Today’s blog is from Denise from Buckinghamshire, who shares some of the story of her cancer diagnosis and how nutritional advice with support from Yes To Life has helped to improve her quality of life.
My cancer journey began when I started to experience shortness of breath, chest pain and tiredness. The symptoms continued for a few months and then worsened to include difficulties swallowing, reflux and weight loss. I was eventually admitted to hospital as an emergency case, after being referred by a doctor in a Minor Injuries Unit. I was immediately diagnosed with oesophageal cancer. The diagnosis came as a huge shock, as my GP had been treating my symptoms as a chest infection!
The hospital staff were wonderful and very sensitive. Within eight days I had been diagnosed, had an endoscopy, had a CT scan and had a stent fitted to enable me to swallow.
I was told that chemotherapy was the unfortunately the only option to treat my cancer, as it had already metastasised to my liver and lung, so I gave my consent and started the treatment. Straight away I reacted quite badly to it - I was very sick during the first chemotherapy cycle and had to have injections to help with the side-effects. I was supported by Ian Rennie nurses who were and continue to be wonderful. One good thing was that I didn’t completely lose my hair as a result of the chemotherapy - I wore a cold cap during the treatments, which meant that although cut short, I still retained my hair.
The hospital staff were wonderful and very sensitive. Within eight days I had been diagnosed, had an endoscopy, had a CT scan and had a stent fitted to enable me to swallow.
I was told that chemotherapy was the unfortunately the only option to treat my cancer, as it had already metastasised to my liver and lung, so I gave my consent and started the treatment. Straight away I reacted quite badly to it - I was very sick during the first chemotherapy cycle and had to have injections to help with the side-effects. I was supported by Ian Rennie nurses who were and continue to be wonderful. One good thing was that I didn’t completely lose my hair as a result of the chemotherapy - I wore a cold cap during the treatments, which meant that although cut short, I still retained my hair.
