The lady I call my mum

Where do I start..... first of all, I never in a million years thought I would ever need to set one of these accounts up, but here we are. My name is Mel & I am trying to raise funds to help my mum get the help & support she so desperately needs. It all started in January 2021 with what she was told by the doctors "a wort" on her nose. After months of pestering, they finally sent her for a biopsy & it came back as Cancer.

 

More tests later, they send her for a round of Radiotherapy - 5 times a week for 6 weeks. I will save you the horrific details, but the aftermath was brutal. Recovery was long & hard, but she fought. She then found a lump in her neck & after tests that was also cancer, so off she went for another round of radiotherapy. Again, recovery was long & hard, but she fought. She has always been so positive throughout everything & to this day, she remains hopeful. I'd ask 'how do you do it?' & her reply is always the same.... 'what else can I do. As long as there is an option, I have try'.

 

Things were looking up after the 2nd round of Radiotherapy, but she was hit again with more bad news. The cancer was back & it was back with a vengeance. The next option was surgery which went ahead in November 2021. Again, the recovery was long & hard. The surgeon removed parts of her ear to rebuild her nose & took skin from both sides of her face to reconstruct her lip. We thought this was it. Surely there is nothing left. How wrong we were.

 

The second round of surgery went ahead in January 2022 & the surgeon was sure he got it all. We were all in good spirits, and we could finally start to get back the lady we call mum & wife but unfortunately, that wasn't to be.

 

The Cancer has spread. The 3rd round of surgery is due to happen at the end of March 2022. The surgeon plans to remove her nose, her top lip, & part of her top gum during this surgery. She will have a feeding tube & will never be able to eat or drink again. She will have to be fitted with a prosthetic face, but she still remains positive even after all of this.

 

This lady I call my mum is an inspiration to us all. I am 1 of 3 children & I cannot remember a time when she hasn't been there for us. She is my rock; she gave me life, nurtured me, taught me, dressed me, fought for me, shouted at me & kissed me but most importantly, she loves me unconditionally. There are no words to describe just how important she is to me & my family. This is why I am here.... she desperately needs her bathroom adapting so she can keep hold of as much independence & dignity for as long as possible. I have tried the usual routes, but the waiting list for this kind of help is 2+ years & it breaks my heart to say that I don't think she will have that long.

 

We are, as a family, broken. Broken into a million pieces. I NEED to do this for her. I am going to lose my mum, but until that day comes, I want her to be as happy & as comfortable as possible & that means adapting her bathroom to enable her to have a walk-in bath with grab bars.

 

She has given so much in life & I am hoping I can give her a little something in return.

 

Thank you for reading & THANK YOU for your support xxxx