I woke up to this message and photo from a wonderful friend. It made me smile and laugh instantly. Smiling and laughing are vital on this journey.
Tag: ovarian cancer
Taking my mind off Cyril
I am 27 and going through something that is so rare for my age. It’s the love from family and friends that is spurring me on. What a fantastic day with my wonderful friend Dominique! Loved the park 😀😀
A present from my favorite artist
Laura Footes is a dear friend from university. She is the most amazing artist. She has worked with my children at school on a few occasions and they adored her! She has used art in a unique way to spur me on in my fight!
You can find out more information regarding Laura Footes on the following websites:
http://cargocollective.com/laurafootes/About
http://royaldrawingschool.org/artists/drawing-year-alumni/laura-footes/
#FindingCyril
The kindness of strangers
As a 27 year old walking into a chemotherapy room, I was frightened beyond belief. A fellow teacher sitting on the chair next to me spoke to me about her experiences because she could see that I was so young and distressed. She wrote the message above in my journal to give me hope.
How do you prepare for sessions of chemotherapy?
It’s the support from family and friends that helps you find the courage to walk through that door and sit in the chair. The photos below show a pamper bag my sisters and brother put together for me, a picnic prepared by my friends and my wonderful boyfriend who supported me to get writing!
Road to recovery
I woke up on Monday full of fear wondering what the day would hold for me. Of course I was anxious, who wouldn’t be. But, I was a good girl and still had my breakfast! I really want to try and keep my hair, so I’ve decided to try the Cold Cap which is like a helmet filled with a special gel and freezes the scalp to below -2 degrees. We’ll have to wait and see if it works. IV line in place and 6 1/2 hours of chemo started to flow through my veins. How odd that to kill this disease, I’m being filled with poison. Poison to kill a poison. If you’re wondering if it hurt…the answer is no. It’s so important that young people are made aware of the brutality of cancer and that it can attack anyone. Cancer does not discriminate, it can effect anyone at any time and at any age. My first chemo session was documented by my father via texts to our family WhatsApp group!
#FindingCyril
The start of ‘Cyril’
This all started with stomach cramps and constipation. My stomach swelled to the point that I looked three months pregnant. My second visit to A & E in one week revealed abnormal blood test results. This led to them doing a CT scan, which revealed a concerning swelling on my right ovary. It felt like my world had fallen apart.
My parents had me transferred to the Royal Marsden because my gynaecologist is based there. He expressed his concerns about ovarian cancer. I felt like the earth had opened up and swallowed me up. I just felt numb. To deal with the potential diagnosis my dad decided we should call cancer ‘Cyril.’ I cannot explain why but that made the whole thing feel less frightening. It even confused my friend when I said in a text that it might be ‘Cyril!’
I was in hospital for three days, had over 5.5 litres of fluid was drained from my stomach and underwent a biopsy. My wonderful nurse came in with me. We discussed what we would talk about but I got so nervous I was completed sedated!
It didn’t take long for the results to be given and a plan to be put in place. I was diagnosed on a Thursday and the treatment started the following Monday. My consultants are so kind and caring that when they recognised my severe anxiety about hair loss they decided to administer the treatment in weekly doses to give me the best chances with scalp cooling. The first photo I will share is of my swollen tummy! It’s a key symptom to look out for and you must remember that ovarian cancer can be confused with bowel problems.
I thank God that the symptoms surfaced because there’s no screening for ovarian cancer and symptoms usually don’t surface. I hope that I can raise awareness for more women [including young women] to get checked. It’s rare in young women but it can happen.
#FindingCyril
Finding Cyril 