Priya Patel

My Niche Mummy
 

My niche mummy is my grandma but who we call niche mummy which translates to “downstairs mom”, who lived downstairs of the duplex we lived in. She was pretty much like my second mother who raised me since birth. Since a child i was always by her side, always on her hip because she made me the most comfortable as a child who suffered from anxiety. Till her last breaths she cared and loved for her family deeply, she always made sure our belly’s were full before leaving her house and she kept all of her children in her prayers daily.

My niche mummy was diagnosed with myelodysplasia and later on to acute myeloid leukemia and at first she was handling it very well for almost a year, as a family we didn’t understand the depth of the illness and to where it would have led to today. My grandmother passed away 6 months ago and it is still very hard on me today, i still think of her everyday, i live in her house to watch over my grandpa. Once it reached AML my grandma had no time left, they had given us a few weeks but within days she passed away.. it was heartbreaking to see that we couldn't do anything and that the hospital had left us with no choice as well besides palliative care. It also felt that the doctors have so many patients to care for one patient solely is not of importance to them. My grandpa was in denial that my grandma had a few months left and kept it from the rest of the family so we only found out within weeks of her final time left here.

It’s been unfortunate but i hope research on this field of cancer can help make a difference, it is so horrible to see a loved one suffer and knowing there’s only so much you can do.

I love you Niche Mummy forever and ill see you on the other side - yours always Priya