FLOATING ON CLOUDS FOUR!!

I don’t have nine clouds to float on. I only have four brilliant ones to lean upon and float over emotional hills and dales, over chasms and meadows. My four brilliant doctors have been helping me float.

When I first encountered each of my doctors, I was terrified. Dr. Siddharth Sahni, the young onco-surgeon had had the unenviable task of telling me that I had cancer. I could have killed him then….I wanted to tell him that he was insane. Pradipta and I felt that we were getting buried alive in a tunnel. Dr. Sahni talked to us, guided me through the various tests, revealed the exciting contents of the Pandora’s Box and helped me to accept the dreaded “C” disease. He operated on me, was with Pradipta every time that he could get out of the OT and was like a dear family member who stood by us all the way.

Six weeks after the surgery, I graduated (not floated) to the second level of treatment. Dr. R. Ranga Rao is the onco-medicine genius. After having been pampered by Dr. Sahni, I dreaded meeting any other doctor. But soon after the first meeting, Dr. Rao erased away my fear. He is such a thorough professional, yet so gentle! His positivity is infectious and it makes me believe that things just cannot go wrong! I have shared my stupidest worries with him and have only received serious, genuine answers to them. He gives the most brilliant medicines to sort the various problems which crop up along the tortuous path of chemo therapy. I told him so one day. He smiled awkwardly and simply said, “Thank You.”

I survived (not floated) through 4 months of aggressive chemo therapy. I began on radio therapy treatment under Dr. Subodh Pandey. I was petrified when I first saw the gigantic machine. But Dr. Pandey and his terrific team helped me through. I was on the dreaded machine for 31 days. Dr. Pandey gently fore warned me of difficulties and advised me on how to tackle them. I trudged (not floated) through the treatment.

Dr. Ruchika Khetarpal is my beautiful cloud. She takes care of the chemo therapy centre. It amazes me how she smiles so caringly when all she sees is discomfort in the chemo room. Her warmth fills the room and she always has something special to say to every patient.

My clouds are brilliant on the inside and dashingly good looking on the outside. All four of them would put a lot of ramp models to shame!!! Ahem!!! :-))

I labored through each phase of the treatment, but 3 weeks after the treatment, as I look back today, I feel as if I am floating on my clouds.

Doctors are not God, and I know not what lies ahead of me. For the moment as I float happily on my clouds, I can only say the two little inadequate words “Thank You!”