My name is Marina Schumeeva and I am 34 years old. At the age of 32, I gave birth to my sixth child via cesarean section. After five months, I felt very unwell due to an apparent infection. The doctors sent me to the gynecology department for surgery, where I first underwent several examinations and an X-ray.
There, the doctor repeatedly asked me when I'd last had an X-ray and how I was feeling. But how does a mother of six feel? My oldest daughter was nine at the time, I had no free time, and I wasn't thinking about myself at all. After the examinations, I was immediately sent to the nearest oncology clinic, which was 40 kilometers away. Oncology is the department for tumor diseases, which is why I was so shocked. The doctor there also didn't answer my questions and simply referred me to the oncology department, since my diagnosis wasn't within his area of expertise.
But how was I supposed to get there? I had to call my husband home from work. Who would look after my children, especially the baby I was still breastfeeding? At the oncology center, I was told I had a large tumor on my lung and a small one on my thyroid. I can barely remember that moment, as everything felt hazy.
I thank God for the good people who looked after my children during that time while I was being sent from one hospital to another. Unfortunately, many treatments in Russia are not free. To be exempt from these costs, you need to know whether the tumor is benign or malignant. I received a great many treatments in the following period.
I've now been in various clinics for two years, and it's still unclear whether the tumors are benign or malignant. In the clinics in different cities, every doctor has a different opinion, so there's still no definitive diagnosis. I've already had three bronchoscopies, but they couldn't find any tumors. I've also had further tests, such as an MRI and an X-ray. A considerable amount of money has been spent on all these examinations. Currently, I'm under the care of doctors, but I'm hoping for God's help.
I never expected so much help from the people around me. A sister from America requested my medical records and showed them to a doctor, but even there I was told I shouldn't have surgery for the time being. It was a very difficult time with six small children, the youngest of whom was only five months old. One doctor even predicted I didn't have long to live, and so there were many tears during that stressful time.
Nevertheless, I give glory and thanks to our almighty Lord. It is also thanks to your prayers and support that I am still alive and continue to hope for God's grace.
Marina Schumeeva with family