As I sat in hospital after yet another round of tests and scans, the nurse told me not to worry. I was far too young to get ovarian cancer, she assured me. By this point I was desperate - my symptoms had been getting worse for months, the pain was terrible and I was exhausted all the time.
The first inkling that something might be wrong came five months before this. In January 2015, my periods became erratic and my stomach swelled. My youngest son was seven months old at the time, and doctors assured me that it was just my body adjusting after pregnancy. As time passed I started getting abdominal pain in my lower right side, but when I visited my GP I was told the same thing again.
The pain got worse. By May it was so severe that I went to my local hospital walk-in centre, where they admitted me to the emergency assessment unit and performed tests and scans. Finally, they told me I had a 6cm cyst next to my right ovary.
This hospital trip was the first of many - I became a regular visitor to the GP, out-of-hours clinic and hospital as the severe pain continued. Coupled with this, I was exhausted all the time - even when I'd just woken up - and my stomach was massive. I was admitted twice to the gynaecology ward, where they tested my CA125 levels. CA125 is a protein found in blood that's associated with ovarian cancer; because my levels were normal each time, I was told not to worry. When my symptoms continued I was referred to a specialist gynaecologist, who discovered a 3cm cyst next to the larger one. Ovarian cancer was at the forefront of my mind.
In June 2015, I saw a consultant who suggested an operation to remove the cysts - and maybe the ovary if needed. I agreed, and the wait for surgery began.
I was in more pain than ever. I could barely eat, I lost weight and I was going the toilet as often as I did when I was pregnant. During one of my last visits to the out-of-hours clinic I begged them for help as I could barely walk. "You're having an operation in October," came the reply. "What more do you want?" At that point, I just screamed. All I could do was lie on the sofa and watch my baby play. It was heartbreaking.
Eventually my operation day arrived. I was petrified. I kissed my babies goodbye and went to hospital; it all felt so surreal. Once I came round after the operation, the surgeon explained that they had removed my ovary and fallopian tube as there had been some complications. I had to stay in overnight, but after that I started to recover. I couldn't believe that I felt like myself again.
Two weeks after my operation, I received a hand-delivered appointment letter for the following Monday. I knew it wasn't good news.
"You have grade 3 ovarian cancer." The day was a blur, but those words - and the pain they caused - will stay with my forever. The same day, I had blood tests and a CT scan. I met my Macmillan nurse, and I said goodbye to the person I used to be.
I went home and started researching what I could do to help myself. I was then dealt another blow - I had clear cell carcinoma, an aggressive rare form of ovarian cancer that doesn't respond well to chemotherapy. We were told to hope for the best; the doctors believed it had spread.
I was due to start chemotherapy, but just before my first round my Macmillan nurse rang to tell me that the doctors wanted to give me a radical hysterectomy and my other ovary and fallopian tube removed. After the operation, the results showed that the cancer had not, in fact, spread.
Three months on, I'm on my third round of chemotherapy, and have three to go. It is precautionary treatment, because there's evidence that the type of tumour I had doesn't respond as well to standard chemotherapy as it gets more advanced - so it's crucial to do everything possible to stop it reaching that stage.
Right now, I'm determined to raise awareness about ovarian cancer in the hope that it might help other women recognise their own symptoms in my story. Beyond that, I'm looking forward to my future with my family.
The symptoms of ovarian cancer are:
- Persistent pelvic or abdominal pain
- Increased abdominal size/persistent bloating – not bloating that comes and goes
- Difficulty eating or feeling full quickly
- Needing to wee more urgently or more often than usual
Occasionally there can be other symptoms such as changes in bowel habits, extreme fatigue, unexplained weight loss or loss of appetite. Any post-menopausal bleeding should always be investigated by a GP. You can find out more information here.
