A British woman has shared her experience of being diagnosed with cancer just months after the birth of her first child.
Amy Isidoro, a resident of Cwmbran, Wales, has opened up about the heartache and frustration following her unexpected diagnosis of a particularly aggressive cancer at the age of 29.
The 35-year-old primary school teacher was taken aback upon receiving a breast cancer diagnosis, especially as she had no family history of the disease and considered herself healthy and fit.
Amy initially consulted her doctor six months post-partum due to chest pains. Her symptoms were attributed to hormonal changes following childbirth, and she was reassured it was not a cause for concern.
However, after undergoing a biopsy, Amy and her husband were informed that she had triple negative breast cancer.
This type of breast cancer is characterized by the absence of receptors for estrogen, progesterone, and the HER2 protein in the cancer cells.
As per Cancer Research UK, some symptoms of this cancer type include a lump or thickening in the breast or armpit, changes in breast size, shape, or feel, skin changes like puckering or dimpling, nipple fluid in women not pregnant or breastfeeding, and changes in nipple position.
Following her diagnosis, Amy underwent chemotherapy and faced further challenges when she was hospitalized twice with neutropenic sepsis. She has candidly discussed how these experiences have altered her perspective on life and her fear of upsetting her children: Phoebe, who was five, and Ben, who was only six months old at the time.
She expressed her concerns, saying: “I remember thinking, Phoebe’s going to see me with no hair and she’s going to know I’m not very well.
“That was my worry. It’s going to be strange and she’s going to be scared. I didn’t want her to see me being unwell.”
Her situation worsened when she was hospitalized with an infection right before her son’s first Christmas. She recalled: “The nurse gave me an injection, and I was crying and she said I don’t like needles either. I said it’s not that. I need to be home. Please. Can you get me home tomorrow for Christmas Eve?”
Fortunately, despite her severe illness, she was able to return home on December 23.
Six months after starting chemotherapy, Amy underwent a successful surgery and has been free of cancer since then.
She also addressed the anxiety she felt during her treatment and her fear that it might not be effective.
She stated: “During the actual treatment I tried very hard not to think about what if this doesn’t work?
“That was never a thought I could let myself have because I thought if I go down that road, it’s going to be hard to reign in. After it was all finished, then I had the realisation this could have gone wrong and I might not have been here. Then it was difficult and I struggled.”
Looking forward, Amy is focused on creating memories with her family, cherishing the fact that each holiday or birthday could be the last.