Read Fern's Story

Hey Everyone, as most of you are aware by now, I was diagnosed with cancer (hodgkin lymphoma) as an incidental finding at the beginning of this year. 

I moved up north in 2016 and was just recently referred to Leeds General, for a back condition that i've had since I was 14 and it was through an MRI they requested for that, where they found the tumour the size of a fist in my chest.  After close observation my consultant explained to me how he couldn't understand why I wasn't informed of the tumour last January (2017) as it appeared on my last MRI scan and possibly previous ones to that. From that consultation I then had to go for biopsies, blood tests, CT scans and then referred to Hull for a PET SCAN where they then confirmed that I had cancer.  After a deep discussion with my Mcmillan Nurse,  she told me that there was a possibility that the Chemotherapy I would need could make me Infertile, so she suggested that I go for IVF as a back up plan, so thats just what I did, I had to postpone my chemo, to enable me to start my IVF journey..  years of IVF crammed into 4 weeks and someone with a needle phobia, this wasn't the one, but I knew this was the only way forward to be able to have my own little family one day, so my phobias would just have to take a back seat, whilst I gritted my teeth and got on with it. I finished my IVF back on April the 4th and then saw my haematology consultant on the 9th April who wanted to start my chemo that day, but he said he would give me a couple of days being everything that I had already been through, so chemo started on the 11th April. I didn't know what to expect starting Chemo and to be honest with you all, I was scared and knowing I had to go through 12 Chemo's to complete my treatment scared me even more, but I knew it had to be done for me to still be here now. So i focused, had determination, strength and support so I was able to complete my full 6 month cycle of chemotherapy. It was no means an easy road, with me being admitted for 3 days, to having an allergic reaction to a blood thinner, to developing a pulmary embolism in my left lung, for which i am now on medication for and also feeling completely rough, exhausted and sick. Anyone who knows me would know I loved my hair, but after my second Chemo it all decided to fall out, not even any stubbly bits stayed with me, the betrayal eh. It soon started to grow back, but whilst that was happening my eyebrows then decided to go walk abouts and I'm still waiting for them to come home haha!. I'm not out the woods just yet, I'm due to see my consultant on the 8th October who will then request my end of treatment Pet Scan, thats where I will find out if the Chemo has worked, until then I'm just taking each day as it comes.

The reason I have told you my story is because the Teenage Cancer Trust Ward in Hull have helped me more than they will ever know as well as helping other young people like me and I just feel that I would like to give something back to help anybody who is going to go through the same journey I have been through. I am looking to sign up to do the 5K walk next year, once my body has recovered from the chemo and hopefully I wont need to have any more treatment as i am hoping that this has worked.  Thank you for taking the time to read my story, Any donations would be gratefully appreciated through this page, no matter how big or small, every little helps.