One Mum’s Story: Rachel, Jake and Campbell
Overcoming the odds
At the age of 27, Rachel Warner was thrown into a storm of uncertainty, tests and surgery after a grim discovery was made just after giving birth to her second son.
"I was in labour with my second son, Campbell, when my husband noticed a lump on my neck (I remember being rather annoyed when he poked it!). My doctor immediately referred me to see a specialist.
"I’d been told that it’s quite common for adults to have nodules on the thyroid, but I wasn’t prepared when the specialist rang me and said, "Hi Rachel. It’s got to come out." That was when I knew something wasn’t right.
"I felt like I’d been sailing along and I’d suddenly hit a storm. I had no idea which way was up. How was I supposed to do this with two small children? I knew I had to take a deep breath and do my best to conquer the situation so that hopefully, I could one day put it behind me.
"I was prescribed surgery (total removal of the Thyroid) and Radioactive Iodine Treatment and was booked into hospital almost immediately.
"At the time of the surgery I was still breastfeeding Campbell. The operation was a long procedure and required a four day hospital stay. My husband, Justin, spent those days by my bed, there with Campbell, so I could still breastfeed.
"A few days after going home, I ended up back in emergency because my calcium levels were dangerously low. This was a side effect that we weren’t prepared for and it has continued to be a problem.
"The Radioactive Iodine Treatment (RIT) was a lot more complicated than the surgery. I was lucky though and convinced the doctors to let me wait to have the treatment so I could breastfeed until Campbell was one.
"I had the RIT in an isolation room at the hospital. Because of the radio activity, no one was allowed in and I wasn’t allowed out of the room for 24 hours. The nurses would quickly bring in my food, put it on the table and leave immediately. It was a very lonely experience.
"I had to follow a lot of tough rules, even after going home. I spent ten days alone in my room, not allowed to kiss or hug anyone (especially my boys), no close contact, no touching food and mandatory rinsing of anything I touched. I had to follow these rules to a ‘T’ for three weeks. It was a frustrating time and went very slowly but we had a lot of family and friends from church who brought us meals and we knew we weren’t alone.
"The boys were very well looked after by my husband and his family but it was a difficult time for us all. We explained everything to Jake, who was three at the time, and he understood that he needed to stay away from mummy so that the medicine in her body didn’t make him sick too. Campbell found it hard, especially during the last few days. Once I was able to cover them both with kisses and hugs, we were all much happier!
"Knowing there were people thinking about me is what got me through, especially when I was in isolation. I couldn’t touch anyone for weeks and spent a lot of time alone. It also helped to regularly remind myself that I would see it all from the other side one day - whenever that came.
"Fortunately, the type of cancer I had was curable. There are two types of Thyroid cancer which are fatal. I was very grateful to have the type I did.
"Surprisingly, there wasn’t a time when I thought I wasn’t going to make it. It did get hard though. I just wanted to enjoy my new baby but had this hanging over me for the first 15 months of his life.
"I think it’s easy to develop a cynical attitude towards life when things come and take away so much joy but I know that I am now stronger. I feel like my foundations are a little shakier but I know that I don’t have to hold myself up. There are plenty of people that are willing to pitch in and help.
"Life feels shorter now. It feels like a sequence of events, rather than a ticking clock passing.
"Whether the cancer returns or I’m faced with more mountains to climb, I know I can do it. I don’t think I’ll ever go through something I can’t come out of stronger."
Rachel is now fully recovered from the cancer but will undergo tests every six months and requires medication every day for the rest of her life. She still has trouble with low calcium levels and is working with specialists to find a solution.
Courtesy of Joni Leimgruber
Joni Leimgruber, mother of three, is a Freelance Writer working from home. With clips from publications like Mother & Baby and The Sunday Telegraph, Joni is enjoying advancing her career while still being able to be with her kids. www.JoniL.com.au
