“Don’t lose hope. You need it more than chemotherapy.”

My fight with cancer

It was my birthday bash party and like the rest of us, we partied hard. My girlfriend, Sakshi didn’t use to drink so I decided not to drink that eve. One of my best friends, Raghav, was DJing and Rohit was demonstrating his new dance move. The party was still alive at 2 AM until somebody called an ambulance. It was about me.

When I opened my eyes, I was in a hospital surrounded by medical equipment. I looked towards a little window and saw my girlfriend crying. I couldn’t understand what was going on. The next moment two doctors with Asian written on their dresses came in and asked me how was I doing? I said, “Not well.”

The doctors examined my throat and took blood samples. They told me to rest and left the room hurriedly. It was all delirious. I can recall that after an hour or two, my whole family was in the hospital. I was not able to sleep and there was this weird taste in my mouth. My mother came near to me and said, “Kuch nahi hoga beta, sab theek ho jaayega.”

Next day, doctors told my family that I was suffering from glioma, a type of brain tumor. After seeing myself and my family in insufferable agony that I realized that cancer is the worst things that can happen to a human being. Cancer completely shatters your life. The loss of hope and faith in life is worse than the incessant pain it inflicts on you and your loved ones.

I was in one of the best-known hospitals for cancer treatment in India, yet I was still worried and feeling dismal. I was losing control over reality and that unbearable pain was now my reality. Though in the past too, I had been having severe headaches and other common brain tumor symptoms, but I had no idea that it was a tumor. I didn’t smoke and drank only occasionally. Why me?

People started to visit me, some of them I knew, some I was seeing for the first time. Nurses were encouraging me all the time. Doctors told my parents that there will be a surgery and then chemotherapy. Yes, I was afraid of dying, afraid of dying at a young age of 26. I haven’t even explored even 1% of life and I met this deadly disease. After some hours of intense contemplation, I reached at the conclusion that the only way out was to accept it and fight it.

I underwent the surgery. To my surprise doctors at Asian Institute of Medical Sciences were quite friendly. They educated me, encouraged me, and helped me fight with this curse. My oncologist, Dr. Bansal is an amazing human being. He told me one thing that I still remember — “Don’t lose hope. You need it more than chemotherapy.”

Chemo, as you may be aware of, is a painful process. I lost hair though they are coming back. But to overcome cancer, you have to go through it. You have to go through chemo, radio, and lifestyle changes. Sakshi, now my wife, gave me unending support. My family was crucial in my reviving of life. Not to mention AIMS. I will always be thankful to them, for they have given me a second life.

After almost 1 year of treatment, I am happy to say that now I am cancer free. Dr. Nayyar gave me amazing tips on lifestyle, such as:

Adopting organic diet

Fasting often

Regular exercise

Trying to keep stress away

Cancer is deadly, yes. But while you are going through its darkness you realize a few things:

Your family and friends are the most important part of your life.

Health should not be taken seriously, you only know its true cost when you get ill, I mean seriously ill.

Stay away from processed foods as much as possible. I know it’s very hard in today’s modern times, but trust me, I know what I am saying.

I will highly recommend Asian Institute of Medical Sciences to anyone who is or whose loved one is dealing with cancer. They are simply the best in India in cancer treatments.

Last but not least, enjoy life. It’s very precious.