Kirk, You Picked the Wrong Girl, Shormishtha Mukherjee’s arduous journey, narrated with honesty and humour
Cancer, you chose the wrong girl Sharmista Mukherjee’s difficult journey narrated with honesty and humor
There is nothing strange about cancer, yet you can do nothing but smile while reading Shoramista Mukherjee’s book Cancer, You Picked the Wrong Girl – A True Story, The author shares her “no-holds-barred account of her journey navigating breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.” Despite knowing what’s to come, the part where the author conducts her test and goes to collect her report leaves you heartbroken. The story of Shormishtha could be the story of thousands of women in similar situations. What makes the book endearing and undeniable is the candor with which it tells a story filled with humor and a bit of wackiness.
True Story of Shormishtha photo credit: special arrangement
Her views vary from mundane to melodrama; Her thoughts wander from wondering who to decide which channel to run on TV in a hospital waiting room, comparing making an appointment with a doctor to finding a matching blouse for a saree. On the chemotherapy bed, she looks at the kidney tray to tell herself, “What a lovely, shiny bowl. Perfect for yogurt!! And she calls the red devil, Rooh Afza!
write the path
A blogger since 2006, Shormista has also written a series of short stories, co-founder of Flying Cursor Interactive, a digital agency in Mumbai. Cancer, you chose.., This is his first book. “When I was diagnosed with cancer, blogging sometimes helped me deal with anxiety,” she shares with us over the phone from Mumbai.
Some publication editors approached him with a request to write a book. “When he asked, I was undergoing treatment. I was thinking about myself. I never said I always knew there would be merit in writing a book like this because there was nothing in this conversation; This is a dumb topic. I was not in a position to do anything. So I told him that once the treatment was over, I’d be in a better place to call.
Shormista was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018 and her treatment, which included 16 rounds of chemo and 20 rounds of radiation, ended in 2019. “I told my publisher (HarperCollins) that I wanted to live my life and feel like everything was running again. In auto, in cafe, meeting friends, going to office… I want to savor every moment. He was kind and said ok. I started writing the book in 2020 and it took about six months.”
of experiences
Shormishtha says that her book is not a self help book nor a suggestion. “I’m not an oncologist and can’t make suggestions. I knew that part was to be left to the doctors. Plus, it’s not an inspirational or motivational book either. The book is only about my experience, and in that, if If you find rest and something to hold on to, that’s fine. That’s just my story.”
Shormista decided that she would write the book the way she wanted to. “I discussed it with my publishers. This book is going to be the most honest version I’ve ever done. That means it will cover a lot of things that people won’t talk about, whether it’s menopause, mastectomy, nipples. Removal ho, constipation… is such a big part of what happened to me, how can I gloss it over? I would be so jealous of my friends.. they are all going out and living their lives… and I No, I was proud of myself and I wasn’t judging myself… but I want to include it in the book. In that sense, I knew they (the publisher) were giving me full leeway.”
time relief
When Sharmishtha started writing, she knew it would be tough but it also meant coming to terms with it. “At times, we go through something life-changing, but are too busy to focus and not process everything at the time. You are going through this because that is what needs to be done. You have to relate to it and reflect on it to write about it later… it’s no longer impending doom. There were times when it was difficult and sometimes overwhelming.”
Would she recommend more cancer survivors to talk about their experiences? “It is not only the cancer patient who has the responsibility to get more people to talk about it. It happens to every single person, even those who have never had cancer. People don’t want to talk and live in denial. It is such a widespread disease, there is no harm in discussing and knowing what it is like for those who are going through it and understanding what medical science says and research. You’re not going to get it by talking about it,” she laughs.