This is an intimate account of my mother’s battle with breast cancer. It started in September 2018 and finished on October 15, 2020.
I gained invaluable knowledge from my mother throughout her journey, including how to laugh through difficult times and how to deal with suffering and disappointment. I also learned that many people in our society lack emotional intelligence and empathy. Emotional needs are frequently overlooked in a field as important as medicine, where decisions directly affect human lives.
I frequently hear the hushed voice on my mobile phone instructing me on how to check for lumps in your breast so that cancer can be detected and treated early. Bosom malignant growth is an overwhelming illness that requests both information and understanding.
My mom Musarrat Jabbar, my dearest companion Asma Nabeel, and my auntie Guddi all battled bosom malignant growth. These three strong women faced this illness with unwavering strength, smiles, patience, and, most importantly, courage despite their lengthy and difficult journeys.
A lump in my mother’s left breast was discovered while she was taking a shower. Guddi, her best friend and sister-in-law, was receiving treatment for stage three cancer at a reputable Lahore cancer center at the time. Guddi had once let my mom know that she had seen a protuberance under her arm quite a while in the past yet had overlooked it. When she counseled specialists, the malignant growth had previously begun spreading quickly. Keeping this in mind, my mother consulted with doctors and immediately informed my father and all of us children.
My mother and aunt, two remarkable women whose deep connection and support were truly inspiring, are remembered fondly in my memories. Because Guddi didn’t like to cook, my mother used to send him dishes like saag and karhi. They loved to dress up in clothes that were as vibrant as their personalities and attended family weddings frequently together. I will always remember their perpetual Punjabi jokes.
Guddi looked into my eyes as I was going through my divorce in 2010 and asked, “Sadia, tell me what’s bothering you? What’s on your mind? She wanted to listen and comprehend what was going on without judging me, and her concern was palpable. She never criticized the younger generation or made disparaging remarks, unlike other aunts.
Guddi’s better half and kids were discontent with the clinic’s treatment. I had been living in Karachi beginning around 2012 and when I learned about my mom’s bosom disease, our family chose to move her to Karachi for better treatment. In order to receive treatment, she relocated from Lahore to one of Karachi’s major hospitals.
