ITW n°51: Laura - K fighter.
Hello,
today the amazing Laura, 25 years old, inveterate life-eater, and experienced positive, tells us with great humility and dignity her fight against 3 Cancers: of the right ovary, then left and cervix (the first discovered at the age of 4... uh.. what?! me who thought I was very young for the K of the ovary... #LauraSoeurdeK with the right big package and a wonderful lust for life) .
The amazing Laura has been in remission for 2 years now, yeah! what great news!
I have my breath taken away, reading her lines.. Laura upsets you but gives you so much strength through her words, a very beautiful life lesson that pushes you to move forward whatever happens... Thank you for sharing this with us. such beautiful energy!
Great discovery.
Let's get started:
Who are you ?
First name: Laura
Age: 25 years old
Profession: reflexology student
Where do you live: Bordeaux
Why do you agree to share your story today?
Each experience with illness has its importance, today I want to prove through my experience with Mr. K that life is so magnificent!
What are your qualities (in a few words)?
My dynamism & my attentiveness to others are compliments that are regularly highlighted by those close to me.
What are your passions (in a few words)?
Horse riding that I practiced for 12 years as well as the volunteer missions that I carry out in various associations.
What K (what cancer - grade if you wish / stage ditto):
Advanced ovarian and cervical cancer.
When was it discovered? How old were you ?
The first at 4 years old, it was on the right ovary, followed by cervical cancer at the age of 15. And to close this beautiful loop, cancer of the left ovary at the age of 23.
Under what circumstances was it discovered?
A stomach ache was the cause of the discovery of my first K, since it was on the right side, they initially thought it was an attack of appendicitis. An ultrasound revealed the opposite, a mass as big as a rugby ball had taken place in my stomach.
The second was discovered because for several weeks I had been constantly regulated. After a while, it all gets tiring and since I already had a medical history it was better to be careful. So it was while passing an ultrasound followed by a CT scan that the verdict fell: a 10 cm orange on the uterus.
To finish this trilogy, the third manifested itself in a stomach ache like I had never had before. I was still in remission from my second, so I had to act quickly; a scanner, and repeat! A mass of 25 cm on.... to tell the truth it was impossible to know where this watermelon came from!
If you are currently undergoing treatment, or in remission (for how long?)
I just celebrated my two years of remission on January 9!
Can you summarize your (K fighter) story for us ?
Diagnosis – cancer – operation – implantable chamber – Chemo – nausea – bald – operation – ablation – right oophorectomy – remission – cure – relapse – implantable chamber – chemo – nausea – bald – operation – ablation – hysterectomy – chemo – sterile chamber – chemo – autograft – remission – recurrence – operation – implantable port – chemo – nausea – bald – operation – ablation – left oophorectomy – chemo – nausea – remission… i dd it – i'm alive!
What treatment did you have?
chemo:
For the three cancers, since they were the same, I had to deal with the same protocol: three chemos every day for five days. On the program 6 cures planned and done for K 1 t 2. For number 3 only two cures took place because my body could not support any more. For the names of the cocktails, I especially remember the cisplatin because it was the one that made my meals stand out the most!
radiotherapy:
I never had a department.
Operations
Oophorectomy at 4 years old before starting chemo. New operation after chemo, just to check that there was nothing left! One week in hospital for each operation.
Hysterectomy at 15 years old, one week in hospital,
Oophorectomy of remaining ovary at age 23 as well as some bowel and bladder and peritoneum. I'm getting a little older, my body is tired, two weeks in the hospital.
Other: white blood cell autograft in sterile sector.
What tips directly related to K do you want to share?
(your feeling with the doctor, your good treatment organization plans, anything that seems useful to you ;))?
1/ chemo:
I found myself looking more bald than with a scarf, so let's dare to bare our heads!
How did you live the day before, the same day, the days after chemo?
and what were your tips?
A lump in my stomach because I knew I was going to be even sicker than the previous chemo but I had to go. During chemo my best friend was the bean, luckily he was there to receive all the gifts I gave him.
2/ hospital: (e.g. contact with nurses / doc / caregivers):
Talking with the nursing staff at the hospital or the nurses who came to your home are only good memories.
3/ “parallel” medicine, if you have done it (what disciplines, what were their benefits):
Foot reflexology! It really is an extraordinary alternative medicine that really relieved me! The proof is that I am launching myself into this sector.
What did you do to clear your mind/clear your head (before chemo, surgery & co)?
When my body could keep up with the road, there was nothing better than a good family walk and home cooking to feel better.
What practical “well-being/beauty” tips can you advise us?
1/ beauty: your essential products (e.g.: creams, varnishes, scars, oils, etc.)
Chemo dries the body so hydrating it well is important, for scars that are hard after the operation I used C icalfate, a good cream to soften the scars.
2/ look, (e.g. your favorite chemo, hospital, every day look to feel good):
Jogging as if I were going to do my sport! But I was really comfortable like that, both in the hospital and at home.
3/ daily (e.g. sport, food & co, meditation, reading, etc.)
When I was quite fit, there was nothing better than a horse ride to make me feel good! For food I really ate as soon as my stomach demanded it, eggs for breakfast as well as spinach in the middle of the afternoon.
4/ hair problem (eg: did you wear a wig, scarves, hats)
At four years old I wore absolutely nothing on my head, at fifteen I only wore scarves. For my last one I wanted to test the wig. But ultimately since I spent ¾ of my time in bed, the synthetic hair won't have been of much use.
Were you concerned about the views of others, were you afraid that their views would change? What did you do to counter it?
Having had my first cancer as a child, I had already gotten used to the idea of spending my fifteenth year of life bald. So I was never afraid of how others would look on this subject. Yet everyone looks at you like you're the attraction of the moment. Look at them from head to toe, they will feel embarrassed and will look down afterwards.
What are the “nugget”/footed phrases (that you remember) that someone said to you during K and that you could have avoided?
“Oh I know nausea too, it reminds me of my drunken evenings!”
“I have cancer.” – “shit so you’re going to die?”
I still have lots of them, but I never took them badly because I played them a lot, good black humor was my defense mechanism!
How did your loved ones support you?
As best they could. Not always easy, especially after three cancers, after a while it wears you out, it's déjà vu and you get tired of it!
And what advice could you give to loved ones who accompany a K fighter?
Being present, we need you, even if you are a bit boring because you don't know the subject and you ask questions that seem stupid to us because we have become knowledgeable on the subject. It doesn't matter even if your questions annoy us, deep down we are more than happy that you are interested in the subject because for us this is our daily life
Do you find out about K on the internet?
No ! Definitely not, I think that would freak me out more than anything else!
What has the K changed in your life…?
(for example: your vision of the world, your priorities, your essentials, refocusing those around you, in your work, your philosophy..?)
Without him I would not be the person I have become today, I would undoubtedly be seeing life in the dark by going to the essentials for my comfort. It's crazy, but I think it took me one last little cancer to realize that life is simply wonderful! Today I would move mountains to simply Live with a capital T. I met so many extraordinary people during my treatment and even after, people who know how precious life is and who simply know how to live as I do. do.
Today I live, I enjoy, I do everything I like without putting it off until later, Because illness teaches us not to postpone things until tomorrow, I constantly live with this ticking in my head which makes me reminds me that it is now that I must LIVE!
Free field ;)
tell us what you want (which might not be in my questions):
Today I am the happy vice-president of the On Est Là association. Association which brings together young people facing cancer. I feel like the most fulfilled girl! I wouldn't be going through all this if cancer hadn't come into my life. This is not why I am going to say thank you because my destiny would have been different if cancer had not entered my life. Maybe she would have been better, or not. We can't know, so that's why we have to accept and move forward!
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Thank you Laura for this beautiful lesson in resilience and life!
If like Laura you want to tell your story and share your tips, go here , send me your questionnaire and 1 photo of yourself so that I can draw you ;) to: interview@mister-k-fighting-kit.com
Please note that I do not retouch any Interview, they are completely free, it is your freedom, your story, I just add my personal touch with the illustration, they are delivered as they were sent to me ;)
Lots of beautiful positive thoughts to everyone!!
@ very quickly
Charlotte
