A 27-year-old woman has bravely shared her challenging experience of discovering she had terminal cancer following a severe symptom.
Paige Suisted from New Zealand has opened up about the struggles she encountered after receiving a terminal cancer diagnosis.
The young woman detailed one of her initial symptoms and the varying diagnoses she received from medical professionals.
In an interview with the Daily Mail Australia, Paige recounted how, in April of the previous year, she was living her usual routine until she noticed her fingers frequently becoming numb.
This symptom eventually progressed to numbness on the right side of her body.
Paige explained that when she sought medical advice, there was no clear consensus on her condition.
She stated, “My fingers kind of just stopped working. One said I had a stroke, but didn’t even admit me to the hospital. Another said I had Raynaud’s disease, and one just put me in a sling. They all told me something completely different.”
Determined to find answers, Paige insisted on being admitted to a hospital where she underwent several scans to identify the problem.
It was then that she received the diagnosis of stage-four astrocytoma, a type of terminal cancer more commonly seen in children.
Medical professionals found a tumor the size of a golf ball on her brain, pressing on her nerves and causing the right-side numbness. Paige was also informed that the tumor was essentially inoperable.
Through the Cancer Society organization, Paige shared the emotional impact of the diagnosis on her and her loved ones.
She expressed, “It was heartbreaking to be told I’m terminal, and that I’m never going to have kids. Things I’ve always dreamed about happening like getting married, having kids, having a great family home, you know? It just tore me apart…
“But the hardest part is seeing what it is doing to my family. I can see it in their eyes. I can feel that it’s just breaking everyone’s hearts.”
Paige subsequently underwent various treatments, including chemotherapy, which she documented on her social media. Her doctors were astonished following a new series of scans.
She informed the Daily Mail Australia that her brain scans appeared to show no signs of the tumor.
She told the publication, “In my last few scans, there’s been nothing there. This massive golf ball in my brain … we can’t see any of it on the MRIs.”
Although doctors have not yet officially declared Paige cancer-free, as surgery would be necessary to confirm there are no remnants, this development signifies a significant advancement.
A report from PEOPLE describes Paige as a ‘medical anomaly’, and she is now striving to rebuild her confidence and independence.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact the American Cancer Society at 1-800-227-2345 or via their live chat feature, available 24/7 every day of the year.