How Counselling Helped Heal Me Seventeen days later I had a seven hour operation, was on a ventilator for 23 hours and kept asleep for nearly a day. I was in a Critical Care ward for two nights and then gynae surgical ward for eight nights. Allowed home on July 2nd, the 37 stainless steel staples down my center scar made me feel like a broken rag doll. My boyfriend dumped me the day after I came out of hospital, saying he needed to look after his own well-being! I suffered alone during six 21-day cycles of chemotherapy and also had 15 days of radiotherapy. I had support from three amazing friends and lovely neighbours.
Tree of Remembrance
Hello, I am Julie Drake, 62-year-old mother and grandmother. I have been fit and healthy all my life until Cancer reared its ugly head in the form of advanced Ovarian Cancer, diagnosed on June 5th 2020.
The only symptom I had was serious constipation (almost ten days), extreme bloating (never had that before) and loss of appetite, because it felt that if I tried to swallow food it had nowhere to go! I had always led an active life, walking, cycling, swimming, horse-riding and skiing. I am also a pilot and fly a mini microlight for goodness sake, I am never ill. So, when I was diagnosed, initially with advanced Stage 3c Ovarian Cancer which had spread, I was immediately in shock, denial, anger. I swore a lot, I cried a lot, I was terrified that I might die. 12 4
On December 14th my Consultant gave me the ALL CLEAR OF CANCER good news. In the complete hysterectory and debulking operation they also took my spleen, which means I have zero immunity, so I was told I had to have several immunisations and would have to be on antibiotics every day for life. I had the flu jab and have had both Covid jabs early because I was classified as in the highly vulnerable at risk category. Since then I have focused on eating well and staying healthy, concentrating on improving gut health. I took myself off the ‘daily for
