Saudi Women to Form World’s Largest ‘Pink Ribbon’ Human Chain, In Partnership With MBC Group: AL BAWABA
7/28/10
Twenty four percent of cancer cases in the Kingdom are breast cancer cases making it the leading form of cancer within the country. According to the latest Saudi Cancer Registry report over 10,000 cases of cancer were treated in one year alone. Seeing the effects that breast cancer is having on Saudi society, HRH Princess Reema and Al Bidayah Center decided to collaborate and create an awareness campaign that would educate and allow the average women to make a difference.
The words above should send a shiver through all women and make them want to run soonest and receive a monthly mammogram. Breast cancer is one of the most treatable of all cancers — IF it is detected soon enough. However, in Saudi Arabia, breast cancer remains viewed as a “woman’s problem” and a stigma is also attached to a woman who has had breast cancer. If a woman is young and single and diagnosed with breast cancer, all of a sudden she may be classified as unmarriageable for she is now defective and imperfect. If she is already married and diagnosed, rather than reaching out and supporting her, the husband may instead go out and take another wife who is not deformed. These words are harsh but I’ve heard them too many times from women, physicians, nurses and radiologists in Saudi Arabia.
I had a Saudi family member who chose to keep quiet and not reveal to anyone for two years that she had a lump on her breast. Why? She was single and recently engaged. She believed if she brought the subject up she would find herself dumped by the fiancé and unlikely to ever marry. Thankfully God was watching over her for she finally had the courage to speak up about this lump after my own cancer was diagnosed. She required a lumpectomy which is removing the mass and then having it examined to determine if it contained cancer. Al humdill’allah, it was not cancerous and this story had a happy ending.
Now I am going to share with some straight talk of my own. I have a terrible family history of cancer, period. Not just 
breast cancer but other types besides. As a result I was diligent in not only having regular yearly mammograms but doing a self exam of my own breasts each month. Usually on a Friday night after my shower I would perform a self exam. The self exam allows a woman to understand and know her breasts. Therefore, when she discovers something that doesn’t feel right, she knows something is different and requires additional follow up, such as a mammogram.
In my own case, it was June 2008 and I was performing my regular self exam when I felt something that reminded me of a hard marble inside of my left breast which I had never felt before. Being married, I asked my husband for his opinion and he agreed that something was there. The next day I went in to National Guard Health Affairs where I worked and a day later was able to have a mammogram performed. Ironically the lump which I discovered was not cancerous but the mammogram indicated deeper areas in the breast which were only detectable by a mammogram that were of concern. As a result, biopsies were ordered. Initially local biopsies were attempted which did not require a surgical procedure. However after no success, I was informed I would need a lumpectomy which is a surgical procedure to go into the breast and remove the tissue from the area of concern and have it analyzed by a pathologist.
I was told that I had Stage O, DCIS breast cancer. Because of family history and the composition of the cells, my breast surgeon told me I must have a mastectomy. I was scared and surprised by the news but at the same time ready to follow my doctor’s recommendation. On 01 July I underwent six hours of surgery at National Guard Health Affairs where I had a mastectomy followed by immediate reconstruction. What I mean by immediate reconstruction is that after the breast surgeon removed the breast, a team of plastic surgeons moved in. The plastic surgeon took tissue and skin from my abdomen and used it to create a breast taking the place of the one I had just lost. This was a good decision for me because when I awakened from my surgery I did not feel a sense of loss of a body part or incomplete, which is a common feeling that some women have. Because of this more invasive procedure, it took about three months for me to fully recover.
During this period my Saudi husband was always by my side. He even took a full month off from work to help me and care for me. His mother (dear Mama Moudy) traveled from Makkah to Riyadh and stayed with me in the hospital as my caretaker. She continued to stay with us at our home after my discharge until she was satisfied I could easily manage again on my own.
I belong to a large extended Saudi family. I had no qualms showing my female Saudi relatives what my reconstruction looked like. I shared with them all the importance of mammograms. I answered any questions they had. I was not the least bit shy in imparting information to them and wanted to educate and encourage them all on the importance of mammograms. NONE of the Saudi women in my family with whom I spoke had ever had a mammogram due to fear of the unknown and fear of pain. I could not tell them enough that the mammogram saved my life.
I was recuperating and healing nicely. I also have to acknowledge that I enjoyed my new flat stomach thanks to the reconstruction. Life began to get back on track. I resumed working. Ramadan came. I was very joyful to be cancer free and recovered. I was put on Tamoxifen and instructed to have a mammogram every six months for my right breast for the first few years. My doctor also suggested that it would be in my best interests to be pro-active and have a hysterectomy as a prevention against uterine or ovarian cancer due to my family history. I agreed with the suggestion and was placed on a waiting list for the procedure.
I felt like a bomb struck us in late October 2008. My precious beloved husband, Abdullah, began to feel ill and his lymph nodes were literally protruding prominently from his neck to his groin. We started out at King Khalid Hospital and eventually arrived at King Faisal Specialist Hospital. After some excruciatingly tense and stressful weeks we received an answer. Abdullah had t-cell acute biphenotypic leukemia. He was admitted to King Faisal Hospital and immediately started on a chemotherapy regime. I ultimately took a leave of absence from my job and literally moved into his hospital room with him and became his full time caregiver. Sadly after two regimes of chemotherapy his leukemia was not responding to treatment. By this time it was early February 2009.
While Abdullah remained in the hospital due to a pneumonia which resulted from his chemotherapy treatments, I received that phone call reminding me that there was an opening for me to have my surgery, the hysterectomy. Since this was viewed as an optional pro-active surgery I knew if I did not follow through with the opportunity it could be months before the next opportunity arrived. I was at National Guard Health Affairs for five days while Abdullah was at King Faisal hospital. The second day I was at National Guard, I learned Abdullah had to be moved to the ICU. The remaining three days were the longest days and nights I had ever spent, just waiting to be discharged so I could return to my husband.
It was a trying conflict. I was released but my doctor was stern that I must take time to recuperate before staying at the hospital with Abdullah. I managed for one week with short visits before I moved back in with him in his hospital room. He was my husband and I insisted on being there to take care of him, calm him, reassure and pray with him during the dark hours of the night. He was also back in a regular room at this time, too.
Abdullah’s doctor told us the only chance Abdullah had of increased survivability was to undergo a stem cell 
transplant. King Faisal is the busiest hospital in the GCC region which performs such transplants. However the manner in which they are performed in Saudi Arabia is to isolate the patient. The patient is in a room with large glass windows. Visitors (to include family) are NOT allowed inside the room. Instead, communication is via the window and use of a telephone. This is done to ensure sterility as the patient has no immunity at that point and can not risk being submitted to any kind of germs. Abdullah, on learning the protocol, told me it would kill him to feel caged up like a prisoner. Therefore, we decided to travel to MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas for him to be treated.
We left for the United States on 04 March 2009. After one night in Washington, DC, we arrived in Houston the evening of 05 March. Abdullah’s program began on 06 March. He had to undergo numerous tests and exams. In order to maintain the remission he was in when he departed Saudi Arabia, he was immediately started on another round of chemotherapy. The familiar routine began again. I moved in to his hospital room to take care of him. Thankfully at the beginning of the journey we had his brother with us. His brother was going to be Abdullah’s stem cell donor as he was found to be a perfect match! He was with us for one month while he underwent standard procedure for the donation of his cells. In the meantime, preparations continued for Abdullah’s stem cell transplant.
Abdullah’s second birthday occurred on 01 May 2009 when he received his stem cell transplant. I was with him in his hospital room along with his medical team. He and I held hands and let the tears fall freely down our cheeks while he received the most beautiful gift of life from his brother. For the next several months Abdullah had his ups and downs which is common with transplant patients. I cherished the moments by his side and taking care of him.
In June 2009 I underwent my own comprehensive set of tests and exams for my one year period post mastectomy. I was found to be cancer free! I was told to continue taking tamoxifen and come back in one year for the next annual exam! Woo hoo!
By October 2009 Abdullah was doing very well and we anticipated returning soon to our home back in Riyadh. Abdullah’s primary physician told me that it was okay for me to leave Abdullah on his own and fly to Charlotte, North Carolina to FINALLY meet my new Grandson! I left in high spirits.
I arrived in North Carolina feeling ‘blah’ and exhausted. I attributed the feeling to having been a full time caregiver since October 2008. My son, however, insisted that I get checked out by a doctor. The doctor in turn, on learning my history, sent me off to have various tests which included MRI and PET scan. Three days later the results were back. MY cancer was back. I had gone from zero cancer in June 2009 to classified as a stage 3C inoperable. My breast cancer had metastasized to the lymph nodes and above the supraclavical area. My bottom dropped out again. How could that happen and in such a short time? I had to break this news to Abdullah. When I called him, I knew immediately from the tone of his voice that something was terribly wrong. I put aside the news I had to deliver to find out what was wrong.
It still feels so imaginable even as I write these words now but he learned during what was hoped to be part of a “check out exam” for our return to Saudi Arabia that his own leukemia had returned. Both of us would need to undergo intensive aggressive treatment and at the same time. We each would require a care giver. With both of us still in a state of shock by how our lives had changed yet again, we decided that I would remain in North Carolina where I had family and he would remain at MD Anderson with his team of doctors. His eldest daughter would come from Saudi Arabia to become his caregiver.
Life changed so quickly for both of us. Each day revolved around tests, treatments and procedures. Abdullah’s body was now resistant to chemotherapy. He began a clinical trial. I learned that my body had been resistant to Tamoxifen and I was started on an aggressive chemotherapy regime consisting of three different types of chemo. I had to undergo a total of six treatments three weeks apart. After my first treatment I was hospitalized for a week. I was feeling miserable and out of sync with my world and my life. Abdullah was feeling the same. He was not responding well to the clinical trial. By mid-January 2010 we were both still in the midst of our own treatments. Abdullah’s team of doctors told us that Abdullah was now at the point where he had to make a choice. They could no longer do anything for him. The leukemia had literally taken over his body and critical organs were beginning to fail. He could either remain at MD Anderson where he would be made comfortable or if he wished to return back to Saudi Arabia via a medivac flight while he was still able to travel, those arrangements had to be made ASAP. Naturally Abdullah wanted to go home to say those final goodbyes and die at home, in the land where he was born and which he loved.
I so wanted to have a final goodbye with Abdullah where I could touch his face, hug him, kiss his eyes and top of his head, even smell his scent. My doctor understood my desire and an all out effort was made to make this desire a reality. A private pilot through Lifeline pilots was identified who would transport me via his own plane to Houston and back. By that time my own immune system was virtually non-existent and I was highly susceptible to infections. I could not fly via commercial aircraft. The co-leader of my breast cancer support group was going to accompany me and care for me during this trip. In preparation I underwent blood and platelet transfusions. Sadly, in spite of all these efforts and plans, my body would not cooperate. I was in too weakened of a state to travel. Abdullah and I had to say goodbye via Skype. We kept that conversation positive, upbeat and full of smiles in spite of knowing it would be the last time to see each other. After that call I hung up and howled and cried like a banshee. Abdullah passed away two days later on 08 February 2010. God rest his soul.
Life did go on. I still had to get through my own treatment. I finished chemotherapy. After a short break to let my body rest, I started radiation therapy in April. I had eight weeks of radiation therapy. Throughout this whole period and even now, my heart continues to yearn and grieve for Abdullah, the love of my life. However, I know Abdullah would want me to fight and stay positive.
I finally finished radiation therapy in June. I was still tired and had remaining side effects from both radiation and chemo but looked forward to regaining strength. I decided to remain in North Carolina where I could see my Grandson grow up. I began my search for a job and new career in order to support myself. I learned that I can plan all I want but life will surprise me.
It is standard for anyone having had cancer like me and after completing therapy to have follow up tests. I underwent a PET scan and bone scans last week. Additionally, my own oncologist is the only one in the area who performs a circulating tumor test which is a blood test that indicates whether cancer cells have entered the blood stream. The scans indicated areas where new cancer had developed and the circulating tumor test was off the wall. I now have Stage 4, incurable breast cancer which has spread to the bones, lung and abdomen areas. My doctor told me that the cancer is a “slow moving” aggressive cancer, hence it is among the cancers most resistant to chemotherapy. Of course this means I am back in active and aggressive treatment. The past two days I have been scurrying like a racehorse in preparation for the new regime. I begin daily radiation treatments on Monday targeted on the bones. I will be started on infusion therapy which will target the lung, abdomen and rest of the body. I further require infusions to help build up bone strength.
There is no guarantee on how much time I have. My doctor has a plan for me and I will follow his instructions. Rather than dwell on how much time I have, I live each day to the fullest. I guess if you think about it, the only sure guarantees in this world are that once you are born, at your time, you will also die. I am making sure all my affairs are in order. I am sharing my story so candidly to reach out and help those who need a wake up call to perform self exams, to get a mammogram, ensure that your life is being lived in the manner you wish to remembered, correct any wrongs and have peace with yourself and your faith.
Filed under: Abdullah, America, breast cancer, cancer, Charity, culture, Health, islam, relationships, religion, Saudi Arabia, Saudi blogs, Saudi culture, Saudi customs, Saudi education, Uncategorized Tagged: | America, blogging, cancer, culture, customs, gender, gender issues, islam, KSA, Love, marriage, Relationship, religion, Riyadh, Saudi, Saudi Arabia, Saudi culture, Saudi customs
Dear Carol, I don’t know what to write to such a story. You always sound so positive and cheerful.
Please know that I am thinking of you and I hope to see you again. If there is anything I can do for you I would make me so happy if you would tell me.
Aafke
Carol, Wow, you have had quite some news. Of course there is no guarantee. But then again, an old doctoral student of my dad’s has lived for something like 10 years with a condition similar to what you describe. And I am talking about a quality life too.
I wonder if anastrozole is an option for you, since you have surgically induced menopause. And that resistance thing you mention makes me wonder if something along the lines of Herceptin wouldn’t be an option. And then of course there are new drugs that have been introduced since my time – Xeloda for example – maybe you are getting some of them? And are you getting bisphosphonates or something to that effect for your bones?
All that having been said, I recall taking the attitude that even more important than the meds themselves is the attitude. It is so important to take the view that you are doing something for yourself, taking whatever steps are open to you to preserve your health. At least I found it immeasurably helpful. And above all, to leave the rest to God. Which you already know about.
I wish you all the best!
[...] Saudi Arabia: Breast Cancer and My Story « American Bedu [...]
[...] Saudi Arabia: Breast Cancer and My Story « American Bedu [...]
[...] Saudi Arabia: Breast Cancer and My Story « American Bedu [...]
@Aafke – you have always been there and just knowing I have a friend like you is most important. Don’t change!
@Caraboska – Attitude is very important and that is a large part why I have chosen to speak out so frankly. I want to encourage all women to have regular self checks and mammograms. Additionally, just because one receives some hard words does not mean that life abruptly ends!
I will be starting on Avaastan rather than herceptin as well as a clinical trial.
@anyone – I don’t want anyone to be shy or afraid to ask questions. I want to be able to support others (even virtually) who are fighting their own battle with cancer or are a caregiver or simply have a loved one in either position.
Right… You’re definitely doing the right thing by speaking out. I’m glad we can sit here and interact around this material and get the word out. In due time God willing I intend to post something about cancer on my blog too. People need to know it’s something one can talk about freely, they need information. I think so much of the fear people have about cancer is just plain fear of the unknown.
I have checked Avastin online and it is supposed to be the ‘only biologic for HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer’. I saw it in conjunction with a Phase III trial in combination with Taxol. But judging from the frequency of administration, it looks like you are in a different trial from what they describe.
At any rate, it’s great that they have come out with something like this for HER2-negative tumors. It looks like it is also easier on your body than anthracycline (e.g. Adriamycin) therapy – as are furthermore the taxanes (Taxol/Taxotere), which I can make a shrewd guess you might be getting one of along with your Avastin.
So I am optimistic for you as far as keeping your strength up is concerned. Wishing you all the best! May the Lord provide you with a clear sense of something to live for so that you can consciously ‘choose life’. One thing I remember learning as I was going through treatment was that depression is indeed a very serious matter – the psychyological side of it involves making little choices that lead you down the road to death instead of life.
So we really have to watch mental hygiene, so we don’t end up like the frog who met his end in a pot of water heated so slowly that he didn’t realize he was about to boil to death until it was too late. Every little choice does have its consequences, and presumably if we are conscious of that, then we can choose life consistently and give ourselves the best possible chance.
Carol, I just came across this article about Avastin which you might want to have a look at and ask your doctor about:
http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/targeted_therapies/new_research/20100720b.jsp
Bedu, I am so sorry for everything that has happened to you! I love your blog, the knowledge you share, and the way you reach out to help others. Don’t lose hope yet, and I hope you don’t mind if I pray for you from time to time. I wish you only the best – good luck!!
Carol, I’ve heard amazing testimonies of people who have lived much longer than expected by going on an aggressive nutrition-based diet. I know it sounds odd, but the thought is just as our bodies can heal themselves of bruises and cuts and broken bones, they can heal themselves of much greater diseases if given the proper fuel (good nutrition.)
There is a place not far from you in Shelby that deals with this. The founder is a man who had had colon cancer — and a family history of it (his mom died of it) and he didn’t want to go the traditional route of chemo as she did. He was advised to start juicing carrots and he did other things, but his body eventually healed itself. There are MANY others who have had good results.
Check it out if you are interested. It may help you as you undergo this new round of treatment.
http://www.hacres.com/library/testimonies
Love and Hugs!
Praying for you.
My Dearest Carol,
I feel so connected to you… you are definitely an amazing woman…and we all should (not can) learn from you…my heart and prayers are always with you, my dear–ask God and you shall receive–but the key is to believe it. As a prominent Diplomat, you have added so much to my life and are a living example….something, i would like to achieve…who knows, with my book with notions of multiculturalism and personal identity..i would like to the help promote cultural understanding between the East and West.
Keep up your fight, but believe in it…
lol,
Carina
Dear Carol,
I hope that you recover very soon and I will pray for you during this Ramadan and I will ask my family to pray for you too if you do not mind. If you have friends in Saudi, Please ask them to send you Zamzam water of Mecca. It may help as I heard many people use it for therapy. And Please be strong and draw a smiley face, I am sure Abdullah will be happy to see you strong and smiling. Life is not counted by days or years, life is a moment we live, so make this moment a smiley one like this, (:
Salam
I’m so sorry to hear this latest turn of events for you. Thank you for sharing your story. You are incredibly strong.
I wish more research and funds were put into women’s health as in other places. I have read stories similar to yours and it angers me not more is being done to find a cure. I cannot convey my sadness and I hope you have th best spiritual and emotional support around you….nothing can beat that. Everyone should live each day to its fullest and appreciate the good times…even the bad! Life is a journey and we need to stop and appreciate what comes along our way. My prayers are with you.
Dear Carol,
You are talking about something I can’t talk about…something I do not want to even think about. However, it is a reality. I am like the Saudi women you mention, who do not have these exams for fear of whatever…
I want to carry on your cause, “Carol’s Cause”. Please send me all important contacts in Saudi and inititives that you will like to see take place (we already discussed the race). If this is your wish, I will try my best to carry it out in your name.
****************
“Whatever is with you, will be exhausted, and whatever is with Allah (of good deeds) will remain.”
[Qur'an - Surah Al-Nahl 16:96]
Allah’s Messenger [صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم] said: “When a man dies, his good deeds come to an end except three: ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge and righteous offspring who will pray for him.” [Sahih Muslim: 3084]
Al-Nawawi [may Allah have mercy on him] said in Sharh Muslim:
“The scholars said: the meaning of this hadith (above) is that the deeds of the deceased come to an end when he dies, and the renewal of reward ceases for him, except in these three cases, because he is the cause of them: his offspring is counted among his earnings, as is the knowledge that he leaves behind through teaching or writing, and ongoing charity, i.e., a waqf (Islamic endowment).”
The narrations below add further details:
Narrated Abu Hurairah [رضی اللّٰہُ عنہ]: “The Messenger of Allah [صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم] said: “The good deeds that will reach a believer after his death are: knowledge which he learned and then spread; a righteous son whom he leaves behind; a copy of the Qur’an that he leaves as a legacy; a mosque that he built; a house that he built for wayfarers; a canal that he dug; or charity that he gave during his lifetime when he was in good health. These deeds will reach him after his death.”
[Ibn Majah: 224]
It was narrated that they slaughtered a sheep at the time of the Prophet [صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم] and gave it in charity except for its shoulder. The Prophet [صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم] asked ‘A’ishah, “What is left of it?” She said: “Nothing is left except the shoulder.” He said: “All of it will remain except its shoulder.”
[Al-Tirmidhi: 2470]
Consequently, a Muslim must not just persist in doing good deeds while alive, but should also pursue projects that will reap benefit after death. Options for such endeavors are listed below:
•Constantly remembering death: One of the best ways to actively do good deeds and leave behind avenues that will continue to benefit after death, is to remember death itself, often and consistently.
•Invest money in welfare projects: Whether it’s a hospital, school, mosque, domestic shelter or a welfare organization that generally helps the needy, a Muslim should invest some money in it, in order to ensure that the rewards for charity will keep coming even after they have died, when the money they invested continues to benefit others in different ways.
•Spread beneficial knowledge through media:
- Educate another person or teach others a skill; contribute in starting a regular Islamic class. The more students you have, the farther your trail of good deeds will extend after you have left this world.
“And We record that which they send before (them), and their traces, and all things We have recorded with numbers (as a record) in a Clear Book.”
[Qur'an, Surah Yaseen: 12]
All it takes is an hour once a week to start teaching others what you know. The point is: just start!
.
http://www.howtodothings.com/religion-spirituality/how-to-do-good-deeds-that-reward-a-muslim-after-death
Dear Carol,
I have always admired you. Your strength, and the need to help others are the qualities that makes you different from others.
I was thinking of zamzam too but Quran is also a cure. Please read it or keep it on tape. It is therapeutic listening to it.
No one knows about life. There are no guarantees for anyone and that is why Islam tells us to live spiritually as it is our last day but to live wordly life like we will live forever.
I am praying for you. May God keep you in good health and His protection. Your patience and sufferings will be rewarded no doubt.
Sending you kisses and hugs.
Take care.
That is an incredible story, reflecting incredible people. Thank you for sharing it–thank you for being open. Salaam, sister.
You are in my prayers, Carol. Much love.
Wow, what a touching story, it really kicks in when you read it in Arabic. I couldn’t help but shed some tears while reading it, I really wish you will have a full recovery, and may God bless you and your late husband and gives you the patience and perseverance to carry on.
Dear, dear Carol!
I couldn’t stop crying while reading this post. I wish I could help you somehow, more than just words and prayers. I understand how you feel after chemotherapy and radiation. My husband had stage IV melanoma and went through aggressive treatments and numerous operations. The battle was going on for 1 year and, unfortunately, he did not win. I wish we tried alternative treatments, but in his case it was going so fast, we did not even have time to think about it. Maybe you will consider…
http://www.1cancertreatment.com/accueil.html
I believe those people, who gave testimonies about this treatment. Hope dies last!
Wish you all the strength in your fight with this horrible and totally indiscriminate disease.
Stay strong and positive. We love you!
[...] Saudi Arabia: Breast Cancer as well as My Story « American Bedu [...]
Dear carol I am mute in front of your story, you are strong and very very wonderful!!!.I couldnot donate online(you know we cant have Visa or Master here,online shopping or donation is meaningless here except for those who have Visa via banks of other countries like UAE), but you are always im my mind, in my prayers and dua.inshallah you will be better : )
there is a common dua that is written on many glass doors of hospitals in Iran, I share it with you,it is good to read it many times in a day.
I love you so much.
many kisses from me.
O He whose name is a remedy, whose remembrance is a cure, who causes recovery on account of whatever He likes from any thing. Send blessings on Muhammad and on the children of Muhammad and let me get rid of this ailment on account of Your name.
O Allah,
O Lord,
O the most beneficent.
Dear Carol,
Your story has made me nauseous with sorrow for what you’ve already endured and what you have yet to endure. At the same time, I am smiling because Allah has given the world such a wise, strong and loving woman.
Your blog is truly a gift, YOU are a gift, one that embodies the most noble of attitudes– altruism.
May Allah ease your pain and restore your energy. May He give you much more life and many more chances to share yourself with those of us who need your gifts. May your work continue to spread far beyond what you can even imagine.
Thank you for sharing your experiences, even though this one may not be as pleasant to talk or read about. I sometimes forget to do monthly self-exams, and this is after knowing of someone close to me that had to get lumps removed from her breasts (that, luckily, were NOT cancerous). Hopefully, this will be a good reminder for me (and others) to do one every month.
I am very sad to hear that the cancer has progressed to Stage 4. I agree with susanne430 that alternative therapies, if at all possible, may help in addition to whatever current therapies you have. I do not know enough about conventional cancer therapy drugs to comment on them, but it seems like others have posted some information that may help?
You are such an amazing, beautiful person! I really hope that you are able to live much longer with a good quality of life although I know that none of us are promised tomorrow. I hope that I will get a chance to meet you some day.
I apologize if my words seem harsh or uncaring at all. In situations like these, my words seem to get jumbled because of all the emotions involved. I am deeply saddened that you are not doing well physically, and hope the best for you. It seems that you are doing your best to stay positive and optimistic as well as share your experiences. I think this shows your amazing character and optimism.
I feel really blessed to have come across this blog because there are so many interesting, lovely people like yourself that I have gotten to know. Thank you for all your hard work in creating and maintaining the blog. I look forward to reading each and every post!
BTW, I really love the picture of Abdullah and you.
Thank you all for the warm, loving and caring comments.
I am always reading and researching towards keeping apprised of news and developments pertaining to cancer care. I’ve read and spoken with individuals who have chosen traditional treatments and those who have chosen to have holistic or homeopathic treatments. Yes, diet is also an important aspect along with mental health.
I’ve cut sugars out of my diet along with starches. I’m also focusing on foods with antioxidents and toxins.
I’m not shy or hesitant to discuss the topic of cancer or to answer any questions as best as I can.
There are multiple aspects with cancer – that of the patient; that of the caregiver(s); and that of the family or friends of the patient. I’m again in the shoes of the patient and have been the caregiver too.
hello carol,
I’ts great that you have a positive attitude, never give up, hope is what sustains us all. It is heartbreaking to hear of your recurrence especially after you had surgery, it’s meant to be a preventive solution. But keep faith, and beleive you will get well soon. The 2 things i’ve had dr suggest to patients here are breathing exercises ( yoga or others) , and diet changes.
and i could have my daughter fatch and carry for you ….picture a shaded garden ,you relaxing by a stream drinking fresh fruit juice and get well soon.
it helps not only defeat the illness, but ensures well being. but most of all i hope you are inthe company of fun loving, positive people . if you ever think you need a break in between treatments, after treatments when your counts are up, you have a place to stay with us. I could set you up in a nice hammock in our shaded backyard right beside a tiny stream
Dear Radha,
I do hope that one day I will get to meet you, F, your children and your dear SIL too!
yes for sure
btw My sil’s MIl was diagnosed with brest cancer, no family history and very sudden and it’s considered 4th stage. so they are busy with dr appts etc., adn she’s doing the best she can to be a caretaker plus handle her kids and other commitments. It was a great shock to us all, considering the lady was v healthy, active and went for regular checkups, she was a health freak.. which makes this disease all the more deadly. I hate the C word….
I lost family to breast cancer, and many friends have it too.
Keep your hope up! You may live for many years and be happy yet.
I wish with all my heart it may be so.
Carol, I’m so sorry that your struggle continues. Hopefully the new treatment with give you some relief.
@Radha,
If I can help out with virtual support to your MIL or any of the family, please do not hesitate to contact me. I’ve walked (and walking) the shoes of patient as well as caregiver. There are so many excellent support resources available for cancer patients too. ACS is great!
Carol, such a moving and emotional story. I am sure that you have earnt your heaven with Abdullah after suffering through all this hell. Truly heeaven and hell begin in this life.
My prayers are with you.
Thanks carol,
The lady with cancer is J’s MIL
i’ll have J give you a call , she’s the caretaker along wiht her FIL and is doing a great job, but this is adding to her stress and everyone is down in the dumps there.. so your help will be greatly appreciated, I did suggest support groups for her MILand also for her ( the caretaker) but so far they are so busy it’s a daily fight.Will tell J to call you. thanks
Carol Many thanks for taking your precious time and sharing your story and educating us even while you are undergoing treatment. You will be a source of inspiration to those who are diagnosed of C and may need to come to terms with it.
The way you have handled life is great and you will influence generations to come, particularly the less exposed Saudi citizens; hope someone might well translate your blogs in Arabic in future.
Wishing you healthy long life, Aameen.
(Kindly excuse me if I could’nt express myself properly).
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Thank you, Arif!
If anyone wishes to have anything I’ve written translated to Arabic towards reaching a wider audience, I have no objection to that at all!
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