Health Complications During Cancer
- Strictly Dancing reality star Amy Dowden, 33, is thankfully on the mend after having another health emergency last week, winding up back in the hospital after suffering from some sort of respiratory issue amid her continued treatment for stage 3 breast cancer.
- The Welsh professional dancer had a life-threatening infection after she started chemo in August and also wound up with a blood clot on her lung a few months later, so she made the right decision to get herself checked, though the full details of what she experienced are unclear.
- Going through a lot of major health issues in a short amount of time can be highly overwhelming, therefore it’s important to make sure you’re getting the proper physical and emotional care, and when going through cancer especially, make sure to always report any changes in your body immediately to your health team, or seek immediate medical attention.
The Welsh professional dancer had a life-threatening infection after she started chemo in August and also wound up with a blood clot on her lung a few months later, so she made the right decision to get herself checked, though the full details of what she experienced are unclear.
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Explaining that she endures the “brutal” injections to “help not feed her cancer,” Dowden also shared how heartbreaking it is to watch others go through chemo. “Just want to hug everyone and take it all away for them! But I look at all with such admiration with their strength and spirit.”
Now out of the hospital, appreciative of her oncology “angels,” and back on track with her health plan, Dowden, who is married to fellow dancer Benjamin Jones, gave fans a glimpse of their home build in a video update. Noting how much more she appreciates life in her prior post, she shared how excited she is to see the electrical work going in. Dowden appeared healthy in a pale violet-colored hoodie, wearing full eye makeup, with her lashes, brows and hair growing in a beautiful rich brown hue, as she smiled to her fans.
“On this Monday, if we can be anything, let’s be kind, yeah? And treat people how you would like to be treated in return is my motto,” Dowden shared before signing off. “Sending love and positivity to anybody who may need it this Monday.”
Amy Dowden’s Cancer Journey
Amy Dowden’s breast cancer journey began last April when she discovered a lump just before going on her honeymoon with her husband Ben.
“I was originally going to have a lumpectomy, radiotherapy, and hormone treatment,” Dowden shared during an Instagram chat about her initial treatment plan once they determined she had cancer.
“Then, after my MRI, they found another tumor so then it changed into a mastectomy, and then, after my mastectomy, unfortunately, they found even more tumors,” Dowden added of her eventual stage 3 breast cancer diagnosis. During stage 3, the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes.
Her treatment plan shifted to having to undergo chemotherapy, which she was admittedly scared to face. In November, she completed her infusions.
“My toughest journey yet!” Dowden wrote in a now-pinned post on Instagram showing her ringing the bell.
“These past few months I look back and think how did my body get through this both physically and mentally,” she continued.
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“From the words I’m so sorry Amy, it’s cancer and what’s your fertility plans. To having a mastectomy, two weeks later hormone daily injections for egg retrieval, a little Crohns flare up and then on to chemo plus shutting down my ovaries on the same day which sadly lead to sepsis, blood clots, losing my hair, my eyebrows, lashes (I have a few hanging in there) and three toe nails ?. But also it’s taken away my love of life these past few months and of course my DANCING!”
“It’s been tough,” she added. “But hopefully has now given me chance of more life which I’m eternally grateful for and I will never take for granted again. I’ll never be the same Amy again but, what I do know is I’m so much stronger than I ever knew and I have made the most amazing friends along the way.”
Rallying Support During Cancer
Amy Dowden has chosen to share publicly about her cancer journey, which is a personal choice, as not everyone feels comfortable talking about their private struggles on social media. No matter what you decide to disclose, however, it is important to have a support system, online, behind the scenes, just as long as you are asking for help when you need comfort.
Embrace It, Talk About It, and Focus on Getting Well
You don’t have to pretend everything is normal when you are facing cancer, as Hodgkin lymphoma survivor Karen Ballou shared in a previous interview with SurvivorNet. “Talk about it, embrace it, and focus on getting well.”
“I think sometimes we don’t want to talk about cancer,” Karen expressed. “And we have to talk about it.”
Her advice to anyone facing cancer? “Do what you have can to focus on getting well.”
Responding to Stressful Life Events
When a stressful life event occurs, people may react with a range of different (and quickly changing) emotions. This is completely normal.
“The way people respond is very variable,” Psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik previously told SurvivorNet. “Very much consistent with how they respond to stresses and challenges in their life in general.”
“People have a range of emotions when they’re diagnosed with cancer,” Dr. Plutchik explained. “And they can include fear, anger … and these emotions tend to be fluid. They can recede and return based on where someone is in the process. Going through a cancer diagnosis is just the beginning of a complicated, complicated process.”
Responding to Stress: How to Cope With Complex & Changing Emotions
Dr. Plutchik continued that the person going through the stressful event, should accept that emotions will be fluid. You may feel fine one day and then feel a massive wave of stress the next. It’s also important for those you look to for support whether that’s a therapist, friends and family, or both to understand the fluidity of stress-related emotions.
If a stressful event is affecting how you think and feel, it may be time to seek some sort of mental health treatment. This could mean traditional talk therapy, medication, changing lifestyle habits (like exercise and diet), seeking out a support group, or many other approaches.
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