Living with Ovarian Cancer

My mum’s stomach began bloating about three months ago. Every time she mentioned it to the doctor, she was told it was water retention and she was given tablets.

Eventually, this swelling caused a prolapse of the womb.

My mum’s stomach continued to swell, until she looked eight months’ pregnant. We managed to get her an urgent appointment with gynocologist and an ultrasound scan.

The consultant told me (but not my mum) that it was “most certainly” cancer, and she was admitted to hospital within 24 hours.

Over the course of the next three days, she had six litres of fluid drained from her abdomen. I now know that this fluid is abdominal ascites. Sadly, cancer cells were found in this.

Then my mum was given a CT scan, and a tumour was detected on one of her ovaries.

14 days after admission date, my mum was told that no operation would be necessary, just six sessions of chemotherapy

After being discharged from the hospital, my mum’s ankles started “leaking”. After an urgent dash to the surgery, it seems there was nothing to worry about. The fluid has to find its own way out somehow. IF ONLY THE HOSPITAL HAD WARNED US THIS MIGHT HAPPEN!

My mum had her legs dressed daily by a visiting nurse and has now had two sessions of chemotherapy

I now have a dilemma. Despite being asked, the oncologist won’t tell me at what stage the cancer is. I don’t know whether we have weeks, months or years together. I realise that everyone responds differently to chemo but I feel in limbo.

What makes it worse, is that my mum thinks she has “just a few cancer cells” and is going to make a full recovery. She’s already lost a stone in a matter of weeks.

Although I live only 25 mins drive from my mum, I work, and am worried that something will happen when she’s on her own.

Care has to be organised through her GP, but how can I broach the subject if she thinks there’s nothing wrong?