During the COVID pandemic I was experiencing discomfort in my stomach area, which was:-

-Unrelenting symptoms of discomfort most days (although the severity of discomfort varied).

– Tender to touch.

– Felt like I’d done a serious ab workout (which my abs have never experienced lol).

– Clothing such as jeans when sat down would push on the area, so most of the time they were left undone. 

– Food could sometimes make it worse, and on occasions I found standing up to eat a solution. 

 

I first contacted my GP around May 2020. This was of course a telephone appointment due to covid. I was prescribed a course of omperzole for possible reflux/ indigestion. This didn’t help and the above symptoms continued. I contacted my GP again around July.2020, who then agreed they needed to see me face to face. Following this face to face appointment and a tenderness to my stomach I was referred to the Gastroenterologist Team at North Hants Hospital. I then received an appointment with Gastro Consultant for a telephone consultation. The outcome was a prescription for more omperzole while further investigations were arranged. I received an appointment for an ultrasound scan, which I attended in September.2020. I then received a letter from the Consultant in November. 2020 to advise the scan was clear. There was nothing stated in the letter what would happen next and I heard no more until I got a call from Inhealth Group (organisation booking appointments on behalf of the Trust) in January 2021 to book me in for an Endoscopy. Unfortunately my husband had contracted covid over the Christmas period so I’d asked if it was possible to have an appointment for the procedure early February 2021. Inhealth advised that they didn’t yet have February dates from the Trust and would put me down for a call back when they did. This did not happen so I called them in February and was told they are no longer contracted to make appointments on behalf of the Trust.  I then contacted the then consultants Secretary, who advised she would contact the consultant and call me back. This didn’t happen so I called again a couple of weeks later to be told to contact the DTC (Diagnostic Treatment Centre) directly to see where I was  on the list. Thankfully the lady at the DTC was very helpful and called me back the same day to offer me an appointment for the Endoscopy procedure in April 2021.

 

I had the procedure, thinking the worst outcome would be an ulcer!! Mmmmm that was very stupid of me…. When my husband arrived to collect me after the procedure, I was told the Dr who completed the procedure wanted to see me before I went home. When he walked in with a specialist nurse, in my head I was like well this ain’t fooking good news. I’d literally been in a similar situation in November 2020 when my mum was diagnosed with bowel cancer, so the alarm bells were going nuts in my head. The Dr explained that they had discovered a tumour in my duodenum, which they had taken a biopsy of – my fogged brain was in disbelief!! 

 

The weekend following the procedure I started to feel really unwell. Being a Sunday I contacted 111 who then referred me to the on call GP in my area. The GP asked to see me face to face. When my vitals were taking I had a temperature over 41, pulse and blood pressure was through the roof. He sent me straight to A&E. Once my allocated Specialist nurse was aware I was in hospital, she promptly came to see me and in turn the Consultant who completed the endoscopy and other health professionals due to concerns of infection following the procedure. Thankfully following an urgent CT Scan (which was clear) and the fact I was feeling much better, I was discharged with a follow up appointment with the Consultant (outside of his normal clinic) a few days following discharge. The Consultant (not the same Gastro Consultant I was originally under back in 2020) explained that the tumour was rare and normally seen in those in their 70s. He informed me that the tumour was likely stage 2 cancer, but no detection at that stage of the cancer spreading elsewhere, and I would be referred to Southampton University Hospital (SUH) for specialist surgery. 

 

Within a week I received a phone call from SUH to arrange appointment the following week to see the Surgeon face to face. Following this face to face appt I was then booked in for surgery for 24th May 2021 for ‘Whipple Procedure’ surgery to remove the tumour. This was a success, the tumour was graded as stage 3 and thankfully no signs of it spreading to other organs. 19 lymph nodes were also removed during the surgery, 2 of these contained cancer cells, therefore recommend by my Surgeon that the next step was to have chemotherapy. 

 

In June.2021, I had a telephone consultation with the Oncologist.  The plan was, following blood tests and further consultations I would start adjuvant chemotherapy in 4 weeks time. My Oncologist informed me that there was a Clinical Trial (Ballard Study) in the process  of being reopened and asked if I would consider taking part. I didn’t really have to think about this for long, as the treatment would be the same in or out of the trial. I also felt that in the name of science and to help future generations receive the right treatment, and to improve the life chances of not only myself but all those effected by cancer, it was a no brainier! 

 

Despite the delay by the NHS prior to diagnosis, following diagnosis I can’t fault the NHS and the proactiveness of my clinical team: Mr Reynolds, Mr Armstrong, Dr Rees, Research Nurse Jo Conyngham, Dr Sargeant and not forgetting Specialist Nurse Miriam Jones. They have all been amazing!!

 

I also give a shout out to the Hants Doc on call in April.2021 –  Dr Hugo Riveros who was very empathetic. Dr Riveros even phoned me personally following my attendance to A&E in April.21 to check on my well-being. It is extremely rare for a GP to do a follow up, especially an on call GP in this day & age, and reinstated my faith that there are GP’s out there who continue to go over and beyond their duties. 

 

With my amazing/supportive husband, daughter, family and friends, my journey continues with chemotherapy treatment, last cycle being December. 2021 #newyearsevecouldbemessylol. 

 

In addition due to a family history of ‘Lynch Syndrome’, and my mum being confirmed of carrying the MSH2 Lynch Syndrome gene in August.2021, and MSH2 and MSH6 being present when my tumour was tested, I’m currently undergoing Genetics testing to establish if my tumour was a result of a genetic alteration ‘Lynch Syndrome’ – with the aim being – early diagnosis and prevention of future cancers, and/or that for early screening/diagnosis for any family members that maybe unfortunate to also inherit the gene……. 

 

#nevergiveupandnevergivein #familyandfriendsyouaremyrock

 

If you have any concerns get them checked out and if you want more information there is a website about Lynch Syndrome https://www.lynch-syndrome-uk.org