Close encounters with Cancer

2000 :

My closes encounter with cancer was when my best friend and engineering classmate Anupama was diagnosed with Leukemia. She was my hostelmate too and usually goes home (Allepey) every weekend (like me) . 

Just after College day and when she didn't return, I called her from the nearby bakery (no cell phone age). Her mom said she has fever. Companies were coming for campus recruitment, so i called again after couple of days but answer was that she will take few more days to return. I was confused. To this date, I don't know how her cancer was detected and what stage of cancer it was. She was like ay other girl. Energetic with lot of oil in hair and very affluent unlike me. She had done a superb show dancing for College Day along with Giggle and there were no symptoms of fever r tiredness. Even now, if i close my eyes, i can see her in that marron attire with French braided hair. 

Later she sent me letter from Vellore about her cancer and we started exchanging letters. She underwent bone marrow transplant, chemo therapy etc and lost that curly beautiful hair. She was upset and angry like anyone else would be. But was determined to appear for examination with our batch and not skip a year and join the junio. Thinking about her misery , I lost weight and started looking very weak. Today, she is a proud scientist at ISRO , did her masters, built a beautiful house and is on her own. I am proud of you Anu ! 

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Mar 2021 : 

After we got back in Blr on Mar3 after a 5+ month stay in Kerala, i texted Jaya. She was one of my few friends who texted once in a while during the Corona WFH times. She said she had a small surgery and is on 2 weeks leave.

After almost a week , when i got time i called her and asked details of surgery she revealed it was Stage 0 breast Cancer. A small tumor detected during the yearly medical checkup. She didnt sound scared or panicked. She was taking rest after surgery and said she will have few radiation sessions. Since this was detected at very early stage, chemotherapy wouldn't be required. After few days, i visited her with Sreettan , we spoke like nothing had happened. As usual laughed aloud, ate pastry cakes from her bakery ,met their new pet and came back home , promising each other to meet up for coffee as soon as the campus would open. I would be joining office in another 10 days or so and she was going on a 3 month break.  

Wish her speedy recovery and thanking god this was detected well in advance. Praying she never gets a remission and remains string and healthy forever !

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