New Year Resolutions

[sumeet_shah]

With the start of this new year, I have a lot of wishes in mind and we have a lot of work to do. Only those who have traveled the pathway of cancer, either themselves, or with their near and dear ones, know how it feels. And when I see patients with cancers too far advanced for any form of treatment, especially those cancers which can be easily detected early, it does pain me. To the core. And that was one of the main reasons, I started the BCI website, in Sep 2010.

This forum is now like a family to me. I feel home here. I am indeed privileged to have so many active members here. One new question from someone, and I always see many here, out to help, or at least provide a listening ear to that person. I say this from my heart, that it is all thanks to all you active members here, that there is life in this forum. Without you all, this forum would have been nowhere and would have probably even shut down. So I sincerely thank all of you, I am short of words to express my gratitude.

I am very happy, that I now have your help to spread awareness on breast cancer, encourage early detection, help those suffering this disease, provide them moral and psychological support here (especially while they are undergoing chemotherapy) and give them all forms of help they would need.

Slowly and steadily, I think, it would be good to form teams (of three or four members maybe) in various cities, like one team in Mumbai, one in Delhi, and as many cities as we can, as we get more and more members. We can work on issues like awareness, helping and guiding patients undergoing treatment (if they need some support), maintaining a list of places for wigs, lymphedema stockings and NGO's for that city etc. Honestly, it's not much work, even a few hours every month would do.

Not that there aren't any such groups, there are hundreds of NGO's doing good work, but none is centralized, most do not have good inter NGO relations and many NGO's are riddled with red tape. There are many things, which I have seen, but cannot talk here. Besides, many people want their names in forefront to show what they are doing. For us at this forum, we do not want that. We do not even bother if no one knows us. As long as people are benefited, or patients are benefited, we have done our duty. That is all that matters.

So, apart from providing support to those undergoing treatment, we all need to work on cancer awareness. WHO has already blown the whistle for India for breast cancer by presenting the latest statistics, showing breast cancer is rising like a storm in India and it is the most common cancer in India now (way ahead of cervical cancer). As usual, neither most doctors nor health authorities know about it. Remember one thing, if we all start cancer awareness TODAY and work regularly on it, we will start seeing a reduction in breast cancer deaths only after 30 to 40 years!!

And I am waiting for the day I do not see this (I dare you to click and see this image. I did a core biopsy for this lady two weeks back. She knew about the cancer, but was taking alternate therapy for six months!!):

oi43.tinypic.com/2nvwit3.jpg

So once again, I thank all of you, for being wonderful and active members on this forum, I thank you for helping each other out. My ultimate aim would be to let a few of you take over this forum and run it; I would love to take a back seat, see all of you interacting; and smile. I would, of course, always be here, and take part, on medical queries and other questions, but I would want you to be the driving force of the forum.

Thanks and a happy new year once again. And a special thanks to the HealthUnlocked Team for providing us this platform and all the support.

[shirdi]

thanks a lot dr. sumeet for wonderful way to to explain us so many things. The awareness is really necessary and will try to do but one thing which u may not like is that when ever any one talks to me ( may be others also fell like this) there are tears in my eyes and i m not able to control myself. I think that it will take time for us to become confident for doing all or some.

Thanks for encouraging. Of course there are very good and active members who can take the forum as u have given all of us lots and lots of moral support. But would be more confident if u r on driving seat only. Of course i will interact and give confidence and i m aware that it helps a person a lot.

Thanks once again for being with us and giving us wonderful forum with which we also feel at home.

[rgci13 in reply to shirdi]

I feel the same to regarding talking to other people too shirdi. Tears pour easily when I talk to someone an viceversa specially regarding the disease. Why is it?

[sumeet_shah Administrator in reply to shirdi]

Well, shirdi, I have heard the same thing from quite a few of my patients. Our feelings and what we pass through, carves us emotionally, and hence tears stay in our eyes. They are a reflection of our feelings. Like rgci says above, she also feels similar.

I will always be there, even in the driving seat. Always. What I meant was, I do not want to be seen. Nothing gives me more happiness than seeing my patients or my forum members interacting and helping each other. It brings a smile on my face. It does.

[kontak TeamBCI in reply to shirdi]

Yes Shirdi very well said Still our whole family is emotionally very very weak. There are so many times we have cried - it will take time to come out of this. But one thing as Doctor Sumeet has told we will definitely be glad to work as per your guidance - by interacting with the members and this forum feel very very comfortable.

[rgci13]

Thank you Doc, for the lovely thanks letter to all the members of this forum. I really appreciate your idea of forming groups in each city so that we can interact within ourselves at least as you say give an ear to each other. It is a very good idea, we are always ready to implement this under your guidelines. we are also proud to have you as our doctor to whom we can really relate to anytime we feel like. thanks for your prompt SMS reply also. I sincerely wish more doctors from different cities would also join this forum. Have you thought of that by any chance?

Wishing you a very Happy 2014 from me and my family!

[sumeet_shah Administrator in reply to rgci13]

I have very much thought of getting more doctors aboard. I will surely work on that.

Over a period of next few months, we will work out something to form regional groups, for sure.

And a very Happy New Year to you and your family too!

[Hidden]

Happy new year sir!! and the most catchy lines I found are ,"Besides, many people want their names in forefront to show what they are doing" :), who can understand this better than me, when I was trying to get financial support from these active groups, and theirs' responses were, like, I should wait for my disease to come to the non curable level and than they are there to help me. : )

Wishing all forum members a very happy new year!!

[sumeet_shah Administrator in reply to Hidden]

I am with you, Rana, with the experience you shared. I have quite a few patients who have undergone similar experiences, you see.

A very happy new year to you too!

[manish_vkg TeamBCI]

Dr. after reading this my eyes full of tears which i cannot express in words..you are such a great human being...who is doing remarkable things for us and giving credit to all of us...this is really great..we should do in this way...help others as much as we can...we dont need our name on any banner...we have very simple wish..if someone facing this problem...god give us capability so we can help them and live happily.

[sumeet_shah Administrator in reply to manish_vkg]

manish_vkg

yes, we all will... we will help others as much as we can. that is the very aim of all people here. And lal the members here have the capability to do something or the other. We will work it out

[mintzz]

Hello Dr.sumeet and all the members of this forum,wishing all of u n ur families a happy n healthy 2014!Thank u dr for your support and about your idea of forming groups,please guide us on this 'cos i am really eager to do something of this sort in my city that is raipur [capital of c.g]

[sumeet_shah Administrator in reply to mintzz]

Sure mintzz. Let me work out a few more details and then we will start forming groups. I am happy to see you are also eager to do that.

[liittle12 in reply to sumeet_shah]

AVery Happy New Year to Sir, and all my friends.....yes tears hav bcom a part of me ,they r always rolling down...but i hav decided they i will help others which will stop them .i was also planning to do sumthing lke u said sir ,but i dont know how to start.Because the place i live ppl are very orthodox.I being a doc was told that i hav done sum sin thats why i got it.I am fighting it bravely.i want to help others diagnose it early,to comeforward, take proper treatment from a qualified doc,expensive treatment to plan ways. bcoz we ppl who are educated , who suffered from the disease can explain ppl abt it,and increase acceptance....My Radiotherapy has started.

[kontak TeamBCI in reply to liittle12]

Yes little12 - rightly said - the society in which we live is very orthodox. Often tells us some sin / PAAP KIYE HAI IS LIYE ASAI HUA HAI.

[kontak TeamBCI in reply to kontak]

Hi little 12 - how is the radiation going on. How many cycles to be taken.

[liittle12 in reply to kontak]

2nd day today,doc said 30 cycles lets see,they have made a mesh for marking

[rgci13 in reply to liittle12]

Hello little 12 how are you feelings during the radiaton? Wishing you all the best as I had my radiation during this time last year. You will finish soon and be strong all throughout! Best of everything!

[Hidden in reply to liittle12]

Hey little12, congrats you have completed chemo, which was the most irritating treatment for me :P,.Best wishes for radiation. N dear, be strong, be happy, let the good people get inspired from you and let the bad people be jealous of you :),, This is what I do :), and remember we are much better person than them because we have survived Cancer, we have seen life completely.

[sumeet_shah Administrator in reply to Hidden]

"let the good people get inspired from you and let the bad people be jealous of you" - I like that, rana! Well said.

[Hidden in reply to sumeet_shah]

Thanks sir!! though I too feel mood swings but I think I should share good thoughts with others also :).

[rgci13 in reply to Hidden]

A smal advice to all keep having amba haldi everyday ( RAW HALDI) to protect from infection. It is really really more effective than cooking with turmeric! TRY IT OUT EVERYONE!

[Hidden in reply to rgci13]

Yes yes ma'am right, I too bought it a couple of days ago but I always forget to boil it in morning. we have to keep ourselves away from infections, and its a very good nature's medicine.

[rgci13 in reply to Hidden]

You don't have to boil it eat a little bit every day raw as it is.

[Hidden in reply to rgci13]

Thanks!! will try. hope it does not taste bad:).

[liittle12 in reply to Hidden]

How many days ost chemo we have to avoid outside food/cake.

[shirdi in reply to liittle12]

yes little u r correct that ours is orthodox society. I also being professional am facing lots of problems and so many people stopped giving or continuing work with me as i will never be able to do my work and every one looks at me with pity with a feeling that now i will not survice. That is the reason i also hesitate to come directly for cancer awareness.

[Hidden in reply to shirdi]

Hey Shirdi!! Its true dear, we all face this but don't feel low, you were who was encouraging me that day on phone, :), do you remember ,I felt good after talking to you!! and that is you, cheerful, confident , lively. Stay strong.

[shirdi in reply to Hidden]

Hi rana

thanks for ur words.

dear i myself wanted to be very confident and want to stay very strong.

Want to share one thing that my sister had adopted a baby girl who was just 5 days old and now she is one who helps me to forget my illness. Today she is hardly two and half month old and has helped me to come out of every thing

[Hidden in reply to shirdi]

wow that's so sweet.ma love to her. stay strong and be happy :).

[sumeet_shah Administrator in reply to shirdi]

I understand your situation, shirdi. Our society does not understand that cancer has nothing to do with performance or profession. But you know, shirdi, sometimes even I am lost, as to where do I start! Indians are so deep rooted in nonsensical traditional therapies and beliefs (which do not work in cancer); and more importantly, the main cause our country is still backward is, most indians do not think logically and scientifically. he thinking of people needs to undergo a radical change.

[shirdi in reply to sumeet_shah]

Yes dr. sumeet u r correct that our society is backward. Here there is no difference in HIV and cancer. But feel so confident when we all are together with each other and u supporting all of us

thanks a lot.

[manish_vkg TeamBCI in reply to shirdi]

Hi Shridi,,,dont feel hesitate...because still there is lot of thing in the life to see and enjoy...dont care about people, our society is like that only...we can not change their thinking..u just concentrate on what u want to do in your life...we all need moral support of each other...so in every situation keep smiling..

[sumeet_shah Administrator in reply to liittle12]

little12, hope your radiation is going fine. Our society is definitely very orthodox, but more than that, India is full of hypocrites. But we will surely defy such people and select the path which is correct.

Hope your radiation is going fine.

[liittle12 in reply to sumeet_shah]

Yes Sir,4 cycles till now,they have made a mesh,and there is nothing like not using soap or water.i feel pain and stiffness around axilla,Is that normal,

[chandraa]

Happy new year Dr sumeet.As you said we have to increase the awareness especially in village areas.Even though my mom feeling pain she just used pain killer from past 6 months before the surgery due lack of awareness.People in villages still thinks cancer is spreadable disease.They are hesitating to stay in patients homes.My eyes are full of tears when reading this post.You are doing a great job.

[sumeet_shah Administrator in reply to chandraa]

chandraa, we all can come together and surely make a difference. We can; trust me.

[laya]

happy new year to everyone in the forum...happy to hear about extending the forum...dr.sumeet, your really doing a great job..shiridi and rgci - i can understand your feelings...but you need to be confident and bold..i havent cried even a single time after i was diagnosed,becz if iam gonna cry my entire family will get shattered...ya its really tougher than chemo to make people understand about cancer,becz many consider it as communicable disease..even my family members refused telling my relatives because they will say your daughter has done some sin thats why she is suffering... i jus told my mom its not about sin its all in the family gene... being a doc, im facing so many challenges. i started going to hospital after my second cycle..few of colleagues still discourage me that behave like a cancer patient..according to them im supposed to sit at home..but i just wiped away all those. i have started creating awareness among my patients and friends about breast cancer...small efforts make a big change...lets do it...

[Hidden in reply to laya]

yeah laya!! lets do it. i'm with u!

[kontak TeamBCI in reply to Hidden]

Hi Laya literally great to hear - how you are managing all the things. Though my sister was diagonised - but I was her with all the times - may be surgeries, chemos, radiations. I was there with her in the operation theatre. Its very very difficult to see all the things. During chemo her weight was reduced to 8 kgs - mine was reduced 9 kgs - wishing when a day will come when her hair will be as previous, when her appearance will improve, still she is feeling weakness & confidence level had decreased - just to pray God to give all the strength to fight and be strong.

[laya in reply to Hidden]

@rana -really happy to hear

@kontak - first i will pray for ur sister's recovery...yes it is really hard..i lost my hair after first chemo nd eyelashes after second, im using wig and artificial eyelashes to mask the effect...chemo had a toll on me too ...but i took rest in first two chemo..then i started going to hospital because staying at home made me go into depression..my oncologst advised me to go to hsptl, as im nearing exams i stay most of d time in library reading but d first few days after chemo is really horrible, ulcerations,nausea,vomitting.....each cycle i face a new sideeffect..anyways im used to it now... i never lost weight instead i gained one or two kgs..if i ask my onco about it he is tellng people do gain.....

dr.sumeet has to tell whether is it right to gain weight during chemo???

[kontak TeamBCI in reply to laya]

My sister has side effects u can say ulcers on hand and legs - thro which the chemo was given. It was excavation the chemo drugs leaked from the veins hence now more than 4 to 5 months - the hand has healed but the feet and leg is still paining - daily she has to go to hospital and do the bandage.

Praying and just waiting when a day will come it will be OK

[laya in reply to kontak]

do not worry everything will be fine one day.. i had my chemo thru chemoport.. our prayers will definetely heal her soon...