In the journey of a Leadership training program “Inspired Women Lead”, as a mentee I am fortunate to meet many inspiring women. Irianti Dewi is also a mentee who I met in one of the sessions of the online mentee group meeting. She is based in Jakarta, Indonesia and she wants to share her journey of fighting with Breast cancer. Her story of battle with the disease and victory over it is inspiring. Here is Irianti´s experience and permits us to share with us from this platform.
“It’s hard loosing 2 friends in a year of breast cancer, so when you find out you yourself has it you don’t need a minute to build a strong will to survive.
Breast cancer, when identified as early as grade 1 or 2, has 90++percentage of surviving, as long as medical treatments come together. Early detection and immediate response to treatments are the key to surviving cancer.
Mine started with mastitis, milk duct infection, that brought me to delirious state and made me stay for almost a week in the Intensive Care Unit.
The treatment of the infection followed with all kinds of physical exams opened the way to the identification of early grade of CA mamThat was in December 2017, before April 2018 ended I underwent 3 major operations, left with only one breast to survive.
Next thing to be brave about is chemotherapy, 6 cycles, each every 3-4 weeks.Alhamdulillah, following all the protocols and procedures, July till November 2018..
People assumed horrible side effects of chemotherapy, like loosing all hair and vomiting and dying. Alhamdulillah, for me it’s way too mild. Yes I lost all hair, I did think only the head hair, well actually it’s simply all hair is gone from your skin, this include eye brows, eye lashes, and pubic hair lost. Never mind, I could still go to work, I teach English by the way, I took sick leave just one or two days after each five hours I V chemotherapy treatment, just feeling dizzy and uncomfortable with my head, slowly the sensation subdued and gone in a week to be ready again in two weeks time for the next chemo.
After the 6 cycles of chemo is completed, I still did not know what came next, seeing the oncologist for evaluation he then prescribed a pill of hormone inhibitor for me daily for five years full.
Well the effect of this pill is quite strong in the beginning, losing your bone strength, sudden fall when moving too fast is an example, so taking extra calcium n D vit is a must to go along with..Walking stick, wheelchair, and folding chair, were ready at my reach just in case, not for so long, now in my second years of surviving I feel great, I am good physically and stronger mentally. The experience of undergoing Cancer treatment and survive open your eyes to many things, the feeling of being loved by family members, each of them, shows so much care, opportunity to see how support groups, cancer centers and all good people are ready so much ready to lend a hand in many ways. The support group I join see my potentials in leading the group holding events, that’s why they assigned me to be in inspired women lead. Lastly even you yourself develop closer relation with Allah, you are given a second chance to enjoy life, how can you not be more pious.
Well that’s just it, you had cancer, you survive, and you help others to survive.
Irianti Dewi CISC (Cancer Information and Support Center) Indonesia .”
