Marie’s story
Age: 44 years
Diagnosis: endometrial cancer
At 44 I was diagnosed with endometrial cancer.
It is cancer that starts in the lining of the womb and 3 in a 100 women have this diagnosis.. The tell tale signs are excessive bleeding, an unusual discharge or pelvic pain. If this is you, you need to be checked. Don’t just assume its the menopause go to your GP and get checked. If its caught early it is more easily treatable and around 80% of women survive beyond 5 years.
I was referred to a gynaecologist by the GP and had pelvic exams and a transvaginal ultrasound and blood tests which gave enough concern to be followed by a hysteroscopy which inserts a camera and takes a biopsy. That confirmed the bad news.
The recommended treatment was a hysterectomy, a double shock if you hadn’t had a child yet. This was also to be followed with radiotherapy. I felt so frightened despite the odds and at a loss as to why it happened to me. Not like my usual resilient self at all. I kept crying and fearing what was going to happen.
My treatment plan, consultant and hospital were all changed in the lead to my operation adding to the anxiety and uncertainty. The operation had complications that in turn delayed the radiotherapy. The worry the cancer would spread was huge because of that. Overall I was off work for a 10 months and monitored for 3 years.
The Cancer Support centre helped me to deal with the upset and fear I felt. They helped me to sleep again and taught me techniques I could use myself to help me relax. I had some one to one therapies to address specific things that bothered me, and they made a real difference. Then I got involved in volunteering at the centre. This really helped me to regain quality of life, as feeling useful helped me to rebuild my confidence and self-belief and to get back to work. Happily I now have the all clear.