Woman who 'felt 9 months pregnant' actually had stage four cancer after doctors dismissed symptoms
Warning: This article contains discussion of cancer which some readers may find distressing.
A woman who was misdiagnosed by two doctors has opened up about finding out she had stage four cancer, and has since made a heartbreaking request to the hospital.
After weeks of 'severe bloating' and back pain, 33-year-old Becky Small sought help from two different doctors - both prescribed medication, but neither realised she had stage four cancer.
The pain became so intense that she rushed herself to the ER one night in May after her abdomen turned 'rock solid', where two doctors finally carried out a thorough examination.
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"The only way to describe it was like I was nine months’ pregnant," she said.
That same evening, the mom-of-three was told doctors had found two lesions on her ovaries and one on her kidney, and she immediately felt like she was 'going to die'.
She said: "My daughter starts school this year and that is the bit that scares me the most - that I’m not going to see her start school.
"I just want to be a mum to my kids and to be a wife to my husband."
The hospital carried out biopsies which revealed that Becky was actually battling stage four metastatic ovarian cancer, and she started chemotherapy treatment just four days later.
But following her devastating diagnosis, the logistics manager from Hampshire, UK, has made one request of the hospital.
For now, Becky admitted that she does not want to know what her prognosis is, noting that she wants to 'enjoy what time' she has left with her family, without worrying that she 'may not wake up in the morning'.
Reflecting on the heartbreaking journey to receiving her diagnosis, she said: "If they had just run some more tests before, then I may be further along than where I am now.
"If I hadn’t taken myself to A&E, then I probably wouldn’t be here now.
Describing the cancer as 'silent and deadly', she added: "I don’t want other women or even my own daughter to have to go through what I’m going through."
Symptoms of Ovarian cancer
According to the NHS, the main symptoms of ovarian cancer can include bloating, pain in your tummy or the area between your hips, no appetite and increased urgency or frequency of peeing, along with back pain.
Becky said: "My stomach was going really hard all the time.
"I couldn’t fit any trousers on and it was just really uncomfortable.
"I couldn’t sleep and I couldn’t even roll over in bed because it was so painful and so big."
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact the American Cancer Society on 1-800-227-2345 or via their live chat feature, available 24/7 every day of the year.
Mia Williams