'I had already seen my coffin' - Cancer survivor
Williams, the Manager at Budget Marine Nanny Cay Chandlery, in an interview with this news site yesterday February 23, 2016, said she was devastated upon receiving the news from the doctor that she had cancer.
She said it has been two years since she had her surgery on February 21, 2014. As a result of the cancer diagnosis, she had a mastectomy.
“I had already seen my coffin,” said Williams, who is now celebrating her life and had a social event with close friends and family to mark the occasion of the second anniversary of being cancer free on February 21, 2016.
“It was a celebration to say I'm here and I'm happy,” she said, appreciative of the close friends and family, including her very supportive husband.
“I found out I had breast cancer, so I went and did the surgery,” she said, adding that cancer was found in two areas of the breasts on which she had the mastectomy. She also had reconstruction of the breast following the procedure.
Very rough on her body
She recalled it being a "rough" post surgery process as she ended up being infected. “By the following Friday I was back in surgery again because I ended up tearing something. Everything went well too there but having two surgeries in a short space of time it was very rough on my body,” she said.
Williams said that following this, the doctor sent her home to recuperate as it was too much on her body.
“When I got back to the VI from Puerto Rico, the wound ended up getting infected,” she related. The doctor told her on her return that there was a fifty-fifty chance they would have to remove the implants as the infection was so bad.
However, a doctor in the VI worked on her and was able to stop the infection from getting worse.
Williams said that the first year following surgery was "a bit rough." She said that being a tough person she thought she could cope entirely on her own but then she realised that she needed the support of loved ones.
“I expected to bounce back quickly, which really didn’t happen. It took a lot of crying, a lot of depression and stuff to get back to where I am now. “You have a lot of changes to your body also so you have to get accustomed to yourself again and be comfortable in your skin again.”
Support was important
According to the woman, her employees were very good to her and gave their support. “I was allowed to take enough time to recuperate. I was allowed to come back to work half days instead of full days and they were very supportive,” she said.
Williams said her husband, children and other persons were very supportive. “I have a friend who went through the same process and when I was going through my surgery she came down and went to Puerto Rico with me...she was like my rock,” said Williams, adding that if she did not have this friend’s presence she did not know how she would have coped.
She said she believes in God 100 percent and said this is what brought her to where she is today. “If it wasn’t for him and my belief in him, I would not be here.”
Getting her life back
Williams is also thankful that she detected the cancer early enough to deal with it before it spread.
She said before the surgery she was very active. “I used to go to the gym, I used to work out a lot and it is hard to get back to that. I have to do it slowly,” she said.
Williams said she lives a simple life, conscious of her body because of what she has been through and she tries to be as healthy as she can for herself and family.
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