A WOMAN who woke up with her eye bulging was initially told by doctors she had conjunctivitis.
But convinced there was something more going on, Mphango Simwaka pushed for more tests – and received a devastating cancer diagnosis aged just 22.
9
9
9
Mphango, from Bradford, was initially told her swollen left eye was a simple stye.
But she was horrified to wake up the next day, unable to see, with her eye bulging alarmingly.
“I was absolutely mortified,” said the former associate consultant Need to know.
“One of my friends kept telling me, ‘Your eye feels like it’s going to pop out.’
“It didn’t hurt or anything, but it felt like something was pressing against it.
“The pressure was unbearable.
“I just remember looking in the mirror and gasping in pure horror at the way I looked.
“I really thought I was going to go blind, if not lose my life.”
‘DEFEATED’
Mphango’s nightmare began in November 2022, while she was in the process of moving.
Already stressed, the subtle swelling in her left eye raised the alarm.
The young woman, now 24, visited Bradford Royal Infirmary (BRI), where she claims no tests or scans were carried out.
A doctor suggested the swelling was caused by a stye and told Mphango to use a hot compress and come back if it worsened.
To get a second opinion, Mphango consulted an ophthalmologist, who confirmed that his eye socket was inflamed and prescribed him eye lubricant, before another BRI doctor told him it was conjunctivitis.
Knowing it wasn’t a simple matter, she returned to the emergency department at Croydon University Hospital and was later referred to an eye hospital, St George’s Moorfields, where it was confirmed she had an aggressive tumour.
She said: “Every time I was given a new diagnosis, I felt defeated.
“I knew it was something that needed to be properly analyzed.
“The last doctor took one look at my eyes and was completely mortified.
“Things quickly deteriorated and I was sent for tests, which showed I had an abnormal white blood cell count, but the cause was unknown.
“I was then transferred to an eye hospital, where further tests were carried out, including a CT scan.
“The real nightmare then began.”
A SHOCKING DIAGNOSIS
A mass was located in the front of his brain, pressing on his optic nerve and causing his eye to bulge out.
Mphango had a biopsy and was eventually diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, a rare form of blood cancer.
Although devastated, Mphango knew that quick treatment was her only chance of survival and quickly assessed her options for the future.
In case of early menopause, she preserved her eggs and then underwent intense radiotherapy, in addition to four cycles of chemotherapy.
In January 2023, despite suffering numerous life-threatening infections, she was discharged.
Although happy to have her life back, the 24-year-old was left partially blind and her eyes drooped.
What is acute myeloid leukemia?
ACUTE myeloid leukemia is a type of blood cancer that affects the white blood cells of the immune system.
The causes of the disease are not well understood and it generally cannot be prevented. Previous chemotherapy, radiation exposure, or smoking may increase your risk.
It is a rare type of cancer and affects around 3,100 people every year in the UK, and 2,700 people die each year.
AML is an aggressive form of cancer and often requires urgent treatment with chemotherapy and possibly a bone marrow transplant.
On average, only about a third of patients survive a year or more after being diagnosed.
Symptoms of the disease include:
- Pallor
- Regarding tiredness or weakness
- Often feeling short of breath for no reason
- Getting regular infections
- Unexplained weight loss
- Unexplained bleeding and/or bruising
Source: National Health Service
Now, she hopes to share her story to raise awareness and for people to put pressure on doctors if they feel something isn’t right – as it could be a matter of life and death.
She added: “I still think about how bad it could have been.
“I wonder if without all the delays things could have been different.
“It was very shocking to be diagnosed with cancer at such a young age, but I’m glad I finally got an answer before it was too late.
“Always trust your instincts, keep persisting, and never take no for an answer.”
Jam Press has contacted Bradford Royal Infirmary for comment.
A spokesperson for Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: “We are very sorry to hear from Ms Simwaka.
“Unfortunately, the Trust cannot breach patient confidentiality and comment on individual cases, but if she would like to formally raise her concerns with the Trust, we would be happy to look into them for her.”
9
9
9
9
9
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
