Staying healthy following a Cancer diagnosis

So I am Jane Reedy

I was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in 2016 and then shortly after that,

I also was diagnosed as having the BRCA one gene.  For the oesophageal cancer

I was getting alot of heartburn, alot of indigestion, that progressed to starting to have problems with

swallowing.   So I went to my GP who put me onto a course of a type of Gaviscon product.   That didn't

really do anything at all.  The symptoms sort of progressed.

So I went back to the doctors and was referred for an endoscopy,

which I actually struggled to tolerate by that stage so then by having a barium swallow,

it was diagnosed that I had stage 3 oesophageal cancer at the age of 40.   At the time

of diagnosis, CancerCare was really good.

  The local Cancercare in Kendal.

I was referred to them and then support - I had a very good Upper GI Nurse - that was at Lancaster

Hospital.  I actually got to the point where I had not been able to eat

or drink anything solid, so I had some liquids, but no solid food for 3-months

so things were quite advanced really so it was

quite a fast tracking process by that stage.

Yeah.

I think initially it was medical treatment that had to

be pretty aggressive and then the support sort of came after to

be honest.   Because my cancer was so aggressive and it needed such treatment,

I think the support that had at CancerCare got me through the

things that I needed.   I think it was the medical treatment that

I actually needed that time because the cancer was so aggressive.

I had my mastectomy at Wythenshawe and then obviously live in Kendal and the

fact that I had my surgery at Christie's for the oesophagectomy only

because they couldn't operate on it at Preston because of where the tumour was so they

weren't happy to operate on it so had to go to other places to have my surgery.

I think had I had more local hospitals,

it might have been better to get the support, but that wasn't really an option for me.

I think cancer is not something that really ever goes away.  You adapt to it.

You learn to live with it. It leaves a legacy.

  But I have gone on to have a good life.

I've got a daughter she was only just 4 when I was diagnosed.

She was 3 when I was first having symptoms.

She's 12. It's made us a very close family unit.   So for anybody starting with a cancer diagnosis,

I would say to take small steps, take each bit

of information as it comes, try not to look at the big picture,

but to just take it one day at a time.  Keep enjoying and doing the things that you love, look after yourself.

Give yourself time for rest and enjoy being with your family, appreciate those little things.