St Giles help Jeanette give back

Hi all, my name is Darren and this is the story about the person that has been my everything for what will nowhere near long enough. Jeanette, my wife, my friend, my world, who found a lump in her left breast in January, which turned our entire life upside down.

OUR STORY

Me and Jeanette met on a dating site in November 2010, bringing together not only us but our 3 children. We hit it off straight away and ended up moving in together the following month. I proposed on our 1 year anniversary and we got married in November 2014, with all of our family and friends with us to celebrate.

Although we had some amazing times together like taking our children on their first holiday abroad, buying a converted van and travelling through the UK, making friends in our local pub, going on holidays as a couple and truly taking advantage of every moment together, we also experienced some real challenges. Shortly after we met, Jeanette needed emergency surgery following a blocked bowel, which if burst could’ve been deadly. A few years later after a several misdiagnosis’ Jeanette had not 1 but 2 surgeries for cauda equina syndrome, which most people haven’t heard of never mind had twice, leaving Jeanette unable to work and in a wheelchair. I myself had surgery on my shoulder as well as finding a mole that turned out to be skin cancer. After a few years without working Jeanette had decided to go back to work and found a job doing what she loved, helping others, until she found a lump in her breast.

THE PRESENT

After mentioning to a colleague that she had found a lump in her left breast, she was promoted to leave work straight away and go to the doctors. Jeanette managed to get an appointment that same day (unheard of I know) and was referred to a breast clinic. January 23rd our lives changed. Whilst at the breast clinic, we was informed that the lump looks positive for cancer but we would have to wait for the confirmation of the biopsy. Following a blood test that showed Jeanette’s calcium levels were high she was admitted to the hospital. Whilst there, and still awaiting the biopsy results, Jeanette had a CT scan and the following day our world fell apart when we found out the results. Not only did Jeanette have cancer in her left breast, but we were also told that it had spread to her left lung and stomach.

Jeanette was transferred to Burton Hospital and after a meeting with the consultant they confirmed it was even worse than we thought. The cancer was actually in her left breast, both lungs, stomach and spine. After several weeks of waiting for Jeanette’s calcium levels to return to normal she finally go the go ahead for chemo. The chemo was going to be done weekly with her first round being on March 5th. It wasn’t until the second week that Jeanette began experiencing several side affects, the main one being struggling to breathe which would eventually lead her needing oxygen and unable to finish the rounds of chemo. The consultant decided to change the type of chemo and was now going to be done every 3 weeks. We had high hopes and was trying to remain positive.

At an scheduled appointment for Jeanette’s PICC line to be cleaned, her heart rate increased and was as sent down to A&E. After waiting for what felt like forever, another appointment was made with the consultant who informed us that the cancer had become very aggressive and chemo was unlikely to help. Following another CT scan, it shown the lump in Jeanette’s left breast has grown and was beginning to push against her windpipe and cause fluid on her lungs, all whilst her bowels began to block again. A tube was fitted to drain the liquid and take the pressure off the bowels. Originally radiotherapy was going to be done to help reduce the lump that had began pushing on her windpipe, but Jeanette was too poorly for this to go ahead. We were also told that due to the cancer being so aggressive and causing extensive issues elsewhere, Jeanette would have around 2 weeks left to live and unfortunately just to wait it out.

A birthday party was planned for the end of April to celebrate Jeanette turning 50, but has had to be cancelled due to the uncertainty of Jeanette’s condition and whether she will be here to celebrate her birthday. Jeanette has been moved to St Giles Hospice where not only are they helping to manage medication and ease the pain as much as possible, but also to make her as comfortable as possible until she reaches the end. Not only are we hoping that Jeanette makes it to celebrate her 50th birthday, but we are hoping and praying for a miracle to happen and that she will be here for many more to come.

Any and all donations that are made will be used to cover the cost of Jeanette’s funeral, with any extra being used to help cover bills at home and ease the financial burdens, whilst I am having time off work to be with her and family. All remaining money will be donated to St Giles Hospice, Whittington, where Jeanette is currently spending her time.

Your support means more than words can express. Thank you for standing alongside us.