Tarun Jacob - LIFE'S A JOURNEY NOT A DESTINATION

This is the web log of Tarun John Jacob. Surgical resident in Christian Medical College- Vellore. Tamil Nadu,India. 25 yrs old, Christian. Realized that God's planned a load more in my life after helping me make it through a non hodgkins lymphoma. Blessed with a great wife, son and family.Read on to know more.....spam proof e- mail: jkjtarun (at) gmail (dot) com

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Name: Tarun Jacob
Location: Vellore, T N, India

The jobless banter of Tarun Jacob - a guy who's gone through chemo for Lymphoma, come to realize that his plans were not exactly what God had in store for him - read thru if you are interested - it's my life on a day to day basis. Comments are welcome ,and will make the page interesting.. maybe you share a view, differ on my theology or just want to shout? - Go ahead and make a comment.

Monday, November 10, 2008

A major MILESTONE on the journey....

November 10, 2008 GRADUATION DAY, CMC Vellore.
Three Cheers for the Silver and Blue!!

Today - I have been given the Degree of Master of General Surgery (M.S. Surgery) by my Alma Mater. It's a HUGE deal. It's not so much the achievement or the relief of being done with a major part of my education - it's the disbelief that I could walk onto stage and walk off having received the accreditation that I have satisfactorily completed my training.
When I started to write this blog, I was uncertain of so much..... questions and doubts were always on my mind - would I complete chemo? what about the radiation? Costs of treatment? what would happen to the baby we were expecting in all this chaos?....My mind kept me busy enough to push finishing my training to an obscure spot maybe in the background - living seemed a priority over the learning!! I took time off (6 months) my course to be treated and it was done in the faith that I would get back to training some day..... I remember sitting after my shots of Vincristine (a chemo drug), my fingers numb and devoid of sensation (a side effect that can be permanent) - banging the keys of the computer as I blogged- without a tactile feedback and silently wondered if the side effects of lost sensation of my chemo, would wear off and let me get back to feeling human tissue as I would cut it...... Today I have my sense of touch as good if not better as the day I started my training...
As I graduate, and look at the 'plot' of the past 3 years- I realize what insignificant a role I play in the list of credits - 'I' actually play the smallest role in putting me on that graduation stage..... My family has undoubtedly been my strength and fuel. Anne, My parents, Anne's parents, Tripti and Santosh, Cherry were so much like solid anchors that I never felt tossed around as the waves hit. My God has, without doubt been my boat. I have had the comfort of feeling his security as I travelled this journey.
As I share this milestone with the world - I really hope that it can be an inspiration that there is NO IMPOSSIBLE, with our creator. The Lymphoma I had could be beaten and similarly I feel the problems that we all face can be challenged. It's just a question of believing, hanging on for the ride and not quitting early on.
Love from Tarun, Anne and Koby.

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4 Comments:

Blogger புருனோ Bruno said...

The last photo is very cute.

Best wishes :)

14 November, 2008  
Blogger Carl said...

Great news, Tarun. Congratulations!

I somehow missed your earlier post, providing the description and photos related to what you and Anne will be doing in Orissa eventually.

A job, a calling, a ministry - you must be thrilled.

Grace and peace.

Carl

18 November, 2008  
Blogger Wendy S. Harpham, MD said...

Congratulations! Indeed a major milestone. I appreciate your gratitude for all the loving and generous people in your life who have helped you on your journey, but I hope you won't sell yourself short. You are still the one who offered your veins for treatment, who studied and practiced your art, which is why you - not they - walked across the stage in cap and gown. You may feel that you couldn' have done it without them (I feel that way about my journey), but that doesn' diminish the fact that it has been your journey.

I invite you to visit my website and blog on Healthy Survivorship. As a fellow physician-lymphoma survivor, we have much in common.

With hope,
Wendy
www.wendyharpham.com

21 November, 2008  
Blogger Ghost Particle said...

Congratulations :)

the journey has be a great inspiration for all of us :)

all the very best for the future.

02 December, 2008  

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