Lets Be Weak

• What do you do when you can’t take it anymore?

• What do you do when people keep calling you strong but you feel none left?

• What do you do when you want to give up?

• How do you convince your loved ones?

The past three months have been tough for me. But last two were tough for my entire family.

I started the treatment my oncologist has been suggesting for many months and as expected, it turned out to be very aggressive which is taking a toll on me. This treatment is cycled weekly so even before I have a chance to recover from round one it’s time for round two. The unbearable body pain is the biggest problem, I can’t handle it. I wake up at night feeling like Thor is wielding the Mjolnir on my back, knees or head. This has started making me wary of falling asleep because it is such a painful way to wake up. I then need to have nurses called home to give me painkiller injections or have an ambulance summoned to take me to the hospital. This is becoming a daily occurrence.

Or I have my chronic cough that doesn’t seem to have a cure that makes it impossible to breathe and then I puke.

I have been admitted in the hospital for the third consecutive week while undergoing the chemo cycle because this medication is causing me all kinds of trouble.

Apart from having to watch me suffer, this period has been additionally tough for my family for a different reason too. We started external funding for my treatment. Having been on medication for two and a half years, we have exhausted our money and now for me to continue to heal, we needed to take help. So, we reached out to friends.

While I have been quite open about my disease, my family has refrained from talking about it much; however, through the funding process my mom and brother were exposing a very private part of their lives to the world.

We have received a lot of love and support through this funding process but it also gave people the opportunity to push some of their opinions on my treatment and what I should be doing. So right from someone saying I am an inspiration and they hope I recover, we’ve had people also say that I should give up because how long can we depend on others for funds or that we don’t need so much money for therapy, as there are better cost efficient alternative treatments that have cured others etc. Such opinions are quite hurtful for my family to hear.

Let me tell you, cancer is an expensive disease. It’s not just about taking chemo, your entire life changes. One needs money for radiation, surgery, alternate treatment, weekly blood tests, hospital admissions, doctor charges and so much more! The expenses run in lakhs. I cry because I see poor people unable to get treatment and I have also observed that doctors don’t give you all the options if you can’t afford them. We don’t want my options taken away from me because of lack of funds.

With all this, my strength has dwindled. In fact, I don’t have any left and one can’t keep looking at prayers and family for courage. Not after this long. With my painful pustules, body pain, chronic cough and weakness limiting me, my good days are far and few. I feel so jealous when I see friends going to work. Forget that! I feel jealous when I see someone just get up and walk!

My body muscles have become so weak that I can’t even climb small steps anymore! I should start physiotherapy to strengthen my body and I feel so aged from within. Cancer has taken a lot out of me over time and now it is beginning to show.

I want to see the light at the end of this tunnel, I want a break, a remission; none of which look possible right now. So, I am constantly cranky, I don’t have a sense of humor and I’m pouncing on all my loved ones. I have started feeling like a burden. My mum is running from pillar to post to keep my treatment going, to run the house, to keep things normal and this doesn’t give her even a minute to herself. My brother is unable to work full time because I am constantly unwell so he needs to take care of me. I am coming in the way of their normal life and I don’t know for how long I can keep doing this to them.

Of course, I get told off for sharing such thoughts out loud, but I can’t help but feel this way.

My time is spent majorly on the bed these days, and this is what a regular day holds for me:

• A conversation with my pillow. I have named her Puto Aunty and she helps me cough less if I request her

• Travel Plans

• Thoughts about stopping my treatment and running away (If only one could run away from cancer)

• Planning my bucket list (It’s a fun one)

Yes yes, you can advise meditation, yoga, positive books etc. I have tried everything. But after this long, I have started understanding why people begin to refuse remedy and are ready to give up. Because it is immensely tough to live like this. I have been reduced to a shadow of myself. I can’t work, I can’t travel right now, I can’t go out much… What is the point of having studied, having been given such a good up bringing if this is how I must lead my life? Like a burden on my family!

I have been extremely strong up to this point and fought everything with full punch. Now I think I need to be weak. I need to tell the universe that just because I am showing strength does not mean you keep springing innumerable hurdles. Maybe being weak will make it realize that I have had enough and now it’s time to be nice to me.

I want to live. But my way!