My Story

It all began in March 1998, when I paid my doctor a visit after having lost weight, feeling constantly tired and with pain in my abdomen. I had a gynaecologist examine me, however this didn’t show anything. In April I again paid my doctor a visit. They prescribed antibiotics for a possible infection. In July a gynaecologist again examined me, this time with a cell sample. The test results showed a change in the cells – however it was to be a half-year later until i was supposed to go for a check up.

In the meantime my condition worsened. I was bleeding all the time, was very nauseous and had pains all the way down my legs. I then rang to my doctor and asked if it could be cancer, to which he replied (and something which he has very kindly wrote in my medical journal), that I shouldn’t be scared - as you can’t get that sort of cancer at such a young age. I rang to my doctor again in October, and was prescribed painkillers. I then decide to change doctors. My new doctor then sends me to the hospital, so that I could be checked as fast as possible. After having been checked over I was sent home with antibiotics.

I again in January 1999 visit my doctor, come to the hospital, undergo an ultrascan – for no particular reason – other than a possible encapsulted infection. After a short while I underwent a biopsy and a kolposkopi of the chief physician – he could with just the use of his eyes see a tumour 3cm in diameter. I am then shown to another hospital, who can tell that it is a malignant tumour with spreading to the tissue.

All this has taken nearly a whole year, and for the most of it I felt like a hypochondriac.  I felt as if the doctors didn’t listen to what I said and when there finally was a competent doctor it was all too late.

There was alot I had to relate to. First of all, whilst being scared of being sick and my deteriorating condition, I had to finish my teaching exam. When the sickness became reality, the first reports were that it could be cured with an operation in which my abdomen was to be removed. At that time I was 24 years of age, and had to come to terms with the fact that I wouldn’t be able to have children. Whilst in the middle of planning the operation, I was told that the cancer had spread to the tissue and that an operation was no longer in question. I was to have radiation treatment, both on the outside and inside in a period of 5 weeks. This would mean that I would come in the climacteric age, which was very hard to cope with at the age of 24.

Everything suddenly began to move so quickly. On my 25^th birthday I was in for a check up, where after they started the radiations. Every day at noon we drove to the hospital – and 10 minutes after the short treatment I was at home again. At the start I was feeling fine and was in good spirits. We investigated the sickness and whether or not I should take vitamins or undertake a special diet (the hospital hadn’t recommended any). I started to participate in sprots, along with my boyfriend in order to strengthen my body. However as time went by I became weak. I lost my appetite and found it difficult to cope for myself, as i had no energy. Luckily I had an enormous support from my friends and family, so there was always a helping hand.

I was prescribed tablets to help with the vomiting, however these seemed to make the matter worse. When my weight finally reached 38 kilos the hospital suddenly found some other medication… these were however very expensive, but i was allowed a trial. After just a day I was no longer vomiting and could eat again..

The worse treatments were the internal radiations. These were every Monday and I had to be isolation for 11 hours. There were radiations for 20 minutes every hour so my boyfriend and family were with me when the treatment stopped, even though the hospital didn’t recommend it.

Together with my mother we contacted Hans Berntsen. There were intercessory prayers said, that I was to go through the fire but that it wouldn’t burn me. And I wasn’t burned. When I was undergoing treatment i went around with a sheet wrapped around my waist, as I still had my modesty. A nurse asked one day, if I did this in order to hide the burn marks. I threw the sheet aside so that she could see I was without the marks

My treatments ended in April 1999. A week after I was working full time and when the summer holidays arrived I worked at a restaurant. I went to weekly controls. It was a nightmare. As I sat in the waiting room with all the other cancer patients I felt as if they all had their eyes upon me. I was always the youngest. I experienced, as did many of the others, a new doctor each week, which was tearing my psyche apart. Finally I was promised the same two doctors to undertake my controls.

Eventually the controls became once every 3 months….the two doctors who had followed me throughout were no longer at the hospital. I decided to turn down the controls and look for the two doctors. Finally I found one of them. I asked to be moved to the hospital in question so that I could undergo the last tests there. Luckily it was ok.

I October 2003 I had pains again. I contacted my hospital and was sent to ultrasound scanning. They observed a wound above the womb, however they were not to worried. A week later I received a letter expressing that all was how it should be, and that I had a new appointment in six months time – my last in over 5 years. It was all so wonderful. We sent adoption papers off so they could be ready after I had had the last control. Unfortunately my health didn’t get better. The symptoms were the same as the last. I contacted again my doctor. We tried a special diet and when that didn’t help she contacted the hospital. I again underwent a scan. The wound was still present and so they took some specimens whilst I lay under a general anaesthetic. The results came back on the 23.2.2004 – the cancer was present in all the specimens.……..I aksed my doctor, as to why they hadn’t taken the tests back in October – he chose not to reply.

I stand in a position now, where there isn’t much to do..I can’t have anymore radiations and chemotherapy will not help on this type of cancer.

Rikke Hagen Poulsen