tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79798376761636772882024-03-04T21:35:57.771-08:00Opportunity knocks at each doorVasundhara Raghavanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11739010899688850669noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7979837676163677288.post-14946992435240834262012-09-07T03:01:00.000-07:002019-01-07T04:57:24.619-08:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: black;">The sunshine in my life dimmed
in 1996 when my fifteen year old was diagnosed with a chronic kidney failure,
due to a reflux causing urine to flow back into the kidney. Nothing changed my
life dramatically when in May 1997 a reputed oncologist spoke to me of the hard
lump in my breast. <i>“Lemon size”</i> was his words as looked at me after a
physical examination. </span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Wonderingly, he phrased the
question, “How did you not notice it?” even as his eyes searched my face.
Embarrassed at my inadequacy, I explained of my son’s renal health, my
preoccupation with diet, medications, mentally preparing for dialysis and
transplant, whatever needed. Speaking straight from my heart with face taut, I
almost mouthed my death wish- that I would like to donate my kidney to my son
before the cancer spreads further. To divert my attention the doctor spoke of
scheduling an early surgery and advised further investigations to be conducted.
</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">After a mastectomy, six cycles
of chemotherapy and radiation which were efficiently managed by my oncologist,
the nephrologists tested me thoroughly before declaring me fit for the organ
donation. Today, nearly eleven years later after my son lost my kidney, much
after my elder son gave him his kidney and our family saw the sun shine brightly,
I could derive the fundamentals for surviving major illness. </span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">The patient must have a clear
understanding of health conditions, accept it, be medically compliant, have
faith on the primary doctor’s capabilities, and ultimately accept that a
superior power determines the dynamics for his/her survival. For the doctor it
is using every power to find solutions to problems surfacing, acknowledging
patient’s right to live and ensure that he works towards it. </span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Survivors of illness are happy
people. They have done everything right but importantly their chance to be
alive was hand-picked by the Super Power. Notwithstanding, the expertise of the
treating doctor and his achievements and credits, it is well known that many
patients under that doctor’s care have lost their lives while battling a
disease. People, succumbing to illnesses, may leave behind unhappy and
resentful families. Time will heal their wounds. Time will also show them value
of accepting that the hands that worked on their family member never had power
to grant life. That death knocked at some doors at an inopportune moment. </span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">I learned a great lesson through
cancer and stages of kidney disease when I walked the path with my son. Nothing
is as it seems; nothing is within our arms distance. Everyone has to go through
the experience hoping they reach the end of the tunnel. As I look back I see
familiar faces among those fallen down in the path. It was not theirs to choose
the opportunity to live; they had to simply seize what was given to them - to
live or not to. </span><br />
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</span><br />
<i><span style="color: black;">With salutations to
Oncologists- Arun Kurkure M.D and Late D J Jussawala M.D, nephrologists B V
Gandhi M.D and Mohammad Akmal, M.D </span></i><br />
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Vasundhara Raghavanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11739010899688850669noreply@blogger.com1