CANCER WARRIOR: Despite losing my leg and lung, I still have hope

Ruth Wanjiku, 22, has battled cancer twice, leaving her without a leg and a lung. She narrates her story to Nation.co.ke.

“I noticed a pimple growing below my knee in August 2014. I was 17 years old at the time, so I thought that it was associated with my menstrual cycle. I ignored it for months, despite its growing bigger by the day. It finally became a lump and I decided to seek medical advice.

Initial tests did not show anything and because I was not in pain, I was not given medication.

BIOPSY

However, the doctor suggested that I should have a biopsy done. I didn't have the money for the test then.

I was able to raise the money required four months later, in December.

I only wish the doctor had told me how urgent the biopsy was.

My grandmother, who I lived with at the time, said that we should get a second opinion. After examining the lump, the doctor at a different hospital said that I had to get a biopsy done as soon as possible.

I had the biopsy done in January 2015, and the results showed that I had Osteogenic Sarcoma – a cancer that starts in the bone. I remember the shock I felt when the doctor broke the news to me. I had only heard of cancer before. I never at one point thought that it would ever happen to me.

Luckily, my doctor was honest with me. He explained everything in detail, from treatment to the need for amputation, especially because the cancer had grown to almost twice its size since the first biopsy.

On March 18, 2015, my leg was amputated. My doctors gave me no further advice or treatment. They only sent me home with painkillers.

I came to Nairobi and tried a few jobs. The stigma was real. To me, I was starting life all over again. Even though I had sad and depressing days, I never once thought of myself as a disabled person. It took a lot of prayer and trust in God to be at that point.

MORE BAD NEWS

On my birthday in June 2017, I felt sharp pains on my chest after buckets of water were poured on me – a norm on people’s birthdays. I went to hospital and the doctors said I had pneumonia. But after further tests, an X-ray and a CT scan, a tumour was seen on my left lung.

I went for a biopsy a week later, and results showed that it was cancerous and at Stage Four. This was a big blow to me.

My doctor explained that the cancer had spread to my lungs because no chemotherapy or radiation, which normally eliminate all cancer cells, was done after my amputation. I thought I would die.

He suggested six rounds of chemotherapy, which we started almost immediately. Two sessions in, in September, we found out that the tumour had instead grown in size, so this meant that the lung had to be removed.

I had to be in the ICU for a few days before resuming the chemotherapy. It was brutal. I lost almost 30 kilogrammes during this period. I also lost my hair within two weeks of treatment.

Weakness and loss of appetite were huge side effects which still affect me to date. I can go for even two days without eating.

HOPE

I cannot describe the happiness I felt when I was told I was cancer free in February 2018. Truly, there is no better feeling than having a huge load lifted off your back.

I still experience the fear of reoccurrence. Any feeling of pain, even as small as a toothache, scares me. My faith and trust in the Lord keep me going.

I am lucky to have had someone who supported me financially all through my surgeries and treatments. I had a strong system of emotional support from my friends and family.

I would advise people not to stigmatise cancer patients. Cancer is a disease like any other that can affect anyone at any time.

I remember visiting a family in Murang’a sometime back and out of my curiosity, I found a lady who had been isolated and locked in a room. She was suffering from breast cancer and had been told never to leave the room whenever visitors were around because they termed her as an embarrassment.

The wound on her breast was exposed and infected, and there was a foul smell. My heart cried for her because there was nothing I could do at the time. Sadly, she passed on because she received no treatment.

I work with cancer patients and survivors because it’s important for people to know that cancer is not a death sentence. Most of the time, there is no empathy when the news is broken to them, and I experienced this first-hand. I took it upon myself to encourage those going through what I did.”

FACT BOX

According to the Mayo Clinic:

Osteogenic Sarcoma – a type of bone cancer that begins in the cells that form bones. It most often occurs in the long bones that make up the arms and legs, although it can occur in any bone. It tends to occur in children and young adults.

Biopsy – a procedure to obtain a sample of cells from your body for laboratory testing.

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The Cancer Warrior story series tells the stories of cancer survivors. To share your cancer story, email [email protected]