Derry man's prayers answered after recovering from cancer and becoming a grandparent
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Ian’s parents both died from cancer almost 40 years ago and he has many friends and family who have also been afflicted by the disease.
Ian said: "Over the years, I have witnessed different friends, colleagues, neighbours and family members suffer from cancer and many passing away. In the Spring of 1983, both my parents became ill and passed away in the summertime after being diagnosed with cancer. They died within six weeks of each other. That was almost 40 years ago and I remember it like it was yesterday. It was a very difficult and challenging time for our family. We buried our father and then went on to visit our mother in Foster Green Hospital near Belfast. The sister of the ward had told us that my mother had become very depressed and they were afraid they were going to lose her that day. It was so hard. Now, I can relate my own personal battle with cancer and its challenges.
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Hide Ad"In the Autumn of 2003, almost 20 years ago, I started getting some discomfort and pains in my stomach. There were different nights I had difficulty sleeping and paced up around the kitchen and the rest of the house. I went to see the GP and talked about pains in my stomach and things. One of the first things he did was take bloods and he said he couldn’t tell me what was wrong but that my ESR (Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate) was through the roof and that I would have to go into hospital for investigations. I was referred to consultant urologist and more investigations were carried out. The consultant originally thought I had a kidney stone, which he thought had been lodged in one of my urethra.
"However, after more investigations, I remember him telling me they could find no evidence of kidney stones. For some reason, he thought it might be testicular cancer, even with no real pain in that region. I was sent for an ultrasound. I knew the consultant who carried out the scan and asked him if he could see anything untoward and he told me he thought he could. The ultrasound confirmed the diagnosis of testicular cancer.
"My original thoughts were that I was going to die and it was a very anxious and stressful time but my immediate and extended family and friends rallied round and were extremely supportive. They phoned and visited regularly and their best wishes and prayers were greatly appreciated. My minister visited me at home and in hospital and prayed for me. All the congregations at Glendermott and New Buildings Church of Ireland churches prayed regularly for me and I found this encouraging and comforting. I had some thoughts that God had abandoned me and I became somewhat disillusioned and depressed. The Dean of St Columb’s Cathedral at the time was the reverend Dr William Morton and he visited me several times in hospital, spending more than an hour each time. He prayed for me and read from the bible and helped restore my faith in God which was invaluable. One day, a few years after this, I told him how much he had helped me and how much I appreciated him. He paused, looked skyward and said, ‘Yes! The ministry of healing is a powerful one’.
"I remember one day being in the ward in Altnagelvin Hospital. It was a ward with six beds in it and I was in there alone, there was no one else in the other beds. I got the impression that someone was in the room or that there was something strange in the room and I thought there was a bit of a breeze or a bit of movement. I looked but the curtains weren’t moving and the window’s weren’t open. Down below, there was a chair. I looked and was amazed, I thought ‘that looks like my mother’. My mother was dead. I felt as if she moved forward and backwards in the chair. She looked at me and said ‘stop worrying, everything will be alright’. Indeed, after that, that reassured me and I felt I was going to be okay.
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Hide Ad"I spent time in hospital and prayed to God. I have three boys, so one of the things I asked Him was for me to live long enough to see the youngest turn 18, so they would all be young men and my wife Pauline would have less pressure looking after them. When I got home in early 2003, I was very tired and lacked strength. I was unable to work. However, my wife and I went to Gran Canaria in March and we totally relaxed. We caught as much sun as we could. When we returned home, it was as if a miracle had taken place. I believe I benefited greatly from the vitamin D I got from the sun. My energy and strength eventually returned and I was able to return to my work. It was unbelievable.
"I spent a lot of time in Altnagelvin Hospital in the Cancer Centre. I was getting chemo in the Cancer Centre in Belfast City Hospital and the care was amazing. Once I went back to work, I was progressing reasonably well. I was all-clear and getting on grand for years and then I went on holidays in September 2019.”
Ian and Pauline went to Spain and, while there, Ian spent most of the time asleep. As well as being very tired, he was a bit confused and was saying ‘silly’ things wasn’t able to get his bearings about him, even after a few days in the area.
“We came home and went to see the GP and explained about being so tired,” he said. “I went to the Ulster Clinic outside Belfast, where they did tests on me for my sleeping and did a brain scan. He said they mightn’t phone me back for a month but a few days later they called me and said the radiologist is concerned about my scan.”
A biopsy was carried out on Ian’s brain tumour and it was found to be cancer. He underwent chemotherapy in the North West Cancer Centre and also received Stem Cell Treatment in the Belfast city hospital, which he is still recovering from today.
Ian and his wife Pauline own Altnagelvin Garden Centre but found it very difficult when the centre had to close for Covid. Ian was in hospital at the time and his brain tumour meant he was often confused and didn’t have a full understanding of the severity of the pandemic. Pauline was faced with trying to navigate the business through Covid with their son's and daughter in law while looking after Ian and her two elderly parents.
"I started to feel a bit better and I remember one day the consultant came in to me and said he was thinking of putting me on this medication. He said he would see how I go because each tablet cost a couple of thousand pound each. He said that if he thought I was going to benefit from it, I would be on it regardless of the money. I didn’t need it in the end, I was getting by okay with the chemo but I really appreciated what he was saying and what he would do and what the NHS could do for it. I remember seeing an advertisement from Save the Children, with children in different parts of Africa with young ones coming in to the hospital. He pointed to each of them and said what medication they needed. He said it was only a pound or two pound each for the medication and I just found it so unfair that they would spend a few thousand on me but these children are dying because they can’t get a tablet for a pound.
"The nurses and doctors in all the places have been really really good. I got discharged from hospital in August 2020 and I saw the doctor a few times after but it’s been telephone consultations now. The chemo is invaluable, it saves your life but it’s side effects aren’t nice. I’m tired all the time, not sleeping well at night and my strength’s down. I can work but only a very small bit
"Because I was in hospital for so long and doing very little, sitting in the bed all day reading or watching or TV. I walked up and down the wards a bit but I wasn’t very active so I started to put on a bit of weight. Before the diagnosis and everything, I would have been 12.5 stone and it went up to 18.5 stone. I was trying to diet and do a bit of exercise at home but my weight was going up and down and I couldn’t lose much. I saw the GP and heard about a course in the Foyle Arena, it was a back to health programme. That’s several months ago now and I try to get there two to three days a week. I really enjoy it but the tiredness sometimes in the morning makes it near impossible for me to go. Other times, I’ve learned it’s nearly a barrier but I can go down and push myself through. But there’s a social aspect to it too rather than lying up in the house. I was referred to another group known as Headway, which is for people who have a brain injury through many different reasons; it could be cancer, an accident or anything. It’s a mixture of men and women and they’re all very friendly. I can’t describe it but it’s maybe the closest I’ve got to a group of people ever in my life because we’ve been through similar things. I’m glad I joined up. Sam is the leader and he’s a great fella. So easy going and has the time for everyone.
