Lindsay Lambert was on holiday in the Maldives. She was enjoying every moment of it, and was sat on a sandy beach.
The 54-year old put down a sore stomach that threatened to ruin her fun.
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The mum-of-2 was terrified when she felt the urge to run to the toilet. After wiping her hands, she saw that her stools had turned black.
“My heart was racing and I thought, ‘that’s not normal’ but I didn’t want to spoil our holiday,”She spoke to Central Recorder.
Lindsay still refers to the scarlet ordeal as “a nightmare” years later. ‘Barbie butt’After bowel cancer surgery.
Lindsay forgot about her shock for the rest of the holiday.
She felt unwell when she returned home with her husband Kev (58), in April 2016.
The now-59-year-old was a permanent make up trainer and technician. She was determined to keep going.
But, days later, on a shopping excursion, her worst fears were realized.
“I ran into the toilet and just exploded, there was blood everywhere and I think I spent more time cleaning it up than I did actually on the toilet,”She said.
“I felt so weak and Kev just said, ‘I’m taking you home right now’.
“We didn’t speak all the way home in the car and it was then that I knew it was something serious.”
Lindsay, a mother to eight grandchildren saw a doctor May 2016 who said she had bowel cancer symptoms.
It is the second deadliest form of the disease in the UK, but it can be cured if it’s caught early enough.
Early diagnosis can save lives. That is why Central Recorder launched No Time 2 Lose in April 2018. This campaign urged the Government to lower the age at which screening for the disease is done from 60 to 50.
For Lindsay, who was 54, screening wasn’t an option at the time.
Isn’t it enough that I had cancer, it feels like I’m being punished for my condition
Lindsay
She had an extensive operation in June 2016 called an abdominoperineal (or abdominoperineal) resection. She explained what that meant. “removing everything in the bottom area”.
She received a stoma, and was told that her stage 2 cancer was present.
“I had everything removed including my anus, rectum and lower bowel and then had my bottom sewn up to make a Barbie butt,”She said.
“I didn’t really understand what any of it meant, I didn’t know what a bag was or what a stoma was.
“The cancer had been low in my bottom which is why oncology wasn’t able to remove it. But luckily I didn’t have to have chemotherapy,”She continued.
KNOW THE SIGNALS: What are the red flag signs of bowel cancer
Screening is one way to ensure early diagnosis. However, everyone can take steps to lower their chances of contracting the deadly disease.
It is important to be aware of the symptoms and signs of bowel cancer. This can help you save your life and get checked with your GP.
Do not be embarrassed to mention any signs. Many patients with bowel issues are familiar to doctors.
These are the five symptoms that indicate bowel cancer.
- Bleeding in your back passage, or bloody poo
- You may want to change your toilet habits. For example, you might go more often.
- A lump or pain in your stomach
- Extreme tiredness
- Losing weight
Bowel tumors can cause bleeding, which can lead to anemia, or a shortage in red blood cells. It can lead to tiredness, and even breathlessness.
Bowel cancer in some cases can cause a blockage of the bowel. This is called a bowel obstruction.
FEAR KICKS IN
No one wants the words to be heard. “it’s cancer”Lindsay shared that she felt fear when she received her diagnosis.
“I thought I was going to die. “I was very ill, and I just want life.
“I am facing the most difficult battle of my entire life. It was an extremely frightening diagnosis that I am now a survivor.
“When they told me I just screamed, I can’t remember a lot of it, I can’t remember leaving the hospital, I just remember pushing it to the back of my mind.”
LIFE AFTER DIAGNOSIS
Lindsay beat cancer but admitted that there were still parts of her illness she struggles to accept.
Lindsay now wants to end the stigma around stomas and says it’s something no one should be ashamed of having.
“The hardest thing is finding clothes to wear”She replied,
“It sticks out all the time, whatever I wear, I either look frumpy or pregnant.
“It’s not just the clothes, sometimes people look at me funny for using a disabled toilet and it’s really not fair.
“Because it’s not visible, people tend to question me a lot and there have been times that I have had to show security guards the bag just to be able to go to the toilet – I even had to show it at the airport once.”
Lindsay explained that not all disabilities can be seen and that sometimes people need more understanding for invisible conditions.
She said: “Isn’t it enough that I had cancer, it feels like I’m being punished for my condition”She replied,
“I suffer from leaks and feel unclean and conscious that I smell.”
Lindsay mentioned that Kev has been her rock during the battle as well as through the coronavirus lockdown.
“My husband is amazing, it can be difficult being a lady and having to deal with this sort of thing and he is so supportive.”
She claimed that she calls her stoma her “bag for life”.
“Brits are so conservative, but having a poo shouldn’t be a taboo.
“It’s a natural thing and everyone does it, even the queen”She replied,
LOCKDOWN STRUGGLES
She said that she was unable to concentrate during lockdowns because, even if she and Kev took a walk, all the public toilets were closed.
“I had to change my bag in the back of a car or in a bush – the disabled toilets should have been left open and it’s things like that that really got my back up during that time.”
Seven months after Lindsay’s operation, Kev had a stroke on January 22 2017 – but that didn’t stop him taking care of his wife.
Lindsay stated: “It’s been a tough time for us but we are alright. I’ve got the all clear now and it’s such a relief. It’s just strange as with every year that passes, the one reminder is the bag”.
Lindsay is now urging others to get their symptoms checked as soon as they can, as she says if she would have left it any longer she wouldn’t be alive today.
“The main thing to look out for is if your bowel habits change, don’t ignore it and get to the doctors.”
Lindsay is supporting Cancer Research UK’s life-saving work. Cruk.org is a place where you can play your part in supporting vital research to beat cancer.
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