SUPPORTIVE REAL LIFE
Allie Carson-McGeary, 27, from Glasgow, and her mum know how important it is to look after each other...
Standing in the crowd, shoulder-to-shoulder with my mum, Ihad the time of my life.
With asimilar taste in music, my mum Helen, 54, and Ihad aparticular shared love of boy bands.
Mum was my best friend – we did everything together.
Ihad my dad Scott, 53, too, but Mum and Ihad been close since Iwas alittle girl.
And going to see our beloved boy bands was one of our favourite things to do.
And top of our list was The Wanted. And so, when they announced aone-off tour in December 2021 for the following spring, we knew we had to go.
Only, there was one problem. Iwas really under the weather.
Despite it being winter, I was having hot flushes and constantly sweating.
Experiencing rapid weight gain, I’d gone from asize 14 to asize 20 and put on 3st.
Iwas so swollen I didn’t recognise myself.
And with heart palpitations, my anxiety levels were high.
Icould tell Mum and my now-husband Jonathan, 27, were concerned about me.
But going to the doctors – telling them my hair was falling out and Ihaving problems with my gut and menstrual cycle – they put my symptoms down to anxiety.
I couldn’t shake the feeling something was very wrong though.
‘I think this is a problem with my thyroid,’ I told the doctor.
Mum had ahistory of issues with her thyroid, as did my granny Helen, 77.
Ihad some blood tests which came back clear, but Ihad agut feeling something was wrong.
Sitting at my desk on 4 February 2022, Iran my hand down my neck to scratch an itch.
Feeling alarge lump, I suddenly froze.
How long has that been there? I thought.
I can’t describe the sensation, but just by touching it Iknew it was bad.
Waiting until Jonathan got home from work, Iwas stewing over my discovery.
‘I need to show you something,’ I said, lifting my head back.
‘Oh my God, what’s that?’
Jonathan gasped. We agreed to get it checked out as quickly as possible. But first Ihad to call Mum. ‘Don’t worry,’ Mum reassured me. ‘I have alump there, too, I’m just waiting to be seen. I think I’ve had it for almost 10 years.’
The way Mum worded it didn’t worry me –she sounded like she was completely fine.
After finding the lump, Ibegan researching thyroid cancer. I’d seen Demi Jones from Love Island talking about her experience with cancer and it concerned me.
Feeling quite worried, Iwent for private healthcare through my work.
Scheduled for abiopsy, Mum had one on 13 March –the day before my appointment.
Unable to get the time off, I couldn’t go with her. And with Mum unable to get time off
