Rizvi's Road: Syed Rizvi completes his four cancer-free years today June 10, 2014

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Syed Rizvi completes his four cancer-free years today June 10, 2014

Dear friends and well wishers I wanted to let you know that today I completed my four cancer-free years after my colon-cancer-surgery on June 10, 2010.

During the last four years, many of you had often asked me about the state of my health, and my spirit, so I have updated the blog on my health that was initially launched by my friend Caroline soon after I was diagnosed with a stage-three tumor. The blog posted major milestones leading to my complete recovery from the cancer at which time it seemed no longer necessary to continue the blog at so frequent intervals. The last entry was made on February 12, 2012.

I have been routinely seeing my doctors who have been monitoring my blood reports, checking out heart conditions, and also, as a precautionary measure, looking for signs of prostate cancer that has never tested as positive. Very recently, I went through a set of major tests that included colonoscopy and CT-Scan. Everything came out clean.

Other than vitamin and iron supplements, I have not been prescribed any medication, e.g., drugs for lowering of cholesterol or controlling of pressure or sugar that is quite common for people at my age. I turned 80 last December. I do believe, and doctors agree, that this prescription-free life-style of mine has a lot to do with my vegan diet that is free from any animal product like meat, fish, milk or honey.

Throughout my last four years, I have been in good health, and good spirit; and have been quite active in my profession as well as many animal rights activities http://prime.peta.org/2013/12/one-person-make-difference\ ; and writing OpEd on animal cause http://www.newageislam.com/ijtihad,-rethinking-islam/hajj----some-afterthoughts/d/9483. And fully participating in out-door activities that include the long March for the elephants. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oirgyzEJJ1g and a recent vigil on National Animal Rights Day in the memory of animals killed by humans for whatever reasons. Related to the vigil, here is a collection of about 400 slides where you may find me on slides # 9, 10, 106, 111, 147, and 286. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=739151459479772&set=a.739151399479778.1073741836.388042877923967&type=1&theater

My encounter with cancer has not brought me down in any fashion. In fact, it has given me a zest for life and made me truly experience life in its present moment.

Thank you all for your good wishes
Syed Rizvi

1 comment:

A.L.F. KubaJune 11, 2014 at 7:48 AM
Hi Syed, I am glad to hear that your road to recovery is going well. Keep it as raw as possible and juice daily as well my dear friend.
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About Rizvi's Road

You get yearly physicals. You enter new decades of your life. Your physicals start to expand to include new sets of “regular” standard tests. You place your faith in your doctors. You are vegan. You eat healthy. You exercise regularly. You are active in your community. You have never been to a hospital. You have never had surgery. You think you’re doing everything right to stay healthy. The next day you learn you have colon cancer.

This blog is about Syed Rizvi’s road to recovery from colon cancer—how he found out to what’s happening now.

Meet Syed Rizvi. Syed is from the India-Pakistan subcontinent. He was born in 1933 and spent his early years in Patna, India. In 1955 Syed moved to Karachi, Pakistan where he received his Masters in Physics and then taught Physics at a local college. In 1960 Syed migrated to the U.S.A. to continue his education. By 1972, he became a naturalized citizen.

Living and working in many cities across the U.S., Syed finally settled in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1996, the place he now calls home.

In mid April, 2010, Syed noticed he suddenly became exhausted, out of breath, and slightly dizzy when walking from his front door to the driveway. He immediately went to see his primary care physician. His doctor asked if Syed considered his symptoms serious—serious enough to be considered an emergency. Syed replied no, he did not consider his condition serious. The doctor then scheduled a series of heart-related tests.

After a month of tests, Syed’s cardiovascular system proved to be in tip top shape, yet his symptoms persisted. His doctor then recommended he see a neurologist. Before scheduling a new series of tests, Syed talked with his friends about his condition. His friends became concerned that his doctor did not consider his condition more critical and they helped Syed get urgent care. This was the moment when Syed’s life turned to a new chapter.

Syed took a blood test, a test that should have been taken the day he met his doctor the first time. The next day, his doctor’s office called, informed Syed he was severely anemic, and instructed him to go to the ER immediately. Syed was then admitted to the hospital.

Over the next few days, Syed underwent numerous tests. It was finally discovered that he had a tumor in his colon and he had been bleeding for quite some time. Within a few days he underwent surgery to remove the tumor and part of his colon. Syed then learned he had Stage 3 colon cancer.

Join Syed in his journey. Share your thoughts or your own story. We all have a lot to learn from each other. That’s what Rizvi's Road is all about.