Prior to receiving her cancer diagnosis at the age of 36, Stacey Cochrane experienced terrible stomach pain and made multiple trips to the doctor. She was brokenhearted by the prognosis.
After receiving numerous assurances from her doctor that her symptoms were consistent with irritable bowel syndrome, a woman was eventually told she had stomach cancer.
At the age of 36, Stacey Cochrane was given the devastating prognosis after experiencing significant abdominal pain for two months.
On August 6, she was sent to A&E at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland, where she was treated for pain with morphine before being allowed to go four hours later.
That week, the woman and her husband Kenneth were scheduled to travel to Bulgaria for a vacation, and doctors had cleared her to fly.
But as she admitted to the Daily Record, she was ill and suffering from a number of symptoms: “I had been having problems with stomach ache for around five years without ever really knowing what the problem was. But this year it got so terrible that on August 6 I was admitted to A&E.
I received morphine after being examined. I was informed I could go home four hours later.
“I needed to know if I could fly that week because I was going on vacation, but they gave me the all-clear and advised me to avoid dairy products instead. The next five days we were in Bulgaria, I was ill with severe diarrhoea and vomiting.
After visiting A&E in early August, Stacey claimed she made multiple visits with her GP. She said that on August 26, her doctor informed her that her problems were related to IBS. “The GP informed me he was 100% sure it was IBS, but I do recall asking how he could know that for sure without a scan,” she continued.
“On September 21, I ultimately ended up calling 999 all night long due to increased stomach pain and vomiting. I was then admitted to the hospital by a paramedic who had arrived at the house.
“At this point, I realised there was a big problem. I had trouble even swallowing water. I pleaded with the doctor for a CT scan.
Later that evening, I received a cancer diagnosis.
Stacey received the sad news that she had ovarian cancer that had progressed to stage 4 stomach cancer.
Her left ovary was revealed to have two tumours, measuring 22 and 15 cm, which were pressing on her stomach and giving her pain.
On November 3, she tragically learned that her cancer was terminal. She has since begun chemotherapy treatment.
“It may seem crazy, but getting a diagnosis was actually relieving because I simply needed to know what was wrong,” Stacey concluded. “However, they later informed me that the condition was incurable and that they were unable to estimate how long I would survive.
“At this point, all I want to say is that people should pay attention to their own bodies. If you suspect something is wrong, don’t give up. “It’s worth it if expressing that means I might be able to save someone else’s life.”
The workers are doing their best, but the NHS is not receiving enough funds, Stacey complained to NHS Fife.
Janette Keenan, director of nursing for NHS Fife, stated that receiving a cancer diagnosis is extremely upsetting news for both the patient and their relatives and loved ones.
“Unfortunately, we are unable to discuss the care of specific individuals due to patient confidentiality concerns. To discuss their care and any potential issues, we would advise the individual to contact our patient relations staff.
