Sunday, February 15, 2009

What if you have cancer?

We are all fearful of cancer and do not want it to happen to ourselves. However, no matter how much we wish, it may still happen. If we are found to have cancer, we just have to accept the fact and realize that we are having a battle with cancer.

We may either win or lose the battle. Probably we have to go through a difficult process before we win the battle. May be after the victory, cancer will strike again and the battle is lost. Fighting for survival is a human’s instinct. Every cancer patient hopes to recover.

Therefore in the event we are met with cancer, our top priority is to win the battle. There is no compromise under whatsoever circumstances. We must be determined to move towards the goal of victory over cancer. In our fight some sacrifices have to be made before we reap the fruit. The fruit may be in term of a complete recovery or a slowing down the progression of cancer or in the least, reduction of the sufferings and burden of cancer patients.

Once we have made up our mind to fight the battle against cancer, we have to prepare and equip ourselves for the battle.

How do we face the battle?

Firstly, we must maintain a good mental attitude. Anxiety does help neither regrets nor pessimism. What is most important is to remain calm, composed and face the challenge confidently. Besides taking it seriously, we must be relaxed and remain calm emotionally. In this way we will have a good psychology edge.

Secondly, this battle will involve three parties namely your doctors, your family members and yourself. Your doctors will come out with a treatment plan, conduct the necessary surgical operations, prescribe medicine, and provide guidelines regarding the right diets and disciplines to follow. Patient, as the one who is being administered, needs to be proactive too, especially during the recuperating period. Patients may be mentally or physically unfit, weak and need the help and support of family members. They need all the moral supports, comforting words, encouragement, patient and loving care from their family members and loved ones. All the three parties concerned should work as a team to overcome cancer. None of the three parties can afford to remain idle or exhibit an irresponsible attitude towards saving a life as this will bring about defeat in the battle against cancer.

Thirdly, we must adopt a long term scientific and total approach in the treatment. We must avoid taking the disease lightly, work in an ad hoc bas only in the last minutes. Definitely the conditions of each patient differ from one another and hence treatments will differ too. A thorough laboratory investigation, X-ray, CT scan, endoscopy examination and biopsy to determine the cancer type and the stage of the disease are all part and parcel of contemporary scientific approach which can provide an accurate diagnosis . Based on the diagnosis doctors can determine whether to carry out a surgical operation to remove the tumours, what medicine to prescribe, what injection to give and recuperation management.ic, be fearful of death or act