Patient Stories – Lynn
My story began in 2006 when I was sent for an ultrasound with suspected gallstones. I had been bothered with pain after eating rich or fatty foods and it was painful when my GP pressed in the gallbladder area. It was 6 weeks before I received an ultrasound and I remember that day so clearly as the young gentleman who was doing the scan took ages and kept grinding his scanning device into my side and then called on his colleague! Nothing was said to me during this time and I was packed off home to await my results but I knew that something was amiss, they were so quiet! A few days later I got a phone call to tell me a mass had been found on the tail of my pancreas and I was asked to go to hospital to have a CT Scan and biopsy. This was also quite traumatic at the time, the results showed that it really was a mass – 10cm by 7 cm and it was cancerous but they couldn’t determine the type. I was referred on to a pancreas specialist who then set about a plan to remove the tumour along with the tail of my pancreas and my spleen. I underwent surgery in April and had to wait just over a week for the results of the tumour. I was told it was a NET and that there was no trace of any spread to the tissue surrounding the tumour. I was also told it had produced a growth hormone.
I was sent home to recover 2 weeks later and have to say recovery was rather slow, but gradually improved over the weeks – well months! I was bothered with a severe irritable bowel syndrome that was either a result of the surgery or of the penicillin I now had to take daily, due to the removal of the spleen. This disabled me 3-5 days a week and left me housebound due to the pain. I have since recovered from this with the help of probiotic tablets and have managed to gain some weight! Yeay!
In March 2007 a routine octreotide scan discovered some lumps near my chest and armpit. A sample was taken and I was referred to the breast clinic for screening. Soon after, I was given the news that I had developed Breast Cancer. There was spread to some lymph nodes in my armpit. Devastated and shocked I couldn’t quite comprehend what was happening. I was supposed to be free from cancer! The cancellation of the family holiday was what finally made me cry – not the diagnosis, but the removal of the family holiday that we had so carefully planned and looked forward to with the children. It broke my heart telling them we could no longer go.
I commenced Chemotherapy in June and finished at the end of October 2007 when I then underwent a mastectomy and axillary clearance. I am now receiving radiotherapy for this and tamoxifen – a hormone therapy, as it was an oestrogen sensitive cancer. Anyway what a long story it has been and it hasn’t quite finished yet, but I wanted to share my story and to say if I can get through this then so can you! I have a new found zest for life and have started studying for a degree in Child and Youth Studies, along with Higher English with the hope of becoming a Primary School Teacher. My 2 young children have been great throughout my treatments and I have taken great strength from them in my times of need. We have re-booked that holiday to France this year and I will keep you updated on my journey!
Lynn
