STRUGGLING with low vitality and ache in her joints, Mary Shannon knew one thing wasn’t proper.
The then 53-year-old’s native GP mentioned there was nothing to fret about, claiming her signs have been right down to irritable bowel syndrome and her age.
Over a two-year interval, Mary noticed her GP in Swindon six instances, and was misdiagnosed with costochondritis, an irritation of the cartilage that joins the ribs.
However regardless of taking medicine, her signs solely worsened over time, earlier than finally Mary was recognized with myeloma most cancers and acute kidney failure in December 2021.
There are round 24,000 folks residing with myeloma within the UK and it accounts for 15 per cent of all blood most cancers circumstances and two per cent of all cancers, in keeping with main charity Myeloma UK.
Talking to The Solar, her son Ryan, 31, mentioned his mum’s most cancers was repeatedly missed and mentioned she was "misplaced within the system".
He mentioned that it was a shock when his mum turned unwell, as she is such an lively particular person.
“She’d be doing yoga each week, taking the canine out for lengthy walks and he or she’d eat actually healthily," Ryan mentioned.
“Then hastily she began to placed on what I’d describe as water weight as a result of a construct up of fluid, and we each knew one thing wasn’t fairly proper."
"My entire physique simply ballooned up," Mary added.
"I had this ache which went together with a cough. What they thought was costochondritis was truly my bones deconstructing."
Initially, Ryan mentioned his mum’s signs have been sporadic however step by step they obtained worse till it reached the purpose the place Mary felt as if she was being ignored by GPs.
"She mentioned she wouldn’t return to them as she wasn’t getting any solutions," Ryan mentioned.
"Mum had been to Chinese language herbalists and nutritionists, however there wasn’t a lot they might do, nonetheless, they did counsel there is likely to be a difficulty along with her kidneys."
In 2020, Mary additionally complained of a ache in her knee, however had put this right down to a earlier bike accident in Thailand and medics determined to not run any checks.
"They gave her an injection and advised her to return again each three months," Ryan mentioned.
At this level Ryan mentioned the fluid from his mum’s kidneys was already poisoning her physique.
As her signs continued, the now 55-year-old determined to maneuver to Eire.
Ryan mentioned it had been a lifelong dream of hers to be close to the ocean, however simply two weeks later, in November 2021, she collapsed.
Initially, Mary mentioned she was positioned on the cystic fibrosis ward slightly than oncology.
Mary remained in hospital for 3 weeks the place medics mentioned her kidney perform was struggling.
She had a biopsy, which specialists initially mentioned would take every week, however Mary was left ready near a month for the outcomes.
"Her situation simply obtained worse and worse, to the purpose the place she may hardly stroll," Ryan mentioned.
After being launched from hospital, Mary was then rushed in second time, it was then in December 2021 that she was given the analysis of myeloma, Ryan mentioned.
Regardless of this, Ryan mentioned medical doctors hadn’t been forthcoming when it got here to serving to her.
"One of many medical doctors advised her that there have been much more sick sufferers to be coping with than her," Ryan mentioned.
"They simply made her really feel like a fraud.
"Her kidneys have been performing at simply 5 per cent and it was then that she was advised she was fortunate to have gone in when she had."
Whereas she struggled with the preliminary therapy, Mary praised the 2 consultants who lastly handled her in Eire.
"They principally introduced me again to life. With out them I’d be lifeless," Mary mentioned.
On account of being handled in Eire, Mary has needed to pay for all of her therapy.
Fortunately, she was in a position to obtain a stem cell transplant final yr and is at present doing effectively.
Now, Mary has to take bone strengthening medicine day by day and her entire life has modified.
"She simply wished to stay by the ocean and begin a furnishings upcycling enterprise", Ryan mentioned.
As a way to assist others struggling with myeloma, Ryan is operating the London Marathon this yr.
"I hope that by operating the London Marathon I can present very important funds to assist extra individuals who urgently want life-saving therapy and assist," he added.
In an announcement the observe in Swindon mentioned: “Security is of the utmost significance to our groups, and we robustly examine all considerations and actively advise sufferers to proceed contacting us for assist when signs don't enhance.
"We've reviewed the care of Mrs Shannon on quite a few events, and have supplied reassurance to the household that the care given was appropriate and applicable for the signs offered throughout every session.
"Our sufferers have a proper to boost considerations and, along with investigating Mrs Shannon’s care totally, we now have brazenly suggested the household of what to do ought to they continue to be dissatisfied."
In an announcement, the hospital in Eire mentioned it's conscious of the case.
"We've been in direct contact with the household involved. It could be inappropriate to remark additional presently."
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