Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself,'The Lord is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.' Lamentations 3:22-24
For over 10 years, Sarah’s focus had been on caring for her husband, Philip, through a degenerative condition called Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP). Eventually, Sarah and her family had to bid farewell to their loved one with heavy hearts …. right in the middle of the COVID years.
That short introduction does not encapsulate Sarah’s grief and loss. She had been married to Philip for nearly 50 years. It took Sarah several years to navigate her life after this and become part of a Ladies’ Group from church.
Then one day, – Boom! After a check over a persistent ailment, Sarah’s GP sent her for an ultrasound and a scan. This revealed another new challenge – cancer!
Since then, Sarah’s journey has been long and often arduous, filled with regular visits to the hospital for blood tests, checks and necessary therapies. In this blog, Sarah shares her thoughts with Kay ….
Kay: Hi Sarah. Thank you for being willing to share your experience with us. I understand, with a deep respect, that you’ve been walking down this path for several years now. Tell us what went on in your mind at the first mention of this challenge.
Sarah: When my GP first broke the news to me in August 2022, I would have thought that I would be shocked, but I wasn’t. I was very calm. I was referred to an Oncologist, Dr Choo, who explained that I would have a few sessions of chemo before undergoing surgery for a radical hysterectomy to remove the cancerous tissues. This was a major surgery as the cancer had spread quite extensively in that area and I was in hospital for a few weeks.
The pain from this surgery lasted for 6 weeks, after which I had some reprieve. This definitely was not a smooth ride. From then on l had immunotherapy or chemotherapy sessions as determined by Dr Choo from my progress.
Kay: What does a typical “treatment day” with chemo feel like for you?
Sarah: In the first session I had a lot of nausea for which I was put on some medication. Now they cover me with steroids and other medicines so that I don’t have a reaction. I need to wait for an hour after having this medication. Soon after a treatment, the steroids make me lose my sleep and sometimes, I have an upset tummy and can be a little sluggish for a couple of days.
Of course, chemotherapy can have other obvious and visual side-effects depending on the medication. Hair loss, weight loss and change of skin tones are the main ones I must deal with.
Kay: Describe how you manage one or two side effects while still living your life? And is there a specific comfort item or activity that helps you feel better on difficult days?
Sarah: I’m blessed to have wonderful friends who have been a big support to me. and their prayers continue to strengthen me a lot. My children, of course, care for me constantly as I work through my sessions. I’m so thankful for each one. I also gain a lot of strength from reading devotionals, listening to worship songs and sermons online. I avoid going into large group meetings for health reasons.
Kay: How has your family, group of friends, or care team supported you through this? What is the best thing someone has said or done for you during this time?
Sarah: My daughter, Preethi, and son-in-law, Abhi, are both doctors. Abhi is a cancer surgeon, and Preethi is a GP, so they always keep me on track about my treatments by phone as they live in the UK and I am in Brisbane. I live with my son, Vinay and daughter-in-law, Belinda, whose love and care cannot be measured – it’s priceless. I am extremely grateful to both of my children, their families and to the good Lord for their love and help in all my affairs during this time. Other extended family members and friends also support me with their regular calls.
Kay: Name a couple of ways that your outlook on life, health, or priorities has shifted since your journey with cancer? What advice would you give to someone who has just found out they need to undergo chemotherapy?
Sarah: My doctor always impressed on me to continue meeting up with friends and have as normal a social life as I could manage, once any side effects or sluggishness would subside after each treatment. This has been very important for my overall health and well-being. Preethi, my daughter, also looks out for things like music, books and so on to send me which I enjoy in the quietness of my days.
I’ve made some lovely new friends with the hospital staff who have attended to me and have at times gone for coffee or lunch with some of them. This has cheered me up a lot.
I have experienced God as my refuge, my fortress, my rock, more and more each day and so when I go through tough moments, I turn to Him and eventually I calm down and have peace because of His assurances.
To someone who has just found out they need chemotherapy, I would say without a doubt that God is our strength and the One who alone can give us peace through all our jittery feelings in this journey.
Let me tell you about a very young mother who was at the later stage of cancer. Her young children, aged only 7 and 5, respectively showered her with their love and care at every stage of her treatment. The older one assured her of his prayers for her throughout this time. This young mother later passed away with the full assurance of knowing her young family was in His good hands.
Kay: That is so special, Sarah. Indeed, every parent’s cry in many such situations is – ‘who will look after my family after I go?’. To have the assurance that they are and will be in His good hands, surely settles our hearts with a peace beyond our challenges.
Thank you, Sarah, for making yourself vulnerable in sharing some aspects of your journey.
When these shores I leave,
You alone are the One
to watch over those,
to whom I do cleave ....
Anon