Mesothelioma and a Survivor’s story

Today I have a special article to post. I received a comment on a post to be contacted back from a person named Heather, saying she has a question regarding my blog. Assuming she has a question about India or tourist places in India or Indian culture… I sent a mail to her asking how could I help? To my surprise the response was from a cancer survivor, Mesothelioma cancer – requesting to share her story. Do I have to think twice to help? At this moment I feel happy that probably for the first time, I can use my blog to share a fighter’s real story and spread awareness to as many as possible.

I read about the cancer first and then went on to check out the video she shared. From what I read, Mesothelioma cancer is caused due to exposure to asbestos. I am going to directly share the email I received from Heather and also her video here. And I’d request to all my readers to share the same with as many friends as possible.

Hi there! Thanks for getting back to me! I am well and hope you are too. I am 44 and a mother to a quirky little 7 year old, Lily. She is my only child, and my whole world. When Lily was just 3 1/2 months old, I was diagnosed with mesothelioma; a type of cancer that kills most people within 2 years. As I’m sure you can imagine, the first thing that came to mind when I was diagnosed was my baby girl and how I wasn’t going to be able to watch her grow up.After intense treatment and recovery, I’m still here 7 years later and cancer free! My journey with cancer was a terrifying one and I'd like to turn my pain into purpose and become someone that other people can look to for guidance, inspiration, and hope in situations like my own. My husband and I recently participated in a short video about my experience with cancer and I contacted you because I feel that your blog would be an excellent place to share. I’m hoping to use this video as a tool to raise awareness of this horrible little known cancer that is such a deadly killer (and sadly, 100% preventable). I would love it if you would be willing to share my video on your blog with your readers. Here is the link to my video: http://www.mesothelioma.com/heather

Thanks Heather for choosing me to share your story. Your story is very touching and you are an inspiration for your positive attitude and the fight you led. I can’t express in words how pleased I am to know your fight had a happy ending. God bless you and your family. Wish you the best of times with your daughter Lily and your loving husband Cameron!

Mother's Day...annoucement

It’s been a LONGGGG pending update from my side; Here is the formal announcement, I have become a mother to a handsome baby boy, Aarav. For those who are curious, the name Aarav means peaceful, calm. Frankly, we were always sure and hopeful, we’d have a daughter! So I had spent most of the time in finding a girl’s name; with 2 boy names, just in case J. After the initial surprise, it later sunk in, that we have a boy indeed! However, we had our baby girl moment after coming home- the classic event in India of dressing up a baby boy in a frock; yeah we dressed Aarav in a cute pink frock that we had bought in the past!

Aarav ...

The moment when my boy was brought to me in the room and placed next to me, and how instantly he curled up to me; that moment was magical and will be unforgettable for the rest of my life!

Parenthood is coming to me each day; learning and observing my boy’s behavior; trying to set some routines with him so we understand each other well. He’s almost 1.5 months old and now it’s getting fun with him as he is catching his sight of moving objects, watching my face and smiling and watching him kick his feet in full swing when he is in play mode. Unlike most newborns that are awake all night, my boy sleeps well through the night and doesn’t trouble me J.

Each day I am getting stronger; initially I was very emotional each time he cried…now I can watch him get his vaccine shots and pacify him J.

Time sure flies very fast; I was waiting for these 10months to go fast; anxiously waiting and wondering how I would deliver a BABY! And now he is already 1.5months and growing up so fast!

Today is my first mother’s day, being a mother and I thought it’s a perfect day to make my announcement to all my readers. Here’s wishing all mothers and soon-to-be mothers a wonderful mother’s day! And I will try to make time to update stories of my son….

Bangle Beauty

Bangle collection

I picked on a new hobby when I visited my parents this time. My working mother born in Karnataka still loves her old traditional ways of dressing up. Even to date she enjoys wearing a jasmine garland in her hair; though she doesn’t carry long hair anymore as in her younger days. And even though it’s not very common to wear flowers here in Maharashtra, whenever she is in Bangalore or any south Indian city and if you offer to buy her a jasmine garland; she will happily accept it.  

Strangely, I only noticed now that she has a good collection of colorful glass bangles. Some she has bought, some she has got in various marriage ceremonies she has attended. But it’s a great collection to start wearing matching bangles each day to workJ; Yeah! That’s my new hobby. I decided that as long as I stay, I would arrange matching bangles for her sari each morning before she goes to work.

Matching bangles per sari

 Each day her friends saw her matching bangles and admired her matching skills and interest to wear different bangles each day. And she mentioned that it was her daughter who did it for her. J

It reminds me of what my colleague at work recently mentioned. She has 2 kids, young boys and how they are not so attached or close to her. When she says goodbye to them while leaving to work, her boys hardly even look at her to say goodbye. She said, it’s always nice to have at least one daughter, as they are close and sensitive; make you feel special. J

 Daughters are always daughters!

Childhood memories with Fevicol

Growing up, I lived in apartments with 24 homes in a building. And every year, there would be some furnishing work in progress in some house. So the carpenters would use the parking area for carpentry. Whenever we’d go out to play the carpenters work would fascinate us a lot. One main reason being the free access to Fevicol- the white adhesive!

When you get the adhesive on your skin and it dries, it peels off like dead skin. That used to be FUN! The oh-my-god, my skin is peeling fun! I am sure most of us enjoyed this. I remember the carpenter Shankar would keep scolding us, not to use up his adhesive!

We’d just hang around as if we were curious to see how they actually use the tools and do the wood work ( I did actually learn some of the procedures they do); and slowly when they’d be busy we’d sneak and squeeze out some fevicol and spread it on our palms.

Recently, when we did the furnishing of my apartment, I showed the trick to my husband. Apparently it was new to him. And since it’s my own furnishing work, I didn’t hesitate to take as much fevicol as I wanted. I managed to take enough to peel out an entire palm in one piece.

Repeated the same when I visited my parents this time, with them doing some kitchen furnishing. Yeah, I am 30 and some childhood fun things don’t change with time! J

Saving the GIRL child

We have known of female feticide crimes in India. Aamir Khan’s Satyameva Jayate show covered a full episode on this issue showing the reasons why this crime happens, how rampant it is, ill-effects of this happening now and in future and organizations who are working towards awareness of people to stop this crime.

Recently, my father shared a news from Pune newspaper; a doctor in Pune who has taken an initiative to provide free child delivery service, if it is a girl child. I looked for this news online too and it is true! This initiative has been taken up by Dr Ganesh Rakh,  after the rampant female feticide crimes in Beed district of Maharashtra.

This is a great start towards recognizing the girl child’s existence. Money is one factor that plays an important role always. If we can encourage saving the girl child by free medical assistance, it will definitely help in some way; especially in a country like India where the girl child I considered as a monetary burden. Truly a great start to save the girl child

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Warli Paintings with a modern twist

An old junior friend from my college has started an initiative introducing traditional Warli paintings with a modern touch. This multi-talented friend along with his wife draws and sells various day-to-day items with Warli paintings on them. Some also carry colored paintings unlike traditional white drawings on brown background. Personally being a drawing and painting enthusiast, I love the variety they are bringing each day and I can't hold back from sharing this information with as many people as I can.

Please join me in seeing these creations and if you'd like, you may buy a piece of art or more!

Happy Anniversary to my blog!

I did not notice that my blog has already completed 2 years... So Happy Anniversary to my blog! And Belated New Year 2013 wishes to all my readers..

I came across this beautiful tamil song Kangal Irandal...ofcourse I don't understand it...so I found its meaning too, for my satisfaction! The video doesn't seem great..or it's more like from an older time period, but the song is nice! Enjoy!