Following the Loose Women Body Stories campaign, Lisa took part in a photo shoot organised by The Sun newspaper. We caught up with her and talked to her about the shoot.
PMPS: Hey Lisa, can you tell us what inspired you to take part in the photo shoot after the Loose Women Body Stories campaign?
Lisa: I did it for a couple of reasons. It was a way for me to feel better about myself and my scars, and it was also a way to raise awareness of pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP).
PMPS: Can you tell us a bit more about the photo shoot? We’d love to know where it took place and what your experience was like. Did you enjoy it?
Lisa: It was an all expenses paid trip to London and I met other truly inspirational women. We had a lovely day, chatting about why we were all there, and of course, there’s strength in numbers! Everyone was lovely and the day was a positive experience xx
In case you missed it...
My pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) was picked up on an ultrasound scan
CT scans showing the cyst getting bigger with each scan and a final scan showing fluid in my pelvis, the doctors thought I had a burst cyst. An MRI scan showed the fluid still there after 2 months where it should have been absorbed by then should it have been a cyst. The Christie Hospital in Manchester where straight away doctors diagnosed it as pseudomyxoma peritonei.
We thought it was nothing more than an ovarian cyst
My journey started in October 2013 (I was 53 years old), when I had an ultrasound to determine if I had gallstones or an issue with my gallbladder. The results showed a small cyst and mild fluid in my lower right abdomen area. It was decided that we would monitor the cyst and fluid and have an MRI in one year. We thought it was nothing more than an ovarian cyst. I never thought it would lead to a diagnosis of Mucinous Appendiceal Adenocarcinoma.
My belly size surprised the doctor more than my hernia
He asked if I drank a lot, thinking it was a liver problem causing accumulation of fluid in the abdomen. He requested an ultrasound, which revealed the presence of intense ascites. There seemed no other abnormalities.