I was diagnosed with an incurable cancer at 23. AMA!

[justfortheama]

Not sure if this would gain any traction, but as the title. A few years ago I was diagnosed with an incurable cancer very young.

If anybody wants to know anything let me know! I'm always here for raising awareness etc.

Ask away!

Little bump :)

Do you keep it under control then with medication.

What’s your life expectancy and how have you come to terms with it? Do you still live as normal and work? If you work do you resent it knowing it’s eating into your limited time. Are you too poorly?

im so sorry xx

I've had a lot of chemotherapy and a lot of surgery. Things are currently stable but if things rear their ugly head again I will go back to the chemo and surgery. My chemo isn't IV, it's administered via chest and abdo bilateral drains.

Life expectancy is a difficult one. The stats aren't too good, the 5 year survival rate is 63% which is exactly where I am. But I'm stable at the moment so I couldn't ask for anymore. My oncology team have worked tirelessly to get me to this point so I have to take everything I can get with life.

I work part part time, have a daughter via IVF and tend to live life as normally as possible. My husband is a gem. I've made peace with the stats. A few people have asked me why I would have children under my circumstances. The truth is I always wanted to be a mother and my DD is my world, and I wanted to have a child so a little bit of me could carry on in this world should I not be here.

So I have to be as normal as possible for her, so yes, to look at me I'd be like any other woman in her twenties trying to keep her shit together. Things are stable at the moment and I do make plans for the future just like everybody else. And I'm at total peace with it :)

What are the chances T remains stable. You sound so calm and together

They are very slim.
I have posted about my diagnoses before, under different usernames. (In case it rings any bells)
I was diagnosed with mesothelioma. Cancer caused by asbestos. So although we can be NED, it's impossible to remove the asbestos fibres as they are simply too small to see. So it's always something I will have, even when things are stable. Im monitored extremely closely to keep on top of things and the slightest changes I am straight in for MRI scans and bloods etc.

It's tough, but the chances of reoccurrence are high, sadly. Im just grateful for the here and now. I have age on my side too which really goes in my favour. That was the reason I had a fighting chance for the surgery I had as something like 15% of people can have the surgery due to the dangers of it.

Im due for an MRI scan tomorrow, so fingers crossed it is okay.

Hope your scan goes ok tomorrow - do you know where you were exposed to asbestos?

So sorry to hear this, it sounds frightening. Do you know what the asbestos source was?

I'm so sorry.

Do you ever feel resentment towards the exposure to asbestos?

Do you know where you were exposed to the asbestos?

You sound very calm and level headed, it can’t be easy. How did you reach your peace with this?
🤞🏼for tomorrow for you.

Good for you, you're clearly very positive person and carrying on doing what you want to achieve, yes your life may be shortened however you still have to get everything you can out of it, and it sounds like you are.
Good luck with the MRI tomorrow, and damn those statistics, beat them 😎😎

You sound so incredibly composed and optimistic. I hope your CT scan went well and sending you all my best wishes

As a life long worrier I am in awe with you dealing with this so well. You are wonderful!

Hello!
I started an AMA and then went quiet I am so sorry!

Chances of remaining stable, realistically aren't on my side. They probably won't stay that way forever and I probably, nearly definitely will die of the cancer.

That's the shit side of mesothelioma. The stats aren't great. Although the google stats are a little outdated!

I absolutely do. I can't say where I was exposed - I am trying to get justice.

(Sorry to be vague)

Thank you!
It took me a long long time to be at peace with it all. Nothing really worked per say apart from time. I had to give myself time. But trying to give myself time during being told I might not see my next birthday was hard.

I did a LOT of meditation, none of us are invincible and if this is the way I exit the world then so be it, but I won't ever go without a fight and the fight myself and my oncology team have fought and the risks they've taken to get me where I am today, I have to keep going.

I ended up having CT & MRI and can report back that things are still currently stable. I have another MRI in a few months :)

(I have multiple scans a year but I'm grateful for them!)

Thank you ❤️ right back at you!

I don’t have any questions! I just wanted to say how bloody brave you are (dad went through this - and I remember he was so calm and controlled whilst my brother was full on banshee).

Actually I do have a question - does your little one understand the illness?

Wow you sound amazing! How awful that you were exposed to asbestos. I know the legal side of mesothelioma cases it through work. You should absolutely get compensation.

How long were you exposed for and how long afterwards were you diagnosed?

Thank you so much!

DD is only tiny still, but we will explain to her in an appropriate way when she starts asking questions. We will figure it out. I'm on the hunt for a book perhaps to do this but will cross that bridge when it comes!

I was diagnosed in my late teens. I'm heading to mid twenties now. Took aaaaaages to diagnose which didn't help. Had surgery and lots & lots of chemo after that. I'm still having surgeries now despite being relatively stable.

I was exposed as a child over a few years. I was quite unlucky as normally it's 20+ years for the disease to come out and sadly also in a lot of men who have worked around asbestos over many years. But it's so true what they say, it only takes one fibre. And it's also not as big of a time window as we think, it can take 15 years sometimes a little less.

Thank you for your lovely words!

No questions, just sheer admiration for you. Sending love, and hope your scan goes well.

Ah, this is terrifying. I’m so sorry you’re having to deal with this but you sound so strong 💪 💐

I’ve heard of the effects of asbestos as we have it in the school I work at. Have been told never under any circumstances to touch the ceiling but it is so scary to know it’s up there and how easily it could be disturbed.