Susan

A loving daughters story

My mum, Susan MacDonald - mother of three (one set of twins), married for over 36 years and grandmother and two, was diagnosed with stage three ovarian cancer in April 2005. Her diagnosis was an incredible shock to the family as Mum had been visiting her GP for two years prior to being diagnosed, complaining of feeling unusual, tired, swollen and often having strong back and abdomen pain - to which the GP continuously assured Mum that she was most likely going through menopause. After two years of seeing her GP, Mum was advised to have a hysterectomy. At that stage, Mum had an ultra sound revealing two large tumours, later to be weighed in at approximately seven kilograms. She was immediately sent to Professor Carter of Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney. Both tumours were malignant and subsequently removed and so Mum started her five long years of chemotherapy, radiation and surgery.

The first year of chemotherapy saw the cancer vanish from her body for almost 12 months. At that time we were hopeful that she was cured - however this was not the case. Her cancer came back (as we have found is often the nature of ovarian cancer) and the chemotherapy continued, getting less effective each time. After the first reoccurrence, the doctors told Mum to get her affairs in order and that her time was limited, 12 months. Despite this devastating news, Mum has now fought for her life and her family for five long years.

The chemotherapy has been horrific for Mum, with the hair loss (four times now), lack of taste and smell, nausea, body aches, lack of appetite, mouth ulcers and loss of feelings in her fingers and toes. The cancer has stayed local, however her bowel and liver have now been affected leading Mum to undergo surgery twice now to unblock her liver and enable her to eat, function and live.

RPA has become a second home for my family. Professor Jonathan Carter, Mum’s gynecologist along with Professor Beale (oncologist), Kathryn Nattress (clinical nurse consultant) and the nurses at the chemotherapy ward at RPA have been amazing to our family. Without them and their continual support l doubt that Mum would still be here today. They are tireless and have always given us and Mum a reason and sense of hope to keep on going.

My family knows our days with our beautiful Mum are numbered. My brother and l are yet to marry and have children, two important things that Mum will be denied of, and my sister will have to somehow explain to her children where their nanny has gone. Mum stands strong, graciously preparing her own funeral arrangements and planning our future financial stability. Just writing this feels surreal. We speak two to three times a day and knowing that l won’t be able to do that soon makes me deeply sad. My mum is the bravest woman l know and l am so proud to be her daughter. Her fight for life has been truly inspirational.

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