Dolapo feared she had Cancer!!!!
The fair-skinned tall lady thoughtfully walked into the living room of the Flat she shared with her Friend one morning. She looked around and not seeing who she expected turned towards another room adjacent the Living room. She knocked and waited for the invitation to come in.
“It will be better to know now before its too late.” She said to herself before she opened the door to her friend’s room.
Sitting at a table positioned in a corner of the room is a dark, plump and short lady who drops a novel in her hand upon her entrance.
“What is getting too late? Or have you not submitted your writing yet?” she asked looking up to Dolapo’s disturbed face.
“Tola!” Dolapo shouted as she launched suddenly towards where Tola sat.
Tola jumped in fright!
The chair fell!
The Table shook!
“Dolapo!” Tola shouted in anger. “What is all this about? You came in soliloquising. Now you are totally scaring me.”
Tola watched as Dolapo silently moved towards the table, picked up the fallen chair and sat on down. The Plastic Chair shook furiously as if the whole world had just been placed on it.
“I think I have Breast Cancer?” Tola heard Dolapo whisper as she stirred at her friend.
“What are you saying? Breast Cancer? Where did you get it? How did you know? How long has it been?” Tola unleashed out without pausing to take a breath; her eyelids dashing furiously as she spoke.
“Which one do I answer first? Tola; I’m having serious pains in my Breasts. I feel some hard things there too.”
“So you already did the conclusion yourself? Ha!! Dolapo!! You better don’t bring what you can’t handle on yourself. I pity you.” Tola scoffed.
“You don’t understand. Is it because I didn’t tell you all this time.” Dolapo said as tears swelled in her eyes. “You’re accusing me of being unnecessary fearful. It’s alright. I’ll see you later.” She said as she stood up and moved to leave the room.
“Dolapo, wait now.” Tola called out as she dashed after her friend.
Dolapo stopped. She turned.
Tears were now streaming down her face like it had been let loose.
“Oh my!! I’m sorry. Okay.” Tola said regrettably.
“I’m not feeling well , honestly.” Dolapo replied.
“Sorry. So what do you plan on doing?”
“I’m thinking of going to the Blissful Gynaecology Center . Let’s go together just in case I can’t bear the news alone.”
“Alright. But where have you dumped your faith?” Tola asked in disbelief.
“I have Faith but at least I have to know what I’m dealing with.” Dolapo protested as she sat down.
“OK.. Let me dress up quickly so we can go now.” Tola said as she dashed towards her closet.
The General outpatient department of the Clinic was a market. Names were been shouted , greetings were been heard.
Tola sat patiently waiting for Dolapo to come out of the gynaecologist’s office. She looked towards the nurses station where a woman had her hand wrapped up in a BP Cuff obviously having her blood pressure checked.
Tola sighed.
“Who came with Miss Dolapo” she heard a nurse call out. “Am here.” She said back almost shouting as she stood up to walk towards the nurse
“The doctor will like you to come in. Walk down the corridor, the second office on your right is where you are going.” explained the nurse as she turned to go.
“Hmm , she can’t even take me there herself. I just pray am able to withstand the shock of the bombshell , not to talk of Dolapo.” She said to no one in particular as she went.
Ko! Ko! She knocked.
A woman in her mid-thirties looked up at her as she entered. Dolapo sat in front of the woman smiling at her.
“I guess there is no cancer.” She said stopping herself from bursting into laughter as she sat on another chair.
“Yes, no cancer.” said the doctor “but she needs to undergo treatment as a result of the pain she’s having.”
“But she mentioned having lumps.” Tola debated.
“ Yes you’re right. The thing is, there are some characteristics masses that can be in the Breast. Some normal masses are present during ovulation but they are stagnant. In cancer, the masses don’t stay at a point , they roll. They are called “rolling masses.” For her, she just need to be placed on antibiotics and pain relieving drugs. She’ll be fine.” The doctor explained as she scribbled down on a sheet of paper and handed it over to Dolapo.
“You can get them from the pharmaceutical office down the corridor.”
“Thank you Doctor. I’m very grateful.”said Dolapo.
“It’s alright. But, Miss” the doctor said facing Tola.
“Have you done the examination for cancer lately ?”
“No,” replied Tola taken aback by her question. “infact I’ve never done it.” She said shrugging her shoulder.
“Oh, that’s not right. Would you mind if I do it for you? Don’t worry about payment.”
“Ha! No, I’m good.”
“Tola , you better do it too. Everyone has their first. I have never done it before too.” Dolapo insisted.
“Okay.” She nodded finally agreeing.
“Alright. Just walk into the inner office over there and undress. I’ll be right behind you.”
“Alright MA.” Tola replied glaring at Dolapo as she stood up.
Tola watched as the doctor put on a glove and stood in front of her.
“This is embarrassing.” She thought as she gave a quick smile to the doctor.
“Okay, stand straight.”
“Put your hands behind your neck.”
“Stand straight again.”
“Alright. Are you ovulating.”
“No. Any problem? ” Tola asked.
“ I hope not. But let me examine you first.”
Tope stood as she watched the doctor examine her.
“Hmm…” the doctor said under her breath causing a shiver to run through her spines.
“ Any problem? ” Tola asked again.
“Nothing that can’t be solved. Meet me in the office after you are done.” The doctor said gently as Tola watched her walk out of the room.
“Ha!! This doctor is scaring me.” She said as she dressed up hurriedly.
Dolapo gave her a questioning look as she entered the Doctor’s office. She shoved her shoulder back. She sat down.
“ Miss ..” The Doctor called trying to get her name.
“ Tola” Tola replied.
“Tola, I’m going to explain somethings to you. You don’t need to be scared.” Tola nodded.
“You see,” she continued “there are times when the cells in our body divide abnormally, uncontrollably. And this situation has the ability to infiltrate and destroy the normal body tissues. YOU SEE..”
“ Doctor, do I have cancer?” Tola asked stammering as she looked at the doctor steadily.
“ YES, BUT…”
“ HA!” Tola shouted as Dolapo gasped in shock.
“ Miss Tola, I need you to calm down and listen to me.” pleaded the Doctor.
“Calm down? Ngbo Dolapo , I should calm down ?”
“Tola, at least let’s hear what she wants to say.” Tola pleaded.
“ Ladies, its not yet serious . There are two benign masses in her left breast.”
“Two again? Ha!” shouted Tola.
“ Please, what is benign ?” Dolapo asked.
“ Small. They can be removed by operation . I can set you up for surgery as soon as you wish.” she explained. “There is a tablet that helps in dissolving much smaller ones but it might not work for it. I can only give you Tamoxifen after the surgery to erase traces of the lumps.” explained the Doctor.
“ But, she wasn’t complaining of pain?” Dolapo argued.
“ My dear , cancer is a painless situation. That’s why examination is necessary. It should even be done weekly.”
“So I have to operate ? Where do I get money?” Tola asked looking at Dolapo as if asking for help.
“Doctor, thank you very much . I think it will be better if she goes home to her mother.”
“Alright. But please , take it easy and don’t delay the operation. “
“Alright Ma. Thank you.” Dolapo replied as she looked at her friend pitifully.
Dolapo watched Tola stood up , tears already finding their way down her face.
“Where is such thing heard? That someone escorted her friend who feared she had cancer to the hospital but instead was the one having cancer. Ha!! O ga oo..” Dolapo sighed as they went out of the office.
Dolapo placed the cup back on the table. She looked towards Tola’s room. Tola had called her mother immediately they got outside the hospital. She had been instructed to board the next bus coming to Ibadan. Dolapo had even followed her to the park and waited until the bus left before returning to their apartment.
“ Tola will propably cry her eyes out throughout the journey.” She soliloquized.
Her phone beeped. It was a text from Tola.
I will be going to the University Teaching Hospital immediately I get home .Mum said I’ll have a Mammography. I might not be able to call you again today so we’ll talk tomorrow. Thanks.
Just be fine , dear. I’ll be praying for you.
She texted back immediately.
Another text came in..
Sister Dolapo, we expect your writeup to be submitted this evening .
“Oh crap!!” she exclaimed as she hurried to her room.
“ Dolapo, I really have cancer oo.” Tola said to her the next morning on phone. Dolapo sighed.
“ Tola, it is well. Hope you haven’t forgotten that God can heal you. You might not even do the operation again.”
“ Are you questioning my faith now?” Tola retorted.
“No, I am just saying. You sound like you’ve been given a death sentence already.”
“ Isn’t this more than a death sentence already?” Dolapo could hear her gentle muffles of cry already.
“Dolapo can you believe my brother has been in coma for some weeks now?” Tola was now crying profusely. “He was involved in a car accident. Mummy didn’t tell me. She was suffering all by herself.” Dolapo didn’t know when tears dropped from her eyes.
“Where is he now?” Dolapo asked trying to make sure Tola didn’t know she was now crying.
“He is been treated at Lagos . My Aunt’s family are taking care of him.” She stopped to sniffle a bit before continuing. “ We’ll need money to pay back Aunt in return. I also need money for my operation. The issue is Mum has not been paid for some months now.”
“ It’s going to be alright.” Dolapo said when she heard someone shout “Jesus” from the other end.
“ Dolapo , I’ll call you back. That’s mummy.”
“Mum! ” She heard Tola shout before ending the.
Two minutes later , her phone rang.
“Hello Tola”
“Dolapo, it has finish oo.” Tola was crying loudly.
“What happened?” Dolapo asked in confusion.
“ Mum has been sacked.”
“ Jesus!!!”
“ Dolapo, I don’t understand anymore. Suddenly I have cancer, my brother is lying in comatose state. We need money seriously; but she has been sacked? Ha!! It is finished.” Dolapo listened as her friend spoke amidst tears.
“Tola.. God is in control. There is hope.” she said reassuringly.
“ Hope? Which kind of hope again ?” Tola asked almost in anger.
Dolapo remained silent for a while until she remembered something.
“ Tola, did you read the story I sent to you last night?” She asked.
“ Are you joking? You are actually talking about Story now ?” Tola said hissing.
“Wait.. I know what I’m trying to point out. Did you read it?” Dolapo asked again patiently.
“Yes.” came the abrupt answer.
“ I included information about a programme, did you notice?” Dolapo asked praying silently she did.
“ Yes. You mentioned a December retreat .” Tola said as she blew her nose .
“You see, I wrote that story as a form of publicity material for our December retreat.” Dolapo replied.
“ Really? That long story? It even looked like a true life Story !!”
“Well, its not. I was wondering if you could attend the December retreat. The theme is HOPE: FEASTING AFTER FAMINE. I really want you to be there. There is hope that you will be healed when you come. There is hope that Mummy will be called back to work. There is Hope for your brother.” Dolapo explained.
“ Healing for me? Is it that promising?” Tola asked.
“ Yes, There are promises in the Bible that prove God can heal you . Operation will not be needed again. You just have to come, keeping your eyes on Jesus. Do not fear or doubt because doubt delays deliverance. Tola, you will be healed if you attend. There is hope.” Dolapo explained reassuredly having noticed she had Tope’s attention.
“Okay, where is the venue?”
“ Well , at Ogbomoso here it’s going to be at the Deeper Life Campground , Egbeda but since you are in Ibadan you can attend there at Deeper Life Campground, Oyo-Ibadan Expressway. It’s the same thing we will be listening too.” Dolapo explained.
“ You know what, Dolapo ? I think I will like to attend in Lagos. Mummy will not like me attending where I don’t know anybody and she won’t want me coming to Ogbomoso. I think I can convince her to let me attend with my Aunty”
“ Alright, in Lagos it will be holding at The Deeper Life Conference Center; km 42, Lagos-Ibadan expressway. Wheresoever you want to attend , no problem just make sure you are there. There will be free accommodation and feeding. Just make sure you go believing.”
“Its alright. Thanks but you haven’t told me the date yet! ” Tola said.
“Oh !! Its on the 21st to 25th of this month.” Dolapo replied.
“ 25th ke? I will not eat Christmas food?”
“ Tola! So with all your problems you will be capable of eating Christmas food?” Dolapo asked Unbelievably.
“Hmm! You’re right. I will be attending by God’s Grace.” She concluded.
“It is well with you, Take care.” Dolapo said.
”What did you call the theme again?” Tola asked inquisitively.
“ HOPE: FEASTING AFTER FAMINE.”
“Okay.. Thank you.” Tola said.
“It is well. He will do the unimaginable, just put all your hope in him. Talk to you later. ”
” Alright, Bye.” and the call ended.
Will Tola really experience a transformation in the Retreat ? Will there be a Testimony of Healing and Recovery?
We can only find out after the Retreat right?
Expect Part 2 from the 26th upward. Attend the Retreat so you might be blessed too.
See you there.
#Fiction.
#DLDR’18.
