The story of Charlee
Hi there, this story is very hard for me too tell because of the mental and physical damage it has done too me but here goes. In 2018 I started getting neck and shoulder pain but for what I did as a job I thought it was all the lifting I did so I was recommended to go too a Occupational therapist. For 6 months I went once or twice a week with only my pain worsening but my doctor saying it was just an injury from my job as a signwriter. At the 6 month mark my doctor gave me cortisol injections and for a few days it seemed too be working. It stopped working a few days after so my doctor said it’s frozen shoulder. Then I started too lose mobility in my arms and hands. My doctor continued too say it’s just frozen shoulder. Two months later I couldn’t even pick up a pen and I went too my doctor again. A whole year after I started seeing him and when I showed him the extent of how bad I was he ordered a mri and said it wasn’t urgent. I knew something was really wrong so I managed too book it and get in a day later. After getting out the MRI machine I could tell looking at the technicians faces that something was wrong but by law they couldn’t tell me. A day later my doctor called me too come in urgently. As he showed me the mri picture and said I have 3 tumours squeezing my spinal cord and half of one of my spinal bones was covered with Tumours too. He never mentioned cancer or led me too believe it was bad but all he said was I need too get too hospital today. So I went and sat in the waiting room with extreme pain for 11 hours as apparently I wasn’t priority. As soon as the doctor looked at the scan he told me I need emergency surgery as I could be fully paralysed any minute and could have been for a while. Still no one mentioned cancer. After my emergency surgery, the next day many doctors came in and told me I have a very rare cancer called Ewing’s sarcoma and had too start a very harsh chemotherapy and also have radiation. So for a year I was poked and pricked. Nearly died from sepsis from an infected port and told I was going too die. My dog I had have forever died the same day the doctors told me that which half destroyed me. At the end of all my treatment I was still left with extreme pain and have tried nearly every drug under the sun too help. Cancer destroyed who I am. I’m not charlee anymore. 2 years later I am still in so much pain waiting too see surgeons and continue too see the Pallative care team too try end my pain. I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy. Cancer destroys a person and not only them but their family. I know writing this it doesn’t seem that I’m that emotional but that’s because I am empty and cried and screamed for 3 years from a doctor misdiagnosing me for a whole year and then the cancer. There needs too be more research on rare diseases so more of us can live. Thankyou for reading my story and I wish anyone good luck and love for who is going through the same. ❤️