In August 2015, a week after my period l noticed a lump in my right breast. The next day, I visited my doctor at Omotayo Hospital. The doctor examined my breast and suggested that a biopsy would be advisable. The biopsy result came back after two weeks that l had subsequently begun to experience pain. I became agitated which made me decide to seek a second opinion at the Air Force Hospital where my brother works.
He asked me to run another test at Clinix Diagnostics. Later, the doctor, after going through the result, recommended that a minor surgery be done in order to remove the lump in my breast. He called it a lumpectomy.
I had no choice but to opt for a lumpectomy. But I knew I was in good hands. So, l went in for the removal of the lump. The surgery was carried out on the 22nd of September.
Alas! My world came crashing down when the results came back that the lump was cancerous. I was distraught. I thank God for an uncle of mine who called me the same day that l received my result. He was very supportive and kept reassuring me that all will be well and that cancer is not a death sentence. I felt comfortable as he soothed me with words of encouragement.
A week later, I got the rude shock of my life when the doctor informed me that the best decision was to have a mastectomy done. A mastectomy is the surgical removal of the breast. I asked the doctor if the surgery was for my two breasts. The doctor was surprised by my question and he replied, “Madam, people are scared to remove one and you are asking for the removal of two?”
I really did not know where my boldness and strength came from and replied that ‘cancer will not kill me, rather, l will kill cancer.’ We actually laughed over it.
The mastectomy was done on the 20th of October. I was later referred to Lagos University Teaching Hospital {LUTH} for further treatment due to the fact that I needed a specialist, an Oncologist, to attend to me. My world came crashing down even further when I was given my histology result stating it was ‘Her2, triple positive Stage 3.’ I had figured out that this was going to be unpleasant due to the fact that I had been seeking out answers on the internet.
Later, my consultant broke down my treatment. He explained to me that l was going to have three different chemotherapy treatments and the treatment was going to cost a total of 7 to 8 million Naira. I felt the ground was going to open and swallow me up and I screamed.
I started with the least expensive form of treatment which was about N78,0000 for 4 cycles which ended up taking off all my hair {alopecia}. It was indeed a trying period for me and my entire family at large.
I realized that the treatment of cancer is daunting, energy, and financially draining. It was an ordeal to start the second phase of my Chemotherapy which was also a four-cycle treatment. Each cycle costs N100,000. I made up my mind that I couldn’t continue with the treatment due to a lack of finances.
Family and friends concluded that there was no hope. Then l ran to God, and by inspiration, l began to change my diet and incorporated organic fruits, vegetables, and herbs which worked wonders for me and I believed help boost my immunity.
In 2016, l was introduced to COPE through my consultant. It really rebuilt my self-confidence in meeting other women who also shared similar stories of triumph. The organization also provided me with all the necessary prosthetic items which helped to make me feel like a woman again. Most importantly, health experts on how to beat breast cancer were also invited by the organization to uplift our spirits and provide tips and information to staying healthy.
Above all, l was able to learn to let go off my fears, lean on God, and regain my self-confidence. For me to go thus far with radiotherapy, incomplete chemo, no monthly drugs like Arimidex, I give all glory to God as I know His mercy surrounds me.
