I quit my job when my mother was diagnosed with a rare cancer. Now, I'm prioritizing making memories with her.
In 2023 my mother was diagnosed with myeloma, a rare blood cancer that needed aggressive treatment.
I quit my job in broadcast journalism so I could prioritize spending time with her.
While she's here, I'm going to do everything I can to cherish the time we have together.
"Are you sisters?" It's one of the questions I always get asked when I am out with my mom, as we sound and look alike. It's a charming compliment, since my she has always been more than a mother to me — she's my best friend. I can talk to her about anything, I genuinely enjoy hanging out with her, she loves to laugh, and at 74, she's still young at heart.
In September 2023, our world changed. My mom was diagnosed with myeloma, a rare blood cancer that needed aggressive treatment. While the disease is not curable, it can be managed.
Her treatment began with weekly chemotherapy, which made her very weak and significantly impacted her quality of life. Eventually, the chemo treatments were reduced to every other week, then every month. When her medication was further reduced, she was once again able to enjoy some of her usual activities. I told myself that now is the time to make memories with her, so I decided to give up my dream career as a broadcast journalist to be there for her.
Our faith always guided me
My mother and I go to the Gurdwara in our community once a week. As a Sikh, sewa (which translates to selfless service) is an important part of our faith. My mom has brought me up to always be grateful and practice gratitude for what we have, and not to focus on what we don't have. I suspect this is a big part of why I was able to put my life on hold and prioritize spending time with her.
My mother has also instilled very important values in me. Her motto is live life to the fullest and always do things that make you happy. The future is scary for me as myeloma is incurable and I have anxiety thinking about my life without her. My mission is to help her make the most of the time we have together, and my faith gives me the strength I need in this difficult time.
Having fun and building memories
Now, more than ever, building memories with my mother is of great importance to me. When she went into remission last year, I took her to Florida, a place she loves because of the sunshine and theme parks.
While we were there we went to multiple theme parks, enjoyed the restaurants at Disney Springs where we ate way too much ice cream, stayed up late, went on scary rides (my mom is fearless), and enjoyed long walks. On the trip, she didn't get sick and was full of energy, she didn't even have to take a nap like she usually would back home — she was like a new person.
It was the best two weeks of our lives and we made some lovely memories together. She was happy, and so was I.
Day-to-day, my goal is to make her happy
These days, I'm doing a bit of freelancing, but my mom remains my priority. While she's here, I'm going to do everything I can to cherish the time we have together.
Every day is a new day and I make plans to do things with my mother that make her happy. For us, that may mean going out to a restaurant, watching a favorite movie, or going for a swim. I want each day to feel like we are on a trip together.
It's hard to imagine a life without my mom. We have a very special relationship in which she offers me brilliant advice and always has my back. I've been truly blessed to have her by my side and hope I find the strength to get through the hard days that I know are ahead.
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