My Honored Teammate: Archana

Part two of my installment of "My Honored Teammates" is a profile of Archana. Archana and I are from the same Indian community, just like Kavita and Priyanka, my other honored teammates. However, unlike the others, Archana and I met just recently in 2006. Very Generation 2.0, we did "meet" online in late 2005 through an online site our community youth created. We shared a common love for liberal politics, Anne of Green Gables, and compulsive writing. :)

With that simple introduction to a very amazing woman, here is my interview with Archana:

Chai (C): Tell me what you are studying.

Archana (A): I am about to finish my Master's of Public Administration, which is a combo of policy, government and public management.

C: You are an avid traveler. What is the coolest country you have been to? What made it interesting?

A: I actually think India wins the prize, more on a personal level than anything. I lived there for a year when I was very young, and almost my entire family lives there... the experience of visiting India doesn't quite compare to anything else.

C: I know you love some spicy food. What is your favorite spicy dish? What is your favorite hot sauce?

A: Ooooh, lamb vindaloo. I had an irrational fixation on it during chemo, and it still satisfies me to no end to be able to eat it again, especially when it's so spicy that it burns my throat. A close second is West Indian goat curry with scotch bonnett pepper sauce, it makes me cry every time, but it is oh-so-worth-it! My mama's hot sauce wins hands down. She makes it roughly once every 5 years, and I have never found anything I enjoy more in a hot sauce.

C: Damn, my mouth is watering and I don't eat meat! What is on your radar after your done attending school?

A: Hmm, still creating the dots on that radar. There will be playtime. There will also be hometime. And work abroad if my body is ready. Otherwise more international health work in Canada, US, Europe. After the cancer experience, it has been pretty hard to allow myself to plan ahead in any long-term sense, which is something I'm hoping to overcome eventually. But that has given me plenty of short-term goals! Let's just say I will explore my options.

C: Has cancer affected your ability to understand health care policy?

A: That's a really hard question. I actually try not to think of my own experiences too much at work, because each disease and country and demographic has its own requirements that I'm fearful I will overlook if I look too far inwards. I have focused on infectious diseases in my work, and it would probably be better if the cancer policy wogs focused on cancer. I'm also pretty weary of spending my life in the developed world trying to "fix" the developing world from my cushy lifestyle.

I have always travelled frequently and widely, and it has been a difficult adjustment to stay (relatively) grounded until my body has fully recuperated. But losing the luxury of travel, even temporarily, has given me a newfound goal to shy away from engaging in projects that are purely from the developed world cushy lifestyle and to focus more on front-line, pragmatic approaches that actually reflect patients' experiences in the developing world itself. Part of my antsiness to work abroad has been to prove to myself that the cancer is finally in the past (at least physically), but I am also more aware than ever of how crucial the experience is to my work.

C: Since most of the blog readers are living in the U.S., describe the health care system in Canada and if you felt you got the best care during your cancer treatments.

A: The Canadian system provides universal access to care, which is usually labelled as "free" but more accurately paid for by taxes. Ipersonally had amazing care mainly because my cancer was so far advanced. Canadian healthcare is superb for critical care; so even though the waittimes for a CT scan were 96 days at the time of my diagnosis, I only waited 2 days. I had an ultrasound, CT scan, biopsy surgery, bone marrow biopsy and my first chemo all within 3.5 weeks (and all for no fee). It was pretty impressive!

I was misdiagnosed for the first 2 months of chemo, which I suppose many would blame on the "free" system. But I attribute the misdiagnosis to human error, which would be equally possible in a private system. I also had daily self-injections that were not covered by public health care, and cost $50 a shot. I was fortunate enough to be able to receive the injections, but it was quite sad to see the importance of the injections in survival and also meet patients in the clinic who could not afford them.

I think the biggest hurdle to the level of care I received was actually because of how advanced the cancer was. Because I was already so sick when I entered the scene, my doctors were all far more concerned with my chemo regimen and seeing improvements as quickly as possible, but were much less concerned with managing my pain. Since they can trace symptoms of the cancer back to 2003, and since the chemo only added to the pain of my symptoms, the lack of pain management was easily the hardest part of my experience. I have not fully digested whether or not this is related to Canada having a public system

C: If you can name one person (and only one), who has been your role model in your life?

A: There are many individuals that inspire me, but I'd have to say the one I turn to with most consistency is my sister. Most people know she's the closest person to me, but I probably don't explain where my respect for her comes from as often as I should. For as long as I can remember, Ashita has been an over-achiever, constantly involved in activities, social circles, crafts, you name it. It is so infectious that I think for most people who know her, we can't imagine being any other way ourselves. I skipped a grade when I was quite young, and we have been in the same grade since. I think other people may have found that quite difficult and suffocating, but my sister has always been very loving and excelled in everything she has done, even with her baby sister all of a sudden around all the time. I have also always loved how my sister can be responsible and practical but also silly and goofy, and I find that I gravitate to individuals who have the same balance she has. Ashita is so incredibly good at reminding me that it is okay to react, to be angry, to feel sad, and also to be happy, to smile, and to love.

C: Aww. Ashita is a great role model. As a youngster, what did you want to be when you were a "grown up"?

A: (laughter) I think I wanted to pump gas at a gas station! I always loved their jumpsuits, and the satisfaction of squeegee-ing clean a windshield, and the smell of gas.

C: When you were going through chemo, what motivated you to stay strong through it all? Or do you even think you stayed strong?

A: During chemo itself, it wasn't at all about strength. It was about finding ways to pass the days, ignore the pain, and find even one reason a day to smile or laugh. It was mostly an out-of-body experience... my body fought the cancer and the chemicals while my mind watched helplessly.

I have felt considerably weaker since my treatment ended. Regaining my physical energy somehow unleashed an incredible amount of emotional weakness. But I suppose like the physical battle, we don't have much of a choice and someday it is just in our past and we are grateful for that.

C: You know I love books. And I know YOU love books. Who is your favorite author(s) and why?

A: I am a big fan of Chuck Palahniuk, mainly because he is so descriptive without being verbose. I despise flashy writing that uses too many metaphors, and he somehow conveys exactly what we need in half the number of words others seem to need. I am also a huge fan of Mitch Albom, who has yet to write a book that hasn't made me bawl uncontrollably.

C: Some of my teammates are cancer survivors. Do you think I can convince you one day to train and run in a marathon with me?

A: (smiling) Suuuuure. My endurance might take a few years to catch up to you though!

C: Free style.

A: Thank you for dedicating so much of yourself to this cause. I wish I could come cheer you on. There will definitely be a Canadian hootin and hollerin from the east coast on October 21.

C: Thanks, Archana!