Air Canada Lifts 2023 Outlook as Overseas Travel Binge Continues
Air Canada boosted its outlook for the second time in three months, joining US airlines in posting big
1970-01-01 08:00
Mother diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, anorexia and incurable cancer says she ‘doesn’t feel afraid of dying any more’
A mother who was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis (CF) just days before her 30th birthday and later told she has myeloma – an incurable type of blood cancer – said she has “taught (herself) a whole new script for death” and, rather than feeling afraid, she feels “empowered” by what she has overcome. Ellie Allman, 42, who lives in Hadleigh, Suffolk, with her husband Steve, 44, a charity consultant, and son Harvey, 13, used to work as a specialist adviser for vulnerable young people but she had to retire, aged 35, after being diagnosed with CF aged 29. CF is an inherited condition that causes sticky mucus to build up in the lungs and digestive system, and while Ellie did not “feel anything initially” when she received her diagnosis, she “struggled mentally” later on and ended up developing anorexia, as she felt she had “no control over anything”. “I was off work, I was frustrated, I was angry, my body didn’t feel right CF-wise – I had no energy, I couldn’t do what I wanted,” Ellie told PA Real Life. “I was spending my days weighing everything I ate and just constantly doing the maths. “It seems ridiculous now, but it made so much sense at the time to that very determined person who was just clinging on to any form of normal life.” After becoming eligible to take Kaftrio in June 2021, a medication which significantly improves lung function, she noticed a vast improvement in her health. However, in less than a year, Ellie “randomly” became very unwell, and this led to the devastating news she has incurable cancer. After this, she underwent four months of chemotherapy alongside immunotherapy, followed by a stem cell transplant to replace the damaged blood cells with healthy ones in March 2023, and then a further two months of consolidation chemotherapy which included immunotherapy. She lost her hair, felt “exhausted” and anxious, and experienced pain “worse than labour contractions” from the “harvest of (her) stem cells” before the transplant, but she knew the pain would not last forever – and she said the support she has received from her husband, son, doctors, consultants and the charity, Ending Life’s Taboo, has been invaluable. She is now in remission and undergoing maintenance chemotherapy, and while she has experienced feelings of anger and resentment, she knows she can handle anything that her health throws at her. “I’ve taught myself a whole new script for death; I find it difficult to live with failing health, but I don’t feel afraid of dying any more,” she said. “We don’t get a choice, that’s just how it goes, but I think having the right people around you is so important. “I think it’s really natural when you’re young, or when you’re scared, to unintentionally isolate yourself or become withdrawn, and that has never ever worked for me. “I have to work hard not to lose myself within these diagnoses, and I have to remind myself that I’m still the person I was before my diagnosis.” During her childhood, Ellie developed whooping cough “in succession” – a bacterial infection of the lungs and breathing tubes – along with other chest infections and bouts of flu, but she was otherwise fit and healthy and used to run, swim, and was even a sports captain at school. She remembers certain periods of her life where she felt extremely fatigued and achy, but since her mother preferred alternative and natural medicines, Ellie rarely visited the doctor – and given she had “coughed (her) entire life”, she was “dismissive” of her symptoms. Later on, during her pregnancy, Ellie developed repeated chest infections, experienced difficulties with her speech, and could not clear her throat, but it was not until after she gave birth to her son Harvey, now 13, in 2010 that she underwent further testing. In February 2011, just days before her 30th birthday, it was confirmed she has cystic fibrosis – and, at first, she said she was “not willing to make room for CF in (her) life”. “You’ve lived your whole life not ill and then suddenly there’s this label,” Ellie said. “I didn’t feel anything initially, but I struggled with it later on, mentally.” According to the charity Cystic Fibrosis Trust, CF can be diagnosed during a new-born screening, which is carried out as part of the heel-prick test that all babies in the UK receive, but since this was only introduced nationally in 2007, this was not available for Ellie. Moreover, Ellie’s rare genotype made her CF even more difficult to diagnose. She underwent treatment in the form of intravenous (IV) antibiotics and physiotherapy sessions and noticed an improvement in her health, but when she started experiencing difficulties with her digestion – caused by a build-up of thick mucus – she started to feel “really frustrated with the world”. The side effects of the prescribed drugs also meant she could not conceive again – and while she is extremely grateful for her family, this had a “massive” impact on Ellie at the time. Ellie was then told she needed to take the medication Creon with food, which aids digestion, except for with fruits and vegetables, and this led to her developing anorexia in 2016. She said her head would “scream at her” but she could not “free (herself)” from negative thoughts that would body-shame her. “I had no control over anything, it was the perfect storm in a way; the perfect circumstances for me to use that as a control mechanism,” she said. Ellie became very weak after her “dramatic weight loss” of more than four-and-a-half stone, but after realising she needed to prioritise her health and time with her family, she underwent treatment and therapy to “reframe” her negative thoughts, so they were no longer a “dominant” force in her life. In June 2021, Ellie started taking Kaftrio, and she described it as “a miracle drug”, but approximately 11 months later, she began experiencing a “burning pain in (her) chest”. This led to the heart-breaking news in July 2022 that she has myeloma – a type of blood cancer, which is incurable – and the pain caused by treatments was unimaginable at times. She said: “Since Kaftrio thins the mucus, the high-dose chemo just ripped through the mucus in my throat, so I couldn’t swallow; the pain was insane. “My throat was blistered and ulcerated, so I couldn’t eat and I was put on to a feeding tube. “But I knew I had to get through it because if I stay in remission for two years, I could have a second transplant in future.” Ellie is now in remission and is undergoing maintenance chemotherapy, which she said “feels like a breeze in comparison”, and she is continuing to take Kaftrio, meaning the symptoms of her CF have “massively reduced” and she can enjoy the “simple things in life again”. She likes going on dog walks, meeting friends for a drink, and spending time with her “favourite people”, as that “makes everything else feel better” – and looking back now, she feels “empowered” that she has handled her CF, anorexia, cancer diagnosis, and treatments. While myeloma is incurable and Ellie has had some “existential thoughts”, she said processing what may happen in life has been “freeing” and she has always held on to hope. She has applied to become a magistrate and hopes another “miracle drug” like Kaftrio may become available during her lifetime to treat the cancer. She added: “Even in the most testing of times, every time I have found something positive to focus on or something to hope for and that has kept me going.” Ellie’s cancer is not linked to CF. To find out more information, visit: www.cysticfibrosis.org.uk/what-is-cystic-fibrosis/how-does-cystic-fibrosis-affect-the-body/cystic-fibrosis-complications/cancer Read More Dancer who has Tourette’s tics says Lewis Capaldi’s Glastonbury performance left her ‘speechless’ ‘Long Covid has taken away my ability to eat food or urinate - I don’t recognise myself anymore’ How to lower your blood sugar levels, as new research reveals heart disease link Groundbreaking cystic fibrosis drug made seven-year-old girl feel better ‘within hours’
1970-01-01 08:00
Jason Momoa 'devastated and heartbroken' by Maui fires
One of Hawaii's biggest stars is expressing support in the midst of the lethal wildfires in Maui.
1970-01-01 08:00
FC Barcelona to List Media Unit in NY in $1 Billion SPAC Deal
Spanish football’s FC Barcelona will list its content creation unit Barca Media in the US via a merger
1970-01-01 08:00
Norway’s $1.4 Trillion Wealth Fund Wants ESG Ratings Overhauled
Norway’s $1.4 trillion wealth fund is backing a European Commission proposal to overhaul the ESG ratings industry amid
1970-01-01 08:00
Hard Landing Is Here for Trade, Roiling World Export Champs
Supply Lines is a daily newsletter that tracks global trade. Sign up here. As economists gauge the likelihood
1970-01-01 08:00
Mia Khalifa responds to criticism after giving 'Tom Brady' marriage advice
Mia Khalifa has doubled down on her TikTok comments after offering relationship advice to younger women while mentioning Tom Brady. In the initial clip, Khalifa candidly opened up about her relationship history, having been married twice and engaged three times. "Married at 18, divorced at 21. Second marriage: married at 25, divorced at 28. Third engagement: engaged at 29, ended it at 30, but I kept the ring and still keep Tom Brady on his toes," she joked. The former adult star said women "shouldn't be afraid to leave these men," adding: "We are not stuck with these people." "Marriage is not a prudish thing, it's paperwork. It's a commitment you make to someone, but if you feel like you're not getting anything out of that commitment and you're trying, you have to leave. You have to go," she continued. "I know it's hard to fill out paperwork and schedule appointments and do all this stuff. "But this is your f***ing life, do you want to be stuck with someone? Period." Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter The former adult star's clip was soon inundated with polarised views, with some in full support of her comments and others making snarky remarks. Now, Khalifa has followed up with a second clip, in which she addressed the backlash. "I’m failing to see what’s wrong in telling young women - who get married young - that if they are in relationships that are unhealthy and toxic, and make them unhappy, that just because they made a ‘commitment,’ they are not stuck in these relationships," she said. @miakhalifa #stitch with @Mia K. Period. She went on to suggest those making such comments tend to be men who dislike their partner being confident. "[The ones] who are afraid of their women having self realisations, and exercising free will, and leaving them," she continued. "Because the only thing holding their relationships together is probably the fact that they made ‘a commitment,’ and their religion and families. "If you’re not happy, get the f*** out of there," Khalifa concluded. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
1970-01-01 08:00
US Halts Import of Rare Cargo of Polish Wheat in Houston
The US is holding back a rare cargo of Polish wheat being imported into Houston, a move that
1970-01-01 08:00
Meloni-Style Capitalism is Reshaping Corporate Italy
For Giorgia Meloni, wielding power in Italy now means steering the country’s biggest businesses too. The premier’s activism
1970-01-01 08:00
Asian companies earnings estimates get boost from consumption hopes
By Gaurav Dogra and Patturaja Murugaboopathy Analysts are raising earnings estimates for Asian companies for the first time
1970-01-01 08:00
Ron DeSantis and Tim Scott test whether Republicans want a brawler or uniter
South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott visited Arizona's southern border last week where, after listening to harrowing stories of hardship on the path through Mexico to the United States, he declared, "The most compassionate thing we can do is tell people, 'Don't come to our border illegally.'"
1970-01-01 08:00
Roundup: Shakira Takes Another Shot at Gerard Pique; Maui Wildfires Death Toll Rises; Spain Moves on at World Cup
Shakira took another shot at Gerard Pique, Maui wildfires death toll rises, Spain topped the Netherlands at the Women's World Cup and more in the Roundup.
1970-01-01 08:00
