Lynette Nepaul – I’m living proof of a miracle
Lynette Nepaul details how she chose to face four cancer diagnoses with grace and continues to push on to fulfil her calling of being a mother.
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Lynette Nepaul (46) lives in Gauteng with her husband, Vinesh and daughter, Aradhya (10).
Ever since Lynette started menstruating, she had various issues, such as endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome. When Lynette and her husband were trying to conceive, they were told by doctors that Lynette was medically barren.
After five years of trying with medical interventions and no success, Vinesh took Lynette on holiday as she was depressed and lo and behold, in 2014, after a doctor’s visit due to her lips swelling, she was told she was pregnant. The swelling of her lips was her body’s reaction to the pregnancy.
Unfortunately, it was deemed a high-risk pregnancy and due to constant bleeding, Lynette was kept in hospital for five months until baby was born on 25 December.
Bladder cancer
Lynette’s recovery after giving birth was slow and she had a constant feeling of something not being right, especially in her abdomen. A series of tests was done but it was in January 2016 when she was rushed to hospital due to black sludge appearing when she urinated, that she was diagnosed with Stage 1 bladder cancer.
Four tumours were surgically removed. Thereafter targeted chemotherapy was given for three years until the final scope was clear.
The young mother continued her healing process but still had a knowing that something was amiss. “I would tell the doctors that my belly is swelling, and something isn’t right. Most of the time, I was told to watch my weight and eat better. When I spoke about pain, I was told my body had been through a lot and it’s normal,” Lynette says.
Ovarian and uterine cancer
In November 2022, Lynette noticed black sludge again when she went to the toilet. A scan was done; her bladder was clear but further tests revealed a large tumour on her ovary. It was advised to have a full hysterectomy as well as removal of her appendix, along with a chemo wash (washing the abdomen with heated chemotherapy after surgery). The pathology report showed primary ovarian and uterine cancer.
Unfortunately, Lynette picked up a severe infection in ICU which delayed her wound from healing. “I was kept in hospital for three months as now I had an open wound. A vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) machine was used to help close the wound and I developed a 18cm haematoma, which had to be broken down with a rod as I couldn’t undergo surgery as I still had an open wound. I think in that year I had about 20 litres of blood transfusions. When I was eventually discharged, I smelt like a dead rat, my husband and child couldn’t be in the same room as me. The wound finally closed in June 2023,” Lynette explains.
Lynette had a check-up and everything was clear but she was now in medical menopause. Though she still experienced abdominal pains and discomfort when she had bowel movements.
Premonition dream
In January 2024, Lynette had a dream: her intestines asked her to save them as the monster was eating them. Two weeks later, Lynette had intense abdominal pain and heavy anal bleeding. After being rushed to casualty, a CT scan didn’t pick up where the bleed was coming from so an endoscope (gastroscopy and colonoscopy) was done. This was the first time this type of scope was ever suggested and it confirmed that Lynette had Stage 3B colorectal cancer.
“I asked the doctor if this cancer could be related to the first cancer (bladder) and he said no colon cancer is slow-growing so I more than likely have had it for a good few years. Then it finally clicked that all that time I had abdominal pain and swelling, it was this. I was angry because I kept telling my doctors and I was always told to watch my weight and stop eating spicy food. Now I had to face cancer for a fourth time,” Lynette says tearfully.
Robotic surgery
It was explained that surgery was needed but due to all the other surgeries and complications Lynette had, there wasn’t a guarantee that she would survive open surgery. She was referred to a colorectal surgeon to see if there were any safer options available.
After consultation, it was decided robotic surgery (minimally invasive surgical procedure that uses a robotic arm to perform the surgery) would be best. The surgery was set for April, but Lynette had to be prepped for two weeks by seeing a counsellor and a physician. It was picked up that she has a lump in her lung, severe asthma, sleep apnoea, and chronic reflux. It was decided to monitor the lump and focus on the removal of the colon cancer. An asthma pump was prescribed indefinitely, and a sleep apnoea machine for two weeks until surgery.
“The complicated surgery was 10-hours long and that robotic machine saved me from a colostomy bag. The surgeon was able to remove the cancer in the sigmoid colon and re-join the colon to the anus. Twelve lymph nodes were also removed as it had spread to them and I was told it could be a Stage 4 cancer. It was also picked up that I had the start of Crohn’s disease (chronic inflammatory bowel disease that causes inflammation in the digestive tract). Instantly after surgery, I felt better. There was no pain and my tummy got smaller. I could breathe better. There was a drastic change in my body,” Lynette recalls.
Chemotherapy
In June, Lynette started chemotherapy and had a chemo part inserted and 12 sessions of a 48-hour drip were scheduled, in which she had to come home with a chemo ball.
However, Lynette only had six sessions as she experienced severe side effects and requested to stop treatment. Her oncologist respected her wishes but advised to rather continue. Lynette was adamant in her decision, so he requested that she has check-ups every three months.
“It’s not that I was giving up. I just knew that stopping chemo was the best thing for my body,” Lynette explains.
In December, Lynette had a check-up. It was found that she has diverticulitis (inflammation of irregular bulging pouches in the wall of the large intestine), high liver enzymes, and deficiency in vitamin B and D but thankfully no markers for cancer were found.
Medication was prescribed to increase her lung capacity and the lump is still being monitored as the doctor doesn’t want to do unnecessary surgery.
Fulfilling her calling as a mother
“I’m so grateful to the colorectal surgeon and his team. He has a gift in his hands. Throughout all of this, I knew that God wouldn’t give me a miracle child only for her to be motherless. I knew I had to survive all of it and go through everything with grace, so I can fulfil my calling of being a mother. My super powers come from being Aradhya’s mom,” Lynette says.
Sadly, all the cancer diagnoses have taken a toll on her daughter and last year Aradhya had to see a counsellor.
Lynette says, “I still do my wife and motherly duties everyday even if it takes me the whole day to wash dishes or iron clothes. Cancer will not steal that gift away from me. My husband is phenomenally loving and supportive; he continues to be my greatest supporter and stronghold in life.”
“I have changed my diet: I avoid sugar, dairy, processed and red meat. I eat chicken or fish. In retrospect, I admit my lifestyle and food choices had a role in the colon cancer. I was a comfort eater and would drink 10 cups of coffee a day and loved fried food. I had an unhealthy relationship with food. Though, with the other cancers, I can’t pinpoint my role,” Lynette says.
Lynette continues to find purpose in her suffering and runs a WhatsApp support group, Cancer Warriors SA.
Photos by Mandy Steenkamp Photography | Follow @mandysteenkampphotography
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Laurelle is the Editor at Word for Word Media and graduated from AFDA with a Bachelor of Arts Honours degree in Live Performance. She have a love for storytelling and sharing emotions through the power of words. Her aim is to educate, encourage and most of all show there is always hope. Write me: [email protected]
