The Story Of Our Cancer Warrior, Jovena Menezes

“I was 25 years old when I was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma, a type of bone cancer.” This is Jovena Menezes’s story, in her own words.

I was playing football when I got kicked on my left leg. At the time, I didn’t do anything about it. I didn’t even put ice on it. That was in January 2019. Until February 2020, I didn’t feel a thing. No pain, nothing!

In March, my leg began to hurt. It would hurt for two days and then the pain would go away. This kept happening for about four months. Then in August, the pain became much worse.

I got myself checked, and the doctor asked me to wait another month. The pain came back, so I went to another doctor, who did an MRI scan. That was when I was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma.

Finding the right care

Another doctor then suggested I see Dr. Anupama Borker at Goa Medical College. I am my parents’ only daughter. They were upset and very low when they found out about my cancer.

At first I was very nervous. I took care of everything myself, because my parents can’t read and didn’t know anything about cancer. I explained Ewing’s sarcoma to them, and the doctor called them to explain the treatment.

It was all new to me, and I cried a lot. My family, friends and doctors supported me so much during this time. My doctor promised me she would take care of me.

Going through treatment

My treatment started in January 2020 and ended in November 2020. At first I didn’t know about the side effects of chemotherapy. Before taking any medicine, I would read about it online first.

I had never been in hospital before. My doctors told me I was strong. People say your first chemo always hits hard, but I didn’t feel anything at first. In the afternoon, though, I felt sick, went to the washroom and fainted. A nurse helped me out and moved me to another ward.

Eating the night after chemo was always difficult. I couldn’t taste anything. Wherever I went, even if the place was clean, I noticed a bad smell. Then I realised the smell was coming from me, from the chemo. I wanted everything around me to be very clean.

Each round of chemo lasted up to three days, and I stayed in hospital for those days. I went to hospital every 15 days, for almost six months: about 15 rounds in all, eight lasting four days and seven lasting one day. I would feel all right on the first day after chemo, then lose my sense of taste again that night and get it back two or three days later.

In June 2020, I had a CT scan and an MRI. The nodules in my lungs had disappeared and the tumour had shrunk. My doctor then suggested radiation, so I had about 28 days of radiation at Manipal Hospital, alongside chemo. The dose was light, so it wasn’t too bad.

When I would go for chemo, I’d talk to the other patients next to me and play games. My mother was beside me, so we would pray.

Jovena Menezes

The people beside me

Before cancer, I was hardly ever at home. I loved going out, meeting new people and making new friends. I was involved in everything. It was hard from January to March, seeing people my age going out while I had to stay at home.

The doctors and nurses supported me so much. If I didn’t want to eat, they would gently tell me to eat, because I needed to get stronger. Sometimes, when the hospital sisters finished work late, I would sit and talk with them. I built a really good relationship with everyone around me. Sometimes the sisters would tease me and I’d tease them back. They were always very supportive.

On the first day of chemo I could talk a lot and spend time with them, but the next day I would sleep early. I’m not someone who can sit in one place for long, so whenever I felt well, I would move around and chat with everyone.

Life after treatment

The day I finished treatment, I felt amazing! My doctors had supported me so much that I made tiny flowers out of straws for each of them. My parents felt good too.

In April, I had a PET scan and my reports came back normal. I have fully recovered. I still have a chemo port that the doctors are yet to remove. Because of rising COVID cases at the hospital, my doctor advised me not to visit for now, but I go in for appointments to have the port flushed so it doesn’t get blocked. Once it’s removed, I’ll be the happiest person and feel free! My parents are waiting for that day too.

The whole experience brought me closer to God. I used to pray before, but not as wholeheartedly as I do now. I learned the value of prayer. I also learned that not everyone cares about you as much as you thought they would.

Life after cancer is very good! I’m back to my usual self. The only thing I miss is my long hair. My friends tease me about my short hair, but I’m very naughty myself, so I tease them back!

My message to parents and children going through this: once you have decided to go ahead with treatment, be firm in your decision. You don’t know what the result can be until you go through it. And have faith in God and pray.

Jovena Menezes

Shared with Jovena’s consent.