"Year and a half of waiting"

Back in 2012 I was taken into Wishaw A&E with severe pain in my lower abdomen. After an ultrasound and blood tests I was taken into theatre where I had a cyst on my left ovary aspirated. However the pain continued to get worse and I found myself developing more symptoms so I visited my GP on many occasions. Sometimes I was told there was nothing wrong and sent home with medication for IBS and pain relief and sometimes I was referred straight to Wishaw where on my last referral was told without even been seen by anyone that there was nothing they could do for me.

I eventually got an appointment with a surgeon who arranged for me to have another ultrasound and a colonoscopy, I got my colonoscopy in early 2013. The results came back clear and was advised there is nothing needing done from a surgical point of view and there is nothing sinister to worry about.

By mid 2013 my health had deteriorated significantly so I had a blood test done at my GP. 5 days later the doctor called me in and sent me straight back to Wishaw, this time by ambulance, as my haemoglobin was at 7 and other markers were worrying. When I arrived at hospital I had my blood taken again which showed my haemoglobin had dropped to 5.

I was then taken for a CT scan which showed a large mass on my abdominal wall. I received 6 units of blood that night then taken into theatre in the morning as they were unsure what this mass was. During the operation I had it removed along with part of my bowel. A few days later I was rushed back into theatre for an emergency operation as the join on my bowel had burst so I had a stoma formed. The pathology from the first operation was not back yet but the consultant was almost sure it was crohns disease. I was assured it wouldn't be cancer as I am 'too young'(19) but even if it was I was told not to worry as it had been removed. Around a week later the pathology came back and turned out it was a cancerous tumour so I had to go for another operation to ensure it had all been removed, despite previously being told otherwise, and too clear the margins.

Since then I have had to have fertility treatment and my eggs frozen before 6 months of chemotherapy. I also have to return for another operation to have my stoma reversed.

I feel this whole situation could have been avoided if I were taken seriously in the first place and stopped being told 'Im too young'. The fact that the tumour was missed on my colonoscopy also worries me.

This has caused a lot of distress, pain and misery for both myself and my family. It has also wasted a lot of NHS time, money and resources.

Despite my horrible experience it has to be said my aftercare was far better.