I was informed that I had pseudomyxoma perintonei (the nurse had to write it down for me) and they were referring me to The Christie specialist cancer hospital in Manchester.
Late in 2020, I went to A&E with stomach pains. I had a CT scan which showed a mass in my pelvic cavity the size of a grapefruit.
I had a ten-hour operation in 2015 for bowel and bladder cancer. Three years later, I was diagnosed with pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP).
Following a major operation in September to remove my left ovary, a cyst, my appendix and litres of mucinous jelly from my abdomen, in November I received the horrible news that I definitely had cancer. We didn’t know which cancer, whether it was mucinous ovarian cancer or pseudomyxoma peritonei (or PMP). I was told we could wait several months for a final diagnosis.
On the 4th May 1974, we married in the beautiful Christchurch Priory which was then Hampshire and is now Dorset, to have and to hold from this day forward. I didn’t realise how important the words in our vows “in sickness and in health” were at the time.
In 2021, in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, I had cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC at the Basingstoke and North Hampshire hospital.
Oh, there’s an issue with your appendix. We’ll need to get another surgeon across to remove your appendix. There seems to be a tumour-like growth on your appendix and there is mucous leaking around your abdomen.”
I am so grateful for the grant from Pseudomyxoma Survivor which I received. It has helped me financially during such a difficult time.
For me, it all started with blood in my urine and an increase in the size of my stomach. In retrospect, I could feel the mucin moving when I walked. Now I’m on ‘watch and wait’.
So little is known about this cancer and I’m sharing my story in the hope that I can find someone else with the same diagnosis.
As I came to terms with the news, I understood that it would be important for me to get as fit as I could to face such an invasive operation ominously dubbed the “The Mother of all Surgeries” or MOAS.
I don’t like running. I never have! I find it quite dull, BUT, give me some motivation and a challenge and I’ll do it!