A single mom who was recognized with shock stage three breast most cancers at age 48 has revealed the symptom she ignored for six weeks that would have been deadly.
Emma Gierschick, from Victoria, was having a shower in August 2015 when she felt a ‘strange’ lump in her left breast.
However, as a busy mom of an lively three-year-old woman, she dismissed the symptom and shortly forgot about it.
It wasn’t till six weeks later, when Emma had misplaced a dramatic 18 kg and developed a ‘random’ itch underneath her armpit, that she determined to see a health care provider.
“I was so skinny, all my clothes fell off,” she informed FEMAIL. “I had no idea my life would get so much worse.”
A single mother who was recognized with shock stage three breast most cancers at age 48 has revealed the symptom she ignored for six weeks that would have been deadly
“The weight loss didn’t bother me at the time — I thought it was because I wasn’t eating that much. But the itchy armpit really bothered me.”
Emma initially thought she was allergic to perfumed soaps or deodorants, so she stopped utilizing them, however the itching endured.
“My doctor recommended that we do a whole bunch of tests while I was there — blood tests, Pap smears, breast check — and that’s when she found the lump,” she stated.
“I suddenly remembered my shower six weeks earlier.”
Emma’s GP scheduled a mammogram and ultrasound later that morning and received the outcomes again the identical day. It was at a time when she was juggling her ailing little woman’s well being appointments and a transfer.
“When I realized it was stage 3 breast cancer, I wasn’t worried about my life at first. I just thought: how am I going to handle this above all else?’ She said.
It wasn’t until six weeks later, when Emma had lost a dramatic 18kg and developed a ‘random’ itch under her armpit, that she decided to see a doctor
Emma bought several colorful wigs when she started chemotherapy because she was concerned about her daughter’s reaction to her sudden baldness.
“I couldn’t tell her what was going on. I wanted to make her life easier, so the colorful wigs became a game.’
Emma began to feel extremely unwell after her second chemotherapy appointment and struggled to keep up with her daughter’s daily routine.
“A few days after the treatment, I took Amelia to her swimming class and got in the water — which was a terrible idea because of my lowered immunity.
“I woke up the next day with a sore throat and found myself unable to stand. Suddenly I couldn’t walk anymore, I had no feeling in my legs.’
Emma went to the hospital and was eventually hospitalized for nearly three weeks because she had developed proximal myopathy and peripheral neuropathy. This meant she had nerve damage to her lower legs and muscle damage to her thighs.
“I was crawling all over the place at the time and my daughter didn’t understand why. She thought I was playing ‘horse’ and kept trying to get on my back so I could show her around,” she stated.
“I kept asking when I would feel my legs again, and no one could give me a conclusive answer. They didn’t even know if I’d ever walk again.’
Eight years later, Emma still has trouble walking and sometimes needs a frame.
“I was crawling all over the place at the time and my daughter didn’t understand why. She thought I was playing ‘horse’ and kept trying to get on my back so I could show her around,” she stated.
“She was constantly poking and prodding at me, but I didn’t know how to explain it to her.”
Five months after the unique shock, Emma regained feeling in her legs, nevertheless it took years earlier than she might stroll a mile with out falling.
Despite the uncomfortable side effects, her primary precedence was to be a single mom to her little one, who had well being points associated to her Down syndrome.
Despite the uncomfortable side effects, her primary precedence was to be a single mom to her little one, who had well being points associated to her Down syndrome
“I always had to put her first,” Emma stated. “I was extremely sick one night and kept throwing up. Amelia heard me and was very worried, and I had to reassure her that I was fine.”
“But I’ve never laughed as much in my life as I did during my cancer. I was fighting for my life and there was no option to lose.
“I couldn’t die, I had to live for my daughter.”
The most cancers remedy lasted 12 months and luckily was profitable regardless of everlasting uncomfortable side effects.
Emma was cleared by her oncologist in March 2023, however urges all ladies to be diligent about their well being and seek the advice of their GP in the event that they really feel the slightest change of their our bodies.