‘It’s Not Easy When An Important Part Of Your Body Is Removed’ — Cancer Survivor Needs Help

She had been indoors all day when THE WHISTLER knocked at the door of her sister’s house in Goni-Gora suburb of Kaduna on November 17. That is where she had been living due to the care she needs since her inflammatory breast cancer surgery in July.

When she came to the door, her face looked faded and dry, and was infested by pimples. She later said it was a result of the chemotherapy session she had a few days back.

THE WHISTLER sat down with Patience Fadason, a breast cancer survivor in her residence in Kaduna to talk about her recuperation and challenges.

She dropped into the two-seater upholstery in the parlour of the modest two-bedroom apartment, facing the reporter. She had a plate of sliced watermelon in front of her on the table which she ate as the interview progressed—a sign that she now lives on fruits.

Ms Fadason, who has a tailoring shop near her residence in Goni-Gora, has been unable to work with her left hand due to the extraction of her left breast which was affected by cancer. There are only manual sewing machines in her shop which makes it difficult for her to resume her business.

The shop had been locked since July when she had the surgery.  Now she appeals for help to buy industrial machines so she could get back to work again and live her normal life.

Excerpt:

Since The Breast Surgery You Had In July, How Have You Been Managing Your Condition?

Well, it has not been easy since then. Things have been very challenging. It’s a major operation and it’s a major thing in my life. Because being a woman at the age of 36, unmarried and suddenly, you wake up one day, you have to make that hard decision of letting an important part of your body go just to survive. That’s not been easy. Honestly, it has not been easy.

When You Say It Has Not Been Easy, What Exactly Do You Mean?

I mean normal things that I used to do, I can no longer do them, even in the house. As a woman, you can tie your wrapper, tie your towel and walk around. But now I can’t even tie it because I feel like the wrapper is not even staying on my chest. So, it is even now that I realized, I said, maybe it is even the breasts that we have that used to hold our wrappers when we tie them on our chest as women. But now I can no longer do that. I have to just throw my wrapper like a man. Because even when I try to tie it’s not staying because there’s nothing to hold it there.

You Said You Have To Also Undergo Chemotherapy Sessions After The Surgery. Can You Describe The Experience?

 I had my first session of chemotherapy, but it came with a lot of challenges. After the chemo, the symptoms that I was having were not easy at all. I was purging, seriously purging. And then I couldn’t walk because my legs were completely numb, there was extreme cold that I couldn’t even feel my hands. I couldn’t walk and it’s as if I was having rheumatism. Together with body pains and weakness, no appetite to eat. You can see me putting on socks and  shoes just to keep my legs warm because I still can’t feel my feet. I still can’t feel them. But I thank God.

You Said You’re A Tailor. Have You Started Working Again?

No, I can’t. I locked the shop since before the operation.  I can’t work because the strength that I even need to work, I don’t have that. Just managing myself. And after the surgery,  I can’t lift up my hand that much because there are these two veins under my armpit that is holding me, I don’t know, I find it difficult to raise up my hand. But the doctor encouraged me to keep exercising the hand. If not, if I don’t do that, it will remain just the way it is. So, I’ve not been going to the shop. It’s locked up since then.

What Did The Doctors Recommend You Do Every Day To Live Healthy Life?

Well, nothing. What they told me is concerning my diet. It’s just what to eat. They told me to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, because before the chemo itself, when I went, there was a test they asked me to go and do. So, after the test, they checked the results that my blood is not up to what is needed for the chemo. I think they said we’re looking for like 30% to 40% as a female. But mine was 29%, but then they did it, though. They did it. But they asked me to go for vigorous consumption of fruits and vegetables. But there are drugs prescribed that I have to be taken.

How Have You Been Surviving Without Doing Any Work?

Well, as you can see, I’m living with my elder sister. She’s a single mother. One of my nephews is also living with her. Our parents are dead.  My elder brother died in 2018 and his wife too died June this year. So, she also started taking care of the boy. So, she has been the one helping me all this while and feeding me.

In fact, she had to move me to her place because my rent expired and had to pack. I’m living with her now at the moment. I couldn’t pay my rent because before then, that was when I started going to the hospital for tests, scanning and all these cost me a lot of money. There’s no test that is less than N10,000.

What Is Your Next Plan?

Honestly, I really need help because just as I’ve said now, things that I used to do before, I’m not sure I can do them now. A lot of strength has gone. The sewing machines that I have in my shop are manual butterfly machines which I use my legs to paddle. But now I don’t think, not that I cannot use them, but I can’t go far with it. I can’t go far with it. It is very stressful.

The help I need is concerning the shop. And then maybe if I can be able to get an industrial machine that can make the work easier. I will also need a generator set because of electricity issue. Having such a machine without generator is like a car without fuel. So, if I have that, I think that’s the major thing. It will help me a lot. After everything, when I want to resume, it will help me a lot because I can’t continue depending on my sister. She too doesn’t have a husband.

What Else Do You Have To Say?

I will like to thank Chief James Ume who God sent to me and my family. I don’t know him but God sent him to me and my family at the right time. He sent help to us when we were busy thinking about how to handle this case. When we were thinking where are we going to get money to take care of all these expenses? He opened his heart and God used him. I want to say thank you to him. What I passed through will never happen in your family in Jesus’ name. May God bless him.