My experience with Prostate Cancer
Cancer, this word itself sounds like the end of the road, puts a sudden brake on the dreams, aspirations, and hope of living life. All thanks to the Indian movies.
I am grateful to the Divine Lord who blessed my father with a wonderful doctor. My father was diagnosed with prostate cancer which was at its last stage. He was 75 yrs old at that time. We had approached around 5 oncologists in Mumbai and each time we left their room after meeting them, we were left with an experience of stress and worry.
One day my sister suggested we meet Dr. Jagdish Kulkarni, at Somaiya Hospital, where we took papa along with his medical documents. The doctor interacted with my father at ease, he provided complete attention to my father, he spoke on topics of travel, my father’s business, his daily routine, etc. He provided an environment of ease, relaxation and a space where cancer can be treated not as a dreadful disease.
We left the doctor’s room with a pleasant face. The doctor spoke about the wonderful experience of travel and his work and hardly spoke about cancer. When we reached home we asked papa who he wanted to start the treatment with.
He replied Dr. Jagdish Kulkarni. When I asked him why he chose him, he mentioned he is the only doctor who just gave me the energy of life and an experience of a good life post-cancer and zero worries, except care towards good health and a positive approach towards life.
My father highlighted one fact which amazed me. He mentioned that 20 yrs ago he happened to see Dr. Jagdish Kulkarni, over television, those days of black and white TV, where interaction was happening with doctors, and he recalled that among all the doctors he liked Dr. Jagdish Kulkarni’s statement, where he did not emphasize on unnecessary too many medicines as cure or operations or chemotherapy.
This was entrenched in my father’s mind and he remembered his face as well. The day the operation came and Dr. Jagdish Kulkarni gave me and my sister a word of assurance that the operation is going to be done with utmost care and papa is going to come out of the operation theatre with relief from the tumor.
True to his words it’s been 7 years, under his guidance, my father has led a healthy lifestyle despite various challenges in his life, he has been leading an active life. My father has been managing a business with a 300-400 workforce, faced a financial crisis, saw his dreams shattered when the company had to be closed, went through sleepless nights. yet he managed to sail through, amidst all this, he ensured his regular check-ups, tests are done.
My sister took utmost care of his plant-based nutrition that helped him to keep fit. She checked his reports and went along with him for doctor’s visits, I would look after the business.
One downside with these injections was Papa’s attitude was not very positive always. The doctor made us understand that these injections have female hormones so the tendency of him getting angry or easily irritated would be there.
So we made up our minds to understand this aspect rather than take his reactions personally. Till now with Divine Grace, we didn’t have to go through Chemo or any radiation procedure. Dr. Jagdish Kulkarni kept telling us as far as father is taking it positively and taking good care of himself, why touch upon these areas.
Also, one book that did help him during this journey was, ‘You can heal your life’ by Lousie Hay. I would read this book for him when he was on bed rest and we would discuss how he can let go and forgive all the people whom he held some grudges or hated for some reason.
Today my papa is taking each day with an optimistic approach and every step with courage, care, and commitment.
I thank my sister who played a crucial role in nursing my father to heal along with Dr. Jagdish Kulkarni, my father’s clients, my friends, my mother, our employees who gave us timely financial help to do the robotic surgery, and Divine Grace Almighty showering his grace and answering our prayers, acknowledging Dr. Venkat the nutritionist who guided us on plant-based nutrition.
Cancer patients need love, care, and good guidance on lifestyle with a great Dr like Dr. Jagdish Kulkarni who would call from his side to follow up for almost 1-year post my father’s operation on our phone.
Cancer, is the beginning of a new life just after a volcano, the soil gets fertile and new crops generate a healthy way.