How a single woman, an avid trekker, fought battle with breast cancer

In a candid conversation with The Federal, on the eve of International Women’s Day, Bindu, a single woman, narrates her tryst with breast cancer and how she courageously fought it and became cancer free. And, even went on to complete a strenuous trek to Kalihani Pass in Himachal, a little more than a year after her recovery.

'Strangely calm'

Leading what she believed to be a healthy lifestyle, Bindu had never entertained the thought of cancer. “I was totally into my yoga, leading a healthy, robust life. I had no symptoms at all, neither did I feel tired or lose weight. I discovered the lump by chance lying in bed one morning that December. Disturbingly, I could not feel it when I sat up but it was there and it preyed on my mind that Christmas,” she says.

Today, looking back, Bindu admits she was ‘lucky’ she caught the breast lump when she did. For when she visited the doctor and did a mammogram and a breast scan, the size of the lump was 4cm x 4cm. After her biopsy results, her doctor, Dr Selvi Radhakrishnan at the Chennai Breast Centre, gently broke the news about her breast cancer on the phone.

“I knew intuitively this was coming by then and I felt strangely calm,” recounts Bindu. Not one to cry, wallowing in self-pity asking that proverbial question, ‘why me?’, she just tackled the disease like any other huge challenge in her life.

“It helps that I am mentally very strong. I had no liabilities, and I was clear since it was not life threatening, I can fight this,” she says.

The good news

The good news was that despite the lump being big, it was growing slowly and the cancer was at an early stage. “That’s why I am lucky that I had caught it early, in the first stage. Neither was it aggressive, my HER2 result levels were negative (HER2 is a protein called human epidermal growth factor receptor 2, which promotes the growth of cancer cells), I knew I would not require too many rounds of chemotherapy, which is what I feared the most.”

Breaking the news to her family was a challenge. Besides a friend who accompanied her to the doctor, Bindu had kept her breast cancer diagnosis a secret from her family. "I did not want them to panic once they heard the word – Big C. My sister, who I am very close to, lives in Canada and I told her about the cancer diagnosis just a week before the surgery. My sister reassured me that all will be fine, while my older brother freaked out and I could see the constant fear in my younger brother’s eyes,” she reveals. (Bindu’s parents are no more)

When the doctor told her that she had to have chemotherapy after her surgery, her sister flew down from Canada to be by her side.

The easy, the worst part

The lumpectomy was “smooth sailing”, says Bindu. Her anaesthetist ensured she did not have to endure pain with medicines and pain patches. “I had no pain and I was moving around my home immediately after surgery. The surgery techniques are so advanced today, I don't have any prominently visible marks on my breast,” she explains. There was a short period she contemplated opting for alternative therapy and even dashed down to Bengaluru to meet a famous Tibetan healer. But, he convinced her to do the surgery and promised to help in the healing without any invasive treatments.

The worst part of her unfortunate tryst with breast cancer was the chemotherapy.

All along, Bindu was extremely nervous about it. The idea of chemo was “frightening”. She had seen people turn into ghostly versions of themselves, and become all skin and bones.

Chemo and radiation

This was followed by radiation, which left burn marks on her that upset her at first, but she handled it bravely. In the end, radiation was a 'breeze'. It was chemo that she feared the most.

“Your entire life changes, you feel nauseated and the thought of losing my hair was so traumatic. That was a big thing in my head, my hair loss and I decided I cannot go through with this,” she explains. But, her doctor made it clear that chemo was essential since one of the nodes in her breast was reactive and it could cause problems for her later on.

This was hard for Bindu to come to terms with.

Finally, after a no-holds barred talk with her oncologist, she was convinced. Her anaesthetist, who is also a homeopath, reassured her that he would help her to reduce the harsh side-effects of chemotherapy.

The chemo sessions

She had four sessions of chemo with a three-week interval each time. In the end, it was not as bad as she had imagined. She felt no nausea, vomiting or headache. Neither did she lose weight. The homeopathic medicines seem to have helped. But there was nothing that could stop her hair from falling, which was coming off in clumps.

“I was miserable at first. But then I rallied around and decided to go bald. The woman who was shaving my head was more nervous than me and even pleaded with me to wait. But I insisted and then took a selfie and sent it to all my friends. I also bought myself a wig. There are very good wigs in the market today,” she says. But her hair has grown back and even thicker than before, she adds cheerfully.

The chemo sessions held in single large rooms with wide windows turned out to be a relaxed affair with her sister and cousin. And, they would play music and ply her with vadas and coffee. “I was eating everything, in fact, I was overeating, there was no fear of losing weight,” she recalls with a smile.

The doctors told her that recovery would be faster because of the healthy and fit life she lived earlier. “They told me to just be normal, do normal stuff but of course to listen to my body and rest when I felt fatigue. Lying in bed actually makes you feel sicker than you actually are! It’s all in the mind. So, after a chemo session, I would not come back home and curl up in bed. I would shower and potter around in the garden, I love gardening or I would watch TV, or read. I went for my walks, I led a normal life as much as possible,” she says.

What really mattered

"What really helped me in my battle with breast cancer was that my sister was in my house with me. Just her presence in the house was soothing. It gave me a sense of security. That’s all I needed. She was my emotional support. With my younger brother, who was stricken with fear about me, I behaved normally not to alarm him,” she says. My older brother was constantly calling to check on me, she adds.

Elaborating on her thoughts during this difficult period, she explains, "I was clear, cancer was not going to get me! That was the attitude I had, it helped that I have always been a mentally strong person. Secondly, I had the strong support of my siblings, the emotional support of my friends, who did not ply me with questions instead they only asked me to keep them updated. They were solidly behind me. The encouragement I got from my doctors and my faith also helped me tremendously. I am not religious but I am spiritual and faith in God certainly carried me through."

Life after cancer

Bindu has had two reviews, her latest one was in January. "I am cancer free and my doctor told me to go out and enjoy life, which is what I am doing. Nothing has changed for me, I continue doing the things I did earlier. I don’t overdo anything - moderation is the key.

“Breast cancer survival rates in India are high today but you can fight it better when you catch it early. I guess I was lucky. When I visited Chennai Breast Centre I saw so many young girls and I feel they also have to deal with the issue of fertility, as cancer treatment can tamper with it. Many young women are opting to freeze their eggs because of this, which seems sensible,” she points out.

She has gone back to trekking. In fact, more than a year later after her treatment she went on an extremely strenuous trek to Kalihani Pass in Himachal. And, after coming down the mountain, she took a selfie and sent it to her doctors. And, they immediately responded congratulating her and cheering her on.

Stronger, braver

What has this entire experience taught her? “I fought breast cancer as it came, and it proved to me that I am a strong person mentally. I was told repeatedly that I was very “Brave” in the manner in which I handled it without buckling! Staying Fit is also the key, do your yearly mammogram, especially, if you have a family history of cancer," she says.

"In the end, I am just so grateful for how it all panned out and for all the love and support I received from the people around me. I am truly blessed," says Bindu.