Tahira Kashyap On How She Detected Cancer: Started Feeling Heavy In My Right Breast And Silly Enough, I Was Happy About It

In an article she wrote for Mumbai Mirror, Ayushmann Khurrana’s wife Tahira Kashyap talks about the early signs of breast cancer and how she coped with the diagnosis

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Tahira Kashyap On How She Detected Cancer: Started Feeling Heavy In My Right Breast And Silly Enough, I Was Happy About It

Tahira Kashyap has been making headlines the past few days as she opened up about being detected with Stage 0 breast cancer. Now, in a post she wrote for Mumbai Mirror, the author-filmmaker has given a detailed account of how it all began and how did she cope with the diagnosis. Here are excerpts from the note.

“I started feeling heavy in my right breast and silly enough, I was happy about it. I didn’t know what I had done right that the Gods became generous and my one breast decided to grow at the age of 35. But the same wasn’t happening to my left. I waited patiently for a couple of days, waiting for lightning to strike and the miracle to happen for the left one too. No such luck!” she wrote.

“I had once heard that if you talk to your plants, they grow. Breasts are no different. They grow, become ripe and full and then droop. So, I had long monologue sessions in the bathroom, waiting patiently for my left breast to grow too, leaving me pretty disappointed. Before I could search the internet about how to grow the size of only one breast, I started getting a secretion. That did it! Sir Google could wait, she added.

Talking about how this led to tests one after the other, Tahira elaborated, “My husband took this even more seriously. So, we went to see the doctor, who is the best thing that happened to me in this entire ordeal. He recommended scans and tests, one after the other, that lead to me being detected with high grade DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma IN Situ). Simply put, cancerous malignant cells multiplying in a contained area. This is also called a precancerous or Stage 0 breast cancer.  In fact, the first time I was recommended the mammogram, the radiologist turned me away saying you are 35 and since there isn’t any family history of sorts, you don’t require this X ray. But my doctor’s wisdom prevailed, he insisted. The results threw him off too.”Ayushman Khurana With Wife Tahira
Ayushman Khurana With Wife Tahira

In the long article, she also addressed her desire to emulate Sonali Bendre’s “invincible spirit” even though, at that point, she had not discovered her own condition. Finally, on a concluding note she tells people that cancer is no one’s “fault” and can happen to anyone. She wrote, “Another thing that I came to know through messages, posts and the doctors is that patients tend to go through the blame game. Of course, this isn’t my fault. No sir, no way. Cancer can happen to anyone, there isn’t any reason behind it. You don’t bring it onto yourself and there is no shame in exhibiting courage if you have. If at all, it enlightens others to not take life callously and deal with it without begrudging. Unconditional love and support from family and friends can really help those enduring this not-so-pleasant experience. And above all self-love.”


Image Source: hesed