Kate Blessing has sent us a truly frank and remarkable account of her cancer journey ending with this stunning photo of her on a holiday. She sent her story as a big thank-you to everyone at CHFT who cared for her. It's all in her own words and it's an amazing account of bravery, doubt, optimism and joy for her and her family.
Kate's story.
"I never gave cancer much thought. That's terrible to say but it's true I never thought it would happen to me I guess. I was never at the hospital as a kid, I didn't really break any bones or need stitches and never had any operations.
In October 2017 I woke one morning with my neck swollen with egg shape lump which I thought was my gland up due to cold I had just come down with. I went to doctors after few days and they gave me some antibiotics as they thought it was an infection in my gland. I went back when they didn’t work. Doctor Hoddinott at Colne Valley practice said she thought it needed further investigation and referred me for an ultrasound scan which she fast tracked for me with it coming up to Christmas. I am forever grateful for her swiftness on this.
"At the scan they took biopsies and said they would organise an MRI scan as well. I did wonder then if it was something more serious but I still didn't think it was cancer as the only symptom I had was swollen egg gland that came up overnight and from what I did know about cancer which was very little. I thought it started by finding a small lump that grew if not checked straight away.
"I got the results from ultrasound scan on 8th January 2018 my Mum's Birthday. I went into the appointment myself as I still thought it was nothing major but as I was entering the room the nurse said did I want to bring anyone in with me. At this point I did think that doesn't sound good. My mum and husband had come with me not because we thought it was anything bad it was just straight from work and was going out for meal with it being her Birthday. I appreciated Doctor Hirsch. He was direct and to the point with results I never thought he would say we found cancer cells and then he said we needed to find where the tumour was. I remember saying to him when I think of cancer I think incurable disease and death but he said there and then he was confident it was curable. I just remember those words and they were in my mind all the way along I clung onto those words.
"Everything else went hazy from that appointment then I remember bursting into tears asking for my mum. I cried as I told my husband and my brother but then I stopped and said to myself "Right it's cancer I can't do anything to change it. Just got to go down this road, fight it and see what happens." It's amazing how, when it's you, you find a strength you didn't know you had but if it had been any family member I would have been a total mess and in bits.
"From there everything happened so quickly. The day after that appointment was my first contact with Macmillan (you will never know just how vital these nurses are until you or a loved one goes through cancer) Michelle was my nurse in the early stages she explained everything, what would happen next, how long to expect off work, wanted to know if I had any questions and my only real important question was the doctor said it was curable is it and she said as long as the results go they way we want and you respond right to treatment then YES. She also told me there and then that my MRI had shown up a suspicious left tonsil. Michelle told me next step was PET Scan and a full tonsillectomy operation. So within two weeks I had had the PET scan and Tonsillectomy operation.
"The operation was the most scary as in my whole 38 years I had never had an operation or been put under. I had cancer but I was more scared of that operation at the time but I felt in safe hands after talking to Doctor Hirsch before the operation. Just over a week after the operation I phone Michelle to check an appointment letter I'd received and she had the PET scan results and told me over phone that the cancer was nowhere else, it had not spread, it was a tumour in my left tonsil which was removed in operation. That's when this whole cancer thing felt real it was very emotional as was struggling with tonsillectomy recovery but was good news the best news in a way!
"From there we moved to appointment after appointment to get me ready for treatment from, meeting with oncology, dental preparation, RIG (tube for feeding) operation, radiation mask fitted, speech therapy who guided through exercises to do throughout treatment. I also meet Dr Dyker who was to be my specialist through my treatment and, you know what, I never once felt like a patient with any of the team at James Leeds, Bradford or with my Macmillan team at Huddersfield who were Sarah Dietician, Ann-Marie speech therapist, Natalie & Zoe nurses. The care, love, support, help and guidance I received from all was so wonderful as that's what I didn't want I didn't want to look like a cancer patient or be treated in another poorly way. They hugged me like a family member would and I am forever grateful to them all.
"I had a RIG fitted in preparation of treatment. This was very painful..... again my Macmillan nurses were there to help they liased with Bradford and came to see me in A&E they released/removed my stitches which instantly solved the pain. I went into treatment in February 2018 for seven weeks radiotherapy and two lots of chemotherapy. When you first get your treatment list you can't imagine the end of that 7 weeks but I managed through treatment as you have a focus everyday you get up go to treatment and get it done.
"Even with the Beast from the East snow weather we made it everyday for that treatment I was not missing it at all. They take care of everything you need. I didn't need pain medication I didn't take it through treatment or into recovery I didn't find it painful like I did my tonsillectomy it was just uncomfortable upsetting and I was unable to swallow at the end and into recovery. I was bad with sickness I didn't take well to the feed through the RIG. But I got through the treatment.
"The staff at St James really make you feel comfortable always so friendly and not a patient -like environment and it really helps. Going into recovery was hard. You don't have that daily focus of getting to treatment every day and that's when I struggled and I went bit down hill at start as felt ill and helpless and very down. I had feelings of anxiousness and felt like it was never ever ever ending. I felt like I would never swallow properly or eat properly again.
"Those weekly appointments I had with Macmillan really helped they guided me, encouraged me, listened to me and I always felt more positive when I had been. My hair had fallen out round back at neck area and gone thin through treatment but it fell out alot and went thinner in recovery due to lack of nutrition and trauma of everything and I still wasn't taking to the pump feed but my Huddersfield head and neck Macmillan team were there like a lifeline.
"I couldn't a got through recovery without their help they are invaluable and so important. I had the best team in Sarah, Natalie, Ann-Marie and Zoe. I never thought I was going to get back to being me and eating properly again but with Macmillan help and my family I got there. My RIG was removed in August 2018 and also in August 2018 I had my PET scan and the results showed treatment had done its job the cancer was gone!!!! And a shout out to Ann-marie the speech therapist too as I was now eating everything again as my swallow is strong so the exercises they give are important and they do help.
"One year from end a treatment I went on my first holiday to Rhodes in Greece looking more me and then another holiday in September 2019 to Crete with friends and I am now fully back to being me. My mum says I have my sparkle back and my husband says he has got his wife back. I am haunted slightly by last year and I have my wobble days with emotions but I am living and loving life!!
"My Macmillan team were part of my family for about 8 months. They helped me, guided me, picked me up, cared for me and was there for my family too. I can't praise them enough and the important job they do. It's hard on family members and loved ones watching someone go through cancer but the Macmillan are there for them too in anyway needed and this really is vital.
Thank you to all at Huddersfield, Leeds and Bradford. I am forever grateful for the jobs you do and the care you give. I hear so many negative things about the NHS but I have only good things about them and I will forever be grateful for the care given to me in helping me beat cancer."