For months in 2016, mother of three Sharron Ally knew that all was not well with her physically, but even as she sought treatment she persevered with working and providing for her family until a shocking diagnosis literally stopped her in her tracks and today she wishes she had been more alert and concerned about her health.
In mid-2016, Ally was told she had ovarian cancer. Prior to this, she was being treated for gas. She remembers that day as if it were yesterday as she cried uncontrollably, sure that she was staring at death’s door.
Two surgeries later — the first was a hysterectomy and the second the removal of her spleen — Ally is still not out of the woods. She now takes it one day at a time with some days being very bad, some not so bad and others relatively good.
June is observed in some countries as Cancer Survivors Month and 48-year-old Ally is a survivor who believes she will eventually overcome cancer. She would like more to be done for cancer patients since she noted that it not only takes a toll physically, mentally and emotionally but there is the financial burden of medical bills, transportation and a change in diet.
“We need help. We really do need help. If the government can help with some kind of subsidy, maybe have a pantry…a travelling subsidy,” she suggested.
Ally is also encouraging women, young and old, to put their health first as she pointed out that a woman can be of no use to those she loves if she dies or is ill. In tears, she recalled how her eldest daughter had to become the head of the house as she took care of her younger siblings, cooked and cleaned, while her mother was away being treated. For her, apart from the pain of the surgeries and the sometimes debilitating sickness from the chemotherapy, her then 20-year-old daughter being forced to take over her role in the home was the hardest to watch. At the time, the young woman was at the University of Guyana and she had to find a way to balance the additional responsibilities and her studies.
Ally’s cancer is aggressive cancer and was diagnosed at stage three. This means that even though the hysterectomy was done it had already spread to other parts of her body. According to the Mayo Clinic website, ovarian cancer is a type of cancer that begins in the ovaries. The female reproductive system has two ovaries, one on each side of the uterus. Ovarian cancer often goes undetected until it has spread to the pelvis and abdomen. “At this late stage, ovarian cancer is more difficult to treat. Early-stage ovarian cancer, in which the disease is confined to the ovary, is more likely to be treated successfully,” the clinic says.
Unwell
Ally recalled that she was unwell for months before the diagnosis. She felt nauseous and was gassy and she visited private doctors in an effort to understand what was wrong with her. The first doctor did an ultrasound and told her that there were masses in each of her ovaries, but that “it was going to fall out”.
She continued to feel sick and then her stomach became swollen, the gassiness got worse and she burped continuously. She also felt full most of the time. Then her feet started to swell to the extent where she had to drag them and she had to switch from shoes to slippers.
“I was working. I was just dragging myself because I didn’t know what was wrong with me,” she said.
Another doctor told her she had a lot of gas and started to treat her for it but she was unwell. She was later advised to visit Georgetown Public Hospital and following an examination, was sent to do another ultrasound. This time, it was done at the Balwant Singh Hospital and then she was given the shocking diagnosis and informed that she needed immediate surgery.
“It was very devastating that afternoon,” Ally recalled. She told me it was cancer. I was so fearful because I did not expect that. It was like fear literally engulfed me. I was alone and I was crying and like I didn’t know where to turn. I went back to work and I was comforted there by my co-workers and everybody there was shocked too; everybody began to cry. That evening I went home… my mom is overseas and I called. I cried so loud and I said ‘come home, mommy come home…’”
Even as she revisited that time she became overwhelmed and her voice broke with tears. She was also comforted by church members. Though she was in a state of shock she went to work the following day but left early to visit the church, where she received prayers.
At Georgetown Hospital, surgery was discussed but it was indicated to her that while a team was expected to visit there was a long list of persons before Ally who also needed surgery and she was encouraged to visit the US for the surgery.
“It was very hard. I had to leave my children. I didn’t want to leave them at the time…,” Ally said, before adding that she was fortunate to visit the US, where the doctors informed her that the cancer was at stage three.
“It was very bad. By then I had to be in a wheelchair and I was in so much pain. The pain was in my pelvic area and in my tummy. It was very uncomfortable as you are unable to sit or lie for long periods of time. You are unable to eat properly; mentally you are disturbed. It was a total turmoil,” she said.
On June 13, 2016, Ally had a hysterectomy and she remained in the hospital for three weeks; after she was discharged, she remained in bed for another three weeks.
“There were days when I couldn’t help myself, I had to lie on the bed in pain… and the surgery was over six hours and I had to learn everything over like a child. I couldn’t walk, my mom had to hold my hand…,” she said, her voice breaking.
But as soon as she was well enough, she began the journey of taking chemotherapy. She had six cycles over a five-month period.
“That in itself was another challenge because the feeling of these chemicals in your body makes you feel nauseous, you are unable to eat, things sticking in your body, mentally you feel like… you are uncomfortable, you cannot contain yourself. You don’t know whether to stand, sit or lie…no position is comfortable,” was how she described those months.
During those tough times, Ally said, she kept going with the prayers of her church members, friends and family even as she inspired herself by reading the bible and looking at inspirational videos on YouTube. For her, it was all about feeding her mind positively.
“The journey was very tedious, very hard but inspiring sometimes…,” she recalled, adding that losing her hair was an ordeal on its own and there were times when she did not want to look into a mirror.
She returned to Guyana at the end November 2016 and although she was not able to function in the same capacity as before, she returned to work as it provided a form of therapy. She recalled at that time she was grateful to be given a different role as she suffered chemo fog and could not remember certain things. It took time before she grooved back in, but she feels she never got back to 100% capacity. The company she worked with closed in 2018.
It came again
During one of her regular checkups in the US, she learned that the cancer had returned. This was in 2019. This time it affected her spleen and she had that organ removed in February of that year. Ally said once again she “went through the same pain and the agony” even as she tried to stay strong in her mind as physically she was weak.
This time, she said, she refused chemotherapy as she was too traumatised from the previous experience and she returned home and did regular checks at the Georgetown hospital. A CT scan done last year revealed a mass and she was told that she had to undergo chemotherapy. She had three cycles of chemotherapy, which saw her lose her hair again, but it did not help. When another CT scan was done “it [the mass] was right there and even worse”.
A change in treatment was recommended, but the drug was not available in Guyana. Ally said she fell into a state of depression but she managed to get on a flight to the US on July 31, 2020, where she had six cycles of chemotherapy. That treatment ended in February this year.
“So I had 15 cycles of chemotherapy and here I am,” Ally said.
She returned to Guyana with medication and was told to take it as part of maintenance treatment. But by the third month of taking the pill, Ally said, she was so sick that she decided to stop taking it.
“It has been two weeks since I stopped taking the pill because my blood count went down, my white blood cells went down, my protein went down. I have been having low blood pressure
and… like whenever I get up and try to walk around my heart would beat very fast…seeing dark…,” she said.
While she is not 100% recovered, Ally said it is not as bad as when she was taking the pill. She is positive that she will triumph when she goes for a checkup soon.
Grateful
Ally said she is grateful for life and the fact that she still has her children. She believes there is something that would help her get by this phase. Lymph nodes were also removed and she said she now has an issue with her right leg which swells and is very uncomfortable; she also has numbness in her hands.
Ally recalled that she was a woman who always worked to take care of her family and paid little attention to herself.
“I would advise women out there, don’t take yourself for granted. If you feel something check it out, because people seeing you standing, going and coming they are taking it for granted as well that you are okay,” she said.
Women, she said, believe that if they put themselves first it is something bad but she reasoned that if the woman’s cup is overflowing then others will get, but if there is nothing in the cup then there is nothing to share.
“If we don’t take care of ourselves then we are putting the strain on those around us,” she noted.
She said when stricken with cancer, staying positive is an advantage even though she admitted that it would be hard. But she advised that patients surround themselves with positive people and positive thoughts and read inspiring things. Changing to a healthier lifestyle also helps as one needs to watch what they eat and when they eat.
Ally also called for better medical investigation to be conducted in Guyana as she pointed out that it took several doctors’ visits before the right diagnosis was done.
Looking forward, Ally said she not only believes she will overcome but she wants to spend time talking to people and sharing her story wherever necessary as every time she talks about it makes her stronger.
“I am happy to share and to talk to anybody who wants to talk and let them know what’s happening. I don’t take it as a death sentence. I mean, at first I felt so but my journey taught me that it is not a death sentence,” Ally said.
She is part of the Guyana Cancer Foundation survivor’s group where they support each other.
The Guyana Cancer Foundation is located at 351 S East Street, North Cummingsburg between Lamaha and New Market streets, Georgetown and its founder Bibi Hassan can be contacted on 618-2085
