A MUM who believed her bloating was triggered by a food intolerance was devastated when it turned out to be something much worse.
Lindsey Jayn Piette, 41, from Ontario, Canada, fell victim to crippling constipation, irregular bowel movements and “uncomfortable bloating”.
Jam PressLindsey Jayn Piette was diagnosed with colorectal cancer[/caption]
Jam PressThe mum-of-two battled chemotherapy and radiation treatments without friends and family[/caption]
The mum-of-one was urged to do a colonoscopy due to her family history following an abnormal pap smear result.
In a cruel twist – Lindsey was then diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer.
A year-long battle of bruising treatments and psychological struggles ensued following the discovery of a 5cm growth in her abdomen.
“I spent years thinking I had food sensitivities”, she told NeedToKnow.co.uk.
“I thought I was lactose intolerant or allergic to gluten, but could never put my finger on the cause of it.
“It’s hard to explain, but hearing they found the tumour, almost pushed me back outside of myself and outside of my life.
“It scared me mostly that I could possibly be leaving my 9-year-old daughter without a mother.
“When I heard I needed chemotherapy, I collapsed in my living room in tears.
“Then I picked myself up and went into warrior mode.”
Covid-19 restrictions meant the mum was herded away from loved ones – leaving her to battle rigorous chemotherapy and radiation treatments alone.
She continued: “I had very minimal help, sometimes people would drop off care packages and send cards, but physically I was on my own to care for myself.
“I was very alone, which was extremely hard, but I also think not being able to just lay down and feel sorry for myself had a huge part in my outcome.
“My family was very sad and worried about me though, and my daughter didn’t really show much emotion at the time, but she currently struggles with anxiety and separation anxiety.”
Happily, in January 2022, scans revealed the tumour had disappeared.
Lindsey has since modified her diet to optimise her health and reduce the risk of the cancer returning.
She said: “I’ve just celebrated one year since being told the tumour is gone.
“I found love and moved out to the country with my boyfriend and I’ve adapted my diet to not include red meat or processed meats.
“I eat lots of veggies and plan on building a greenhouse this year.
“Mentally, it’s been hard dealing with anxiety around cancer returning, so I’ve started doing hot cold therapy with ice baths and just feeling through my emotions.”
Lindsey is now urging those twiddling their thumbs to have their symptoms examined.
She continued: “I would love to inspire people to slow down and listen to their bodies and then ask for help if they need it and investigate their health concerns.
“Even though this horrible thing was happening in my life it didn’t mean my whole life was horrible.
“I refused to believe I was going to die, this was just another hurdle.”
Jam PressLindsey was fearful of being away from her nine-year-old daughter[/caption]
Jam PressLindsey is now happily in remission[/caption] Read More