Nimia Giménez is anxiously awaiting her surgery, scheduled for October 22.
Pink October is present worldwide to raise awareness about breast cancer, the goal is for more women to detect the disease in time and be able to save themselves. This is the testimony of a nurse with breast cancer who works at the Bet on Life Foundation, caring for other people with the same disease. Accustomed to guiding and accompanying women in the difficult process, she did not suspect that her life was about to change.
Nimia Gimenez is 37 years old and has been a nurse for 14 years. In November 2023, he felt discomfort in his armpits and the appearance of a nodule in his chest. When she consulted, the doctors immediately requested mammographic studies, a biopsy and a small surgical intervention. After the anguish of knowing the result, the day arrived and the diagnosis confirmed the worst, she had breast cancer.
The news paralyzed her, she was terrified to think if she would be able to fight the disease and at the same time she thought about her children, a 4-year-old girl and a 16-year-old teenager. “How far can I go? Why me? Can I hold on?” were the questions that flooded his mind in the face of an avalanche of emotions.
The treatment began with four chemotherapy sessions, then another 12 were added. “The physical and emotional impact is very strong, each session involves a lot of discomfort, weakness, stomach pains, vomiting, in short, a lot of vulnerability,” he says. But understand that this stage is part of advancing in the treatment.
Knitting on your machine is therapy and allows you to generate extra resources.
LOSS OF HAIR
The situation was already critical, it worsened when he contracted hemorrhagic dengue and in the same period with very low defenses, he suffered considerable hair loss, which is why he had to cut it. The most painful part was when her little daughter didn’t recognize her. “I cried a lot, my hair was falling out so much and we decided to cut it, my daughter said that I was not her mother, she didn’t recognize me, my friends and colleagues had to talk to her. They were very painful days,” he remembers.
The support of family, colleagues and friends is crucial. “It is a devastating disease, great containment is needed,” he explained. In that sense, he thanked those who are part of his life in this fight.
A BEFORE AND AFTER IN YOUR LIFE
The routine is no longer the same for Nimia. Neither at work, nor at home. He is currently on leave from the Foundation where he provides services. At home there are few tasks that you can perform based on medical recommendation.
When cleaning the house, her teenage son helps her a lot and the 4-year-old girl also does her best to help with minor tasks.
As a therapeutic occupation, she knits on her machine, it relaxes her and also allows her to generate extra resources. He exhibited part of his work, which consists of making pillows for armchairs and also mats and accessories for bathrooms.
The oncology patient is the mother of a 16-year-old teenager and a 4-year-old girl, for whom she continues to fight.
GOALS
During the difficult and long treatment, he advised setting goals, because with the goal in mind, every patient remains strong. “For example, to endure and continue, I set the goal of seeing my daughter at the age of fifteen, I have to achieve it,” she expressed excitedly.
All patients need to have something they want to achieve, it generates enthusiasm and improves treatment. In that sense, he said that another good medicine he has is his son’s dedication to his studies. “He is very intelligent, year after year he achieves high grades.”
THE MOST PAINFUL MOMENT
When the outlook was very gloomy and his fear was that he would not be able to advance to the next stage, he decided to have a frank talk with his son, who will soon turn 17 years old. He describes him as very kind, respectful, attentive and intelligent. He mentioned to her that in the event that she is no longer there, she must take care of her sister. A deeply emotional dialogue that broke them, but the minor knew how to understand and made the commitment, Nimia said through tears. “Without a doubt it was the most painful thing since I was diagnosed with cancer, I asked another boy to take care of a girl, but we had to have that talk at some point and after everything we talked about, I feel calmer.”
POSSIBILITIES OF SURGERY
The long-awaited surgery to remove the tumors is scheduled for October 22, so Nimia is very hopeful that everything will soon return to normal.
She said she was psychologically prepared and in good general clinical condition, remembering that unfortunately many patients do not reach that stage. “I am arriving very well, I am prepared, it hurts to know that many colleagues did not make it to that date.”
A LEARNING
In the midst of all adversity, illness brings learning. Since living with cancer, she began to value everything that surrounds her. “Today I appreciate and value everything; the sunrise, breathing fresh air, spending more time with my children, those little things that we should realize are the most valuable. You live to the fullest, you enjoy everything.”
