits far outweigh the alternative of
probable death. I had blood tests toward the end of my treatment which
showed my tumour markers drop to 19. They have, in subsequent tests,
risen to as high as 30 and dropped to as low as 19 again. My last test was
19. Although this fals outside the normal range of 0-10, my oncologist says
it’s not a concern.
I managed to get through with the help of my amazing wife who gave me
physical and emotional support. They say that one doesn’t get cancer, the
whole family does. This is so true as cancer affects many more than just
the patient. The family and loved ones endure the psychological torment
as much as the patient does and while they don’t feel the physical aspects,
they do see them. My wife watched me turn grey and pale and shrink and
become weak. My little girls saw their daddy so weak at times that I
couldn’t stand or walk. My wife would bring me ginger tea in bed and do
everything for me that I couldn’t. I spent a lot of time in bed. I had an episode
in the shower towards the middle of my treatment when I passed out. My
wife helped me then. She caled the ambulance and they came and took
me to the hospital. My daughters saw me taken away by paramedics. I
think there were about 4 or 5 of them who come to the house. I can only
imagine how scary this must have been for a 3 and a 6-year-old. I’m sure
it was very scary for my wife. This was apparently cause by heat induced
low blood pressure from a hot shower. From then until after my treatment, I
was to stick to bathing.
I have blood tests and CT scans every six months and to date, almost
three years later, I am stil al-clear. This is a great relief every time I get the
Especialy for my wife who must endure my anxious grumpiness for the
few days. I always wait at the radiologists for my results. I can never wait
for the folow-up appointment with my oncologist as the anxiety caused
would be too much for me to bare. The anxiety of the tests and scans
never goes away and is something that every cancer survivor must
endure. I survived because I had to. I had to be there for my wife. If she
hadn’t been such a pilar of support, I would not have made it. I had to
survive for my children. I had to survive for myself because I am sure I
have more to give this world.
It was a very hard road but I am a survivor. We forget the pain and agony.
We learn that life is fragile and not something to take for granted. We learn
that it is a gift to be enjoyed. I was lucky that I noticed the symptoms and
had something done immediately. Some guys would be too embarrassed
to go for a checkup as soon as I did. They would wait and this could be
devastating. Either leading to
their death or at the very least
a lengthy bout of
chemotherapy and perhaps
more surgeries. I urge any
man that feels anything out
of the ordinary to have it
checked ASAP. Cancer
can be treated but the
cold fact is that if you
don’t catch it soon, your
prognosis could be a lot
worse than mine.
Never ignore any
symptoms..