On October 7, 2021, I visited the doctor due to persistent back pain. I considered myself very healthy, walking 5-7km daily. But the doctor took X-rays and found cancer. The news was shocking and surreal, like a rug being pulled from under my feet. I went back for a blood count, which was at 3000. It took time for the reality to sink in, and I had to share the news with my daughter and son. At home, I also had a husband suffering from dementia.
A long journey of scans, tests, and doctors followed, especially challenging at age 67. The news spread quickly, and many people came to visit, some in tears. I decided to stand strong, believing that cancer had been defeated by Jesus on the cross and that cancer is not the end of my life. I kept repeating this until I believed it.
On December 28, 2021, I was admitted to Worcester Hospital for surgery. The oncologist opened me up but couldn’t remove anything as the cancer had spread too much. I told God I trusted Him to do what was best for me.
Before my diagnosis, I remember dreaming of sitting in a salon and getting my hair cut. All my hair was shaved off in the dream, but oddly, I didn’t feel too upset. Chemotherapy started to see if the cancer could shrink enough for partial removal. I experienced chemo’s side effects: nausea, weight loss, diarrhoea, loss of smell and taste, leg cramps, fatigue, and hair loss.
When my hair started falling out, I shaved my own head, having been a hairdresser for 30 years. It was a tough thing to work through, but I adapted quickly.
After the 3rd chemo, I had surgery at Tygerberg on March 14, 2022. I was admitted and prepped overnight. A doctor came to check on me at 4:00 AM after getting an impression to do so. He discovered there was no blood sample for my surgery, which was critical.
At 05:30 AM, I was taken to the theater. Just before, I had a vision of Jesus walking by the sea, holding my right hand. Jesus was calm and I was like a carefree child playing on the beach. After this, my fear of the surgery vanished. I only returned to my ward that afternoon.
Others thought I hadn’t made it due to the extensive surgery. I had two blood transfusions, lost a lot of blood, had both ovaries affected, and my uterus was removed. The cancer had spread around my intestine, which was also partially removed and reattached. God carried me through it all. I recovered remarkably quickly and walked around the hospital within days.
I was ready for discharge after three days but struggled to breathe on the third day. They found a blood clot in my lung, keeping me in the hospital for five more days during stage 3 of COVID. I thanked God they found the clot in time. I kept repeating and standing on scripture.
I received much support from family, friends, and the church community. God was with me the whole time. I recovered quickly, and my blood count dropped to 370. The doctors decided to wait and see what happened.
God continued to provide. I quickly got scan appointments, usually requiring long waits. I kept praising Him, and He put everything in place. When my count was at 370, I decided to book a vacation. My husband had also died, and we had to cope with that as well. But God carried me wonderfully.
After the vacation, I learned the hospital had been looking for me. My count had risen again, and chemo restarted. After the sixth session, we had to see where the cancer was going. From the beginning I travelled to the hospital alone, using the bus as an opportunity to share the gospel with others who were sicker than me. I immersed myself in scripture, avoided negative people, and asked God to protect me from it.
I adapted again, going to church and town, never giving up. I joined an exercise group, regaining strength. At one point, I returned to the hospital, and they said chemo didn’t seem to work, so they put me on a new regimen. But the CT scan revealed the cancer had actually stopped growing and slightly shrunk. Praise the Lord! I was sent home for three and a half months, with a follow-up to come on June 25.
I feel good, look better, and my hair is growing back. People can’t believe what I’ve been through. Reading scripture, I related to Lazarus’ story, trusting Jesus’ words that it wouldn’t end in death. I declared these scriptures over my body, believing God would dry up the cancer completely.
Throughout, I planned vacations and travelled without issues. I’ve been off blood thinners for four months and even enjoyed a boat trip, something I asked God to experience. I still stand in faith for complete healing, knowing God loves me and all His children.