From back pain to cancer diagnosis

Danh Thi Lan Oanh (born in 1995, living in Can Tho) is currently receiving treatment for breast cancer at Cho Ray Hospital.

In April 2024, after suffering from persistent spinal pain for more than two weeks, she decided to undergo a medical examination and an MRI scan. At first, Oanh believed she had a herniated disc.

However, after days of examinations and tests, she received a diagnosis of stage 4 breast cancer with bone metastasis.

Doctors told her that her projected survival time was around five years, with the remainder depending heavily on her mental strength and response to treatment. They also explained that ovarian suppression therapy would effectively eliminate her chances of becoming a mother in the future.

"At that moment, it felt as though the sky had collapsed. It was the greatest shock of my life. But then I realized I could not afford to give up. My husband chose treatment over having children, which had been our plan before," Oanh recalled.

Looking back on her journey, Oanh still feels deep regret. About a year before the diagnosis, she had discovered a lump in her breast. A biopsy at the time showed it was benign, which gave her some reassurance.

Afterward, however, she became complacent and did not return for follow-up examinations for eight months. By the time the cancer was detected, it had already reached an advanced stage.

Oanh admitted that she had maintained an unhealthy lifestyle, often staying awake until 1 or 2 am, drinking milk tea every day, enjoying grilled foods and paying little attention to her overall health.

"I indulged myself too much. Today, no matter how much I regret it, I cannot turn back time," she said.

When hair is no longer the most important thing

Oanh was prescribed systemic chemotherapy, medication infusions every 21 days and supportive treatment for her bones.

On the day she began her first round of chemotherapy, she had to face another loss: all of her hair would eventually fall out.

"As a woman, hair is always one of the most beautiful parts of you. But once I learned to let go of that, I realized there was nothing left to regret," she said.

Rather than dwelling on sadness, Oanh chose to confront her illness with optimism. For her, what matters most is not what has been lost, but what still remains.

Throughout her battle with cancer, the person she feels most grateful for is her husband.

During the days when she was in severe pain and unable to care for herself, during chemotherapy sessions that left her physically exhausted, and during moments when she came close to the boundary between life and death, he never left her side.

"For cancer patients, the scariest thing is not the disease itself but having to face it alone. The love and perseverance of a spouse become a source of strength that helps you keep moving forward through the hardest moments," she said.

Living in peace with the disease

For the past two years, Oanh has continued treatment at Cho Ray Hospital.

She admitted that she is not always strong. There were periods when the disease progressed to the point where she had to use a wheelchair, became physically weakened and nearly lost her ability to move normally.

The prolonged bone pain left her unable to sleep through many nights and caused fevers as high as 40 degrees Celsius.

Walking, standing, sitting and lying down all became difficult. At times, she could not even hold a pair of chopsticks to eat.

"I cried not because I was negative. I cried because I was in pain. Just like a child who cries when something hurts too much. Crying helped me feel a little lighter," Oanh shared.

There were moments when she believed she could no longer endure it.

After becoming a cancer patient, Oanh said she no longer focuses on the idea of being completely cured.

Instead, she hopes for something simpler: living peacefully with the disease. What makes Oanh happiest today is not anything grand.

It is being able to walk a few steps on her own, sit down by herself or lie down to rest without assistance. It is having loved ones by her side, a home to return to and friends who continue to check on and encourage her.

Phuong Thuy