CANCER UPDATE. PLEASE READ

. I want to share the story of how this all happened.. first of all I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your support and best wishes..

The crying, anger and many other emotions are over now so it's time to own it, be positive and enjoy what I have.

This is a long story but needs to be heard and if it helps others then its done its job. But yes at 33 I have a life threatening issue I need to contend with.

About 8 months ago i started to feel a bit off, I had a few falls from low blood pressure and generally lethargic and tired all the time.

I ignored this and kept working..

eventually I started having severe difficulty swallowing which got worse and worse until I was barely able to drink a gulp of water and started losing weight really fast but i thought it was just a complication from a weightloss band I've had since 2007 so I left it thinking that I'll lose more weight and get the band removed, I did see the bariatric surgeon to check it and he said the band was fine which I thought was weird.

Ignored it and kept working.

I had a few blood tests that indicated a bloodleak and anaemia but I didn't chase it up.

After months of lethargy and weakness my body gave up.. so the night before Australia day. I collapsed at home and I ended up in hospital.

As soon as hospital got my bloods they rushed me into a bed. My haemoglobin was life-threateningly low and apparently I wouldn't have lasted much longer if I didn't attend hospital.

The doctors asked me a few questions I relation to the band and in general, answers of which must have raised some red flags. So after a blood transfusion I was taken to do a CT Scan..

The doctor came back to me after looking at the scan and said I'm so sorry but it looks like you have a large tumour on your stomach, half the liver atleast and in your lungs as well. .

It hit me like a ton of bricks!

Australia day morning endoscopy found a growth blocking 90% of the entry to my stomach and it would bleed severely when touched which caused all my months of misery.

Biopsy confirmed the gravity of this cancer.

A Stage 4 highly advanced and agressive cancer and later on after a pet scan confirmed not only stomach, liver, lungs but lymph nodes as well.

Also due to the size, locations and state of growths it's deemed inoperable at this stage.

9 days in hospital to manage my blood levels and several blood transfusions later I was stabilised.

They did some intense radio therapy sessions to stop the blood to my stomach cancer and to shrink it and now a few weeks later I am so grateful to swallow a bit without vomiting anymore.

Now due to my age they are pumping me with a super strong chemo regiment. Chemo knocks you about and makes you feel sensations that are weird and uncomfortable plus it turns you into a zombie for a while..

After a few weeks they will do another set of scans and tests to see if it's responding well and what decisions I need to make going forward.

I am keeping our plumbing company open although I cannot physically work, mainly to keep my close friend and colleague Nathan employed and to hopefully have the opportunity to return to work one day. Im so proud of Nathan and so grateful to him, as without him we would have closed down entirely. The company is at reduced capacity therefore financially its not able to pay me anymore.

I was so proud of the company we worked so hard, even becoming a finalist in the Sutherland Shire business awards was such an achievement but I was in hospital on the awards night.. which ontop of all the other mental anguish got to me as well

I will keep you updated in the future it's going to be a long hard fight and I'm determined to give it my best shot! I have no choice but to fight this and own it!

I'd like to give another thanks to Sutherland hospital. The care, and treatment is amazing and I'm so grateful to have access to the amazing people and facility here and it makes you realise how lucky we are to be Australian.

The moral of the story, please get checked, I know our lives are busy but please take time to look after your health. I thought it wouldn't happen to me.. it did... at 33.. please share and please keep me in your thoughts.

I won't give up. and I can't wait to hopefully unblock some drains again.

I want to get through this and help as many others along the way!!

I love you all please share