My article in The Lede
A reader shares her experience of fighting cancer & how she is coping with the lockdown
For me the year 2020 dawned with some hope of getting back to normal life, for I had spent the major part of 2019 fighting cancer and after effects of its treatment. All my ideas were dashed to ground by the all pervading Corona demon and the lockdown that followed.
Maybe because I have already fought a harsh battle last year fighting, the blues during lockdown was cakewalk for me.
I more or less applied many things that I did during my fight against cancer to drive away the lockdown blues. Always an avid reader I saved myself from slipping into depression by using apps like audible and downloading audio books. This helped me a lot as I was in no position to sit up and read. This has become a habit now.
Living consciously is a thing that helps us all to drive away any blues. When you start living life in the fullest sense you don't come across any blues.
Let me elaborate a bit. Every single day I relish my cup of green tea in the morning, peacefully looking at the yonder mountains and the little sparrows that come to peck at the grains I had scattered for them. I had been wanting to do this all my life, but started doing it only when I was faced with a life threatening disease. Don't you think lockdown period is a great time for doing such a thing?
Love for music is another thing that can help you in these days of anxiety. I cook my meals these days listening to an old Kishore Kumar number from my Caravan or to old Ilayaraja songs or peppy Rahman songs. I have downloaded Malayalam and Tamil radios and listening to them gives me a happy feeling. Cooking also has a cathartic effect, must be because when you cook you are doing something very productive. Take your time and chisel the nuances like an artist and enjoy the outcome.
Every single day I take a walk in the mornings as well as evenings. Well, in these days of social distancing I can walk only on my terrace, so what?
Those mountains and birds and migrating butterflies are great company for me. (By the way I live in Coimbatore). I may have to wait for a while to do some fine dining outside. My own self cooked meals are in no way lesser.
I may not be able to go for a movie theatre but can always catch up in these OTT platforms. I do my exercises or yoga regularly to keep myself fit. Of course I know that being in my 60s and having a pre-existing disease I am at a high risk of contracting COVID-19.
But these facts hardly dampen my spirits because I know a trick or two to keep my spirits high!
(This write up has been sent to The Lede by Viji Narayan, a postgraduate in English from Kerala University. She is a voracious reader and an occasional blogger. Now a cancer survivor, she is relishing and living life to the full. She is also a very proud grandmother, an English language trainer and freelance writer. All opinions are the author's alone and not necessarily that of The Lede's.)
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