{"id":382173,"date":"2021-12-17T03:06:11","date_gmt":"2021-12-17T00:06:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/i-had-a-panic-attack-when-my-bum-ache-turned-out-to-be-cancer\/"},"modified":"2021-12-17T03:06:11","modified_gmt":"2021-12-17T00:06:11","slug":"i-had-a-panic-attack-when-my-bum-ache-turned-out-to-be-cancer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/i-had-a-panic-attack-when-my-bum-ache-turned-out-to-be-cancer\/","title":{"rendered":"#I had a panic attack when my bum ache turned out to be cancer"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3cd144df1bd\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3cd144df1bd\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/i-had-a-panic-attack-when-my-bum-ache-turned-out-to-be-cancer\/#SMEAR_TEST_DIAGNOSIS\" >SMEAR TEST DIAGNOSIS\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/i-had-a-panic-attack-when-my-bum-ache-turned-out-to-be-cancer\/#ROLLERCOASTER_OF_RESULTS\" >ROLLERCOASTER OF RESULTS\u00a0<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p>&#8220;<strong>#I had a panic attack when my bum ache turned out to be cancer<\/strong>&#8221;<\/p>\n<div>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module alignleft\">\n<\/aside>\n<p>A mum who was suffering pain in her bum cheek was told she had terminal cancer \u2013 just six after she\u2019d been given the \u201call-clear\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Gemma Denham, 29, from Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, had already had treatment for cervical cancer after being diagnosed in March this year.<\/p>\n<p>The mum-of-two went through 11 rounds of chemotherapy and 28 sessions of radiotherapy among more invasive treatments.<\/p>\n<p>The treatment went well and on 5 October her MRI results came back clear of cancer, leaving Gemma and her partner Elliot, 31, \u201cover the moon\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>But in the weeks that followed she started to experience a pain in her bum cheek and leg, which caused her to limp.<\/p>\n<p>Knowing something wasn\u2019t right, Gemma called the hospital and was booked in for an MRI of her cervix.<\/p>\n<p>In a cruel twist of fate, the results found the cancer had spread across her pelvis and lower spine \u2013 with doctors unsure if something was missed in the earlier scan, or if it had grown back rapidly in the weeks that followed.<\/p>\n<p>Thankfully the cancer has not spread to any organs.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>But Gemma was still told she had only a few years left, possibly months, on November 7.<\/p>\n<p>Gemma said: \u201cWhen they broke the <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">news<\/a> to me, they did say that there is nothing to offer me going forward \u2013 not even chemo as it wouldn\u2019t work.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy whole body felt like it was on fire when the consultant told me the cancer was back.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI had a panic attack in the surgery and just couldn\u2019t understand why this was the outcome.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey told me I had months-to-early years left to live \u2013 devastated was an understatement.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI wasn\u2019t going to be there for my babies after all. We had so many plans for our future and I was so scared I would miss their life \u2013 they are still babies.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Gemma hasn\u2019t broken the news of her terminal diagnosis to her older child, Faith, seven.<\/p>\n<p>She said: \u201cI hope to be around for a very long time for my children \u2013 and I will stay as positive as I can be to fight this with all my being.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"SMEAR_TEST_DIAGNOSIS\"><\/span>SMEAR TEST DIAGNOSIS\u00a0<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Gemma, a dental receptionist, went for a routine\u00a0smear test\u00a0in August 2020.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>She had been experiencing ongoing leg, pelvic and back pain \u2013 which can be\u00a0symptoms of the cancer.<\/p>\n<p>Gemma, who is mum to Faith, seven, and one-year-old Ellison, had been prescribed painkillers and her symptoms were believed to be due to postnatal depression.<\/p>\n<p>During the smear test the nurse spotted a growth and Gemma was referred to her GP.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"819\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/woman-terminal-cancer-01.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=819\" alt=\"Cancer Diagnosis\" class=\"wp-image-20521071\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/woman-terminal-cancer-01.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1638 1638w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/woman-terminal-cancer-01.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1229 1228w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/woman-terminal-cancer-01.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=819 819w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/woman-terminal-cancer-01.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=410 409w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/woman-terminal-cancer-01.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px\"\/><figcaption>Gemma Denham had been prescribed painkillers and her symptoms were believed to be due to postnatal depression.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Jam Press<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>They allegedly said she had a \u201chealthy cervix\u201d but had cervical ectropion \u2013 which occurs when cells that line the inside of your cervix grow on the outside.<\/p>\n<p>A smear test looks for the presence of HPV or abnormal cells \u2013 neither are a cervical cancer diagnosis, but markers that a woman needs to be followed up.<\/p>\n<p>My main worries were I wouldn\u2019t be here for my children \u2013 they are my absolute world and everything I do is for them.<\/p>\n<p>Gemma\u2019s results for\u00a0<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.the-sun.com\/health\/3995813\/cervical-cancer-eradicated-hpv-vaccine-slashes-cases\/\">HPV<\/a>\u00a0came back positive, which is not unusual but means a woman needs another smear test soon.<\/p>\n<p>She was told to wait another three months for a repeat smear as there were not enough cells on the swab to detect abnormalities.<\/p>\n<p>In November 2020, three months after Gemma\u2019s original smear, doctors then found high-grade cells.<\/p>\n<p>An ultrasound showed a mass in her cervix and, in early March 2021, she was given the diagnosis of cervical cancer.<\/p>\n<p>Gemma claims she had previously asked doctors if she had the disease but had been \u201cassured she was too young\u201d for it.<\/p>\n<p>Cervical cancer is\u00a0<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.the-sun.com\/news\/291887\/surge-in-women-in-20s-diagnosed-with-cervical-cancer-the-five-signs-you-need-to-know\/\">most commonly diagnosed<\/a>\u00a0in those aged between 30 and 34, and Gemma was only just under this bracket.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"571\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/woman-terminal-cancer-04-1.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=571\" alt=\"Cancer Diagnosis\" class=\"wp-image-20521348\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/woman-terminal-cancer-04-1.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1142 1142w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/woman-terminal-cancer-04-1.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=856 856w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/woman-terminal-cancer-04-1.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=571 571w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/woman-terminal-cancer-04-1.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=285 285w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/woman-terminal-cancer-04-1.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 571px) 100vw, 571px\"\/><figcaption>Gemma Denham started chemotherapy, radiotherapy, brachytherapy (internal radiation therapy), blood transfusions and platelet transfusions.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Jam Press<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>After her diagnosis, Gemma said: \u201cA part of me felt relieved as crazy as that sounds \u2013 I knew I wasn\u2019t going mad.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI definitely knew my own body and knew something more severe was wrong.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy main worries were I wouldn\u2019t be here for my children \u2013 they are my absolute world and everything I do is for them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Gemma im<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">media<\/a>tely started treatment to fight the cancer, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, brachytherapy (internal radiation therapy), blood transfusions and platelet transfusions.<\/p>\n<p>She also had a nephrostomy bag fitted to drain blocked urine while being treated at University College London Hospital.<\/p>\n<p>The brave mum said: \u201cI ended up losing over five stone in weight and due to rapid weight loss I ended up with gallstones.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"ROLLERCOASTER_OF_RESULTS\"><\/span>ROLLERCOASTER OF RESULTS\u00a0<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Gemma was thrilled to find out her cancer had gone in October, saying: \u201cI was completely over the moon.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI couldn\u2019t quite believe it but felt a sudden edge of bravery \u2013 I was finally going to be okay for my children.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe results came back from the PET scan and they confirmed the cervical cancer had gone \u2013 however I had a slight glow on my right pelvic lymph node.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy consultant had reassured me that she was pretty much certain that it was the radiotherapy still working in my body so will repeat the PET scan in six weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But during that wait, the pain in her bum cheek and leg signalled something was wrong \u2013 later confirmed with tests.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"819\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/woman-terminal-cancer-03-1.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=819\" alt=\"Cancer Diagnosis\" class=\"wp-image-20521375\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/woman-terminal-cancer-03-1.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1638 1638w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/woman-terminal-cancer-03-1.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1229 1228w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/woman-terminal-cancer-03-1.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=819 819w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/woman-terminal-cancer-03-1.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=410 409w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/woman-terminal-cancer-03-1.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px\"\/><figcaption>Gemma Denham hasn\u2019t broken the news of her terminal diagnosis to her older child, Faith.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Jam Press<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Gemma said: \u201cSince finding out the bad news, they think there may be a clinical trial available for me which will be immunotherapy.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ll be undergoing tests to find out if I\u2019m a good candidate to participate.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Now the mum is focusing on making memories with her children and hopes to take them to Disneyland, with a\u00a0<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gofundme.com\/f\/GemsFight\">GoFundMe<\/a>\u00a0page having raised more than \u00a317,000 to aid the special <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/trip-and-travel\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"10\" title=\"Trip &amp; Travel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">trip<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>She said: \u201c[My biggest worry] is not being the best mum I can be for my beautiful babies, and not being able to guide them through the most important journeys in life.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy children growing up without the one person that loves them the most, more than anything in the world \u2013 their mum.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201c[Going forward] my life will be very different, but I will not let cancer define me.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI need to defy the odds and not be labelled \u2018terminal\u2019.\u201d\n                        <\/p><\/div>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more News articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/news\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2021\/12\/16\/i-had-a-panic-attack-when-my-bum-ache-turned-out-to-be-cancer\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;#I had a panic attack when my bum ache turned out to be cancer&#8221; A mum who was suffering pain in her bum cheek was told she had terminal cancer \u2013 just six after she\u2019d been given the \u201call-clear\u201d. Gemma Denham, 29, from Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, had already had treatment for cervical cancer after being diagnosed&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":382174,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/woman-terminal-cancer-09.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=1024","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[70897],"tags":[121904,71402,109053],"class_list":["post-382173","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-12-16-21","tag-cancer","tag-terminal-illness"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/382173","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=382173"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/382173\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/382174"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=382173"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=382173"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=382173"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}